"Pardon, lord, but until the members of the supreme council are in prison for negotiating with enemies of Egypt, my presence in the palace would bring more harm than profit. So I will serve thee, holiness, and advise, but in secret."
"And wilt Thou find the way to the treasure in the labyrinth?"
"I hope, lord, that before Thou returnest from Thebes, I shall succeed in this matter. But when we transfer the treasure to thy palace, when the court condemns Herhor and Mefres whom Thou mayst pardon afterward, with permission, I will appear openly and cease to be the priest of Set, who only frightens people and turns them from me."
"And dost Thou think that everything will go well?"
"I pledge my life on it!" cried the priest. "The people thee, holiness, so it is easy to influence them against traitorous dignitaries. The army obeys thee as no army has obeyed a pharaoh since Ramses the Great. Who will oppose, then? In addition, holiness, Thou hast the Phoenicians behind thee, and money, the greatest power on earth."
When Samentu took farewell, the pharaoh permitted him to kiss his feet, and gave him a heavy gold chain and a bracelet ornamented with sapphires. Not every dignitary received such favor after long years of service. The visit and Samentu's promises filled the pharaoh's heart with new hope.
What if he should succeed in getting the treasure of the labyrinth! For a small part of it he might free the nobles from Phoenician debts, improve the lot of the laborers and redeem the mortgaged property of the court.
And with what edifices might the state be enriched!
Hence the treasure of this labyrinth might remove all the pharaoh's troubles. For what was the result of a great loan from the Phoenicians? It would be necessary to pay a loan some time, and, sooner or later, mortgage the rest of the pharaoh's property. That was merely to defer ruin, not avoid it.