The prince motioned with his hand contemptuously.
"It is all one," replied he. "A life in which every one stops my will has no worth for me. When the gods do not bar me, the winds of the desert do; when evil spirits are not against me, the priests are. Is the power of a pharaoh to be of such sort. I wish to do what my mind says, to give account to my deathless ancestors, and to them only, not to this or that shaven head, who pretends to interpret the will of divinity, but who is really seizing power, and turning my wealth to his own use."
At some tens of yards from them a strange cry was heard at that moment, half neighing, half bleating, and an immense shadow sped past. It went like an arrow, and as far as could be seen had a humped back and a long neck.
From the prince's retinue came sounds of fear.
"That is a griffin! I saw its wings clearly," said one and another of the Asiatics.
"The desert is swarming with monsters," added the old Libyan.
Ramses was afraid; he also thought that the passing shadow had the head of a serpent, and something resembling short wings.
"Do monsters really show themselves in the desert?" asked he of the priest.
"It is true," said Pentuer, "that in such a lonely place evil spirits prowl about in strange guises. But it seems to me that that which has passed is rather a beast. It is like a saddle horse, only larger and quicker in movement. Dwellers in the oases say that this beast may live without drinking water at all, or at least very rarely. If that be the case, men hereafter may in crossing deserts use this strange creature, which today rouses fear only."
"I should not dare to sit on the back of a great beast like that," said
Ramses, as he shook his head.