Page 8 - 1923 VES Meteor

TnE METEOR
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~fnrad, a s h a m e d , s l i p p e d d o w n f r o l l l t h e t h r o n e . T h e greut door opened; a messenger adYanced up tho aisle of courtiers. Down on the floor before Phnroah he lay with his face on the ground.
"Most mighty king," he cried, "the slaves have n sen, those of CLeops leading; they haYe succeeded. They are ad,·ancing in great numbers upon the city. Nothing can be done."
A long silence. Pharoah stood up upon the dais. Re looked, but that Yast company had gone; be nlone remained in the great chamber. Then something shivered through the sunlight; Pharoah fell. Down on the floor before tho throne he lay with his face on the ground.
It was in a dark room they sat-three men in one of those
dark by-ways of bell in the ca11ital of Egypt. A cnndle
sputtered in the corner.
''Busil·is, tho tyrant, Pharaoh of Egypt," whispered one. "If om plans succeed, he will not remain Pharaoh long,
eh Rume:;es!" said another. There was a long sileuce. ''Rame:;cs, you will, of course, join your forces with ours." The one in the corner who bad not spohn rose up.
"Our plan," continued the other, "cannot fail. 'Ve out-
number him."
The figure in the corner uttered one cry and fled. :Meam'"hile Busiris sat in the throne-room of hii! palace-- ,
in the grent throne-room where he hnd proclaimed hims('lf Pharaoh of Egypt. The sun still shone through the circular window above the throne; the courtiers still stretched from
throne to door. This was the last time he would be there
"Ycs, Sire."
'·Then it shall be done at once!" "But, my Lord-"
"Do ns I command."
for weeks, perhaps months.
The powerfnl king of ~bys-