第31章

“MymindisasKi’sinthismatter。ItoothinkthataterriblepowerisafootinEgypt，onethathasitshomeinthelandofGoshen，andthatIdidwelltorefusethethrone。ButfromwhatgodthesefortunescomeIdonotknow。Perhapstimewilltellus。MeanwhileifthereisaughtintheprophesiesoftheseHebrews，asinterpretedbyJabez，atleastyouandImaysleepinpeace，whichismorethanwillchancetoPharaohonthethronethatUserticovets。Ifso，thisplaywillbeworththewatching。Youhavedoneyourmissionwell，Ana。GorestyouwhileIthinkoverallthatyouhavesaid。“ ItwaseveningandasthepalacewasveryhotIwentintothegardenandmakingmywaytothatlittlepleasure-housewhereSetiandIwerewonttostudy，Isatmyselfdownthereand，beingweary，fellasleep。 WhenIawokefromadreamaboutsomewomanwhowasweeping，nighthadfallenandthefullmoonshoneinthesky，sothatitsraysfellonthegardenbeforeme。 Nowinfrontofthislittlehouse，asIhavesaid，grewtreesthatatthisseasonoftheyearwerecoveredwithwhiteandcup-likeblossoms，andbetweenthesetreeswasaseatbuiltupofsun-driedbricks。OnthisseatsatawomanwhomIknewfromhershapetobeMerapi。Alsoshewassad，foralthoughherheadwasbowedandherlonghairhidherfaceIcouldhearhergentlesighs。 ThesightofhermovedmeverymuchandIrememberedwhatthePrincehadsaidtome，tellingmethatIshoulddowelltoaskthisladywhethershehadanymindmyway。ThereforeifIdidso，surelyIcouldnotbeblamed。YetIwascertainthatitwasnottomethatherheartturned，thoughtospeakthetruth，muchIwisheditotherwise。Whowouldlookattheibisintheswampwhenthewide-wingedeaglefloatedinheavenabove？ Anevilthoughtcameintomymind，sentbySet。Supposethatthiswatcher’seyeswerefixedupontheeagle，lordoftheair。Supposethatsheworshippedthiseagle；thatsheloveditbecauseitshomewasheaven，becausetoheritwasthekingofallthebirds。Andsupposeonetoldherthatifshelureditdowntoearthfromtheglorioussafetyoftheskies，shewouldbringittocaptivityordeathatthehandofthesnarer。Thenwouldnotthatlovingwatchersay：“Letitgofreeandhappy，howevermuchIlongtolookuponit，“andwhenithadsailedfromsight，perhapsturnhereyestothehumbleibisinthemud？ JabezhadtoldmethatifthiswomanandthePrincegrewdeartoeachothershewouldbringgreatsorrowonhishead。IfIrepeatedhiswordstoher，shewhohadfaithinthepropheciesofherpeoplewouldcertainlybelievethem。Moreover，whateverherheartmightprompt，beingsohigh-natured，neverwouldsheconsenttodowhatmightbringtroubleonSeti’shead，eveniftorefusehimshouldsinkhersoulinsorrow。NorwouldshereturntotheHebrewstheretofallintothehandsofoneshehated。ThenperhapsI。ShouldItellher？IfJabezhadnotmeantthatthemattermustbebroughttoherears，wouldhehavespokenofitatall？Inshortwasitnotmydutytoher，andperhapsalsotothePrincewhotherebymightbesavedfrommiseriestocome，thatisifthistalkoffuturetroubleswereanythingmorethananidlestory。 SuchwastheevilreasoningwithwhichSetassailedmyspirit。HowI beatitdownIdonotknow。Notbymyowngoodness，Iamsure，sinceatthemomentIwasaflamewithloveforthesweetandbeautifulladywhosatbeforemeandinmyfoolishnesswould，Ithink，havegivenmylifetokissherhand。Notaltogetherforhersakeeither，sincepassionisveryselfish。No，IbelieveitwasbecausethelovethatI borethePrincewasmoredeepandrealthanthatwhichIcouldfeelforanywoman，andIknewwellthatwereshenotinmysightnosuchtreacherywouldhaveovercomemyheart。ForIwassure，althoughhehadneversaidsotome，thatSetilovedMerapiandaboveallearthlythingsdesiredherashiscompanion，whileifonceIspokethosewords，whatevermyowngainorlossandwhateverhersecretwish，thatshewouldneverbe。 SoIconquered，thoughthevictoryleftmetremblinglikeachild，andwishingthatIhadnotbeenborntoknowthepangsoflovedenied。Myrewardwasveryswift，forjustthenMerapiunfastenedagemfromthebreastofherwhiterobeandheldittowardsthemoon，asthoughtostudyit。InaninstantIknewitagain。Itwasthatroyalscaraboflapis-lazuliwithwhichinGoshenthePrincehadmadefastthebandageonherwoundedfood，whichalsohadbeensnatchedfromherbreastbysomepoweronthatnightwhenthestatueofAmonwasshatteredinthetemple。 