"As a whirlwind sweeps a bird into a desert, so does anger cast a man on the shores of injustice. How canst thou wonder if the priests are displeased because the heir to the throne has connected his life with a woman of another country and a strange religion? Sarah does not please them, especially since thou hast her alone. Hadst thou a number of various women, like all noble youths, they would not mind the Jewess. But have they done her harm? No. On the contrary, even some priest defended her against a raging crowd which it pleased thee to liberate from imprisonment." "But my mother?" Tutmosis laughed. "Thy worthy mother loves thee as her own eyes and heart. Of course Sarah does not please her, either, but dost thou know what her worthiness said once to me? This,--that I should entice Sarah from thee. What a jest on her part! To this I answered with a second jest: 'Rameses has given me a brace of hunting dogs and two Syrian horses because he has grown tired of them; perhaps some day he will give me his mistress too, of course I shall have to take her with other things.'" "Do not think of it. I would not give Sarah to any man, were it only for this, because of her my father has not appointed me viceroy." Tutmosis shook his head. "Thou art greatly mistaken," answered he, "so much mistaken that I am terrified. Dost thou not really understand the causes of the disfavor? Every enlightened Egyptian knows them." "I know nothing." "So much the worse," said the anxious Tutmosis. "Thou dost not know, then, that warriors, since the manœuvres, especially Greek warriors, drink thy health in every dramshop." "They got money to do so." "True; but not to cry out, with all the voice that is in them, that when thou shalt succeed to his holiness--may he live through eternity!--thou wilt begin a great war, after which there will be changes in Egypt." "What changes? And who is the man who during the life of the pharaoh may dare to speak of the plans of his successor?" Now the prince grew gloomy. "That is one thing, but I will tell thee another," said Tutmosis, "for misfortunes, like hyenas, never come singly. Dost thou know that the lowest people sing songs about thee,--sing how thou didst free the attackers from prison, and what is worse, they repeat again, that, when thou shalt succeed his holiness, rents will be abolished. It must be added that when common people speak of injustice and rents, disturbances follow; and either a foreign enemy attacks our weakened state, or Egypt is divided into as many parts as there are nomarchs. Finally, judge for thyself, is it proper that any man's name should be mentioned oftener than the pharaoh's, and that any man should stand between the people and our lord? If thou permit, I will tell how priests look on this matter." "Of course, speak."