第7章

“Becauseofancientcustomwhichsheworships。Alsobecausesheknowsmewellandinherfashionisfondofme，whomshebelievestobeagentle-mindeddreamerthatshecanrule。Lastly，becauseIamthelawfulheirtotheCrownandwithoutmetoshareit，shethinksthatshewouldneverbesafeupontheThrone，especiallyifIshouldmarrysomeotherwoman，ofwhomshewouldbejealous。ItistheThroneshedesiresandwouldwed，notthePrinceSeti，herhalf-brother，whomshetakeswithittobeinnameherhusband，asPharaohcommandsthatsheshoulddo。LoveplaysnopartinUserti’sbreast，Ana，whichmakesherthemoredangerous，sincewhatsheseekswithacoldheartofpolicy，thatshewillsurelyfind。“ “Thenitwouldseem，Prince，thatthecageisbuiltaboutyou。Afterallitisaverysplendidcageandmadeofgold。“ “Yes，Ana，yetnotoneinwhichIwouldlive。Still，exceptbydeathhowcanIescapefromthethreefoldchainofthewillofPharaoh，ofEgypt，andofUserti？Oh!“hewentoninanewvoice，onethathadinitbothsorrowandpassion，“thisisamatterinwhichIwouldhavechosenformyselfwhoinallothersmustbeaservant。AndImaynotchoose!“ “Isthereperchancesomeotherlady，Prince？“ “None!ByHathor，none——atleastIthinknot。YetIwouldhavebeenfreetosearchforsuchaoneandtakeherwhenIfoundher，ifshewerebutafishergirl。“ “TheKingsofEgyptcanhavelargehouseholds，Prince。“ “Iknowit。AretherenotstillscoreswhomIshouldcallauntanduncle？Ithinkthatmygrandsire，Rameses，blessedEgyptwithquitethreehundredchildren，andinsodoinginawaywaswise，sincethushemightbesurethat，whiletheworldendures，initwillflowsomethebloodthatoncewashis。“ “Yetinlifeordeathhowwillthathelphim，Prince？Somemustbegetthemultitudesoftheearth，whatdoesitmatterwhothesemayhavebeen？“ “Nothingatall，Ana，sincebygoodorevilfortunetheyareborn。 Therefore，whytalkoflargehouseholds？Though，likeanymanwhocanpayforit，Pharaohmayhavealargehousehold，Iseekaqueenwhoshallreigninmyheartaswellasonmythrone，nota“largehousehold，“Ana。Oh!Iamweary。Pambasa，comehitherandconductmysecretary，Ana，totheemptyroomthatisnexttomyown，thepaintedchamberwhichlookstowardthenorth，andbidmyslavesattendtoallhiswantsastheywouldtomine。“ “Whydidyoutellmeyouwereascribe，mylordAna？“askedPambasa，asheledmetomybeautifulsleeping-place。 “Becausethatismytrade，Chamberlain。“ Helookedatme，shakinghisgreatheadtillthelongwhitebeardwavedacrosshisbreastlikeatemplebannerinthefainteveningbreeze，andanswered： “Youarenoscribe，youareamagicianwhocanwintheloveandfavourofhisHighnessinanhourwhichotherscannotdobetweentworisingsoftheNile。Hadyousaidsoatonce，youwouldhavebeendifferentlytreatedyonderinthehallofwaiting。ForgivemethereforewhatIdidinignorance，and，mylord，Iprayitmaypleaseyounottomeltawayinthenight，lestmyfeetshouldanswerforitbeneaththesticks。“ Itwasthefourthhourfromsunriseofthefollowingdaythat，forthefirsttimeinmylifeIfoundmyselfintheCourtofPharaohstandingwithothermembersofhishouseholdinthetrainofhisHighness，thePrinceSeti。Itwasaverygreatplace，forPharaohsatinthejudgmenthall，whereoftheroofisupheldbyroundandsculpturedcolumns，betweenwhichweresetstatuesofPharaohswhohadbeen。Saveatthethroneendofthehall，wherethelightfloweddownthroughclerestories，thevastchamberwasdimalmosttodarkness；atleastsoitseemedtomeenteringthereoutofthebrilliantsunshine。Throughthisgloommanyfolkmovedlikeshadows；captains，nobles，andstateofficerswhohadbeensummonedtotheCourt，andamongthemwhite- robedandshavenpriests。AlsotherewereothersofwhomItooknocount，suchasArabheadmenfromthedesert，traderswithjewelsandotherwarestosell，farmersandevenpeasantswithpetitionstopresent，lawyersandtheirclients，andIknownotwhobesides，throughwhichofallthesenoneweresufferedtoadvancebeyondacertainmarkwherethelightbegantofall。Speakinginwhispersallofthesefolkflittedtoandfrolikebatsinatomb。 WewaitedbetweentwoHathor-headedpillarsinoneofthevestibulesofthehall，thePrinceSeti，whowascladinpurple-broideredgarmentsandworeuponhisbrowafilletofgoldfromwhichrosetheur？usorhoodedsnake，alsoofgold，thatroyalonesalonemightwear，leaningagainstthebaseofastatue，whiletherestofusstoodsilentbehindhim。