第43章

ThereforeI，theRoyalPrincessofEgypt，wouldaskofPharaoh，isthisthedecreeofPharaoh？“ “Now，“saidBakenkhonsu，“Pharaohsatwithhangingheaduponhisthroneandmadenoanswer。“ “Pharaohdoesnotspeak，“wentonUserti。“ThenIask，isthisthedecreeoftheCouncilofPharaohandofthepeopleofEgypt？ThereisstillagreatarmyinEgypt，hundredsofchariotsandthousandsoffootmen。IsthisarmytositstillwhiletheseslavesdepartintothedeserttheretorouseourenemiesofSyriaagainstusandreturnwiththemtobutcherus？“ “Atthesewords，“continuedBakenkhonsu，“fromallthatmultitudetherewentupashoutof’No。’“ “ThepeoplesayNo。WhatsaithPharaoh？“criedUserti。 Therefollowedasilence，tillsuddenlyAmenmesesroseandspoke： “Haveitasyouwill，Princess，andonyourheadandtheheadsofallthesewhomyouhavestirreduplettheevilfallifevilcomes，thoughIthinkitisyourhusband，thePrinceSeti，whoshouldstandwhereyoustandandputupthisprayerinyourplace。“ “Myhusband，thePrinceSeti，istiedtoMemphisbyaropeofwitch’shair，orsotheytellme，“shesneered，whilethepeoplemurmuredinassent。 “Iknownot，“wentonAmenmeses，“butthisIknowthatalwaysthePrincewouldhavelettheseHebrewsgofromamongus，andattimes，assorrowfollowedsorrow，Ihavethoughtthathewasright。TrulymorethanonceIalsowouldhaveletthemgo，buteversomeStrength，I knownotwhat，descendedonmyheart，turningittostone，andwrungfrommewordsthatIdidnotdesiretoutter。EvennowIwouldletthemgo，butallofyouareagainstme，and，perchance，ifIwithstandyou，Ishallpayforitwithmylifeandthrone。Captains，commandthatmyarmiesbemadeready，andletthemassemblehereatTanisthatImyselfmayleadthemafterthepeopleofIsraelandsharetheirdangers。“ Thenwithamightyshoutingthecompanybrokeup，sothatatthelastallweregoneandonlyPharaohremainedseateduponhisthrone，staringatthegroundwiththeair，saidBakenkhonsu，ratherofonewhoisdeadthanofalivingkingabouttowagewaruponhisfoes。 ToallthesewordsthePrincelistenedinsilence，butwhentheywerefinishedhelookedupandasked： “Whatthinkyou，Bakenkhonsu？“ “Ithink，OPrince，“answeredthewiseoldman，“thatherHighnessdidilltostirupthismatter，thoughdoubtlessshespokewiththevoicesofthepriestsandofthearmy，againstwhichPharaohwasnotstrongenoughtostand。“ “Whatyouthink，Ithink，“saidSeti。 AtthismomenttheladyMerapientered。 “Ihear，mylord，“shesaid，“thatPharaohpurposestopursuethepeopleofIsraelwithhishost。IcometopraymylordthathewillnotjoinhimselftothehostofPharaoh。“ “Itisbutnatural，Lady，thatyoushouldnotwishmetomakewaruponyourkin，andtospeaktruthIhavenomindthatway，“repliedSeti，and，turning，leftthechamberwithher。 “Sheisnotthinkingofherkingbutofherlover’slife，“saidBakenkhonsu。“Sheisnotawitchastheydeclare，butitistruethatsheknowswhatwedonot。“ “Yes，“Ianswered，“itistrue。“ Awhilewentby；itmayhavebeenfourteendays，duringwhichweheardthattheIsraeliteshadstartedontheirjourney。Theywereamightymultitudewhoborewiththemthecoffinandthemummyoftheirprophet，amanoftheirblood，Vizier，itisreported，tothatPharaohwhowelcomedthemtoEgypthundredsofyearsbefore。Somesaidtheywentthiswayandsomethat，butBakenkhonsu，whokneweverything，declaredthattheywereheadingfortheLakeofCrocodiles，whichothersnameSeaofReeds，wherebytheywouldcrossintothedesertbeyond，andthencetoSyria。Iaskedhimhow，seeingthatatitsnarrowestpart，thislakewassixthousandpacesinwidth，andthatthedepthofitsmudwasunfathomable。Herepliedthathedidnotknow，butthatImightdowelltoinquireoftheladyMerapi。 “Soyouhavechangedyourmind，andalsothinkherawitch，“Isaid，towhichheanswered： “Onemustbreathethewindthatblows，andEgyptissofullofwitchcraftthatitisdifficulttosay。AlsoitwassheandnootherwhodestroyedtheancientstatueofAmon。Oh!yes，witchornowitch，itmightbewelltoaskherhowherpeoplepurposetocrosstheSeaofReeds，especiallyifPharaoh’schariotschancetobebehindthem。“ SoIdidaskher，butsheansweredthatsheknewnothingofthematter，andwishedtoknownothing，seeingthatshehadseparatedfromherpeople，andremainedinEgypt。 