第22章

Hesaidnomore，forthePrincessUserti，whotillnowhadremainedsilent，rantohim，andthrowingherarmsabouthim，begantowhisperinhisear。Hehearkenedtoher，thensathimselfdown，andspokeagain： “ThePrincessbringsittomymindthatthisisagreatmatter，onenottobedealtwithhastily。ItmayhappenthatwhenthePrincehastakencounselwithher，andwithhisownheart，andperchancehassoughtthewisdomofthegods，hewillchangethewordswhichhavepassedhislips。Icommandyou，Prince，towaituponmehereatthissamehouronthethirddayfromthis。Meanwhile，Icommandallpresent，uponpainofdeath，tosaynothingofwhathaspassedwithinthesewalls。“ “IhearPharaoh，“saidthePrince，bowing。 MeneptahrosetoshowthattheCouncilwasdischarged，whentheVizierNehesiapproachedhim，andasked： “WhatoftheHebrewprisoners，OPharaoh，thosemurdererswhowerecapturedinthepass？“ “Theirguiltisproved。Letthembebeatenwithrodstilltheydie，andiftheyhavewivesorchildren，letthembeseizedandsoldasslaves。“ “Pharaoh’swillbedone!“saidtheVizier。 ThateveningIsatillateaseinmywork-chamberinSeti’spalace，makingpretencetowrite，IwhofeltthatgreatevilsthreatenedmylordthePrince，andknewnotwhattodototurnthemfromhim。Thedooropened，andoldPambasathechamberlainappearedandaddressedmebymynewtitles，sayingthattheHebrewladyMerapi，whohadbeenmynurseinsickness，wishedtospeakwithme。Presentlyshecameandstoodbeforeme。 “ScribeAna，“shesaid，“IhavebutjustseenmyuncleJabez，whohascome，orbeensent，withamessagetome，“andshehesitated。 “Whywashesent，Lady？TobringyounewsofLaban？“ “Notso。Labanhasfledawayandnoneknowwhereheis，andJabezhasonlyescapedmuchtroubleastheuncleofatraitressbyundertakingthismission。“ “Whatisthemission？“ “Toprayme，ifIwouldsavemyselffromdeathandthevengeanceofGod，toworkupontheheartofhisHighness，whichIknownothowtodo-“ “YetIthinkyoumightfindmeans，Merapi。“ “-savethroughyou，hisfriendandcounsellor，“shewenton，turningawayherface。“JabezhaslearnedthatitisinthemindofPharaohutterlytodestroythepeopleofIsrael。“ “Howdoesheknowthat，Merapi？“ “Icannotsay，butIthinkalltheHebrewsknow。Iknewitmyselfthoughnonehadtoldme。HehaslearnedalsothatthiscannotbedoneunderthelawofEgyptunlessthePrincewhoisheirtothethroneandoffullageconsents。NowIamcometoprayyoutopraythePrincenottoconsent。“ “WhynotpraytothePrinceyourself，Merapi-“Ibegan，whenfromtheshadowsbehindmeIheardthevoiceofSeti，whohadenteredbytheprivatedoorbearingsomewritingsinhishand，saying： “AndwhatprayerhastheladyMerapitomaketome？Nay，riseandspeak，MoonofIsrael。“ “OPrince，“shepleaded，“myprayeristhatyouwillsavetheHebrewsfromdeathbythesword，asyoualonehavethepowertodo。“ AtthismomentthedoorsopenedandinswepttheroyalUserti。 “Whatdoesthiswomanhere？“sheasked。 “IthinkthatshecametoseeAna，wife，asIdid，andasdoubtlessyoudo。Alsobeinghereshepraysmetosaveherpeoplefromthesword。“ “AndIprayyou，husband，togiveherpeopletothesword，whichtheyhaveearned，whowouldhavemurderedyou。“ “Andbeenpaid，everyoneofthem，Userti，unlesssomestilllingerbeneaththerods，“headdedwithashudder。“Therestareinnocent—— whyshouldtheydie？“ “Becauseyourthronehangsuponit，Seti。IsaythatifyoucontinuetothwartthewillofPharaoh，asbythelawofEgyptyoucando，hewilldisinherityouandsetyourcousinAmenmesesinyourplace，asbythelawofEgypthecando。“ “Ithoughtit，Userti。YetwhyshouldIturnmybackupontherightoveramatterofmyprivatefortunes？Thequestionis——isittheright？“ Shestaredathiminamazement，shewhoneverunderstoodSetiandcouldnotdreamthathewouldthrowawaythegreatestthroneinalltheworldtosaveasubjectpeople，merelybecausehethoughtthattheyshouldnotdie。Still，warnedbysomeinstinct，sheleftthefirstquestionunanswered，dealingonlywiththesecond。 “Itistheright，“shesaid，“formanyreasonswhereofIneedgivebutone，forinitliealltheothers。ThegodsofEgyptarethetruegodswhomwemustserveandobey，orperishhereandhereafter。ThegodoftheIsraelitesisafalsegodandthosewhoworshiphimarehereticsandbytheirheresyundersentenceofdeath。