"In watching over the numerous herds I could not succeed alone; so I have chosen watchful dogs and wise shepherds. Some of my servants milk animals, shear them, remove their skins; others watch them so that thieves may not steal or the plunderer injure. So with the province. I could not collect all the taxes and guard men from evil; hence I have officials who do what is proper, and render account of their action--" "All this is true," interrupted the prince. "I know and understand what thou sayest. But I cannot comprehend why the income of his holiness decreases, though guarded well, as thou hast told me." "Be pleased to remember," continued the nomarch, "that Set, though a full brother of the radiant Osiris, hates that god, wars with him, and deforms all his labors. He sends deadly diseases on beasts and on men; he causes the overflow of the Nile to be scant or over-violent, and he hurls clouds of sand in time of heat upon Egypt. "When a year is good, the Nile reaches the desert; when it is bad, the desert comes down to the Nile, and then the royal income decreases. "Look!" continued he, pointing at the meadow. "The flocks there are numerous, but in my youth they were greater in number. But who is the cause of this? No other than Set, whom human power cannot vanquish. This meadow, great to-day, was once greater, and from this spot they could not see the desert, which now is a terror. "When the gods are battling, men can do nothing; where Set conquers Osiris, who can bar the way to him?" The worthy Otoes finished; the prince hung his head. In school he had heard not a little about the love of Osiris and the malice of Set, and while still a child he was angry that no one had forced Set to a final reckoning. "When I grow up," thought he at that time, "and carry a javelin, I will seek out Set and we will make a trial." And he was looking now at that measureless sand space, that kingdom of the ominous godhead which was decreasing the income of Egypt; but he had no thought to do battle with Set. For how can man fight with the desert? Man can only avoid it or perish. CHAPTER XXII His stay in Aa had so wearied Rameses that to seek rest and rally his thoughts he commanded to stop all solemnities in his honor, and directed that during his journey people should never come forth to greet him. The prince's retinue were astonished, even somewhat offended; but they carried out the command, and Rameses again found some quiet. He had time to review his troops, which was his most agreeable occupation, and he could collect his scattered thoughts in some measure. Shut up in the remotest corner of the palace, the prince began to consider how far he had carried out the commands of the pharaoh his father.