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You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The Ancient Allan + +Author: H. Rider Haggard + +Release Date: May, 2004 [EBook #5746] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on August 22, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ANCIENT ALLAN *** + + + + +Etext prepared by Dagny, dagnypg@yahoo.com + and John Bickers, jbickers@ihug.co.nz + + + + +THE ANCIENT ALLAN +By H. Rider Haggard + +First Published 1920. + + + + THE ANCIENT ALLAN + + BY + + H. RIDER HAGGARD + + + + + + THE ANCIENT ALLAN + + + + CHAPTER I + + AN OLD FRIEND + +Now I, Allan Quatermain, come to the weirdest (with one or two +exceptions perhaps) of all the experiences which it has amused me to +employ my idle hours in recording here in a strange land, for after +all England is strange to me. I grow elderly. I have, as I suppose, +passed the period of enterprise and adventure and I should be well +satisfied with the lot that Fate has given to my unworthy self. + +To begin with, I am still alive and in health when by all the rules I +should have been dead many times over. I suppose I ought to be +thankful for that but, before expressing an opinion on the point, I +should have to be quite sure whether it is better to be alive or dead. +The religious plump for the latter, though I have never observed that +the religious are more eager to die than the rest of us poor mortals. + +For instance, if they are told that their holy hearts are wrong, they +spend time and much money in rushing to a place called Nauheim in +Germany, to put them right by means of water-drinking, thereby +shortening their hours of heavenly bliss and depriving their heirs of +a certain amount of cash. The same thing applies to Buxton in my own +neighbourhood and gout, especially when it threatens the stomach or +the throat. Even archbishops will do these things, to say nothing of +such small fry as deans, or stout and prominent lay figures of the +Church. + +From common sinners like myself such conduct might be expected, but in +the case of those who are obviously poised on the topmost rungs of the +Jacobean--I mean, the heavenly--ladder, it is legitimate to inquire +why they show such reluctance in jumping off. As a matter of fact the +only persons that, individually, I have seen quite willing to die, +except now and again to save somebody else whom they were so foolish +as to care for more than they did for themselves, have been not those +"upon whom the light has shined" to quote an earnest paper I chanced +to read this morning, but, to quote again, "the sinful heathen +wandering in their native blackness," by which I understand the writer +to refer to their moral state and not to their sable skins wherein for +the most part they are also condemned to wander, that is if they +happen to have been born south of a certain degree of latitude. + +To come to facts, the staff of Faith which each must shape for +himself, is often hewn from unsuitable kinds of wood, yes, even by the +very best among us. Willow, for instance, is pretty and easy to cut, +but try to support yourself with it on the edge of a precipice and see +where you are. Then of a truth you will long for ironbark, or even +homely oak. I might carry my parable further, some allusions to the +proper material of which to fashion the helmet of Salvation suggest +themselves to me for example, but I won't. + +The truth is that we fear to die because all the religions are full of +uncomfortable hints as to what may happen to us afterwards as a reward +for our deviations from their laws and we half believe in something, +whereas often the savage, not being troubled with religion, fears +less, because he half believes in nothing. For very few inhabitants of +this earth can attain either to complete belief or to its absolute +opposite. They can seldom lay their hands upon their hearts, and say +they /know/ that they will live for ever, or sleep for ever; there +remains in the case of most honest men an element of doubt in either +hypothesis. + +That is what makes this story of mine so interesting, at any rate to +me, since it does seem to suggest that whether or no I have a future, +as personally I hold to be the case and not altogether without +evidence, certainly I have had a past, though, so far as I know, in +this world only; a fact, if it be a fact, from which can be deduced +all kinds of arguments according to the taste of the reasoner. + +And now for my experience, which it is only fair to add, may after all +have been no more than a long and connected dream. Yet how was I to +dream of lands, events and people where of I have only the vaguest +knowledge, or none at all, unless indeed, as some say, being a part of +this world, we have hidden away somewhere in ourselves an acquaintance +with everything that has ever happened in the world. However, it does +not much matter and it is useless to discuss that which we cannot +prove. + +Here at any rate is the story. + + + +In a book or a record which I have written down and put away with +others under the title of "The Ivory Child," I have told the tale of a +certain expedition I made in company with Lord Ragnall. Its object was +to search for his wife who was stolen away while travelling in Egypt +in a state of mental incapacity resulting from shock caused by the +loss of her child under tragic and terrible circumstances. The thieves +were the priests of a certain bastard Arab tribe who, on account of a +birthmark shaped like the young moon which was visible above her +breast, believed her to be the priestess or oracle of their worship. +This worship evidently had its origin in Ancient Egypt since, although +they did not seem to know it, the priestess was nothing less than a +personification of the great goddess Isis, and the Ivory Child, their +fetish, was a statue of the infant Horus, the fabled son of Isis and +Osiris whom the Egyptians looked upon as the overcomer of Set or the +Devil, the murderer of Osiris before his resurrection and ascent to +Heaven to be the god of the dead. + +I need not set down afresh all that happened to us on this remarkable +adventure. Suffice it to say that in the end we recovered the lady and +that her mind was restored to her. Before she left the Kendah country, +however, the priesthood presented her with two ancient rolls of +papyrus, also with a quantity of a certain herb, not unlike tobacco in +appearance, which by the Kendah was called /Taduki/. Once, before we +took our great homeward journey across the desert, Lady Ragnall and I +had a curious conversation about this herb whereof the property is to +cause the person who inhales its fumes to become clairvoyant, or to +dream dreams, whichever the truth may be. It was used for this purpose +in the mystical ceremonies of the Kendah religion when under its +influence the priestess or oracle of the Ivory Child was wont to +announce divine revelations. During her tenure of this office Lady +Ragnall was frequently subjected to the spell of the /Taduki/ vapour, +and said strange things, some of which I heard with my own ears. Also +myself once I experienced its effects and saw a curious vision, +whereof many of the particulars were afterwards translated into facts. + +Now the conversation which I have mentioned was shortly to the effect, +that she, Lady Ragnall, believed a time would come when she or I or +both of us, were destined to imbibe these /Taduki/ fumes and see +wonderful pictures of some past or future existence in which we were +both concerned. This knowledge, she declared, had come to her while +she was officiating in an apparently mindless condition as the +priestess of the Kendah god called the Ivory Child. + +At the time I did not think it wise to pursue so exciting a subject +with a woman whose mind had been recently unbalanced, and afterwards +in the stress of new experiences, I forgot all about the matter, or at +any rate only thought of it very rarely. + +Once, however, it did recur to me with some force. Shortly after I +came to England to spend my remaining days far from the temptations of +adventure, I was beguiled into becoming a steward of a Charity dinner +and, what was worse, into attending the said dinner. Although its +objects were admirable, it proved one of the most dreadful functions +in which I was ever called upon to share. There was a vast number of +people, some of them highly distinguished, who had come to support the +Charity or to show off their Orders, I don't know which, and others +like myself, not at all distinguished, just common subscribers, who +had no Orders and stood about the crowded room like waiters looking +for a job. + +At the dinner, which was very bad, I sat at a table so remote that I +could hear but little of the interminable speeches, which was perhaps +fortunate for me. In these circumstances I drifted into conversation +with my neighbour, a queer, wizened, black-bearded man who somehow or +other had found out that I was acquainted with the wilder parts of +Africa. He proved to be a wealthy scientist whose passion it was to +study the properties of herbs, especially of such as grow in the +interior of South America where he had been travelling for some years. + +Presently he mentioned a root named Yagé, known to the Indians which, +when pounded up into a paste and taken in the form of pills, had the +effect of enabling the patient to see events that were passing at a +distance. Indeed he alleged that a vision thus produced had caused him +to return home, since in it he saw that some relative of his, I think +a twin-sister, was dangerously ill. In fact, however, he might as well +have stayed away, as he only arrived in London on the day after her +funeral. + +As I saw that he was really interested in the subject and observed +that he was a very temperate man who did not seem to be romancing, I +told him something of my experiences with /Taduki/, to which he +listened with a kind of rapt but suppressed excitement. When I +affected disbelief in the whole business, he differed from me almost +rudely, asking why I rejected phenomena simply because I was too dense +to understand them. I answered perhaps because such phenomena were +inconvenient and upset one's ideas. To this he replied that all +progress involved the upsetting of existent ideas. Moreover he +implored me, if the chance should ever come my way, to pursue +experiments with /Taduki/ fumes and let him know the results. + +Here our conversation came to an end for suddenly a band that was +braying near by, struck up "God save the Queen," and we hastily +exchanged cards and parted. I only mention it because, had it not +occurred, I think it probable that I should never have been in a +position to write this history. + +The remarks of my acquaintance remained in my mind and influenced it +so much that when the occasion came, I did as a kind of duty what, +however much I was pressed, I am almost sure I should never have done +for any other reason, just because I thought that I ought to take an +opportunity of trying to discover what was the truth of the matter. As +it chanced it was quick in coming. + +Here I should explain that I attended the dinner of which I have +spoken not very long after a very lengthy absence from England, +whither I had come to live when King Solomon's Mines had made me rich. +Therefore it happened that between the conclusion of my Kendah +adventure some years before and this time I saw nothing and heard +little of Lord and Lady Ragnall. Once a rumour did reach me, however, +I think through Sir Henry Curtis or Captain Good, that the former had +died as a result of an accident. What the accident was my informant +did not know and as I was just starting on a far journey at the time, +I had no opportunity of making inquiries. My talk with the botanical +scientist determined me to do so; indeed a few days later I discovered +from a book of reference that Lord Ragnall was dead, leaving no heir; +also that his wife survived him. + +I was working myself up to write to her when one morning the postman +brought me here at the Grange a letter which had "Ragnall Castle" +printed on the flap of the envelope. I did not know the writing which +was very clear and firm, for as it chanced, to the best of my +recollection, I had never seen that of Lady Ragnall. Here is a copy of +the letter it contained: + + + "My dear Mr. Quatermain,--Very strangely I have just seen at a + meeting of the Horticultural Society, a gentleman who declares + that a few days ago he sat next to you at some public dinner. + Indeed I do not think there can be any doubt for he showed me your + card which he had in his purse with a Yorkshire address upon it. + + "A dispute had arisen as to whether a certain variety of Crinum + lily was first found in Africa, or Southern America. This + gentleman, an authority upon South American flora, made a speech + saying that he had never met with it there, but that an + acquaintance of his, Mr. Quatermain, to whom he had spoken on the + subject, said that he had seen something of the sort in the + interior of Africa." (This was quite true for I remembered the + incident.) "At the tea which followed the meeting I spoke to this + gentleman whose name I never caught, and to my astonishment learnt + that he must have been referring to you whom I believed to be + dead, for so we were told a long time ago. This seemed certain, + for in addition to the evidence of the name, he described your + personal appearance and told me that you had come to live in + England. + + "My dear friend, I can assure you it is long since I heard anything + which rejoiced me so much. Oh! as I write all the past comes back, + flowing in upon me like a pent-up flood of water, but I trust that + of this I shall soon have an opportunity of talking to you. So let + it be for a while. + + "Alas! my friend, since we parted on the shores of the Red Sea, + tragedy has pursued me. As you will know, for both my husband and + I wrote to you, although you did not answer the letters" (I never + received them), "we reached England safely and took up our old + life again, though to tell you the truth, after my African + experiences things could never be quite the same to me, or for the + matter of that to George either. To a great extent he changed his + pursuits and certain political ambitions which he once cherished, + seemed no longer to appeal to him. He became a student of past + history and especially of Egyptology, which under all the + circumstances you may think strange, as I did. However it suited + me well enough, since I also have tastes that way. So we worked + together and I can now read hieroglyphics as well as most people. + One year he said that he would like to go to Egypt again, if I + were not afraid. I answered that it had not been a very lucky + place for us, but that personally I was not in the least afraid + and longed to return there. For as you know, I have, or think I + have, ties with Egypt and indeed with all Africa. Well, we went + and had a very happy time, although I was always expecting to see + old Harût come round the corner. + + "After this it became a custom with us who, since George + practically gave up shooting and attending the House of Lords, had + nothing to keep us in England, to winter in Egypt. We did this for + five years in succession, living in a bungalow which we built at a + place in the desert, not far from the banks of the Nile, about + half way between Luxor which was the ancient Thebes, and Assouan. + George took a great fancy to this spot when first he saw it, and + so in truth did I, for, like Memphis, it attracted me so much that + I used to laugh and say I believed that once I had something to do + with it. + + "Now near to our villa that we called 'Ragnall' after this house, + are the remains of a temple which were almost buried in the sand. + This temple George obtained permission to excavate. It proved to + be a long and costly business, but as he did not mind spending the + money, that was no obstacle. For four winters we worked at it, + employing several hundred men. As we went on we discovered that + although not one of the largest, the temple, owing to its having + been buried by the sand during, or shortly after the Roman epoch, + remained much more perfect than we had expected, because the early + Christians had never got at it with their chisels and hammers. + Before long I hope to show you pictures and photographs of the + various courts, etc., so I will not attempt to describe them now. + + "It is a temple to Isis--built, or rather rebuilt over the remains + of an older temple on a site that seems to have been called Amada, + at any rate in the later days, and so named after a city in Nubia, + apparently by one of the Amen-hetep Pharaohs who had conquered it. + Its style is beautiful, being of the best period of the Egyptian + Renaissance under the last native dynasties. + + "At the beginning of the fifth winter, at length we approached the + sanctuary, a difficult business because of the retaining walls + that had to be built to keep the sand from flowing down as fast as + it was removed, and the great quantities of stuff that must be + carried off by the tramway. In so doing we came upon a shallow + grave which appeared to have been hastily filled in and roughly + covered over with paving stones like the rest of the court, as + though to conceal its existence. In this grave lay the skeleton of + a large man, together with the rusted blade of an iron sword and + some fragments of armour. Evidently he had never been mummified, + for there were no wrappings, canopic jars, /ushapti/ figures or + funeral offerings. The state of the bones showed us why, for the + right forearm was cut through and the skull smashed in; also an + iron arrow-head lay among the ribs. The man had been buried + hurriedly after a battle in which he had met his death. Searching + in the dust beneath the bones we found a gold ring still on one of + the fingers. On its bezel was engraved the cartouche of 'Peroa, + beloved of Ra.' Now Peroa probably means Pharaoh and perhaps he + was Khabasha who revolted against the Persians and ruled for a + year or two, after which he is supposed to have been defeated and + killed, though of his end and place of burial there is no record. + Whether these were the remnants of Khabasha himself, or of one of + his high ministers or generals who wore the King's cartouche upon + his ring in token of his office, of course I cannot say. + + "When George had read the cartouche he handed me the ring which I + slipped upon the first finger of my left hand, where I still wear + it. Then leaving the grave open for further examination, we went + on with the work, for we were greatly excited. At length, this was + towards evening, we had cleared enough of the sanctuary, which was + small, to uncover the shrine that, if not a monolith, was made of + four pieces of granite so wonderfully put together that one could + not see the joints. On the curved architrave as I think it is + called, was carved the symbol of a winged disc, and beneath in + hieroglyphics as fresh as though they had only been cut yesterday, + an inscription to the effect that Peroa, Royal Son of the Sun, + gave this shrine as an 'excellent eternal work,' together with the + statues of the Holy Mother and the Holy Child to the 'emanations + of the great Goddess Isis and the god Horus,' Amada, Royal Lady, + being votaress or high-priestess. + + "We only read the hieroglyphics very hurriedly, being anxious to + see what was within the shrine that, the cedar door having rotted + away, was filled with fine, drifted sand. Basketful by basketful + we got it out and then, my friend, there appeared the most + beautiful life-sized statue of Isis carved in alabaster that ever + I have seen. She was seated on a throne-like chair and wore the + vulture cap on which traces of colour remained. Her arms were held + forward as though to support a child, which perhaps she was + suckling as one of the breasts was bare. But if so, the child had + gone. The execution of the statue was exquisite and its tender and + mystic face extraordinarily beautiful, so life-like also that I + think it must have been copied from a living model. Oh! my friend, + when I looked upon it, which we did by the light of the candles, + for the sun was sinking and shadows gathered in that excavated + hole, I felt--never mind what I felt--perhaps /you/ can guess who + know my history. + + "While we stared and stared, I longing to go upon my knees, I knew + not why, suddenly I felt a faint trembling of the ground. At the + same moment, the head overseer of the works, a man called Achmet, + rushed up to us, shouting out--'Back! Back! The wall has burst. + The sand runs!' + + "He seized me by the arm and dragged me away beside of and behind + the grave, George turning to follow. Next instant I saw a kind of + wave of sand, on the crest of which appeared the stones of the + wall, curl over and break. It struck the shrine, overturned and + shattered it, which makes me think it was made of four pieces, and + shattered also the alabaster statue within, for I saw its head + strike George upon the back and throw him forward. He reeled and + fell into the open grave which in another moment was filled and + covered with the débris that seemed to grip me to my middle in its + flow. After this I remembered nothing more until hours later I + found myself lying in our house. + + "Achmet and his Egyptians had done nothing; indeed none of them + could be persuaded to approach the place till the sun rose + because, as they said, the old gods of the land whom they looked + upon as devils, were angry at being disturbed and would kill them + as they had killed the Bey, meaning George. Then, distracted as I + was, I went myself for there was no other European there, to find + that the whole site of the sanctuary was buried beneath hundreds + of tons of sand, that, beginning at the gap in the broken wall, + had flowed from every side. Indeed it would have taken weeks to + dig it out, since to sink a shaft was impracticable and so + dangerous that the local officials refused to allow it to be + attempted. The end of it was that an English bishop came up from + Cairo and consecrated the ground by special arrangement with the + Government, which of course makes it impossible that this part of + the temple should be further disturbed. After this he read the + Burial Service over my dear husband. + + "So there is the end of a very terrible story which I have written + down because I do not wish to have to talk about it more than is + necessary when we meet. For, dear Mr. Quatermain, we shall meet, + as I always knew that we should--yes, even after I heard that you + were dead. You will remember that I told you so years ago in + Kendah Land and that it would happen after a great change in my + life, though what that change might be I could not say. . . ." + + +This is the end of the letter except for certain suggested dates for +the visit which she took for granted I should make to Ragnall. + + + + CHAPTER II + + RAGNALL CASTLE + +When I had finished reading this amazing document I lit my pipe and +set to work to think it over. The hypothetical inquirer might ask why +I thought it amazing. There was nothing odd in a dilettante Englishman +of highly cultivated mind taking to Egyptology and, being, as it +chanced, one of the richest men in the kingdom, spending a fraction of +his wealth in excavating temples. Nor was it strange that he should +have happened to die by accident when engaged in that pursuit, which I +can imagine to be very fascinating in the delightful winter climate of +Egypt. He was not the first person to be buried by a fall of sand. +Why, only a little while ago the same fate overtook a nursery- +governess and the child in her charge who were trying to dig out a +martin's nest in a pit in this very parish. Their operations brought +down a huge mass of the overhanging bank beneath which the sand-vein +had been hollowed by workmen who deserted the pit when they saw that +it had become unsafe. Next day I and my gardeners helped to recover +their bodies, for their whereabouts was not discovered until the +following morning, and a sad business it was. + +Yet, taken in conjunction with the history of this couple, the whole +Ragnall affair was very strange. When but a child Lady Ragnall, then +the Hon. Miss Holmes, had been identified by the priests of a remote +African tribe as the oracle of their peculiar faith, which we +afterwards proved to be derived from old Egypt, in short the worship +of Isis and Horus. Subsequently they tried to steal her away and +through the accident of my intervention, failed. Later on, after her +marriage when shock had deprived her of her mind, these priests +renewed the attempt, this time in Egypt, and succeeded. In the end we +rescued her in Central Africa, where she was playing the part of the +Mother-goddess Isis and even wearing her ancient robes. Next she and +her husband came home with their minds turned towards a branch of +study that took them back to Egypt. Here they devote themselves to +unearthing a temple and find out that among all the gods of Egypt, who +seem to have been extremely numerous, it was dedicated to Isis and +Horus, the very divinities with whom they recently they had been so +intimately concerned if in traditional and degenerate forms. + +Moreover that was not the finish of it. They come to the sanctuary. +They discover the statue of the goddess with the child gone, as their +child was gone. A disaster occurs and both destroys and buries Ragnall +so effectually that nothing of him is ever seen again: he just +vanishes into another man's grave and remains there. + +A common sort of catastrophe enough, it is true, though people of +superstitious mind might have thought that it looked as though the +goddess, or whatever force was behind the goddess, was working +vengeance on the man who desecrated her ancient shrine. And, by the +way, though I cannot remember whether or no I mentioned it in "The +Ivory Child," I recall that the old priest of the Kendah, Harût, once +told me he was sure Ragnall would meet with a violent death. This +seemed likely enough in that country under our circumstances there, +still I asked him why. He answered, + +"Because he has laid hands on that which is holy and not meant for +man," and he looked at Lady Ragnall. + +I remarked that all women were holy, whereon he replied that he did +not think so and changed the subject. + +Well, Ragnall, who had married the lady who once served as the last +priestess of Isis upon earth, was killed, whereas she, the priestess, +was almost miraculously preserved from harm. And--oh! the whole story +was deuced odd and that is all. Poor Ragnall! He was a great English +gentleman and one whom when first I knew him, I held to be the most +fortunate person I ever met, endowed as he was with every advantage of +mind, body and estate. Yet in the end this did not prove to be the +case. Well, while he lived he was a good friend and a good fellow and +none can hope for a better epitaph in a world where all things are +soon forgotten. + +And now, what was I to do? To tell the truth I did not altogether +desire to reopen this chapter in past history, or to have to listen to +painful reminiscences from the lips of a bereaved woman. Moreover, +beautiful as she had been, for doubtless she was /passée/ now, and +charming as of course she remained--I do not think I ever knew anyone +who was quite so charming--there was something about Lady Ragnall +which alarmed me. She did not resemble any other woman. Of course no +woman is ever quite like another, but in her case the separateness, if +I may so call it, was very marked. It was as though she had walked out +of a different age, or even world, and been