第21章

MoreoverthePrincevisitedmeeveryday，andevenbeforeIleftmybedbegantodictatetomehisreporttoPharaoh，sincehewouldemploynootherscribe。Thesubstanceofitwaswhathehadforeshadowed，namelythatthepeopleofIsrael，havingsufferedmuchforgenerationsatthehandsoftheEgyptians，shouldnowbeallowedtodepartastheirprophetsdemanded，andgowhithertheywouldunharmed。Oftheattackuponusinthepasshemadelight，sayingitwastheevilworkofafewzealotswroughtonbyfanciedinsulttotheirgod，adeedforwhichthewholepeopleshouldnotbecalledupontosuffer。Thelastwordsofthereportwere： “Remember，OPharaoh，Ipraythee，thatAmon，godoftheEgyptians，andJahveh，thegodoftheIsraelites，cannotruletogetherinthesameland。IfbothabideinEgypttherewillbeawarofthegodswhereinmortalsmaybegroundtodust。Therefore，Ipraythee，letIsraelgo。“ AfterIhadrisenandwasrecovered，Icopiedoutthisreportinmyfairestwriting，refusingtotellanyofitspurport，althoughallasked，amongthemtheVizierNehesi，whoofferedmeabribetodiscloseitssecret。ThiscametotheearsofSeti，Iknownothow，andhewasmuchpleasedwithmeaboutthematter，sayingherejoicedtofindthattherewasonescribeinEgyptwhocouldnotbebought。 Usertialsoquestionedme，andwhenIrefusedtoanswer，strangetosay，wasnotangry，because，shedeclared，Ionlydidmyduty。 Atlasttherollwasfinishedandsealed，andthePrincewithhisownhand，butwithoutspeaking，laiditonthekneesofPharaohatapublicCourt，forthishewouldtrustnooneelsetodo。Amenmesesalsobroughtuphisreport，asdidNehesitheVizier，andtheCaptainoftheguardwhichsavedusfromdeath。EightdayslaterthePrincewassummonedtoagreatCouncilofState，aswereallothersoftheroyalHouse，togetherwiththehighofficers。Itooreceivedasummons，asonewhohadbeenconcernedinthesematters。 ThePrince，accompaniedbythePrincess，drovetothepalaceinPharaoh’sgoldenchariot，drawnbytwomilk-whitehorsesofthebloodofthosefamoussteedsthathadsavedthelifeofthegreatRamesesintheSyrianwar。Alldownthestreets，thatwerefilledwiththousandsofthepeople，theywerereceivedwithshoutsofwelcome。 “See，“saidtheoldcouncillorBakenkhonsu，whowasmycompanioninasecondchariot，“Egyptisproudandglad。ItthoughtthatitsPrincewasbutadreamerofdreams。Butnowithasheardthetaleoftheambushinthepassandlearnedthatheisamanofwar，awarriorwhocanfightwiththebest。Thereforeitloveshimandrejoices。“ “Then，bythesamerule，Bakenkhonsu，abutchershouldbemoregreatthanthewisestofscribes。“ “Soheis，Ana，especiallyifthebutcherbeoneofmen。Thewritercreates，buttheslayerkills，andinaworldruledofdeathhewhokillshasmorehonourthanhewhocreates。Hearken，nowtheyareshoutingoutyourname。Isthatbecauseyouaretheauthorofcertainwritings？Itellyou，No。Itisbecauseyoukilledthreemenyonderinthepass。Ifyouwouldbecomefamousandbeloved，Ana，ceasefromthewritingofbooksandtaketothecuttingofthroats。“ “Yetthewriterstillliveswhenheisdead。“ “Oho!“laughedBakenkhonsu，“youareevenmorefoolishthanIthought。 Howisamanadvantagedbywhathappenswhenheisdead？Why，to-daythatblindbeggarwhiningonthetemplestepsmeansmoretoEgyptthanallthemummiesofallthePharaohs，unlesstheycanberobbed。Takewhatlifecangiveyou，Ana，anddonottroubleabouttheofferingswhicharelaidinthetombsfortimetocrumble。“ “Thatisameanfaith，Bakenkhonsu。“ “Verymean，Ana，likeallelsethatwecantasteandhandle。Ameanfaithsuitedtomeanhearts，amongwhomshouldbereckonedallsaveoneineverythousand。Yet，ifyouwouldprosper，followit，andwhenyouaredeadIwillcomeandlaughuponyourgrave，andsay，’HereliesoneofwhomIhadhopedhigherthings，asIhopethemofyourmaster。’“ “Andnotinvain，Bakenkhonsu，whatevermayhappentotheservant。“ “Thatweshalllearn，anderelong，Ithink。IwonderwhowillrideathissidebeforethenextNileflood。Bythen，perchance，hewillhavechangedPharaoh’sgoldenchariotforanox-cart，andyouwillgoadtheoxenandtalktohimofthestars——or，mayhapofthemoon。Well，youmightbothbehappierthus，andsheofthemoonisajealousgoddesswholovesworship。Oho-ho!Herearethepalacesteps。Helpmetodescend，PriestoftheLadyoftheMoon。“ WeenteredthepalaceandwereledthroughthegreathalltoasmallerchamberwherePharaoh，whodidnotwearhisrobesofstate，awaitedus，seatedinacedarchair。GlancingathimIsawthathisfacewassternandtroubled；alsoitseemedtomethathehadgrownolder。ThePrinceandPrincessmadeobeisancetohim，asdidwelesserfolk，buthetooknoheed。Whenallwerepresentandthedoorshadbeenshut，Pharaohsaid： “Ihavereadyourreport，SonSeti，concerningyourvisittotheIsraelites，andallthatchancedtoyou；andalsothereportsofyou，nephewAmenmeses，andofyou，Officers，whoaccompaniedthePrinceofEgypt。