The Exodus from the Egyptian side: an Egyptian scribe, a prince who will not be Pharaoh, and Merapi — a Hebrew girl the court calls the Moon of Israel — while the plagues arrive one after another and the priesthood explains each one away. Haggard had Egyptologists check every line; the Austrian film of it in 1924 was one of the most lavish productions of its day. The book takes both religions seriously, which was not usual. Fifty-six plates, from Dominic Serres's naval and coaching scenes to Thomas Rowlandson's caricatures, catch the same clash of empire and faith that drives the story.
