第23章

Setismiledandanswered： “Andthehigh-priestsaysthatitwouldbepresumptuousofhimtopushsofartheprerogativeofahighofficewhichheneversought。“ “YourHighness，“brokeinMerapiinherhoneyed，pleadingvoice，“I prayyoutobegracioustome，andtosuffermetomakethistrial，whichIhavesought，Iknownotwhy。WordssuchasIhavespokencannotberecalled。AlreadytheyareregisteredinthebooksofEternity，andsoonorlate，inthiswayorinthat，mustbefulfilled。 Mylifeisstaked，andIdesiretolearnatonceifitbeforfeit。“ NowevenUsertilookedonherwithadmiration，butansweredonly： “Ofatruth，Israelite，ItrustthatthiscouragewillnotforsakeyouwhenyouarehandedovertothemerciesofKi，theSacrificerofAmon，andthepriests，inthevaultsofthetempleyouwouldprofane。“ “Ialsotrustthatitwillnot，yourHighness，ifsuchshouldbemyfate。Yourword，PrinceofEgypt。“ Setilookedatherstandingbeforehimsocalmlywithbowedhead，andhandscrosseduponherbreast。ThenhelookedatUserti，whoworeamockingsmileuponherface。ShereadthemeaningofthatsmileasI did。Itwasthatshedidnotbelievethathewouldallowthisbeautifulwoman，whohadsavedhislife，toriskherlifeforthesakeofanyorallthepowersofheavenorhell。Foralittlewhilehewalkedtoandfroaboutthechamber，thenhestoppedandsaidsuddenlyaddressing，notMerapi，butUserti： “Haveyourwill，rememberingthatifthisbravewomanfailsanddies，herbloodisonyourhands，andthatifshetriumphsandlives，I shallholdhertobeoneofthenoblestofhersex，andshallmakestudyofallthismatterofreligion。MoonofIsrael，astitularhigh- priestofAmon-Ra，Iacceptyourchallengeonbehalfofthegod，thoughwhetherhewilltakenoteofitIdonotknow。Thetrialshallbemadeto-morrownightinthesanctuaryofthetemple，atanhourthatwillbecommunicatedtoyou。Ishallbepresenttomakesurethatyoumeetwithjustice，aswillsomeothers。Registermycommands，ScribeAna，andletthehead-priestofAmon，Roi，andthesacrificertoAmon，KitheMagician，besummoned，thatImayspeakwiththem。 Farewell，Lady。“ Shewent，butatthedoorturnedandsaid： “Ithankyou，Prince，onmyownbehalf，andonthatofmypeople。 Whateverchances，IbeseechyoudonotforgettheprayerthatIhavemadetoyoutosavethem，beinginnocent，fromthesword。NowIaskthatImaybeleftquitealonetillIamsummonedtothetemple，whomustmakesuchpreparationasIcantomeetmyfate，whateveritmaybe。“ Usertidepartedalsowithoutaword。 “Oh!friend，whathaveIdone？“saidSeti。“Arethereanygods？Tellme，arethereanygods？“ “Perhapsweshalllearnto-morrownight，Prince，“Ianswered。“AtleastMerapithinksthatthereisagod，anddoubtlesshasbeencommandedtoputherfaithtoproof。This，asIbelieve，wastherealmessagethatJabezherunclehasbroughttoher。“ Itwasthehourbeforethedawn，justwhenthenightisdarkest。WestoodinthesanctuaryoftheancienttempleofAmon-Ra，thatwaslitwithmanylamps。Itwasanawfulplace。Oneithersidethegreatcolumnstoweredtothemassiveroof。AttheheadofthesanctuarysatthestatueofAmon-Ra，thricethesizeofaman。Onhisbrow，risingfromthecrown，weretwotallfeathersofstone，andinhishandsheheldtheScourgeofRuleandthesymbolsofPowerandEverlastingness。 Thelamplightflickereduponhissternandterriblefacestaringtowardstheeast。TohisrightwasthestatueofMut，theMotherofallthings。OnherheadwasthedoublecrownofEgyptandtheur？uscrest，andinherhandtheloopedcross，thesignofLifeeternal。TohisleftsatKhonsu，thehawk-headedgodofthemoon。Onhisheadwasthecrescentoftheyoungmooncarryingthediscofthefullmoon；inhisrighthandhealsoheldtheloopedcross，thesignofLifeeternal，andinhislefttheStaffofStrength。Suchwasthismightytriad，butofthesethegreatestwasAmon-Ra，towhomtheshrinewasdedicated。Fearfultheystoodtoweringaboveusagainstthebackgroundofblackness。 GatheredtherewereSetithePrince，clothedinapriest’swhiterobe，andwearingalinenheaddress，butnoornaments，andUsertithePrincess，high-priestessofHathor，LadyoftheWest，GoddessofLoveandNature。