If
Meneptah spoke to him he but seconded Har-hat's suggestions. But once
again the observant ones noted that the fan-bearer did not advise at
wide variance with any of the prince's known ideas. Thus far the most
caviling could not see that Har-hat's favoritism had led to any
misrule, but the field of possibilities opened by his complete
dominance over the Pharaoh was crowded with disaster, individual and
national.
The betrothal of Rameses to Har-hat's daughter gave further material
for contention. It seemed to indicate that the fan-bearer had builded
for himself for two reigns.
Hotep's situation was most poignantly unhappy. He was fixed under the
same roof with the man that had taken his love by piracy; he must greet
him affably and reverently every day; he must live in daily
contemplation of the time when he must meet Masanath also as his
sovereign--the wife of the prince, whom he must serve till death.
Hardest of all, he must wear a serene countenance and cover his sorrow
most surely, for his own sake and for Masanath's.
Ta-user still remained at court. Seti, in a fume of boyish indignation
at Rameses, attended her like a shadow. Among the courtiers there were
others who were not alive to the true nature of the princess and who
joined Seti in his resentment against the heir.
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