but superficially clothed +with the attributes of our own. I felt that from the first moment I +set eyes upon her and while reading her letter the sensation returned +with added force. + +Also for me she had a peculiar attraction and not one of the ordinary +kind. It is curious to find oneself strangely intimate with a person +of whom after all one does not know much, just as if one really knew a +great deal that was shut off by a thin but quite impassable door. If +so, I did not want to open that door for who could tell what might be +on the other side of it? And intimate conversations with a lady in +whose company one has shared very strange experiences, not +infrequently lead to the opening of every kind of door. + +Further I had made up my mind some time ago to have no more +friendships with women who are so full of surprises, but to live out +the rest of my life in a kind of monastery of men who have few +surprises, being creatures whose thoughts are nearly always open and +whose actions can always be foretold. + +Lastly there was that /Taduki/ business. Well, there at any rate I was +clear and decided. No earthly power would induce me to have anything +more to do with /Taduki/ smoke. Of course I remembered that Lady +Ragnall once told me kindly but firmly that I would if she wished. But +that was just where she made a mistake. For the rest it seemed unkind +to refuse her invitation now when she was in trouble, especially as I +had once promised that if ever I could be of help, she had only to +command me. No, I must go. But if that word--/Taduki/--were so much as +mentioned I would leave again in a hurry. Moreover it would not be, +for doubtless she had forgotten all about the stuff by now, even if it +were not lost. + +The end of it was that as I did not wish to write a long letter +entering into all that Lady Ragnall had told me, I sent her a +telegram, saying that if convenient to her, I would arrive at the +Castle on the following Saturday evening and adding that I must be +back here on the Tuesday afternoon, as I had guests coming to stay +with me on that day. This was perfectly true as the season was mid- +November and I was to begin shooting my coverts on the Wednesday +morning, a function that once fixed, cannot be postponed. + +In due course an answer arrived--"Delighted, but hoped that you would +have been able to stay longer." + + + +Behold me then about six o'clock on the said Saturday evening being +once more whirled by a splendid pair of horses through the gateway +arch of Ragnall Castle. The carriage stopped beneath the portico, the +great doors flew open revealing the glow of the hall fire and lights +within, the footman sprang down from the box and two other footmen +descended the steps to assist me and my belongings out of the +carriage. These, I remember, consisted of a handbag with my dress +clothes and a yellow-backed novel. + +So one of them took the handbag and the other had to content himself +with the novel, which made me wish I had brought a portmanteau as +well, if only for the look of the thing. The pair thus burdened, +escorted me up the steps and delivered me over to the butler who +scanned me with a critical eye. I scanned him also and perceived that +he was a very fine specimen of his class. Indeed his stately presence +so overcame me that I remarked nervously, as he helped me off with my +coat, that when last I was here another had filled his office. + +"Indeed, Sir," he said, "and what was his name, Sir?" + +"Savage," I replied. + +"And where might he be now, Sir?" + +"Inside a snake!" I answered. "At least he was inside a snake but now +I hope he is waiting upon his master in Heaven." + +The man recoiled a little, pulling off my coat with a jerk. Then he +coughed, rubbed his bald head, stared and recovering himself with an +effort, said, + +"Indeed, Sir! I only came to this place after the death of his late +lordship, when her ladyship changed all the household. Alfred, show +this gentleman up to her ladyship's boudoir, and William, take his-- +baggage--to the blue room. Her ladyship wishes to see you at once, +Sir, before the others come." + +So I went up the big staircase to a part of the Castle that I did not +remember, wondering who "the others" might be. Almost could I have +sworn that the shade of Savage accompanied me up those stairs; I could +feel him at my side. + +Presently a door was thrown open and I was ushered into a room +somewhat dimly lit and full of the scent of flowers. By the fire near +a tea-table, stood a lady clad in some dark dress with the light +glinting on her rich-hued hair. She turned and I saw that she still +wore the necklace of red stones, and beneath it on her breast a single +red flower. For this was Lady Ragnall; about that there was no doubt +at all, so little doubt indeed that I was amazed. I had expected to +see a stout, elderly woman whom I should only know by the colour of +her eyes and her voice, and perhaps certain tricks of manner. But, +this was the mischief of it, I could not perceive any change, at any +rate in that light. She was just the same! Perhaps a little fuller in +figure, which was an advantage; perhaps a little more considered in +her movements, perhaps a little taller or at any rate more stately, +and that was all. + +These things I learned in a flash. Then with a murmured "Mr. +Quatermain, my Lady," the footman closed the door and she saw me. + +Moving quickly towards me with both her hands outstretched, she +exclaimed in that honey-soft voice of hers, + +"Oh! my dear friend----" stopped and added, "Why, you haven't changed +a bit." + +"Fossils wear well," I replied, "but that is just what I was thinking +of you." + +"Then it is very rude of you to call me a fossil when I am only +approaching that stage. Oh! I am glad to see you. I /am/ glad!" and +she gave me both the outstretched hands. + +Upon my word I felt inclined to kiss her and have wondered ever since +if she would have been very angry. I am not certain that she did not +divine the inclination. At any rate after a little pause she dropped +my hands and laughed. Then she said, + +"I must tell you at once. A most terrible catastrophe has +happened----" + +Instantly it occurred to me that she had forgotten having informed me +by letter of all the details of her husband's death. Such things +chance to people who have once lost their memory. So I tried to look +as sympathetic as I felt, sighed and waited. + +"It's not so bad as all that," she said with a little shake of her +head, reading my thought as she always had the power to do from the +first moment we met. "We can talk about /that/ afterwards. It's only +that I hoped we were going to have a quiet two days, and now the +Atterby-Smiths are coming, yes, in half an hour. Five of them!" + +"The Atterby-Smiths!" I exclaimed, for somehow I too felt +disappointed. "Who are the Atterby-Smiths?" + +"Cousins of George's, his nearest relatives. They think he ought to +have left them everything. But he didn't, because he could never bear +the sight of them. You see his property was unentailed and he left it +all to me. Now the entire family is advancing to suggest that I should +leave it to them, as perhaps I might have done if they had not chosen +to come just now." + +"Why didn't you put them off?" I asked. + +"Because I couldn't," she answered with a little stamp of her foot, +"otherwise do you suppose they would have been here? They were far too +clever. They telegraphed after lunch giving the train by which they +were to arrive, but no address save Charing Cross. I thought of moving +up to the Berkeley Square house, but it was impossible in the time, +also I didn't know how to catch you. Oh! it's /most/ vexatious." + +"Perhaps they are very nice," I suggested feebly. + +"Nice! Wait till you have seen them. Besides if they had been angels I +did not want them just now. But how selfish I am! Come and have some +tea. And you can stop longer, that is if you live through the Atterby- +Smiths who are worse than both the Kendah tribes put together. Indeed +I wish old Harût were coming instead. I should like to see Harût +again, wouldn't you?" and suddenly the mystical look I knew so well, +gathered on her face. + +"Yes, perhaps I should," I replied doubtfully. "But I must leave by +the first train on Tuesday morning; it goes at eight o'clock. I looked +it up." + +"Then the Atterby-Smiths leave on Monday if I have to turn them out of +the house. So we shall get one evening clear at any rate. Stop a +minute," and she rang the bell. + +The footman appeared as suddenly as though he had been listening at +the door. + +"Alfred," she said, "tell Moxley" (he, I discovered, was the butler) +"that when Mr. and Mrs. Atterby-Smith, the two Misses Atterby-Smith +and the young Mr. Atterby-Smith arrive, they are to be shown to their +rooms. Tell the cook also to put off dinner till half-past eight, and +if Mr. and Mrs. Scroope arrive earlier, tell Moxley to tell them that +I am sorry to be a little late, but that I was delayed by some parish +business. Now do you understand?" + +"Yes, my Lady," said Alfred and vanished. + +"He doesn't understand in the least," remarked Lady Ragnall, "but so +long as he doesn't show the Atterby-Smiths up here, in which case he +can go away with them on Monday, I don't care. It will all work out +somehow. Now sit down by the fire and let's talk. We've got nearly an +hour and twenty minutes and you can smoke if you like. I learnt to in +Egypt," and she took a cigarette from the mantelpiece and lit it. + +That hour and twenty minutes went like a flash, for we had so much to +say to each other that we never even got to the things we wanted to +say. For instance, I began to tell her about King Solomon's Mines, +which was a long story; and she to tell me what happened after we +parted on the shores of the Red Sea. At least the first hour and a +quarter went, when suddenly the door opened and Alfred in a somewhat +frightened voice announced--"Mr. and Mrs. Atterby-Smith, the Misses +Atterby-Smith and Mr. Atterby-Smith junior." + +Then he caught sight of his mistress's eye and fled. + +I looked and felt inclined to do likewise if only there had been +another door. But there wasn't and that which existed was quite full. +In the forefront came A.-S. senior, like a bull leading the herd. +Indeed his appearance was bull-like as my eye, travelling from the +expanse of white shirt-front (they were all dressed for dinner) to his +red and massive countenance surmounted by two horn-like tufts of +carroty hair, informed me at a glance. Followed Mrs. A.-S., the +British matron incarnate. Literally there seemed to be acres of her; +black silk below and white skin above on which set in filigree floated +big green stones, like islands in an ocean. Her countenance too, +though stupid was very stern and frightened me. Followed the progeny +of this formidable pair. They were tall and thin, also red haired. The +girls, whose age I could not guess in the least, were exactly like +each other, which was not strange as afterwards I discovered that they +were twins. They had pale blue eyes and somehow reminded me of fish. +Both of them were dressed in green and wore topaz necklaces. The young +man who seemed to be about one or two and twenty, had also pale blue +eyes, in one of which he wore an eye-glass, but his hair was sandy as +though it had been bleached, parted in the middle and oiled down flat. + +For a moment there was a silence which I felt to be dreadful. Then in +a big, pompous voice A.-S. /père/ said, + +"How do you do, my dear Luna? As I ascertained from the footman that +you had not yet gone to dress, I insisted upon his leading us here for +a little private conversation after we have been parted for so many +years. We wished to offer you our condolences in person on your and +our still recent loss." + +"Thank you," said Lady Ragnall, "but I think we have corresponded on +the subject which is painful to me." + +"I fear that we are interrupting a smoking party, Thomas," said Mrs. +A.-S. in a cold voice, sniffing at the air for all the world like a +suspicious animal, whereon the five of them stared at Lady Ragnall's +cigarette which she held between her fingers. + +"Yes," said Lady Ragnall. "Won't you have one? Mr. Quatermain, hand +Mrs. Smith the box, please." + +I obeyed automatically, proffering it to the lady who nearly withered +me with a glance, and then to each to each in turn. To my relief the +young man took one. + +"Archibald," said his mother, "you are surely not going to make your +sisters' dresses smell of tobacco just before dinner." + +Archibald sniggered and replied, + +"A little more smoke will not make any difference in this room, Ma." + +"That is true, darling," said Mrs. A.-S. and was straightway seized +with a fit of asthma. + +After this I am sure I don't know what happened, for muttering +something about its being time to dress, I rushed from the room and +wandered about until I could find someone to conduct me to my own +where I lingered until I heard the dinner-bell ring. But even this +retreat was not without disaster, for in my hurry I trod upon one of +the young lady's dresses; I don't know whether it was Dolly's or +Polly's (they were named Dolly and Polly) and heard a dreadful crack +about her middle as though she were breaking in two. Thereon Archibald +giggled again and Dolly and Polly remarked with one voice--they always +spoke together, + +"Oh! clumsy!" + +To complete my misfortunes I missed my way going downstairs and +strayed to and fro like a lost lamb until I found myself confronted by +a green baize door which reminded me of something. I stood staring at +it till suddenly a vision arose before me of myself following a bell +wire through that very door in the darkness of the night when in +search for the late Mr. Savage upon a certain urgent occasion. Yes, +there could be no doubt about it, for look! there was the wire, and +strange it seemed to me that I should live to behold it again. +Curiosity led me to push the door open just to ascertain if my memory +served me aright about the exact locality of the room. Next moment I +regretted it for I fell straight into the arms of either Polly or +Dolly. + +"Oh!" said she, "I've just been sewn up." + +I reflected that this was my case also in another sense, but asked +feebly if she knew the way downstairs. + +She didn't; neither of us did, till at length we met Mrs. Smith coming +to look for her. + +If I had been a burglar she could not have regarded me with graver +suspicions. But at any rate /she/ knew the way downstairs. And there +to my joy I found my old friend Scroope and his wife, both of them +grown stout and elderly, but as jolly as ever, after which the Smith +family ceased to trouble me. + +Also there was the rector of the parish, Dr. Jeffreys and an absurdly +young wife whom he had recently married, a fluffy-headed little thing +with round eyes and a cheerful, perky manner. The two of them together +looked exactly like a turkey-cock and a chicken. I remembered him well +enough and to my astonishment he remembered me, perhaps because Lady +Ragnall, when she had hastily invited him to meet the Smith family, +mentioned that I was coming. Lastly there was the curate, a dark, +young man who seemed to be always brooding over the secrets of time +and eternity, though perhaps he was only thinking about his dinner or +the next day's services. + +Well, there we stood in that well-remembered drawing-room in which +first I had made the acquaintance of Harût and Marût; also of the +beautiful Miss Holmes as Lady Ragnall was then called. The Scroopes, +the Jeffreys and I gathered in one group and the Atterby-Smiths in +another like a force about to attack, while between the two, brooding +and indeterminate, stood the curate, a neutral observer. + +Presently Lady Ragnall arrived, apologizing for being late. For some +reason best known to herself she had chosen to dress as though for a +great party. I believe it was out of mischief and in order to show +Mrs. Atterby-Smith some of the diamonds she was firmly determined that +family should never inherit. At any rate there she stood glittering +and lovely, and smiled upon us. + +Then came dinner and once more I marched to the great hall in her +company; Dr. Jeffreys got Mrs. Smith; Papa Smith got Mrs. Jeffreys who +looked like a Grecian maiden walking into dinner with the Minotaur; +Scroope got one of the Miss Smiths, she who wore a pink bow, the +gloomy curate got the other with a blue bow, and Archibald got Mrs. +Scroope who departed making faces at us over his shoulder. + +"You look very grand and nice," I said to Lady Ragnall as we followed +the others at a discreet distance. + +"I am glad," she answered, "as to the nice, I mean. As for the grand, +that dreadful woman is always writing to me about the Ragnall +diamonds, so I thought that she should see some of them for the first +and last time. Do you know I haven't worn these things since George +and I went to Court together, and I daresay shall never wear them +again, for there is only one ornament I care for and I have got /that/ +on under my dress." + +I stared and her and with a laugh said that she was very mischievous. + +"I suppose so," she replied, "but I detest those people who are +pompous and rude and have spoiled my party. Do you know I had half a +mind to come down in the dress that I wore as Isis in Kendah Land. I +have got it upstairs and you shall see me in it before you go, for old +time's sake. Only it occurred to me that they might think me mad, so I +didn't. Dr. Jeffreys, will you say grace, please?" + +Well, it was a most agreeable dinner so far as I was concerned, for I +sat between my hostess and Mrs. Scroope and the rest were too far off +for conversation. Moreover as Archibald developed an unexpected +quantity of small talk, and Scroope on the other side amused himself +by filling pink-bow Miss Smith's innocent mind with preposterous +stories about Africa, as had happened to me once before at this table, +Lady Ragnall and I were practically left undisturbed. + +"Isn't it strange that we should find ourselves sitting here again +after all these years, except that you are in my poor mother's place? +Oh! when that scientific gentleman convinced me the other day that you +whom I had heard were dead, were not only alive and well but actually +in England, really I could have embraced him." + +I thought of an answer but did not make it, though as usual she read +my mind for I saw her smile. + +"The truth is," she went on, "I am an only child and really have no +friends, though of course being--well, you know," and she glanced at +the jewels on her breast, "I have plenty of acquaintances." + +"And suitors," I suggested. + +"Yes," she replied blushing, "as many as Penelope, not one of whom +cares twopence about me any more than I care for them. The truth is, +Mr. Quatermain, that nobody and nothing interest me, except a spot in +the churchyard yonder and another amid ruins in Egypt." + +"You have had sad bereavements," I said looking the other way. + +"Very sad and they have left life empty. Still I should not complain +for I have had my share of good. Also it isn't true to say that +nothing interests me. Egypt interests me, though after what has +happened I do not feel as though I could return there. All Africa +interests me and," she added dropping her voice, "I can say it because +I know you will not misunderstand, you interest me, as you have always +done since the first moment I saw you." + +"/I!/" I exclaimed, staring at my own reflection in a silver plate +which made me look--well, more unattractive than usual. "It's very +kind of you to say so, but I can't understand why I should. You have +seen very little of me, Lady Ragnall, except in that long journey +across the desert when we did not talk much, since you were otherwise +engaged." + +"I know. That's the odd part of it, for I feel as though I had seen +you for years and years and knew everything about you that one human +being can know of another. Of course, too, I do know a good lot of +your life through George and Harût." + +"Harût was a great liar," I said uneasily. + +"Was he? I always thought him painfully truthful, though how he got at +the truth I do not know. Anyhow," she added with meaning, "don't +suppose I think the worse of you because others have thought so well. +Women who seem to be all different, generally, I notice, have this in +common. If one or two of them like a man, the rest like him also +because something in him appeals to the universal feminine instinct, +and the same applies to their dislike. Now men, I think, are different +in that respect." + +"Perhaps because they are more catholic and charitable," I suggested, +"or perhaps because they like those who like them." + +She laughed in her charming way, and said, + +"However these remarks do not apply to you and me, for as I think I +told you once before in that cedar wood in Kendah Land where you +feared lest I should catch a chill, or become--odd again, it is +another you with whom something in me seems to be so intimate." + +"That's fortunate for your sake," I muttered, still staring at and +pointing to the silver plate. + +Again she laughed. "Do you remember the /Taduki/ herb?" she asked. "I +have plenty of it safe upstairs, and not long ago I took a whiff of +it, only a whiff because you know it had to be saved." + +"And what did you see?" + +"Never mind. The question is what shall we /both/ see?" + +"Nothing," I said firmly. "No earthly power will make me breathe that +unholy drug again." + +"Except me," she murmured with sweet decision. "No, don't think about +leaving the house. You can't, there are no Sunday trains. Besides you +won't if I ask you not." + +"'In vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird,'" I replied, +firm as a mountain. + +"Is it? Then why are so many caught?" + +At that moment the Bull of Bashan--I mean Smith, began to bellow +something at his hostess from the other end of the table and our +conversation came to an end. + +"I say, old chap," whispered Scroope in my ear when we stood up to see +the ladies out. "I suppose you are thinking of marrying again. Well, +you might do worse," and he glanced at the glittering form of Lady +Ragnall vanishing through the doorway behind her guests. + +"Shut up, you idiot!" I replied indignantly. + +"Why?" he asked with innocence. "Marriage is an honourable estate, +especially when there is lots of the latter. I remember saying +something of the sort to you years ago and at this table, when as it +happened you also took in her ladyship. Only there was George in the +wind then; now it has carried him away." + +Without deigning any reply I seized my glass and went to sit down +between the canon and the Bull of Bashan. + + + + CHAPTER III + + ALLAN GIVES HIS WORD + +Mr. Atterby-Smith proved on acquaintance to be even worse than unfond +fancy painted him. He was a gentleman in a way and of good family +whereof the real name was Atterby, the Smith having been added to +secure a moderate fortune left to him on that condition. His +connection with Lord Ragnall was not close and through the mother's +side. For the rest he lived in some south-coast watering-place and +fancied himself a sportsman because he had on various occasions hired +a Scottish moor or deer forest. Evidently he had never done anything +nor earned a shilling during all his life and was bringing his family +up to follow in his useless footsteps. The chief note of his character +was that intolerable vanity which so often marks men who have nothing +whatsoever about which to be vain. Also he had a great idea of his +rights and what was due to him, which he appeared to consider +included, upon what ground I could not in the least understand, the +reversal of all the Ragnall properties and wealth. I do not think I +need say any more about him, except that he bored me to extinction, +especially after his fourth glass of port. + +Perhaps, however, the son was worse, for he asked questions without +number and when at last I was reduced to silence, lectured me about +shooting. Yes, this callow youth who was at Sandhurst, instructed me, +Allan Quatermain, how to kill elephants, he who had never seen an +elephant except when he fed it with buns at the Zoo. At last Mr. +Smith, who to Scroope's great amusement had taken the end of the table +and assumed the position of host, gave the signal to move and we +adjourned to the drawing-room. + +I don't know what had happened but there we found the atmosphere +distinctly stormy. The ample Mrs. Smith sat in a chair fanning +herself, which caused the barbaric ornaments she wore to clank upon +her fat arm. Upon either side of her, pale and indeterminate, stood +Polly and Dolly each pretending to read a book. Somehow the three of +them reminded me of a coat-of-arms seen in a nightmare, British Matron +/sejant/ with Modesty and Virtue as supporters. Opposite, on the other +side of the fire and evidently very angry, stood Lady Ragnall, +/regardant/. + +"Do I understand you to say, Luna," I heard Mrs. A.-S. ask in resonant +tones as I entered the room, "that you actually played the part of a +heathen goddess among these savages, clad in a transparent bed-robe?" + +"Yes, Mrs. Atterby-Smith," replied Lady Ragnall, "and a nightcap of +feathers. I will put it on for you if you won't be shocked. Or perhaps +one of your daughters----" + +"Oh!" said both the young ladies together, "please be quiet. Here come +the gentlemen." + +After this there was a heavy silence broken only by the stifled +giggles in the background of Mrs. Scroope and the canon's fluffy- +headed wife, who to do her justice had some fun in her. Thank goodness +the evening, or rather that part of it did not last long, since +presently Mrs. Atterby-Smith, after studying me for a long while with +a cold eye, rose majestically and swept off to bed followed by her +offspring. + +Afterwards I ascertained from Mrs. Scroope that Lady Ragnall had been +amusing herself by taking away my character in every possible manner +for the benefit of her connections, who were left with a general +impression that I was the chief of a native tribe somewhere in Central +Africa where I dwelt in light attire surrounded by the usual +accessories. No wonder, therefore, that Mrs. A.-S. thought it best to +remove her "Twin Pets," as she called them, out of my ravening reach. + +Then the Scroopes went away, having arranged for me to lunch with them +on the morrow, an invitation that I hastily accepted, though I heard +Lady Ragnall mutter--"Mean!" beneath her breath. With them departed +the canon and his wife and the curate, being, as they said, "early +birds with duties to perform." After this Lady Ragnall paid me out by +going to bed, having instructed Moxley to show us to the smoking room, +"where," she whispered as she said good night, "I hope you will enjoy +yourself." + +Over the rest of the night I draw a veil. For a solid hour and three- +quarters did I sit in that room between this dreadful pair, being +alternately questioned and lectured. At length I could stand it no +longer and while pretending to help myself to whiskey and soda, +slipped through the door and fled upstairs. + +I arrived late to breakfast purposely and found that I was wise, for +Lady Ragnall was absent upstairs, recovering from "a headache." Mr. +A.-Smith was also suffering from a headache downstairs, the result of +champagne, port and whisky mixed, and all his family seemed to have +pains in their tempers. Having ascertained that they were going to the +church in the park, I departed to one two miles away and thence walked +straight on to the Scroopes' where I had a very pleasant time, +remaining till five in the afternoon. I returned to tea at the Castle +where I found Lady Ragnall so cross that I went to church again, to +the six o'clock service this time, only getting back in time to dress +for dinner. Here I was paid out for I had to take in Mrs. Atterby- +Smith. Oh! what a meal was that. We sat for the most part in solemn +silence broken only by requests to pass the salt. I observed with +satisfaction, however, that things were growing lively at the other +end of the table where A.