第34章

“’Tisblood，“hecried。“Blood!Osirishasbeenslainafresh，andhisholybloodfillsthebanksofNile。“ Somuchweretheyafraid，indeed，thathadInotforcedthemtoholdtotheircoursetheywouldhaveturnedandrowedupstream，orbeachedtheboatandfledintothedesert。ButIcriedtothemtosteeronnorthwards，forthusperhapsweshouldsoonerbedonewiththishorror，andtheyobeyedme。Everaswewentthehueofthewatergrewmorered，almosttoblackness，tillatlastitseemedasthoughweweretravellingthroughaseaofgoreinwhichdeadfishfloatedbythethousand，orstruggleddyingonthesurface。Alsothestenchwassodreadfulthatwemustbindlinenaboutournostrilstostrainthef？tidair。 Wecameabreastofatown，andfromitsstreetsonegreatwailofterrorrosetoheaven。Menstoodstaringasthoughtheyweredrunken，lookingattheirredarmswhichtheyhaddippedinthestream，andwomenrantoandfrouponthebank，tearingtheirhairandrobes，andcryingoutsuchwordsas—— “Wizard’swork!Bewitched!Accursed!Thegodshaveslaineachother，andmentoomustdie!“andsoforth。 Alsowesawpeasantsdiggingholesatadistancefromtheshoretoseeperchanceiftheymightcometowaterthatwassweetandwholesome。 Alldaylongwetravelledthusthroughthishorribleflood，whilethespraydrivenbythestrongnorthwindspottedourfleshandgarments，tillwewerelikebutchersreekingfromtheshambles。Norcouldweeatanyfoodbecauseofthestenchfromthisspray，whichmadeittotastesaltasdoesfreshblood，onlywedrankofthewaterwhichIhadprovided，andtherowerswhohadheldmetobemadnownamedmethewisestofmen；onewhoknewwhatwouldbefallinthefuture。 Atlengthtowardseveningwenotedthatthewaterwasgrowingmuchlessredwitheveryhourthatpassed，whichwasanothermarvel，seeingthataboveus，upstream，itwasthecolourofjasper，whereonwepausedfromourrowingand，alldefiledaswewere，sangahymnandgavethankstoHapi，godofNile，theGreat，theSecret，theHidden。 Beforesunset，indeed，theriverwascleanagain，savethatonthebankwherewemadefastforthenightthestonesandrusheswereallstained，andthedeadfishlayinthousandspollutingtheair。ToescapethestenchweclimbedacliffthathererosequiteclosetoNile，inwhichwesawthemouthsofancienttombsthatlongagohadbeenrobbedandleftempty，purposingtosleepinoneofthem。 Apathwornbythefeetofmenrantothelargestofthesetombs，whence，aswedrewnear，weheardthesoundofwailing。Lookingin，I sawawomanandsomechildrencroucheduponthefloorofthetomb，theirheadscoveredwithdustwho，whentheyperceivedus，criedmoreloudlythanbefore，thoughwithharshdryvoices，thinkingnodoubtthatwewererobbersorperhapsghostsbecauseofourbloodstainedgarments。Alsotherewasanotherchild，alittleone，thatdidnotcry，becauseitwasdead。Iaskedthewomanwhatpassed，butevenwhensheunderstoodthatwewereonlymenwhomeanthernoharm，shecouldnotspeakordomorethangasp“Water!Water!“Wegaveherandthechildrentodrinkfromthejarswhichwehadbroughtwithus，whichtheydidgreedily，afterwhichIdrewherstoryfromher。 Shewasthewifeofafishermanwhomadehishomeinthiscave，andsaidthatsevendaysbeforetheNilehadturnedtoblood，sothattheycouldnotdrinkofit，andhadnowatersavealittleinapot。Norcouldtheydigtofindit，sinceherethegroundwasallrock。Norcouldtheyescape，sincewhenhesawthemarvel，herhusbandinhisfearhadleaptfromhisboatandwadedtolandandtheboathadfloatedaway。 Iaskedwherewasherhusband，andshepointedbehindher。Iwenttolook，andtherefoundamanhangingbyhisneckfromaropethatwasfixedtothecapitalofapillarinthetomb，quitedeadandcold。 Returningsickatheart，Iinquiredofherhowthishadcomeabout。 Sheansweredthatwhenhesawthatallthefishhadperished，takingawayhisliving，andthatthirsthadkilledhisyoungestchild，hewentmad，andcreepingtothebackofthetomb，withoutherknowledgehunghimselfwithanetrope。Itwasadreadfulstory。 Havinggiventhewidowofourfood，wewenttosleepinanothertomb，notlikingthecompanyofthosedeadones。Nextmorningatthedawnwetookthewomanandherchildrenonboardthebarge，androwedthemthreehours’journeytoatownwhereshehadasister，whomshefound。 Thedeadmanandthechildweleftthereinthetomb，sincemymenwouldnotdefilethemselvesbytouchingthem。 So，seeingmuchterrorandmiseryonourjourney，atlastwecamesafetoMemphis。Leavingtheboatmentodrawupthebarge，Iwenttothepalace，speakingwithnone，andwasledatoncetothePrince。IfoundhiminashadedchamberseatedsidebysidewiththeladyMerapi，andholdingherhandinsuchafashionthattheyremindmeofthelife- sizedKastatuesofamanandhiswife，suchasIhaveseenintheancienttombs，cutwhenthesculptorsknewhowtofashiontheperfectlikenessesofmenandwomen。Thistheynolongerdoto-day，Ithinkbecausethepriestshavetaughtthemthatitisnotlawful。Hewastalkingtoherinalowvoice，whileshelistened，smilingsweetlyassheeverdid，butwitheyes，fixedstraightbeforeherthatwere，asitseemedtome，filledwithfear。