SheworeHathor’svultureheaddress，andonitthediscofthemoonfashionedofsilver。AlsowerepresentRoithehead-priest，cladinhissacerdotalrobes，anoldandwizenedmanwithastrong，fierceface，KitheSacrificerandMagician，Bakenkhonsutheancient，myself，andacompanyofthepriestsofAmon-Ra，Mut，andKhonsu。Frombehindthestatuescamethesoundofsolemnsinging，thoughwhosangwecouldnotsee。 Presentlyfromoutofthedarknessthatlaybeyondthelampsappearedawoman，ledbytwopriestessesandwrappedinalongcloak。TheybroughthertoanopenplaceinfrontofthestatueofAmon，tookfromherthecloakanddeparted，glancingbackatherwitheyesofhateandfear。TherebeforeusstoodMerapi，cladinwhite，withasimplewimpleaboutherheadmadefastbeneathherchinwiththatscarab？usclaspwhichSetihadgiventoherinthecityofGoshen，onespotofbrightestblueamidacloudofwhite。Shelookedneithertorightnorleftofher。Onceonlysheglancedatthetoweringstatueofthegodthatfrownedabove，thenwithalittleshiver，fixedhereyesuponthepatternofthefloor。 “Whatdoesshelooklike？“whisperedBakenkhonsutome。 “Acorpsemadereadyfortheembalmers，“Ianswered。 Heshookhisgreathead。 “Thenabridemadereadyforherhusband。“ Againheshookhishead。 “ThenapriestessabouttoreadfromtherollofMysteries。“ “Nowyouhaveit，Ana，andtounderstandwhatshereads，whichfewpriestesseseverdo。Alsoallthreeanswerswereright，forinthiswomanIseemtoseedoomthatisDeath，lifethatisLove，andspiritthatisPower。ShehasasoulwhichbothHeavenandEarthhavekissed。“ “Aye，butwhichofthemwillclaimherintheend？“ “Thatwemaylearnbeforethedawn，Ana。Hush!thefightbegins。“ Thehead-priest，Roi，advancedand，standingbeforethegod，sprinkledhisfeetwithwaterandwithperfume。Thenhestretchedouthishands，whereonallpresentprostratedthemselves，saveMerapionly，whostoodaloneinthatgreatplacelikethesurvivorofabattle。 “Hailtothee，Amon-Ra，“hebegan，“LordofHeaven，Establisherofallthings，Makerofthegods，whounrolledtheskiesandbuiltthefoundationsoftheEarth。Ogodofgods，appearsbeforetheethiswomanMerapi，daughterofNathan，achildoftheHebrewracethatownstheenot。Thiswomanblasphemesthymight；thiswomandefiesthee； thiswomansetsuphergodabovethee。Isitnotso，woman？“ “Itisso，“answeredMerapiinalowvoice。 “Thusdoesshedefythee，thouOnlyOneofmanyForms，saying’ifthegodAmonoftheEgyptiansbeagreatergodthanmygod，lethimsnatchmeoutofthearmsofmygodandhereinthistheshrineofAmontakethebreathfromoutmylipsandleavemeathingofclay。’Arethesethywords，Owoman？“ “Theyaremywords，“shesaidinthesamelowvoice，andoh!I shiveredasIheard。 Thepriestwenton。 “OLordofTime，LordofLife，LordofSpiritsandtheDivinitiesofHeaven，LordofTerror，comeforthnowinthymajestyandsmitethisblasphemertothedust。“ RoiwithdrewandSetistoodforward。 “Know，OgodAmon，“hesaid，addressingthestatueasthoughheweespeakingtoalivingman，“fromthelipsofme，thyhigh-priest，bybirththePrinceandHeirofEgypt，thatgreatthingshanguponthismatterhereintheLandofEgypt，mayhapevenwhoshallsituponthethronethatthougivesttoitskings。ThiswomanofIsraeldarestheetothyface，sayingthatthereisagreatergodthanthouartandthatthoucanstnotharmherthroughthebucklerofhisstrength。Shesays，moreover，thatshewillcalluponhergodtoworkasignandawonderuponthee。Lastly，shesaysthatifthoudostnotharmherandifhergodworksnosignuponthee，thensheisreadytobehandedovertothypriestsanddiethedeathofablasphemer。Thyhonourissetagainstherlife，OgreatGodofEgypt，andwe，thyworshippers，watchtoseethebalanceturn。“ “Wellandjustlyput，“mutteredBakenkhonsutome。“NowifAmonfailsus，whatwillyouthinkofAmon，Ana？“ “Ishalllearnthehigh-priest’smindandthinkwhatthehigh-priestthinks，“Ianswereddarkly，thoughinmyheartIwasterriblyafraidforMerapi，and，tospeaktruth，formyselfalso，becauseofthedoubtswhicharoseinmeandwouldnotbequenched。 Setiwithdrew，takinghisstandbyUserti，andKistoodforwardandsaid：