第28章

NorwasMerapialtogetherlonesome，seeingthattheredweltinMemphiscertainladieswhohadHebrewbloodintheirveins，orwerebornoftheIsraelitesandhadmarriedEgyptiansagainsttheirlaw。Amongtheseshemadefriends，andtogethertheyworshippedintheirownfashionwithnonetosaythemnay，sinceherenopriestswereallowedtotroublethem。 Forourpartweheldintercoursewithasmanyaswepleased，sincefewforgotthatSetiwasbybloodthePrinceofEgypt，thatis，amanalmosthalfdivine，andallwereeagertovisithim。Alsohewasmuchbelovedforhisownsakeandmoreparticularlybythepoor，whosewantsitwashisdelighttorelievetothefulllimitofhiswealth。 Thusitcameaboutthatwheneverhewentabroad，althoughagainsthiswill，hewasreceivedwithhonoursandhomagethatwerealmostroyal，forthoughPharaohcouldrobhimoftheCrownhecouldnotemptyhisveinsofthebloodofkings。 ItwasonthisaccountthatIfearedforhissafety，sinceIwassurethatthroughhisspiesAmenmesesknewallandwouldgrowjealousofadethronedprincewhowasstillsomuchadoredbythoseoverwhomofrightheshouldhaveruled。ItoldSetiofmydoubtsandthatwhenhetravelledthestreetsheshouldbeguardedbyarmedmen。Butheonlylaughedandansweredthat，astheHebrewshadfailedtokillhim，hedidnotthinkthatanyotherswouldsucceed。MoreoverhebelievedtherewerenoEgyptiansinthelandwhowouldliftaswordagainsthim，orputpoisoninhisdrink，whoeverbadethem。Alsoheaddedthesewords： “Thebestwaytoescapedeathistohavenofearofdeath，forthenOsirisshunsus。“ NowImusttellofthehappeningsatTanis。PharaohMeneptahlingeredbutafewhoursandneverfoundhismindagainbeforehisspiritflewtoHeaven。Thentherewasgreatmourningintheland，for，ifhewasnotloved，Meneptahwashonouredandfeared。OnlyamongtheIsraelitestherewasopenrejoicing，becausehehadbeentheirenemyandtheirprophetshadforetoldthatdeathwasneartohim。TheygaveitoutthathehadbeensmittenoftheirGod，whichcausedtheEgyptianstohatethemmorethanever。Therewasdoubt，too，andbewildermentinEgypt，forthoughhisproclamationdisinheritingthePrinceSetihadbeenpublishedabroad，thepeople，andespeciallythosewhodweltinthesouth，couldnotunderstandwhythisshouldhavebeendoneoveramatteroftheshepherdslaveswhodweltinGoshen。Indeed，hadthePrincebuthelduphishand，tensofthousandswouldhaveralliedtohisstandard。Yetthisherefusedtodo，whichastonishedalltheworld，whothoughtitmarvellousthatanymanshouldrefuseathronewhichwouldhaveliftedhimalmosttothelevelofthegods。Indeed，toavoidtheirimportunitieshehadsetoutatonceforMemphis，andthereremainedhiddenawayduringtheperiodofmourningforhisfather。SoitcameaboutthatAmenmesessucceededwithnonetosayhimnay，sincewithoutherhusbandUserticouldnotorwouldnotact。 AfterthedaysofembalmmentwereaccomplishedthebodyofPharaohMeneptahwascarrieduptheNiletobelaidinhiseternalhouse，thesplendidtombthathehadmadereadyforhimselfintheValleyofDeadKingsatThebes。TothisgreatceremonythePrinceSetiwasnotbidden，lest，asBakenkhonsutoldmeafterwards，hispresenceshouldcausesomerisinginhisfavour，withorwithouthiswill。Forthisreasonalsothedeadgod，ashewasnamed，wasnotsufferedtorestatMemphisonhislastjourneyuptheNile。