Sometimes thunder was heard in the temple, and at night, above the pylons, there was lightning. This was a sign that the god had heard some one's prayers, or was conversing with the priesthood. When, after the ending of the solemnity, the three dignitaries--Sem, Mefres, and Mentezufis--met for consultation, the position had become clearer. The solemnity had brought the temple about forty talents, but sixty talents had been given out in presents or in paying the debts of various persons of the aristocracy as well as of the highest military circles. They had collected the following information:-- A report was current in the army, that when Prince Rameses mounted the throne, he would begin a war with Assyria, which would assure great profit to those taking part in it. The lowest soldier, they said, would not return without a thousand drachmas, or perhaps a still larger sum. It was whispered among people that when the pharaoh returned with victory from Nineveh, he would give slaves to the earth-tillers, and remit for a number of years all taxes. The aristocracy, on its part, judged that the new pharaoh would, first of all, take from priests and return to nobles all lands which had become temple property, and would pay also the debts of nobles. It was said, too, that the coming pharaoh would govern independently, without a supreme priestly council. Finally, in all social circles there reigned a conviction that Rameses, to secure the aid of Phœnicia, had had recourse to the goddess Istar,[18] to whom he showed marked devotion. In every case it was certain that the heir had once visited the temple of Istar, and had seen, in the night, certain miracles. Finally, rumors were current among Asiatics that Rameses had made immense presents to the temple, and in return had taken thence a priestess to confirm him in the faith of the goddess. [18] Another form of Astarte. All these tidings were collected by the most worthy Sem and his assistants. The holy fathers, Mefres and Mentezufis, communicated to him other information which had come to them from Memphis:-- The Chaldean priest and miracle-worker, Beroes, was received in the subterranean parts of the temple of Set by the priest Osochar, who, when giving his daughter in marriage two months later, had presented her with rich jewels and bought a good estate for her and her husband. And since Osochar had no considerable income, a suspicion rose that that priest had overheard the conversation of Beroes with the Egyptian priests, and had sold to Phœnicians, criminally, the secret of the treaty, and received a great estate from them. When he heard this, the high priest Sem added,-- "If the holy Beroes does, indeed, perform miracles, then ask him, first of all, if Osochar has betrayed the secret."