"Why hast thou not been here for such a period? Did the disfavor into which I have fallen alarm thee?" "Gods!" cried the exquisite. "When wert thou in disfavor, and in whose? Every courier of his holiness inquired for thy health; the worthy lady, Nikotris, and his worthiness Herhor have sailed toward this villa repeatedly, thinking that thou wouldst make a hundred steps toward them after they had made a couple of thousand toward thee. I say nothing of the troops. In time of review the warriors of thy regiments are as silent as palm-trees, and do not go from the barracks. As to the worthy Patrokles, he drinks and curses all day from vexation." So the prince had not been in disfavor, or if he had been the disfavor was ended. This thought acted on Rameses like a goblet of good wine. He took a bath quickly, anointed his body, put on fresh linen, a new kaftan, a helmet with plumes, and then went to Sarah. Sarah screamed when she saw the prince arrayed thus. She rose up, and seizing him around the neck, whispered,-- "Thou art going, my lord! Thou wilt not come back to me." "Why not?" wondered the heir. "Have I not gone away often and returned afterward?" "I remember thee dressed in just this way--over there in our valley," said Sarah. "Oh, where are those hours! So quickly have they passed, and so long is it since they vanished." "But I will return and bring the most famous physician." "What for?" inquired Tafet. "She is well, my dear chick--she needs only rest. But Egyptian physicians would bring real sickness." The prince did not look at the talkative woman. "This was my pleasantest month with thee," said Sarah, nestling up to Rameses, "but it has not brought happiness." The trumpets sounded on the royal barge, repeating a signal given higher up on the river. Sarah started. "Dost thou hear, lord, that terrible outburst? Thou hearest and smilest, and, woe to me, thou art tearing away from my embraces. When trumpets call nothing can hold thee, least of all thy slave, Sarah." "Wouldst thou have me listen forever to the cackling of hens in the country?" interrupted the prince, now impatient. "Be well, and wait for me joyously." Sarah let him go from her grasp, but she had such a mournful expression that Rameses grew mild and stroked her. "Only be calm. Thou fearest the sound of our trumpets. But were they ill-omened the first day?" "My lord," answered Sarah, "I know that over there they will keep thee, so grant me this one, this last favor. I will give thee," continued she, sobbing, "a cage of pigeons. They were hatched out and reared here; hence, as often as thou rememberest thy servant, open the cage and set one of them free; it will bring me tidings of thee, and I will kiss and fondle it as--as-- But go now!" The prince embraced her and went to the barge, telling his black attendant to wait for the pigeons.