But thou wastest
mine opportunity. Thou shalt silence me no longer.
"Thy dearest enemy, O Har-hat," Kenkenes continued, "would not impugn
thy wits. He deserves the epithet himself who calls thee fool. But be
not puffed up for this thing I have said. Thou hast made a weapon of
thy wits and it shall recoil upon thee. Thou seest Egypt; not in all
the world is there another empire so piteously humbled. Her fields are
white with bones instead of harvests; her cities are loud with mourning
instead of commerce; the desert hath overrun the valley. And this from
the hands of the Hebrews' God! Who doubts it? Hath Egypt won any
honor in this quarrel with Israel? Look upon Egypt and learn. Hath
the army of the Pharaoh availed him aught against these afflictions?
Remember the polluted waters, the pests, the thunders, the darkness,
the angel of death and tell me. 'Vengeance?' Vengeance upon a God who
hath blasted a nation with His breath? Chastisement of a people whose
murmurs brought down consuming fire upon the land? And yet, for
vengeance and chastisement hast thou urged the king to follow after
Israel. I know thee better, Har-hat! That serviceable wit of thine
hath not failed thee in an hour.
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