Not only did Tutmosis hesitate, he suffered. Under a frivolous exterior he had a character at once energetic and noble. So that day, when men struck at the honor and power of his sovereign, inactivity was devouring Tutmosis. He seemed to himself the commander of a fortress which the enemy was undermining, while he himself was looking on in helplessness. This thought so tortured him that under its influence he fell upon a daring plan. Meeting the high priest Sem, he said to him,
"Worthiness, hast Thou heard the reports about our sovereign?"
"The pharaoh is young, hence various scandals may circulate concerning him," replied Sem, looking strangely at Tutmosis. "But such affairs pertain not to me; I take the place of his holiness in the service of the gods; I fulfill that office as I know best, and have no care for other questions."
"I know, worthiness, that Thou art a faithful servant of the pharaoh," said Tutmosis, "and I have no thought of interfering with priestly secrets; I must turn thy attention, however, to one trifle. I have learned that holy Mefres holds a certain Lykon, a Greek, on whom two crimes are weighing: he murdered the pharaoh's son, and besides he looks like his holiness. Let the worthy Mefres not bring disgrace on the revered priestly order; let him yield the murderer to justice at the earliest; for if we find Lykon, I swear that Mefres will lose not his office alone, but his head also. In our kingdom it is not permitted to patronize murderers and secrete men who resemble the sovereign."
Sem, in whose presence Mefres had taken Lykon from the police, was confused out of fear perhaps that he might be suspected of co- operation, still he answered,
"I will try to forewarn holy Mefres of these suspicions. But Thou knowest, worthiness, how people answer who attribute crimes to others."
"I know and assume responsibility. I am so certain of my case that I have no concern as to the result of my suspicions. Alarm I leave to holy Mefres; I trust that he will not force me to pass from warning to energetic action."
The conversation had its result: from that day forth no man ever saw the counterfeit of the pharaoh. But reports did not cease; Ramses XIII, however, knew nothing of them; Tutmosis feared violent action of the pharaoh against the priests, hence gave him no information.
CHAPTER LXII
IN the beginning of the month Paofi (July, August) the pharaoh, Queen
Niort's, and the court returned from Thebes to the palace at Memphis.
Toward the end of the journey, which took place on the Nile this time
also, Ramses fell into meditation often, and said once to Tutmosis,