During a whole month investigation continued in the affair of the attack on the house of Rameses. Each morning a boat with officials and warriors came to some small estate. People were snatched from their labor, overwhelmed with treacherous questions, beaten with sticks. Toward evening two boats returned to Memphis: one brought officials, the other brought prisoners. In this way some hundreds of men were caught, of whom one half knew nothing, the other half were threatened by imprisonment or toil for a number of years in the quarries. But nothing was learned of those who led the attack, or of that priest who had persuaded the people to leave the place. Prince Rameses had qualities which were uncommonly contradictory. He was as impetuous as a lion and as stubborn as a bullock, but he had a keen understanding and a deep sense of justice. Seeing that this investigation by officials gave no result whatever, he sailed on a certain day to Memphis and commanded to open the prison. The prison was built on an eminence surrounded by a lofty wall, and was composed of a great number of stone, brick, and wooden buildings. These buildings for the main part were merely the dwellings of overseers. Prisoners were placed in subterranean dens hewn out in a cliff of limestone. When Prince Rameses passed the gate, he saw a crowd of women washing and feeding some prisoner. This naked man, who resembled a skeleton, was sitting on the ground, having his hands and feet in four openings of a square plank which took the place of fetters. "Has this man suffered long in this way?" asked Rameses. "Two months," said the overseer. "And must he sit here much longer?" "A month." "What did he do?" "He was insolent to a tax gatherer." The prince turned and saw another crowd, composed of women and children. Among them was an old man. "Are these prisoners?" "No, most worthy lord. That is a family waiting for the body of a criminal who is to be strangled--oh, they are taking him already to the chamber," said the overseer. Then, turning to the crowd, he said,-- "Be patient a short time, dear people. Ye will get the body soon." "We thank thee greatly, worthy lord," answered an old man, doubtless the father of the delinquent. "We left home yesterday evening, our flax is in the field, and the river is rising." The prince grew pale, and halted. "Dost thou know," asked he of the overseer, "that I have the right of pardon?" "Erpatr, thou hast that right," answered the overseer, bowing; and then he added: "The law declares, O child of the sun, that in memory of thy presence men condemned for offences against the state and religion, but who conduct themselves properly, should receive some abatement. A list of such persons will be placed at thy feet within a month." "But he who is to be strangled this moment, has he not the right to my grace?" The overseer opened his arms, and bent forward in silence.