第33章

“Go，andthegodsbewithyou，friend，butstaynottoolongcopyingthoserolls，whichanyscribecando。IthinkthereistroubleathandinEgypt，andIshallneedyouatmyside。Anotherwhoholdsyoudearwillneedyoualso。“ “Ithankmylordandthatother，“Isaid，bowing，andwent。 Moreover，whileIwasmakingsomehumbleprovisionformyjourney，I foundthatthiswasneedless，sinceaslavecametotellmethatthePrince’sbargewaswaitingtosailwiththewind。SointhatbargeI travelledtoThebeslikeagreatnoble，oraroyalmummybeingbornetoburial。Onlyinsteadofwailingpriests，untilIsentthembacktoMemphis，musicianssatupontheprow，andwhenIwilled，dancinggirlscametoamusemyleisureand，veiledingoldennets，toserveatmytable。 SoIjourneyedasthoughIwerethePrincehimself，andasonewhowasknowntohavehisearwasmademuchofbythegovernorsoftheNomes，thechiefmenofthetowns，andthehighpriestsofthetemplesateverycitywherewemoored。For，asIhavesaid，althoughAmenmesessatuponthethrone，SetistillruledintheheartsofthefolkofEgypt。Moreover，asIsailedfurtheruptheNiletodistrictswherelittlewasknownoftheIsraelites，andthetroublestheywerebringingontheland，Ifoundthistobesomoreandmore。Whyisit，theGreatOneswouldwhisperinmyear，thathisHighnessthePrinceSetidoesnotholdhisfather’splace？ThenIwouldtellthemoftheHebrews，andtheywouldlaughandsay： “LetthePrinceunfurlhisroyalbannerhere，andwewillshowhimwhatwethinkofthequestionoftheseIsraelitishslaves。MaynottheHeirofEgyptformhisownjudgmentonsuchamatterastowhethertheyshouldabidethereinthenorth，orgoawayintothatwildernesswhichtheydesire？“ Toallofwhich，andmuchlikeit，Iwouldonlyanswerthattheirwordsshouldbereported。MoreIdidnot，andindeeddidnotdaretosay，sinceeverywhereIfoundthatIwasbeingfollowedandwatchedbythespiesofPharaoh。 AtlengthIcametoThebesandtookupmyabodeinafinehousethatwasthepropertyofthePrince，whichIfoundthatamessengerhadcommandedshouldbemadereadyforme。ItstoodnearbytheentrancetotheAvenueofSphinxes，whichleadstothegreatestofalltheThebantemples，whereisthatmightycolumnedhallbuiltbythefirstSetiandhisson，RamesesII，thePrince’sgrandfather。 Here，havingentrancetotheplace，Iwouldoftenwanderatnight，andinmyspiritdrawasneartoheavenaseverithasbeenmylottotravel。Also，crossingtheNiletothewesternbank，IvisitedthatdesolatevalleywheretherulersofEgyptlieatrest。ThetombofPharaohMeneptahwasstillunsealed，andaccompaniedbyasinglepriestwithtorches，IcreptdownitspaintedhallsandlookeduponthesarcophagusofhimwhomsolatelyIhadseenseatedingloryuponthethrone，wondering，asIlooked，howmuchorhowlittleheknewofallthatpassedinEgyptto-day。 Moreover，IcopiedthepapyrithatIhadcometoseek，inwhichtherewasnothingworthpreserving，andsomeofrealvaluethatIdiscoveredintheancientlibrariesofthetemples，andpurchasedothers。Oneoftheseindeedtoldaverystrangetalethathasgivenmemuchcauseforthought，especiallyoflateyearsnowwhenallmyfriendsaredead。 ThusIspenttwomonths，andshouldhavestayedlongerhadnotmessengersreachedmefromthePrincesayingthathedesiredmyreturn。Ofthese，onefollowedwithinthreedaysoftheother，andhiswordswere： “Thinkyou，ScribeAna，thatbecauseIamnomorePrinceofEgyptIamnolongertobeobeyed？