If you were not the son of the king, who rules Egypt as Ra, I would punish your temerity with stripes.

My hands are tied with regard to you, and yet they must be everywhere and always at work if the hundreds committed to my care are to be kept from harm." "Nay, punish me!" cried Rameri.

"If I commit a folly I am ready to bear the consequences." Ameni looked pleased at the vehement boy, and would willingly have shaken him by the hand and stroked his curly head, but the penance he proposed for Rameri was to serve a great end, and Ameni would not allow any overflow of emotion to hinder him in the execution of a well considered design.

So he answered the prince with grave determination: "I must and will punish you--and I do so by requesting you to leave the House of Seti this very day." The prince turned pale.

But Ameni went on more kindly: "I do not expel you with ignominy from among us--I only bid you a friendly farewell.