"And what do ye understand?"
"We understand," said the priest, "the structure of the heavenly dome and the movement of the stars."
"What good is that to any one?"
"We have rendered no small service to Egypt. We indicate the main directions according to which edifices are built and canals are dug. Without the aid of our science vessels sailing on the sea could not go far from laud. Finally we compose calendars and calculate future heavenly phenomena. For instance, the sun will be eclipsed within a short period."
Ramses was not listening; he had turned and gone out.
"How is it possible," thought the pharaoh, "to build a temple for such childish amusements, and besides to engrave the results on golden tablets? These holy men do not know what to snatch at from idleness."
After he had remained a short time in Tan-ta-ren, the sovereign crossed over to Keneh.
In that place were no celebrated temples, incensed crocodiles, or golden tablets with stars. But commerce and pottery flourished. From that city went two roads to ports on the Red Sea: Koseir and Berenice, also a road to the porphyry mountains, whence they brought statues and great sticks of timber.
Keneh was swarming with Phoenicians who received the sovereign with great enthusiasm, and presented him with valuables to the amount of ten talents.
In spite of this, the pharaoh remained barely one day there, since they informed him from Thebes that the revered body of Ramses XII was already in the palace of Luxor awaiting its burial.