All the events of the last few weeks, he said, pointed to the conclusion that Heaven was wroth with the hapless land of their fathers.  As a sign of their anger the Immortals had sent the comet, that terrible star whose ominous splendor was increasing daily.  To make the Nile rise was not in the power of men; but the ancients—­and here his audience listened with bated breath—­the ancients had been more intimately familiar with the mysterious powers that rule the life of Nature than men in the later times, whether priests or laymen.  In those days every servant of the Most High had been a naturalist and a student, and when Egypt had been visited by such a calamity as that of this year, a sacrifice had been offered—­a precious victim against which all mankind, nay and all his own feelings revolted; still, this sacrifice had never failed of its effect, no, never.  Here was the evidence—­and he pointed to the manuscripts in his lap.

The councillors had begun to be restless in their seats, and first the president and then the others, one after another, exclaimed and asked: 

“But the victim?”

“What did they sacrifice?”

“What about the victim?”

“Allow me to say no more about it till another time,” said the old man.  “What good could it do to tell you that now?  The first thing is to find the thing that is acceptable to the gods.”

“What is it?”

“Speak—­do not keep us on the rack!” was shouted on all sides; but he remained inexorable, promising only to call the council together when the right time should come and desiring that the president would proclaim from the balcony that Horapollo knew of a sacrifice which would cause the Nile at last to rise.  As soon as the right victim could be found, the people should be invited to give their consent.  In the time of their forefathers it had never failed of its effect, so men, women, and children might go home in all confidence, and await the future with new and well-founded hopes.

And this announcement, with which the president mingled his praises of the venerable Horapollo, had a powerful effect.  The crowd hallooed with glee, as though they had found new life.  “Hail, hail !” was shouted again and again, and it was addressed, not merely to the old man who had promised them deliverance, but also to the Fathers of the city, who felt as if a fearful load had fallen from their souls.

The old man’s scheme was, to be sure, not pious nor rightly Christian; but had the power of the Church been in any way effectual?  And this having failed they must of their own accord have had recourse to means held reprobate by the priesthood.  Magic and the black arts were genuinely Egyptian; and when faith had no power, these asserted themselves and superstition claimed its own.  Though Medea had been taken by surprise and imprisoned, this had not been done to satisfy the law, but with a view to secretly utilizing her occult science for the benefit of the community.  In such dire need no means were too base; and though the old man himself was horrified at those he proposed he was sure of public approbation if only they had the desired result.  If only they could avert the calamity the sin could be expiated, and the Almighty was so merciful!