第10章

NowUsertishiftedhereyesfrommetoSeti，watchinghimveryclosely。Seatedathissideuponthegroundwithmywritingrollspreadacrossmyknee，I，too，watchedhimclosely，andnotedthathislipsturnedwhiteandhisfacegrewfixedandstrange。 “IhearthecommandofPharaoh，“hesaidinalowvoicemakingobeisance，andhesitated。 “Haveyouaughttoadd？“askedMeneptahsharply。 “Only，OPharaoh，thatthoughthiswouldbeamarriagedecreedforreasonsoftheState，stillthereisaladywhomustbegiveninmarriage，andshemyhalf-sisterwhoheretoforehasonlylovedmeasarelative。Therefore，Iwouldknowfromherlipsifitisherwilltotakemeasahusband。“ NowalllookedatUsertiwhorepliedinacoldvoice： “Inthismatter，Prince，asinallothersIhavenowillbutthatofPharaoh。“ “Youhaveheard，“interruptedMeneptahimpatiently，“andasinourHouseithasalwaysbeenthecustomforkintomarrykin，whyshoulditnotbeherwill？Also，whoelseshouldshemarry？Amenmesesisalreadywed。ThereremainsonlySaptahhisbrotherwhoisyoungerthanherself-“ “SoamI，“murmuredSeti，“bytwolongyears，“buthappilyUsertididnothearhim。 “Nay，myfather，“shesaidwithdecision，“neverwillItakeadeformedmantohusband。“ Nowfromtheshadowonthefurthersideofthethrone，whereIcouldnotseehim，therehobbledforwardayoungnoble，shortinstature，light-hairedlikeSeti，andwithasharp，cleverfacewhichputmeinmindofthatofajackal(indeedforthisreasonhewasnamedThothbythecommonpeople，afterthejackal-headedgod)。Hewasveryangry，forhischeekswereflushedandhissmalleyesflashed。 “MustIlisten，Pharaoh，“hesaidinalittlevoice，“whilemycousintheRoyalPrincessreproachesmeinpublicformylamefoot，whichI havebecausemynurseletmefallwhenIwasstillinarms？“ “Thenhisnurselethisgrandfatherfallalso，forhetoowasclub- footed，asIwhohaveseenhimnakedinhiscradlecanbearwitness，“ whisperedoldBakenkhonsu。 “Itseemsso，CountSaptah，unlessyoustopyourears，“repliedPharaoh。 “Shesaysshewillnotmarryme，“wentonSaptah，“mewhofromchildhoodhavebeenaslavetoherandtonootherwoman。“ “Notbymywish，Saptah。Indeed，Iprayyoutogoandbeaslavetoanywomanwhomyouwill，“exclaimedUserti。 “ButIsay，“continuedSaptah，“thatonedaysheshallmarryme，forthePrinceSetiwillnotliveforever。“ “Howdoyouknowthat，Cousin？“askedSeti。“TheHigh-priestherewilltellyouadifferentstory。“ Nowcertainofthosepresentturnedtheirheadsawaytohidethesmileupontheirfaces。YetonthisdaysomegodspokewithSaptah’svoicemakinghimaprophet，sinceinayeartocomeshedidmarryhim，inorderthatshemightstayuponthethroneatatimeoftroublewhenEgyptwouldnotsufferthatawomanshouldhavesoleruleovertheland。 ButPharaohdidnotsmilelikethecourtiers；indeedhegrewangry。 “Peace，Saptah!“hesaid。“Whoareyouthatwranglebeforeme，talkingofthedeathofkingsandsayingthatyouwillwedtheRoyalprincess？ Onemoresuchwordandyoushallbedrivenintobanishment。Hearkennow。AlmostamImindedtodeclaremydaughter，theRoyalPrincess，soleheiresstothethrone，seeingthatinherthereismorestrengthandwisdomthaninanyotherofourHouse。“ “IfsuchbePharaoh’swill，letPharaoh’swillbedone，“saidSetimosthumbly。“WellIknowmyownunworthinesstofillsohighastation，andbyallthegodsIswearthatmybelovedsisterwillfindnomorefaithfulsubjectthanmyself。“ “Youmean，Seti，“interruptedUserti，“thatratherthanmarrymeyouwouldabandonyourrighttothedoublecrown。TrulyIamhonoured。 Seti，whetheryoureignorI，Iwillnotmarryyou。“ “WhatwordsaretheseIhear？“criedMeneptah。“IsthereindeedoneinthislandofEgyptwhodarestosaythatPharaoh’sdecreeshallbedisobeyed？Writeitdown，Scribes，andyou，OOfficers，letitbeproclaimedfromThebestothesea，thatonthethirddayfromnowatthehourofnooninthetempleofHathorinthiscity，thePrince，theRoyalHeir，SetiMeneptah，BelovedofRa，willwedtheRoyalPrincessofEgypt，LilyofLove，BelovedofHathor，Userti，Daughterofme，thegod。“ “Life!Blood!Strength!“calledalltheCourt。 Then，guidedbysomehighofficer，thePrinceSetiwasledbeforethethroneandthePrincessUsertiwassetbesidehim，orratherfacinghim。Accordingtotheancientcustomagreatgoldcupwasbroughtandfilledwithredwine，tomeitlookedlikeblood。Usertitookthecupand，kneeling，gaveittothePrince，whodrankandgaveitbacktoherthatshemightalsodrinkinsolemntokenoftheirbetrothal。IsnotthescenegravenonthebroadbraceletsofgoldwhichinafterdaysSetiworewhenhesatuponthethrone，thosesamebraceletsthatatafuturetimeIwithmyownhandsclaspedaboutthewristsofdeadUserti？ Thenhestretchedouthishandwhichshetouchedwithherlips，andbendingdownhekissedheronthebrow。Lastly，Pharaoh，descendingtotheloweststepofthethrone，laidhissceptre，firstupontheheadofthePrince，andnextuponthatofthePrincess，blessingthembothinthenameofhimself，ofhisKaorDouble，andofthespiritsandKasofalltheirforefathers，kingsandqueensofEgypt，thusappointingthemtocomeafterhimwhenhehadbeengatheredtothebosomofthegods。 Thesethingsdone，hedepartedinstate，surroundedbyhiscourt，precededandfollowedbyhisguardsandleaningonthearmofthePrincessUserti，whomhelovedbetterthananyoneintheworld。 AwhilelaterIstoodalonewiththePrinceinhisprivatechamber，whereIhadfirstseenhim。 “Thatisfinished，“hesaidinacheerfulvoice，“andItellyou，Ana，thatIfeelquite，quitehappy。Haveyouevershivereduponthebankofariverofawintermorning，fearingtoenter，andyet，whenyoudidenter，haveyounotbeenpleasedtofindthattheicywaterrefreshedyouandmadeyounotcoldbuthot？“ “Yes，Prince。Itiswhenonecomesoutofthewater，ifthewindblowsandnosunshines，thatonefeelscolderthanbefore。“ “True，Ana，andthereforeonemustnotcomeout。Oneshouldstoptheretillone——drownsoriseatenbyacrocodile。But，say，didIdoitwell？“ “OldBakenkhonsutoldme，Prince，thathehadbeenpresentatmanyroyalbetrothals，Ithinkhesaideleven，andhadneverseenoneconductedwithmoregrace。HeaddedthatthewayinwhichyoukissedthebrowofherHighnesswasperfect，aswasallyourdemeanourafterthefirstargument。“ “Andsoitwouldremain，Ana，ifIwerenevercalledupontodomorethankissherbrow，towhichIhavebeenaccustomedfromboyhood。Oh! Ana，Ana，“headdedinakindofcry，“alreadyyouarebecomingacourtierliketherestofthem，acourtierwhocannotspeakthetruth。 Well，norcanI，sowhyshouldIblameyou？Tellmeagainallaboutyourmarriage，Ana，ofhowitbeganandhowitended。“ WhetherornothePrinceSetisawUsertiagainbeforethehourofhismarriagewithherIcannotsay，becausehenevertoldme。IndeedIwasnotpresentatthemarriage，forthereasonthatIhadbeengrantedleavetoreturntoMemphis，theretosettlemyaffairsandsellmyhouseonenteringuponmyappointmentasprivatescribetohisHighness。ThusitcameaboutthatfourteenfulldayswentbyfromthatoftheholdingoftheCourtofBetrothalbeforeIfoundmyselfstandingoncemoreatthegateofthePrince’spalace，attendedbyaservantwholedanassonwhichwereladenallmymanuscriptsandcertainpossessionsthathaddescendedtomefrommyancestorswiththetitle-deedsoftheirtombs。Differentindeedwasmyreceptiononthismysecondcoming。EvenasIreachedthestepstheoldchamberlainPambasaappeared，runningdownthemsofastthathiswhiterobesandbeardstreamedupontheair。 “Greeting，mostlearnedscribe，mosthonourableAna，“hepanted。“GladindeedamItoseeyou，sinceveryhourhisHighnessasksifyouhavereturned，andblamesmebecauseyouhavenotcome。VerilyIbelievethatifyouhadstayedupontheroadanotherdayIshouldhavebeensenttolookforyou，whohavehadsharpwordssaidtomebecauseI didnotarrangethatyoushouldbeaccompaniedbyaguard，asthoughtheVizierNehesiwouldhavepaidthecostsofaguardwithoutthedirectorderofPharaoh。OmostexcellentAna，givemeofthecharmwhichyouhavedoubtlessusedtowintheloveofourroyalmaster，andIwillpayyouwellforitwhofinditeasiertoearnhiswrath。“ “Iwill，Pambasa。Hereitis——writebetterstoriesthanIdoinsteadoftellingthem，andhewillloveyoumorethanhedoesme。Butsay—— howwentthemarriage？Ihavehearduponthewaythatitwasverysplendid。“ “Splendid!Oh!itwastentimesmorethansplendid。ItwasasthoughthegodOsiriswereoncemorewedtothegoddessIsisintheveryhallsofheaven。IndeedhisHighness，thebridegroom，wasdressedasagod，yes，heworetherobesandtheholyornamentsofAmon。Andtheprocession!AndthefeastthatPharaohgave!ItellyouthatthePrincewassoovercomewithjoyandallthisweightofglorythat，beforeitwasover，lookingathimIsawthathiseyeswereclosed，beingdazzledbythegleamofgoldandjewelsandthelovelinessofhisroyalbride。Hetoldmethatitwassohimself，fearingperhapslestIshouldhavethoughtthathewasasleep。Thentherewerethepresents，somethingtoeveryoneofusaccordingtohisdegree。Igot—— wellitmattersnot。And，learnedAna，Ididnotforgetyou。KnowingwellthateverythingwouldbegonebeforeyoureturnedIspokeyournameintheearofhisHighness，offeringtokeepyourgift。“ “Indeed，Pambasa，andwhatdidhesay？“