"Ye see, worthy fathers," said he, "that since the time of the nineteenth dynasty a hundred thousand measures of land and two million people have vanished out of Egypt. This explains why the income of the state has decreased thirty-two thousand talents; that it has decreased is known to all of us.
"But this is only the beginning of misfortunes to the state and the treasury. Ninety-eight thousand talents of income apparently remain to his holiness. But do ye think that the pharaoh receives all this income?
"I will tell you what his worthiness Herhor discovered in the province of the Hare.
"During the nineteenth dynasty twenty thousand people dwelt in that province; they paid three hundred and fifty talents of yearly taxes. To day there are hardly fifteen thousand, and these, of course, pay the treasury only two hundred and seventy talents. Meanwhile the pharaoh, instead of receiving two hundred and seventy talents, receives one hundred and seventy.
"'Why is that?' inquired Herhor; and this is what an investigation discovered: During the nineteenth dynasty there were in the district about one hundred officials, and these received each one thousand drachmas yearly salary. Today in that same district, though the people have decreased, there are more than two hundred officials who receive two thousand five hundred drachmas yearly.
"It is unknown to his worthiness Herhor if this is the case in every district. But this much is certain, that the treasury of the pharaoh, instead of ninety-eight thousand talents annually, has only seventy- four thousand."
"Say, worthy father, fifty thousand," interrupted Ramses.
"I will explain that too," replied Pentuer. "In every case remember, prince, that the pharaoh's treasury pays today twenty-four thousand talents to officials, while it gave only ten thousand during the nineteenth dynasty."
Deep silence reigned among the dignitaries, for more than one of them had a relative in office, well paid moreover. But Pentuer was unterrified.
"Now," continued he, "I will show thee, O heir, the manner of life among officials, and the lot of common people in those old times and in our day."