第41章

Thusshespokeinacoldandquietvoice，asonemightspeakofsomethinglongexpectedorforeseen，thenmadeherreverencetothePrince，anddeparted，bearingthebodyofthechild。Never，Ithink，didMerapiseemmorebeautifultomethaninthis，herhourofbereavement，sincenowthroughherwoman’slovelinessshoneoutsomeshadowofthesoulwithin。Indeed，suchwerehereyesandsuchhermovementsthatwellmighthavebeenaspiritandnotawomanwhodepartedfromuswiththatwhichhadbeenherson。 Setileanedonmyshoulderlookingattheemptybed，andatthescarednursewhostillsatbehind，andIfeltateardropuponmyhand。OldBakenkhonsuliftedhismassiveface，andlookedathim。 “Grievenotovermuch，Prince，“hesaid，“since，ereasmanyyearsasIhavelivedouthavecomeandgone，thischildwillbeforgottenandhismotherwillbeforgotten，andevenyou，OPrince，willlivebutasanamethatoncewasgreatinEgypt。Andthen，OPrince，elsewherethegamewillbeginafresh，andwhatyouhavelostshallbefoundanew，andthesweeterforitshelteringfromthevilebreathofmen。Ki’smagicisnotallalie，orifhisis，mineholdssomeshadowofthetruth，andwhenhesaidtoyouyonderinTanisthatnotfornothingwereyounamed’LordofRebirths，’hespokewordsthatyoushouldfindcomfortableto-night。“ “Ithankyou，Councillor，“saidSeti，andturning，followedMerapi。 “NowIsupposeweshallhavemoredeaths，“Iexclaimed，hardlyknowingwhatIsaidinmysorrow。 “Ithinknot，Ana，“answeredBakenkhonsu，“sincetheshieldofJabez，orofhisgod，isoverus。AlwaysheforetoldthattroublewouldcometoMerapi，andtoSetithroughMerapi，butthatisall。“ Iglancedatthekitten。 “Itstrayedherefromthetownthreedaysago，Ana。Andthebatsalsomayhaveflownfromthetown。Harktothewailing。WaseversuchasoundheardbeforeinEgypt？“ Bakenkhonsuwasright。SavethesonofSetialone，nonediedwhodweltinorabouthishouse，thoughelsewhereallthefirst-bornofEgyptlaydead，andthefirst-bornofthebeastsalso。WhenthiscametobeknownthroughoutthelandarageseizedtheEgyptiansagainstMerapiwho，theyremembered，hadcalleddownwoeonEgyptaftershehadbeenforcedtoprayinthetempleand，astheybelieved，toliftthedarknessfromMemphis。 BakenkhonsuandIandotherswholovedherpointedoutthatherownchildhaddiedwiththerest。Tothisitwasanswered，andhereI thoughtIsawthefingersofUsertiandofKi，thatitwasnothing，sincewitchesdidnotlovechildren。Moreover，theysaidshecouldhaveasmanyasshelikedandwhensheliked，makingthemtolooklikechildrenoutofclayfiguresandtogrowupintoevilspiritstotormenttheland。Lastly，peoplesworethatshehadbeenheardtosaythat，althoughtodoitshemustkillherownlord’sson，shewouldnotonthataccountforegohervengeanceontheEgyptians，whooncehadtreatedherasaslaveandmurderedherfather。Further，theIsraelitesthemselves，orsomeofthem，mayhapLabanamongthem，werereportedtohavetoldtheEgyptiansthatitwasthesorceresswhohadbewitchedPrinceSetiwhobroughtsuchgreattroublesonthem。 SoithappenedthattheEgyptianscametohateMerapi，whoofallwomenwasthesweetestandthemosttobeloved，andtoherothersupposedcrimes，addedthisalso，thatbyherwitcheriesshehadstolentheheartofSetiawayfromhislawfulwifeandmadehimtoturnthatlady，theRoyalPrincessofEgypt，evenfromhisgates，sothatshewasforcedtodwellaloneatTanis。ForinallthesemattersnoneblamedSeti，whomeveryoneinEgyptloved，becauseitwasknownthathewouldhavedealtwiththeIsraelitesinaverydifferentfashion，andthusavertedallthewoesthathaddesolatedtheancientlandofKhem。AsforthismatteroftheHebrewgirlwiththebigeyeswhochancedtohavethrownaspelluponhim，thatwashisill-fortune，nothingmore。Amongstthemanywomenwithwhomtheybelievedhefilledhishouse，aswasthewayofprinces，itwasnotstrangethatonefavouriteshouldbeawitch。Indeed，Iamcertainthatonlybecausehewasknowntoloveher，wasMerapisavedfromdeathbypoisonorinsomeothersecretfashion，atanyrateforawhile。 NowcamethegladtidingsthattheprideofPharaohwasbrokenatlast(forhisfirst-bornchildhaddiedwiththeothers)，orthatthecloudofmadnesshadliftedfromhisbrain，whicheveritmightbe，andthathehaddecreedthattheChildrenofIsraelmightdepartfromEgyptwhenandwhithertheywould。Thenthepeoplebreathedagain，seeinghopethattheirmiseriesmightend。 ItwasatthistimethatJabezappearedoncemoreatMemphis，drivinganumberofchariothorses，whichhesaidhewishedtoselltothePrince，ashedidnotdesirethemtopassintoanyotherhands。