NowI，Ana，listening，wishedthatKiwouldappearbeforethefaceofPharaoh，althoughIdidnotbelievethathecouldbekilledbyhimorbyanybodyelse，sinceagainstdeathhehadcharms。ForIwasafraidofKi，andfeltinmyselfthatagainhewasplottingeviltoMerapiwhomIknewtobeinnocent。
　　ThePrincewalkedupanddownthechamberaswashisfashionwhenlostinthought。Presentlyhestoppedoppositetomeandsaid：
　　“FriendAna，bepleasedtocommandthatmychariotsbemadereadywithageneral’sescortofahundredmenandsparehorsestoeachchariot。
　　Werideatdawn，youandI，toseekoutthearmyofPharaohandprayaudienceofPharaoh。“
　　“Mylord，“saidMerapiinakindofcry，“Iprayyougonot，leavingmealone。“
　　“WhyshouldIleaveyou，Lady？Comewithmeifyouwill。“Sheshookherhead，saying：
　　“Idarenot。Prince，therehasbeensomecharmuponmeoflatethatdrawsmebacktomyownpeople。TwiceinthenightIhaveawakenedandfoundmyselfinthegardenswithmyfacesettowardsthenorth，andheardavoiceinmyears，eventhatofmyfatherwhoisdead，saying：
　　“’MoonofIsrael，thypeoplewanderinthewildernessandneedthylight。’
　　“ItiscertainthereforethatifIcameneartothemIshouldbedraggeddownaswoodisdraggedofaneddy，norwouldEgyptseemeanymore。“
　　“ThenIprayyoubidewhereyouare，Merapi，“saidthePrince，laughingalittle，“sinceitiscertainthatwhereyougoImustfollow，whohavenodesiretowanderinthewildernesswithyourHebrewfolk。Well，itseemsthatasyoudonotwishtoleaveMemphisandwillnotcomewithme，Imuststaywithyou。“
　　Kifixedhispiercingeyesuponthepairofthem。
　　“LetthePrinceforgiveme，“hesaid，“butIswearitbythegodsthatneverdidIthinktolivetohearthePrinceSetiMeneptahsetawoman’swhimsbeforehishonour。“
　　“Yourwordsarerough，“saidSeti，drawinghimselfup，“andhadtheybeenspokeninotherdays，mayhap，Ki-“
　　“Oh!mylord，“saidKiprostratinghimselftillhisforeheadtouchedtheground，“bethinkyouthenhowgreatmustbetheneedwhichmakesmedaretospeakthem。WhenfirstIcamehitherfromthecourtofTanis，thespiritthatiswithinmespeakingthroughmylipsgavecertaintitlestoyourHighness，forwhichyourHighnesswaspleasedtoreproveme。YetthespiritinmecannotlieandIknowwell，andbidallheremakerecordofmywords，thatto-nightIstandinthepresenceofhimwhoeretwomoonshavepassedwillbecrownedPharaoh。“
　　“Trulyyouwereeverabearerofill-tidings，Ki，butifso，whatofit？“
　　“ThisyourHighness：WereitnotthatthespiritsofTruthandRightcompelmefortheirownreasons，shouldI，whohavebloodthatcanbeshedorbonesthatcanbebroken，daretohurlhardwordsathimwhowillbePharaoh？ShouldIdaretocrossthewillofthesweetdovewhonestlesonhisheart，thewise，whitedovethatmurmursthemysteriesofheaven，whenceshecame，andisstrongerthanthevultureofIsisandswifterthanthehawkofRa；thedovethat，weresheangry，couldrendmeintomorefragmentsthandidSetOsiris？“
　　NowIsawBakenkhonsubegintoswellwithinwardlaughterlikeafrogabouttocroak，butSetiansweredinawearyvoice：
　　“ByallthebirdsofEgyptwiththesacredcrocodilesthrownin，Idonotknow，sincethatmindofyours，Ki，isnotanopenwritingwhichcanbereadbythepasser-by。Still，ifyouwouldtellmewhatisthereasonwithwhichthegoddessesofTruthandJusticehaveinspiredyou-“
