me, and my hair rose upon my head. Then of a sudden the mighty pylon
seemed to rock beneath my feet, a great wind beat about my brows and a
voice spoke within my heart:

"Behold a sign! Possess thyself in patience, O Harmachis!"

And as the voice spoke, a cold hand touched my hand, and left somewhat
within it. Then the cloud rolled from the face of the moon, the wind
passed, the pylon ceased to tremble, and the night was as the night had
been.

As the light came back, I gazed upon that which had been left within my
hand. It was a bud of the holy lotus new breaking into bloom, and from
it came a most sweet scent.

And while I gazed behold! the lotus passed from my grasp and was gone,
leaving me astonished.



CHAPTER IV

OF THE DEPARTURE OF HARMACHIS AND OF HIS MEETING WITH HIS UNCLE SEPA,
THE HIGH PRIEST OF ANNU EL RA; OF HIS LIFE AT ANNU, AND OF THE WORDS OF
SEPA

At the dawning of the next day I was awakened by a priest of the temple,
who brought word to me to make ready for the journey of which my father
had spoken, inasmuch as there was an occasion for me to pass down the
river to Annu el Ra. Now this is the Heliopolis of the Greeks, whither I