第30章

Thatnighttherewerenonewhorejoicedinthestreetsofthecity，andsaveinthepalaceandhousesofthoseoftheCourt，nonewhofeasted。Iwalkedabroadinthemarket-placeandnotedthepeoplegoingtoandfrogloomily，ortalkingtogetherinwhispers。Presentlyamanwhosefacewashiddeninahoodbegantospeakwithme，sayingthathehadamessageformymaster，thePrinceSeti。IansweredthatItooknomessagesfromveiledstrangers，whereonhethrewbackhishood，andIsawthatitwasJabez，theuncleofMerapi。IaskedhimwhetherhehadobeyedthePrince，andbornethebodyofthatprophetbacktoGoshenandtoldtheeldersofthemanneroftheman’sdeath。 “Yes，“heanswered，“norweretheEldersangrywiththePrinceoverthismatter。Theysaidthattheirmessengerhadexceededhisauthority，sincetheyhadnevertoldhimtocurseMerapi，andmuchlessattempttokillher，andthatthePrincedidrighttoslayonewhowouldhavedonemurderbeforehisroyaleyes。Stilltheyaddedthatthecurse，havingoncebeenspokenbythispriest，wouldsurelyfalluponMerapiinthiswayorinthat。“ “Whatthenshouldshedo，Jabez？“ “Idonotknow，Scribe。Ifshereturnstoherpeople，perchanceshewillbeabsolved，butthenshemustsurelymarryLaban。Itisforhertojudge。“ “Andwhatwouldyoudoifyouwereinherplace，Jabez？“ “IthinkthatIshouldstaywhereIwas，andmakemyselfverydeartoSeti，takingthechancethatthecursemaypassherby，sinceitwasnotlawfullydecreeduponher。Whicheverwayshelooks，troublewaits，andattheworst，awomanmightwishtosatisfyherheartbeforeitfalls，especiallyifthatheartshouldhappentoturntoonewhowillbePharaoh。“ “Whydoyousay’whowillbePharaoh，’Jabez？“Iasked，forwewerestandinginanemptyplacealone。 “ThatImaynottellyou，“herepliedcunningly，“yetitwillcomeaboutasIsay。HewhositsuponthethroneismadasMeneptahwasmad，andwillfightagainstastrengththatisgreaterthanhisuntilitoverwhelmshim。InthePrince’sheartalonedoesthelightofwisdomshine。Thatwhichyousawto-dayisonlythefirstofmanymiracles，ScribeAna。Icansaynomore。“ “Whatthenisyourmessage，Jabez？“ “This：BecausethePrincehasstriventodealwellwiththepeopleofIsraelandfortheirsakehascastasideacrown，whatevermaychancetoothers，lethimfearnothing。Noharmshallcometohim，ortothoseabouthim，suchasyourself，ScribeAna，whoalsowoulddealjustlybyus。YetitmayhappenthatthroughmynieceMerapi，onwhoseheadtheevilwordhasfallen，agreatsorrowmaycometobothhimandher。Therefore，perhaps，althoughsettingthisagainstthat，shemaybewisetostayinthehouseofSeti，he，onthebalance，maybewisetoturnherfromhisdoors。“ “Whatsorrow？“Iasked，whogrewbewilderedwithhisdarktalk，buttherewasnoanswer，forhehadgone。 Neartomylodginganothermanmetme，andthemoonlightshiningonhisfaceshowedmetheterribleeyesofKi。 “ScribeAna，“hesaid，“youleaveforMemphisto-morrowatthedawn，andnottwodayshenceasyoupurposed。“ “Howdoyouknowthat，MagicianKi？“Ianswered，forIhadtoldmychangeofplantonone，noteventoBakenkhonsu，havingindeedonlydetermineduponitsinceJabezleftme。 “Iknownothing，Ana，savethatafaithfulservantwhohaslearnedallyouhavelearnedto-daywillhurrytomakereportofittohismaster，especiallyifthereissomeothertowhomhewouldalsowishtomakereport，asBakenkhonsuthinks。“ “Bakenkhonsutalkstoomuch，whateverhemaythink，“Iexclaimedtestily。 “Theagedgrowgarrulous。Youwereatthecrowningto-day，wereyounot？“ “Yes，andifIsawarightfromfaraway，thoseHebrewprophetsseemedtoworstyouatyourowntradethere，Kherheb，whichmustgrieveyou，asyouweregrievedinthetemplewhenAmonfell。“ “Itdoesnotgrieveme，Ana。IfIhavepowers，theremaybeotherswhohavegreaterpowers，asIlearnedinthetempleofAmon。WhythereforeshouldIfeelashamed？“ “Powers!“Irepliedwithalaugh，forthestringsofmymindseemedtornthatnight，“wouldnotcraftbeabetterword？Howdoyouturnastickintoasnake，athingwhichisimpossibletoman？“ “Craftmightbeabetterword，sincecraftmeansknowledgeaswellastrickery。’Impossibletoman!’AfterwhatyousawawhileagointhetempleofAmon，doyouholdthatthereisanythingimpossibletomanorwoman？Perhapsyoucoulddoasmuchyourself。“ “Whydoyoumockme，Ki？Istudybooks，notsnake-charming。“ Helookedatmeinhiscalmfashion，asthoughhewerereading，notmyface，butthethoughtsbehindit。Thenhelookedatthecedarwandinhishandandgaveittome，saying： “Studythis，Ana，andtellme，whatisit。“ “AmIachild，“Iansweredangrily，“thatIshouldnotknowapriest’srodwhenIseeone？“ “Ithinkthatyouaresomethingofachild，Ana，“hemurmured，allthewhilekeepingthoseeyesofhisfixeduponmyface。 Thenahorrorcameabout。FortherodbegantotwistinmyhandandwhenIstaredatit，lo!itwasalong，yellowsnakewhichIheldbythetail。