"May the gods bless thee, holiness," said Herhor.
"I will be sincere. My divine father, because of age, illness, and perhaps priestly occupations, could not devote so much time to affairs of state as I can. I am young, in health, free, hence I wish to rule, myself, and will rule. As a leader must direct his army on his own responsibility and according to his own plan, so shall I direct the state. This is my express will and I shall not draw back from it.
"But I understand that even were I the most experienced I could not succeed without faithful servants and wise counselors. Therefore I shall ask your advice sometimes on various questions."
"To this end we constitute the supreme council near thy throne," remarked Herhor.
"I shall use," continued Ramses with animation, "your services immediately, even from this moment."
"Command, lord," said Herhor.
"I wish to improve the condition of the Egyptian people. But since in such affairs over-hasty action may only bring injury, I give them at first a small thing: After six days' labor the seventh for rest."
"Such was it during the reigns of the eighteenth dynasty. That law is as old as Egypt itself," said Pentuer.
"Rest every seventh day will give fifty days to each laborer during a year, or it will take from his lord fifty drachma. On a million of laborers the state will lose ten thousand talents yearly," said Mefres. "We have calculated that in the temples."
"That is true," answered Pentuer, quickly, "but the losses will be during the first year only, for when the people increase in strength by rest they will recover all and more in the following years."