All at once Ramses raised his head; from a distance came the sound of flutes and horns.
"What does this mean?" inquired he of Tutmosis.
"Great news!" replied the courtier, with a smile. "The Asiatics are welcoming a famous pilgrim from Babylon."
"From Baby Ion? Who is he?"
"His name is Sargon."
"Sargon?" repeated the prince. "Sargon? Ha! ha!" laughed the prince.
"What is he?"
"He must be a great dignitary at the court of King Assar. He brings with him ten elephants, a herd of most beautiful steeds of the desert, crowds of slaves and servants."
"But why has he come?"
"To bow down before the wonderful goddess Astaroth, who is honored by all Asia," answered Tutmosis.
"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed the prince, recalling what Hiram had said of the coming of the Assyrian ambassador, Sargon. "Ha! ha! ha! Sargon, a relative of King Assar, has become all at once such a devotee that for whole months he goes on a difficult journey only to do honor in Pi-Bast to the goddess Astaroth. But in Nineveh he could have found greater gods and more learned priests. Ha! ha! ha!"