Immediately after the departure of Tutmosis, the worthy lady Niort's, in silence, with lips tightly closed from anger, left the chamber of her son, and when Ramses wished to calm her, she interrupted him sharply,
"I take leave of the pharaoh, and pray the gods to permit me to see him to-morrow as pharaoh."
"Dost Thou doubt that, mother?"
"It is possible to doubt everything in presence of one who listens to madmen and traitors."
They parted in anger.
Soon his holiness recovered good-humor and conversed joyously with the officials. But about six o'clock alarm began to torment him.
"Tutmosis ought to send us a courier," said he. "For I am certain that the affair is already settled in one or another way."
"I do not know that," said the chief treasurer. "They may not have found boats at the crossing. There may have been resistance at the temple."
"But where is that young priest?" asked Hiram on a sudden.
"The priest? The messenger of the late Samentu?" repeated the officials in concern. "That is true where can he be?"