Go on."
"It seems that Har-hat looked upon the girl, and taken by her beauty,
asked her at the Pharaoh's hands for his harem."
"Ah, the--! Why does he not marry honorably?"
"It is not for me to divine," Hotep went on calmly. "The fan-bearer
sent his men to take her, but she fled from them to Kenkenes, and he
protected her--hid her away--where, none but Kenkenes and the maiden
know. Har-hat is most desirous of owning her, but Kenkenes keeps his
counsel. Therefore, Har-hat overtook him in Tape, where he went to get
a signet belonging to his father, and imprisoned him till what time he
should divulge the hiding-place of the Israelite."
"Never was there a true villain till Har-hat was born! What poor
feeble shadows have trodden the world for knaves before the fan-bearer
came. Go on. Hath he put him to torture yet?"
"Aye, from the beginning, though not by the bastinado. He rends him
with suspense and all the doubts and fears for his love that can haunt
him in his cell. But I have more to tell. There was a signet, an
all-potent signet, which belonged to the noble Mentu--"
"Aye, I remember," Rameses broke in. "My grandsire gave it to the
murket in recognition of his great work, Ipsambul.
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