DisguisedasamanofthepeoplethePrincewatchedhisfather’sbodypassinthefuneralbargeguardedbyshaven，white-robedpriests，thecentreofasplendidprocession。Infrontwentotherbargesfilledwithsoldiersandofficersofstate，behindcamethenewPharaohandallthegreatonesofEgypt，whilethesoundsoflamentationfloatedfaroverthefaceofthewaters。Theyappeared，theypassed，theydisappeared，andwhentheyhadvanishedSetiweptalittle，forinhisownfashionhelovedhisfather。 “Ofwhatuseisittobeakingandnamedhalf-divine，Ana，“hesaidtome，“seeingthattheendofsuchgodsastheseisthesameasthatofthebeggaratthegate？“ “This，Prince，“Ianswered，“thatakingcandomoregoodthanabeggarwhilethebreathisinhisnostrils，andleavebehindhimagreatexampletoothers。“ “Ormoreharm，Ana。Alsothebeggarcanleaveagreatexample，thatofpatienceinaffliction。Still，ifIweresurethatIshoulddonothingbutgood，thenperhapsIwouldbeaking。ButIhavenotedthatthosewhodesiretodothemostgoodoftenworkthegreatestharm。“ “Which，iffollowedout，wouldbeanargumentforwishingtodoevil，Prince。“ “Notso，“heanswered，“becausegoodtriumphsatthelast。Forgoodistruthandtruthrulesearthandheaven。“ “Thenitisclear，Prince，thatyoushouldseektobeaking。“ “Iwillremembertheargument，Ana，ifevertimebringsmeanopportunityunstainedbyblood，“heanswered。 WhentheobsequiesofPharaohwerefinished，AmenmesesreturnedtoTanis，andtherewascrownedasPharaoh。Iattendedthisgreatceremony，bearingcoronationgiftsofcertainroyalornamentswhichthePrincesenttoPharaoh，sayingitwasnotfitthathe，asaprivateperson，shouldwearthemanylonger。TheseIpresentedtoPharaoh，whotookthemdoubtfully，declaringthathedidnotunderstandthePrinceSeti’smindandactions。 “Theyhidenosnare，OPharaoh，“Isaid。“Asyourejoiceintheglorythatthegodshavesentyou，sothePrincemymasterrejoicesintherestandpeacewhichthegodshavegivenhim，askingnomore。“ “Itmaybeso，Scribe，butIfindthissostrangeathing，thatsometimesIfearlesttherichflowersofthisgloryofmineshouldhidesomedeadlysnake，whereofthePrinceknows，ifhedidnotsetitthere。“ “Icannotsay，OPharaoh，butwithoutdoubt，althoughhecouldworknoguile，thePrinceisnotasareothermen。Hismindisbothwideanddeep。“ “Toodeepforme，“mutteredAmenmeses。“Nevertheless，saytomyroyalcousinthatIthankhimforhisgifts，especiallyassomeofthemwereworn，whenhewasheirtoEgypt，bymyfatherKhaemuas，whoIwouldhadleftmehiswisdomaswellashisblood。Saytohimalsothatwhileherefrainsfromworkingmeharmuponthethrone，asIknowhehasdoneuptothepresent，hemaybesurethatIwillworkhimnoneinthestationwhichhehaschosen。“ AlsoIsawthePrincessUsertiwhoquestionedmecloselyconcerningherlord。Itoldhereverything，keepingnaughtback。Shelistenedandasked： “WhatofthatHebrewwoman，MoonofIsrael？Withoutdoubtshefillsmyplace。“ “Notso，Princess，“Ianswered。“ThePrincelivesalone。Neithershenoranyotherwomanfillsyourplace。Sheisafriendtohim，nomore。“ “Afriend!Well，atleastweknowtheendofsuchfriendships。Oh! surelythePrincemustbestrickenwithmadnessfromthegods!“ “Itmaybeso，yourHighness，butIthinkthatifthegodssmotemoremenwithsuchmadness，theworldwouldbebetterthanitis。