At a sign from the king, who had already sunk into his throne, the old man sat.

“Thou bringest us tidings, holy Father?”

“Even so, O Son of Ptah.”

“Say on.”

The priest moved a little uncomfortably and glanced at the ministers grouped in the shadows.

“Save for the worthy Har-hat and our prince, O my King, thou hast no need of great council,” he said.

Meneptah raised his hand and the supernumerary ministers left the chamber.  When they were gone, Loi unwrapped the roll Kenkenes had brought and began to read: 

“To Loi, the most high Servant of Amen, Lord of Tape, the Servant of Ra, at On, sends greeting: 

“The gods lend me composure to speak calmly with thee, O Brother.  And let the dismay which is mine explain the lack of ceremony in this writing.

“It is not likely that thou hast forgotten the good Queen Neferari Thermuthis’ foster-son—­the Hebrew Mesu, whom she found adrift in a basket on Nilus.  But lest the years have driven the memory of his misdeeds from thy mind, I tell again the story.  Thou knowest he was initiated a priest of Isis, and scarce had the last of the mysteries been disclosed to him, ere it was seen that the brotherhood had taken an apostate unto itself.

“By the grace of the gods, he interfered in a brawl at Pithom and killed an Egyptian.  Before he could be taken he fled into Midian, and the secrets of our order were safe, for a time.

“One by one our fellows have entered Osiris.  The young who knew not have filled their places.  Thou and I, only, are left—­and the Hebrew!

“He hath returned!

“The gods make strong our hands against him!  He went away as a menace, but he returneth as a pestilence.  The demons of Amend are with him, and his hour is most propitious.  He hath sunk himself in the Israelitish pool here in the north, and he will breathe therefrom such vapors as may destroy Egypt—­faith—­state—­all!

“The bond-people are already in ferment.  There was mutiny at Pa-Ramesu recently, when three hundred were chosen to work the quarries.  Moreover, the taskmasters are corrupt.  The commander, one Atsu by name, appointed when the chief Merenra became nomarch over Bubastis, hath disarmed the under-drivers, removed the women from toil and restored many privileges which are ruinous to law and order.  The whole Delta is in commotion.  The nomad tribes near the Goshen country are agitated; communities of Egyptian shepherds have been won over to the Hebrew’s cause, and now the Israelitish renegade needs but to betray the secrets to bring such calamity upon Egypt as never befell a nation.

“But, Brother, he is within reach of an avenging hand!  Commission us, I pray thee, to protect the mysteries after any manner that to us seemeth good.

“Despatch is urgent.  He may fly again.  Give us thine answer as we have sent this to thee—­by a nobleman—­a swift and trusty one, and the blessings of the Radiant Three be upon thy head.