CHAPTER

       I choosing the tens
      II under ban of the ritual
     III the messenger
      IV the procession of Amen
       V the heir to the throne
      VI the lady Miriam
     VII Athor, the golden
    VIII the punishment of Atsu
      IX the collar of gold
       X the debt of Israel
      XI Hebrew craft
     XII Canaan
    XIII the coming of the pharaoh
     XIV the margin of the Nile
      XV the gods of Egypt
     XVI the advice of Hotep
    XVII the son of the murket
   XVIII at Masaarah
     XIX in the desert
      XX the treasure cave
     XXI on the way to Thebes
    XXII the fan-bearer’s guest
   XXIII the tomb of the pharaoh
    XXIV the petition
     XXV the love of Rameses
    XXVI further diplomacy
   XXVII the heir intervenes
  XXVIII the idols crumble
    XXIX the plagues
     XXX he hardened his heart
    XXXI the conspiracy
   XXXII Rachel’s refuge
  XXXIII back to Memphis
   XXXIV night
    XXXV light after darkness
   XXXVI the murket’s sacrifice
  XXXVII at the well
 XXXVIII the traitors
   XXXIX before Egypt’s throne
      XL the first-born
     XLI the angel of death
    XLII expatriation
   XLIII “The pharaoh drew nigh”
    XLIV the way to the sea
     XLV through the red sea
    XLVI whom the lady Miriam sent
   XLVII the promised land

THE YOKE

A STORY OF THE EXODUS

CHAPTER I

CHOOSING THE TENS

Near the eastern boundary of that level region of northern Egypt, known as the Delta, once thridded by seven branches of the sea-hunting Nile, Rameses II, in the fourteenth century B. C., erected the city of Pithom and stored his treasure therein.  His riches overtaxed its coffers and he builded Pa-Ramesu, in part, to hold the overflow.  But he died before the work was completed by half, and his fourteenth son and successor, Meneptah, took it up and pushed it with the nomad bond-people that dwelt in the Delta.

The city was laid out near the center of Goshen, a long strip of fertile country given over to the Israelites since the days of the Hyksos king, Apepa, near the year 1800 B. C.

Morning in the land of the Hebrew dawned over level fields, green with unripe wheat and meadow grass.  Wherever the soil was better for grazing great flocks of sheep moved in compact clouds, with a lank dog and an ancient shepherd following them.

The low, shapeless tents and thatched hovels of the Israelites stood in the center of gardens of lentils, garlic and lettuce, securely hedged against the inroads of hares and roving cattle.  Close to these were compounds for the flocks and brush inclosures for geese, and cotes for the pigeons used in sacrifice.  Here dwelt the aged in trusteeship over the land, while the young and sturdy builded Pa-Ramesu.