第26章

“Sayon，“mutteredMeneptah。 “Pharaoh，havingyourleave，ItellyouthatIthinkyouhavedoneaveryevilworkthisday，onethatisunpleasingtothosePowerswhichruletheworld，whoeverandwhatsoevertheymaybe，onetoothatwillbringuponEgyptsorrowscountlessasthesand。IbelievethattheseHebrewswhomyouunjustlyseektoslayworshipagodasgreatorgreaterthanourown，andthattheyandhewilltriumphoverEgypt。I believealsothatthemightyheritagewhichyouhavetakenfrommewillbringneitherjoynorhonourtohimbywhomithasbeenreceived。“ HereAmenmesesstartedforward，butMeneptahhelduphishand，andhewassilent。 “Ibelieve，Pharaoh——alas!thatImustsayit——thatyourdaysoneartharefewandthatforthelasttimewelookoneachotherliving。 Farewell，Pharaohmyfather，whomstillIlovemayhapmoreinthishourofpartingthaneverIdidbefore。Farewell，Amenmeses，PrinceofEgypt。Takefrommethisornamentwhichhenceforthshouldbewornbyyouonly，“andliftingfromhisheaddressthatroyalcircletwhichmarkstheheirtothethrone，heheldittoAmenmeses，whotookitand，withasmileoftriumph，setitonhisbrow。 “Farewell，LordsandCouncillors；itismyhopethatinyonderprinceyouwillfindamastermoretoyourlikingthateverIcouldhavebeen。Come，Ana，myfriend，ifitstillpleasesyoutoclingtomeforalittlewhile，nowthatIhavenothinglefttogive。“ Forafewmomentshestoodstilllookingveryearnestlyathisfather，wholookedbackathimwithtearsinhisdeep-set，fadedeyes。 Then，thoughwhetherthiswasbychanceIcannotsay，takingnonoteofthePrincessUserti，whogazedathimperplexedandwrathful，Setidrewhimselfupandcriedintheancientform： “Life!Blood!Strength!Pharaoh!Pharaoh!Pharaoh!“andbowedalmosttotheground。 Meneptahheard。Mutteringbeneathhisbreath，“Oh!Seti，myson，mymostbelovedson!“hestretchedouthisarmsasthoughtocallhimbackorperhapstoclasphim。AshedidsoIsawhisfacechange。Nextinstanthefellforwardtothegroundandlaytherestill。Allthecompanystoodstruckwithhorror，onlytheroyalphysicianrantohim，whileRoiandotherswhowerepriestsbegantomutterprayers。 “HasthegoodgodbeengatheredtoOsiris？“askedAmenmesespresentlyinahoarsevoice，“becauseifitbeso，IamPharaoh。“ “Nay，Amenmeses，“exclaimedUserti，“thedecreeshavenotyetbeensealedorpromulgated。Theyhaveneitherstrengthnorweight。“ Beforehecouldanswerthephysiciancried： “Peace!Pharaohstilllives，hisheartbeats。Thisisbutafitwhichmaypass。Begone，everyone，hemusthavequiet。“ Sowewent，butfirstSetikneltdownandkissedhisfatheronthebrow。 AnhourlaterthePrincessUsertibrokeintotheroomofhispalacewherethePrinceandIweretalking。 “Seti，“shesaid，“Pharaohstilllives，butthephysicianssayhewillbedeadbydawn。Thereisyettime。HereIhaveawriting，sealedwithhissignetandwitnessed，whereinherecallsallthathedecreedintheCourtto-day，anddeclaresyou，hisson，tobethetrueandonlyheirofthethroneofEgypt。“ “Isitso，wife？Tellmenowhowdidadyingmaninaswooncommandandsealthiswriting？“andhetouchedthescrollsheheldinherhand。 “Herecoveredforalittlewhile；Nehesiwilltellyouhow，“shereplied，lookinghiminthefacewithcoldeyes。Thenbeforehecouldspeak，sheadded，“Wastenomorebreathinquestions，butactandatonce。TheGeneraloftheguardswaitsbelow；heisyourfaithfulservant。