"Eye of the sun," said the man, "vessel of wisdom, thou knowest best of all that I did not make the attack, only a neighbor comes to me and says he, 'Anup, come up, for the Nile is rising.' And I say to him, 'Is it rising?' And he says to me, 'Thou art duller than an ass, for an ass would hear music on a hill, and thou dost not hear it.' 'But,' says I, 'I am dull, for I did not learn writing; but with permission music is one thing and the rise of the river is another.' 'If there were not a rise,' says he, 'people would not have anything to be glad about and play and sing.' So I say to thy justice, we went to the hill, and they had driven away the music there and were throwing stones at the garden." "Who threw stones?" "I could not tell. The men did not look like earth-workers, but more like unclean dissectors who open dead bodies for embalming." "And didst thou see the priest?" "With thy permission, O watchfulness, that was not a priest, but some spirit that guards the house of the erpatr--may he live through eternity!" "Why a spirit?" "For at moments I saw him and at moments he went somewhere." "Perhaps he was behind the people?" "Indeed the people sometimes were in front of him. But at one time he was higher and at another time lower--" "Maybe he went up on the hill and came down from it?" "He must have gone up and come down, but maybe he stretched and shortened himself, for he was a great wonder-worker. Barely had he said, 'The Nile will rise,' and that minute the Nile began to rise." "And didst thou throw stones, Anup?" "How should I dare to throw stones into the garden of the erpatr? I am a simple fellow, my hand would wither to the elbow for such sacrilege." The prince gave command to stop the examination, and when they had led away the accused, he asked the official,-- "Are these of the most guilty?" "Thou hast said it, lord," answered the official. "In that case all must be liberated to-day. We should not imprison people because they wished to convince themselves that the holy Nile was rising or for listening to music." "The highest wisdom is speaking through thy lips, erpatr," said the official. "I was commanded to find the most guilty, hence I have summoned those whom I have found so; but it is not in my power to return them liberty." "Why?" "Look, most worthy, on that box. It is full of papyruses on which are written the details of the case. A judge in Memphis receives a report on the progress of the case daily, and reports to his holiness. What would become of the labor of so many learned scribes and great men if the accused were set free?" "But they are innocent!" cried the prince.