第16章

Evennow，asitchanced，wedidnotreachGoshenwithoutfurthertrouble。JustaswehadcrossedthebridgeoverthecanalI，toilingbehind，sawintheclearmoonlightayoungmanrunningtowardsus。HewasaHebrew，tall，well-madeandveryhandsomeinhisfashion。Hiseyesweredarkandfierce，hisnosewashooked，histeethwhereregularandwhite，andhislong，blackhairhungdowninamassuponhisshoulders。Heheldawoodenstaffinhishandandanakedknifewasgirdedabouthismiddle。Seeingthechariothehaltedandpeeredatit，thenaskedinHebrewifthosewhotravelledhadseenaughtofayoungIsraelitishladywhowaslost。 “Ifyouseekme，Laban，Iamhere，“repliedMerapi，speakingfromtheshadowofthecloak。 “WhatdoyoutherealonewithanEgyptian，Merapi？“hesaidfiercely。 WhatfollowedIdonotknowfortheyspokesoquicklyintheirunfamiliartonguethatIcouldnotunderstandthem。AtlengthMerapiturnedtothePrince，saying： “Lord，thisisLabanmyaffianced，whocommandsmetodescendfromthechariotandaccompanyhimasbestIcan。“ “AndI，Lady，commandyoutostayinit。Labanyouraffiancedcanaccompanyus。“ NowatthisLabangrewangry，asIcouldseehewaspronetodo，andstretchedouthishandasthoughtopushSetiasideandseizeMerapi。 “Haveacare，man，’saidthePrince，whileI，throwingdownthestraw，drewmyswordandsprangbetweenthem，crying： “Slave，wouldyoulayhandsuponthePrinceofEgypt？“ “PrinceofEgypt!“hesaid，drawingbackastonished，thenaddedsullenly，“WellwhatdoesthePrinceofEgyptwithmyaffianced？“ “Hehelpsherwhoishurttoherhome，havingfoundherhelplessinthedesertwiththisaccursedstraw，“Ianswered。 “Forward，driver，“saidthePrince，andMerapiadded，“Peace，Laban，andbearthestrawwhichhisHighness’scompanionhascarriedsuchawearyway。“ Hehesitatedamoment，thensnatchedupthebundleandsetitonhishead。 Aswewalkedsidebyside，hiseviltemperseemedtogetthebetterofhim。Withoutceasing，hegrumbledbecauseMerapiwasaloneinthechariotwithanEgyptian。AtlengthIcouldbearitnolonger。 “Besilent，fellow，“Isaid。“LeastofallmenshouldyoucomplainofwhathisHighnessdoes，seeingthatalreadyhehasavengedthekillingofthislady’sfather，andnowhassavedherfromlyingoutallnightamongthewildbeastsandmenofthewilderness。“ “OfthefirstIhaveheardmorethanenough，“heanswered，“andoftheseconddoubtlessIshallhearmorethanenoughalso。Eversincemyaffiancedmetthisprince，shehaslookedonmewithdifferenteyesandspokentomewithanothervoice。Yes，andwhenIpressformarriage，shesaysitcannotbeforalongwhileyet，becausesheismourningforherfather；herfatherforsooth，whomsheneverforgavebecausehebetrothedhertomeaccordingtothecustomofourpeople。“ “Perhapsshelovessomeotherman？“Iqueried，wishingtolearnallI couldaboutthislady。 “Shelovesnoman，ordidnotawhileago。Shelovesherselfalone。“ “Onewithsomuchbeautymaylookhighinmarriage。“ “High!“herepliedfuriously。“HowcanshelookhigherthanmyselfwhoamalordofthelineofJudah，andthereforegreaterfarthananupstartprinceoranyotherEgyptian，werehePharaohhimself？“ “Surelyyoumustbetrumpetertoyourtribe，“Imocked，formytemperwasrising。 “Why？“heasked。“ArenottheHebrewsgreaterthantheEgyptians，asthoseoppressorssoonshalllearn，andisnotalordofIsraelmorethananyidol-worshipperamongyourpeople？“ Ilookedatthemancladinmeangarmentsandfoulfromhislabourinthebrickfield，marvellingathisinsolence。Therewasnodoubtbutthathebelievedwhathesaid；Icouldseeitinhisproudeyeandbearing。Hethoughtthathistribewasofmoreimportintheworldthanourgreatandancientnation，andthathe，anunknownyouth，equalledorsurpassedPharaohhimself。Then，beingenragedbytheseinsults，Ianswered： “Yousayso，butletusputittotheproof。Iambutascribe，yetI haveseenwar。LingeralittlethatwemaylearnwhetheralordofIsraelisbetterthanascribeofEgypt。“ “GladlywouldIchastiseyou，Writer，“heanswered，“didInotseeyourplot。