-Smith /père/ was drinking a good deal too +much wine. At last I heard him say, + +"We had hoped to spend a few days with you, my dear Luna. But as you +tell us that your engagements make this impossible"--and he paused to +drink some port, whereon Lady Ragnall remarked inconsequently, + +"I assure you the ten o'clock train is far the best and I have ordered +the carriage at half-past nine, which is not very early." + +"As your engagements make this impossible," he repeated, "we would ask +for the opportunity of a little family conclave with you to-night." + +Here all of them turned and glowered at me. + +"Certainly," said Lady Ragnall, "'the sooner 'tis over the sooner to +sleep.' Mr. Quatermain, I am sure, will excuse us, will you not? I +have had the museum lit up for you, Mr. Quatermain. You may find some +Egyptian things there that will interest you." + +"Oh, with pleasure!" I murmured, and fled away. + +I spent a very instructive two hours in the museum, studying various +Egyptian antiquities including a couple of mummies which rather +terrified me. They looked so very corpse-like standing there in their +wrappings. One was that of a lady who was a "Singer of Amen," I +remember. I wondered where she was singing now and what song. +Presently I came to a glass case which riveted my attention, for above +it was a label bearing the following words: "Two Papyri given to Lady +Ragnall by the priests of the Kendah Tribe in Africa." Within were the +papyri unrolled and beneath each of the documents, its translation, so +far as they could be translated for they were somewhat broken. No. 1, +which was dated, "In the first year of Peroa," appeared to be the +official appointment of the Royal Lady Amada, to be the prophetess to +the temple of Isis and Horus the Child, which was also called Amada, +and situated on the east bank of the Nile above Thebes. Evidently this +was the same temple of which Lady Ragnall had written to me in her +letter, where her husband had met his death by accident, a coincidence +which made me start when I remembered how and where the document had +come into her hands and what kind of office she filled at the time. + +The second papyrus, or rather its translation, contained a most +comprehensive curse upon any man who ventured to interfere with the +personal sanctity of this same Royal Lady of Amada, who, apparently in +virtue of her office, was doomed to perpetual celibacy like the vestal +virgins. I do not remember all the terms of the curse, but I know that +it invoked the vengeance of Isis the Mother, Lady of the Moon, and +Horus the Child upon anyone who should dare such a desecration, and in +so many words doomed him to death by violence "far from his own +country where first he had looked on Ra," (i.e. the sun) and also to +certain spiritual sufferings afterwards. + +The document gave me the idea that it was composed in troubled days to +protect that particularly sacred person, the Prophetess of Isis whose +cult, as I have since learned, was rising in Egypt at the time, from +threatened danger, perhaps at the hands of some foreign man. It +occurred to me even that this Princess, for evidently she was a +descendant of kings, had been appointed to a most sacred office for +that very purpose. Men who shrink from little will often fear to incur +the direct curse of widely venerated gods in order to obtain their +desires, even if they be not their own gods. Such were my conclusions +about this curious and ancient writing which I regret I cannot give in +full as I neglected to copy it at the time. + +I may add that it seemed extremely strange to me that it and the other +which dealt with a particular temple in Egypt should have passed into +Lady Ragnall's hands over two thousand years later in a distant part +of Africa, and that subsequently her husband should have been killed +in her presence whilst excavating the very temple to which they +referred, whence too in all probability they were taken. Moreover, +oddly enough Lady Ragnall had herself for a while filled the rôle of +Isis in a shrine whereof these two papyri had been part of the sacred +appurtenances for unknown ages, and one of her official titles there +was Prophetess and Lady of the Moon, whose symbol she wore upon her +breast. + +Although I have always recognized that there are a great many more +things in the world than are dreamt of in our philosophy, I say with +truth and confidence that I am not a superstitious man. Yet I confess +that these papers and the circumstances connected with them, made me +feel afraid. + +Also they made me wish that I had not come to Ragnall Castle. + +Well, the Atterby-Smiths had so far effectually put a stop to any talk +of such matters and even if Lady Ragnall should succeed in getting rid +of them by that morning train, as to which I was doubtful, there +remained but a single day of my visit during which it ought not to be +hard to stave off the subject. Thus I reflected, standing face to face +with those mummies, till presently I observed that the Singer of Amen +who wore a staring, gold mask, seemed to be watching me with her +oblong painted eyes. To my fancy a sardonic smile gathered in them and +spread to the mouth. + +"That's what /you/ think," this smile seemed to say, "as once before +you thought that Fate could be escaped. Wait and see, my friend. Wait +and see!" + +"Not in this room any way," I remarked aloud, and departed in a hurry +down the passage which led to the main staircase. + +Before I reached its end a remarkable sight caused me to halt in the +shadow. The Atterby-Smith family were going to bed /en bloc/. They +marched in single file up the great stair, each of them carrying a +hand candle. Papa led and young Hopeful brought up the rear. Their +countenances were full of war, even the twins looked like angry lambs, +but something written on them informed me that they had suffered +defeat recent and grievous. So they vanished up the stairway and out +of my ken for ever. + +When they had gone I started again and ran straight into Lady Ragnall. +If her guests had been angry, it was clear that /she/ was furious, +almost weeping with rage, indeed. Moreover, she turned and rent me. + +"You are a wretch," she said, "to run away and leave me all day long +with those horrible people. Well, they will never come here again, for +I have told them that if they do the servants have orders to shut the +door in their faces." + +Not knowing what to say I remarked that I had spent a most instructive +evening in the museum, which seemed to make her angrier than ever. At +any rate she whisked off without even saying "good night" and left me +standing there. Afterwards I learned that the A.-S.'s had calmly +informed Lady Ragnall that she had stolen their property and demanded +that "as an act of justice" she should make a will leaving everything +she possessed to them, and meanwhile furnish them with an allowance of +£4,000 a year. What I did not learn were the exact terms of her +answer. + +Next morning Alfred, when he called me, brought me a note from his +mistress which I fully expected would contain a request that I should +depart by the same train as her other guests. Its real contents, +however, were very different. + + + "My dear Friend," it ran, "I am so ashamed of myself and so sorry + for my rudeness last night, for which I deeply apologise. If you + knew all that I had gone through at the hands of those dreadful + mendicants, you would forgive me.--L.R." + + "P.S.--I have ordered breakfast at 10. Don't go down much before, + for your own sake." + + +Somewhat relieved in my mind, for I thought she was really angry with +me, not altogether without cause, I rose, dressed and set to work to +write some letters. While I was doing so I heard the wheels of a +carriage beneath and opening my window, saw the Atterby-Smith family +in the act of departing in the Castle bus. Smith himself seemed to be +still enraged, but the others looked depressed. Indeed I heard the +wife of his bosom say to him, + +"Calm yourself, my dear. Remember that Providence knows what is best +for us and that beggars on horseback are always unjust and +ungrateful." + +To which her spouse replied, + +"Hold your infernal tongue, will you," and then began to rate the +servants about the luggage. + +Well, off they went. Glaring through the door of the bus, Mr. Smith +caught sight of me leaning out of the window, seeing which I waved my +hand to him in adieu. His only reply to this courtesy was to shake his +fist, though whether at me or at the Castle and its inhabitants in +general, I neither know nor care. + +When I was quite sure that they had gone and were not coming back +again to find something they had forgotten, I went downstairs and +surprised a conclave between the butler, Moxley, and his satellites, +reinforced by Lady Ragnall's maid and two other female servants. + +"Gratuities!" Moxley was exclaiming, which I thought a fine word for +tips, "not a smell of them! His gratuities were--'Damn your eyes, you +fat bottle-washer,' being his name for butler. /My/ eyes, mind you, +Ann, not Alfred's or William's, and that because he had tumbled over +his own rugs. Gentleman! Why, I name him a hog with his litter." + +"Hogs don't have litters, Mr. Moxley," observed Ann smartly. + +"Well, young woman, if there weren't no hogs, there'd be no litters, +so there! However, he won't root about in this castle no more, for I +happened to catch a word or two of what passed between him and her +Ladyship last night. He said straight out that she was making love to +that little Mr. Quatermain who wanted her money, and probably not for +the first time as they had forgathered in Africa. A gentleman, mind +you, Ann, who although peculiar, I like, and who, the keeper Charles +tells me, is the best shot in the whole world." + +"And what did she say to that?" asked Ann. + +"What did she say? What didn't she say, that's the question. It was +just as though all the furniture in the room got up and went for them +Smiths. Well, having heard enough, and more than I wanted, I stepped +off with the tray and next minute out they all come and grab the +bedroom candlesticks. That's all and there's her Ladyship's bell. +Alfred, don't stand gaping there but go and light the hot-plates." + +So they melted away and I descended from the landing, indignant but +laughing. No wonder that Lady Ragnall lost her temper! + +Ten minutes later she arrived in the dining-room, waving a lighted +ribbon that disseminated perfume. + +"What on earth are you doing?" I asked. + +"Fumigating the house," she said. "It is unnecessary as I don't think +they were infectious, but the ceremony has a moral significance--like +incense. Anyway it relieves my feelings." + +Then she laughed and threw the remains of the ribbon into the fire, +adding, + +"If you say a word about those people I'll leave the room." + +I think we had one of the jolliest breakfasts I ever remember. To +begin with we were both hungry since our miseries of the night before +had prevented us from eating any dinner. Indeed she swore that she had +scarcely tasted food since Saturday. Then we had such a lot to talk +about. With short intervals we talked all that day, either in the +house or while walking through the gardens and grounds. Passing +through the latter I came to the spot on the back drive where once I +had saved her from being abducted by Harût and Marût, and as I +recognized it, uttered an exclamation. She asked me why and the end of +it was that I told her all that story which to this moment she had +never heard, for Ragnall had thought well to keep it from her. + +She listened intently, then said, + +"So I owe you more than I knew. Yet, I'm not sure, for you see I was +abducted after all. Also if I had been taken there, probably George +would never have married me or seen me again, and that might have been +better for him." + +"Why?" I asked. "You were all the world to him." + +"Is any woman ever all the world to a man, Mr. Quatermain?" + +I hesitated, expecting some attack. + +"Don't answer," she went on, "it would be too long and you wouldn't +convince me who have been in the East. However, he was all the world +to me. Therefore his welfare was what I wished and wish, and I think +he would have had more of it if he had never married me." + +"Why?" I asked again. + +"Because I brought him no good luck, did I? I needn't go through all +the story as you know it. And in the end it was through me that he was +killed in Egypt." + +"Or through the goddess Isis," I broke in rather nervously. + +"Yes, the goddess Isis, a part I have played in my time, or something +like it. And he was killed in the temple of the goddess Isis. And +those papyri of which you read the translations in the museum, which +were given to me in Kendah Land, seem to have come from that same +temple. And--how about the Ivory Child? Isis in the temple evidently +held a child in her arms, but when we found her it had gone. Supposing +this child was the same as that of which I was guardian! It might have +been, since the papyri came from that temple. What do you think?" + +"I don't think anything," I answered, "except that it is all very odd. +I don't even understand what Isis and the child Horus represent. They +were not mere images either in Egypt or Kendah Land. There must be an +idea behind them somewhere." + +"Oh! there was. Isis was the universal Mother, Nature herself with all +the powers, seen and unseen, that are hidden in Nature; Love +personified also, although not actually the queen of Love like Hathor, +her sister goddess. The Horus child, whom the old Egyptians called +Heru-Hennu, signified eternal regeneration, eternal youth, eternal +strength and beauty. Also he was the Avenger who overthrew Set, the +Prince of Darkness, and thus in a way opened the Door of Life to men." + +"It seems to me that all religions have much in common," I said. + +"Yes, a great deal. It was easy for the old Egyptians to become +Christian, since for many of them it only meant worshipping Isis and +Horus under new and holier names. But come in, it grows cold." + +We had tea in Lady Ragnall's boudoir and after it had been taken away +our conversation died. She sat there on the other side of the fire +with a cigarette between her lips, looking at me through the perfumed +smoke till I began to grow uncomfortable and to feel that a crisis of +some sort was at hand. This proved perfectly correct, for it was. +Presently she said, + +"We took a long journey once together, Mr. Quatermain, did we not?" + +"Undoubtedly," I answered, and began to talk of it until she cut me +short with a wave of her hand, and went on, + +"Well, we are going to take a longer one together after dinner +to-night." + +"What! Where! How!" I exclaimed much alarmed. + +"I don't know where, but as for how--look in that box," and she +pointed to a little carved Eastern chest made of rose or sandal wood, +that stood upon a table between us. + +With a groan I rose and opened it. Inside was another box made of +silver. This I opened also and perceived that within lay bundles of +dried leaves that looked like tobacco, from which floated an +enervating and well-remembered scent that clouded my brain for a +moment. Then I shut down the lids and returned to my seat. + +"/Taduki/," I murmured. + +"Yes, /Taduki/, and I believe in perfect order with all its virtue +intact." + +"Virtue!" I exclaimed. "I don't think there is any virtue about that +hateful and magical herb which I believe grew in the devil's garden. +Moreover, Lady Ragnall, although there are few things in the world +that I would refuse you, I tell you at once that nothing will induce +me to have anything more to do with it." + +She laughed softly and asked why not. + +"Because I find life so full of perplexities and memories that I have +no wish to make acquaintance with any more, such as I am sure lie hid +by the thousand in that box." + +"If so, don't you think that they might clear up some of those which +surround you to-day?" + +"No, for in such things there is no finality, since whatever one saw +would also require explanation." + +"Don't let us argue," she replied. "It is tiring and I daresay we +shall need all our strength to-night." + +I looked at her speechless. Why could she not take No for an answer? +As usual she read my thought and replied to it. + +"Why did not Adam refuse the apple that Eve offered him?" she inquired +musingly. "Or rather why did he eat it after many refusals and learn +the secret of good and evil, to the great gain of the world which +thenceforward became acquainted with the dignity of labour?" + +"Because the woman tempted him," I snapped. + +"Quite so. It has always been her business in life and always will be. +Well, I am tempting you now, and not in vain." + +"Do you remember who was tempting the woman?" + +"Certainly. Also that he was a good school-master since he caused the +thirst for knowledge to overcome fear and thus laid the foundation- +stone of all human progress. That allegory may be read two ways, as +one of a rise from ignorance instead of a fall from innocence." + +"You are too clever for me with your perverted notions. Also, you said +we were not to argue. I have therefore only to repeat that I will not +eat your apple, or rather, breathe your /Taduki/." + +"Adam over again," she replied, shaking her head. "The same old +beginning and the same old end, because you see at last you will do +exactly what Adam did." + +Here she rose and standing over me, looked me straight in the eyes +with the curious result that all my will power seemed to evaporate. +Then she sat down again, laughing softly, and remarked as though to +herself, + +"Who would have thought that Allan Quatermain was a moral coward!" + +"Coward," I repeated. "Coward!" + +"Yes, that's the right word. At least you were a minute ago. Now +courage has come back to you. Why, it's almost time to dress for +dinner, but before you go, listen. I have some power over you, my +friend, as you have some power over me, for I tell you frankly if you +wished me very much to do anything, I should have to do it; and the +same applies conversely. Now, to-night we are, as I believe, going to +open a great gate and to see wonderful things, glorious things that +will thrill us for the rest of our lives, and perhaps suggest to us +what is coming after death. You will not fail me, will you?" she +continued in a pleading voice. "If you do I must try alone since no +one else will serve, and then I /know/--how I cannot say--that I shall +be exposed to great danger. Yes, I think that I shall lose my mind +once more and never find it again this side the grave. You would not +have that happen to me, would you, just because you shrink from +digging up old memories?" + +"Of course not," I stammered. "I should never forgive myself." + +"Yes, of course not. There was really no need for me to ask you. Then +you promise you will do all I wish?" and once more she looked at me, +adding, "Don't be ashamed, for you remember that I have been in touch +with hidden things and am not quite as other women are. You will +recollect I told you that which I have never breathed to any other +living soul, years ago on that night when first we met." + +"I promise," I answered and was about to add something, I forget what, +when she cut me short, saying, + +"That's enough, for I know your word is rather better than your bond. +Now dress as quickly as you can or the dinner will be spoiled." + + + + CHAPTER IV + + THROUGH THE GATES + +Short as was the time at my disposal before the dinner-gong sounded, +it proved ample for reflection. With every article of attire that I +discarded went some of that boudoir glamour till its last traces +vanished with my walking-boots. I was fallen indeed. I who had come to +this place so full of virtuous resolutions, could now only reflect +upon the true and universal meaning of our daily prayer that we might +be kept from temptation. And yet what had tempted me? For my life's +sake I could not say. The desire to please a most charming woman and +to keep her from making solitary experiments of a dangerous nature, I +suppose, though whether they should be less dangerous carried out +jointly remained to be seen. Certainly it was not any wish to eat of +her proffered apple of Knowledge, for already I knew a great deal more +than I cared for about things in general. Oh! the truth was that woman +is the mightiest force in the world, at any rate where the majority of +us poor men is concerned. She commanded and I must obey. + +I grew desperate and wondered if I could escape. Perhaps I might slip +out of the back door and run for it, without my great coat or hat +although the night was so cold and I should probably be taken up as a +lunatic. No, it was impossible for I had forged a chain that might not +be broken. I had passed my word of honour. Well, I was in for it and +after all what was there of which I need be afraid that I should +tremble and shrink back as though I were about to run away with +somebody's wife, or rather to be run away with quite contrary to my +own inclination? Nothing at all. A mere nonsensical ordeal much less +serious than a visit to the dentist. + +Probably that stuff had lost its strength by now--that is, unless it +had grown more powerful by keeping, as is the case with certain sorts +of explosives. And if it had not, the worst to be expected was a silly +dream, followed perhaps by headache. That is, unless I did not chance +to wake up again at all in this world, which was a most unpleasant +possibility. Another thing, suppose I woke and she didn't! What should +I say then? Of a certainty I should find myself in the dock. Yes, and +there were further dreadful eventualities, quite conceivable, every +one of them, the very thought of which plunged me into a cold +perspiration and made me feel so weak that I was obliged to sit down. + +Then I heard the gong; to me it sounded like the execution bell to a +prisoner under sentence of death. I crept downstairs feebly and found +Lady Ragnall waiting for me in the drawing-room, clothed with gaiety +as with a garment. I remember that it made me most indignant that she +could be so happy in such circumstances, but I said nothing. She +looked me up and down and remarked, + +"Really from your appearance you might have seen the Ragnall ghost, or +be going to be married against your will, or--I don't know what. Also +you have forgotten to fasten your tie." + +I looked in the glass. It was true, for there hung the ends down my +shirt front. Then I struggled with the wretched thing until at last +she had to help me, which she did laughing softly. Somehow her touch +gave me confidence again and enabled me to say quite boldly that I +only wanted my dinner. + +"Yes," she replied, "but you are not to eat much and you must only +drink water. The priestesses in Kendah Land told me that this was +necessary before taking /Taduki/ in its strongest form, as we are +going to do to-night. You know the prophet Harût only gave us the +merest whiff in this room years ago." + +I groaned and she laughed again. + +That dinner with nothing to drink, although to avoid suspicion I let +Moxley fill my glass once or twice, and little to eat for my appetite +had vanished, went by like a bad dream. I recall no more about it +until I heard Lady Ragnall tell Moxley to see that there was a good +fire in the museum where we were going to study that night and must +not be disturbed. + +Another minute and I was automatically opening the door for her. As +she passed she paused to do something to her dress and whispered, + +"Come in a quarter of an hour. Mind--no port which clouds the +intellect." + +"I have none left to cloud," I remarked after her. + +Then I went back and sat by the fire feeling most miserable and +staring at the decanters, for never in my life do I remember wanting a +bottle of wine more. The big clock ticked and ticked and at last +chimed the quarter, jarring on my nerves in that great lonely +banqueting hall. Then I rose and crept upstairs like an evil-doer and +it seemed to me that the servants in the hall looked on me with +suspicion, as well they might. + +I reached the museum and found it brilliantly lit, but empty except +for the cheerful company of the two mummies who also appeared to +regard me with gleaming but doubtful eyes. So I sat down there in +front of the fire, not even daring to smoke lest tobacco should +complicate /Taduki/. + +Presently I heard a low sound of laughter, looked up and nearly fell +backwards, that is, metaphorically, for the chair prevented such a +physical collapse. + +It was not wonderful since before me, like a bride of ancient days +adorned for her husband, stood the goddess Isis--white robes, +feathered headdress, ancient bracelets, gold-studded sandals on bare +feet, scented hair, ruby necklace and all the rest. I stared, then +there burst from me words which were the last I meant to say, + +"Great Heavens! how beautiful you are." + +"Am I?" she asked. "I am glad," and she glided across the room and +locked the door. + +"Now," she said, returning, "we had better get to business, that is +unless you would like to worship the goddess Isis a little first, to +bring yourself into a proper frame of mind, you know." + +"No," I replied, my dignity returning to me. "I do not wish to worship +any goddess, especially when she isn't a goddess. It was not a part of +the bargain." + +"Quite so," she said, nodding, "but who knows what you will be +worshipping before an hour is over? Oh! forgive me for laughing at +you, but I can't help it. You are so evidently frightened." + +"Who wouldn't be frightened?" I answered, looking with gloomy +apprehension at the sandal-wood box which had appeared upon a case +full of scarabs. "Look here, Lady Ragnall," I added, "why can't you +leave all this unholy business alone and let us spend a pleasant +evening talking, now that those Smith people have gone? I have lots of +stories about my African adventures which would interest you." + +"Because I want to hear my own African adventures, and perhaps yours +too, which I am sure will interest me a great deal more," she +exclaimed earnestly. "You think it is all foolishness, but it is not. +Those Kendah priestesses told me much when I seemed to be out of my +mind. For a long time I did not remember what they said, but of late +years, especially since George and I began to excavate that temple, +plenty has come back to me bit by bit, fragments, you know, that make +me desire to learn the rest as I never desired anything else on earth. +And the worst of it has always been that from the beginning I have +known--and know--that this can only happen with you and through you, +why I cannot say, or have forgotten. That's what sent me nearly wild +with joy when I heard that you were not only alive, but in this +country. You won't disappoint me, will you? There is nothing I can +offer you which would have any value for you, so I can only beg you +not to disappoint me--well, because I am your friend." + +I turned away my head, hesitating, and when I looked up again I saw +that her beautiful eyes were full of tears. Naturally that settled the +matter, so I only said, + +"Let us get on with the affair. What am I to do? Stop a bit. I may as +well provide against eventualities," and going to a table I took a +sheet of notepaper and wrote: + + + "Lady Ragnall and I, Allan Quatermain, are about to make an + experiment with an herb which we discovered some years ago in + Africa. If by any chance this should