　　“Thereasonis，OPrince，thatthefateofallEgypt’sarmymaybehiddeninyourhand。ThetimeisshortandIwillbeplain。Denyitasshewillthisladyhere，whoseemstobebutathingofloveandbeauty，isthegreatestsorceressinEgypt，asIwhomshehasmasteredknowwell。ShematchedherselfagainstthehighgodofEgyptandsmotehimtothedust，andhaspaidbackuponhim，hisprophets，andhisworshipperstheillsthathewouldhaveworkedtoher，asinthelikecaseanyofourfellowshipwoulddo。Nowshehasdreamedadream，orherspirithastoldherthatthearmyofEgyptisindangerofdestruction，andIknowthatthisdreamistrue。Hastenthen，O
　　Prince，tosavethehostsofEgypt，whichyouwillsurelyneedwhenyoucometosituponitsthrone。“
　　“Iamnosorceress，“criedMerapi，“andyet——alas!thatImustsayit——thissmiling-featured，cold-eyedwizard’swordsaretrue。/TheswordofdeathhangsoverthehostsofEgypt!/“
　　“Commandthatthechariotsbemadeready，“saidSetiagain。
　　Eightdayshadgoneby。ItwassunsetandwedrewreinoveragainsttheSeaofReeds。DayandnightwehadfollowedthearmyofPharaohacrossthewildernessonaroadbeatendownbyhischariotwheelsandsoldiers，andbythetensofthousandsoftheIsraeliteswhohadpassedthatwaybeforethem。Nowfromtheridgewherewehadhaltedwesawitencampedbeneathus，averygreatarmy。Moreover，stragglerstoldusthatbeyond，alsoencamped，wasthecountlesshordeoftheIsraelites，andbeyondthesethevastSeaofReedswhichbarredtheirpath。Butwecouldnotseethemforaverystrangereason。BetweentheseandthearmyofPharaohroseablackwallofcloud，builtasitwerefromearthtoheaven。OneofthosestragglersofwhomIhavespoken，toldusthatthiscloudtravelledbeforetheIsraelitesbyday，butatnightwasturnedintoapillaroffire。Onlyonthisday，whenthearmyofPharaohapproached，ithadmovedroundandcomebetweenthepeopleofIsraelandthearmy。
　　NowwhenthePrince，Bakenkhonsu，andIheardthesethingswelookedateachotherandweresilent。OnlypresentlythePrincelaughedalittle，andsaid：
　　“WeshouldhavebroughtKiwithus，evenifwehadtocarryhimbound，thathemightinterpretthismarvel，foritissurethatnooneelsecan。“
　　“ItwouldbehardtokeepKibound，Prince，ifhewishedtogofree，“
　　answeredBakenkhonsu。“Moreover，beforeeverweenteredthechariotsatMemphishehaddepartedsouthforThebes。Isawhimgo。“
　　“AndIgaveordersthatheshouldnotbeallowedtoreturn，forIholdhimanillguest，orsothinkstheladyMerapi，“repliedSetiwithasigh。
　　“NowthatweareherewhatwouldthePrincedo？“Iasked。
　　“DescendtothecampofPharaohandsaywhatwehavetosay，Ana。“
　　“Andifhewillnotlisten，Prince？“
　　“Thencryourmessagealoudandreturn。“
　　“Andifhewillnotsufferustoreturn，Prince？“
　　“Thenstandstillandliveordieasthegodsmaydecree。“
　　“Trulyourlordhasagreatheart!“exclaimedBakenkhonsu，“andthoughIfeeloveryoungtodie，Iammindedtoseetheendofthismatterwithhim，“andhelaughedaloud。
　　ButIwhowasafraidthoughtthat/O-ho-ho/ofhis，whichtheskyseemedtoechobackuponourheads，astrangeandindeedafearfulsound。
　　Thenweputonrobesofceremonythatwehadbroughtwithus，butneitherswordsnorarmour，andhavingeatensomefood，droveonwiththehalfofourguardtowardstheplacewherewesawthebannersofPharaohflyingabouthispavilion。Therestofourguardweleftencamped，biddingthem，ifaughthappenedtous，toreturnandmakereportatMemphisandintheothergreatcities。Aswedrewneartothecamptheoutpostssawusandchallenged。Butwhentheyperceivedbythelightofthesettingsunwhoitwasthattheychallenged，amurmurwentthroughthem，of：
