第38章

“TheprayerthatyouwillsuffermetoshelterinthishousefromthemanydangersthatthreatenmeatthehandsofPharaohandtheprophetsofyourpeople，andanofferingofsuchhelpasIcangivebymyartsandknowledgeagainstblackerdangerswhichthreaten——another。“ HereoncemorehegazedatthetrunkofthetreebeyondwhichIheardtheinfantwail。 “IfIconsent，whatthen？“sheasked，hoarsely。 “Then，Lady，IwillstrivetoprotectacertainlittleoneagainstacursewhichJabeztellsmethreatenshimandmanyothersinwhomrunsthebloodofEgypt。Iwillstrive，ifIamallowedtobidehere——IdonotsaythatIshallsucceed，forasyourlordhasremindedme，andasyoushowedmeinthetempleofAmon，mystrengthissmallerthanthatoftheprophetsandprophetessesofIsrael。“ “AndifIrefuse？“ “Then，Lady，“heansweredinavoicethatranglikeiron，“Iamsurethatonewhomyoulove——asmotherslove——willshortlyberockedinthearmsofthegodwhomwenameOsiris。“ “/Stay/，“shecriedand，turning，fledaway。 “Why，Ana，sheisgone，“hesaid，“andthatbeforeIcouldbargainformyreward。Well，thisImustfindinyourcompany。Howstrangearewomen，Ana!Hereyouhaveoneofthegreatestofhersex，asyoulearnedinthetempleofAmon。Andyetsheopensbeneaththesunofhopeandshrivelsbeneaththeshadowoffear，likethetouchedleavesofthattenderplantwhichgrowsuponthebanksoftheriver；shewho，withhereyessetonthemysterythatisbeyond，whereofshehearsthewhisperingwinds，shouldtreadbothearthlyhopeandfearbeneathherfeet，ormakeofthemsteppingstonestoglory。Weresheamanshewoulddoso，buthersexwrecksher，shewhothinksmoreofthekissofababethanofallthesplendoursshemightharbourinherbreast。 Yes，ababe，asinglewretchedlittlebabe。Youhadoneonce，didyounot，Ana？“ “Oh!toSetandhisfireswithyouandyoureviltalk，“Isaid，andlefthim。 WhenIhadgonealittleway，Ilookedbackandsawthathewaslaughing，throwinguphisstaffashelaughed，andcatchingitagain。 “Setandhisfires，“hecalledafterme。“Iwonderwhattheyarelike，Ana。Perhapsonedayweshalllearn，youandItogether，ScribeAna。“ SoKitookuphisabodewithus，inthesamelodgingsasBakenkhonsu，andalmosteverydayIwouldmeetthemwalkinginthegarden，sinceI，whowasofthePrince’stable，exceptwhenheatewiththeladyMerapi，didnottakemyfoodwiththem。Thenwewouldtalktogetheraboutmanysubjects。Onthosewhichhadtodowithlearning，orevenreligion，IhadthebetterofKi，whowasnogreatscholarormasteroftheology。Butalwaysbeforewepartedhewouldplantsomearrowinmyribs，atwhicholdBakenkhonsulaughed，andlaughedagain，yeteverthrewovermetheshieldofhisvenerablewisdom，justbecausehelovedmeIthink。 ItwasafterthisthattheplaguestruckthecattleofEgypt，sothattensofthousandsofthemdied，thoughnotallaswasreported。But，asIhavesaid，oftheherdsofSetinonedied，nor，asweweretold，didanyofthoseoftheIsraelitesinthelandofGoshen。NowtherewasgreatdistressinEgypt，butKismiledandsaidthatheknewitwouldbeso，andthattherewasmuchworsetocome，forwhichIcouldhavesmittenhimovertheheadwithhisownstaff，hadInotfearedthat，ifIdidso，itmightoncemoreturntoaserpentinmyhand。 OldBakenkhonsulookeduponthematterwithanotherface。Hesaidthatsincehislastwifedied，Ithinksomefiftyyearsbefore，hehadfoundlifeverydullbecausehemissedtheexercisesofhertemper，andherhabitofpresentingthingsastheseneverhadbeennorcouldpossiblyeverbe。Now，however，itgrewinterestingagain，sincethemarvelswhichwerehappeninginEgypt，beingquitecontrarytoNature，remindedhimofhislastwifeandherarguments。Allofwhichwashiswayofsayingthatinthoseyearswelivedinanewworld，whereoffortheEgyptiansSettheEvilOneseemedtobetheking。 ButstillPharaohwouldnotlettheHebrewsgo，perhapsbecausehehadvowedasmuchtoMeneptahwhosethimonthethrone，orperhapsforthoseotherreasons，oroneofthem，whichKihadgiventothePrince。 Thencamethecurseofsoresafflictingman，woman，andchildthroughouttheland，savethosewhodweltinthehouseholdofSeti。 Thusthewatchmanandhisfamilywhoselodgewaswithoutthegatessuffered，butthewatchmanandhisfamilywholivedwithinthegates，nottwentypacesaway，didnotsuffer，whichcausedbitternessbetweentheirwomen。InthesamewayKi，whoresidedasaguestofthePrinceatMemphis，sufferedfromnosores，whereasthoseofhisCollegewhoremainedatTanisweremoreheavilysmittenthananyothers，sothatsomeofthemdied。Whenheheardthis，Kilaughedandsaidthathehadtoldthemitwouldbeso。AlsoPharaohhimselfandevenherHighnessUsertiweresmitten，thelatteruponthecheek，whichmadeherunsightlyforawhile。