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With plenty, but these poor slaves have cried unto
Their God, then crept in want and sorrow
To their graves. Surely Mizraim's God is strong
And Israel's is weak; then wherefore should
I heed his voice, or at his bidding break
A single yoke?" Thus reasoned that proud king,
And turned a deafened ear unto. the words
Of Moses and his brother, and yet he felt
Strangely awed before their presence, because
They stood as men who felt the grandeur
Of their mission, and thought not of themselves,
But of their message.
CHAPTER V.
On the next day Pharaoh called a council
Of his mighty men, and before them laid
The message of the brethren : then Amorphel,
Keeper of the palace and nearest lord
Unto the king, arose, and bending low
Before the throne, craved leave to speak a word.
Amorphel was a crafty, treacherous man,
With oily lips well versed in flattery
And courtly speech, a supple reed ready
To bend before his royal master's lightest
Breath—Pharaoh's willing tool. He said
"Gracious king, thou has been too lenient
With these slaves ; light as their burdens are, they
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