Hewasadmittedandstatedthepriceofhishorses，accordingtowhichtheymusthavebeenbeastsofgreatvalue。 “Whydoyouwishtosellyourhorses？“askedSeti。 “BecauseIgowithmypeopleintolandswherethereislittlewaterandtheretheymightdie，OPrince。“ “Iwillbuythehorses。Seetoit，Ana，“saidSeti，althoughIknewwellthatalreadyhehadmorethanheneeded。 ThePrincerosetoshowthattheinterviewwasended，whereonJabez，whowasbowinghisthanks，saidhurriedly： “Irejoicetolearn，ORoyalOne，thatthingshavebefallenasI foretold，orratherwasbiddentoforetell，andthatthetroubleswhichhaveafflictedEgypthavepassedbyyourdwelling。“ “Thenyourejoicetolearnafalsehood，Hebrew，sincetheworstofthosetroubleshasmadeitshomehere。Mysonisdead，“andheturnedaway。 Jabezliftedhisshiftyeyesfromthefloorandglancedathim。 “Prince，“hesaid，“Iknowandgrievebecausethislosshascutyoutotheheart。Yetitwasnofaultofmineorofmypeople。Ifyouthink，youwillrememberthatbothwhenIbuiltawallofprotectionaboutthisplacebecauseofyourgooddeedstoIsrael，OPrince，andbefore，Iwarned，andcausedyoutobewarned，thatifyouandmyniece，MoonofIsrael，cametogetheragreattroublemightfallonyouthroughherwho，havingbecomethewomanofanEgyptianindefianceofcommand，mustbearthefateofEgyptianwomen。“ “Itmaybeso，“saidthePrince。“ThematterisnotoneofwhichI caretotalk。IfthisdeathwerewroughtbythemagicofyourwizardsIhaveonlythistosay——thatitisanillpaymenttomeinreturnforallthatIhavestriventodoonbehalfoftheHebrews。Yet，whatelsecouldIexpectfromsuchapeopleinsuchaworld？Farewell。“ “Oneprayer，OPrince。Iwouldaskyourleavetospeakwithmyniece，Merapi。“ “Sheisveiled。Sincethemurderofherchildbywizardry，sheseesnoman。“ “StillIthinkshewillseeheruncle，OPrince。“ “Whatthendoyouwishtosaytoher？“ “OPrince，throughtheclemencyofPharaohwepoorslavesareabouttoleavethelandofEgyptnevertoreturn。Therefore，ifmynieceremainsbehind，itisnaturalthatIshouldwishtobidherfarewell，andtoconfidetohercertainmattersconnectedwithourraceandfamily，whichshemightdesiretopassontoherchildren。“ Nowwhenheheardthisword“children“Setisoftened。 “Idonottrustyou，“hesaid。“YoumaybechargedwithmoreofyourHebrewcursesagainstMerapi，oryoumaysaywordstoherthatwillmakeherevenunhappierthansheis。Yetifyouwouldwishtoseeherinmypresence-“ “MylordPrince，Iwillnottroubleyousofar。Farewell。Bepleasedtoconvey-“ “Orifthatdoesnotsuityou，“interruptedSeti，“inthepresenceofAnahereyoucandoso，unlesssherefusestoreceiveyou。“ Jabezreflectedforamoment，andanswered： “TheninthepresenceofAnaletitbe，sinceheisamanwhoknowswhentobesilent。“ Jabezmadeobeisanceanddeparted，andatasignfromthePrinceI followedhim。PresentlywewereusheredintothechamberoftheladyMerapi，whereshesatlookingmostsadandlonely，withaveilofblackuponherhead。 “Greeting，myuncle，“shesaid，afterglancingatme，whosepresenceI thinksheunderstood。“Areyouthebearerofmoreprophecies？Ipraynot，sinceyourlastwereovertrue，“andshetouchedtheblackveilwithherfinger。 “Iamthebeareroftidings，andofaprayer，Niece。ThetidingsarethatthepeopleofIsraelareabouttoleaveEgypt。Theprayer，whichisalsoacommand，is——thatyoumakereadytoaccompanythem-“ “ToLaban？“sheasked，lookingup。 “No，myniece。LabanwouldnotwishasawifeonewhohasbeenthemistressofanEgyptian，buttoplayyourpart，howeverhumble，inthefortunesofourpeople。“ “IamgladthatLabandoesnotwishwhathenevercouldobtain，myuncle。Tellme，Iprayyou，whyshouldIhearkentothisprayer，orthiscommand？“ “Foragoodreason，Niece——thatyourlifehangsonit。Heretoforeyouhavebeensufferedtotakeyourheart’sdesire。ButifyoubideinEgyptwhereyouhavenolongeramissiontofulfil，havingdoneallthatwassoughtofyouinkeepingwiththemindofyourlover，thePrinceSeti，truetothecauseofIsrael，youwillsurelydie。“ “Youmeanthatourpeoplewillkillme？“ “No，notourpeople。Stillyouwilldie。“ Shetookasteptowardshim，andlookedhimintheeyes。 “YouarecertainthatIshalldie，myuncle？“ “Iam，oratleastothersarecertain。“ Nowshelaughed；itwasthefirsttimeIhadseenherlaughforseveralmoons。 “ThenIwillstayhere，“shesaid。 Jabezstaredather。 “IthoughtthatyoulovedthisEgyptian，whoindeedisworthyofanywoman’slove，“hemutteredintohisbeard。