"Something something appears to me," said Pentuer, "but still I do not understand clearly."
"It is very simple," said Menes. "By means of this wheel oxen and horses might raise water from the Nile and pour it into higher channels. In that way half a million of men might have rest instead of working at buckets. Now Thou seest that wisdom does more for the welfare of mankind than pharaohs."
Pentuer shook his head.
"How much timber would be needed for that change! How many oxen, how much pasture. It seems to me, father, that thy wheel would not take the place of the seventh day for rest."
"I see that office has not benefited thee," replied Menes, shrugging his shoulders. "But though Thou hast lost that alertness which I admired in thee, I will show still another thing. Perhaps when Thou hast returned to wisdom, and I am dead, Thou wilt work at improving and spreading my inventions."
They went back to the pylon, and Menes put some fuel under a brass kettle. He blew the flame and soon the water was boiling. On the kettle was a perpendicular spout covered with a heavy stone. When the kettle began to hiss, Menes said,
"Stand in this niche and look."
He touched a crank fastened to the spout; in one moment the heavy stone flew through the air and hot steam filled the chamber.
"Wonderful!" cried Pentuer. But soon he calmed himself and asked,
"Well, but how will that stone improve the condition of people in
Egypt?"