"Does she too belong to my household?"
"Ungrateful!" cried the girl, striking him with a lotus flower. "Thou wouldst be ready to say the same of me a month hence. But I will not let myself be injured."
"Like thy father."
"Hast Thou not forgotten him yet? Remember that I will go-"
"Stay, stay!"
Next day the viceroy was pleased to receive homage and a feast from Sofra. He praised in public the nomarch's government of the province, and to reward him for the damages caused by the drunken laborer, Ramses presented him with one-half of the furniture and vessels presented in Anu.
The second half of those gifts was taken by the beautiful Abeb, daughter of the nomarch, as lady of the court. Besides, she commanded that five talents be given her from the treasury of the viceroy, for clothes, slaves, and horses.
In the evening the prince, while yawning, spoke thus to Tutmosis,
"His holiness my father gave me a great lesson when he said that women are very costly."
"The position is worse when there are no women," replied the exquisite.