result in accident to either + or both of us, the Coroner is requested to understand that it is + not a case of murder or of suicide, but merely of unfortunate + scientific research." + + +This I dated, adding the hour, 9.47 P.M., and signed, requesting her +to do the same. + +She obeyed with a smile, saying it was strange that one who had lived +a life of such constant danger as myself, should be so afraid to die. + +"Look here, young lady," I replied with irritation, "doesn't it occur +to you that /I/ may be afraid lest /you/ should die--and /I/ be hanged +for it," I added by an afterthought. + +"Oh! I see," she answered, "that is really very nice of you. But, of +course, you would think like that; it is your nature." + +"Yes," I replied. "Nature, not merit." + +She went to a cupboard which formed the bottom of one of the mahogany +museum cases, and extracted from it first of all a bowl of ancient +appearance made of some black stone with projecting knobs for handles +that were carved with the heads of women wearing ceremonial wigs; and +next a low tripod of ebony or some other black wood. I looked at these +articles and recognized them. They had stood in front of the sanctuary +in the temple in Kendah Land, and over them I had once seen this very +woman dressed as she was to-night, bend her head in the magic smoke +before she had uttered the prophecy of the passing of the Kendah god. + +"So you brought these away too," I said. + +"Yes," she replied with solemnity, "that they might be ready at the +appointed hour when we needed them." + +Then she spoke no more for a while, but busied herself with certain +rather eerie preparations. First she set the tripod and its bowl in an +open space which I was glad to note was at some distance from the +fire, since if either of us fell into that who would there be to take +us off before cremation ensued? Then she drew up a curved settee with +a back and arms, a comfortable-looking article having a seat that +sloped backwards like those in clubs, and motioned to me to sit down. +This I did with much the same sensations that are evoked by taking +one's place upon an operation-table. + +Next she brought that accursed /Taduki/ box, I mean the inner silver +one, the contents of which I heartily wished I had thrown upon the +fire, and set it down, open, near the tripod. Lastly she lifted some +glowing embers of wood from the grate with tongs, and dropped them +into the stone bowl. + +"I think that's all. Now for the great adventure," she said in a voice +that was at once rapt and dreamy. + +"What am I to do?" I asked feebly. + +"That is quite simple," she replied, as she sat herself down beside me +well within reach of the /Taduki/ box, the brazier being between us +with its tripod stand pressed against the edge of the couch, and in +its curve, so that we were really upon each side of it. "When the +smoke begins to rise thickly you have only to bend your head a little +forward, with your shoulders still resting against the settee, and +inhale until you find your senses leaving you, though I don't know +that this is necessary for the stuff is subtle. Then throw your head +back, go to sleep and dream." + +"What am I to dream about?" I inquired in a vacuous way, for my senses +were leaving me already. + +"You will dream, I think, of past events in which both of us played a +part, at least I hope so. I dreamt of them before in Kendah Land, but +then I was not myself, and for the most part they are forgotten. +Moreover, I learned that we can only see them all when we are +together. Now speak no more." + +This command, by the way, at once produced in me an intense desire for +prolonged conversation. It was not to be gratified, however, for at +that moment she stood up again facing the tripod and me, and began to +sing in a rich and thrilling voice. What she sang I do not know for I +could not understand the language, but I presume it was some ancient +chant that she learned in Kendah Land. At any rate, there she stood, a +lovely and inspired priestess clad in her sacerdotal robes, and sang, +waving her arms and fixing her eyes upon mine. Presently she bent +down, took a little of the /Taduki/ weed and with words of +incantation, dropped it upon the embers in the bowl. Twice she did +this, then sat herself upon the couch and waited. + +A clear flame sprang up and burned for thirty seconds or so, I suppose +while it consumed the volatile oils in the weed. Then it died down and +smoke began to come, white, rich and billowy, with a very pleasant +odour resembling that of hot-house flowers. It spread out between us +like a fan, and though its veil I heard her say, + +"The gates are wide. Enter!" + +I knew what she meant well enough, and though for a moment I thought +of cheating, there is no other word for it, knew also that she had +detected the thought and was scorning me in her mind. At any rate I +felt that I must obey and thrust my head forward into the smoke, as a +green ham is thrust into a chimney. The warm vapour struck against my +face like fog, or rather steam, but without causing me to choke or my +eyes to smart. I drew it down my throat with a deep inhalation--once, +twice, thrice, then as my brain began to swim, threw myself back as I +had been instructed to do. A deep and happy drowsiness stole over me, +and the last thing I remember was hearing the clock strike the first +two strokes of the hour of ten. The third stroke I heard also, but it +sounded like to that of the richest-throated bell that ever boomed in +all the world. I remember becoming aware that it was the signal for +the rolling up of some vast proscenium, revealing behind it a stage +that was the world--nothing less. + + + +What did I see? What did I see? Let me try to recall and record. + +First of all something chaotic. Great rushes of vapour driven by +mighty winds; great seas, for the most part calm. Then upheavals and +volcanoes spouting fire. Then tropic scenes of infinite luxuriance. +Terrific reptiles feeding on the brinks of marshes, and huge elephant- +like animals moving between palms beyond. Then, in a glade, rough huts +and about them a jabbering crowd of creatures that were only half +human, for sometimes they stood upright and sometimes ran on their +hands and feet. Also they were almost covered with hair which was all +they had in the way of clothes, and at the moment that I met them, +were terribly frightened by the appearance of a huge mammoth, if that +is the right name for it, which walked into the glade and looked at +us. At any rate it was a beast of the elephant tribe which I judged to +be nearly twenty feet high, with enormous curving tusks. + +The point of the vision was that I recognized myself among those hairy +jabberers, not by anything outward and visible, but by something +inward and spiritual. Moreover, I was being urged by a female of the +race, I can scarcely call her a woman, to justify my existence by +tackling the mammoth in her particular interest, or to give her up to +someone who would. In the end I tackled it, rushing forward with a +weapon, I think it was a sharp stone tied to a stick, though how I +could expect to hurt a beast twenty feet high with such a thing is +more than I can understand, unless perhaps the stone was poisoned. + +At any rate the end was sudden. I threw the stone, whereat a great +trunk shot out from between the tusks and caught me. Round and round I +went in the air, reflecting as I did so, for I suppose at the time my +normal consciousness had not quite left me, that this was my first +encounter with the elephant Jana, also that it was very foolish to try +to oblige a female regardless of personal risk. . . . + +All became dark, as no doubt it would have done, but presently, that +is after a lapse of a great many thousands of years, or so it appeared +to me, light grew again. This time I was a black man living in +something not unlike a Kaffir kraal on the top of a hill. + +There was shouting below and enemies attacked us; a woman rushed out +of a hut and gave me a spear and a shield, the latter made of wood +with white spots on it, and pointed to the path of duty which ran down +the hill. I followed in company with others, though without +enthusiasm, and presently met a roaring giant of a man at the bottom. +I stuck my spear into him and he stuck his into me, through the +stomach, which hurt me most abominably. After this I retired up the +hill where the woman pulled the spear out and gave it to another man. +I remember no more. + +Then followed a whole maze of visions, but really I cannot disentangle +them. Nor is it worth while doing so since after all they were only of +the nature of an overture, jumbled incidents of former lives, real or +imaginary, or so I suppose, having to do, all of them, with elementary +things, such as hunger and wounds and women and death. + +At length these broken fragments of the past were swept away out of my +consciousness and I found myself face to face with something connected +and tangible, not too remote or unfamiliar for understanding. It was +the beginning of the real story. + + + +I, please remember always that I knew it was I, Allan, and no one +else, that is, the same personality or whatever it may be which makes +each man different from any other man, saw myself in a chariot drawn +by two horses with arched necks and driven by a charioteer who sat on +a little seat in front. It was a highly ornamented, springless vehicle +of wood and gilded, something like a packing-case with a pole, or as +we should call it in South Africa, a disselboom, to which the horses +were harnessed. In this cart I stood arrayed in flowing robes fastened +round my middle by a studded belt, with strips of coloured cloth wound +round my legs and sandals on my feet. To my mind the general effect of +the attire was distinctly feminine and I did not like it at all. + +I was glad to observe, however, that the I of those days was anything +but feminine. Indeed I could never have believed that once I was so +good-looking, even over two thousand years ago. I was not very tall +but extremely stalwart, burly almost, with an arm that as I could +observe, since it projected from the sleeve of my lady's gown, would +have done no discredit to a prize-fighter, and a chest like a bull. + +The face also I admired very much. The brow was broad; the black eyes +were full and proud-looking, the features somewhat massive but well- +cut and highly intelligent; the mouth firm and shapely, with lips that +were perhaps a trifle too thick; the hair--well, there was rather a +failure in the hair, at least according to modern ideas, for it curled +so beautifully as to suggest that one of my ancestors might have +fallen in love with a person of negroid origin. However there was lots +of it, hanging down almost to the shoulders and bound about the brow +by a very neat fillet of blue cloth with silver studs. The colour of +my skin, I was glad to note, was by no means black, only a light and +pleasing brown such as might have been produced by sunburn. My age, I +might add, was anywhere between five and twenty and five and thirty, +perhaps nearer the latter than the former, at any rate, the very prime +of life. + +For the rest, I held in my left hand a very stout, long bow of black +wood which seemed to have seen much service, with a string of what +looked like catgut, on which was set a broad-feathered, barbed arrow. +This I kept in place with the fingers of my right hand, on one of +which I observed a handsome gold ring with strange characters carved +upon the bezel. + +Now for the charioteer. + +He was black as night, black as a Sunday hat, with yellow rolling eyes +set in a countenance of extraordinary ugliness and I may add, +extraordinary humour. His big, wide mouth with thick lips ran up the +left side of his face towards an ear that was also big and projecting. +His hair, that had a feather stuck in it, was real nigger wool +covering a skull like a cannon ball and I should imagine as hard. This +head, by the way, was set plumb upon the shoulders, as though it had +been driven down between them by a pile hammer. They were very broad +shoulders suggesting enormous strength, but the gaily-clad body +beneath, which was supported by two bowed legs and large, flat feet, +was that of a dwarf who by the proportions of his limbs Nature first +intended for a giant; yes, an Ethiopian dwarf. + +Looking through this remarkable exterior, as it were, I recognized +that inside of it was the soul, or animating principle, of--whom do +you think? None other than my beloved old servant and companion, the +Hottentot Hans whose loss I had mourned for years! Hans himself who +died for me, slaying the great elephant, Jana, in Kendah Land, the +elephant I could not hit, and thereby saving my life. Oh! although I +had been obliged to go back to the days of I knew not what ancient +empire to do so in my trance, or whatever it was, I could have wept +with joy at finding him again, especially as I knew by instinct that +as he loved the Allan Quatermain of to-day, so he loved this Egyptian +in a wheeled packing-case, for I may as well say at once that such was +my nationality in the dream. + +Now I looked about me and perceived that my chariot was the second of +a cavalcade. Immediately in front of it was one infinitely more +gorgeous in which stood a person who even if I had not known it, I +should have guessed to be a king, and who, as a matter of fact, was +none other than the King of kings, at that time the absolute master of +most of the known world, though what his name may have been, I have no +notion. He wore a long flowing robe of purple silk embroidered with +gold and bound in at the waist by a jewelled girdle from which hung +the private, sacred seal; the little "White Seal" that, as I learned +afterwards, was famous throughout the earth. + +On his head was a stiff cloth cap, also purple in colour, round which +was fastened a fillet of light blue stuff spotted with white. The best +idea that I can give of its general appearance is to liken it to a +tall hat of fashionable shape, without a brim, slightly squashed in so +that it bulged at the top, and surrounded by a rather sporting +necktie. Really, however, it was the /kitaris/ or headdress of these +monarchs worn by them alone. If anyone else had put on that hat, even +by mistake in the dark, well, his head would have come off with it, +that is all. + +This king held a bow in his hand with an arrow set upon its string, +just as I did, for we were out hunting, and as I shall have to narrate +presently, lions are no respecters of persons. By his side, leaning +against the back of the chariot, was a tall, sharp-pointed wand of +cedar wood with a knob of some green precious stone, probably an +emerald, fashioned to the likeness of an apple. This was the royal +sceptre. Immediately behind the chariot walked several great nobles. +One of them carried a golden footstool, another a parasol, furled at +the moment; another a spare bow and a quiver of arrows, and another a +jewelled fly-whisk made of palm fibre. + +The king, I should add, was young, handsome with a curled beard and +clear-cut, high-bred looking features; his face, however, was bad, +cruel and stamped with an air of weariness, or rather, satiety, which +was emphasized by the black circles beneath his fine dark eyes. +Moreover pride seemed to emanate from him and yet there was something +in his bearing and glances which suggested fear. He was a god who +knows that he is mortal and is therefore afraid lest at any moment he +may be called upon to lose his godship in his mortality. + +Not that he dreaded the perils of the chase; he was too much of a man +for that. But how could he tell lest among all that crowd of crawling +nobles, there was not one who had a dagger ready for his back, or a +phial of poison to mix with his wine or water? He with all the world +in the hollow of his hand, was filled with secret terrors which as I +learned since first I seemed to see him thus, fulfilled themselves at +the appointed time. For this man of blood was destined to die in +blood, though not by murder. + + + +The cavalcade halted. Presently a fat eunuch glittering in his gold- +wrought garments like some bronzed beetle in the sunlight, came +waddling back towards me. He was odious and I knew that we hated each +other. + +"Greeting, Egyptian," he said, mopping his brow with his sleeve for +the sun was hot. "An honour for you! A great honour! The King of kings +commands your presence. Yes, he would speak with you with his own +lips, and with that abortion of a servant of yours also. Come! Come +swiftly!" + +"Swift as an arrow, Houman," I answered laughing, "seeing that for +three moons I, like an arrow, have rested upon the string and flown no +nearer to his Majesty." + +"Three moons!" screeched the eunuch. "Why, many wait three years and +many go to the grave still waiting; bigger men than you, Egyptian, +though I hear you do claim to be of royal blood yonder on the Nile. +But talk not of arrows flying towards the most High, for surely it is +ill-omened and might earn you another honour, that of the string," and +he made a motion suggestive of a cord encircling his throat. "Man, +leave your bow behind! Would you appear before the King armed? Yes, +and your dagger also." + +"Perchance a lion might appear before the King and he does not leave +his claws and teeth behind," I answered drily as I divested myself of +my weapons. + +Then we started, the three of us, leaving the chariot in charge of a +soldier. + +"Draw your sleeves over your hands," said the eunuch. "None must +appear before the King showing his hands, and, dwarf, since you have +no sleeves, thrust yours into your robe." + +"What am I to do with my feet?" he answered in a thick, guttural +voice. "Will it offend the King of kings to see my feet, most noble +eunuch?" + +"Certainly, certainly," answered Houman, "since they are ugly enough +to offend even me. Hide them as much as possible. Now we are near, +down on your faces and crawl forward slowly on your knees and elbows, +as I do. Down, I say!" + +So down I went, though with anger in my heart, for be it remembered +that I, the modern Allan Quatermain, knew every thought and feeling +that passed through the mind of my prototype. + +It was as though I were a spectator at a play, with this difference. I +could read the motives and reflections of this former /ego/ as well as +observe his actions. Also I could rejoice when he rejoiced, weep when +he wept and generally feel all that he felt, though at the same time I +retained the power of studying him from my own modern standpoint and +with my own existing intelligence. Being two we still were one, or +being one we still were two, whichever way you like to put it. Lastly +I lacked these powers with reference to the other actors in the piece. +Of these I knew just as much, or as little as my former self knew, +that is if he ever really existed. There was nothing unnatural in my +faculties where they were concerned. I had no insight into their souls +any more than I have into those of the people about me to-day. Now I +hope that I have made clear my somewhat uncommon position with +reference to these pages from the Book of the Past. + +Well, preceded by the eunuch and followed by the dwarf, I crawled +though the sand in which grew some thorny plants that pricked my knees +and fingers, towards the person of the Monarch of the World. He had +descended from his chariot by help of a footstool, and was engaged in +drinking from a golden cup, while his attendants stood around in +various attitudes of adoration, he who had handed him the cup being +upon his knees. Presently he looked up and saw us. + +"Who are these?" he asked in a high voice that yet was not unmusical, +"and why do you bring them into my presence?" + +"May it please the King," answered our guide, knocking his head upon +the ground in a very agony of humiliation, "may it please the +King----" + +"It would please me better, dog, if you answered my question. Who are +they?" + +"May it please the King, this is the Egyptian hunter and noble, +Shabaka." + +"I hear," said his Majesty with a gleam of interest in his tired eyes, +"and what does this Egyptian here?" + +"May it please the King, the King bade me bring him to the presence, +but now when the chariots halted." + +"I forgot; you are forgiven. But who is that with him? Is it a man or +an ape?" + +Here I screwed my head round and saw that my slave in his efforts to +obey the eunuch's instructions and hide his feet, had made himself +into a kind of ball, much as a hedgehog does, except that his big head +appeared in front of the ball. + +"O King, that I understand is the Egyptian's servant and charioteer." + +Again he looked interested, and exclaimed, + +"Is it so? Then Egypt must be a stranger country than I thought if +such ape-men live there. Stand up, Egyptian, and bid your ape stand up +also, for I cannot hear men who speak with their mouths in the dust." + +So I rose and saluted by lifting both my hands and bowing as I had +observed others do, trying, however, to keep them covered by my +sleeves. The King looked me up and down, then said briefly, + +"Set out your name and the business that brought you to my city." + +"May the King live for ever," I replied. "As this lord said," and I +pointed to the eunuch---- + +"He is not a lord but a dog," interrupted the Monarch, "who wears the +robe of women. But continue." + +"As this dog who wears the robe of women said"--here the King laughed, +but the eunuch, Houman, turned green with rage and glowered at me--"my +name is Shabaka. I am a descendant of the Ethiopian king of Egypt of +that same name." + +"It seems from all I hear that there are too many descendants of kings +in Egypt. When I visit that land which perhaps soon I must do with an +army at my back," here he stared at me coldly, "it may be well to +lessen their number. There is a certain Peroa for instance." + +He paused, but I made no answer, since Peroa was my father's cousin +and of the fallen Royal House; also the protector of my youth. + +"Well, Shabaka," he went on, "in Persia royal blood is common also, +though some of us think it looks best when it is shed. What else are +you?" + +"A slayer of royal beasts, O King of kings, a hunter of lions and of +elephants," (this statement interested me, Allan Quatermain, +intensely, showing me as it did that our tastes are very persistent); +"also when I am at home, a breeder of cattle and a grower of grain." + +"Good trades, all of them, Shabaka. But why came you here?" + +"Idernes the satrap of Egypt, servant of the King of kings, sought for +one who would travel to the East because the King of kings desired to +hear of the hunting of lions in the lands that lie to the south of +Egypt towards the beginnings of the great river. Then I, who desired +to see new countries, said, 'Here am I. Send me.' So I came and for +three moons have dwelt in the royal city, but till this hour have +scarcely so much as seen the face of the great King, although by many +messengers I have announced my presence, showing them the letters of +Idernes giving me safe-conduct. Therefore I propose to-morrow or the +next day to return to Egypt." + +The King said a word and a scribe appeared whom he commanded to take +note of my words and let the matter be inquired of, since some should +suffer for this neglect, a saying at which I saw Houman and certain of +the nobles turn pale and whisper to each other. + +"Now I remember," he exclaimed, "that I did desire Idernes to send me +an Egyptian hunter. Well, you are here and we are about to hunt the +lion of which there are many in yonder reeds, hungry and fierce +beasts, since for three days they have been herded in so that they can +kill no food. How many lions have you slain, Shabaka?" + +"Fifty and three in all, O King, not counting the cubs." + +He stared at me, answering with a sneer, + +"You Egyptians have large mouths. I have always heard it of you. Well, +to-day we will see whether you can kill a fifty-fourth. In an hour +when the sun begins to sink, the hounds will be loosed in yonder reeds +and since the water is behind them, the lions will come out, and then +we shall see." + +Now I saw that the King thought me to be a liar and the blood rose to +my head. + +"Why wait till the sun begins to sink, O King of kings?" I said. "Why +not enter the reeds, as is our fashion in the Land of Kush, and rouse +the lions from sleep in their own lair?" + +Now the King laughed outright and called in a loud voice to his +courtiers, + +"Do ye hear this boasting Egyptian, who talks of entering the reeds +and facing the lions in their lair, a thing that no man dare do where +none can see to shoot? What say ye now? Shall we ask him to prove his +words?" + +Some great lord stepped forward, one who was a hunter though he looked +little like it, for the scent on his hair reached me from four paces +away and there was paint upon his face. + +"Yes, O King," he said in a mincing voice, "let him enter and kill a +lion. But if he fail, then let a lion kill him. There are some hungry +in the palace den and it is not fit that the King's ears should be +filled with empty words by foreigners from Egypt." + +"So be it," said the King. "Egyptian, you have brought it on your own +head. Prove that you can do what you say and I will give you great +honour. Fail, and to the lions with him who lies of lions. Still," he +added, "it is not right that you should go alone. Choose therefore one +of these lords to keep you company; he who would put you to the test, +if you will." + +Now I looked at the scented noble who turned pale beneath his paint. +Then I looked at the fat eunuch, Houman, who opened his mouth and +gasped like a fish, and when I had looked, I shook my head and said as +though to myself, + +"Not so, no woman and no eunuch shall be my companion on this quest," +whereat the King and all the rest laughed out loud. "The dwarf and I +will go alone." + +"The dwarf!" said the King. "Can he hunt lions also?" + +"No, O King, but perchance he can smell them, for otherwise how shall +I find them in that thicket within an hour?" + +"Perchance they can smell him. How is the ape-man named?" asked the +King. + +"Bes, O King, after the god of the Egyptians whom he resembles." + +"Dare you accompany your master on this hunt, O Bes?" inquired the +King. + +Then Bes looked up, rolling his yellow eyes, and answered in his thick +and guttural voice, + +"I am my master's slave and dare I refuse to accompany him? If I did +he might kill me, as the King of kings kills his slaves. It is better +to die with honour by the teeth of a lion, than with dishonour beneath +the whip of a master. So at least we think in Ethiopia." + +"Well spoken, dwarf Bes!" exclaimed the King. "So would I have all men +think throughout the East. Let the words of this Ethiop be written +down and copies of them sent to the satraps of all the provinces that +they may be read to the peoples of the earth. I the King have decreed +it." + + + + CHAPTER V + + THE WAGER + +While the scribes were at their work I bowed before the King and +prayed his leave and I and the dwarf Bes might get to ours. + +"Go," he said, "and return here within an hour. If you do not return +tidings of your death shall be sent to the satrap of Egypt to be told +to your wives." + +"I thank the King, but it is needless, for I have no wives, which are +ill company for a hunter." + +"Strange," he said, "since many women would be glad to name such a man +their husband, at least here among us Easterns." + +Walking backwards and bowing as we went, Bes and I returned to our +chariot. There we stripped off our outer garments till Bes was naked +save for his waistcloth and I was clad only in a jerkin. Then I took +my bow, my arrows and my knife, and Bes took two spears, one light for +throwing and the other short, broad and heavy for stabbing. Thus armed +we passed back before the Easterns who stared at us, and advanced to +the edge of the thicket of tall reeds that was full of lions. + +Here Bes took dust and threw it into the air that we might learn from +which quarter the light wind blew. + +"We will go against the breeze, Lord," he said, "that I may smell the +lions before they smell us." + +I nodded, and answered, + +"Hearken, Bes. Well may it be that we kill no lions in this place +where it is hard to shoot. Yet I would not return to be thrown to wild +beasts by yonder evil king. Therefore if we fail in this or in any +other way, do you kill me, if you still live." + +He rolled his eyes and grinned. + +"Not so, Master. Then we will win through the reeds and lie hid in +their edge till darkness comes, for in them those half-men will never +dare to seek for us. Afterwards we will swim the water and disguise +ourselves as jugglers and try to reach the coast, and so back to +Egypt, having learned much. Never stretch out your hand to Death till +he stretches out his to you, which he will do soon enough, Master." + +Again I nodded and said, + +"And if a lion should kill me, Bes, what then?" + +"Then, Master, I will kill that lion if I can and go report the matter +to the King." + +"And if he should wish to throw you to the beasts, Bes, what then?" + +"Then, first I will drag him down to the greatest of all beasts, he +who waits to devour evil-doers in the Under-world, be they kings or +slaves," and he stretched out his long arms and made a motion as of +clutching a man by the throat. "Oh! have no fear, Master, I can break +him like a stick, and afterwards we will talk the matter over among +the dead, for I shall swallow my tongue and die also. It is a good +trick, Master, which I wish you would learn." + +Then he took my hand and kissed it and we entered the reeds, I, who +was a hunter, feeling more happy than I had done since we set foot in +the East. + +Yet the quest was desperate for the reeds were tall and often I could +not see more than a bow's length in front of me. Presently, however, +we found a path made perchance by game coming down to drink, or by +crocodiles coming up to sleep, and followed it, I with an arrow on my +string and Bes with the throwing spear in his right hand and the +stabbing spear in his left, half a pace ahead of me. On we crept, Bes +drawing in the air through his great nostrils as a hound might do, +till suddenly he stopped and sniffed towards the north. + +"I smell lion near," he whispered, searching among the reed stems with +his eyes. "I see lion," he whispered again, and pointed, but I could +see nothing save the stems of the reeds. + +"Rouse him," I whispered back, "and I will shoot as he bounds." + +Then Bes poised the spear, shook it till it quivered, and threw. There +was a roar and a lioness appeared with the spear fast in her flank. I +loosed the arrow but it cut into the thick reeds and stuck there. + +"Forward!" whispered Bes, "for where woman is, there look for man. The +lion will be near." + +We crept on, Bes stopping to cut the arrow from a reed and set it back +in the quiver, for it was a good arrow made by himself. But now he +shifted the broad spear to his right hand and in his left held his +knife. We heard the wounded lioness roar not far away. + +"She calls her man to help her," whispered Bes, and as the words left +his lips the reeds down wind began to sway, for we were smelt. + +They swayed, they parted and, half seen, half hid between their stems, +appeared the head of a great, black-maned lion. I drew the string and +shot, this time not in vain, for I heard the arrow thud upon his hide. +Then before I could set another he was on us, reared upon his hind +legs and roaring. As I drew my dagger he struck at me, but I bent down +and his paw went over my head. Then his weight came against me and I +fell beneath him, stabbing him in the belly as I fell. I saw his +mighty jaws open to crush my head. Then they shut again and through +them burst a whine like that of a hurt dog. + +Bes had driven his spear into the lion's breast, so deep that the +point of it came out through the back. Still he was not dead, only now +it was Bes he sought. The dwarf ran at him as he reared up again, and +casting his great arms about the brute's body, wrestled with him as +man with man. + +Then it was, for the first time I think, that I learned all the +Ethiopian's strength. For he, a dwarf, threw that lion on its back and +thrusting his big head beneath the jaws, struggled with it madly. I +was up, the knife still in my hand, and oh! I too was strong. Into the +throat I drove it, dragging it this way and that, and lo! the lion +moaned and died and his blood gushed out over both of us. Then Bes sat +up and laughed, and I too laughed, since neither of us had more than +scratches and we had done what men could scarcely do. + +"Do you remember, Master," said Bes when he had finished laughing, as +he wiped his brow with some damp moss, "how, once far away up the Nile +you charged a mad elephant with a spear and saved me who had fallen, +from being trampled to death?" + +I, Shabaka, answered that I did. (And I, Allan Quatermain, observing +all these things in my psychic trance in the museum of Ragnall Castle, +reflected that I also remembered how a certain Hans had saved me from +a certain mad elephant, to wit, Jana, not so long before, which just +shows how things come round.) + +"Yes," went on Bes, "you saved me from that elephant, though it seemed +death to you. And, Master, I will tell you something now. That very +morning I had tried to poison you, only you would not wait to eat +because the elephants were near." + +"Did you?" I asked idly. "Why?" + +"Because two years before you captured me in battle with some of my +people, and as I was misshapen, or for pity's sake, spared my life and +made me your slave. Well, I who had been a chief, a very great chief, +Master, did not wish to remain a slave and did wish to avenge my +people's blood. Therefore I tried to poison you, and that very day you +saved my life, offering for it your own." + +"I think it was because I wanted the tusks of the elephant, Bes." + +"Perhaps, Master, only you will remember that this elephant was a +young cow and had no tusks worth anything. Still had it carried tusks, +it might have been so, since one white tusk is worth many black +dwarfs. Well, to-day I have paid you back. I say it lest you should +forget that had it not been for me, that lion would have eaten you." + +"Yes, Bes, you have paid me back and I thank you." + +"Master, hitherto I always thought you one who worshipped Maat, +goddess of Truth. Now I see that you worship the god of Lies, whoever +he may be, that god who dwells in the breasts of women and most men, +but has no name. For, Master, it was /you/ who saved /me/ from the +lion and not I you, since you cut its throat at the last. So that debt +of mine is still to pay and by the great Grasshopper which we worship +in my country, who is much better than all the gods of the Egyptians +put together, I swear that I will pay it soon, or mayhap ten thousand +years hence. At the last it shall be paid." + +"Why do you worship a grasshopper and why is he better than the gods +of the Egyptians?" I asked carelessly, for I was tired and his talk +amused me while we rested. + +"We worship the Grasshopper, Master, because he jumps with men's +spirits from one life to another, or from this world to the next, yes, +right through the blue sky. And he is better than your Egyptian gods +because they leave you to find your own way there, and then eat you +alive, that is if you have tried to poison people, as of course we +have all done. But, Master, we are fresh again now, so let us be +going, for the hour will soon be finished. Also when she has eaten the +spear handle, that lioness may return." + +"Yes," I said; "let us go and report to the King of kings that we have +killed a lion." + +"Master, it is not enough. Even common kings believe little that they +do not see, wherefore it is certain that a King of kings will believe +nothing and still more certain that he will not come here to look. So +as we cannot carry the lion, we must take a bit of it," and +straightway he cut off the end of the brute's tail. + +Following the crocodile path, presently we reached the edge of the +reeds opposite to the camp where the King now sat in state beneath a +purple pavilion that had been reared, eating a meal, with his +courtiers standing at a distance and looking very hungry. + +Out of the reeds bounded Bes, naked and bloody, waving the lion's tail +and singing some wild Ethiopian chant, while I, also bloody and half +naked, for the lion's claws had torn my jerkin off me, followed with +bow unstrung. + +The King looked up and saw us. + +"What! Do you live, Egyptian?" he asked. "Of a surety I thought that +by now you would be dead." + +"It was the lion that died, O King," I answered, pointing to Bes who, +having ceased from his song, was jumping about carrying the beast's +tail in his mouth as a dog carries a bone. + +"It seems that this Egyptian has killed a lion," said the King to one +of his lords, him of the painted face and scented hair. + +"May be please the King," he answered, bowing, "a tail is not the +whole beast and may have been taken thither, or cut from a lion lying +dead already. The King knows that the Egyptians are great liars." + +So he spoke because he was jealous of the deed. + +"These men look as though they had met a live one, not one that is +dead," said the King, scanning our blood-stained shapes. "Still, as +you doubt it, you will wish to put the matter to the proof. Therefore, +Cousin, take six men with you, enter the reeds and search. In that +soft ground it will be easy to follow their footmarks." + +"It is dangerous, O King," began the prince, for such he was, no less. + +"And therefore the task will be the more to your taste, Cousin. Go +now, and be swift." + +So six hunters were called and the prince went, cursing me beneath his +breath as he passed us. For he was terribly afraid, and with reason. +Suddenly Bes ceased from his antics and prostrating himself, cried, + +"A boon, O King. This noble lord throws doubt upon my master's word. +Suffer that I may lead him to where the lion lies dead, since +otherwise wandering in those reeds the great King's cousin might come +to harm and the great King be grieved." + +"I have many cousins," said the King. "Still go if you wish, Dwarf." + +So Bes ran after the prince and catching him up, tapped him on the +shoulder with the lion's tail to point out the way. Then they vanished +into the reeds and I went to the chariot to wash off the blood from my +body and clothes. As I fastened my robe I heard a sound of roaring, +then one scream, after which all grew still. Now I drew near to the +reeds and stood between them and the King's camp. + +Presently on their edge appeared Bes dancing and singing as before, +but this time he held a lion's tail in either hand. After him came the +six hunters dragging between them the body of the lion we had killed. +They staggered with it towards the King, and I followed. + +"I see the dwarf," he said. "I see the dead lion and I see the +hunters. But where is my cousin? Make report, O Bes." + +"O King of kings," replied Bes, "the mighty prince your cousin lies +flat yonder beneath the body of that lion's wife. She sprang upon him +and killed him, and I sprang upon her and killed her with my spear. +Here is her tail, O King of kings." + +"Is this true?" he asked of the hunters. + +"It is true, O King," answered their captain. "The lioness, which was +wounded, leapt upon the prince, choosing him although he was behind us +all. Then this dwarf leapt upon the lioness, being behind the prince +and nearest to him, and drove his spear through her shoulders to her +heart. So we brought the first lion as the King commanded us, since we +could carry no more." + +The face of the King grew red with rage. + +"Seven of my people and one black dwarf!" he exclaimed. "Yet the +lioness kills my cousin and the dwarf kills the lioness. Such is the +tale that will go to Egypt concerning the hunters of the King of the +world. Seize those men, Guards, and let them be fed to the wild beasts +in the palace dens." + +At once the unfortunates were seized and led away. Then the King +called Bes to him, and taking the gold chain he wore about his neck, +threw it over his head, thereby, though I knew nothing of it at the +time, conferring upon him some noble rank. Next he called to me and +said, + +"It would seem that you are skilled in the use of the bow and in the +hunting of lions, Egyptian. Therefore I will honour you, for this +afternoon your chariot shall drive with my chariot, and we will hunt +side by side. Moreover, I will lay you a wager as to which of us will +kill the most lions, for know, Shabaka, that I also am skilled in the +use of the bow, more skilled than any among the millions of my +subjects." + +"Then, O King, it is of little use for me to match myself against you, +seeing that I have met men who can shoot better than I do, or, since +in the East all must speak nothing but the truth, not being liars as +the dead prince said we Egyptians are, one man." + +"Who was that man, Shabaka?" + +"The Prince Peroa, O King." + +The King frowned as though the name displeased him, then answered, + +"Am I not greater than this Peroa and cannot I therefore shoot +better?" + +"Doubtless, O King of kings, and therefore how can I who shoot worse +than Peroa, match myself against you?" + +"For which reason I will give you odds, Shabaka. Behold this rope of +rose-hued pearls I wear. They are unequalled in the whole world, for +twenty years the merchants sought them in the days of my father; half +of them would buy a satrapy. I wager them"--here the listening nobles +gasped and the fat eunuch, Houman, held up his hands in horror. + +"Against what, O King?" + +"Your slave Bes, to whom I have taken a fancy." + +Now I trembled and Bes rolled his yellow eyes. + +"Your pardon, O King of kings," I said, "but it is not enough. I am a +hunter and to such, priceless pearls are of little use. But to me that +dwarf is of much use in my hunting." + +"So be it, Shabaka, then I will add to the wager. If you win, together +with the pearls I will give you the dwarf's weight in solid gold." + +"The King is bountiful," I answered, "but it is not enough, for even +if I win against one who can shoot better than Peroa, which is +impossible, what should I do with so much gold? Surely for the sake of +it I should be murdered or ever I saw the coasts of Egypt." + +"What shall I add then?" asked the King. "The most beauteous maiden in +the House of Women?" + +I shook my head. "Not so, O King, for then I must marry who would +remain single." + +"There is no need, you might sell her to your friend, Peroa. A +satrapy?" + +"Not so, O King, for then I must govern it, which would keep me from +my hunting, until it pleased the King to take my head." + +"By the name of the holy ones I worship what then do you ask added to +the pearls and the pure gold?" + +Now I tried to bethink me of something that the King could not grant, +since I had no wish for this match which my heart warned me would end +in trouble. As no thought came to me I looked at Bes and saw that he +was rolling his eyes towards the six doomed hunters who were being led +away, also in pretence of driving off a fly, pointing to them with one +of the lion tails. Then I remembered that a decree once uttered by the +King of the East could not be altered, and saw a road of escape. + +"O King," I said, "together with the pearls and the gold I ask that +the lives of those six hunters be added to the wager, to be spared if +by chance I should win." + +"Why?" asked the King amazed. + +"Because they are brave men, O King, and I would not see the bones of +such cracked by tame beasts in a cage." + +"Is my judgment registered?" asked the King. + +"Not yet, O King," answered the head scribe. + +"Then it has no weight and can be suspended without the breaking of +the law. Shabaka, thus stands our wager. If I kill more lions than you +do this day, or, should but two be slain, I kill the first, or should +none be slain, I plant more arrows in their bodies, I take your slave, +Bes the dwarf, to be my slave. But should you have the better of me in +any of these ways, then I give to you this girdle of rose pearls and +the weight of the dwarf Bes in gold and the six hunters free of harm, +to do with what you will. Let it be recorded, and to the hunt." + + + +Soon Bes and I were in our chariot which by command took place in line +with that of the King, but at a distance of some thirty steps. Bending +over the dwarf who drove, I spoke with him, saying, + +"Our luck is ill to-day, Bes, seeing that before the end of it we may +well be parted." + +"Not so, Master, our luck is good to-day seeing that before the end of +it you will be the richer by the finest pearls in the whole world, by +my weight in pure gold (and Master, I am twice as heavy as the king +thought and will stuff myself with twenty pounds of meat before the +weighing, if I have the chance, or at least with water, though in this +hot place that will not last for long), and by six picked huntsmen, +brave men as you thought, who will serve to escort us and our treasure +to the coast." + +"First I must win the match, Bes." + +"Which you could do with one eye blinded, Master, and a sore finger. +Kings think that they can shoot because all the worms that crawl about +them and are named men, dare not show themselves their betters. Oh! I +have heard tales in yonder city. There have been days when this Lord +of the world has missed six lions with as many arrows, and they seated +smiling in his face, being but tamed brutes brought from far in cages +of wood, yes, smiling like cats in the sun. Look you, Master, he +drinks too much wine and sits up too late in his Women's house--there +are three hundred of them there, Master--to shoot as you and I can. If +you doubt it, look at his eyes and hands. Oh! the pearls and the gold +and the men are yours, and that painted prince who mocked us is where +he ought to be--dead in the mud. + +"Did I tell you how I managed that, Master? As you know better than I +do, lions hate those that have on them the smell of their own blood. +Therefore, while I pointed out the way to him, I touched the painted +prince with the bleeding tail of that which we killed, pretending that +it was by chance, for which he cursed me, as well he might. So when we +came to the dead lion and, as I had expected, met there the lioness +you had wounded, she charged through the hunters at him who smelt of +her husband, and bit his head off." + +"But, Bes, you smelt of him also, and worse." + +"Yes, Master, but that painted cousin of the King came first. I kept +well behind him, pretending to be afraid," and he chuckled quietly, +adding, "I expect that he is now telling an angry tale about me to +Osiris, or to the Grasshopper that takes him there, as it may happen." + +"These Easterns worship neither Osiris, nor your Grasshopper, Bes, but +a flame of fire." + +"Then he is telling the tale to the fire, and I hope that it will get +tired and burn him." + +So we talked merrily enough because we had done great deeds and +thought that we had outwitted the Easterns and the King, not knowing +all their craft. For none had told us that that man who hunted with +the King and yet dared to draw arrow upon the quarry before the King +should be put to death as one who had done insult to his Majesty. This +that royal fox remembered and therefore was sure that he would win the +wager. + +Now the chariots turned and passing down a path came to an open space +that was cleared of reeds. Here they halted, that of the King and my +own side by side with ten paces between them, and those of the court +behind. Meanwhile huntsmen with dogs entered the great brake far away +to the right and left of us, also in front, so that the lions might be +driven backwards and forwards across the open space. + +Soon we heard the hounds baying on all sides. Then Bes made a sucking +noise with his great lips and pointed to the edge of the reeds in +front of us some sixty paces away. Looking, I saw a yellow shape +creeping along between their dark stems, and although the shot was +far, forgetting all things save I was a hunter and there was my game, +I drew the arrow to my ear, aimed and loosed, making allowance for its +fall and for the wind. + +Oh! that shot was good. It struck the lion in the body and pierced him +through. Out he came, roaring, rolling, and tearing at the ground. But +by now I had another arrow on the string, and although the King lifted +his bow, I loosed first. Again it struck, this time in the throat, and +that lion groaned and died. + +The King looked at me angrily, and from the court behind rose a murmur +of wonder mingled with wrath, wonder at my marksmanship, and wrath +because I had dared to shoot before the King. + +"The wager looks well for us," muttered Bes, but I bade him be silent, +for more lions were stirring. + +Now one leapt across the open space, passing in front of the King and +within thirty paces of us. He shot and missed it, sending his shaft +two spans above its back. Then I shot and drove the arrow through it +just where the head joins the neck, cutting the spine, so that it died +at once. + +Again that murmur went up and the King struck the charioteer on the +head with his clenched fist, crying out that he had suffered the +horses to move and should be scourged for causing his hand to shake. + +This charioteer, although he was a lord--since in the East men of high +rank waited on the King like slaves and even clipped his nails and +beard--craved pardon humbly, admitting his fault. + +"It is a lie," whispered Bes. "The horses never stirred. How could +they with those grooms holding their heads? Nevertheless, Master, the +pearls are as good as round your neck." + +"Silence," I answered. "As we have heard, in the East all men speak +the truth; it is only Egyptians who lie. Also in the East men's necks +are encircled with bowstrings as well as pearls, and ears are long." + +The hounds continued to bay, drawing nearer to us. A lioness bounded +out of the reeds, ran towards the King's chariot and as though amazed, +sat down like a dog, so near that a man might have hit it with a +stone. The King shot short, striking it in the fore-paw only, whereon +it shook out the arrow and rushed back into the reeds, while the court +behind cried, + +"May the King live for ever! The beast is dead." + +"We shall see if it is dead presently," said Bes, and I nodded. + +Another lion appeared to the right of the King. Again he shot and +missed it, whereon he began to curse and to swear in his own royal +oaths, and the charioteer trembled. Then came the end. + +One of the hounds drew quite close and roused the lioness that had +been pricked in the foot. She turned and killed it with a blow of her +paw, then, being mad, charged straight at the King's chariot. The +horses reared, lifting the grooms off their feet. The King shot wildly +and fell backwards out of the chariot, as even Kings of the world must +do when they have nothing left to stand on. The lioness saw that he +was down and leapt at him, straight over the chariot. As she leapt I +shot at her in the air and pierced her through the loins, paralysing +her, so that although she fell down near the King, she could not come +at him to kill him. + +I sprang from my chariot, but before I could reach the lioness hunters +had run up with spears and stabbed her, which was easy as she could +not move. + +The King rose from the ground, for he was unharmed, and said in a loud +voice, + +"Had not that shaft of mine gone home, I think that the East would +have bowed to another lord to-night." + +Now, forgetting that I was speaking to the King of the earth, +forgetting the wager and all besides, I exclaimed, + +"Nay, your shaft missed; mine went home," whereon one of the courtiers +cried, + +"This Egyptian is a liar, and calls the King one!" + +"A liar?" I said astonished. "Look at the arrow and see from whose +quiver it came," and I drew one from my own of the Egyptian make and +marked with my mark. + +Then a tumult broke out, all the courtiers and eunuchs talking at +once, yet all bowing to the mud-stained person of the King, like ears +of wheat to a tree in a storm. Not wishing to urge my claims further, +for my part I returned to the chariot and the hunting being done, as I +supposed, unstrung my bow which I prized above all things, and set it +in its case. + +While I was thus employed the eunuch Houman approached me with a +sickly smile, saying, + +"The King commands your presence, Egyptian, that you may receive your +reward." + +I nodded, saying that I would come, and he returned. + +"Bes," I said when he was out of hearing, "my heart sinks. I do not +trust that King who I think means mischief." + +"So do I, Master. Oh! we have been great fools. When a god and a man +climb a tree together, the man should allow the god to come first to +the top, and thence tell the world that he is a god." + +"Yes," I answered, "but who ever sees Wisdom until she is flying away? +Now perhaps, the god being the stronger, will cast down the man." + +Then both together we advanced towards the King, leaving the chariot +in charge of soldiers. He was seated on a gilded chair which served +him as a throne, and behind him were his officers, eunuchs and +attendants, though not all of them, since at a little distance some of +them were engaged in beating the lord who had served as his charioteer +upon the feet with rods. We prostrated ourselves before him and waited +till he spoke. At length he said, + +"Shabaka the Egyptian, we made a wager with you, of which you will +remember the terms. It seems that you have won the wager, since you +slew two lions, whereas we, the King, slew but one, that which leapt +upon us in the chariot." + +Here Bes groaned at my side and I looked up. + +"Fear nothing," he went on, "it shall be paid." Here he snatched off +the girdle of priceless, rose-hued pearls and threw it in my face. + +"At the palace too," he went on, "the dwarf shall be set in the scales +and his full weight in pure gold shall be given to you. Moreover, the +lives of the six hunters are yours, and with them the men themselves." + +"May the King live for ever!" I exclaimed, feeling that I must say +something. + +"I hope so," he answered cruelly, "but, Egyptian, you shall not, who +have broken the laws of the land." + +"In what way, O King?" I asked. + +"By shooting at the lions before the King had time to draw his bow, +and by telling the King that he lied to his face, for both of which +things the punishment is death." + +Now my heart swelled till I thought it would burst with rage. Then of +a sudden, a certain spirit entered into me and I rose to my feet and +said, + +"O King, you have declared that I must die and as this is so, I will +kneel to you no more who soon shall sup at the table of Osiris, and +there be far greater than any king, going before him with clean hands. +Is it not your law that he who is condemned to die has first the right +to set out his case for the honour of his name?" + +"It is," said the King, I think because he was curious to hear what I +had to say. "Speak on." + +"O King, although my blood is as high as your own, of that I say +nothing, for at the wish of your satrap I came to the East from Egypt +as a hunter, to show you how we of Egypt kill lions and other beasts. +For three months I have waited in the royal city seeking admission to +the presence of the King, and in vain. At length I was bidden to this +hunt when I was about to depart to my own land, and being taunted