Rameses turned on his horse, looked, and said,-- "I see there laborers of the pharaoh. So they too go for alms to the rich Phœnician?" The nomarch was silent. Happily they approached the official palace, and the prince forgot Hiram. Feasts in honor of the viceroy continued a number of days in succession, but they did not please him. Gladness was lacking and disagreeable incidents happened. One day a favorite of the prince was dancing before him; she burst into tears. Rameses seized her in his arms, and asked what her trouble was. At first she hesitated, but emboldened by the kindness of her lord, she answered, shedding tears in still greater abundance,-- "We are thy women, O ruler, we come from great families, and respect is due to us." "Thou speakest truth," said Rameses. "Meanwhile thy treasurer stints us in allowance, and would deprive us of serving-maids, without whom we cannot bathe or dress our hair." Rameses summoned his treasurer, and commanded sternly that his women should have all that belonged to their birth and position. The treasurer fell on his face before the prince, and promised to carry out all commands of the women. A couple of days later, a rebellion broke out among the court slaves, who complained that their wine had been taken. The heir ordered to give them wine. But during a review two days later a deputation from the regiments came to the viceroy with a most humble complaint, that their rations of meat and bread were diminished. The prince commanded that those petitioners be satisfied. Still, two days later a great uproar at the palace roused him in the morning. Rameses inquired what the cause was; the officer on duty explained that the pharaoh's laborers had assembled and asked for arrears due them. They summoned the treasurer, whom the prince attacked in great anger. "What is going on here?" cried he. "Since my return there is no day without complaints of injustice. If anything like this is repeated, I shall order an inquiry and put an end to thy management." The trembling treasurer fell on his face again, and groaned,-- "Slay me, lord! But what am I to do when thy treasury, thy granaries, and thy storehouses are empty?" In spite of his anger the prince thought that the treasurer might be innocent. He commanded him to withdraw, and then summoned Tutmosis. "Listen to me," said Rameses to the favorite, "things are done here which I do not understand, and to which I am not accustomed. My women, the slaves, the army, the pharaoh's workmen do not receive what is due them, or their supplies are curtailed. When I asked the treasurer what this means, he answered that the treasury and the storehouses are empty." "He told truth." "How is that?" burst out the prince. "For my journey his holiness assigned two hundred talents in gold and goods. Can it be that all this is expended?" "Yes," answered Tutmosis. "How is that?" cried the viceroy. "Did not the nomarchs entertain us all the way?"