Ithrewthereptiledownwithascream，foritwasturningitsheadasthoughtostrikeme，andthereinthedustittwistedandwrithedawayfrommeandtowardsKi。Yetaninstantlateritwasonlyastickofyellowcedar-wood，thoughbetweenmeandKitherewasasnake’strackinthesand。 “Itissomewhatshamelessofyou，Ana，“saidKi，asheliftedthewand，“toreproachmewithtrickerywhileyouyourselftrytoconfoundapoorjugglerwithsuchartsasthese。“ ThenIknownotwhatIsaidtohim，savetheendofitwasthatI supposedhewouldtellmenextthatIcouldfillahallwithdarknessatnoondayandcoveramultitudewithterror。 “Letushavedonewithjests，“hesaid，“thoughthesearewellenoughintheirplace。Willyoutakethisrodagainandpointittothemoon？ Yourefuseandyoudowell，forneitheryounorIcancoverupherface。Ana，becauseyouarewiseinyourwayandconsortwithonewhoiswiser，andwerepresentinthetemplewhenthestatueofAmonwasshatteredbyacertainwitchwhomatchedherstrengthagainstmineandconqueredme，I，thegreatmagician，havecometoask/you/——whencecamethatdarknessinthehallto-day？“ “FromGod，Ithink，“Iansweredinanawedwhisper。 “SoIthinkalso，Ana。Buttellme，oraskMerapi，MoonofIsrael，totellme——fromwhatgod？Oh!IsaytoyouthataterriblepowerisafootinthislandandthatthePrinceSetididwelltorefusethethroneofEgyptandtoflytoMemphis。Repeatittohim，Ana。“ Thenhetoowasgone。 NowIreturnedinsafetytoMemphisandtoldallthesetidingstothePrince，wholistenedtothemeagerly。Onceonlywashegreatlystirred；itwaswhenIrepeatedtohimthewordsofUserti，thatneverwouldshelookuponhisfaceagainunlessitpleasedhimtoturnittowardsthethrone。Onhearingthistearscameintohiseyes，andrising，hewalkedupanddownthechamber。 “Thefallenmustnotlookforgentleness，“hesaid，“anddoubtless，Ana，youthinkitfollythatIshouldgrievebecauseIamthusdeserted。“ “Nay，Prince，forItoohavebeenabandonedbyawifeandthepainisunforgotten。“ “ItisnotofthewifeIthink，Ana，sinceintruthherHighnessisnowifetome。ForwhatevermaybetheancientlawsofEgypt，howcouldithappenotherwise，atanyrateinmycaseandhers？Itisofthesister。Forthoughmymotherwasnothers，sheandIwerebroughtuptogetherandinourwaylovedeachother，thoughalwaysitwasherpleasuretolorditoverme，asitwasminetosubmitandpayherbackinjests。ThatiswhysheissoangrybecausenowofasuddenIhavethrownoffherruletofollowmyownwillwherebyshehaslostthethrone。“ “IthasalwaysbeenthedutyoftheroyalheiressofEgypttomarrythePharaohofEgypt，Prince，andhavingwedonewhowouldbePharaohaccordingtothatduty，theblowcutsdeep。“ “ThenshehadbestthrustasidethatfoolishwifeofhisandwedhimwhoisPharaoh。Butthatshewillneverdo；Amenmesesshehasalwayshated，somuchthatsheloathedtobeinthesameplacewithhim。Norindeedwouldhewedher，whowishestoruleforhimself，notthroughawomanwhosetitletothecrownisbetterthanhisown。Well，shehasputmeawayandthere’sanend。HenceforthImustgolonely，unless—— unless-Continueyourstory，friend。Itiskindofherinhergreatnesstopromisetoprotectonesohumble。Ishouldrememberthat，althoughitistruethatfallenheadssometimesriseagain，“headdedbitterly。 “SoatleastJabezthinks，Prince，“andItoldhimhowtheIsraelitesweresurethathewouldbePharaoh，whereathelaughedandsaid： “Perhaps，fortheyaregoodprophets。FormypartIneitherknoworcare。OrmaybeJabezseesadvantageintalkingthus，forasyouknowheisaclevertrader。“ “Idonotthinkso，“Iansweredandstopped。 “HadJabezmoretosayofanyothermatter，Ana？OftheladyMerapi，forinstance？“ Nowfeelingittobemyduty，ItoldhimeverywordthathadpassedbetweenJabezandmyself，thoughsomewhatshamefacedly。 “ThisHebrewtakesmuchforgranted，Ana，evenastowhomtheMoonofIsraelwouldwishtoshineupon。Why，friend，itmightbeyouwhomshedesirestotouchwithherlight，orsomeyouthinGoshen——notLaban—— ornoone。“ “Me，Prince，me!“Iexclaimed。 “Well，Ana，Iamsureyouwouldhaveitso。Beadvisedbymeandaskherminduponthematter。Looknotsoconfused，man，foronewhohasbeenmarriedyouaretoomodest。CometellmeofthisCrowning。“ SogladenoughtoescapefromthematterofMerapi，IspokeatlengthofallthathadhappenedwhenPharaohAmenmesestookhisseatuponthethrone。WhenIdescribedhowtherodoftheHebrewprophethadbeenturnedtoasnakeandhowKiandhiscompanyhaddonelikewise，thePrincelaughedandsaidthattheseweremerejugglers’tricks。ButwhenItoldofthedarknessthathadseemedtogatherinthehallandofthegloomthatfilledtheheartsofallmenandoftheawesomedreamofBakenkhonsu，alsoofthewordsofKiafterhehadcloudedmymindandplayedhisjestuponme，helistenedwithmuchearnestnessandanswered：