He might have stayed until I could have persuaded him
into friendship."
"Not with all thy gold!" said Aaron gravely.
"Nay, I had not meant that," Seti rejoined with some resentment. "If
Egypt's plight can not win mercy from him by its own piteousness, the
treasure I bring is not enough."
The Hebrew waved his hand as if to dismiss the subject.
"Let us not dispute so old a quarrel," he said. "We have a new sorrow,
thou and I."
"Of Mesu's sending?"
"Nay, of thine own misplaced trust."
"What!" the prince exclaimed. "Have I clothed thy kinsman with more
grace than he owns?"
"Thou hast put faith in thine enemy. A woman hath deceived thee."
"What dost thou tell me?" Seti cried, leaping to the ground and angrily
confronting Aaron.
"A truth," the Hebrew answered calmly. "The Princess Ta-user is a
fugitive charged with treason."
Seti turned cold and smote his forehead. "Undone through me!" he
groaned.
"Not so, my son. Thou art undone through her. She betrayed thee."
Seti turned upon him with a fierce movement.
"Peace!" the Hebrew interrupted the furious speech on the prince's
lips. "I bear thee no malice."
"I will give ear to no tales against the princess," Seti avowed with
ire.
Pages:
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573