off my lap. Down the stairs I ran, three steps at a time, as fast as my
long legs would carry me, and unbarred the door. Before I had time to
ask them what they wanted, a whole crowd of temple-servants and
policemen--there must have been at least fifteen of them--forced their
way into the house. Pichi,--you know, that impudent fellow from the
temple of Neith,--pushed me back, barred the door inside and told the
police to put me in fetters if I refused to obey him. Of course I got
angry and did not use very civil words to them--you know that's my way
when I'm put out--and what does that bit of a fellow do--by our god
Thoth, the protector of knowledge who must know all, I'm speaking the
truth--but order them to bind my hands, forbid me--me, old Hib--to speak,
and then tell me that he had been told by the high-priest to order me
five-and-twenty strokes, if I refused to do his bidding. He showed me
the high-priest's ring, and so I knew there was nothing for it but to
obey the villain, whether I would or no. And what was his modest demand?
Why, nothing less than to give him all the written papers you had left
behind. But old Hib is not quite so stupid as to let himself be caught
in that way, though some people, who ought to know better, do fancy he
can be bribed and is no better than the son of an ass. What did I do
then? I pretended to be quite crushed into submission by the sight of
the signet-ring, begged Pichi as politely as I could to unfasten my
hands, and told him I would fetch the keys. They loosened the cords, I
flew up the stairs five steps at a time, burst open the door of your
sleeping-room, pushed my little grandson, who was standing by it, into
the room and barred it within. Thanks to my long legs, the others were
so far behind that I had time to get hold of the black box which you had
told me to take so much care of, put it into the child's arms, lift him
through the window on to the balcony which runs round the house towards
the inner court, and tell him to put it at once into the pigeon-house.
Then I opened the door as if nothing had happened, told Pichi the child