"Terror!" exclaimed Pentuer.
"What terror? I have discovered a thing which beyond doubt ye will all fear. But tell this to no one: in the month Paoni (June, July) there will be an eclipse of the sun; night will come in the daytime. And may I die a hunger death, if I have failed even three minutes in the reckoning."
Pentuer touched the amulet which he wore on his breast, and uttered a prayer.
"I have read," said he, "in sacred books that more than once to the suffering of people it became night at midday. But what is that? I do not understand."
"Dost Thou see the pyramid?" asked Menes on a sudden, pointing toward the desert.
"I see it."
"Now put thy hand before thy eyes. Dost Thou see the pyramid? Thou dost not. Well, the eclipse of the sun is the same kind of thing; the moon passes between the sun and us, hides the father of light and makes night in the daytime."
"And will that happen here?" inquired Pentuer.
"In the mouth Paoni. I have written about this to the pharaoh, thinking that in return he would make some offering to the temple. But on reading the letter he laughed at me, and commanded my messenger to take the news to Herhor."
"Well, what did Herhor do?"