The queen drew his head to her bosom, wiped away his tears with the sleeve of her coarse shirt, and then, raising her hands, whispered,
"May all the gods, may the spirit of thy father and grandfather, surround thee with blessing and solicitude. O Isis, I have never spared offerings to thee, but today I make the greatest; I give my beloved son to thee. Let this kingly son become thy son entirely, and may his greatness and his glory increase thy divine inheritance."
The pharaoh embraced and kissed his mother repeatedly, then he seated her on the wooden couch and sat on the stone himself.
"Has my father left commands to me?" inquired he.
"He begged thee only to remember him, but he said to the supreme council, 'I leave you my heir, who is a lion and an eagle in one person; obey him, and he will elevate Egypt to incomparable power.'."
"Dost Thou think that the priests will obey me?"
"Remember," answered the queen, "that the device of the pharaoh is a serpent, and a serpent means prudence, which is silent, and no one knows when it will bite mortally. If Thou take time as thy confederate, Thou wilt accomplish everything."
"Herhor is tremendously haughty. Today he dared to put on the miter of the holy Amenhotep. Of course I commanded him to set it aside. I will remove him from the government, him and certain members of the supreme council."
The queen shook her head.
"Egypt is thine," said she, "and the gods have endowed thee with great wisdom. Were it not for that, I should fear terribly a struggle with Herhor."