by +your servants, entered the reeds with my slave, and there slew a lion. +Then it pleased you to thrust a wager upon me which I did not wish to +take, as to which of us would shoot the most lions; a wager as I now +understand you did not mean that I should win, whatever might be my +skill, since you thought I knew that I must shoot at nothing till you +had first shot and killed the beasts or scared them away. + +"So I matched myself against you, as hunter against hunter, for in the +field, as before the gods, all are equal, not as a slave against a +king who is determined to avenge defeat by death. We were posted and +the lions came. I shot at those which appeared opposite to me, or upon +my side, leaving those that appeared opposite to you, or on your side +unshot at, as is the custom of hunters. My skill, or my fortune, was +better than yours and I killed, whereas you missed or only wounded. In +the end a lioness sprang at you and I shot it lest it should kill you; +as could easily be proved by the arrow in its body. Now you say that I +must die because I have broken some laws of yours which men should be +ashamed to make, and to save your honour, pay me what I have won, +knowing that pearls and gold and slaves are of no value to a dying man +and can be taken back again. That is all the story. + +"Yet I would add one word. You Easterns have two sayings which you +teach to your children; that they should learn to shoot with the bow, +and to tell the truth. O King, they are my last lessons to you. Learn +to shoot with the bow--which you cannot do, and to tell the truth +which you have not done. Now I have spoken and am ready to die and I +thank you for the patience with which you have heard my words, that, +as the King does /not/ live for ever, I hope one day to repeat to you +more fully beyond the grave." + +Now at this bold speech of mine all those nobles and attendants +gasped, for never had they heard such words addressed to his Majesty. +The King turned red as though with shame, but made no answer, only he +asked of those about him. + +"What fate for this man?" + +"Death, O King!" they cried with one voice. + +"What death?" he asked again. + +Then his Councillors consulted together and one of them answered, + +"The slowest known to our law, /death by the boat/." + +Hearing this and not knowing what was meant, it came into my mind that +I was to be turned adrift in a boat and there left to starve. + +"Behold the reward of good hunting!" I mocked in my rage. "O King, +because of this deed of shame I call upon you the curse of all the +gods of all the peoples. Henceforth may your sleep be ever haunted by +evil dreams of what shall follow the last sleep, and in the end may +you also die in blood." + +The King opened his mouth as though to answer, but from it came +nothing but a low cry of fear. Then guards rushed up and seized me. + + + + CHAPTER VI + + THE DOOM OF THE BOAT + +The guards led me to my chariot and thrust me into it, and with me +Bes. I asked them if they would murder him also, to which the eunuch, +Houman, answered No, since he had committed no crime, but that he must +go with me to be weighed. Then soldiers took the horses by the bridles +and led them, while others, having first snatched away my bow and all +our other weapons, surrounded the chariot lest we should escape. So +Bes and I were able to talk together in a Libyan tongue that none of +them understood, even if they heard our words. + +"Your life is spared," I said to him, "that the King may take you as a +slave." + +"Then he will take an ill slave, Master, since I swear by the +Grasshopper that within a moon I will find means to kill him, and +afterwards come to join you in a land where men hunt fair." + +I smiled and Bes went on, + +"Now I wish I had time to teach you that trick of swallowing your own +tongue, since perhaps you will need it in this boat of which they +talk." + +"Did you not say to me an hour or two ago, Bes, that we are fools to +stretch out our hands to Death until he stretches out his to us? I +will not die until I must--now." + +"Why 'now,' Master, seeing that only this afternoon you bade me kill +you rather than let you be thrown to the wild beasts?" he asked +peering at me curiously. + +"Do you remember the old hermit, the holy Tanofir, who dwells in a +cell over the sepulchre of the Apis bulls in the burial ground of the +desert near to Memphis, Bes?" + +"The magician and prophet who is the brother of your grandfather, +Master, and the son of a king; he who brought you up before he became +a hermit? Yes, I know him well, though I have seldom been very near to +him because his eyes frighten me, as they frightened Cambyses the +Persian when Tanofir cursed him and foretold his doom after he had +stabbed the holy Apis, saying that by a wound from that same sword in +his own body he should die himself, which thing came to pass. As they +have frightened many another man also." + +"Well, Bes, when yonder king told me that I must die, fear filled me +who did not wish to die thus, and after the fear came a blackness in +my mind. Then of a sudden in that blackness I saw a picture of +Tanofir, my great uncle, seated in a sepulchre looking towards the +East. Moreover I heard him speak, and to me, saying, 'Shabaka, my +foster-son, fear nothing. You are in great danger but it will pass. +Speak to the great King all that rises in your heart, for the gods of +Vengeance make use of your tongue and whatever you prophesy to him +shall be fulfilled.' So I spoke the words you heard and I feared +nothing." + +"Is it so, Master? Then I think that the holy Tanofir must have +entered my heart also. Know that I was minded to leap upon that king +and break his neck, so that all three of us might end together. But of +a sudden something seemed to tell me to leave him alone and let things +go as they are fated. But how can the holy Tanofir who grows blind +with age, see so far?" + +"I do not know, Bes, save that he is not as are other men, for in him +is gathered all the ancient wisdom of Egypt. Moreover he lives with +the gods while still upon earth, and like the gods can send his /Ka/, +as we Egyptians call the spirit, or invisible self which companions +all from the cradle to the grave and afterwards, whither he will. So +doubtless to-day he sent it hither to me whom he loves more than +anything on earth. Also I remember that before I entered on this +journey he told me that I should return safe and sound. Therefore, +Bes, I say I fear nothing." + +"Nor do I, Master. Yet if you see me do strange things, or hear me +speak strange words, take no note of them, since I shall be but +playing a part as I think wisest." + +After this we talked of that day's adventure with the lions, and of +others that we had shared together, laughing merrily all the while, +till the soldiers stared at us as though we were mad. Also the fat +eunuch, Houman, who was mounted on an ass, rode up and said, + +"What, Egyptian who dared to twist the beard of the Great King, you +laugh, do you? Well, you will sing a different song in the boat to +that which you sing in the chariot. Think of my words on the eighth +day from this." + +"I will think of them, Eunuch," I answered, looking at him fiercely in +the eyes, "but who knows what kind of a song you will be singing +before the eighth day from this?" + +"What I do is done under the authority of the ancient and holy Seal of +Seals," he answered in a quavering voice, touching the little cylinder +of white shell which I had noted upon the person of the King, but that +now hung from a gold chain about the eunuch's neck. + +Then he made the sign which Easterns use to avert evil and rode off +again, looking very frightened. + +So we came to the royal city and went up to a wonderful palace. Here +we were taken from the chariot and led into a room where food and +drink in plenty were given to me as though I were an honoured guest, +which caused me to wonder. Bes also, seated on the ground at a +distance, ate and drank, for his own reasons filling himself to the +throat as though he were a wineskin, until the serving slaves mocked +at him for a glutton. + +When we had finished eating, slaves appeared bearing a wooden +framework from which hung a great pair of scales. Also there appeared +officers of the King's Treasury, carrying leather bags which they +opened, breaking the seals to show that the contents were pure gold +coin. They set a number of these bags on one of the scales, and then +ordered Bes to seat himself in the other. So much heavier did he prove +than they expected him to be, that they were obliged to send back to +the Treasury to fetch more bags of gold, for although Bes was so short +in height, his weight was that of a large man. One of the treasurers +grumbled, saying he should have been weighed before he had eaten and +drunk. But the officer to whom he spoke grinned and answered that it +mattered little, since the King was heir to criminals and that these +bags would soon return to the Treasury, only they would need washing +first, a remark that made me wonder. + +At length, when the scales were even, the six hunters whose lives I +had won and who had been given to me as slaves, were brought in and +ordered to shoulder the bags of gold. I too was seized and my hands +were bound behind me. Then I was led out in charge of the eunuch +Houman, who informed me with a leer that it would be his duty to +attend to my comfort till the end. With him were four black men all +dressed in the same way. These, he said, were the executioners. Lastly +came Bes watched by three of the king's guards armed with spears, lest +he should attempt to rescue me or to do anyone a mischief. + +Now my heart began to sink and I asked Houman what was to happen to +me. + +"This, O Egyptian slayer of lions. You will be laid upon a bed in a +little boat upon the river and another boat will be placed over you, +for these boats are called the Twins, Egyptian, in such a fashion that +your head and your hands will project at one end and your feet at the +other. There you will be left, comfortable as a baby in its cradle, +and twice every day the best of food and drink will be brought to you. +Should your appetite fail, moreover, it will be my duty to revive it +by pricking your eyes with the point of a knife until it returns. Also +after each meal I shall wash your face, your hands and your feet with +milk and honey, lest the flies that buzz about them should suffer +hunger, and to preserve your skin from burning by the sun. Thus slowly +you will grow weaker and at length fall asleep. The last one who went +into the boat--he, unlucky man, had by accident wandered into the +court of the House of Women and seen some of the ladies there unveiled +--only lived for twelve days, but you, being so strong, may hope to +last for eighteen. Is there anything more that I can tell you? If so, +ask it quickly for we draw near to the river." + +Now when I heard this and understood all the horror of my fate, I +forgot the vision of my great uncle, the holy Tanofir, and his +comfortable prophecies, and my heart failed me altogether, so that I +stood stock still. + +"What, Lion-hunter and Bearder of kings, do you think it is too early +to go to bed?" mocked this devilish eunuch. "On with you!" and he +began to beat me about the face with the handle of his fly-whisk. + +Then my manhood came back to me. + +"When did the King tell you to touch me, you fatted swine?" I roared, +and turning, since I could not reach him with my bound hands, kicked +him in the body with all my strength, so that he fell down, writhing +and screaming with agony. Indeed, had not the executioners leapt upon +me, I would have trampled the life out of him where he lay. But they +held me fast and presently, after he had been sick, Houman recovered +enough to come forward leaning on the shoulders of two guards. Only +now he mocked me no more. + +We reached a quay just as the sun was setting. There in charge of a +one-eyed black slave, a little square-ended boat floated at the +river's edge, while on the quay itself lay a similar but somewhat +shorter boat, bottom uppermost. Now the hunters whom I had won in the +wager, with many glances of compassion, for they were brave men and +knew that it was I who had saved their lives, placed the bags of gold +in the bottom of the floating boat, and on the top of these a mattress +stuffed with straw. Then the girdle of rose-hued pearls was made fast +about my middle, my hands were untied, I was seized by the +executioners and laid on my back on the mattress, and my wrists and +ankles were fixed by cords to iron rings that were screwed to the +thwarts of the boat. After this the other, shorter boat was laid over +me in such a manner that it did not touch me, leaving my head, my +hands and my feet exposed as the eunuch had said. + +While this wicked work was going forward Bes sat on the quay, +watching, till presently, after I had been made fast and covered up, +he burst into shouts of laughter, clapped his hands and began to dance +about as though with joy, till the eunuch, who had now recovered +somewhat from my kick, grew curious and asked him why he behaved thus. + +"O noble Eunuch," he answered, "once I was free and that man made me a +slave, so that for many years I have been obliged to toil for him whom +I hate. Moreover, often he has beaten me and starved me, which was why +you saw me eat so much not long ago, and threatened to kill me, and +now at last I have my revenge upon him who is about to die miserably. +That is why I laugh and sing and dance and clap my hands, O most noble +Eunuch, I who shall become the follower and servant of the glorious +King of all the earth, and perhaps your friend, too, O Eunuch of +eunuchs, whose sacred person my brutal master dared to kick." + +"I understand," said Houman smiling, though with a twisted face, "and +will make report of all you say to the King, and ask him to grant that +you shall sometimes prick this Egyptian in the eye. Now go spit in his +face and tell him what you think of him." + +So Bes waded into the water which was quite shallow here, and spat +into my face, or pretended to, while amid a torrent of vile language, +he interpolated certain words in the Libyan tongue, which meant, + +"O my most beloved father, mother, and other relatives, have no fear. +Though things look very black, remember the vision of the holy +Tanofir, who doubtless allows these things to happen to you to try +your faith by direct order of the gods. Be sure that I will not leave +you to perish, or if there should be no escape, that I will find a way +to put you out of your misery and to avenge you. Yes, yes, I will yet +see that accursed swine, Houman, take your place in this boat. Now I +go to the Court to which it seems that this gold chain gives me a +right of entry, or so the eunuch says, but soon I will be back again." + +Then followed another stream or most horrible abuse and more spitting, +after which he waded back to land and embraced Houman, calling him his +best friend. + +They went, leaving me alone in the boat save for the guard upon the +quay who, now that darkness had come, soon grew silent. It was lonely, +very lonely, lying there staring at the empty sky with only the +stinging gnats for company, and soon my limbs began to ache. I thought +of the poor wretches who had suffered in this same boat and wondered +if their lot would be my lot. + +Bes was faithful and clever, but what could a single dwarf do among +all these black-hearted fiends? And if he could do nothing, oh! if he +could do nothing! + +The seconds seemed minutes, the minutes seemed hours, and the hours +seemed years. What then would the days be, passed in torture and agony +while waiting for a filthy death? Where now were the gods I had +worshipped and--was there any god? Or was man but a self-deceiver who +created gods instead of the gods creating him, because he did not love +to think of an eternal blackness in which he would soon be swallowed +up and lost? Well, at least that would mean sleep, and sleep is better +than torment of mind or body. + +It came to me, I think, who was so weary. At any rate I opened my eyes +to see that the low moon had vanished and that some of the stars which +I knew as a hunter who had often steered his way by them, had moved a +little. While I was wondering idly why they moved, I heard the tramp +of soldiers on the quay and the voice of an officer giving a command. +Then I felt the boat being drawn in by the cord with which it was +attached to the quay. Next the other boat that lay over me was lifted +off, the ropes that bound we were undone and I was set upon my feet, +for already I was so stiff that I could scarcely stand. A voice which +I recognised as that of the eunuch Houman, addressed me in respectful +tones, which made me think I must be dreaming. + +"Noble Shabaka," said the voice, "the Great King commands your +presence at his feast." + +"Is it so?" I answered in my dream. "Then my absence from their feast +will vex the gnats of the river," a saying at which Houman and others +with him laughed obsequiously. + +Next I heard the bags of gold being removed from the boat, after which +we walked away, guards supporting me by either elbow until I found my +strength again, and Houman following just behind, perhaps because he +feared my foot if he went in front. + +"What has chanced, Eunuch," I asked presently, "that I am disturbed +from the bed where I was sleeping so well?" + +"I do not know, Lord," he answered. "I only know that the King of +kings has suddenly commanded that you should be brought before him as +a guest clothed in a robe of honour, even if to do so, you must be +awakened from your rest, yes, to his own royal table, for he holds a +feast this night. Lord," he went on in a whining voice, "if perchance +fortune should have changed her face to you, I pray you bear no malice +to those who, when she frowned, were forced, yes, under the private +Seal of Seals, against their will to carry out the commands of the +King. Be just, O Lord Shabaka." + +"Say no more. I will try to be just," I answered. "But what is justice +in the East? I only know of it in Egypt." + +Now we reached one of the doors of the palace and I was taken to a +chamber where slaves who were waiting, washed and anointed me with +scents, after which they clad me in a beautiful robe of silk, setting +the girdle of rose-hued pearls about me. + +When they had finished, preceded by Houman I was led to a great +pillared hall closed in with silk hangings, where many feasted. +Through them I went to a dais at the head of the hall where between +half-drawn curtains surrounded by cup-bearers and other officers, the +King sat in all his glory upon a cushioned golden throne. He had a +glittering wine-cup in his hand and at a glance I saw that he was +drunk, as it is the fashion for these Easterns to be at their great +feasts, for he looked happy and human which he did not do when he was +sober. Or perchance, as sometimes I thought afterwards, he only +pretended to be drunk. Also I saw something else, namely, Bes, +wondrously attired with the gold chain about his neck and wearing a +red headdress. He was seated on the carpet before the throne, and +saying things that made the King laugh and even caused the grave +officers behind to smile. + +I came to the dais and at a little sign from Bes who yet did not seem +to see me, such a sign as he often made when he caught sight of game +before I did, I prostrated myself. The King looked at me, then asked, + +"Who is this?" adding, "Oh, I remember, the Egyptian whose arrows do +not miss, the wonderful hunter whom Idernes sent to me from Memphis, +which I hope to visit ere long. We quarrelled, did we not, Egyptian, +something about a lion?" + +"Not so, King," I answered. "The King was angry and with justice, +because I could not kill a lion before it frightened his horses." + +This I said because my hours in the boat had made me humble, also +because the words came to my lips. + +"Yes, yes, something like that, or at least you lie well. Whatever it +may have been, it is done with now, a mere hunters' difference," and +taking from his side his long sceptre that was headed with the great +emerald, he stretched it out for me to touch in token of pardon. + +Then I knew that I was safe for he to whom the King has extended his +sceptre is forgiven all crimes, yes, even if he had attempted the +royal life. The Court knew it also, for every man who saw bowed +towards me, yes, even the officers behind the King. One of the cup- +bearers too brought me a goblet of the King's own wine, which I drank +thankfully, calling down health on the King. + +"That was a wonderful shot of yours, Egyptian," he said, "when you +sent an arrow through the lioness that dared to attack my Majesty. +Yes, the King owes his life to you and he is grateful as you shall +learn. This slave of yours," and he pointed to Bes in his gaudy +attire, "has brought the whole matter to my mind whence it had fallen, +and, Shabaka," here he hiccupped, "you may have noted how differently +things look to the naked eye and when seen through a wine goblet. He +has told me a wonderful story--what was the story, Dwarf?" + +"May it please the great King," answered Bes, rolling his big eyes, +"only a little tale of another king of my own country whom I used to +think great until I came to the East and learned what kings could be. +That king had a servant with whom he used to hunt, indeed he was my +own father. One day they were out together seeking a certain elephant +whose tusks were bigger than those of any other. Then the elephant +charged the king and my father, at the risk of his life, killed it and +claimed the tusks, as is the custom among the Ethiopians. But the king +who greatly desired those tusks, caused my father to be poisoned that +he might take them as his heir. Only before he died, my father, who +could talk the elephant language, told all the other elephants of this +wickedness, at which they were very angry, because they knew well that +from the beginning of time their tusks have belonged to him who killed +them, and the elephants are a people who do not like ancient laws to +be altered. So the elephants made a league together and when the king +next went out hunting, taking heed of nothing else they rushed at the +king and tore him into pieces no bigger than a finger, and then killed +the prince his son, who was behind him. That is the tale of the +elephants who love Law, O King." + +"Yes, yes," said his Majesty, waking up from a little doze, "but what +became of the great tusks? I should like to have them." + +"I inherited them as my father's son, O King, and gave them to my +master, who doubtless will send them to you when he gets back to +Egypt." + +"A strange tale," said the King. "A very strange tale which seems to +remind me of something that happened not long ago. What was it? Well, +it does not matter. Egyptian, do you seek any reward for that shot of +yours at the lioness? If so, it shall be given to you. Have you a +grudge against anyone, for instance?" + +"O King," I answered, "I do seek justice against a certain man. This +evening I was led to the bank of the river in charge of the eunuch +Houman, who desired to take me for a row in a boat. On the road, for +no offence he struck me on the head with the handle of his fly-whip. +See, here are the marks of it, O King. Unless the King commanded him +to strike me which I do not remember, I seek justice against this +eunuch." + +Now the King grew very angry and cried, + +"What! Did the dog dare to strike a freeborn noble Egyptian?" + +Here Houman threw himself upon his face in terror and began to babble +out I know not what about the punishment of the boat, which was +unlucky for him, for it put the matter into the King's mind. + +"The boat!" he cried. "Ah! yes, the boat; being so fat you will fit it +well, Eunuch. To the boat with him, and before he enters it a hundred +blows upon the feet with the rods," and he pointed at him with his +sceptre. + +Then guards sprang upon Houman and dragged him away. As he went he +clutched at Bes, but hissing something into his ear, the dwarf bit him +through the hand till he let go. So Houman departed and the King's +guests laughed at the sight, for he had worked mischief to many. + +When he had gone the King stared at me and asked, + +"But why did I disturb you from your sleep, Egyptian? Oh! I remember. +This dwarf says that he has seen the fairest woman in the whole world, +and the most learned, some lady of Egypt, but that he does not know +her name, that you alone know her name. I disturbed you that you might +tell it to me but if you have forgotten it, you can go back to your +bed and rest there till it returns to you. There are plenty of boats +in the river, Egyptian." + +"The fairest and most learned woman in the world?" I said astonished. +"Who can that be, unless he means the lady Amada?" and I paused, +wishing I had bitten out my tongue before I spoke, for I smelt a trap. + +"Yes, Master," said Bes in a clear voice. "That was the name, the lady +Amada." + +"Who is this lady Amada?" asked the King, seeming to grow suddenly +sober. "And what is she like?" + +"I can tell you that, O King," said Bes. "She is like a willow shaken +in the wind for slenderness and grace. She has eyes like those of a +buck at gaze; she has lips like rosebuds; she has hair black as the +night and soft as silk, the odour of which floats round her like that +of flowers. She has a voice that whispers like the evening wind, and +yet is rich as honey. Oh! she is beautiful as a goddess and when men +see her their hearts melt like wax in the sun and for a long while +they can look upon no other woman, not till the next day indeed if +they meet her in the evening," and Bes smacked his thick lips and +gazed upwards. + +"By the holy Fire," laughed the King, "I feel my heart melting +already. Say, Shabaka, what do you know of this Amada? Is she married +or a maiden?" + +Now I answered because I must, for after all that boat was not far +away, nor did I dare to lie. + +"She is married, O King of kings, to the goddess Isis whom she loves +alone." + +"A woman married to a woman, or rather to the Queen of women," he +answered laughing, "well, that matters little." + +"Nay, O King, it matters much since she is under the protection of +Isis and inviolate." + +"That remains to be seen, Shabaka. I think that I would dare the wrath +of every false goddess in heaven to win such a prize. Learned also, +you say, Shabaka." + +"Aye, O King, full of learning to the finger tips, a prophetess also, +one in whom the divine fire burns like a lamp in a vase of alabaster, +one to whom visions come and who can read the future and the past." + +"Still better," said the King. "One, then, who would be a fitting +consort for the King of kings, who wearies of fat, round-eyed, +sweetmeat-sucking fools whereof there are hundreds yonder," and he +pointed towards the House of Women. "Who is this maid's father?" + +"He is dead but she is the niece of the Prince Peroa, and by birth the +Royal Lady of Egypt, O King." + +"Good, then she is well born also. Hearken, O Shabaka, to-morrow you +start back to Egypt, bearing letters from me to my vassal Peroa, and +to my Satrap Idernes, bidding Peroa to hand over this lady Amada to +Idernes and bidding Idernes to send her to the East with all honour +and without delay, that she may enter my household as one of my +wives." + +Now I was filled with rage and horror, and about to refuse this +mission when Bes broke in swiftly, + +"Will the King of kings be pleased to give command as to my master's +safe and honourable escort to Egypt?" + +"It is commanded with all things necessary for Shabaka the Egyptian +and the dwarf his servant, with the gold and gems and slaves he won +from me in a wager, and everything