Ifso，bearinmindthatthegodsmaydecreethatonedayIshallgrowtallerthaneverIwasbefore，andthenbesurethatIwillrememberyourdisobedience，andmakeyoushorterbyahead。Comeswiftly，myfriend，forIgrowlonely，andneedamantotalkwith。“ TowhichIreplied，thatIreturnedasfastasthebargewouldcarryme，beingsoheavilyladenwiththemanuscriptsthatIhadcopiedandpurchased。 SoIstarted，being，totelltruth，gladtogetaway，forthisreason。 Twonightsbefore，whenIwaswalkingalonefromthegreattempleofthehouse，awomandressedinmanycoloursappearedandaccostedmeassuchlostonesdo。Itriedtoshakeheroff，butsheclungtome，andIsawthatshehaddrunkmorethanenoughofwine。Presentlysheasked，inavoicethatIthoughtfamiliar，ifIknewwhowastheofficerthathadcometoThebesonthebusinessofsomeRoyalOneandabodeinthedwellingthatwasknownasHouseofthePrince。I answeredthathisnamewasAna。 “OnceIknewanAnaverywell，“shesaid，“butIlefthim。“ “Why？“Iasked，turningcoldinmylimbs，foralthoughIcouldnotseeherfacebecauseofahoodshewore，nowIbegantobeafraid。 “Becausehewasapoorfool，“sheanswered，“nomanatall，butonewhowasalwaysthinkingaboutwritingsandmakingthem，andanothercamemywaywhomIlikedbetteruntilhedesertedme。“ “AndwhathappenedtothisAna？“Iasked。 “Idonotknow。Isupposehewentondreaming，orperhapshetookanotherwife；ifso，Iamsorryforher。Only，ifbychanceitisthesamethathascometoThebes，hemustbewealthynow，andIshallgoandclaimhimandmakehimkeepmewell。“ “Hadyouanychildren？“Iasked。 “Onlyone，thankthegods，andthatdied——thankthegodsagain，forotherwiseitmighthavelivedtobesuchasIam，“andshesobbedonceinahardfashionandthenfelltohervileendearments。 Asshedidso，thehoodslippedfromherheadandIsawthatthefacewasthatofmywife，stillbeauteousinaboldfashion，butgrowndreadfulwithdrinkandsin。Itrembledfromheadtofoot，thensaidinthedisguisedvoicethatIhadusedtoher。 “Woman，IknowthisAna。Heisdeadandyouwerehisruin。Still，becauseIwashisfriend，takethisandgoreformyourways，“andI drewfrommyrobeandgavetoherabagcontainingnomeanweightofgold。 Shesnatcheditasahawksnatches，andseeingitscontentsbythestarlight，thankedme，saying： “SurelyAnadeadisworthmorethanAnaalive。Alsoitiswellthatheisdead，forheisgonewherethechildwent，whichhelovedmorethanlife，neglectingmeforitssakeandtherebymakingmewhatIam。Hadhelived，too，beingasIhavesaidafool，hewouldhavehadmoreill-luckwithwomen，whomheneverunderstood。Farewell，friendofAna，whohavegivenmethatwhichwillenablemetofindanotherhusband，“andlaughingwildlyshereeledoffbehindasphinxandvanishedintothedarkness。 Forthisreason，then，IwasgladtoescapefromThebes。Moreover，thatmiserableonehadhurtmesorely，makingmesureofwhatIhadonlyguessed，namely，thatwithwomenIwasbutafool，sogreatafoolthatthenandthereIsworebymyguardiangodthatneverwouldI lookwithloveononeofthemagain，anoathwhichIhavekeptwellwhateverothersImayhavebroken。Againshestabbedmethroughwiththetalkofourdeadchild，foritistruethatwhenthatsweetonetookflighttoOsirismyheartbrokeandinafashionhasnevermendeditselfagain。Lastly，IfearedlestitmightalsobetruethatIhadneglectedthemotherforthesakeofthischildwhichwasthejewelofmyworship，yes，andis，andtherebyhelpedherontoshame。