The most beautiful season of the year was beginning in Egypt, the winter. Heat did not go beyond 70 Fahrenheit; the earth was covered quickly with emerald green, from out which sprang narcissus and violets. The odor of them came forth oftener and oftener amid the odor of earth and water.
A number of times the barge bearing the worthy lady Nikotris and the vice-pharaoh Herhor appeared near Sarah's dwelling. Each time the prince saw his mother conversing with the minister joyously, and convinced himself that they refrained ostentatiously from looking toward him, as if to show indifference.
"Wait!" whispered he, in anger, "I will show you that life does not annoy me, either."
So when one day, shortly before sunset, the queen's gilded barge appeared with a purple tent having ostrich plumes on each of its four comers, Ramses gave command to prepare a boat for two persons, and told Sarah that he would sail with her.
"O Jehovah!" cried she, clasping her hands. "But thy mother is there, and the viceroy!"
"But in this boat will be the heir to the throne. Take thy harp,
Sarah."
"And the harp, too?" cried Sarah. "But if her worthiness were to speak to thee! I should throw myself into the river."
"Be not a child," replied Ramses, laughing. "My mother and his worthiness love songs immensely. Thou mayest even win their favor if Thou sing some splendid song of the Hebrews. Let there be love in it."
"I know no song of that kind," answered Sarah, in whom the prince's words had roused hope of some sort. Her song might please those powerful rulers, and then what?
On the royal barge they saw that the heir to the throne was sitting in a simple boat and rowing.