第17章

EightfulldayswentbybeforeweleftthelandofGoshen。ThestorythattheIsraeliteshadtotellwaslong，sadalso。Moreover，theygaveevidenceastomanycruelthingsthattheyhadsuffered，andwhenthiswasfinishedthetestimonyoftheguardsandothersmustbecalled，allofwhichitwasnecessarytowritedown。Lastly，thePrinceseemedtobeinnohurrytobegone，ashesaidbecausehehopedthatthetwoprophetswouldreturnfromthewilderness，whichtheyneverdid。DuringallthistimeSetisawnomoreofMerapi，norindeeddidhespeakofher，evenwhentheCountAmenmesesjestedhimastohischariotcompanionandaskedhimifhehaddrivenagaininthedesertbymoonlight。 I，however，sawheronce。WhenIwaswanderinginthetownonedaytowardssunset，ImetherwalkingwithheruncleJabezupononesideandherlover，Laban，ontheother，likeaprisonerbetweentwoguards。Ithoughtshelookedunhappy，butherfootseemedtobewellagain；atleastshemovedwithoutlimping。 Istoppedtosaluteher，butLabanscowledandhurriedheraway。Jabezstayedbehindandfellintotalkwithme。Hetoldmethatshewasrecoveredofherhurt，butthattherehadbeentroublebetweenherandLabanbecauseofallthathappenedonthateveningwhenshecamebyit，endinginhisencounterwiththecaptain。 “Thisyoungmanseemstobeofajealousnature，“Isaid，“onewhowillmakeaharshhusbandforanywoman。“ “Yes，learnedscribe，jealousyhasbeenhiscursefromyouthasitiswithsomanyofourpeople，andIthankGodthatIamnotthewomanwhomheistomarry。“ “Why，then，doyousufferhertomarryhim，Jabez？“ “Becauseherfatheraffiancedhertothislion’swhelpwhenshewasscarcemorethanachild，andamongusthatisabondhardtobreak。 Formyownpart，“headded，droppinghisvoice，andglancingroundwithshiftingeyes，“IshouldliketoseemynieceinsomedifferentplacetothatofthewifeofLaban。Withhergreatbeautyandwit，shemightbecomeanything——anythingifshehadopportunity。Butunderourlaws，evenifLabandied，asmighthappentosoviolentaman，shecouldwednoonewhoisnotaHebrew。“ “IthoughtshetoldusthathermotherwasaSyrian。“ “Thatisso，ScribeAna。ShewasabeautifulcaptiveofwarwhomNathancametoloveandmadehiswife，andthedaughtertakesafterher。StillsheisHebrewandoftheHebrewfaithandcongregation。Haditnotbeenso，shemighthaveshonelikeastar，nay，liketheverymoonafterwhichsheisnamed，perhapsinthecourtofPharaohhimself。“ “AsthegreatqueenTaiadid，shewhochangedthereligionofEgypttotheworshipofonegodinabygonegeneration，“Isuggested。 “Ihaveheardofher，ScribeAna。Shewasawondrouswoman，beautifultoobyherstatues。WouldthatyouEgyptianscouldfindsuchanothertoturnyourheartstoapurerfaithandtosoftenthemtowardsuspooraliens。WhendoeshisHighnessleavethelandofGoshen？“ “Atsunriseonthethirddayfromthis。“ “Provisionwillbeneededforthejourney，muchprovisionforsolargeatrain。Idealinsheepandotherfoodstuffs，ScribeAna。“ “IwillmentionthemattertohisHighnessandtotheVizier，Jabez。“ “Ithankyou，Scribe，andwillinwaitingatthecampto-morrowmorning。See，LabanreturnswithMerapi。Oneword，lethisHighnessbewareofLaban。Heisveryrevengefulandhasnotforgottenthatsword-blowonthehead。“ “LetLabanbecareful，“Ianswered。“HaditnotbeenforhisHighnessthesoldierswouldhavekilledhimtheothernightbecausehedaredtoofferaffronttotheroyalblood。Asecondtimehewillnotescape。 Moreover，PharaohwouldavengeaughthediduponthepeopleofIsrael。“ “Iunderstand。ItwouldbesadifLabanwerekilled，verysad。ButthepeopleofIsraelhaveOnewhocanprotectthemevenagainstPharaohandallhishosts。Farewell，learnedScribe。IfeverIcometoTanis，withyourleavewewilltalkmoretogether。“ ThatnightItoldthePrinceallthathadpassed。Helistened，andsaid： “IgrievefortheladyMerapi，forhersisliketobeahardfate。 Yet，“headdedlaughing，“perhapsitisaswellforyou，friend，thatyoushouldseenomoreofherwhoissuretobringtroublewherevershegoes。Thatwomanhasafacewhichhauntsthemind，astheKahauntsthetomb，andformypartIdonotwishtolookuponitagain。“ “Iamgladtohearit，Prince，andformypart，Ihavedonewithwomen，howeversweet。IwilltellthisJabezthattheprovisionsforthejourneywillbeboughtelsewhere。“ “Nay，buythemfromhim，andifNehesigrumblesattheprice，payitonmyaccount。ThewaytoaHebrew’sheartisthroughhistreasurebags。IfJabeziswelltreated，itmaymakehimkindertohisniece，ofwhomIshallalwayshaveapleasantmemory，forwhichIamgratefulamongthissourfolkwhohateus，andwithreason。