第47章

“Nextdayarumourbegantorunthatthisawfulthinghadhappened。Itgrewstrongerandstronger，untilallsworethatithadhappened。Nowthefuryofthepeopleroseagainstme，andtheyravenedroundthepalacelikelionsofthedesert，roaringformyblood。Yetitwasasthoughtheycouldnotenterhere，sincewhenevertheyrushedatthegatesorwalls，theyfellbackagain，forsomespiritseemedtoprotecttheplace。Thedayswentby；thenightcameagainandatthedawn，thisdawnthatispast，oncemoreIstoodupontheterrace，andoncemorethecloakedmanappearedfromamongthetrees。 “’Nowyouhaveheard，MoonofIsrael，’hesaid，’andnowyoumustbelieveandcome，althoughyouthinkyourselfsafebecauseatthebeginningoftheplaguesthis，thehomeofSeti，wasenchantedagainstevil，sothatnonewithinitcanbeharmed。’ “’Ihaveheard，andIthinkthatIbelieve，thoughhowthetidingsreachedMemphisinanhourIdonotunderstand。Yet，stranger，Isaytoyouthatitisnotenough。’ “Thenthemandrewapapyrusrollfromhisbosomandthrewitatmyfeet。Iopeneditandread。ThewritingwasthewritingofAnaasI knewwell，andthesignaturewasthesignatureofyou，mylord，anditwassealedwithyourseal，andwiththesealofBakenkhonsuasawitness。Hereitis，“andfromthebreastofhergarment，shedrewoutarollandgaveittomeuponwhomsherestedallthiswhile。 Iopenedit，andbythelightoftorchesthePrince，Bakenkhonsu，andIread。Itwasasshehadtoldusinwhatseemedtobemywriting，andsignedandsealedasshehadsaid。Thewordsran： “ToMerapi，MoonofIsrael，inmyhouseatMemphis。 “Come，Lady，FlowerofLove，tomeyourlord，towhomthebearerofthiswillguideyousafely。Comeatonce，forIamingreatdanger，asyouare，andtogetheronlycanwebesafe。“ “Ana，whatmeansthis？“askedthePrinceinaterriblevoice。“Ifyouhavebetrayedmeandher-“ “Bythegods，“Ibeganangrily，“amIamanthatIshouldlivetohearevenyourHighnessspeakthustome，oramIbutadogofthedesert？“ Iceased，foratthatmomentBakenkhonsubegantolaugh。 “Lookattheletter!“helaughed。“Lookattheletter。“ Welooked，andaswelooked，beholdthewritingonitturnedfirsttothecolourofbloodandthenfadedaway，tillpresentlytherewasnothinginmyhandbutablanksheetofpapyrus。 “Oho-ho!“laughedBakenkhonsu。“Truly，friendKi，youarethefirstofmagicians，savethoseprophetsoftheIsraeliteswhohavebroughtyou——Whitherhavetheybroughtyou，friendKi？“ ThenforthefirsttimethepaintedsmileleftthefaceofKi，anditbecamelikeablockofstoneinwhichweresettwoangryjewelsthatwerehiseyes。 “Continue，Lady，“saidthePrince。 “Iobeyedtheletter。Ifledawaywiththemanwhosaidhehadachariotwaiting。Wepassedoutbythelittlegate。 “’Whereisthechariot？’Iasked。 “’Wegobyboat，’heanswered，andledthewaytowardstheriver。Aswethreadedthebigpalmgrovemenappearedfrombetweenthetrees。 “’Youhavebetrayedme，’Icried。 “’Nay，’heanswered，’Iammyselfbetrayed。’ “ThenforthefirsttimeIknewhisvoiceforthatofLaban。 “Themenseizedus；attheheadofthemwasKi。 “’Thisisthewitch，’hesaid，’who，herwickednessfinished，flieswithherHebrewlover，whoisalsothefamiliarofhersorceries。’ “TheytorethecloakandthefalsebeardfromhimandtherebeforemestoodLaban。Icursedhimtohisface。Butallheansweredwas： “’Merapi，whatIhavedoneIdidforloveofyou。Itwasmypurposetotakeyouawaytoourpeople，forhereIknewthattheywouldkillyou。 ThismagicianpromisedyoutomeifIcouldtemptyoufromthesafetyofthepalace，inreturnforcertaintidingsthatIhavegivenhim。’ “Theseweretheonlywordsthatpassedbetweenustilltheend。Theydraggedustothesecretprisonofthegreattemplewherewewereseparated。HerealldaylongKiandtheprieststormentedmewithquestions，towhichIgavenoanswer。TowardstheeveningtheybroughtmeoutandledmeherewithLabanatmyside。Whenthepeoplesawmeagreatcrywentupof’Sorceress!Hebrewwitch!’Theybrokethroughtheguard；theyseizedme，threwmetothegroundandbeatme。Labanstrovetoprotectmebutwastornaway。Atlengththepeopleweredrivenoff，andoh!mylord，youknowtherest。Ihavespokentruth，I cannomore。“ Sosayingherkneesloosenedbeneathherandsheswooned。Weborehertothechariot。 “Youhaveheard，Ki，“saidthePrince。“Now，whatanswer？“ “None，OPharaoh，“herepliedcoldly，“forPharaohyouare，asI promisedthatyoushouldbe。Myspirithasdesertedme，thoseHebrewshavestolenitaway。Thatwritingshouldhavefadedfromthescrollassoonasitwasreadbyyonderlady，andthenIwouldhavetoldyouanotherstory；astoryofsecretlove，ofbetrayalandattemptedflightwithherlover。Butsomeevilgodkeptitthereuntilyoualsohadread，youwhoknewthatyouhadnotwrittenwhatappearedbeforeyoureyes。Pharaoh，Iamconquered。Doyourwillwithme，andfarewell。