第11章

“Hesaidthathewaskeepingithimself。WhenIstaredwonderingwhatitmightbe，forIsawnothingonhim，headded，’Itishere，’andtouchedtheprivatesignetguardthathehasalwaysworn，anancientringofgold，butofnogreatvalueIshouldsay，with’BelovedofThothandoftheKing’cutuponit。ItseemsthathemusttakeitofftomakeroomforanotherandmuchfinerringwhichherHighnesshasgivenhim。“ Now，bythistime，theasshavingbeenunloadedbytheslavesandledaway，wehadpassedthroughthehallwheremanywereidlingasever，andwerecometotheprivateapartmentsofthepalace。 “Thisway，“saidPambasa。“TheordersarethatIamtotakeyoutothePrincewhereverhemaybe，andjustnowheisseatedinthegreatapartmentwithherHighness，wheretheyhavebeenreceivinghomageanddeputationsfromdistantcities。Thelastleftabouthalfanhourago。“ “FirstIwillpreparemyself，worthyPambasa，“Ibegan。 “No，no，theordersareinstant，Idarenotdisobeythem。Enter，“andwithacourtlyflourishhedrewarichcurtain。 “ByAmon，“exclaimedawearyvoicewhichIknewasthatofthePrince，“herecomemorecouncillorsorpriests。Prepare，mysister，prepare!“ “Iprayyou，Seti，“answeredanothervoice，thatofUserti，“tolearntocallmebymyrightname，whichisnolongersister。Nor，indeed，amIyourfullsister。“ “Icraveyourpardon，“saidSeti。“Prepare，RoyalWife，prepare!“ BynowthecurtainwasfullydrawnandIstood，travel-stained，forlornand，totellthetruth，tremblingalittle，forIfearedherHighness，inthedoorway，hesitatingtopassthethreshold。Beyondwasasplendidchamberfulloflight，inthecentreofwhichuponacarvenandgoldenchair，oneoftwothatweresetthere，satherHighnessmagnificentlyapparelled，faultlesslybeautifulandcalm。Shewasengagedinstudyingapaintedroll，leftnodoubtbythelastdeputation，forotherssimilartoitwerelaidneatlysidebysideuponatable。 Thesecondchairwasempty，forthePrincewaswalkingrestlesslyupanddownthechamber，hisceremonialrobesomewhatdisarrayedandtheur？uscircletofgoldwhichhewore，tiltedbackuponhishead，becauseofhishabitofrunninghisfingersthroughhisbrownhair。AsIstillstoodinthedarkshadow，forPambasahadleftme，andthusremainedunseen，thetalkwenton。 “Iamprepared，Husband。Pardonme，itisyouwholookotherwise。Whywouldyoudismissthescribesandthehouseholdbeforetheceremonywasended？“ “Becausetheyweariedme，“saidSeti，“withtheircontinualbowingandpraisingandformalities。“ “InwhichIsawnothingunusual。Nowtheymustberecalled。“ “Letwhoeveritisenter，“heexclaimed。 ThenIsteppedforwardintothelight，prostratingmyself。 “Why，“hecried，“itisAnareturnedfromMemphis!Drawnear，Ana，andathousandwelcomestoyou。DoyouknowIthoughtthatyouwereanotherhigh-priest，orgovernorofsomeNomeofwhichIhadneverheard。“ “Ana!WhoisAna？“askedthePrincess。“Oh!Irememberthatscribe。Well，itisplainthathehasreturnedfromMemphis，“andsheeyedmydustyrobe。 “RoyalOne，“Imurmuredabashed，“donotblamemethatIenteryourpresencethus。PambasaledmehereagainstmywillbythedirectorderofthePrince。“ “Isitso？Say，Seti，doesthismanbringtidingsofimportfromMemphisthatyouneededhispresenceinsuchhaste？“ “Yes，Userti，atleastIthinkso。Youhavethewritingssafe，haveyounot，Ana？“ “Quitesafe，yourHighness，“Ianswered，thoughIknewnotofwhatwritingshespoke，unlesstheywerethemanuscriptsofmystories。 “Then，myLord，IwillleaveyoutotalkofthetidingsfromMemphisandthesewritings，“saidthePrincess。 “Yes，yes。Wemusttalkofthem，Userti。AlsoofthejourneytothelandofGoshenonwhichAnastartswithmeto-morrow。“ “To-morrow!Whythismorningyoutoldmeitwasfixedforthreedayshence。“ “DidI，Sister——ImeanWife？Ifso，itwasbecauseIwasnotsurewhetherAna，whoistobemychariotcompanion，wouldbeback。“ “Ascribeyourchariotcompanion!SurelyitwouldbemorefittingthatyourcousinAmenmeses-“ “ToSetwithAmenmeses!“heexclaimed。“Youknowwell，Userti，thatthemanishatefultomewithhiscunningyetemptytalk。“ “Indeed!Igrievetohearit，forwhenyouhateyoushowit，andAmenmesesmaybeabadenemy。ThenifnotourcousinAmenmeseswhoisnothatefultome，thereisSaptah。“ “Ithankyou；Iwillnottravelinacagewithajackal。“ “Jackal!IdonotloveSaptah，butoneoftheroyalbloodofEgyptajackal!ThenthereisNehesitheVizier，ortheGeneraloftheescortwhosenameIforget。