Then he called to one of the so-called "holy fathers," his private
secretary, and said:

"Draw up at once a document, to be sent to all the priests'-colleges in
the land. Inform them that the daughter of Rameses has lapsed seriously
from the law, and defiled herself, and direct that public--you hear me
public--prayers shall be put up for her purification in every temple.
Lay the letter before me to be signed within in hour. But no! Give me
your reed and palette; I will myself draw up the instructions."

The "holy father" gave him writing materials, and retired into the
background. Ameni muttered: "The King will do us some unheard-of
violence! Well, this writing may be the first arrow in opposition
to his lance."




CHAPTER VIII.

The moon was risen over the city of the living that lay opposite the
Necropolis of Thebes.

The evening song had died away in the temples, that stood about a mile
from the Nile, connected with each other by avenues of sphinxes and
pylons; but in the streets of the city life seemed only just really
awake.

The coolness, which had succeeded the heat of the summer day, tempted the