SomuchdidthisthoughttormentmethatthroughanagentwhomItrusted，whobelievedthatIwasbutprovidingforonewhomIhadwronged，Icausedenoughtobepaidtohertokeepherincomfort。 Shedidmarryagain，amerchantaboutwhomshehadcasthertoils，andinduecoursespenthiswealthandbroughthimtoruin，afterwhichheranawayfromher。Asforher，shediedofherevilhabitsinthethirdyearofthereignofSetiII。But，thegodsbethankedsheneverknewthattheprivatescribeofPharaoh’schamberwasthatAnawhohadbeenherhusband。HereIwillendherstory。 NowasIwaspassingdowntheNilewithaheartmoreheavythanthegreatstonethatservedasanchoronthebarge，wemooredatduskonthethirdnightbythesideofavesselthatwassailingupNilewithastrongnortherlywind。OnboardthisboatwasanofficerwhomIhadknownattheCourtofPharaohMeneptah，travellingtoThebesonduty。 ThismanseemedsomuchafraidthatIaskedhimifanythingweigheduponhismind。Thenhetookmeasideintoapalmgroveuponthebank，andseatinghimselfonthepolewherebyoxenturnedawaterwheel，toldmethatstrangethingswerepassingatTanis。 ItseemedthattheHebrewprophetshadoncemoreappearedbeforePharaoh，whosincehisaccessionhadlefttheIsraelitesinpeace，notattackingthemwiththeswordasMeneptahhadwishedtodo，itwasthoughtthroughfearlestifhedidsoheshoulddieasMeneptahdied。 Asbefore，theyhadputuptheirprayerthatthepeopleoftheHebrewsshouldbesufferedtogotoworshipinthewilderness，andPharaohhadrefusedthem。Thenwhenhewentdowntosailupontheriverearlyinthemorningofanotherday，theyhadmethimandoneofthemstruckthewaterwithhisrod，andithadturnedtoblood。WhereonKiandKherhebandhiscompanyalsostruckthewaterwiththeirrods，anditturnedtoblood。Thatwassixdaysago，andnowthisofficersworetomethatthebloodwascreepinguptheNile，ataleatwhichIlaughed。 “Comethenandsee，“hesaid，andledmebacktohisboat，whereallthecrewseemedasfearfulashewashimself。 Hetookmeforwardtoagreatwaterjarthatstoodupontheprowand，behold!itseemedtobefullofblood，andinitwasafishdead，and——stinking。 “Thiswater，“saidhe，“IdrewfromtheNilewithmyownhands，notfivehourssailtothenorth。Butnowwehaveoutspedtheblood，whichfollowsafterus，“andtakingalamphehelditovertheprowoftheboatandIsawthatallitsplanksweresplashedasthoughwithblood。 “Beadvisedbyme，learnedscribe，“headded，“andfilleveryjarandskinthatyoucangatherwithsweetwater，lestto-morrowyouandyourcompanyshouldgothirsty，“andhelaughedaverydrearylaugh。 Thenwepartedwithoutmorewords，forneitherofusknewwhattosay，andaboutmidnighthesailedonwiththewind，takinghischanceofgroundingonthesandbanksinthedarkness。 FormypartIdidashebademe，thoughmyrowerswhohadnotspokenwithhismen，thoughtthatIwasmadtoloadupthebargewithsomuchwater。 AtthefirstbreakofdayIgavetheordertostart。LookingoverthesideofthebargeitseemedtomeasthoughthelightsofdawnhadfallenfromtheskyintotheNilewhereofthewaterhadbecomepink- hued。Moreover，thishue，whichgreweverdeeper，wastravellingupstream，notdown，againstthecourseofnature，andcouldnotthereforehavebeencausedbyredsoilwashedfromthesouthernlands。 Thebargemenstaredandmutteredtogether。Thenoneofthem，leaningovertheside，scoopedupwaterinthehollowofhishandanddrewsomeintohismouth，onlytospititoutagainwithacryoffear。