"But to attack an ambassador! Consider, worthy lord, an ambassador protected by the majesty of Assyria and Egypt," said the priest.
"Ho! ho!" laughed the prince. "Then King Assar sends ambassadors even to Phoenician dancers?"
Mentezufis was confused. All at once he tapped his forehead, and cried out also, with laughter,
"See, prince, what a simple man I am, unfamiliar with ceremonies. I forgot that Sargon, strolling about in the night near the house of a suspected woman, is not an ambassador, but an ordinary person."
After a while he added,
"In every case something evil has happened. Sargon may conceive a dislike for us."
"Priest! O priest!" cried Ramses, shaking his head. "Thou hast forgotten this, a thing of much more importance, that Egypt has no need to fear or even care for the good or bad feeling toward her, not merely of Sargon, but King Assar."
Mentezufis was so confused by the appositeness of the remark, that, instead of an answer, he bowed, muttering,
"Prince, the gods have given thee the wisdom of high priests, may their names be blessed! I wanted to issue an order to search for these insolents, but now I prefer to follow thy advice, for Thou art a sage above sages. Tell me, therefore, lord, what I am to do with Sargon and those turbulent young people."
"First of all, wait till morning. As a priest, Thou knowest best that divine sleep often brings good counsel."