“I give greeting, O King and Father.”

“I give greeting, O Prince and Son.  Be seated,” answered Meneptah.

Seti seated himself in a chair that had been made ready for him at the foot of the throne, and on its right, and in another chair to the left, but set farther from the steps, Amenmeses seated himself also.  At a motion from the Prince I took my stand behind his chair.

The formal business of the Court began.  At the beckoning of an usher people of all sorts appeared singly and handed in petitions written on rolled-up papyri, which the Vizier Nehesi took and threw into a leathern sack that was held open by a black slave.  In some cases an answer to his petition, whereof this was only the formal delivery, was handed back to the suppliant, who touched his brow with the roll that perhaps meant everything to him, and bowed himself away to learn his fate.  Then appeared sheiks of the desert tribes, and captains from fortresses in Syria, and traders who had been harmed by enemies, and even peasants who had suffered violence from officers, each to make his prayer.  Of all of these supplications the scribes took notes, while to some the Vizier and councillors made answer.  But as yet Pharaoh said nothing.  There he sat silent on his splendid throne of ivory and gold, like a god of stone above the altar, staring down the long hall and through the open doors as though he would read the secrets of the skies beyond.

“I told you that courts were wearisome, friend Ana,” whispered the Prince to me without turning his head.  “Do you not already begin to wish that you were back writing tales at Memphis?”

Before I could answer some movement in the throng at the end of the hall drew the eyes of the Prince and of all of us.  I looked, and saw advancing towards the throne a tall, bearded man already old, although his black hair was but grizzled with grey.  He was arrayed in a white linen robe, over which hung a woollen cloak such as shepherds wear, and he carried in his hand a long thornwood staff.  His face was splendid and very handsome, and his black eyes flashed like fire.  He walked forward slowly, looking neither to the left nor the right, and the throng made way for him as though he were a prince.  Indeed, I thought that they showed more fear of him than of any prince, since they shrank from him as he came.  Nor was he alone, for after him walked another man who was very like to him, but as I judged, still older, for his beard, which hung down to his middle, was snow-white as was the hair on his head.  He also was dressed in a sheepskin cloak and carried a staff in his hand.  Now a whisper rose among the people and the whisper said: 

“The prophets of the men of Israel!  The prophets of the men of Israel!”

The two stood before the throne and looked at Pharaoh, making no obeisance.  Pharaoh looked at them and was silent.  For a long space they stood thus in the midst of a great quiet, but Pharaoh would not speak, and none of his officers seemed to dare to open their mouths.  At length the first of the prophets spoke in a clear, cold voice as some conqueror might do.