第19章

“Murder!“ “Shemeansthatsheisgoingtobemurdered，“saidthePrincetome。 “No，“shepanted，“you——you!TheHebrews。Goback!“ “Turnthehorses!“Icriedtothecharioteer。 Hebegantoobeyhelpedbythetwoguards，butbecauseofthenarrownessoftheroadandthesteepnessofthebanksthiswasnoteasy。Indeedtheywerebuthalfroundinsuchfashionthattheyblockedthepathwayfromsidetoside，whenawildyellof’Jahveh’ brokeuponourears，andfromroundthebend，afewpacesaway，rushedahordeoffierce，hook-nosedmen，brandishingknivesandswords。 Scarcelywastheretimeforustoleapbehindtheshelterofthechariotandmakeready，whentheywereonus。 “Hearken，“Isaidtothecharioteerastheycame，“runasyouneverranbefore，andbringuptheguardbehind!“ Hesprangawaylikeanarrow。 “Getback，Lady，“criedSeti。“Thisisnowoman’swork，andseeherecomesLabantoseekyou，“andhepointedwithhisswordattheleaderofthemurderers。 Sheobeyed，staggeringafewpacestoastoneattheroadside，behindwhichshecrouched。Afterwardsshetoldmethatshehadnostrengthtogofurther，andindeednowill，sinceifwewerekilled，itwerebetterthatshewhohadwarnedusshouldbekilledalso。 Nowtheyhadreachedus，thewholefloodofthem，thirtyorfortymen。 Thefirstwhocamestabbedthefrightenedhorses，anddowntheywentagainstthebank，struggling。OnthechariotleapttheHebrews，seekingtocomeatus，andwemetthemasbestwemight，tearingoffourcloaksandthrowingthemoverourleftarmstoserveasshields。 Oh!whatafightwasthat。Intheopen，orhadwenotbeenprepared，wemusthavebeenslainatonce，but，asitwas，theplaceandthebarrierofthechariotgaveussomeadvantage。Sonarrowwastheroadway，thewallsofwhichwereheretoosteeptoclimb，thatnotmorethanfouroftheHebrewscouldstrikeatusatonce，whichfourmustfirstsurmountthechariotorthestilllivinghorses。 Butwealsowerefour，andthankstoUserti，twoofuswerecladinmailbeneathourrobes——fourstrongmenfightingfortheirlives。 AgainstuscamefouroftheHebrews。OneleaptfromthechariotstraightatSeti，whoreceivedhimuponthepointofhisironsword，whereofIheardthehiltringagainsthisbreast-bone，thatsamefamousironswordwhichto-dayliesburiedwithhiminhisgrave。 Downhecamedead，throwingthePrincetothegroundbytheweightofhisbody。TheHebrewwhoattackedmecaughthisfootonthechariotpoleandfellforward，soIkilledhimeasilywithablowuponthehead，whichgavemetimetodragthePrincetohisfeetagainbeforeanotherfollowed。Thetwoguardsalso，sturdyfightersbothofthem，killedormortallywoundedtheirmen。ButotherswerepressingbehindsothickandfastthatIcouldkeepnocountofallthathappenedafterwards。 PresentlyIsawoneoftheguardsfall，slainbyLaban。Astabonthebreastsentmereelingbackwards；haditnotbeenforthatmailIwassped。Theotherguardkilledhimwhowouldhavekilledme，andthenhimselfwaskilledbytwowhocameonhimatonce。 NowonlythePrinceandIwereleft，fightingbacktoback。Heclosedwithoneman，averygreatfellow，andwoundedhimonthehand，sothathedroppedhissword。Thismangrippedhimroundthemiddleandtheyrolledtogetherontheground。LabanappearedandstabbedthePrinceintheback，butthecurvedknifehewasusingsnappedontheSyrianmail。IstruckatLabanandwoundedhimonthehead，dazinghimsothathestaggeredbackandseemedtofalloverthechariot。Thenothersrushedatme，andbutforUserti’sarmourthreetimesatleastImusthavedied。Fightingmadly，Istaggeredagainsttherock，andwhilstwaitingforanewonset，sawthatSeti，hurtbyLaban’sthrust，wasnowbeneaththegreatHebrewwhohadhimbythethroat，andwaschokingthelifeoutofhim。 Isawsomethingelsealso——awomanholdingaswordwithbothhandsandstabbingdownward，afterwhichthegripoftheHebrewloosenedfromSeti’sthroat。 “Traitress!“criedone，andstruckather，sothatshereeledbackhurt。Thenwhenallseemedfinished，andbeneaththerainofblowsmysenseswerefailing，Iheardthethunderofhorses’hoofsandtheshoutof“/Egypt!Egypt!/“fromthethroatsofsoldiers。Theflashofbronzecaughtmydazedeyes，andwiththeroarofbattleinmyearsI seemedtofallasleepjustasthelightofdaydeparted。 Dreamupondream。