Har-hat received the declaration with a wrathful exclamation.

“Thou!  Thou to accuse me!  I to plead before thee!  By the gods, the limit is reached.  The ranks of Egypt have been juggled, the law of deference reversed!  A noble to bow to an artisan!  Age to give account of itself to green youth!”

“And thou pratest of law!  The benefits of law are for him who obeys it; the reverence of youth is for the honorable old.  But thou wastest mine opportunity.  Thou shalt silence me no longer.

“Thy dearest enemy, O Har-hat,” Kenkenes continued, “would not impugn thy wits.  He deserves the epithet himself who calls thee fool.  But be not puffed up for this thing I have said.  Thou hast made a weapon of thy wits and it shall recoil upon thee.  Thou seest Egypt; not in all the world is there another empire so piteously humbled.  Her fields are white with bones instead of harvests; her cities are loud with mourning instead of commerce; the desert hath overrun the valley.  And this from the hands of the Hebrews’ God!  Who doubts it?  Hath Egypt won any honor in this quarrel with Israel?  Look upon Egypt and learn.  Hath the army of the Pharaoh availed him aught against these afflictions?  Remember the polluted waters, the pests, the thunders, the darkness, the angel of death and tell me.  ‘Vengeance?’ Vengeance upon a God who hath blasted a nation with His breath?  Chastisement of a people whose murmurs brought down consuming fire upon the land?  And yet, for vengeance and chastisement hast thou urged the king to follow after Israel.  I know thee better, Har-hat!  That serviceable wit of thine hath not failed thee in an hour.  Thou hast not wearied of life that thou courtest destruction by the Hebrews’ God.  Never hast thou meant to overtake Israel!  Never hast thou thought further to provoke their God!  Rather was it thine intent here, somewhere in the desert, thyself to be a plague upon Meneptah and wear his crown after him!”

Confident were the words, portentous the manner as though proof were behind, astounding the accusation.  One by one the ministers had fallen away from Har-hat and placed themselves by the king.  After a long time of humiliation for them, the supplanter, the insulter, was overtaken, his villainy uncovered to the eyes of the king.  Kenkenes had justified them, and their triumph had come with a gust of wrath that added further to their relief.

Hotep gazed fixedly at Kenkenes.  Where had this young visionary, new-released from prison, found evidence to impeach this powerful favorite?  How was he fortified?  What would be his next play?  How much more did he know?  And while Hotep asked himself these things, trembling for Kenkenes, Har-hat put the same questions to himself.  The roll of papyrus, with its seals, still in the young man’s hands, was significant.  He folded his arms and forced the issue.

“Your proof,” he demanded.