ThenKicame，Iknownotwhence，andhavingmadehispeacewithSetiastothedressingofMerapiintherobesofIsiswhich，hevowed，wasdonebythepriestsagainsthiswish，toldusthatPharaohandagreathosthadstartedtopursuetheIsraelites。ThePrinceaskedhimwhyhehadnotgonewiththehost，towhichherepliedthathewasnosoldier，alsothatPharaohhidhisfacefromhim。InreturnheaskedthePrincewhy/he/hadnotgone。 Setianswered，becausehadbeendeprivedofhiscommandwithhisotherofficersandhadnowishtotakeshareinthisbusinessasaprivatecitizen。 “Youarewise，asalways，Prince，“saidKi。 Itwasonthefollowingnight，verylate，whilethePrince，Ki，BakenkhonsuandI，Ana，sattalking，thatsuddenlytheladyMerapibrokeinuponusasshehadrisenfromherbed，wild-eyed，andwithherhairflowingdownherrobes。 “Ihavedreamedadream!“shecried。“IdreamedthatIsawallthethousandsofmypeoplefollowingafteraflamethatburnedfromearthtoheaven。TheycametotheedgeofagreatwaterandbehindthemrushedPharaohandallthehostsoftheEgyptians。Thenmypeopleranontothefaceofthewater，anditborethemasthoughitweresoundland。NowthesoldiersofthePharaohwerefollowing，butthegodsofEgyptappeared，Amon，Osiris，Horus，Isis，Hathor，andtherest，andwouldhaveturnedthemback。Stilltheyrefusedtolisten，anddraggingthegodswiththem，rushedoutuponthewater。Thendarknessfell，andinthedarknesssoundsofwailingandofamightylaughter。 Itpassed，themoonrose，shininguponemptiness。Iawoke，tremblinginmylimbs。Interpretmethisdreamifyoucan，OKi，MasterofMagic。“ “Whereistheneed，Lady，“heanswered，awakingasthoughfromsleep，“whenthedreamerisalsotheseer？Shallthepupilventuretoinstructtheteacher，orthenovicetomakeplainthemysteriestothehigh-priestessofthetemple？Nay，Lady，IandallthemagiciansofEgyptarebeneathyourfeet。“ “Whywillyouevermockme？“shesaid，andasshespoke，sheshivered。 ThenBakenkhonsuopenedhislips，saying： “ThewisdomofKihasbeenburiedinacloudoflate，andgivesnolighttous，hisdisciples。Yetthemeaningofthisdreamisplain，thoughwhetheritbealsotrueIdonotknow。ItisthatallthehostofEgypt，andwithitthegodsofEgypt，arethreatenedwithdestructionbecauseoftheIsraelites，unlessonetowhomtheywillhearkencanbefoundtoturnthemfromsomepurposethatIdonotunderstand。Buttowhomwillthemadhearken，oh!towhomwilltheyhearken？“andliftinghisgreathead，helookedstraightatthePrince。 “Nottome，Ifear，whonowamnooneinEgypt，“saidSeti。 “Whynottoyou，OPrince，whoto-morrowmaybeeveryoneinEgypt？“ askedBakenkhonsu。“AlwaysyouhavepleadedthecauseoftheHebrews，andsaidthatnaughtbutevilwouldbefallEgyptbecauseofthem，ashashappened。Towhom，then，willthepeopleandthearmylistenmorereadily？“ “Moreover，OPrince，“brokeinKi，“aladyofyourhouseholdhasdreamedaveryevildream，ofwhich，ifnaughtbesaid，itmightbeheldthatitwasnodream，butaspellofpoweraimedagainstthemajestyofEgypt；suchaspellasthatwhichcastgreatAmonfromhisthrone，suchaspellasthatwhichhassetamagicfencearoundthishouseandfield。“ “AgainItellyouthatIweavenospells，OKi，whowithmyownchildhavepaidthepriceofthem。“ “Yetspellswerewoven，Lady，andhasbeenknownfromofold，strengthisperfectedinsacrificealone，“Kianswereddarkly。 “Havedonewithyourtalkofspells，Magician，“exclaimedthePrince，“orifyoumustspeakofthem，speakofyourown，whicharemany。ItwasJabezwhoprotectedushereagainsttheplagues，andthestatueofAmonwasshatteredbysomegod。“ “Iaskyourpardon，Prince，“saidKibowing，“itwas/not/thisladybutherunclewhofencedyourhouseagainsttheplagueswhichravagedEgypt，anditwas/not/thisladybutsomegodworkinginherwhichoverthrewAmonofTanis。ThePrincehassaidit。YetthisladyhasdreamedacertaindreamwhichBakenkhonsuhasinterpretedalthoughI cannot，andIthinkthatPharaohandhiscaptainsshouldbetoldofthedream，thatonittheymayformtheirownjudgment。“ “Thenwhydoyounottellthem，Ki？“ “IthaspleasedPharaoh，OPrince，todismissmefromhisserviceasonewhofailedandtogivemyofficeofKherhebtoanother。IfI appearbeforethefaceofPharaohIshallbekilled。“