"Thy worthiness speaks truth. Yesterday the revolt was greatest, for which the worthy nomarch Sofra gave command to take the tenth man. Every tenth man was clubbed, and I got the most, for I am big and have three mouths to feed,--my own, my wife's, and my daughter's. When I was clubbed I broke away from them to fall down, O lord, in thy presence, and tell thee our sorrows. Beat us if we are guilty, but let the scribes give us that which is due, for we are dying of hunger,--we, our wives, and our children." "This man is possessed!" exclaimed Sofra. "Be pleased, lord, to see the damage he has wrought here. I would not take ten talents for those dishes, pitchers, and tables." Among the guests, who now were recovering their senses, a muttering began. "This is a bandit!" said they. "Look at him, really a Hyksos. Boiling up in him is the cursed blood of his ancestors, the men who invaded and ruined Egypt. Such costly furniture, such splendid vessels, broken into fragments!" "The loss caused the state by one rebellion of unpaid laborers is greater than the value of these vessels," said Rameses. "Sacred words! They should be written on monuments," said some among the guests. "Rebellion takes people from their labor and grieves the heart of his holiness. It is not proper that laborers should be unpaid for two months in succession." The prince looked with contempt on those courtiers, changeable as clouds; he turned then to the nomarch. "I give thee," said he, threateningly, "this punished man. I am certain that a hair of his head will not fall from him. To-morrow morning I wish to see the regiment to which he belongs and learn whether he speaks truth or falsehood." After these words Rameses went out, leaving the nomarch and the guests in vexation. Next morning the prince, while dressing with the aid of Tutmosis, asked him,-- "Have the laborers come?" "They have, lord; they have been waiting for thy commands since daybreak." "And is that man Bakura among them?" Tutmosis made a wry face and answered,-- "A marvellous thing has happened. The worthy Sofra gave command to shut the fellow up in an empty cellar of the palace. Well, the disorderly rascal, a very strong man, broke the door to another place where there is wine; he overturned a number of pots of very costly wine, and got so drunk that--" "That what?" asked the prince. "That he perished." The prince sprang up from his chair. "And dost thou believe that he drank himself to death?" "I must believe, for I have no proof that they killed him." "But if I look for proof?" burst out the prince. He ran through the room, and snorted like an angry lion. When he was somewhat quieted, Tutmosis added,--