“ SothesheepandallthefoodstuffsforthejourneywereboughtfromJabezathisownprice，forwhichhethankedmemuch，andonthethirddaywestarted。AtthelastmomentthePrince，whosemoodseemedtobeperversethatevening，refusedtotravelwiththehostuponthemorrowbecauseofthenoiseanddust。InvaindidtheCountAmenmesesreasonwithhim，andNehesiandthegreatofficersimplorehimalmostontheirknees，sayingthattheymustanswerforhissafetytoPharaohandthePrincessUserti。Hebadethembegone，replyingthathewouldjointhemattheircamponthefollowingnight。Ialsoprayedhimtolisten，buthetoldmesharplythatwhathesaidhehadsaid，andthatheandIwouldjourneyinhischariotalone，withtwoarmedrunnersandnomore，addingthatifIthoughttherewasdangerIcouldgoforwardwiththetroops。ThenIbitmylipandwassilent，whereon，seeingthathehadhurtme，heturnedandcravedmypardonhumblyenoughashiskindhearttaughthimtodo。 “IcanbearnomoreofAmenmesesandthoseofficers，“hesaid，“andI lovetobeinthedesertalone。Lasttimewejourneyedtherewemetwithadventuresthatwerepleasant，Ana，andatTanisdoubtlessI shallfindothersthatarenotpleasant。AdmitthatHebrewpriestwhoiswaitingtoinstructmeinthemysteriesofhisfaithwhichIdesiretounderstand。“ SoIbowedandlefthimtomakereportthatIhadfailedtoshakehiswill。Takingtheriskofhiswrath，however，Ididthis——forhadInotsworntothePrincessthatIwouldprotecthim？InplaceoftherunnersIchosetwoofthebestandbravestsoldierstoplaytheirpart。Moreover，IinstructedthatcaptainwhosmotedownLabantohideawaywithascoreofpickedmenandenoughchariotstocarrythem，andtofollowafterthePrince，keepingjustoutofsight。 Soonthemorrowthetroops，nobles，andofficerswentonatdaybreak，togetherwiththebaggagecarriers；nordidwefollowthemtillmanyhourshadgoneby。SomeofthistimethePrincespentindrivingaboutthetown，takingnoteoftheconditionofthepeople。These，asIsaw，lookedonussullenlyenough，moresothanbefore，Ithought，perhapsbecausewewereunguarded。Indeed，turningroundIcaughtsightofamanshakinghisfistandofanoldhagspittingafterus，andwishedthatwewereoutofthelandofGoshen。ButwhenIreportedittothePrinceheonlylaughedandtooknoheed。 “AllcanseethattheyhateusEgyptians，“hesaid。“Well，letitbeourtasktotrytoturntheirhatetolove。“ “Thatyouwillneverdo，Prince，itistoodeep-rootedintheirhearts；forgenerationstheyhavedrunkitinwiththeirmother’smilk。Moreover，thisisawarofthegodsofEgyptandofIsrael，andmenmustgowheretheirgodsdrivethem。“ “Doyouthinkso，Ana？Thenaremennothingbutdustblownbythewindsofheaven，blownfromthedarknessthatisbeforethedawntobegatheredatlastandforeverintothedarknessofthegraveofnight？“ Hebroodedawhile，thenwenton。 “YetifIwerePharaohIwouldletthesepeoplego，forwithoutdoubttheirgodhasmuchpowerandItellyouthatIfearthem。“ “Whywillhenotletthemgo？“Iasked。“Theyareaweakness，notastrengthtoEgypt，aswasshownatthetimeoftheinvasionoftheBarbarianswithwhomtheysided。Moreover，thevalueofthisrichlandoftheirs，whichtheycannottakewiththem，isgreaterthanthatofalltheirlabour。“ “Idonotknow，friend。Thematterisoneuponwhichmyfatherkeepshisowncounsel，evenfromthePrincessUserti。Perhapsitisbecausehewillnotchangethepolicyofhisfather，Rameses；perhapsbecauseheisstiff-neckedtothosewhocrosshiswill。OritmaybethatheisheldinthispathbyamadnesssentofsomegodtobringlossandshameonEgypt。“ “Then，Prince，allthepriestsandnoblesaremadalso，fromCountAmenmesesdown。“ “WherePharaohleadspriestsandnoblesfollow。Thequestionis，wholeadsPharaoh？HereisthetempleoftheseHebrews；letusenter。“ Sowedescendedfromthechariot，where，formypart，Iwouldhaveremained，andwalkedthroughthegatewayinthesurroundingmudwallintotheoutercourtofthetemple，whichonthistheholyseventhdayoftheHebrewswasfullofprayingwomen，whofeignednottoseeusyetwatchedusoutofthecornersoftheireyes。Passingthroughthemwecametoadoorway，bywhichweenteredanothercourtthatwasroofedover。Hereweremanymenwhomurmuredasweappeared。Theywereengagedinlisteningtoapreacherinawhiterobe，whoworeastrangeshapedcapandsomeornamentsonhisbreast。Iknewtheman；hewasthepriestKohathwhohadinstructedthePrinceinsomuchofthemysteriesoftheHebrewfaithashechosetoreveal。Onseeingusheceasedsuddenlyinhisdiscourse，utteredsomehastyblessingandadvancedtogreetus。