"It is this. In the ancient days of the earth, before the deluge of the gods, the thrice great Hermes, who knew all the secrets of alchemy, engraved them upon an emerald table and placed it in a cave, which he sealed up. His motive for doing this was both to preserve them and to conceal them from men--for the race of man had grown so wicked, that they made use of what they knew of alchemy to injure one another and defy the deities, answering back the thunder of heaven with thunders of their own. Over this cave the first pyramid was built, and there the emerald table, with all its secrets, so dear to our sex, has remained to this hour!" I thanked Luxora for her legend, and assured her that I had quite as much curiosity to see the wonderful emerald as she had. "But if it were discovered," said Osiria, "who could read and understand the writing upon it! Now, O prince, hear _my_ tradition; for, having visited the pyramids, it will be agreeable to you to hear all that is said about them." "I will listen with the greatest pleasure," I answered. But, dear mother, I will here close this long letter, and reserve, for the commencement of my next, the singular tradition related to me by Osiria. Your affectionate son, SESOSTRIS. LETTER XVII. PALACE OF THE HIERARCH, AT MEMPHIS. MY MUCH HONORED MOTHER: I have much of interest concerning which to write to you in this letter; but will first redeem my promise to give you the traditional story narrated by the lovely Osiria, daughter of the pontiff of Memphis. Her father came in as she commenced, and smilingly said-- "Daughter, are you about to overthrow the prince's faith in the true history of the pyramids, by a fanciful legend?" "No, my dear father," she answered; "I only desire him to know all he can about these mighty monuments of a former world, and if he does not believe with me in the legend, it will at least interest him." I assured the beautiful maiden that it would without doubt interest me, and possibly upon hearing it I might receive it "as the most reliable account of the origin of the pyramids." "Not in opposition," said the high-priest, with a smile, "to the sacred books." "Not in opposition," said Luxora, archly, "to my emerald table." "Let the prince, dear father, and sister, hear and judge," said the youngest daughter; and commenced as follows: "A very long time ago--before the time of the vast deluge, when all the oceans that roll around the world's verge met in the centre and overflowed the highest mountains--a king, whose name was Saurida Salhouhis, was informed by his astrologers that seven stars had fallen into the sea, betokening a great overflow thereof. He answered, 'The mountains of my kingdom are higher than the ocean, and will defy its waves.'