Typhon had been blowing for half an hour with inconceivable fury. It had become almost like night. At moments the wind weakened, the black clouds pushed apart; in the sky was a bloody sun, on the earth an ominous light of ruddy color. The hot stifling wind grew more violent, the clouds of sand thicker. The ghastly light was extinguished, and in the air were heard sounds and noises to which human ears are not accustomed. It was near sunset, but the violence of the tempest increased, and the unendurable heat rose continually. From time to time a gigantic bloody spot appeared above the horizon, as if a world fire were coming. All at once the prince saw that Pentuer was not before him. He strained his ear and heard a voice, crying,-- "Beroes! Beroes! If thou cannot help us, who can? Beroes! in the name of the One, the Almighty, who knows neither end nor beginning, I call on thee." On the northern extremity of the desert, thunder was heard. The prince was frightened, since thunder for an Egyptian was almost as rare a phenomenon as a comet. "Beroes! Beroes!" repeated the priest in a deep voice. Rameses strained his eyes in the direction of the voice, and saw a dark human figure with arms uplifted. From the head, the fingers, and even from the clothing of that figure, light bluish sparks were flashing. "Beroes! Beroes!" A prolonged roar of thunder was heard nearer; lightning gleamed amid clouds of sand, and filled the desert with lurid flashes. A fresh peal of thunder, and again lightning. The prince felt that the violence of the tempest was decreasing, and the heat also. The sand which had been whirled through the air began to fall to the earth now, the sky became ashen gray, next ruddy, next milk-colored. At last all was silent, and after a while thunder was heard again, and a cool breeze from the north appeared. The Asiatics and Libyans, tormented by heat, regained consciousness. "Warriors of the pharaoh," said the old Libyan on a sudden, "do ye hear that noise in the desert?" "Will there be another tempest?" "No; that is rain." In fact some cold drops fell from the sky, then more of them, till at last there was a downpour accompanied by thunder. Among the soldiers of Rameses and their prisoners mad delight sprang up suddenly. Without caring for the thunder and lightning the men, who a moment before had been scorched with heat, and tormented by thirst, ran under the rain like small children. In the dark they washed themselves and their horses, they caught water in their caps and leather bags, and above all they drank and drank eagerly. "Is not this a miracle?" cried Rameses. "Were it not for this blessed rain we should all perish here in the burning grasp of Typhon." "It happens," said the old Libyan, "that the southern sandy wind rouses a wind from the sea and brings heavy rain to us." Rameses was touched disagreeably by these words, for he had attributed the downpour to Pentuer's prayers. He turned to the Libyan, and asked,--