Youwishtodelaymehere，andperhapstomurdermebysomefoulmeans，whileyourmasterbasksinthesmilesoftheMoonofIsrael。ThereforeIwillnotstay，butanothertimeitshallbeasyouwish，andperhapserelong。“ NowIthinkthatIshouldhavestruckhimintheface，thoughIamnotoneofthosewholovebrawling。ButatthismomentthereappearedacompanyofEgyptianhorseledbynoneotherthantheCountAmenmeses。 SeeingthePrinceintheChariot，theyhaltedandgavethesalute。 Amenmesesleapttotheground。 “WearecomeouttosearchforyourHighness，“hesaid，“fearinglestsomehurthadbefallenyou。“ “Ithankyou，Cousin，“answeredthePrince，“butthehurthasbefallenanother，notme。“ “Thatiswell，yourHighness，“saidtheCount，studyingMerapiwithasmile。“Whereistheladywounded？Notinthebreast，Itrust。“ “No，Cousin，inthefoot，whichiswhyshetravelswithmeinthischariot。“ “YourHighnesswaseverkindtotheunfortunate。Iprayyouletmetakeyourplace，orsuffermetosetthisgirluponahorse。“ “Driveon，“saidSeti。 So，escortedbythesoldiers，whomIheardmakingjeststoeachotheraboutthePrinceandthelady，asIthinkdidtheHebrewLabanalso，forheglaredabouthimandgroundhisteeth，wecameatlasttothetown。Here，guidedbyMerapi，thechariotwashaltedatthehouseofJabezheruncle，awhite-beardedoldHebrewwithacunningeye，whorushedfromthedoorofhismud-roofeddwellingcryinghehaddonenoharmthatsoldiersshouldcometotakehim。 “ItisnotyouwhomtheEgyptianswishtocapture，itisyournieceandmybetrothed，“shoutedLaban，whereatthesoldierslaughed，asdidsomewomenwhohadgatheredround。MeanwhilethePrincewashelpingMerapitodescendoutofthechariot，fromwhichindeedheliftedher。 ThesightseemedtomaddenLaban，whorushedforwardtotearherfromhisarms，andintheattemptjostledhisHighness。Thecaptainofthesoldiers——hewasanofficerofPharaoh’sbodyguard——liftedhisswordinafuryandstruckLabansuchablowupontheheadwiththeflatofthebladethathefelluponhisfaceandlaytheregroaning。 “AwaywiththatHebrewdogandscourgehim!“criedthecaptain。“IstheroyalbloodofEgypttobehandledbysuchashe？“ Soldierssprangforwardtodohisbidding，butSetisaidquietly： “Letthefellowbe，friends；helacksmanners，thatisall。Ishehurt？“ AshespokeLabanleapttohisfeetand，fearingworsethings，fledawaywithacurseandaglareofhateatthePrince。 “Farewell，Lady，“saidSeti。“Iwishyouaquickrecovery。“ “IthankyourHighness，“sheanswered，lookingaboutherconfusedly。 “BepleasedtowaitalittlewhilethatImayreturntoyouyourjewel。“ “Nay，keepit，Lady，andifeveryouareinneedortroubleofanysort，sendittomewhoknowitwellandyoushallnotlacksuccour。“ Sheglancedathimandburstintotears。 “Whydoyouweep？“heasked。 “Oh!yourHighness，becauseIfearthattroubleisnearathand。Myaffianced，Laban，hasarevengefulheart。Helpmetothehouse，myuncle。“ “Listen，Hebrew，“saidSeti，raisinghisvoice；“ifaughtthatisevilbefallsthisnieceofyours，orifsheisforcedtowalkwhithershewouldnotgo，sorrowshallbeyourportionandthatofallwithwhomyouhavetodo。Doyouhear？“ “OmyLord，Ihear，Ihear。Fearnothing。Sheshallbeguardedcarefullyas——asshewilldoubtlessguardthattrinketonherfoot。“ “Ana，“saidthePrincetomethatnight，whenIwastalkingwithhimbeforehewenttorest，“Iknownotwhy，butIfearthatmanLaban；hehasanevileye。“ “ItoothinkitwouldhavebeenbetterifyourHighnesshadlefthimtobedealtwithbythesoldiers，afterwhichtherewouldhavebeennothingtofearfromhiminthisworld。“ “Well，Ididnot，sothere’sanend。Ana，sheisafairwomanandasweet。“ “ThefairestandthesweetestthateverIsaw，myPrince。“ “Becareful，Ana。Iprayyoubecareful，lestyoushouldfallinlovewithonewhoisalreadyaffianced。“ Ionlylookedathiminanswer，andasIlookedIbethoughtmeofthewordsofKitheMagician。So，Ithink，didthePrince；atleasthelaughednotunhappilyandturnedaway。 FormypartIrestedillthatnight，andwhenatlastIslept，itwastodreamofMerapimakingherprayerintheraysofthemoon。