Ithoughtthatshelookedverybeautifulwithherhairoutspreadoverherwhiterobe，andheldbackfromhertemplesbyalittlefilletofgod。ButasIlooked，I rejoicedtofindthatmyheartnolongeryearnedforherasithaduponthatnightwhenIhadseenherseatedbeneaththetreeswithoutthepleasure-house。Nowshewasitsfriend，nomore，andsosheremaineduntilallwasfinished，asboththePrinceandsheknewwellenough。 WhenhesawmeSetisprangfromhisseatandcametogreetme，asamandoesthefriendwhomheloves。Ikissedhishand，andgoingtoMerapi，kissedhersalsonotingthatonitnowshonethatringwhichonceshehadrejectedastoolarge。 “Tellme，Ana，allthathasbefallenyou，“hesaidinhispleasant，eagervoice。 “Manythings，Prince；oneofthemverystrangeandterrible，“I answered。 “Strangeandterriblethingshavehappenedherealso，“brokeinMerapi，“and，alas!thisisbutthebeginningofwoes。“ Sosaying，sherose，asthoughshecouldtrustherselftospeaknomore，bowedfirsttoherlordandthentome，andleftthechamber。 IlookedatthePrinceandheansweredthequestioninmyeyes。 “Jabezhasbeenhere，“hesaid，“andfilledherheartwithforebodings。IfPharaohwillnotlettheIsraelitesgo，byAmonIwishhewouldletJabezgotosomeplacewhencehenevercouldreturn。Buttellme，haveyoualsometbloodtravellingagainstthestreamofNile？Itwouldseemso，“andheglancedattherustystainsthatnowashingwouldremovefrommygarments。 Inoddedandwetalkedtogetherlongandearnestly，butintheendwerenowiserforallourtalking。Forneitherofusknewhowitcameaboutthatmenbystrikingwaterwitharodcouldturnitintowhatseemedtobeblood，astheHebrewprophetandKibothhaddone，orhowthatbloodcouldtraveluptheNileagainstthestreamandeverywhereendureforaspaceofsevendays；yes，andspreadtootoallthecanalsinEgypt，sothatmenmustdigholesforwateranddigthemfresheachdaybecausethebloodcreptinandpoisonedthem。Butbothofusthoughtthatthiswastheworkofthegods，andmostofallofthatgodwhomtheHebrewsworship。 “Youremember，Ana，“saidthePrince，“themessagewhichyoubroughttomefromJabez，namelythatnoharmshouldcometomebecauseoftheseIsraelitesandtheircurses。Well，noharmascomeasyet，excepttheharmofJabez，forhecame。Onthedaybeforethenewsofthisbloodplaguereachedus，JabezappeareddisguisedasamerchantofSyrianstuffs，allofwhichhesoldtomeatthreetimestheirvalue。HeobtainedadmissiontothechambersofMerapi，wheresheisaccustomedtoseewhomshewills，andunderpretenceofshowingherhisstuffs，spokewithherand，asIfear，toldherwhatyouandI weresocarefultohide，thatshewouldbringtroubleonme。Attheleastshehasneverbeenquitethesamesince，andIhavethoughtitwisetomakeherswearbyanoath，whichIknowshewillneverbreak，thatnowweareoneshewillnotattempttoseparateherselffrommewhilewebothhavelife。“ “Didhewishhertogoawaywithhim，Prince？“ “Idonotknow。Shenevertoldmeso。StillIamsurethathadhecomewithhiseviltalkbeforethatdaywhenyoureturnedfromTanis，shewouldhavegone。NowIhopethattherearereasonsthatwillkeepherwheresheis。“ “Whatthendidhesay，Prince？“ “Littlebeyondwhathehadalreadysaidtoyou，thatgreattroubleswereabouttofallonEgypt。HeaddedthathewassenttosavemeandminefromthesetroublesbecauseIhadbeenafriendtotheHebrewsinsofarasthatwaspossible。Thenhewalkedthroughthishouseandallrounditsgardens，ashewentrecitingsomethingthatwaswrittenonaroll，ofwhichIcouldnotunderstandthemeaning，andnowandagainprostratinghimselftopraytohisgod。Thus，wherethecanalentersthegardenandwhereitleavesthegardenhestayedtopray，ashedidatthewellwhencedrinkingwaterisdrawn。Moreover，ledbyMerapi，hevisitedallmycornlandsandthosewheremycattleareherded，recitingandprayinguntiltheservantsthoughtthathewasmad。Afterthishereturnedwithherand，asitchanced，Ioverheardtheirparting。Shesaidtohim： “’Thehouseyouhaveblessedanditissafe；thefieldsyouhaveblessedandtheyaresafe；willyounotblessmealso，OmyUncle，andanythatarebornofme？’ “Heanswered，shakinghishead，’Ihavenocommand，myNiece，eithertoblessortocurseyou，asdidthatfoolwhomthePrinceslew。Youhavechosenyourownpathapartfromyourpeople。Itmaybewell，oritmaybeill，orperhapsboth，andhenceforthyoumustwalkitalonetowhereveritmaylead。Farewell，forperhapsweshallmeetnomore。’ “Thusspeakingtheypassedoutofearshot，butIcouldseethatstillshepleadedandstillheshookhishead。Intheend，however，shegavehimanoffering，ofallthatshehadIthink，thoughwhetherthiswenttothetempleoftheHebrewsorintohisownpouchIknownot。Atleastitseemedtosoftenhim，forhekissedheronthebrowtenderlyenoughanddepartedwiththeairofahappymerchantwhohassoldhiswares。ButofallthatpassedbetweenthemMerapiwouldtellmenothing。NordidItellherofwhatIhadoverheard。“