第46章

“Pharaoh!“saidtheman。“WehavesuretidingsthatPharaohandhisarmiesareslainbywizardryinthesea。“ “Fool!“thunderedthePrince，“Pharaohneverdies。PharaohAmenmesesiswithOsirisbutthegoodgodSetiMeneptahwho/is/Pharaohbidsyouopen。“ Thenthebronzegatesrolledback，andthosewhoguardedthemprostratedthemselvesinthedust。 “Man，“Icalledtothecaptain，“whatmeansyondershouting？“ “Sir，“heanswered，“Idonotknow，butIamtoldthatthewitchwhohasbroughtwoeonEgyptandbymagiccausedthedeathofPharaohAmenmesesandhisarmies，diesbyfireintheplacebeforethetemple。“ “Bywhosecommand？“Icriedagainasthecharioteerfloggedthehorses，butnoanswerreachedourears。 Werushedonupthewidestreettothegreatplacethatwaspackedwithtensofthousandsofthepeople。Wedrovethehorsesatthem。 “WayforPharaoh!WayfortheMightyOne，thegoodgod，SetiMeneptah，KingoftheUpperandtheLowerLand!“shoutedtheescort。 ThepeopleturnedandsawthetallshapeofthePrincestillcladintherobesofstatewhichhehadwornwhenhestoodbeforeAmenmesesinthepavilionbythesea。 “Pharaoh!Pharaoh!HailtoPharaoh!“theycried，prostratingthemselves，andthecrypassedonthroughMemphislikeawind。 Nowwewerecometothecentreoftheplace，andthereinfrontofthegreatgatesofthetempleburnedavastpyreofwood。Beforethepyremovedfigures，inoneofwhomIknewKidressedinhismagician’srobe。Outsideofthesetherewasadoublecircleofsoldierswhokeptthepeopleback，whichtheseneeded，fortheyravedlikemadmenandshooktheirfists。Agroupofpriestsnearthefireseparated，andI sawthatamongthemstoodamanandawoman，thelatterwithdishevelledhairandtornrobesasthoughshehadbeenroughlyhandled。Atthismomentherstrengthseemedtofailherandshesanktotheground，liftingherfaceasshedidso。ItwasthefaceofMerapi，MoonofIsrael。 Soshewasnotdead。Themanathersidestoopedasthoughtoliftherup，butastonethrownoutoftheshadowstruckhiminthebackandcausedhimtostraightenhimself，whichhedidwithacurseatthethrower。Iknewthevoiceatonce，althoughthespeakerwasdisguised。 ItwasthatofLabantheIsraelite，hewhohadbeenbetrothedtoMerapi，andhadstriventomurderusinthelandofGoshen。Whatdidhehere？Iwondereddimly。 Kiwasspeaking。“HarkhowtheHebrewcatspits，“hesaid。“Well，thecausehasbeentriedandtheverdictgiven，andIthinkthatthefamiliarshouldfeedtheflamesbeforethewitch。Watchhimnow，andperhapshewillchangeintosomethingelse。“ Allthishesaid，smilinginhisusualpleasantfashion，evenwhenhemadeasigntocertainblacktempleslaveswhostoodnear。Theyleaptforward，andIsawthefirelightshoneupontheircopperarmletsastheygrippedLaban。Hefoughtfuriously，shouting： “Whereareyourarmies，Egyptians，andwhereisyourdogofaPharaoh？ GodigthemfromtheSeaofReeds。Farewell，MoonofIsrael。Lookhowyourroyallovercrownsyouatthelast，Ofaithless-“ Hesaidnomore，foratthismomenttheslaveshurledhimheadlongintotheheartofthegreatfire，whichblackenedforalittleandburnedbrightagain。 ThenitwasthatMerapistruggledtoherfeetandcriedinaringingvoicethoseverywordswhichthePrinceandIhadseemedtohearherspeakfarawaybytheSeaofReeds——“/Oh!helpmemylordSeti!Helpme，mylordSeti!/“Yes，thesamewordswhichhadechoedinourearsdaysbeforetheypassedherlips，orsowebelieved。 Nowallthiswhileourchariotshadbeenforcingtheirwayfootbyfootthroughthewallofthewatchingcrowd，perhapswhileamanmightcountahundred，nomore。Astheechoesofhercrydiedawayatlengthwewerethroughandleapingtotheground。 “Thewitchcallsononewhosupsto-nightattheboardofOsiriswithPharaohandhishost，“sneeredKi。“Well，lethergotoseekhimthereiftheguardiangodswillsufferit，“andagainhemadeasigntotheblackslaves。 ButMerapihadseenorfeltSetiadvancingfromtheshadowsandseeingflungherselfuponhisbreast。Hekissedheronthebrowbeforethemall，thenbademeholdherupandturnedtofacethepeople。 “Bowdown。Bowdown。Bowdown!“criedthedeepvoiceofBakenkhonsu。 “Life!Blood!Strength!Pharaoh!Pharaoh!Pharaoh!“andwhathesaidtheescortechoed。 Thenofasuddenthemultitudeunderstood。Totheirkneestheyfellandfromeverysiderosetheancientsalutation。Setihelduphishandandblessedthem。Watching，IsawKisliptowardsthedarkness，andwhisperedawordtotheguards，whospranguponhimandbroughthimback。 