Moses had murdered Pharaoh’s first-born son, but he and the aged chief-priest of Amon held the weal or woe of the dead prince’s soul in their hands,—­a weapon sharp and strong, for he knew the monarch’s weak and vacillating heart.  If the high-priest of Amon—­the only man whose authority surpassed his own—­did not thwart him by some of the unaccountable whims of age, it would be the merest trifle to force Pharaoh to yield; but any concession made to-day would be withdrawn to-morrow, should the Hebrew succeed in coming between the irresolute monarch and his Egyptian advisers.  This very day the unworthy son of the great Rameses had covered his face and trembled like a timid fawn at the bare mention of the sorcerer’s name, and to-morrow he might curse him and pronounce a death sentence upon him.  Perhaps he might be induced to do this, and on the following one he would recall him and again sue for his blessing.

Down with such monarchs!  Let the feeble reed on the throne be hurled into the dust!  Already he had chosen a successor from among the princes of the blood, and when the time was ripe—­when Rui, the high-priest of Amon, had passed the limits of life decreed by the gods to mortals and closed his eyes in death, he, Bai, would occupy his place, a new life for Egypt, and Moses and his race would commence would perish.

While the prophet was absorbed in these reflections a pair of ravens fluttered around his head and, croaking loudly, alighted on the dusty ruins of one of the shattered houses.  He involuntarily glanced around him and noted that they had perched on the corpse of a murdered Hebrew, lying half concealed amid the rubbish.  A smile which the priests of lower rank who surrounded his litter knew not how to interpret, flitted over his shrewd, defiant countenance.

CHAPTER III.

Hornecht, commander of the archers, was among the prophet’s companions.  Indeed they were on terms of intimacy, for the soldier was a leader amid the nobles who had conspired to dethrone Pharaoh.

As they approached Nun’s ruined dwelling, the prophet pointed to the wreck and said:  “The former owner of this abode is the only Hebrew I would gladly spare.  He was a man of genuine worth, and his son, Hosea. . . .”

“Will be one of us,” the captain interrupted.  “There are few better men in Pharaoh’s army, and,” he added, lowering his voice, “I rely on him when the decisive hour comes.”

“We will discuss that before fewer witnesses,” replied Bai.  “But I am greatly indebted to him.  During the Libyan war—­you are aware of the fact—­I fell into the hands of the enemy, and Hosea, at the head of his little troop, rescued me from the savage hordes.”  Sinking his tones, he went on in his most instructive manner, as though apologizing for the mischief wrought:  “Such is the course of earthly affairs!  Where a whole body of men merit punishment, the innocent must suffer with the guilty.  Under such circumstances the gods themselves cannot separate the individual from the multitude; nay, even the innocent animals share the penalty.  Look at the flocks of doves fluttering around the ruins; they are seeking their cotes in vain.  And the cat with her kittens yonder.  Go and take them, Beki; it is our duty to save the sacred animals from starving to death.”