Longandearnestlyshelookedatit，thenhavingglancedroundtomakesureshewasalone，shepressedittoherlipsandkisseditthricewithpassion，mutteringIknownotwhatbetweenthekisses。NowthescalesfellfrommyeyesandIknewthatshelovedSeti，andoh!howI thankedmyguardiangodwhohadsavedmefromsuchuselessshame。 Iwipedthecolddampfrommybrowandwasabouttofleeaway，discoveringmyselfwithasfewwordsasmightbe，when，lookingup，I sawstandingbehindMerapithefigureofaman，whowaswatchingherreplacetheornamentinherrobe。WhileIhesitatedamomentthemanspokeandIknewthevoiceforthatofSeti。ThenagainIthoughtofflight，butbeingsomewhattimidbynature，fearedtoshowmyselfuntilitwastoolate，thinkingthatafterwardthePrincewouldmakemethetargetofhiswit。SoIsatcloseandstill，hearingandseeingalldespitemyself。 “Whatgemisthat，Lady，whichyouadmireandcherishsotenderly？“ askedSetiinhisslowvoicethatsooftenhidahintoflaughter。 Sheutteredalittlescreamandspringingup，sawhim。 “Oh!mylord，“sheexclaimed，“pardonyourservant。Iwassittinghereinthecool，asyougavemeleavetodo，andthemoonwassobright—— that——IwishedtobeseeifbyitIcouldreadthewritingonthisscarab。“ Neverbefore，thoughtItomyself，didIknowonewhoreadwithherlips，thoughitistruethatfirstsheusedhereyes。 “Andcouldyou，Lady？Willyousuffermetotry？“ Veryslowlyandcolouring，sothateventhemoonlightshowedherblushes，shewithdrewtheornamentagainandheldittowardshim。 “Surelythisisfamiliartome？HaveInotseenitbefore？“heasked。 “Perhaps。Iworeitthatnightinthetemple，yourHighness。“ “YoumustnotnamemeHighness，Lady。IhavenolongeranyrankinEgypt。“ “Iknow——becauseof——mypeople。Oh!itwasnoble。“ “Butaboutthescarab？us-“hebrokein，withawaveofhishand。 “Surelyitisthesamewithwhichthebandagewasmadefastuponyourhurt——oh!yearsago？“ “Yes，itisthesame，“sheanswered，lookingdown。 “Ithoughtit。AndwhenIgaveittoyou，Isaidsomewordsthatseemedtomewellspokenatthetime。Whatwerethey？Icannotremember。Haveyoualsoforgotten？“ “Yes——Imean——no。YousaidthatnowIhadallEgyptbeneathmyfoot，speakingoftheroyalcartoucheuponthescarab。“ “Ah!Irecall。Howtrue，andyethowfalsethejest，orprophecy。“ “Howcananythingbebothtrueandfalse，Prince？“ “ThatIcouldprovetoyouveryeasily，butitwouldtakeanhourormore，soitshallbeforanothertime。Thisscarabisapoorthing，giveitbacktomeandyoushallhaveabetter。Orwouldyouchoosethissignet？AsIamnolongerPrinceofEgyptitisuselesstome。“ “Keepthescarab，Prince。Itisyourown。ButIwillnottaketheringbecauseitis-“ “-uselesstome，andyouwouldnothavethatwhichiswithoutvaluetothegiver。Oh!Istringwordsill，buttheywerenotwhatImeant。“ “No，Prince，becauseyourroyalringistoolargeforonesosmall。“ “Howcanyoutelluntilyouhavetried？Alsothatisafaultwhichmightperhapsbemended。“ Thenhelaughed，andshelaughedalso，butasyetshedidnottakethering。 “HaveyouseenAna？“hewenton。“Ibelievehesetouttosearchforyou，insuchahurryindeedthathecouldscarcelyfinishhisreporttome。“ “Didhesaythat？“ “No，heonlylookedit。SomuchsothatIsuggestedheshouldseekyouatonce。Heansweredthathewasgoingtorestafterhislongjourney，orperhapsIsaidthatheoughttodoso。Iforget，asoftenonedoes，onsobeauteousanightwhenotherthoughtsseemnearer。“ “WhydidAnawishtoseeme，Prince？“ “HowcanItell？Whydoesamanwhoisstillyoung——wanttoseeasweetandbeautifullady？Oh!Iremember。HehadmetyouruncleatTaniswhoinquiredastoyourhealth。Perhapsthatiswhyhewantedtoseeyou。“ “IdonotwishtohearaboutmyuncleatTanis。Heremindsmeoftoomanythingsthatgivepain，andtherearenightswhenonewishestoescapepain，whichissuretobefoundagainonthemorrow。“ “Areyoustillofthesamemindaboutreturningtoyourpeople？“heasked，moreearnestly。 “Surely。Oh!donotsaythatyouwillsendmehenceto-“ “Laban，Lady？“ “Labanamongstothers。Remember，Prince，thatIamoneunderacurse。 IfIreturntoGoshen，inthiswayorinthat，soonIshalldie。“ “AnasaysthatyouruncleJabezdeclaresthatthemadfellowwhotriedtomurderyouhadnoauthoritytocurseandmuchlesstokillyou。Youmustaskhimtotellyouall。“ “Yetthecursewillclingandcrushmeatthelast。HowcanI，onelonelywoman，standagainstthemightofthepeopleofIsraelandtheirpriests？“