Indeed，Bakenkhonsuheard，Iknownothow，thatsogreatwasherragethatsheevenbethoughtherofreturningtoherlordSeti，inwhosehouseshehadlearnedpeopleweresafe，andthebeautyofhersuccessor，MoonofIsrael，remainedunscarredandwasevengreaterthanbefore，tidingsthatIthinkBakenkhonsuhimselfconveyedtoher。Butintheendthisherpride，orherjealousy，preventedherfromdoing。 NowtheheartofEgyptbegantoturntowardsSetiingoodearnest。ThePrince，theysaid，hadopposedthepolicyoftheoppressionoftheHebrews，andbecausehecouldnotprevailhadabandonedhisrighttothethrone，whichPharaohAmenmeseshadpurchasedatthepriceofacceptingthatpolicywhereofthefruitshadbeenprovedtobedestruction。Therefore，theyreasoned，ifAmenmesesweredeposed，andthePrincereigned，theirmiserieswouldcease。Sotheysentdeputationstohimsecretly，prayinghimtoriseagainstAmenmesesandpromisinghimsupport。Buthewouldlistentononeofthem，tellingthemthathewashappyashewasandsoughtnootherstate。StillPharaohgrewjealous，forallthesethingshisspiesreportedtohim，andsetaboutplotstodestroySeti。 OfthefirstoftheseUsertiwarnedmebyamessenger，butthesecondandworseKidiscoveredinsomestrangeway，sothatthemurdererwastrappedatthegateandkilledbythewatchman，whereonSetisaidthatafterallhehadbeenwisetogivehospitalitytoKi，thatis，iftocontinuetolivewerewisdom。TheladyMerapialsosaidasmuchtome，butInotedthatalwayssheshunnedKi，whomsheheldinmistrustandfear。 Thencamethehail，andsomemonthsafterthehailthelocusts，andEgyptwentmadwithwoeandterror。Itwasknowntous，forwithKiandBakenkhonsuinthepalacewekneweverything，thattheHebrewprophetshadpromisedthishailbecausePharaohwouldnotlistentothem。ThereforeSeticausedittobeputaboutthroughallthelandthattheEgyptiansshouldsheltertheircattle，orsuchaswerelefttothem，atthefirstsignofstorm。ButPharaohheardofitandissuedaproclamationthatthiswasnottobedone，inasmuchasitwouldbeaninsulttothegodsofEgypt。Stillmanydidsoandthesesavedtheircattle。Itwasstrangetoseethatwallofjaggedicestretchingfromearthtoheavenanddestroyingalluponwhichitfell。 Thetalldate-palmswerestrippedevenoftheirbark；thesoilwaschurnedup；menandbeastsifcaughtabroadwereslainorshattered。 Istoodatthegateandwatchedit。There，notayardaway，fellthewhitehail，turningtheworldtowreck，whileherewithinthegatetherewasnotasinglestone。Merapiwatchedalso，andpresentlycameKiaswell，andwithhimBakenkhonsu，whoforoncehadneverseenanythinglikethisinallhislonglife。ButKiwatchedMerapimorethanhedidthehail，forIsawhimsearchingoutherverysoulwiththosemercilesseyesofhis。 “Lady，“hesaidatlength，“tellyourservant，Ibeseechyou，howyoudothisthing？“andhepointedfirsttothetreesandflowerswithinthegateandthentothewreckwithout。 AtfirstIthoughtthatshehadnotheardhimbecauseoftheroarofthehail，forshesteppedforwardandopenedthesidewickettoadmitapoorjackalthatwasscratchingatthebars。Stillthiswasnotso，forpresentlysheturnedandsaid： “DoestheKherheb，thegreatestmagicianinEgypt，askanunlearnedwomantoteachhimofmarvels？Well，Ki，Icannot，becauseIneitherdoitnorknowhowitisdone。“ Bakenkhonsulaughed，andKi’spaintedsmilegrewasitwerebrighterthanbefore。 “ThatisnotwhattheysayinthelandofGoshen，Lady，“heanswered，“andnotwhattheHebrewwomensayhereinMemphis。NorisitwhatthepriestsofAmonsay。ThesedeclarethatyouhavemoremagicthanallthesorcerersoftheNile。Hereistheproofofit，“andhepointedtotheruinwithoutandthepeacewithin，adding，“Lady，ifyoucanprotectyourownhome，whycannotyouprotecttheinnocentpeopleofEgypt？“ “BecauseIcannot，“sheansweredangrily。“IfeverIhadsuchpoweritisgonefromme，whoamnowthemotherofanEgyptian’schild。ButI havenone。ThereinthetempleofAmonsomeStrengthworkedthroughme，thatisall，whichneverwillvisitmeagainbecauseofmysin。“ “Whatsin，Lady？“ “ThesinoftakingthePrinceSetitolord。Now，ifanygodspokethroughmeitwouldbeoneofthoseoftheEgyptians，sinceHeofIsraelhascastmeout。“ Kistartedasthoughsomenewthoughthadcometohim，andatthismomentsheturnedandwentaway。 “Wouldthatshewerehigh-priestessofIsisthatshemightworkforusandnotagainstus，“hesaid。 Bakenkhonsushookhishead。 “Letthatbe，“heanswered。“BesurethatneverwillanIsraelitishwomanoffersacrificetowhatshewouldcalltheabominationoftheEgyptians。“ “Ifshewillnotsacrificetosavethepeople，letherbecarefullestthepeoplesacrificehertosavethemselves，“saidKiinacoldvoice。 Thenhetoowentaway。 “Ithinkthatifeverthathourcomes，thenKiwillhavehisshareinit，“laughedBakenkhonsu。“Whatisthegoodofashepherdwhosheltershereincomfort，whileoutsidethesheeparedying，eh，Ana？“