A murmur of astonishment ran through the assembly.
After long meditation and counsels it would have been difficult to select a more worthy priest for that high office.
Herhor grew much paler than before; Mefres pressed his blue lips together tightly and dropped his eyelids.
A moment later the new pharaoh sat on his throne, which instead of feet had the carved figures of princes and the kings of nine nations.
Soon Herhor gave to the lord, on a golden plate, a white and also a red crown.
The sovereign placed the crowns on his own head in silence, while those present fell prostrate.
That was not the solemn coronation; it was merely taking possession of power.
When the priests had incensed the pharaoh and had sung a hymn to Osiris, imploring that god to pour all blessings on the sovereign, dignitaries of the civil power and of the army were permitted to kiss the lowest step of the throne. Then Ramses took a gold spoon, and, repeating a prayer which the holy Sem pronounced aloud, he incensed the statues of the gods arranged in line on both sides of the pharaoh's chapel.
"What am I to do now?" inquired he.
"Show thyself to the people," replied Herhor.