ThenthePrincespoke： “YenamemePharaoh，peopleofMemphis，andPharaohIfearIambydescentofbloodto-day，thoughwhetherIwillconsenttobeartheburdensofgovernment，shouldEgyptwishitofme，asyetIknownot。 Stillhewhoworethedoublecrownis，Ibelieve，deadinthemidstofthesea；attheleastIsawthewatersoverwhelmhimandhisarmy。 Therefore，ifonlyforanhour，IwillbePharaoh，thatasPharaohI mayjudgeofcertainmatters。LadyMerapi，tellme，Iprayyou，howcameyoutothispass？“ “Mylord，“sheanswered，inalowvoice，“afteryouhadgonetowarnthearmyofPharaohbecauseofthatdreamIdreamed，Ki，whodepartedonthesameday，returnedagain。Throughoneofthewomenofthehousehold，overwhomhehadpower，orsoIthink，heobtainedaccesstomewhenIwasaloneinmychamber。Therehemademethisoffer： “’Giveme，’hesaid，’thesecretofyourmagicthatImaybeavengeduponthewizardsoftheHebrewswhohavebroughtaboutmydownfall，andupontheHebrewsthemselves，andalsouponallmyotherenemies，andthusoncemorebecomethegreatestmaninEgypt。InturnIwillfulfilallyourdesires，andmakeyou，andnoother，QueenofEgypt，andbeyourfaithfulservant，andthatofyourlordSetiwhoshallbePharaoh，untiltheendofyourlives。Refuse，andIwillstirupthepeopleagainstyou，andbeforeeverthePrincereturns，ifhereturnsatall，theywhobelieveyoutobeanevilsorceressshallmeteouttoyouthefateofasorceress。’ “Mylord，IansweredtoKiwhatIhaveoftentoldhimbefore，thatI hadnomagictorevealtohim，Iwhoknewnothingoftheblackartsofsorcery，seeingthatitwasnotIwhodestroyedthestatueofAmoninthetempleatTanis，butthatsamePowerwhichsincethenhasbroughtalltheplaguesonEgypt。Isaid，too，thatIcarednothingforthegiftsheofferedtome，asIhadnowishtobeQueenofEgypt。Mylord，helaughedinmyface，sayingIshouldfindthathewasoneilltomock，asothershadfoundbeforeme。Thenhepointedatmewithhiswandandmutteredsomespelloverme，whichseemedtonumbmylimbsandvoice，holdingmehelplesstillhehadbeengonealongwhile，andcouldnotbefoundbyyourservants，whomIcommandedinyournametoseize，andkeephimtillyourreturn。 “Fromthathourthepeoplebegantothreatenme。Theycrowdedaboutthepalacegatesinthousands，cryingdayandnightthattheyweregoingtokillme，thewitch。Iprayedforhelp，butfromme，asinner，heavenhasgrownsofarawaythatmyprayersseemtofallbackunhearduponmyhead。Eventheservantsinthepalaceturnedagainstme，andwouldnotlookuponmyface。Igrewmadwithfearandloneliness，sinceallfledbeforeme。AtlastonenighttowardsthedawnIwentontotheterrace，andsincenogodwouldhearme，IturnedtowardsthenorthwhitherIknewthatyouhadgone，andcriedtoyoutohelpmeinthosesamewordswhichIcriedagainjustnowbeforeyouappeared。“ (HerethePrincelookedatmeandIAnalookedathim。)“Thenitwasthatfromamongthebushesofthegardenappearedaman，hiddeninalong，sheepskincloak，sothatIcouldnotseehisface，whosaidtome： “’MoonofIsrael，IhavebeensentbyhisHighness，thePrinceSeti，totellyouthatyouareindangerofyourlife，asheisindangerofhis，whereforehecannotcometoyou。Hiscommandisthatyoucometohim，thattogetheryoumayfleeawayoutofEgypttoalandwhereyouwillbothbesafeuntilallthesetroublesarefinished。’ “’HowknowIthatyouoftheveiledfaceareatruemessenger？’I asked。’Givemeasign。’ “Thenheheldouttomethatscarab？usoflapis-lazuliwhichyourHighnessgavetomefarawayinthelandofGoshen，thesamethatyouaskedbackfrommeasalovetokenwhenweplightedtroth，andyougavemeyourroyalring，whichscarab？usIhadseeninyourrobewhenyoudroveawaywithAna。“ “IlostitonourjourneytotheSeaofReeds，butsaidnothingofittoyou，Ana，becauseIthoughttheomenevil，havingdreamedinthenightthatKiappearedandstoleitfromme，“whisperedthePrincetome。 “’Itisnotenough，’Ianswered。’Thisjewelmayhavebeenthievedaway，orsnatchedfromthedeadbodyofthePrince，ortakenfromhimbymagic。’ “Thecloakedmanthoughtawhileandsaid，’Thisnight，notanhourago，PharaohandhischariotswereoverwhelmedintheSeaofReeds。 Letthatserveasasign。’ “’Howcanthisbe？’Ianswered，’sincetheSeaofReedsisfaraway，andsuchtidingscannottravelthenceinanhour。Getyougone，falsetempter。’ “’Yetitisso，’heanswered。 “’Whenyouproveittome，Iwillbelieve，andcome。’ “’Good，’hesaid，andwasgone。