The throng raging a little while earlier, amazed and filled now with gratitude, forgot both its anger and the wonder-working priest. It was mastered by a wild delight; men rushed to the bank of the river, on which many lights were burning and where a great hymn was rising from the assembled people,-- "Be greeted, O Nile, sacred river, which appearest on this country! Thou comest in peace, to give life to Egypt. O hidden deity who scatterest darkness, who moistenest the fields, to bring food to dumb animals, O thou the precious one, descending from heaven to give drink to the earth, O friend of bread, thou who gladdenest our cottages! Thou art the master of fishes; when thou art in our fields no bird dares touch the harvest. Thou art the creator of grain and the parent of barley; thou givest rest to the hands of millions of the unfortunate and for ages thou securest the sanctuary."[5] [5] Authentic. At this time the illuminated boat of Rameses sailed from the shore opposite amid songs and outcries. Those very persons who half an hour earlier wished to burst into his villa were falling now on their faces before him, or hurling themselves into the water to kiss the oars and the sides of the boat which was bearing the son of their ruler. Gladsome, surrounded by torches, Rameses, in company with Tutmosis, approached Sarah's dwelling. At sight of him Gideon said to Tafet,-- "Great is my alarm for my daughter, but still greater my wish to avoid Prince Rameses." He sprang over the wall, and amid darkness through gardens and fields he held on in the direction of Memphis. "Be greeted. O beauteous Sarah!" cried Tutmosis in the courtyard. "I hope that thou wilt receive us well for the music which I sent to thee." Sarah appeared, with bandaged head on the threshold, leaning on the black slave and her female attendant. "What is the meaning of this?" cried the astonished Rameses. "Terrible things!" called out Tafet. "Unbelievers attacked thy house; one hurled a stone and struck Sarah." "What unbelievers?" "But those--the Egyptians!" explained Tafet. The prince cast a contemptuous glance at her, but rage mastered him straightway. "Who struck Sarah? Who threw the stone?" shouted he, seizing the arm of the black man. "Those from beyond the river," answered the slave. "Hei, watchman!" cried the prince, foaming at the mouth, "arm all the men in this place for me and follow that rabble!" The black slave seized his axe again, the overseers fell to summoning workmen from the buildings, some soldiers of the prince's suite grasped their sword-hilts mechanically. "By the mercy of Jehovah, what art thou doing?" whispered Sarah, as she hung on the neck of Rameses. "I wish to avenge thee," answered he; "whoso strikes at that which is mine strikes at me." Tutmosis grew pale, and shook his head. "Hear me, lord," said he; "wilt thou discover in the night and in a multitude the men who committed the crime?"