"His worthiness Tutmosis, the most faithful servant of his holiness and of his son Prince Ramses!"
"May he live through eternity!" called a number of voices from the garden.
"His worthiness," said a single voice again, "sends greeting to the most beautiful rose of Lebanon."
When the voice ceased, the sound of harps and flutes was heard.
"That is music!" exclaimed Tafet, clapping her hands. "We shall pass the Sabbath with music."
Sarah and her father, frightened at first, began to laugh, and sat down again at the table.
"Let them play," said Gideon; "their music is not bad for the appetite."
The flute and harp played, then a tenor voice sang,
"Thou art more beautiful than all the maidens who look at themselves in the Nile. Thy hair is blacker than the feathers of a raven, thy eyes have a milder glance than the eyes of a deer which is yearning for its fawn. Thy stature is the stature of a palm, and the lotus envies thee thy charm. Thy bosoms are like grape clusters with the juice of which kings delight themselves."
Again the flute and harp were heard, and next a song,