ThroughhimIhavepromisedagifttoeverysoldieronthedaythatyouarecrowned。Nehesiandmostoftheofficersareonourside。OnlythepriestsareagainstusbecauseofthatHebrewwitchwhomyoushelter，andofhertribewhomyoubefriend；buttheyhavenothadtimetostirupthepeoplenorwilltheyattemptrevolt。Act，Seti，act，fornonewillmovewithoutyourexpresscommand。Moreover，noquestionwillberaisedafterwards，sincefromThebestotheseaandthroughouttheworldyouareknowntobetheheirofEgypt。“ “Whatwouldyouhavemedo，wife？“askedSeti，whenshepausedforlackofbreath。 “Cannotyouguess？MustIputstatecraftintoyourheadaswellasaswordintoyourhand？Whythatscribeofyours，whofollowsyourheelslikeafavoureddog，wouldbemoreaptapupil。Hearkenthen。 Amenmeseshassentouttogatherstrength，butasyettherearenotfiftymenabouthimwhomhecantrust。“Sheleantforwardandwhisperedfiercely，“Killthetraitor，Amenmeses——allwillholditarighteousact，andtheGeneralwaitsyourword。ShallIsummonhim？“ “Ithinknot，“answeredSeti。“BecausePharaoh，ashehasarighttodo，ispleasedtonameacertainmanofroyalbloodtosucceedhim，howdoesthismakethatmanatraitortoPharaohwhostilllives？But，traitorornone，IwillnotmurdermycousinAmenmeses。“ “Thenhewillmurderyou。“ “Maybe。ThatisamatterbetweenhimandthegodswhichIleavethemtosettle。Theoathhesworeto-dayisnotonetobelightlybroken。 Butwhetherhebreaksitornot，Ialsosworeanoath，atleastinmyheart，namelythatIwouldnotattempttodisputethewillofPharaohwhom，afterall，Iloveasmyfatherandhonourasmyking，Pharaohwhostilllivesandmay，asIhope，recover。WhatshouldIsaytohimifherecoveredor，attheworst，whenatlastwemeetelsewhere？“ “Pharaohneverwillrecover；Ihavespokentothephysicianandhetoldmeso。Alreadytheypiercehisskulltoletouttheevilspiritofsickness，afterwhichnoneofourfamilyhavelivedforverylong。“ “Because，asIhold，thereby，whateverpriestsandphysiciansmaysay，theyletinthegoodspiritofdeath。Ana，IprayyouifI-“ “Man，“shebrokein，strikingherhanduponthetablebywhichshestood，“doyouunderstandthatwhileyoumuseandmoraliseyourcrownispassingfromyou？“ “Ithasalreadypassed，Lady。DidyounotseemegiveittoAmenmeses？“ “Doyouunderstandthatyouwhoshouldbethegreatestkinginalltheworld，insomefewhoursifindeedyouareallowedtolive，willbenothingbutaprivatecitizenofEgypt，oneatwhomtheverybeggarsmayspitandtakenoharm？“ “Surely，Wife。Moreover，thereislittlevirtueinwhatIdo，sinceonthewholeIpreferthatprospectandamwillingtotaketheriskofbeinghurriedfromanevilworld。Hearken，“headded，withachangeoftoneandgesture。“Youthinkmeafoolandaweakling；adreameralso，you，theclear-eyed，hard-brainedstateswomanwholooktotheglitteringgainofthemomentforwhichyouarereadytopayinblood，andguessnothingofwhatliesbeyond。Iamnoneofthesethings，except，perchance，thelast。Iamonlyamanwhostrivestobejustandtodoright，asrightseemstome，andifIdream，itisofgood，notevil，asIunderstandgoodandevil。Youaresurethatthisdreamingofminewillleadmetoworldlylossandshame。Evenofthat/I/amnotsure。Thethoughtcomestomethatitmayleadmetothoseverybaublesonwhichyousetyourheart，butbyapathstrewnwithspicesandwithflowers，notbyonepavedwiththebonesofmenandreekingwiththeirgore。