His ministership had crumbled beyond
reconstruction. What would avail him, then, to defend himself? What
proof had he to offer against this impeachment? The young man's
argument met him at every avenue toward which he might turn for escape.
At best his future in Egypt would be mere toleration; the worst,
condign punishment.
A flame of feeling surged into his face. With a wide sweep of his arm,
as though to thrust away pretense, he faced the ministers, all the
defiance and audacity of his nature faithfully manifested in his manner.
"Why wait ye? Would ye see me cringe? Would ye hear me deny, protest,
deprecate? Go to! ye glowering churls, I disappoint you! Flock to the
king; dandle the royal babe a while! Endure the stress a little, for
ye will not serve him long. And thou," whirling upon Kenkenes,
"dreamest thou I fear this bloody God of Israel, or all the gibbering,
incense-sniffing, pedestal-cumbering gods of earth? I will show thee,
thou ranting rabble spawn! See which of us hath the yellow-haired
wanton when I return. For I go to wrest spoil and fighting men from
Israel. Then, by all the demons of Amenti! then, I say! look to thy
crown, thou puny, puling King!"
With a bound he broke through the cordon of royal guards, leaped into
his chariot, and putting his horses to a gallop, drove at full speed to
his place at the head of the army.
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