Belovedyoushallalwaysbeasyouhavealwaysbeen，buthappyneverinthisworld。“ “OPeople，“criedSeti，“Iwillnotbejudgeinmyowncause。Youhaveheard，doyoujudge。Forthiswizard，whatreward？“ Thentherewentupagreatcryof“Death!Deathbyfire。Thedeathhehadmadereadyfortheinnocent!“ Thatwastheend，buttheytoldmeafterwardsthat，whenthegreatpyrehadburnedout，initwasfoundtheheadofKilookinglikeared-hotstone。Whenthesunlightfellonit，however，itcrumbledandfadedaway，asthewritinghadfadedfromtheroll。IfthisbetrueI donotknow，whowasnotpresentatthetime。 WeboreMerapitothepalace。Shelivedbutthreedays，shewhosebodyandspiritwerebroken。ThelasttimeIsawherwaswhenshesentformenotanhourbeforedeathcame。ShewaslyinginSeti’sarmsbabblingtohimoftheirchildandlookingverysweetandhappy。Shethankedmeformyfriendship，smilingthewhileinawaywhichshowedmethatsheknewitwasmorethanfriendship，andbademetendmymasterwelluntilweallmetagainelsewhere。ThenshegavemeherhandtokissandIwentawayweeping。 AftershewasdeadastrangefancytookSeti。Inthegreathallofthepalacehecausedagoldenthronetobeputup，andonthisthronehesetherinregalgarments，withpectoralandnecklacesofgems，crownedlikeaqueenofEgypt，andthusheshowedhertothelordsofMemphis。Thenhecausedhertobeembalmedandburiedinasecretsepulchre，theplaceofwhichIhaveswornnevertoreveal，butwithoutanyritesbecauseshewasnotofthefaithofEgypt。 TherethenshesleepsinhereternalhouseuntiltheDayofResurrection，andwithhersleepsherlittleson。 ItwaswithinamoonofthisfuneralthatthegreatonesofEgyptcametoMemphistonamethePrinceasPharaoh，andwiththemcameherHighness，theQueenUserti。Iwaspresentattheceremony，whichtomewasverystrange。TherewastheVizierNehesi；therewasthehigh- priestRoiandwithhimmanyotherpriests；andtherewaseventheoldchamberlainPambasa，pompousyetgrovellingasbefore，althoughhehaddesertedthehouseholdofthePrinceafterhisdisinheritanceforthatofthePharaohAmenmeses。Hisappearancewithhiswandofofficeandlongwhitebeard，ofwhichhewassoproudbecauseitwashisown，drewfromSetitheonlylaughIhadheardhimutterformanyweeks。 “Soyouarebackagain，ChamberlainPambasa，“hesaid。 “OmostHoly，OmostRoyal，“answeredtheoldknave，“hasPambasa，thegrainofdustbeneathyourfeet，everdesertedtheHouseofPharaoh，orthatofhimwhowillbePharaoh？“ “No，“repliedSeti，“itisonlywhenyouthinkthathewillnotbePharaohthatyoudesert。Well，getyoutoyourduties，rogue，whoperhapsatbottomareashonestastherest。“ ThenfollowedthegreatandancientceremonyoftheOfferingoftheCrown，inwhichspokepriestsdisguisedasgodsandotherpriestsdisguisedasmightyPharaohsofthepast；alsothenoblesoftheNomesandthechiefmenofcities。WhenallhadfinishedSetianswered： “Itakethis，myheritage，“andhetouchedthedoublecrown，“notbecauseIdesireitbutbecauseitismyduty，asIsworethatIwouldtoonewhohasdeparted。BlowuponblowhavesmittenEgyptwhich，I think，hadmyvoicebeenlistenedto，wouldneverhavefallen。Egyptliesbleedingandwell-nighdead。Letitbeyourworkandminetotrytonurseherbacktolife。FornolongwhileamIwithyou，whoalsohavebeensmitten，howitmattersnot，yetwhileIamhere，IwhoseemtoreignwillbeyourservantandthatofEgypt。Itismydecreethatnofeastsorceremonialsshallmarkthismyaccession，andthatthewealthwhichwouldhavebeenscattereduponthemshallbedistributedamongthewidowsandchildrenofthosewhoperishedintheSeaofReeds。Depart!“ Theywent，humbleyethappy，sinceherewasaPharaohwhoknewtheneedsofEgypt，onetoowholovedherandwhoalonehadshownhimselfwiseofheartwhileotherswerefilledwithmadness。ThenherHighnessentered，splendidlyapparelled，crownedandfollowedbyherhousehold，andmadeobeisance。 “GreetingtoPharaoh，“shecried。 “GreetingtotheRoyalPrincessofEgypt，“heanswered。 “Nay，Pharaoh，theQueenofEgypt。“ BySeti’ssidetherewasanotherthrone，thatinwhichhehadsetdeadMerapiwithacrownuponherhead。Heturnedandlookedatitawhile。 Then，hesaid： “Iseethatthisseatisempty。LettheQueenofEgypttakeherplacethereifsoshewills。“ Shestaredathimasifshethoughtthathewasmad，thoughdoubtlessshehadheardsomethingofthatstory，thensweptupthestepsandsatherselfdownintheroyalchair。 “YourMajestyhasbeenlongabsent，“saidSeti。 “Yes，“sheanswered，“butasmyMajestypromisedshewoulddo，shehasreturnedtoherlawfulplaceatthesideofPharaoh——nevertoleaveitmore。“ “PharaohthanksherMajesty，“saidSeti，bowinglow。 Somesixyearshadgoneby，whenonenightIwasseatedwiththePharaohSetiMeneptahinhispalaceatMemphis，fortherehealwayschosetodwellwhenmattersofStateallowed。