　　“ThePrinceofEgypt!ThePrinceofEgypt!“forsotheyhadneverceasedtonameSeti，andtheysalutedwiththeirspearsandletuspass。
　　SoatlengthwecametothepavilionofPharaoh，roundaboutwhichawholeregimentstoodonguard。Thesidesofitwereloopeduphighbecauseoftheheatofthenightwhichwasgreat，andwithinsatPharaoh，hiscaptains，hiscouncillors，hispriests，hismagicians，andmanyothersatmeatorservingfoodanddrink。Theysatatatablethatwasbentlikeabow，withtheirfacestowardstheentrance，andPharaohwasinthecentreofthetablewithhisfan-bearersandbutlersbehindhim。
　　Weadvancedintothepavilion，thePrinceinthecentre，Bakenkhonsuleaningonhisstaffontherighthand，andI，wearingthegoldchainthatPharaohMeneptahhadgivenme，ontheleft，butthosewithusremainedamongtheguardattheentrance。
　　“Whoarethese？“askedAmenmeses，lookingup，“whocomehereunbidden？“
　　“ThreecitizensofEgyptwhohaveamessageforPharaoh，“answeredSetiinhisquietvoice，“whichwehavetravelledfastandfartospeakintime。“
　　“Howareyounamed，citizensofEgypt，andwhosendsyourmessage？“
　　“Wearenamed，SetiMeneptahaforetimePrinceofEgypt，andheirtoitscrown；BakenkhonsutheagedCouncillor，andAnathescribeandKing’sCompanion，andourmessageisfromthegods。“
　　“Wehaveheardthosenames，whohasnot？“saidPharaoh，andashespokeall，orverynearlyall，thecompanyrose，orhalfrose，andbowedtowardsthePrince。“Willyouandyourcompanionsbeseatedandeat，PrinceSetiMeneptah？“
　　“WethankthedivinePharaoh，butwehavealreadyeaten。HavewePharaoh’sleavetodeliverourmessage？“
　　“Speakon，Prince。“
　　“OPharaoh，manymoonshavegoneby，sincelastwelookeduponeachotherfacetoface，onthatdaywhenmyfather，thegoodgodMeneptah，disinheritedme，andafterwardsfledhencetoOsiris。PharaohwillrememberwhyIwasthuscutofffromtheroyalrootofEgypt。ItwasbecauseofthematteroftheseIsraelites，whoinmyjudgmenthadbeenevillydealtby，andshouldbesufferedtoleaveourland。ThegoodgodMeneptah，beingsoadvisedbyyouandothers，OPharaoh，wouldhavesmittentheIsraeliteswiththesword，makinganendofthem，andtothishedemandedmyassentastheHeirofEgypt。Irefusedthatassentandwascastout，andsincethen，you，OPharaoh，havewornthedoublecrown，whileIhavedweltasacitizenofMemphis，livinguponsuchlandsandrevenuesasaremyown。Betweenthathourandthis，O
　　Pharaoh，manygriefshavesmittenEgypt，andthelastofthemcostyouyourfirst-born，andmemine。Yetthroughthemall，OPharaoh，youhaverefusedtolettheseHebrewsgo，asIcounselledshouldbedoneatthebeginning。Atlengthafterthedeathofthefirst-born，yourdecreewasissuedthattheymightgo。Yetnowyoufollowthemwithagreatarmyandpurposetodotothemwhatmyfather，thegoodgodMeneptah，wouldhavedone，hadIconsented，namely——todestroythemwiththesword。Hearme，Pharaoh!“
　　“Ihear；alsothecaseiswellifbrieflyset。WhatelsewouldthePrinceSetisay？“
　　“This，OPharaoh。ThatIprayyoutoreturnwithallyourhostfromthefollowingoftheseHebrews，notto-morroworthenextday，butatonce——thisnight。“
　　“Why，OPrince？“