rejoiced, and thanked the gods for the honour which Joseph did him by
visiting him, and ordered a great banquet to be prepared.

Just at this time, Aseneth, who had heard that her father and mother
were returned, came to meet them. She had put on her most beautiful
robe, of linen woven with gold, and a golden girdle, and necklace and
bracelets of precious stones upon which were engraved the names of
the gods of Egypt. And she had a golden diadem on her head, and over
it a delicate veil. She hastened to meet her father and mother, and
they rejoiced at her wonderful beauty, and made her sit by them, and
showed her the gifts they had brought to her from the country--grapes
and figs, pomegranates and fresh dates, and young doves and quails
for her to tame, to her great delight. Then her father said to her,
"My child, sit here with us: I want to speak to you." So she sat down
between her father and mother, and her father took her hand and
kissed her, and said, "My darling child, do you know that Joseph, the
lord of all this land, the man who is going to save the country from
the famine that is coming the man whom Pharaoh trusts and honours
above all others, is coming to this house to-day? What would you say
if I were to offer to give you in marriage to him, to live happily
with him for the rest of your life?"

Then Aseneth was very angry; she blushed as red as fire, and darted
an ugly glance at her father sideways, and said, "How can you talk to
me so, father? Would you give me to a creature like that, the son of
a Ganaanitish labourer, who has been in prison--yes, and sold as a
slave--and only got out of prison because he contrived to explain a
dream of Pharaoh's, for all the world like the old women? Certainly
not! If I marry any one it will be Pharaoh's eldest son." So
Potipherah, disappointed as he was, said no more; and Aseneth