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.

"You know me, Pharaoh, and my errand."

"I know you," answered Pharaoh slowly, "as well I may, seeing that we
played together when we were little. You are that Hebrew whom my sister,
she who sleeps in Osiris, took to be as a son to her, giving to you a
name that means 'drawn forth' because she drew you forth as an infant
from among the reeds of Nile. Aye, I know you and your brother also, but
your errand I know not."

"This is my errand, Pharaoh, or rather the errand of Jahveh, God of
Israel, for whom I speak. Have you not heard it before? It is that you
should let his people go to do sacrifice to him in the wilderness."

"Who is Jahveh? I know not Jahveh who serve Amon and the gods of Egypt,
and why should I let your people go?"

"Jahveh is the God of Israel, the great God of all gods whose power you
shall learn if you will not hearken, Pharaoh. As for why you should let
the people go, ask it of the Prince your son who sits yonder. Ask him of
what he saw in the streets of this city but last night, and of a certain
judgment that he passed upon one of the officers of Pharaoh. Or if he
will not tell you, learn it from the lips of the maiden who is named
Merapi, Moon of Israel, the daughter of Nathan the Levite. Stand
forward, Merapi, daughter of Nathan."