“ “Theworldistheworld，andthebusinessofthosewhoareborntogreatnessistoruleitasitis，nottohideawayamongstbooksandflowers，andtotalkfollywithabeautifuloutlandwoman，andascribehoweverlearned，“sheansweredbitterly，adding，“Oh!ifthePrinceisnotmad，certainlyhedrivesotherstomadness，andme，hisspouse，amongthem。Thatthroneishis，his；yethesuffersacross- graineddolttotakehisplace，andsendshimgiftsandblessings。“ “IthinkyourHighnessshouldwaittilltheendofthestorybeforeyoujudgeofit。“ Shelookedatmesharply，andasked： “Whydoyousaythat？IsthePrincenofoolafterall？Doheandyou，whobothseemtobesosimple，perchanceplayagreatandhiddengame，asIhaveknownmenfeignfollyinordertodowithsafety？OrhasthatwitchofanIsraelitesomesecretknowledgeinwhichsheinstructsyou，suchasawomanwhocanshatterthestatueofAmontofinedustmightwellpossess？Youmakebelievenottoknow，whichmeansthatyouwillnotanswer。Oh!ScribeAna，ifonlyitweresafe，IthinkIcouldfindawaytowringthetruthoutofyou，althoughyoudopretendtobebutababeforinnocence。“ “ItpleasesyourHighnesstothreatenandwithoutcause。“ “No，“sheanswered，changinghervoiceandmanner，“Idonotthreaten； itisonlythemadnessthatIhavecaughtfromSeti。Wouldyounotbemadifyouknewthatanotherwomanwastobecrownedto-morrowinyourplace，because——because-“andshebegantoweep，whichfrightenedmemorethanallherroughwords。 Presentlyshedriedhertears，andsaid： “SaytomylordthatIrejoicetohearthatheiswellandsendhimgreetings，butthatneverofmyownwishwillIlookuponhislivingfaceagainunlessindeedhetakesanothercounsel，andsetshimselftowinthatwhichishisown。Saytohimthatthoughhehassolittlecareforme，andpaysnoheedtomydesires，stillIwatchoverhiswelfareandhissafety，asbestImay。“ “Hissafety，Princess!Pharaohassuredmenotanhouragothathehadnaughttofear，asindeedhefearsnaught。“ “Oh!whichofyouisthemorefoolish，“sheexclaimedstampingherfoot，“themanorhismaster？YoubelievethatthePrincehasnaughttofearbecausethatusurpertellsyouso，andhebelievesit——well，becausehefearsnaught。Foralittlewhilehemaysleepinpeace。ButlethimwaituntiltroublesofthissortorofthatariseinEgyptand，understandingthatthegodssendthemonaccountofthegreatwickednessthatmyfatherwroughtwhendeathhadhimbythethroatandhismindwasclouded，thepeoplebegintoturntheireyestowardstheirlawfulking。Thentheusurperwillgrowjealous，andifhehashisway，thePrincewillsleepinpeace——forever。Ifhisthroatremainsuncut，itwillbeforonereasononly，thatIholdbackthemurderer’shand。Farewell，Icantalknomore，forIsaytoyouthatmybrainisafire——andto-morrowheshouldhavebeencrowned，andI withhim，“andshesweptaway，royalasever，leavingmewonderingwhatshemeantwhenshespokeoftroublesarisinginEgypt，orifthewordswerebututteredathazard。 AfterwardsBakenkhonsuandIsuppedtogetheratthecollegeofthetempleofPtah，ofwhichbecauseofhisagehewascalledthefather，whenIheardmoreofthismatter。 “Ana，“hesaid，“ItellyouthatsuchgloomhangsoverEgyptasIhaveneverknownevenwhenitwasthoughtthattheNinebowBarbarianswouldconquerandenslavetheland。AmenmeseswillbethefifthPharaohwhomIhaveseencrowned，thefirstofthemwhenIwasbutalittlechildhangingtomymother’srobe，andnotoncehaveIknownsuchjoylessness。“ “Thatmaybebecausethecrownpassestoonewhoshouldnotwearit，Bakenkhonsu。“