There was
nothing of the occult in his atmosphere. His intense human force would
have commanded, though Egypt had not known him as the emissary of God.
As it was, when he moved the assembly swayed back as if blown by a
wind. A motion of his hand sent a nervous start over the hall. The
nearest courtiers seemed prepared to crouch. Meneptah did not win a
glance from his court. Every eye, wide and expectant, was fixed upon
the Israelite.
The pale and troubled queen strove in vain. Meneptah thrust her aside
and shaking his clenched hand at the solitary figure before him, ended
the audience in a voice violent with fury.
"Get thee from me! Take heed to thyself; see my face no more. For in
that day thou seest my face, thou shalt die!"
After the speech, the silence fell, deepened, grew ominous. None
breathed, and the overwrought nerves of the court reached the limit of
endurance.
Then Moses answered. His tones were quiet, his voice full of a calm
more terrifying than an outburst had been.
"Thou hast spoken well," he said. "I will see thy face no more."
Another breathless silence and he turned, the courtiers shrinking from
his way, and passed out of the hall.
At the doors, his eyes fell upon Seti.
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