"It is wrong," said he, "when a cow instead of suckling its calf goes to the plough and is beaten. Though this Jewess has committed a great offence, I do not wish that her innocent child should be a sufferer. Therefore Sarah will not wash the feet of the new lady again, and will not be kicked between the eyes by her a second time. Thou wilt set aside for her use in the servants' house a room with food and furniture such as are proper for a woman recovered recently from childbirth. And let her nourish her infant in peace there." "Live thou through eternity, our ruler!" answered the steward: and he ran quickly to carry out the commands of the viceroy. All the servants loved Sarah, and in a few days they had occasion to hate the angry and turbulent Kama. CHAPTER XXXIX The priestess brought little happiness to the viceroy. When he came the first time to visit her in the villa occupied recently by Sarah, he thought: "I shall be met with delight now and gratitude." Meanwhile Kama received him almost with anger. "What is this?" cried she. "A half day has passed, and that wretched Jewess is restored to thy favor." "Does she not dwell in the servants' house?" asked the prince. "But my steward says that she will wash my feet no longer." When the prince heard this, a feeling of disgust seized him. "Thou art not satisfied, I see," said he. "I shall not be satisfied till I humiliate that Jewess," cried Kama, "till she, by serving me and kneeling at my feet, forgets that she was once thy first woman and the mistress of this villa. I shall not be satisfied till my servants cease to look at me with fear and without confidence, and on her with compassion." The Phœnician woman was less and less pleasing to Rameses. "Kama," said he, "consider what I tell thee: If a servant here were to kick in the teeth a female dog that was suckling its young, I should hunt that servant out of this villa. Thou hast struck with thy foot between the eyes a woman and a mother. In Egypt mother is a great word. A good Egyptian reverences three things beyond all others,--the gods, the pharaoh, and his own mother." "Oh, woe to me!" cried Kama, throwing herself on the couch. "Here is my reward, wretched woman, for denying my goddess. One week ago men placed flowers at my feet and burnt incense before me, but to-day--" The prince walked out of the chamber quietly, and saw the priestess again only after some days had passed. But she was still in evil humor. "I implore thee, lord," cried she, "think a little more of me. My servants even begin to contemn me, the warriors look at me with a frown, and I am afraid that some one in the kitchen may poison the food prepared for me." "I was occupied with the army, so I could not visit thee," replied the viceroy. "That is untrue," answered Kama, in anger. "Yesterday thou wert outside the entrance to this house, and then thou didst go to the servants' house, where dwells the Jewess. Thou didst this to show--"