Thereforeitismostrightthatthosewhomthetruegodshavecondemnedshoulddiebytheswordsoftheirservants。“ “Thatiswellargued，Userti，andifitbeso，mayhapmymindwillbecomeasyoursinthismatter，sothatIshallnolongerstandbetweenPharaohandhisdesire。Butisitso？There’stheproblem。I willnotaskyouwhyyousaythatthegodsoftheEgyptiansarethetruegods，becauseIknowwhatyouwouldanswer，orratherthatyoucouldgivenoanswer。ButIwillaskthisladywhetherhergodisafalsegod，andifsherepliesthatheisnot，Iwillaskhertoprovethistomeifshecan。Ifsheisabletoproveit，thenIthinkthatwhatIsaidtoPharaohto-dayIshallrepeatthreedayshence。Ifsheisnotabletoproveit，thenIshallconsiderveryearnestlyofthematter。Answernow，MoonofIsrael，rememberingthatmanythousandsoflivesmayhangonwhatyousay。“ “OyourHighness，“beganMerapi。Thenshepaused，claspedherhandsandlookedupwards。Ithinkthatshewaspraying，forherlipsmoved。 AsshestoodthusIsaw，andIthinkSetisawalso，averywonderfullightgrowonherfaceandgatherinhereyes，akindofdivinefireofinspirationandresolve。 “HowcanI，apoorHebrewmaiden，provetoyourHighnessthatmyGodisthetrueGodandthatthegodsofEgyptarefalsegods？Iknownot，andyet，isthereanyonegodamongallthemanywhomyouworship，whomyouarepreparedtosetupagainsthim？“ “Ofasurety，Israelite，“answeredUserti。“ThereisAmon-Ra，Fatherofthegods，ofwhomallothergodshavetheirbeing，andfromwhomtheydrawtheirstrength。Yonderhisstatuesitsinthesanctuaryofhisancienttemple。Letyourgodstirhimfromhisplace!ButwhatwillyoubringforwardagainstthemajestyofAmon-Ra？“ “MyGodhasnostatues，Princess，andhisplaceisintheheartsofmen，orsoIhavebeentaughtbyhisprophets。Ihavenothingtobringforwardinthiswarsavethatwhichmustbeofferedinallwars——mylife。“ “Whatdoyoumean？“askedSeti，astounded。 “ImeanthatI，unfriendedandalone，willenterthepresenceofAmon- Rainhischosensanctuary，andinthenameofmyGodwillchallengehimtokillme，ifhecan。“ Westaredather，andUsertiexclaimed： “Ifhecan!Hearkennowtothisblasphemer，anddoyou，Seti，acceptherchallengeashereditaryhigh-priestofthegodAmon？Letherlifepayforfeitforhersacrilege。“ “AndifthegreatgodAmoncannot，ordoesnotdeigntokillyou，Lady，howwillthatprovethatyourgodisgreaterthanhe？“askedthePrince。“Perhapshemightsmileandinhispity，lettheinsultpass，asyourgoddidbyme。“ “Thusitshallbeproved，yourHighness。Ifnaughthappenstome，orifIamprotectedfromanythingthatdoeshappen，thenIwilldaretocalluponmygodtoworkasignandawonder，andtohumbleAmon-Rabeforeyoureyes。“ “Andifyourgodshouldalsosmileandletthematterpass，Lady，ashedidbymetheotherdaywhenhispriestscalleduponhim，whatshallwehavelearnedastohisstrength，orastothatofAmon-Ra？“ “OPrince，youwillhavelearnednothing。YetifIescapefromthewrathofAmonandmyGodisdeaftomyprayer，thenIamreadytobedeliveredoverintothehandsofthepriestsofAmonthattheymayavengemysacrilegeuponme。“ “Therespeaksagreatheart，“saidSeti；“yetIamnotmindedthatthisladyshouldsetherlifeuponsuchanissue。Idonotbelievethateitherthehigh-godofEgyptorthegodoftheIsraeliteswillstir，butIamquitesurethatthepriestsofAmonwillavengethesacrilege，andthatcruellyenough。Thediceareloadedagainstyou，Lady。Youshallnotproveyourfaithwithblood。“ “Whynot？“askedUserti。“Whatisthisgirltoyou，Seti，thatyoushouldstandbetweenherandthefruitofherwickedness，youwhoatleastinnamearethehigh-priestofthegodwhomsheblasphemesandwhowearhisrobesattemplefeasts？Shebelievesinhergod，leaveittohergodtohelpherasshehasdaredtosayhewill。“ “YoubelieveinAmon，Userti。Areyoupreparedtostakeyourlifeagainsthersinthiscontest？“ “Iamnotsomadandvain，Seti，astobelievethatthegodofalltheworldwilldescendfromheaventosavemeatmyprayer，asthisimpiousgirlpretendsthatshebelieves。“ “Yourefuse。Then，Ana，whatsayyou，whoarealoyalworshipperofAmon？“ “Isay，OPrince，thatitwouldbepresumptuousofmetotakeprecedenceofhishigh-priestinsuchamatter。“