Temple of the God Ra.

We dismounted at the pylon, and were met beneath the portico by a man
not great of stature, but of noble aspect, having his head shaven, and
with dark eyes that twinkled like the further stars.

"Hold!" he cried, in a great voice which fitted his weak body but ill.
"Hold! I am Sepa, who opens the mouth of the Gods!"

"And I," I said, "am Harmachis, son of Amenemhat, Hereditary High Priest
and Ruler of the Holy City Abouthis; and I bear letters to thee, O
Sepa!"

"Enter," he said. "Enter!" scanning me all the while with his twinkling
eyes. "Enter, my son!" And he took me and led me to a chamber in the
inner hall, closed to the door, and then, having glanced at the letters
that I brought, of a sudden he fell upon my neck and embraced me.

"Welcome," he cried, "welcome, son of my own sister, and hope of Khem!
Not in vain have I prayed the Gods that I might live to look upon thy
face and impart to thee the wisdom which perchance I alone have mastered
of those who are left alive in Egypt. There are few whom it is lawful
that I should teach. But thine is the great destiny, and thine shall be
the ears to hear the lessons of the Gods."

And he embraced me once more and bade me go bathe and eat, saying that
on the morrow he would speak with me further.

This of a truth he did, and at such length that I will forbear to set
down all he said both then and afterwards, for if I did so there would