“ “Doyouthink，Userti，thatIwishtotalkaboutstateeconomieswiththatoldmoney-sack，ortolistentoboastingsofdeedsheneverdidinwarfromahalf-bredNubianbutcher？“ “Idonotknow，Husband。YetofwhatwillyoutalkwiththisAna？Ofpoems，Isuppose，andsilliness。OrwillitbeperchanceofMerapi，MoonofIsrael，whomIgatherbothofyouthinksobeautiful。Well，haveyourway。YoutellmethatIamnottoaccompanyyouuponthisjourney，Iyournew-madewife，andnowIfindthatitisbecauseyouwishmyplacetobefilledbyawriteroftaleswhomyoupickeduptheotherday——your’twininRa’forsooth!Fareyouwell，myLord，“andsherosefromherseat，gatheringupherrobeswithbothhands。 ThenSetigrewangry。 “Userti，“hesaid，stampinguponthefloor，“youshouldnotusesuchwords。YouknowwellthatIdonottakeyouwithmebecausetheremaybedangeryonderamongtheHebrews。Moreover，itisnotPharaoh’swish。“ Sheturnedandansweredwithcoldcourtesy： “ThenIcraveyourpardonandthankyouforyourkindthoughtforthesafetyofmyperson。Iknewnotthismissionwassodangerous。Becareful，Seti，thatthescribeAnacomestonoharm。“ Sosayingshebowedandvanishedthroughthecurtains。 “Ana，“saidSeti，“tellme，forIneverwasquickatfigures，howmanyminutesisitfromnowtillthefourthhourto-morrowmorningwhenI shallordermychariottobeready？Also，doyouknowwhetheritispossibletotravelfromGoshenacrossthemarshesandtoreturnbySyria？Or，failingthat，totravelacrossthedeserttoThebesandsaildowntheNileinthespring？“ “Oh!myPrince，myPrince，“Isaid，“Iprayyoutodismissme。LetmegoanywhereoutofthereachofherHighness’stongue。“ “Itisstrangehowalikewethinkuponeverymatter，Ana，evenofMerapiandthetonguesofroyalladies。Hearkentomycommand。Youarenottogo。Ifitisaquestionofgoing，thereareotherswhowillgofirst。Moreover，youcannotgo，butmuststayandbearyourburdensasIbearmine。Rememberthebrokencup，Ana。“ “Iremember，myPrince，butsoonerwouldIbescourgedwithrodsthanbysuchwordsasthosetowhichImustlisten。“ Yetthatverynight，whenIhadleftthePrince，Iwasdestinedtohearmorepleasantwordsfromthissamechangeful，orperchancepolitic，royallady。ShesentformeandIwent，muchafraid。Ifoundherinasmallchamberalone，saveforoneoldladyofhonourwhosattheendoftheroomandappearedtobedeaf，whichperhapswaswhyshewaschosen。Usertibademebeseatedbeforeherverycourteously，andspoketomethus，whetherbecauseofsometalkshehadheldwiththePrinceornot，Idonotknow。 “ScribeAna，Iaskyourpardonif，beingvexedandwearied，Isaidtoyouandofyouto-daywhatInowwishIhadleftunsaid。Iknowwellthatyou，beingofthegentlebloodofEgypt，willmakenoreportofwhatyouheardoutsidethesewalls。“ “Maymytonguebecutoutfirst，“Ianswered。 “Itseems，ScribeAna，thatmylordthePrincehastakenagreatloveofyou。Howorwhythiscameaboutsosuddenly，youbeingaman，Idonotunderstand，butIamsurethatasitisso，itmustbebecausethereismuchinyoutolove，sinceneverdidIknowthePrincetoshowdeepregardforonewhowasnotmosthonourableandworthy。Nowthingsbeingso，itisplainthatyouwillbecomethefavouriteofhisHighness，amanwhodoesnotchangehismindinsuchmatters，andthathewilltellyouallhissecretthoughts，perhapssomethathehidesfromtheCouncillorsofState，orevenfromme。Inshortyouwillgrowintoapowerinthelandandperhapsonedaybethegreatestinit—— afterPharaoh——althoughyoumaystillseemtobebutaprivatescribe。 “IdonotpretendtoyouthatIshouldhavewishedthistobeso，whowouldratherthatmyhusbandhadbutonerealcouncillor——myself。Yetseeingthatitisso，Ibowmyhead，hopingthatitmaybedecreedforthebest。IfeveranyjealousyshouldovercomemeinthismatterandI shouldspeaksharplytoyou，asIdidto-day，Iaskyourpardoninadvanceforthatwhichhasnothappened，asIhaveaskeditforthatwhichhashappened。Iprayofyou，ScribeAna，thatyouwilldoyourbesttoinfluencethemindofthePrinceforgood，sinceheiseasilyledbyanywhomheloves。Iprayyoualsobeingquickandthoughtful，asIseeyouare，thatyouwillmakeastudyofstatecraft，andofthepoliciesofourroyalHouse，comingtome，ifitbeneedful，forinstructiontherein，sothatyoumaybeabletoguidethefeetofthePrincearight，shouldheturntoyouforcounsel。“ “AllofthisIwilldo，yourHighness，ifbyanychanceitliesinmypower，thoughwhoamIthatIshouldhopetomakeapathforthefeetofkings？Moreover，Iwouldaddthis，althoughheissogentle-