else that is his. Let it be +recorded." + +Scribes sprang forward and wrote the King's words down, while like one +in a dream I thought to myself that they could not now be altered. The +King watched them sleepily for a while, then seemed to wake up and +grow clear-minded again. At least he said to me, + +"Fortune has shown you smiles and frowns to-day, Egyptian, and the +smiles last. Yet remember that she has teeth behind her lips wherewith +to tear out the throat of the faithless. Man, if you play me false or +fail in your mission, be sure that you shall die and in such a fashion +that will make you think of yonder boat as a pleasant bed, and with +you this woman Amada and her uncle Peroa, and all your kin and hers; +yes," he added with a burst of shrewdness, "and even that abortion of +a dwarf to whom I have listened because he amused me, but who perhaps +is more cunning than he seems." + +"O King of kings," I said, "I will not be false." But I did not add to +whom I would be true. + +"Good. Ere long I shall visit Egypt, as I have told you, and there I +shall pass judgment on you and others. Till then, farewell. Fear +nothing, for you have my safe-conduct. Begone, both of you, for you +weary me. But first drink and keep the cup, and in exchange, give me +that bow of yours which shoots so far and straight." + +"It is the King's," I answered as I pledged him in the golden, +jewelled cup which a butler had handed to me. + +Then the curtain fell in front of the throne and chamberlains came +forward to lead me and Bes back to our lodging, one of whom took the +cup and bore it in front of us. Down the hall we went between the +feasting nobles who all bowed to one to whom the Great King had shown +favour, and so out of the palace through the quiet night back to the +house where I had dwelt while waiting audience of the King. Here the +chamberlains bade me farewell, giving the cup to Bes to carry, and +saying that on the morrow early my gold should be brought to me +together with all that was needed for my journey, also one who would +receive the bow I had promised to the King, which had already been +returned to my lodgings with everything that was ours. Then they bowed +and went. + +We entered the house, climbing a stair to an upper chamber. Here Bes +barred the door and the shutters, making sure that none could see or +hear us. + +Then he turned, threw his arms about me, kissed my hand and burst into +tears. + + + + CHAPTER VII + + BES STEALS THE SIGNET + +"Oh! my Master," gulped Bes, "I weep because I am tired, so take no +notice. The day was long and during it twice at least there has been +but the twinkling of an eyelid, but the thickness of a finger nail, +but the weight of a hair between you and death." + +"Yes," I said, "and you were the eyelid, the finger nail and the +hair." + +"No, Master, not I, but something beyond me. The tool carves the +statue and the hand holds the tool but the spirit guides the hand. Not +once only since the sun rose has my mind been empty as a drum. Then +something struck on it, perhaps the holy Tanofir, perhaps another, and +it knew what note to sound. So it was when I cursed you in the boat. +So it was when I walked back with the eunuch, meaning to kill him on +the road, and then remembered that the death of one vile eunuch would +not help you at all, whereas alive he could bring me to the presence +of the King, if I paid him, as I did out of the gold in your purse +which I carried. Moreover he earned his hire, for when the King grew +dull, wine not yet having taken a hold on him, it was he who brought +me to his mind as one who might amuse him, being so ugly and different +from others, if only for a few minutes, after the women dancers had +failed to do so." + +"And what happened then, Bes?" + +"Then I was fetched and did my juggling tricks with that snake I +caught and tamed, which is in my pouch now. You should not hate it any +more, Master, for it played your game well. After this the King began +to talk to me and I saw that his mind was ill at ease about you whom +he knew that he had wronged. So I told him that story of an elephant +that my father killed to save a king--it grew up in my mind like a +toadstool in the night, Master, did this story of an ungrateful king +and what befell him. Then the King became still more unquiet in his +heart about you and asked the eunuch, Houman, where you were, to which +he answered that by his order you were sleeping in a boat and might +not be disturbed. So that arrow of mine missed its mark because the +King did not like to eat his own words and cause you to be brought +from out the boat, whither he had sent you. Now when everything seemed +lost, some god, or perhaps the holy Tanofir who is ever present with +me to see that I have not forgotten him, put it into the King's mouth +to begin to talk about women and to ask me if I had ever seen any +fairer than those dancers whom I met going out as I came in. I +answered that I had not noticed them much because they were so ugly, +as indeed all women had seemed to me since once upon the banks of Nile +I had looked upon one who was as Hathor herself for beauty. The King +asked me who this might be and I answered that I did not know since I +had never dared to ask the name of one whom even my master held to be +as a goddess, although as boy and girl they had been brought up +together. + +"Then the King saw his opportunity to ease his conscience and inquired +of an old councillor if there were not a law which gave the king power +to alter his decree if thereby he could satisfy his soul and acquire +knowledge. The councillor answered that there was such a law and began +to give examples of its working, till the King cut him short and said +that by virtue of it he commanded that you should be brought out of +your bed in the boat and led before him to answer a question. + +"So you were sent for, Master, but I did not go with the messengers, +fearing lest if I did the King would forget all about the matter +before you came. Therefore I stayed and amused him with tales of +hunting, till I could not think of any more, for you were long in +coming. Indeed I began to fear lest he should declare the feast at an +end. But at the last, just as he was yawning and spoke to one of his +councillors, bidding him send to the House of Women that they might +make ready to receive him there, you came, and the rest you know." + +Now I looked at Bes and said, + +"May the blessing of all the gods of all the lands be on your head, +since had it not been for you I should now lie in torment in that +boat. Hearken, friend: If ever we reach Egypt again, you will set foot +on it, not as a slave but as a free man. You will be rich also, Bes, +that is, if we can take the gold I won with us, since half of it is +yours." + +Bes squatted down upon the floor and looked up at me with a strange +smile on his ugly face. + +"You have given me three things, Master," he said. "Gold, which I do +not want at present; freedom, which I do not want at present and +mayhap, never shall while you live and love me; and the title of +friend. This I do want, though why I should care to hear it from your +lips I am not sure, seeing that for a long while I have known that it +was spoken in your heart. Since you have said it, however, I will tell +you something which hitherto I have hid even from you. I have a right +to that name, for if your blood is high, O Shabaka, so is mine. Know +that this poor dwarf whom you took captive and saved long years ago +was more than the petty chief which he declared himself to be. He was +and is by right the King of the Ethiopians and that throne with all +its wealth and power he could claim to-morrow if he would." + +"The King of the Ethiopians!" I said. "Oh! friend Bes, I pray you to +remember that we no longer stand in yonder court lying for our lives." + +"I speak no lie, O Shabaka, I before you am King of the Ethiopians. +Moreover, I laid that kingship down of my own will and should I so +desire, can take it up again when I will, since the Ethiopians are +faithful to their kings." + +"Why?" I asked, astonished. + +"Master, for so I will still call you who am not yet upon the land of +Egypt where you have promised me freedom, do you remember anything +strange about the people of that tribe from among whom you and the +Egyptian soldiers captured me by surprise, because they wished to +drive you and your following from their country?" + +Now I thought and answered, + +"Yes, one thing. I saw no women in their camp, nor any sign of +children. This I know because I gave orders that such were to be +spared and it was reported to me that there were none, so I supposed +that they had fled away." + +"There were none to fly, Master. That tribe was a brotherhood which +had abjured women. Look on me now. I am misshapen, hideous, am I not? +Born thus, it is said, because before my birth my mother was +frightened by a dwarf. Yet the law of the Ethiopians is that their +kings must marry within a year of their crowning. Therefore I chose a +woman to be the queen whom I had long desired in secret. She scorned +me, vowing that not for all the thrones of all the world would she be +mated to a monster, and that if it were done by force she would kill +herself, a saying that went abroad throughout the land. I said that +she had spoken well and sent her in safety from the country, after +which I too laid down my crown and departed with some who loved me, to +form a brotherhood of women-haters further down the Nile, beyond the +borders of Ethiopia. There the Egyptian force of which you were in +command, attacked us unprepared, and you made me your slave. That is +all." + +"But why did you do this, Bes, seeing that maidens are many and all +would not have thought thus?" + +"Because I wished for that one only, Master; also I feared lest I +should become the father of a breed of twisted dwarfs. So I who was a +king am now a slave, and yet, who knows which way the Grasshopper will +jump? One day from a slave I may again grow into a king. And now let +us seek that wherein kings are as slaves and slaves as kings--sleep." + +So we lay down and slept, I thanking the gods that my bed was not +yonder in the boat upon the great river. + +When I woke refreshed, though after all I had gone through on the +yesterday my brain still swam a little, the light was pouring through +the carved work of the shuttered windows. By it I saw Bes seated on +the floor engaged in doing something to his bow, which, as I have +said, had been restored to us with our other weapons, and asked him +sleepily what it was. + +"Master," he said, "yonder King demanded your bow and therefore a bow +must be sent to him. But there is no need for it to be that with which +you shot the lions, which, too, you value above anything you have, +seeing that it came down to you from your forefather who was a Pharaoh +of Egypt, and has been your companion from boyhood ever since you were +strong enough to draw it. As you may remember I copied that bow out of +a somewhat lighter wood, which I could bend with ease, and it is the +copy that we will give to the King. Only first I must set your string +upon it, for that may have been noted; also make one or two marks that +are on your bow which I am finishing now, having begun the task with +the dawn." + +"You are clever," I said laughing, "and I am glad. The holy Tanofir, +looking on my bow, once had a vision. It was that an arrow loosed from +it would drink the blood of a great king and save Egypt. But what king +and when, he did not see." + +The dwarf nodded and answered, + +"I have heard that tale and so have others. Therefore I play this +trick since it is better that yonder palace dweller should get the +arrow than the bow. There, it is finished to the last scratch, and +none, save you and I, would know them apart. Till we are clear of this +cursed land your bow is mine, Master, and you must find you another of +the Eastern make." + +"Master," I repeated after him. "Say, Bes, did I dream or did you in +truth tell me last night that you are by birth and right the king of a +great country?" + +"I told you that, Master and it is true, no dream, since joy and +suffering mixed unseal the lips and from them comes that at times +which the heart would hide. Now I ask a favour of you, that you will +speak no more of this matter either to me or to any other, man or +woman, unless I should speak of it first. Let it be as though it were +indeed a dream." + +"It is granted," I said as I rose and clothed myself, not in my own +garments which had been taken from me in the palace, but in the +splendid silken robes that had been set upon me after I was loosed +from the boat. When this was done and I had washed and combed my long, +curling hair, we descended to a lower chamber and called for the woman +of the house to bring us food, of which I ate heartily. As we finished +our meal we heard shouts in the street outside of, "Make way for the +servants of the King!" and looking through the window-place, saw a +great cavalcade approaching, headed by two princes on horseback. + +"Now I pray that yonder Tyrant has not changed his mind and that these +do not come to take me back to the boat," I said in a low voice. + +"Have no fear, Master," answered Bes, "seeing that you have touched +his sceptre and drunk from his cup which he gave to you. After these +things no harm can happen to you in any land he rules. Therefore be at +ease and deal with these fellows proudly." + +A minute later two princes entered followed by slaves who bore many +things, among them those hide bags filled with gold that had been set +beneath me in the boat. The elder of them bowed, greeting me with the +title of "Lord," and I bowed back to him. Then he handed me certain +rolls tied up with silk and sealed, which he said I was to deliver as +the King had commanded to the King's Satrap in Egypt, and to the +Prince Peroa. Also he gave me other letters addressed to the King's +servants on the road and written on tablets of clay in a writing I +could not read, with all of which I touched my forehead in the Eastern +fashion. + +After this he told me that by noon all would be ready for my journey +which I should make with the rank of the King's Envoy, duly +provisioned and escorted by his servants, with liberty to use the +royal horses from post to post. Then he ordered the slaves to bring in +the gifts which the King sent to me, and these were many, including +even suits of flexible armour that would turn any sword-thrust or +arrow. + +I thanked him, saying that I would be ready to start by noon, and +asked whether the King wished to see me before I rode. He replied that +he had so wished, but that as he was suffering in his head from the +effects of the sun, he could not. He bade me, however, remember all +that he had said to me and to be sure that the beauteous lady Amada, +of whom I had spoken, was sent to him without delay. In that case my +reward should be great; but if I failed to fulfil his commands, then +his wrath would be greater and I should perish miserably as he had +promised. + +I bowed and made no answer, after which he and his companions opened +the bags of gold to show me that it was there, offering to weigh it +again against my servant, the dwarf, so that I could see that nothing +had been taken away. + +I replied that the King's word was truer than any scale, whereon the +bags were tied up again and sealed. Then I produced the bow, or rather +its counterfeit, and having shown it to the princes, wrapped it and +six of my own arrows in a linen cloth, to be taken to the King, with a +message that though hard to draw it was the deadliest weapon in the +world. The elder of them took it, bowed and bade me farewell, saying +that perhaps we should meet again ere long in Egypt, if my gods gave +me a safe journey. So we parted and I was glad to see the last of +them. + +Scarcely had they gone when the six hunters whom I had won in the +wager and thereby saved from death, entered the chamber and fell upon +their knees before me, asking for orders as to making ready my gear +for the journey. I inquired of them if they were coming also, to which +their spokesman replied that they were my slaves to do what I +commanded. + +"Do you desire to come?" I inquired. + +"O Lord Shabaka," answered their spokesman, "we do, though some of us +must leave wives and children behind us." + +"Why?" I asked. + +"For two reasons, Lord. Here we are men disgraced, though through no +fault of our own and if you were to leave us in this land, soon the +anger of the King would find us out and we should lose not only our +wives and children, but with them our lives. Whereas in another land +we may get other wives and more children, but never shall we get +another life. Therefore we would leave those dear ones to our friends, +knowing that soon the women will forget and find other husbands, and +that the children will grow up to whatever fate is appointed them, +thinking of us, their fathers, as dead. Secondly we are hunters by +trade, and we have seen that you are a great hunter, one whom we shall +always be proud to serve in the chase or in war, one, too, who went +out of his path to save our lives, because he saw that we had been +unjustly doomed to a cruel death. Therefore we desire nothing better +than to be your slaves, hoping that perchance we may earn our liberty +from you in days to come by our good service." + +"Is that the wish of all of you?" I asked. + +Speaking one by one, they said that it was, though tears rose in the +eyes of some of them who were married at the thought of parting from +their women and their little ones, who, it seemed might not be brought +with them because they were the people of the King and had not been +named in the bet. Moreover, horses could not be found for so many, nor +could they travel fast. + +"Come then," I said, "and know that while you are faithful to me, I +will be good to you, men of my own trade, and perhaps in the end set +you free in a land where brave fellows are not given to be torn to +pieces by wild beasts at the word of any kind. But if you fail me or +betray me, then either I will kill you, or sell you to those who deal +in slaves, to work at the oar, or in the mines till you die." + +"Henceforth we have no lord but you, O Shabaka," they said, and one +after another took my hand and pressed it to their foreheads, vowing +to be true to me in all things while we lived. + +So I bade them begone to bid farewell to those they loved and return +again within half an hour of noon, never expecting, to tell the truth, +that they would come. Indeed I did this to give them the opportunity +of escaping if they saw fit, and hiding themselves where they would. +But as I have often noted, the trade of hunting breeds honesty in the +blood and at the hour appointed all of these men appeared, one of them +with a woman who carried a child in her arms, clinging to him and +weeping bitterly. When her veil slipped aside I saw that she was young +and very fair to look on. + + + +So at noon we left the city of the Great King in the charge of two of +his officers who brought me his thanks for the bow I had sent him, +which he said he should treasure above everything he possessed, a +saying at which Bes rolled his yellow eyes and grinned. We were +mounted on splendid stallions from the royal stables and clad in the +shirts of mail that had been presented to us, though when we were +clear of the city we took these off because of the heat, also because +that which Bes wore chafed him, being too long for his squat shape. +Our goods together with the bags of gold were laden on sumpter horses +which were led by my six hunter slaves. Four picked soldiers brought +up the rear, mighty men from the King's own bodyguard, and two of the +royal postmen who served us as guides. Also there were cooks and +grooms with spare horses. + +Thus we started in state and a great crowd watched us go. Our road ran +by the river which we must cross in barges lower down, so that in a +few minutes we came to that quay whither I had been led on the +previous night to die. Yes, there were the watching guards, and there +floated the hateful double boat, at the prow of which appeared the +tortured face of the eunuch Houman, who rolled his head from side to +side to rid himself of the torment of the flies. He caught sight of us +and began to scream for pity and forgiveness, whereat Bes smiled. The +officers halted our cavalcade and one of them approaching me said, + +"It is the King's command, O Lord Shabaka, that you should look upon +this villain who traduced you to the King and afterwards dared to +strike you. If you will, enter the water and blind him, that your face +may be the last thing he sees before he passes into darkness." + +I shook my head, but Bes into whose mind some thought had come, +whispered to me, + +"I wish to speak with yonder eunuch, so give me leave and fear +nothing. I will do him no hurt, only good, if I find the chance." + +Then I said to the officer, + +"It is not for great lords to avenge themselves upon the fallen. Yet +my slave here was also wronged and would say a word to yonder Houman." + +"So be it," said the officer, "only let him be careful not to hurt him +too sorely, lest he should die before the time and escape his +punishment." + +Then Bes tucked up his robes and waded into the river, flourishing a +great knife, while seeing him come, Houman began to scream with fear. +He reached the boat and bent over the eunuch, talking to him in a low +voice. What he did there I could not see because his cloak was spread +out on either side of the man's head. Presently, however, I caught +sight of the flash of a knife and heard yells of agony followed by +groans, whereat I called to him to return and let the fellow be. For +when I remembered that his fate was near to being my own, those sounds +made me sick at heart and I grew angry with Bes, though the cruel +Easterns only laughed. + +At length he came back grinning and washing the blade of his knife in +the water. I spoke fiercely to him in my own language, and still he +grinned on, making no answer. When we were mounted again and riding +away from that horrible boat with its groaning prisoner, watching Bes +whose behaviour and silence I could not understand, I saw him sweep +his hand across his great mouth and thrust it swiftly into his bosom. +After this he spoke readily enough, though in a low voice lest someone +who understood Egyptian should overhear him. + +"You are a fool, Master," he said, "to think that I should wish to +waste time in torturing that fat knave." + +"Then why did you torture him?" I asked. + +"Because my god, the Grasshopper, when he fashioned me a dwarf, gave +me a big mouth and good teeth," he answered, whereon I stared at him, +thinking that he had gone mad. + +"Listen, Master. I did not hurt Houman. All I did was to cut his cords +nearly through from the under side, so that when night comes he can +break them and escape, if he has the wit. Now, Master, you may not +have noticed, but I did, that before the King doomed you to death by +the boat yesterday, he took a certain round, white seal, a cylinder +with gods and signs cut on it, which hung by a gold chain from his +girdle, and gave it to Houman to be his warrant for all he did. This +seal Houman showed to the Treasurer whereon they produced the gold +that was weighed in the scales against me, and to others when he +ordered the boat to be prepared for you to lie in. Moreover he forgot +to return it, for when he himself was dragged off to the boat by +direct command of the King, I caught sight of the chain beneath his +robe. Can you guess the rest?" + +"Not quite," I answered, for I wished to hear the tale in his own +words. + +"Well, Master, when I was walking with Houman after he had put you in +the boat, I asked him about this seal. He showed it to me and said +that he who bore it was for the time the king of all the Empire of the +East. It seems that there is but one such seal which has descended +from ancient days from king to king, and that of it every officer, +great or small, has an impress in all lands. If the seal is produced +to him, he compares it with the impress and should the two agree, he +obeys the order that is brought as though the King had given it in +person. When we reached the Court doubtless Houman would have returned +the seal, but seeing that the King was, or feigned to be drunk, waited +for fear lest it should be lost, and with it his life. Then he was +seized as you saw, and in his terror forgot all about the seal, as did +the King and his officers." + +"But, surely, Bes, those who took Houman to the boat would have +removed it." + +"Master, even the most clear-sighted do not see well at night. At any +rate my hope was that they had not done so, and that is why I waded +out to prick the eyes of Houman. Moreover, as I had hoped, so it was; +there beneath his robe I saw the chain. Then I spoke to him, saying, + +"'I am come to put out your eyes, as you deserve, seeing how you have +treated my master. Still I will spare you at a price. Give me the +King's ancient white seal that opens all doors, and I will only make a +pretence of blinding you. Moreover I will cut your cords nearly +through, so that when the night comes you can break them, roll into +the river and escape.' + +"'Take it if you can,' he said, 'and use it to injure or destroy that +accursed one.'" + +"So you took it, Bes." + +"Yes, Master, but not easily. Remember, it was on a chain about the +man's neck, and I could not draw it over his head, for, like his +hands, his throat was tied by a cord, as you remember yours was." + +"I remember very well," I said, "for my throat is still sore from the +rope that ran to the same staples to which my hands were fastened." + +"Yes, Master, and therefore if I drew the chain off his neck, it would +still have been on the ropes. I thought of trying to cut it with the +knife, but this was not easy because it is thick, and if I had dragged +it up on the blade of the knife it would have been seen, for many eyes +were watching me, Master. Then I took another counsel. While I +pretended to be putting out the eyes of Houman, I bent down and +getting the chain between my teeth I bit it through. One tooth broke-- +see, but the next finished the business. I ate through the soft gold, +Master, and then sucked up the chain and the round white seal into my +mouth, and that is why I could not answer you just now, because my +cheeks were full of chain. So we have the King's seal that all the +subject countries know and obey. It may be useful, yonder in Egypt, +and at least the gold is of value." + +"Clever!" I exclaimed, "very clever. But you have forgotten something, +Bes. When that knave escapes, he will tell the whole story and the +King will send after us and kill us who have stolen his royal seal." + +"I don't think so, Master. First, it is not likely that Houman will +escape. He is very fat and soft and already suffers much. After a day +in the sun also he will be weak. Moreover I do not think that he can +swim, for eunuchs hate the water. So if he gets out of the boat it is +probable that he will drown in the river, since he dare not wade to +the quay where the guards will be waiting. But if he does escape by +swimming across the river, he will hide for his life's sake and never +be seen again, and if by chance he is caught, he will say that the +seal fell into the water when he was taken to the boat, or that one of +the guards had stolen it. What he will not say is that he had +bargained it away with someone who in return, cut his cords, since for +that crime he must die by worse tortures than those of the boat. +Lastly we shall ride so fast that with six hours' start none will +catch us. Or if they do I can throw away the chain and swallow the +seal." + +As Bes