Crownsthatareboughtwiththepromiseofbloodandheldwithcrueltyareapttobelostinblood，Userti。“ Shewavedherhand。“Iprayyoukeeptherest，Seti，tillIhavemoretimetolisten。MoreoverifIneedprophecies，IthinkitbettertoturntoKiandthosewhomakethemtheirlife-study。Formethisisadayofdeeds，notdreams，andsinceyourefusemyhelp，andbehaveasasickgirllostinfancies，Imustseetomyself。AswhileyouliveI cannotreignaloneorwagewarinmyownnameonly，IgotomaketermswithAmenmeses，whowillpaymehighforpeace。“ “Yougo——anddoyoureturn，Userti？“ Shedrewherselftoherfullheight，lookingveryroyal，andansweredslowly： “Idonotreturn。I，thePrincessofEgypt，cannotliveasthewifeofacommonmanwhofallsfromathronetosethimselfupontheearth，andsmearshisownbrowwithmudforaur？uscrown。Whenyourpropheciescometrue，Seti，andyoucrawlfromyourdust，thenperhapswemayspeakagain。“ “Aye，Userti，butthequestionis，whatshallwesay？“ “Meanwhile，“sheadded，assheturned，“Ileaveyoutoyourchosencounsellors——yonderscribe，whomfoolishness，notwisdom，haswhitenedbeforehistime，andperchancetheHebrewsorceress，whocangiveyoumoonbeamstodrinkfromthosefalselipsofhers。Farewell，Seti，onceaprinceandmyhusband。“ “Farewell，Userti，who，Ifear，muststillremainmysister。“ Thenhewatchedhergo，andturningtome，said： “To-day，Ana，Ihavelostbothacrownandawife，yetstrangetotellIdonotknowwhichofthesecalamitiesgrievesmeleast。Yetitistimethatfortuneturned。Ormayhapalltheevilsarenotdone。Wouldyounotgoalso，Ana？Althoughshegibesatyouinheranger，thePrincessthinkswellofyou，andwouldkeepyouinherservice。 Remember，whoeverfallsinEgypt，shewillbegreattillthelast。“ “Oh!Prince，“Ianswered，“haveInotborneenoughto-daythatyoumustaddinsulttomyload，youwithwhomIbrokethecupandsworetheoath？“ “What!“helaughed。“IsthereoneinEgyptwhoremembersoathstohisownloss？Ithankyou，Ana，“andtakingmyhandhepressedit。 Atthatmomentthedooropened，andoldPambasaentered，saying： “TheHebrewwoman，Merapi，wouldseeyou；alsotwoHebrewmen。“ “Admitthem，“saidSeti。“Note，Ana，howyonderoldtime-serverturnshisfacefromthesettingsun。Thismorningevenitwouldhavebeen’toseeyourHighness，’utteredwithbowssolowthathisbeardsweptthefloor。Nowitis’toseeyou’andnotsomuchasaninclinationoftheheadincommoncourtesy。This，moreover，fromonewhohasrobbedmeyearbyyearandgrownfatonbribes。Itisthefirstofmanybitterlessons，orratherthesecond——thatofherHighnesswasthefirst；IpraythatImaylearnthemwithhumility。“ Whilehemusedthusand，havingnocomforttooffer，Ilistenedsadatheart，Merapientered，andamomentafterherthewide-eyedmessengerwhomwehadseeninPharaoh’sCourt，andheruncleJabezthecunningmerchant。ShebowedlowtoSeti，andsmiledatme。Thentheothertwoappeared，andwithsmallsalutationthemessengerbegantospeak。 “Youknowmydemand，Prince，“hesaid。“Itisthatthiswomanshouldbereturnedtoherpeople。Jabez，heruncle，willleadheraway。“ “Andyouknowmyanswer，Israelite，“answeredSeti。“ItisthatIhavenopoweroverthecomingorthegoingoftheladyMerapi，oratleastwishtoclaimnone。Addressyourselftoher。“ “Whatisityouwishwithme，Priest？“askedMerapiquickly。 “ThatyoushouldreturntothetownofGoshen，daughterofNathan。 Haveyounoearstohear？“ “Ihear，butifIreturn，whatwillyouofme？“