Dreamsofvoices，dreamsoffaces，dreamsofsunlightandofmoonlightandofmyselfbeingborneforward，alwaysforward；dreamsofshoutingcrowds，and，aboveall，dreamsofMerapi’seyeslookingdownonmeliketwowatchingstarsfromheaven。Thenatlasttheawakening，andwithitthrobsofpainandqualmsofsickness。 AtfirstIthoughtthatIwasdeadandlyinginatomb。ThenbydegreesIsawthatIwasinnotombbutinadarkenedroomthatwasfamiliartome，myownroominSeti’spalaceatTanis。Itmustbeso，forthere，neartothebedonwhichIlay，wasmyownchestfilledwiththemanuscriptsthatIhadbroughtfromMemphis。Itriedtoliftmylefthand，butcouldnot，andlookingdownsawthatthearmwasbandagedliketothatofamummy，whichmademethinkagainthatI mustbedead，ifthedeadcouldsuffersomuchpain。Iclosedmyeyesandthoughtorsleptawhile。 AsIlaythusIheardvoices。Oneofthemseemedtobethatofaphysician，whosaid，“Yes，hewillliveanderelongrecover。Theblowupontheheadwhichhasmadehimsenselessforsomanydayswastheworstofhiswounds，butthebonewasbutbruised，notshatteredordriveninuponthebrain。Thefleshcutsonhisarmsarehealingwell，andthemailheworeprotectedhisvitalsfrombeingpierced。“ “Iamglad，physician，“answeredavoicethatIknewtobethatofUserti，“sincewithoutadoubt，haditnotbeenforAna，hisHighnesswouldhaveperished。ItisstrangethatonewhomIthoughttobenothingbutadreamingscribeshouldhaveshownhimselfsobraveawarrior。ThePrincesaysthatthisAnakilledthreeofthosedogswithhisownhands，andwoundedothers。“ “Itwaswelldone，yourHighness，“answeredthephysician，“butstillbetterwashisforethoughtinprovidingarear-guardandindespatchingthecharioteertocallitup。ItseemstohavebeentheHebrewladywhoreallysavedthelifeofhisHighness，when，forgettinghersex，shestabbedthemurdererwhohadhimbythethroat。“ “ThatisthePrince’stale，orsoIunderstand，“sheansweredcoldly。 “Yetitseemsstrangethataweakandworn-outgirlcouldhavepiercedagiantthroughfrombacktobreast。“ “Atleastshewarnedhimoftheambush，yourHighness。“ “Sotheysay。PerhapsAnaherewillsoontellusthetruthaboutthesematters。Tendhimwell，physician，andyoushallnotlackforyourreward。“ Thentheywentaway，stilltalking，andIlayquiet，filledwiththankfulnessandwonder，fornoweverythingcamebacktome。 Awhilelater，asIlaywithmyeyesstillshut，foreventhatlowlightseemedtohurtthem，Ibecameawareofawoman’ssoftstepstealingroundmybedandofafragrancesuchascomesfromawoman’srobesandhair。IlookedandsawMerapi’sstar-likeeyesgazingdownonmejustasIhadseentheminmydreams。 “Greeting，MoonofIsrael，“Isaid。“Ofatruthwemeetagaininstrangecase。“ “Oh!“shewhispered，“areyouawakeatlast？IthankGod，ScribeAna，whoforthreedaysthoughtthatyoumustdie。“ “As，haditnotbeenforyou，Lady，surelyIshouldhavedone——Iandanother。Nowitseemsthatallthreeofuswilllive。“ “Wouldthatbuttwolived，thePrinceandyou，Ana。Wouldthat/I/haddied，“sheanswered，sighingheavily。 “Why？“ “Cannotyouguess？BecauseIamoutcastwhohasbetrayedmypeople。 Becausetheirbloodflowsbetweenmeandthem。ForIkilledthatman，andhewasmyownkinsman，forthesakeofanEgyptian——Imean，Egyptians。ThereforethecurseofJahvehisonme，andasmykinsmandieddoubtlessIshalldieinadaytocome，andafterwards——what？“ “Afterwardspeaceandgreatreward，iftherebejusticeinearthorheaven，Omostnobleamongwomen。“ “WouldthatIcouldthinkso!Hush，Ihearsteps。Drinkthis；Iamthechiefofyournurses，ScribeAna，anhonourablepost，sinceto-dayallEgyptlovesandpraisesyou。“ “Surelyitisyou，ladyMerapi，whomallEgyptshouldloveandpraise，“Ianswered。 ThenthePrinceSetientered。Istrovetosalutehimbyliftingmylessinjuredarm，buthecaughtmyhandandpressedittenderly。 “Hailtoyou，belovedofMenthu，godofwar，“hesaid，withhispleasantlaugh。“IthoughtIhadhiredascribe，andlo!inthisscribeIfindasoldierwhomightbeanarmy’sboast。“ AtthismomenthecaughtsightofMerapi，whohadmovedbackintotheshadow。 “Hailtoyoualso，MoonofIsrael，“hesaidbowing。“IfInameAnahereawarriorofthebest，whatnamecanbothofusfindforyoutowhomweoweourlives？Nay，looknotdown，butanswer。“