BeforeIspeakofthem，lettheScribeAna，whowasthechariotcompanionofhisHighnesswhentheHebrewsattackedhim，standforwardandtellmeallthatpassed。“ SoIadvanced，andwithbowedheadrepeatedthattale，onlyleavingoutsofaraswaspossibleanymentionofmyself。WhenIhadfinished，Pharaohsaid： “Hewhospeaksbuthalfthetruthissometimesmoremischievousthanaliar。Didyouthensitinthechariot，Scribe，doingnothingwhilethePrincebattledforhislife？Ordidyourunaway？Speak，Seti，andsaywhatpartthismanplayedforgoodorill。“ ThenthePrincetoldofmyshareinthefight，withwordsthatbroughtthebloodtomybrow。HetoldalsohowthatitwasIwho，takingtheriskofhiswrath，hadorderedtheguardoftwentymentofollowusunseen，haddisguisedtwoseasonedsoldiersaschariotrunners，andhadthoughttosendbackthedrivertosummonhelpatthecommencementofthefray；howIhadbeenhurtalso，andwasbutlatelyrecovered。 Whenhehadfinished，Pharaohsaid： “ThatthisstoryistrueIknowfromothers。Scribe，youhavedonewell。Butforyouto-dayhisHighnesswouldlieuponthetableoftheembalmers，asindeedforhisfollyhedeservestodo，andEgyptwouldmournfromThebestothemouthsofNile。Comehither。“ Icamewithtremblingsteps，andkneltbeforehisMajesty。Aroundhisneckhungabeauteouschainofwroughtgold。Hetookit，andcastitovermyhead，saying： “Becauseyouhaveshownyourselfbothbraveandwise，withthisgoldI giveyouthetitleofCouncillorandKing’sCompanion，andtherighttoinscribethesameuponyourfuneralstele。Letitbenoted。Retire，ScribeAna，CouncillorandKing’sCompanion。“ SoIwithdrewconfused，andasIpassedSeti，hewhisperedinmyear： “Iprayyou，mylord，donotceasetobePrince’sCompanion，becauseyouhavebecomethatoftheKing。“ ThenPharaohorderedthattheCaptainoftheguardshouldbeadvancedinrank，andthatgiftsshouldbegiventoeachofthesoldiers，andprovisionbemadeforthechildrenofthosewhohadbeenkilled，withdoubleallowancetothefamiliesofthetwomenwhomIhaddisguisedasrunners。 Thisdone，oncemorePharaohspoke，slowlyandwithmuchmeaning，havingfirstorderedthatallattendantsandguardsshouldleavethechamber。Iwasabouttogoalso，butoldBakenkhonsucaughtmebytherobe，sayingthatinmynewrankofCouncillorIhadtherighttoremain。 “PrinceSeti，“hesaid，“afterallthatIhaveheard，Ifindthisreportofyoursstrangereading。Moreover，thetenorofitisdifferentindeedtothatofthoseoftheCountAmenmesesandtheofficers。YoucounselmetolettheseIsraelitesgowheretheywill，becauseofcertainhardshipsthattheyhavesufferedinthepast，whichhardships，however，haveleftthemmanyandrich。ThatcounselI amnotmindedtotake。RatheramImindedtosendanarmytothelandofGoshenwithorderstodespatchthispeople，whoconspiredtomurderthePrinceofEgypt，throughtheGatewayoftheWest，theretoworshiptheirgodinheavenorinhell。Aye，toslaythemallfromthegreybearddowntothesucklingatthebreast。“ “IhearPharaoh，“saidSeti，quietly。 “Suchismywill，“wentonMeneptah，“andthosewhoaccompaniedyouuponyourbusiness，andallmycouncillorsthinkasIdo，fortrulyEgyptcannotbearsohideousatreason。Yet，accordingtoourlawandcustomitisneedful，beforesuchgreatactsofwarandpolicyareundertaken，thathewhostandsnexttothethrone，andisdestinedtofillit，shouldgiveconsentthereto。Doyouconsent，PrinceofEgypt？“ “Idonotconsent，Pharaoh。Ithinkitwouldbeawickeddeedthattensofthousandsshouldbemassacredforthereasonthatafewfoolswaylaidamanwhochancedtobeofroyalblood，becausebyinadvertence，hehaddesecratedtheirsanctuary。“ NowIsawthatthisanswermadePharaohwroth，forneverbeforehadhiswillbeencrossedinsuchafashion。Stillhecontrolledhimself，andasked： “Doyouthenconsent，Prince，toagentlersentence，namelythattheHebrewpeopleshouldbebrokenup；thatthemoredangerousofthemshouldbesenttolabourinthedesertminesandquarries，andtherestdistributedthroughoutEgypt，theretoliveasslaves？“ “Idonotconsent，Pharaoh。Mypoorcounseliswritteninyonderrollandcannotbechanged。“ Meneptah’seyesflashed，butagainhecontrolledhimself，andasked： “Ifyoushouldcometofillthisplaceofmine，PrinceSeti，tellus，hereassembled，whatpolicywillyoupursuetowardstheseHebrews？“ “Thatpolicy，OPharaoh，whichIhavecounselledintheroll。IfeverIfillthethrone，Ishallletthemgowhithertheywill，takingtheirgoodswiththem。“ Nowallthosepresentstaredathimandmurmured。ButPharaohrose，shakingwithwrath。Seizinghisrobewhereitwasfastenedatthebreast，herentit，andcriedinaterriblevoice： “Hearhim，yegodsofEgypt!Hearthissonofminewhodefiesmetomyfaceandwouldsetyournecksbeneaththeheelofastrangergod。 PrinceSeti，inthepresenceoftheseroyalones，andthesemycouncillors，I“