I regret the order, but the king is the will, and I am only the hand." "The hand, which he makes use of to sequester ancient rights, and to open a way to the desert over the fruitful land." ["With good management," said the first Napoleon, "the Nile encroaches upon the desert, with bad management the desert encroaches upon the Nile."] "Your acres will not long remain unprovided for.

Rameses will win new victories with the increased army, and the help of the Gods." "The Gods! whom he insults!" "After the conclusion of peace he will reconcile the Gods by doubly rich gifts.

He hopes confidently for an early end to the war, and writes to me that after the next battle he wins he intends to offer terms to the Cheta.

A plan of the king's is also spoken of--to marry again, and, indeed, the daughter of the Cheta King Chetasar." Up to this moment the Regent had kept his eyes cast down.

Now he raised them, smiling, as if he would fain enjoy Ameni's satisfaction, and asked: "What dost thou say to this project ?" "I say," returned Ameni, and his voice, usually so stern, took a tone of amusement, "I say that Rameses seems to think that the blood of thy cousin and of his mother, which gives him his right to the throne, is incapable of pollution." "It is the blood of the Sun-god!" "Which runs but half pure in his veins, but wholly pure in thine." The Regent made a deprecatory gesture, and said softly, with a smile which resembled that of a dead man: "We are not alone." "No one is here," said Ameni, "who can hear us; and what I say is known to every child." "But if it came to the king's ears--" whispered Ani, "he--" "He would perceive how unwise it is to derogate from the ancient rights of those on whom it is incumbent to prove the purity of blood of the sovereign of this land.