"But is thy Jewess so demanding?"
Ramses blushed, but raised his head.
"Thou knowest, mother, that she is not. But I promised a reward to the army, and I am unable to pay it."
The queen looked at him with calm loftiness.
"How evil it is," said she, after a while, "when a son makes decisions without consulting his mother. Just now I, remembering thy age, wished to give thee a Phoenician slave maiden sent me by Tyre with ten talents for dowry. But Thou hast preferred a Jewess."
"She pleased me. There is not such a beauty among thy serving maidens, mother, nor even among the wives of his holiness."
"But she is a Jewess!"
"Be not prejudiced, mother, I beg of thee. It is untrue that Jews eat pork and kill cats."
The worthy lady laughed.
"Thou art speaking like some boy from a primary school," answered she, shrugging her shoulders, "and hast forgotten the words of Ramses the Great: 'The yellow people are more numerous than we and they are richer; let us act against them, lest they grow too powerful, but let us act carefully.' I do not think, therefore, that a girl of that people is the one to be first mistress of the heir to the throne."