"Aha!" said the prince, recovering. "But tell me, O, priestess, aha! who was that who resembled me so closely,--the man whom I saw that night in the temple?" Kama placed a finger on her lips. "A sacred mystery," whispered she. "One thing is a mystery, another is not permitted," replied Rameses. "Let me know at least whether it was a man or a spirit?" "A spirit." "But still that spirit sang under thy window." Kama laughed. "I do not wish to violate the secrets of the temple." "Thou hast promised that to Prince Hiram," put in the priestess. "Well, well," interrupted the irritated viceroy; "for this cause I shall not speak with Hiram or any other man about this miracle, only with thee. Now, Kama, tell this spirit or man who is so like me to leave Egypt at the earliest, and not to show himself to any one. For, seest thou, in no state can there be two heirs to the throne." All at once he tapped his forehead. Up to that instant he had spoken so as to trouble Kama, but now an idea altogether serious came to him. "I am curious," said he, looking sharply at Kama, "to know why thy compatriots showed me my own living picture. Do they wish to forewarn me that they have a man to supplant me? Indeed, their act is astounding." Kama fell at his feet. "O lord!" whispered she, "thou who bearest on thy breast our highest talisman, canst thou suppose that the Phœnicians would do aught to injure thee? But only think--if danger threatened thee, or if thou hadst the wish to mystify enemies, would not such a man be of service? The Phœnician only wished to show thee this in the temple." The prince meditated a moment, and shrugged his shoulders. "So," thought he, "if I needed anyone's assistance! But do the Phœnicians think that I need assistance? If I do they have chosen a poor protector." "Lord!" whispered Kama, "is it not known to thee that Rameses the Great had, in addition to his own person, two others to show enemies? Those two shadows of the pharaoh perished, but he survived." "Well, enough of this," interrupted the prince. "But that the people of Asia may know that I am gracious, I designate Kama five talents for games, in honor of Astaroth, and a costly goblet for her temple. This gift will be received to-day by thee." He dismissed the priestess with a motion of his head. After her departure a new wave of thought mastered him. "Indeed, the Phœnicians are clever. If this, my living picture, is a man, they can make of him a great present to me, and I shall perform at times miracles such, perhaps, as have never been heard of in Egypt. The pharaoh dwells in Memphis, and at the same time he shows himself in Thebes or in Tanis. The pharaoh is marching on Babylon with an army, the Assyrians assemble their main forces there, and simultaneously the pharaoh, with another army, captures Nineveh,--I judge that the Assyrians would be greatly astounded by an event of that sort."