第35章

“Andthen？“ “Andthen，Ana，camethestoryoftheHebrewprophetwhomadethewaterintoblood，andofKiandhisdiscipleswhodidlikewise。ThelatterIdidnotbelieve，becauseIsaiditwouldbemorereasonablehadKiturnedthebloodbackintowater，insteadofmakingmorebloodofwhichtherewasenoughalready。“ “Ithinkthatmagicianshavenoreason。“ “Orcandomischiefonly，Ana。Atanyrateafterthestorycametheblooditselfandstayedwithussevenwholedays，leavingmuchsicknessbehinditbecauseofthestenchoftherottingfish。Nowforthemarvel——hereaboutmyhousetherewasnoblood，thoughaboveandbelowthecanalwasfullofit。Thewaterremainedasithasalwaysbeenandthefishswaminitastheyhavealwaysdone；alsothatofthewellkeptsweetandpure。Whenthiscametobeknownthousandscrowdedtotheplace，clamouringforwater；thatisuntiltheyfoundthatoutsidethegatesitgrewredintheirvessels，afterwhich，althoughsomestillcame，theydrankthewaterwheretheystood，whichtheymustdoquickly。“ “AndwhattaledotheytellofthisinMemphis，Prince？“Iaskedastonished。 “CertainofthemsaythatnotKibutIamthegreatestmagicianinEgypt——never，Ana，wasfamemorelightlyearned。AndcertainsaythatMerapi，ofwhosedoingsinthetempleatTanissometalehasreachedthem，istherealmagician，shebeinganIsraeliteofthetribeoftheHebrewprophets。Hush!Shereturns。“ NowofalltheterrorsofwhichthisturningofthewaterintobloodwasthebeginninginEgypt，I，Ana，thescribe，willnotwrite，forifIdidso，neverinmylife-daysshouldI，whoamold，findtimetofinishthestoryofthem。Overaperiodofmany，manymoonstheycame，onebyone，tillthelandgrewmadwithwantandwoe。Alwaysthetalewasthesame。TheHebrewprophetswouldvisitPharaohatTanisanddemandthatheshouldledtheirpeoplego，threateninghimwithvengeanceifherefused。Yethedidrefuse，forsomemadnesshadholdofhim，orperhapsthegodoftheIsraeliteslaidanenchantmentonhim，whyIknownot。 ThusbutalittlewhileaftertheterrorofbloodcameaplagueoffrogsthatfilledEgyptfromnorthtosouth，andwhentheseweretakenawaymadetheairtostink。ThismiracleKiandhiscompanyworkedalso，sendingthefrogsintoGoshen，wheretheyplaguedtheIsraelites。Buthoweveritcameabout，atSeti’spalaceatMemphisandonthelandthatheownedaroundittherewerenofrogs，oratleastbutfewofthem，althoughatnightfromthefieldsaboutthesoundoftheircroakingwentuplikethesoundofbeatendrums。 Nextcameaplagueoflice，andtheseKiandhiscompanionswouldhavealsocalleddownupontheHebrews，buttheyfailed，andafterwardsstrugglednomoreagainstthemagicoftheIsraelites。Thenfollowedaplagueofflies，sothattheairwasblackwiththemandnofoodcouldbekeptsweet。OnlyinSeti’spalacetherewerenoflies，andinthegardenbutafew。Afterthisaterriblepestbeganamongthecattle，whereofthousandsdied。ButofSeti’sgreatherdnotonewasevensick，nor，aswelearned，wasthereahoofthelessinthelandofGoshen。 ThisplaguestruckEgyptbutalittlewhileafterMerapihadgivenbirthtoason，averybeautifulchildwithhismother’seyes，thatwasnamedSetiafterhisfather。NowthemarveloftheescapeofthePrinceandhishouseholdandallthatwashisfromthesecursesspreadabroadandmademuchtalk，sothatmanysenttoinquireofit。 AmongthefirstcameoldBakenkhonsuwithamessagefromPharaoh，andaprivateonetomyselffromthePrincessUserti，whosepridewouldnotsufferhertoaskaughtofSeti。WecouldtellhimnothingexceptwhatIhavewritten，whichatfirsthedidnotbelieve。Havingsatisfiedhimself，however，thatthethingwastrue，hesaidthathehadfallensickandcouldnottravelbacktoTanis。ThereforeheaskedleaveofthePrincetorestawhileinhishouse，hewhohadbeenthefriendofhisfather，hisgrandfather，andhisgreat-grandfather。Setilaughed，asindeeddidthecunningoldmanhimself，andtherewithusBakenkhonsuremainedtilltheend，toourgreatjoy，forhewasthemostpleasantofallcompanionsandthemostlearned。Asforhismessage，oneofhisservantstookbacktheanswertoPharaohandtoUserti，withthenewsofhismaster’sgrievoussickness。 Someeightdaysorsolater，asIstoodonemorningbaskinginthesunatthatgateofthepalacegardenswhichoverlooksthetempleofPtah，idlywatchingtheprocessionofpriestspassingthroughitscourtsandchantingastheywent(forbecauseofthemanysicknessesatthistimeIleftthepalacebutrarely)，Isawatallfigureapproachingmedrapedagainstthemorningcold。Themandrewnear，andaddressingmeovertheheadoftheguard，askedifhecouldseetheladyMerapi。I answeredNo，asshewasengagedinnursingherson。 “Andinotherthings，Ithink，“hesaidwithmeaning，inavoicethatseemedfamiliartome。“Well，canIseethePrinceSeti？“ IansweredNo，hewasalsoengaged。 “Innursinghisownsoul，studyingtheeyesoftheladyMerapi，thesmileofhisinfant，thewisdomofthescribeAna，andtheattributesofthehundredandonegodsthatareknowntohim，includingthatofIsrael，Isuppose，“saidthefamiliarvoice，adding，“ThencanIseethisscribeAna，whoIunderstand，beinglucky，holdshimselflearned。“ Now，angeredatthescoffingofthisstranger(thoughallthetimeI feltthathewasnone)，IansweredthatthescribeAnawasstrivingtomendhisluckbythepursuitofthegoddessoflearninginhisstudy。 “Lethimpursue，“mockedthestranger，“sincesheistheonlywomanthatheiseverlikelytocatch。Yetitistruethatonceonecaughthim。IfyouareofhisacquaintanceaskhimofhistalkwithherintheavenueoftheSphinxesoutsidethegreattempleatThebesandofwhatitcosthimingoldandtears。“ HearingthisIputmyhandtomyforeheadandrubbedmyeyes，thinkingthatImusthavefallenintoadreamthereinthesunshine。WhenI lifteditagainallwasthesameasbefore。Therestoodthesentry，indifferenttothatwhichhadnointerestforhim；thecockthathadmoulteditstailstillscratchedinthedirt；thecrestedhoopoestillsatspreadingitswingsontheheadofoneofthetwogreatstatuesofRameseswhichwatchedthegate；awater-sellerinthedistancestillcriedhiswares，butthestrangerwasgone。ThenIknewthatIhadbeendreamingandturnedtogoalso，tofindmyselffacetofacewithhim。 “Man，“Isaid，indignantly，“howinthenameofPtahandallhispriestsdidyoupassasentryandthroughthatgatewithoutmyseeingyou？“ “Donottroubleyourselfwithanewproblemwhenalreadyyouhavesomanytoperplexyou，friendAna。Say，haveyouyetsolvedthatofhowarodlikethisturneditselfintoasnakeinyourhand？“andhethrewbackhishood，revealingtheshavedheadandtheglowingeyesoftheKherhebKi。 “No，Ihavenot，“Ianswered，“andIthankyou，“forhereheprofferedmethestaff，“butIwillnottrythetrickagain。Nexttimethebeastmightbite。Well，Ki，asyoucanpassinherewithoutmyleave，whydoyouaskit？Inshort，whatdoyouwantwithme，nowthatthoseHebrewprophetshaveputyouonyourback？“ “Hush，Ana。Nevergrowangry，itwastesstrength，ofwhichwehavesolittletospare，foryouknow，beingsowise，orperhapsyoudonotknow，thatatbirththegodsgiveusacertainstoreofit，andwhenthatisusedwedieandhavetogoelsewheretofetchmore。Atthisrateyourlifewillbeshort，Ana，foryousquanderitinemotions。“ “Whatdoyouwant？“Irepeated，beingtooangrytodisputewithhim。 “Iwanttofindananswertothequestionyouaskedsoroughly：WhytheHebrewprophetshave，asyousay，putmeonmyback？“ “Notbeingamagician，asyoupretendyouare，Icangiveyounone，Ki。“ “NeverforonemomentdidIsupposethatyoucould，“herepliedblandly，stretchingouthishands，andleavingthestaffwhichhadfallenfromthemstandinginfrontofhim。(ItwasnottillafterwardsthatIrememberedthatthisaccursedbitofwoodstoodthereofitselfwithoutvisiblesupport，foritrestedonthepaving-stoneofthegateway。)“But，asitchances，youhaveinthishousethemaster，orratherthemistressofallmagicians，aseveryEgyptianknowsto-day，theladyMerapi，andIwouldseeher。“ “Whydoyousaysheisamistressofmagicians？“Iaskedindignantly。 “Whydoesonebirdknowanotherofitsownkind？Whydoesthewaterhereremainpure，whenallotherwaterturnstoblood？WhydonotthefrogscroakinSeti’shalls，andwhydothefliesavoidhismeat？Why，also，didthestatueofAmonmeltbeforeherglance，whileallmymagicfellbackfromherbreastlikearrowsfromashirtofmail？ ThosearethequestionsthatEgyptasks，andIwouldhaveananswertothemfromthebelovedofSeti，orofthegodSet，shewhoisnamedMoonofIsrael。“ “Thenwhynotgoseekitforyourself，Ki？Toyou，doubtless，itwouldbeasmallmattertotaketheformofasnakeorarat，orabird，andcreeporrunorflyintothepresenceofMerapi。“ “Mayhapitwouldnotbedifficult，Ana。Or，betterstill，Imightvisitherinhersleep，asIvisitedyouonacertainnightatThebes，whenyoutoldmeofatalkyouhadheldwithawomanintheavenueoftheSphinxes，andofwhatitcostyouingoldandtears。But，asitchances，Iwishtoappearasamanandafriend，andtostayawhile。 BakenkhonsutellsmethathefindslifehereatMemphisverypleasant，freetoofromthesicknesseswhichjustnowseemtobesocommoninEgypt；sowhyshouldnotIdothesame，Ana？“ Ilookedathisround，ripeface，onwhichwasfixedasmileunchangingasthatwornbythemasksonmummycoffins，fromwhichI thinkhemusthavecopiedit，andatthecold，deepeyesabove，andshiveredalittle。TotelltruthIfearedthisman，whomIfelttobeintouchwithpresencesandthingsthatarenotofourworld，andthoughtitwisesttowithstandhimnomore。 “ThatisaquestionwhichyouhadbestputtomymasterSetiwhoownsthishouse。Come，Iwillleadyoutohim，“Isaid。