"I know, I know!" answered Herhor. "Thou hast refused the high dignity so as not to work to the destruction of the temples. I know, I know! though perhaps it is to be regretted that Thou hast not become the adviser of that giddy milksop, who, as it were, governs us. To a certainty Thou wouldst not have suffered him to surround himself with those traitors who are ruining him."
Pentuer, not wishing to speak of such ticklish subjects, told Herhor why he was going to Lower Egypt.
"Very well," answered Herhor, "let Ramses XIII call an assembly of all the orders. He has a right to call it."
"But," he added suddenly, "I am sorry that Thou art involved in such labor. Great changes have taken place in thee. Thou rememberest thy words to my adjutant during those maneuvers in Pi-Bailos? I will remind thee: Thou didst tell him that it was necessary to limit the abuses and license of the pharaohs. But today Thou art supporting the childish pretensions of the greatest profligate ever known to Egypt."
"Ramses XIII," said Pentuer, interrupting, "wishes to improve the lot of common people. I should be stupid and mean, therefore, were I, the son of earth-tillers, not to serve him in this question."
"But Thou dost not ask whether that would not injure us, the priesthood."
Pentuer was astonished.
"But Thou thyself givest great relief to common men belonging to the temple," said he. "I have, besides, thy permission."
"What? Which?" inquired Herhor.
"Recall, worthiness, that night when we greeted Beroes. Mefres declared at that time that Egypt had fallen because the priestly order was lowered, while I asserted that the misery of the people was the cause of the suffering of the State, to which thou, so far as I remember, didst answer: Let Mefres occupy himself with bettering the priesthood, Pentuer in improving the lot of common people, while I will avoid destructive war between Egypt and Assyria."