Foratimehewassilentalso，asamanmightbewhosethoughtswereotherwhere。Atlengthheturnedandsaidtome： “Thisiswearywork。WouldIhadaskedyoutobringthatnewtaleofyours，ScribeAna，thatwemighthavereadittogether。“ “ShallItellyoutheplotofit，Prince？“ “Yes。Imean，notnow，lestIshouldforgetmymannerslisteningtoyou。Look，“andhepointedtoadark-browed，fierce-eyedmanofmiddleagewhopassedupthehallasthoughhedidnotseeus，“theregoesmycousin，Amenmeses。Youknowhim，doyounot？“ Ishookmyhead。 “Thentellmewhatyouthinkofhim，atoncebeforethefirstjudgmentfades。“ “Ithinkheisaroyal-lookinglord，obstinateinmindandstronginbody，handsometooinhisway。“ “Allcanseethat，Ana。Whatelse？“ “Ithink，“Isaidinalowvoicesothatnonemightoverhear，“thathisheartisasblackashisbrow；thathehasgrownwickedwithjealousyandhateandwilldoyouevil。“ “Canamangrowwicked，Ana？Ishenotashewasborntilltheend？I donotknow，nordoyou。Stillyouareright，heisjealousandwilldomeevilifitbringshimgood。Buttellme，whichofuswilltriumphatthelast？“ WhileIhesitatedwhattoanswerIbecameawarethatsomeonehadjoinedus。LookingroundIperceivedaveryancientmancladinawhiterobe。Hewasbroad-facedandbald-headed，andhiseyesburnedbeneathhisshaggyeyebrowsliketwocoalsinashes。Hesupportedhimselfonastaffofcedar-wood，grippingitwithbothhandsthatforthinnesswereliketothoseofamummy。Forawhileheconsideredusbothasthoughhewerereadingoursouls，thensaidinafullandjovialvoice： “Greeting，Prince。“ Setiturned，lookedathim，andanswered： “Greeting，Bakenkhonsu。Howcomesitthatyouarestillalive？WhenwepartedatThebesImadesure-“ “Thatonyourreturnyouwouldfindmeinmytomb。Notso，Prince，itisIwhoshalllivetolookuponyouinyourtomb，yes，andonotherswhoareyettositintheseatofPharaoh。Whynot？Ho!ho!Whynot，seeingthatIambutahundredandseven，IwhorememberthefirstRamesesandhaveplayedwithhisgrandson，yourgrandsire，asaboy？ WhyshouldInotlive，Prince，tonurseyourgrandson——ifthegodsshouldgrantyouonewhoasyethaveneitherwifenorchild？“ “Becauseyouwillgettiredoflife，Bakenkhonsu，asIamalready，andthegodswillnotbeabletospareyoumuchlonger。“ “Thegodscanendureyetawhilewithoutme，Prince，whensomanyareflockingtotheirtable。IndeeditistheirdesirethatonegoodpriestshouldbeleftinEgypt。KitheMagiciantoldmesoonlythismorning。HehaditstraightfromHeaveninadreamlastnight。“ “WhyhaveyoubeentovisitKi？“askedSeti，lookingathimsharply。 “Ishouldhavethoughtthatbeingbothofatradeyouwouldhavehatedeachother。“ “Notso，Prince。Onthecontraryweaddupeachother’saccount；I mean，checkandinterpreteachother’svisions，withwhichwearebothofusmuchtroubledjustnow。IsthatyoungmanascribefromMemphis？“ “Yes，andmyfriend。HisgrandsirewasPentaurthepoet。“ “Indeed。IknewPentaurwell。Oftenhashereadmetosleepwithhislongpoems，rankstuffthatgrewlikecoarsegrassuponadeepbuthalf-drainedsoil。Areyousure，youngman，thatPentaurwasyourgrandfather？Youarenotlikehim。Quiteadifferentkindofherbage，andyouknowthatitisamatteruponwhichwemusttakeawoman’sword。“ SetiburstoutlaughingandIlookedattheoldpriestangrily，thoughnowthatIcametothinkofitmyfatheralwayssaidthathismotherwasoneofthebiggestliarsinEgypt。 “Well，letitbe，“wentonBakenkhonsu，“tillwefindoutthetruthbeforeThoth。Kiwasspeakingofyou，youngman。Ididnotpaymuchattentiontohim，butitwassomethingaboutasuddenvowoffriendshipbetweenyouandthePrincehere。Therewasacupinthestorytoo，analabastercupthatseemedfamiliartome。Kisaiditwasbroken。“ SetistartedandIbeganangrily： “Whatdoyouknowofthatcup？Wherewereyouhid，OPriest？“ “Oh，inyoursouls，Isuppose，“heanswereddreamily，“orratherKiwas。ButIknownothing，andamnotcurious。Ifyouhadbrokenthecupwithawomannow，itwouldhavebeenmoreinteresting，eventoanoldman。BesogoodastoanswerthePrince’squestionastowhetherheorhiscousinAmenmeseswilltriumphatthelast，foronthatmatterbothKiandIarecurious。“ “AmIaseer，“Ibeganagainstillmoreangrily，“thatIshouldreadthefuture？“ “Ithinkso，alittle，butthatiswhatIwanttofindout。“ Hehobbledtowardsme，laidoneofhisclaw-likehandsuponmyarm，andsaidinanewvoiceofcommand：