第48章

ItwasontheanniversaryoftheDeathoftheFirstborn，andofthismatteritpleasedhimtotalktome。Upanddownthechamberhewalkedand，watchinghimbythelamplight，Inotedthatofasuddenheseemedtohavegrownmucholder，andthathisfacehadbecomesweetereventhanitwasbefore。Hewasmorethinalso，andhiseyeshadinthemalookofonewhostaresatdistances。 “Yourememberthatnight，Friend，doyounot，“hesaid；“perhapsthemostterriblenighttheworldhaseverseen，atleastinthelittlepieceofitcalledEgypt。“Heceased，liftedacurtain，andpointedtoaspotonthepillaredporticowithout。“Thereshesat，“hewenton； “thereyoustood；therelaytheboyandtherecrouchedhisnurse——bytheway，Igrievetohearthatsheisill。Youarecaringforher，areyounot，Ana？SaytoherthatPharaohwillcometovisither——whenhemay，whenhemay。“ “Irememberitall，Pharaoh。“ “Yes，ofcourseyouwouldremember，becauseyoulovedher，didyounot，andtheboytoo，andevenme，thefather。Andsoyouwillloveusalwayswhenwereachalandwheresexwithitswallsandfiresareforgotten，andlovealonesurvives——asweshallloveyou。“ “Yes，“Ianswered，“sinceloveisthekeyoflife，andthosealoneareaccursedwhohaveneverlearnedtolove。“ “Whyaccursed，Ana，seeingthat，iflifecontinues，theystillmaylearn？“Hepausedawhile，thenwenton：“Iamgladthathedied，Ana，althoughhadhelived，astheQueenwillhavenochildren，hemighthavebecomePharaohafterme。ButwhatisittobePharaoh？ForsixyearsnowIhavereigned，andIthinkthatIambeloved；reignedoverabrokenlandwhichIhavestriventobindtogether，reignedoverasicklandwhichIhavestriventoheal，reignedoveradesolatedlandwhichIhavestriventomakeforget。Oh!thecurseofthoseHebrewsworkedwell。AndIthinkthatitwasmyfault，Ana，forhadIbeenmoreofaman，insteadofcastingasidemyburden，IshouldhavestoodupagainstmyfatherMeneptahandhispolicyand，ifneedwere，haveraisedthepeople。ThentheIsraeliteswouldhavegone，andnoplagueswouldhavesmittenEgypt。Well，whatIdid，IdidbecauseImust，perhaps，andwhathashappened，hashappened。Andnowmytimecomestoanend，andIgohencetobalancemyaccountasbestImay，prayingthatImayfindjudgeswhounderstand，andaregentle。“ “WhydoesPharaohspeakthus？“Iasked。 “Idonotknow，Ana，yetthatHebrewwifeofminehasbeenmuchinmymindoflate。Shewaswiseinherway，aswiseasloving，wasshenot，andifwecouldseeheronceagain，perhapsshewouldanswerthequestion。Butalthoughsheseemssoneartome，Inevercanseeher，quite。Canyou，Ana？“ “No，Pharaoh，thoughonenightoldBakenkhonsuvowedthatheperceivedherpassingbeforeus，andlookingatmeearnestlyasshepassed。“ “Ah!Bakenkhonsu。Well，heiswisetoo，andlovedherinhisfashion。 Alsothefleshfadesfromhim，thoughmayhaphewilllivetomakeofferingsatbothourtombs。Well，BakenkhonsuisatTanis，orisitatThebes，withherMajesty，whomheeverlovestoobserve，asIdo。 Sohecantellusnothingofwhathethoughthesaw。Thischamberishot，Ana，letusstandwithout。“ Sowepassedthecurtain，andstoodupontheportico，lookingatthegardenmistywithmoonlight，andtalkingofthisandthat——abouttheIsraelites，Ithink，who，asweheard，werewanderinginthedesertsofSinai。Thenofasuddenwegrewsilent，bothofus。 Acloudfloatedoverthefaceofthemoon，leavingtheworldindarkness。Itpassed，andIbecameawarethatwewerenolongeralone。 Thereinfrontofuswasamat，andonthematlayadeadchild，theroyalchildnamedSeti；therebythematstoodawomanwithagonyinhereyes，lookingatthedeadchild，theHebrewwomannamedMoonofIsrael。 Setitouchedme，andpointedtoher，andIpointedtothechild。Westoodbreathless。Thenofasudden，stoopingdown，Merapiliftedupthechildandheldittowardsitsfather。But，lo!nownolongerwasitdead；nay，itlaughedandlaughed，andseeinghim，seemedtothrowitsarmsabouthisneck，andtokisshimonthelips。Moreover，theagonyinthewoman’seyesturnedtojoyunspeakable，andshebecamemorebeautifulthanastar。Then，laughinglikethechild，MerapiturnedtoSeti，beckoned，andwasgone。 “Wehaveseenthedead，“hesaidtomepresently，“and，oh!Ana，/thedeadstilllive!/“ Thatnight，eredawn，acryrangthroughthepalace，wakingmefrommysleep。Thiswasthecry： “ThegoodgodPharaohisnomore!ThehawkSetihasflowntoheaven!“ AttheburialofPharaoh，Ilaidthehalvesofthebrokencupuponhisbreast，thathemightdrinktherefromintheDayofResurrection。 HereendsthewritingoftheScribeAna，theCounsellorandCompanionoftheKing，byhimbeloved。 End