He gave his sword and burnous to Tutmosis, and went to his bedroom without calling any one. Yesterday the birth of a son would have filled him with gladness; but at that moment he received the news with indifference. His whole soul was occupied with the thought of that evening, the most wonderful in all his life experience. He still saw the light of the moon; in his ears the song of the Greek was still sounding. But that temple of Astaroth! He could not sleep till morning. CHAPTER XXXII Next day the prince rose late, bathed himself and dressed, then summoned Tutmosis. The exquisite appeared at once, dressed carefully and perfumed. He looked sharply at the prince to learn in what humor he was, and to fix his own features correspondingly. But on the face of Rameses was only weariness. "Well," asked the prince, yawning, "art thou sure that a son is born to me?" "I have that news from the holy Mefres." "Oho! How long is it since the prophets are occupied with my household?" "Since the time that thou hast shown them thy favor, worthiness." "Is that true?" asked the prince, and he fell to thinking. He recalled the scene of the previous night in the temple of Astaroth, and compared it with a similar spectacle in the temple of Hator. "They called my name," said he to himself, "both here and there. But there my cell was very narrow, and the walls were thick; here the person calling, namely, Kama, could hide herself behind a column and whisper. But here it was terribly dark, while in my cell it was clear." At last he said to Tutmosis,-- "When did that happen?" "When was thy worthy son born? About ten days ago. The mother and child are well; they seem perfectly healthy. At the birth were present Menes himself, thy worthy mother's physician, and his worthiness Herhor." "Well--well," said the prince, and again he fell to thinking: "They touched me here and there, with a hand in both cases. Was there such a difference? It seems to me that there was, maybe for the reason that here I was, and there I was not, prepared to see a miracle. But here they showed me another _myself_, which they did not succeed in doing there. Very clever are the priests! I am curious to know who represented me so well,--a god or a man? Oh, the priests are very clever, and I do not know even whom to trust more,--our priests or the Phœnicians? "Hear me, Tutmosis," said he, aloud. "They must come hither; I must see my son. At last no one will have the right to consider himself better than I." "Is the worthy Sarah to come immediately with her son?" "Let them come at the earliest, if their health permit. Within the palace bounds are many convenient buildings. It is necessary to choose a place among the trees, quiet, and, when the time of heat comes, cool. Let me, too, show the world my son." Again he was thoughtful; this disquieted Tutmosis.