said, so it happened. The fate of Houman I never learned, and +of the theft of the seal I heard no more until a proclamation was +issued to all the kingdoms that a new one was in use. But this was not +until long afterwards when it had served my turn and that of Egypt. + + + + CHAPTER VIII + + THE LADY AMADA + +Now day by day, hour by hour and minute by minute every detail of that +journey appeared before me, but to set it all down is needless. As I, +Allan Quatermain, write the record of my vision, still I seem to hear +the thunder of our horses' hoofs while we rushed forward at full +gallop over the plains, over the mountain passes and by the banks of +rivers. The speed at which we travelled was wonderful, for at +intervals of about forty miles were post-houses and at these, whatever +might be the hour of day or night, we found fresh horses from the +King's stud awaiting us. Moreover, the postmasters knew that we were +coming, which astonished me until we discovered that they had been +warned of our arrival by two King's messengers who travelled ahead of +us. + +These men, it would seem, although our officers and guides professed +ignorance of the matter, must have left the King's palace at dawn on +the day of our departure, whereas we did not mount in the city till a +little after noon. Therefore they had six hours good start of us, and +what is more, travelled lighter than we did, having no sumpter beasts +with them, and no cooks or servants. Moreover, always they had the +pick of the horses and chose the three swiftest beasts, leading the +third in case one of their own should founder or meet with accident. +Thus it came about that we never caught them up although we covered +quite a hundred miles a day. Only once did I see them, far off upon +the skyline of a mountain range which we had to climb, but by the time +we had reached its crest they were gone. + +At length we came to the desert without accident and crossed it, +though more slowly. But even here the King had his posts which were in +charge of Arabs who lived in tents by wells of water, or sometimes +where there was none save what was brought to them. So still we +galloped on, parched by the burning sand beneath and the burning sand +above, and reached the borders of Egypt. + +Here, upon the very boundary line, the two officers halted the +cavalcade saying that their orders were to return thence and make +report to the King. There then we parted, Bes and I with the six +hunters who still chose to cling to me, going forward and the officers +of the King with the guides and servants going back. The good horses +that we rode from the last post they gave to us by the King's command, +together with the sumpter beasts, since horses broken to the saddle +were hard to come by in Egypt where they were trained to draw +chariots. These we took, sending back my thanks to the King, and +started on once more, Bes leading that beast which bore the gold and +the hunters serving as a guard. + +Indeed I was glad to see the last of those Easterns although they had +brought us safely and treated us well, for all the while I was never +sure but that they had some orders to lead us into a trap, or perhaps +to make away with us in our sleep and take back the gold and the +priceless, rose-hued pearls, any two of which were worth it all. But +such was not their command nor did they dare to steal them on their +own account, since then, even if they escaped the vengeance of the +King, their wives and all their families would have paid the price. + + + +Now we entered Egypt near the Salt Lakes that are not far from the +head of the Gulf, crossing the canal that the old Pharaohs had dug, +which proved easy for it was silted up. Before we reached it we found +some peasant folk labouring in their gardens and I heard one of them +call to another, + +"Here come more of the Easterns. What is toward, think you, +neighbour?" + +"I do not know," answered the other, "but when I passed down the canal +this morning, I saw a body of the Great King's guards gathering from +the fort. Doubtless it is to meet these men of whose coming the other +two who went by fifty hours ago, have warned the officers." + +"Now what does that mean?" I asked of Bes. + +"Neither more nor less than we have heard, Master. The two King's +messengers who have gone ahead of us all the way from the city, have +told the officer of the frontier fort that we are coming, so he has +advanced to the ford to meet us, for what purpose I do not know." + +"Nor do I," I said, "but I wish we could take another road, if there +were one." + +"There is none, Master, for above and below the canal is full of water +and the banks are too steep for horses to climb. Also we must show no +doubt or fear." + +He thought a while, then added, + +"Take the royal seal, Master. It may be useful." + +He gave it to me, and I examined it more closely than I had done +before. It was a cylinder of plain white shell hung on a gold chain, +that which Bes had bitten through, but now mended again by taking out +the broken link. On this cylinder were cut figures; as I think of a +priest presenting a noble to a god, over whom was the crescent of the +moon, while behind the god stood a man or demon with a tall spear. +Also between the figures were mystic signs, meaning I know not what. +The workmanship of the carving was grown shallow with time and use for +the cylinder seemed to be very ancient, a sacred thing that had +descended from generation to generation and was threaded through with +a bar of silver on which it turned. + +I put the seal which was like no other that I had seen, being the work +of an early and simpler age, round my neck beneath my mail and we went +on. + +Descending the steep bank of the canal we came to the ford where the +sand that had silted in was covered by not more than a foot of water. +As we entered it, on the top of the further bank appeared a body of +about thirty armed and mounted men, one of whom carried the Great +King's banner, on which I noted was blazoned the very figures that +were cut upon the cylinder. Now it was too late to retreat, so we rode +through the water and met the soldiers. Their officer advanced, +crying, + +"In the name of the Great King, greeting, my lord Shabaka! + +"In the name of the Great King, greeting!" I answered. "What would you +with Shabaka, Officer of the King?" + +"Only to do him honour. The word of the King has reached us and we +come to escort you to the Court of Idernes, the Satrap of the King and +Governor of Egypt who sits at Sais." + +"That is not my road, Officer. I travel to Memphis to deliver the +commands of the King to my cousin, Peroa, the ruler of Egypt under the +King. Afterwards, perchance, I shall visit the high Idernes." + +"To whom our commands are to take you now, my lord Shabaka, not +afterwards," said the officer sternly, glancing round at his armed +escort. + +"I come to give commands, not to receive them, Captain of the King." + +"Seize Shabaka and his servants," said the officer briefly, whereon +the soldiers rode forward to surround us. + +I waited till they were near at hand. Then suddenly I plunged my hand +beneath my robe and drew out the small, white seal which I held before +the eyes of the officer, saying, + +"Who is it that dares to lay a finger upon the holder of the King's +White Seal? Surely that man is ready for death." + +The officer stared at it, then leapt from his horse and flung himself +face downwards on the ground, crying, + +"It is the ancient signet of the Kings of the East, given to their +first forefather by Samas the Sungod, on which hangs the fortunes of +the Great House! Pardon, my lord Shabaka." + +"It is granted," I answered, "because what you did you did in +ignorance. Now go to the Satrap Idernes and say to him that if he +would have speech with the bearer of the King's seal which all must +obey, he will find him at Memphis. Farewell," and with Bes and the six +hunters I rode through the guards, none striving to hinder me. + +"That was well done, Master," said Bes. + +"Yes," I said. "Those two messengers who went ahead of us brought +orders to the frontier guard of Idernes that I should be taken to him +as a prisoner. I do not know why, but I think because things are +passing in Egypt of which we know nothing and the King did not desire +that I should see the Prince Peroa and give him news that I might have +gathered. Mayhap we have been outwitted, Bes, and the business of the +lady Amada is but a pretext to pick a quarrel suddenly before Peroa +can strike the first blow." + +"Perhaps, Master, for these Easterns are very crafty. But, Master, +what happens to those who make a false use of the King's ancient, +sacred signet? I think they have cut the ropes which tie them to +earth," and he looked upwards to the sky rolling his yellow eyes. + +"They must find new ropes, Bes, and quickly, before they are caught. +Hearken. You have sat upon a throne and I can speak out to you. Think +you that my cousin, the Prince Peroa, loves to be the servant of this +distant, Eastern king, he who by right is Pharaoh of Egypt? Peroa must +strike or lose his niece and perchance his life. Forward, that we may +warn him." + +"And if he will not strike, Master, knowing the King's might and being +somewhat slow to move?" + +"Then, Bes, I think that you and I had best go hunting far away in +those lands you know, where even the Great King cannot follow us." + +"And where, if only I can find a woman who does not make me ill to +look on, and whom I do not make ill, I too can once more be a king, +Master, and the lord of many thousand brave armed men. I must speak of +that matter to the holy Tanofir." + +"Who doubtless will know what to advise you, Bes; or, if he dies not, +I shall." + +For a while we rode on in silence, each thinking his own thoughts. +Then Bes said, + +"Master, before so very long we shall reach the Nile, and having with +us gold in plenty can buy boats and hire crews. It comes into my mind +that we should do well for our own safety and comfort to start at once +on a hunting journey far from Egypt; in the land of the Ethiopians, +Master. There perchance I could gather together some of the wise men +in whose hands I left the rule of my kingdom, and submit to them this +question of a woman to marry me. The Ethiopians are a faithful people, +Master, and will not reject me because I have spent some years seeing +the world afar, that I might learn how to rule them better." + +"I have remembered that it cannot be, Bes," I said. + +"Why not, Master?" + +"For this reason. You left your country because of a woman? I cannot +leave mine again because of a woman." + +Bes rolled his eyes around as though he thought to see that woman in +the desert. Not discovering her, he stared upwards and there found +light. + +"Is she perchance named the lady Amada, Master?" + +I nodded. + +"So. The lady Amada who you told the Great King is the most beautiful +one in the whole world, causing the fire of Love to burn up in his +royal heart, and with it many other things of which we do not know at +present." + +"/You/ told him, Bes," I said angrily. + +"I told him of a beautiful one; I did not tell him her name, Master, +and although I never thought of it at the time, perhaps she will be +angry with him who told her name." + +Now fear took hold of me, and Bes saw it in my face. + +"Do not be afraid, Master. If there is trouble I will swear that I +told the Great King that lady's name." + +"Yes, Bes, but how would that fit in with the story, seeing that I was +brought out of the boat for this very purpose?" + +"Quite easily, Master, since I will say that you were led from the +boat to confirm my tale. Oh! she will be angry with me, no doubt, but +in Egypt even a dwarf cannot be killed because he has declared a +certain lady to be the most beautiful in the world. But, Master, tell +me, when did you learn to love her?" + +"When we were boy and girl, Bes. We used to play together, being +cousins, and I used to hold her hand. Then suddenly she refused to let +me hold her hand any more, and I being quite grown up then, though she +was younger, understood that I had better go away." + +"I should have stopped where I was, Master." + +"No, Bes. She was studying to be a priestess and my great uncle, the +holy Tanofir, told me that I had better go away. So I went down south +hunting and fighting in command of the troops, and met you, Bes." + +"Which perhaps was better for you, Master, than to stop to watch the +lady Amada acquire learning. Still, I wonder whether the holy Tanofir +is /always/ right. You see, Master, he thinks a great deal of priests +and priestesses, and is so very old that he has forgotten all about +love and that without it there never would have been a holy Tanofir." + +"The holy Tanofir thinks of souls, not of bodies, Bes." + +"Yes, Master. Still, oil is of no use without a lamp, or a soul +without a body, at least here underneath the sun, or so we were taught +who worship the Grasshopper. But, Master, when you came back from all +your hunting, what happened then?" + +"Then I found, Bes, that the lady Amada, having acquired all the +learning possible, had taken her first vows to Isis, which she said +she would not break for any man on earth although she might have done +so without crime. Therefore, although I was dear to her, as a brother +would have been had she had one, and she swore that she had never even +thought of another man, she refused so much as to think of marrying +who dreamed only of the heavenly perfections of the lady Isis." + +"Ump!" said Bes. "We Ethiopians have Priestesses of the Grasshopper, +or the Grasshopper's wife, but they do not think of her like that. I +hope that one day something stronger than herself will not cause the +lady Amada to break her vows to the heavenly Isis. Only then, perhaps, +it may be for the sake of another man who did not go off to the East +on account of such fool's talk. But here is a village and the horses +are spent. Let us stop and eat, as I suppose even the lady Amada does +sometimes." + + + +On the following afternoon we crossed the Nile, and towards sunset +entered the vast and ancient city of Memphis. On its white walls +floated the banners of the Great King which Bes pointed out to me, +saying that wherever we went in the whole world, it seemed that we +could never be free from those accursed symbols. + +"May I live to spit upon them and cast them into the moat," I answered +savagely, for as I drew near to Amada they grew ten times more hateful +to me than they had been before. + +In truth I was nearer to Amada than I thought, for after we had passed +the enclosure of the temple of Ptah, the most wonderful and the +mightiest in the whole world, we came to the temple of Isis. There +near to the pylon gate we met a procession of her priests and +priestesses advancing to offer the evening sacrifice of song and +flowers, clad, all of them, in robes of purest white. It was a day of +festival, so singers went with them. After the singers came a band of +priestesses bearing flowers, in front of whom walked another priestess +shaking a /sistrum/ that made a little tinkling music. + +Even at a distance there was something about the tall and slender +shape of this priestess that stirred me. When we came nearer I saw +why, for it was Amada herself. Through the thin veil she wore I could +see her dark and tender eyes set beneath the broad brow that was so +full of thought, and the sweet, curved mouth that was like no other +woman's. Moreover there could be no doubt since the veil parting above +her breast showed the birth-mark for which she was famous, the mark of +the young moon, the sign of Isis. + +I sprang from my horse and ran towards her. She looked up and saw me. +At first she frowned, then her face grew wondering, then tender, and I +thought that her red lips shaped my name. Moreover in her confusion +she let the /sistrum/ fall. + +I muttered "Amada!" and stepped forward, but priests ran between us +and thrust me away. Next moment she had recovered the /sistrum/ and +passed on with her head bowed. Nor did she lift her eyes to look back. + +"Begone, man!" cried a priest, "Begone, whoever you may be. Because +you wear Eastern armour do you think that you can dare the curse of +Isis?" + +Then I fell back, the holy image of the goddess passed and the +procession vanished through the pylon gate. I, Shabaka the Egyptian, +stood by my horse and watched it depart. I was happy because the lady +Amada was alive, well, and more beautiful than ever; also because she +had shown signs of joy and confusion at seeing me again. Yet I was +unhappy because I met her still filling a holy office which built a +wall between us, also because it seemed to me an evil omen that I +should have been repelled from her by a priest of Isis who talked of +the curse of the goddess. Moreover the sacred statue, I suppose by +accident, turned towards me as it passed and perhaps by the chance of +light, seemed to frown upon me. + +Thus I thought as Shabaka hundreds of years before the Christian era, +but as Allan Quatermain the modern man, to whom it was given so +marvellously to behold all these things and who in beholding them, yet +never quite lost the sense of his own identity of to-day, I was +amazed. For I knew that this lady Amada was the same being though clad +in different flesh, as that other lady with whom I had breathed the +magical /Taduki/ fumes which had power to rend the curtain of the +past, or, perhaps, only to breed dreams of what it might have been. + +To the outward eye, indeed she was different, as I was different, +taller, more slender, larger-eyed, with longer and slimmer hands than +those of any Western woman, and on the whole even more beautiful and +alluring. Moreover that mysterious look which from time to time I had +seen on Lady Ragnall's face, was more constant on that of the lady +Amada. It brooded in the deep eyes and settled in a curious smile +about the curves of the lips, a smile that was not altogether human, +such a smile as one might wear who had looked on hidden things and +heard voices that spoke beyond the limits of the world. + +Somehow neither then nor at any other time during all my dream, could +I imagine this Amada, this daughter of a hundred kings, whose blood +might be traced back through dynasty on dynasty, as nothing but a +woman who nurses children upon her breast. It was as though something +of our common nature had been bred out of her and something of another +nature whereof we have no ken, had entered to fill its place. And yet +these two women were the same, that I /knew/, or at any rate, much of +them was the same, for who can say what part of us we leave behind as +we flit from life to life, to find it again elsewhere in the abysms of +Time and Change? One thing too was quite identical--the birthmark of +the new moon above the breast which the priests of the Kendah had +declared was always the seal that marked their prophetess, the +guardian of the Holy Child. + + + +When the procession had quite departed and I could no longer hear the +sound of singing, I remounted and rode on to my house, or rather to +that of my mother, the great lady Tiu, which was situated beneath the +wall of the old palace facing towards the Nile. Indeed my heart was +full of this mother of mine whom I loved and who loved me, for I was +her only child, and my father had been long dead; so long that I could +not remember him. Eight months had gone by since I saw her face and in +eight months who knew what might have happened? The thought made me +cold for she, who was aged and not too strong, perhaps had been +gathered to Osiris. Oh! if that were so! + +I shook my tired horse to a canter, Bes riding ahead of me to clear a +road through the crowded street in which, at this hour of sundown, all +the idlers of Memphis seemed to have gathered. They stared at me +because it was not common to see men riding in Memphis, and with +little love, since from my dress and escort they took me to be some +envoy from their hated master, the Great King of the East. Some even +threatened to bar the way; but we thrust through and presently turned +into a thoroughfare of private houses standing in their own gardens. +Ours was the third of these. At its gate I leapt from my horse, pushed +open the closed door and hastened in to seek and learn. + +I had not far to go for, there in the courtyard, standing at the head +of our modest household and dressed in her festal robes, was my +mother, the stately and white-haired lady Tiu, as one stands who +awaits the coming of an honoured guest. I ran to her and kneeling, +kissed her hand, saying, + +"My mother! My mother, I have come safe home and greet you." + +"I greet you also, my son," she answered, bending down and kissing me +on the brow, "who have been in far lands and passed so many dangers. I +greet you and thank the guardian gods who have brought you safe home +again. Rise, my son." + +I rose and kissed her on the face, then looked at the servants who +were bowing their welcome to me, and said, + +"How comes it, Lady of the House, that all are gathered here? Did you +await some guest?" + +"We awaited you, my son. For an hour have we stood here listening for +the sound of your feet." + +"Me!" I exclaimed. "That is strange, seeing that I have ridden fast +and hard from the East, tarrying only a few minutes, and those since I +entered Memphis, when I met----" and I stopped. + +"Met whom, Shabaka?" + +"The lady Amada walking in the procession of Isis." + +"Ah! the lady Amada. The mother waits that the son may stop to greet +the lady Amada!" + +"But /why/ did you wait, my mother? Who but a spirit or a bird of the +air could have told you that I was coming, seeing that I sent no +messenger before me?" + +"You must have done so, Shabaka, since yesterday one came from the +holy Tanofir, our relative who dwells in the desert in the burial- +ground of Sekera. He bore a message from Tanofir to me, telling me to +make ready since before sundown to-night you, my son, would be with +me, having escaped great dangers, accompanied by the dwarf Bes, your +servant, and six strange Eastern men. So I made ready and waited; also +I prepared lodging for the six strange men in the outbuildings behind +the house and sent a thank offering to the temple. For know, my son, I +have suffered much fear for you." + +"And not without cause, as you will say when I tell you all," I +answered laughing. "But how Tanofir knew that I was coming is more +than I can guess. Come, my mother, greet Bes here, for had it not been +for him, never should I have lived to hold your hand again." + +So she greeted him and thanked him, whereon Bes rolled his eyes and +muttered something about the holy Tanofir, after which we entered the +house. Thence I despatched a messenger to the Prince Peroa saying that +if it were his pleasure I would wait on him at once, seeing that I had +much to tell him. This done I bathed and caused my hair and beard to +be trimmed and, discarding the Eastern garments, clothed myself in +those of Egypt, and so felt that I was my own man again. Then I came +out refreshed and drank a cup of Syrian wine and the night having +fallen, sat down by my mother in the chamber with a lamp between us, +and, holding her hand, told her something of my story, showing her the +sacks of gold that had come with me safely from the East, and the +chain of priceless, rose-hued pearls that I had won in a wager from +the Great King. + +Now when she learned how Bes by his wit had saved me from a death of +torment in the boat, my mother clapped her hands to summon a servant +and sent for Bes, and said to him, + +"Bes, hitherto I have looked on you as a slave taken by my son, the +noble Shabaka, in one of his far journeys that it pleases him to make +to fight and to hunt. But henceforth I look upon you as a friend and +give you a seat at my table. Moreover it comes into my mind that +although so strangely shaped by some evil god, perhaps you are more +than you seem to be." + +Now Bes looked at me to see if I had told my mother anything, and when +I shook my head answered, + +"I thank you, O Lady of the House, who have but done my duty to my +master. Still it is true that as a goatskin often holds good wine, so +a dwarf should not always be judged by what can be seen of him." + +Then he went away. + +"It seems that we are rich again, Son, who have been somewhat poor of +late years," said my mother, looking at the bags of gold. "Also, there +are the pearls which doubtless are worth more than the gold. What are +you going to do with them, Shabaka?" + +"I thought of offering them as a gift to the lady Amada," I replied +hesitatingly, "that is unless you----" + +"I? No, I am too old for such gems. Yet, Son, it might be well to keep +them for a time, seeing that while they are your own they may give you +more weight in the eyes of the Prince Peroa and others. Whereas if you +gave them the lady Amada and she took them, perchance it might only be +to see them return to the East, whither you tell me she is summoned by +one whose orders may not be disobeyed." + +Now I turned white with rage and answered, + +"While I live, Mother, Amada shall never go to the East to be the +woman of yonder King." + +"While you live, Son. But those who cross the will of a great king, +are apt to die. Also this is a matter which her uncle, the Prince +Peroa, must decide as policy dictates. Now as ever the woman is but a +pawn in the game. Oh! my son," she went on, "do not pin all your heart +to the robe of this Amada. She is very fair and very learned, but is +she one who will love? Moreover, if so she is a priestess and it would +be difficult for her to wed who is sworn to Isis. Lastly, remember +this: If Egypt were free, she would be its heiress, not her uncle, +Peroa. For hers is the true blood, not his. Would he, therefore, be +willing to give her to any man who, according to the ancient custom, +through her would acquire the right to rule?" + +"I do not seek to rule, Mother; I only seek to wed Amada whom I love." + +"Amada whom you love and whose name you, or rather your servant Bes, +which is the same thing since it will be held that he did it by your +order, gave to the King of the East, or so I understand. Here is a +pretty tangle, Shabaka, and rather would I be without all that gold +and those priceless pearls than have the task of its unravelling." + +Before I could answer and explain all the truth to her, the curtain +was swung aside and through it came a messenger from the Prince Peroa, +who bade me come to eat with him at once at the palace, since he must +see me this night. + +So my mother having set the rope of rose-hued pearls in a double chain +about my neck, I kissed her and went, with Bes who was also bidden. +Outside a chariot was waiting into which we entered. + +"Now, Master," said Bes to me as we drove to the palace, "I almost +wish that we were back in another chariot hunting lions in the East." + +"Why?" I asked. + +"Because then, although we had much to fear, there was no woman in the +story. Now the woman has entered it and I think that our real troubles +are about to begin. Oh! to-morrow I go to seek counsel of the holy +Tanofir." + +"And I come with you," I answered, "for I think it will be needed." + + + + CHAPTER IX + + THE MESSENGERS + +We descended at the great gate of the palace and were led through +empty halls that were no longer used now when there was no king in +Egypt, to the wing of the building in which dwelt the Prince Peroa. +Here we were received by a chamberlain, for the Prince of Egypt still +kept some state although it was but small, and had about him men who +bore the old, high-sounding titles of the "Officers of Pharaoh." + +The chamberlain led me and Bes to an ante-chamber of the banqueting +hall and left us, saying that he would summon the Prince who wished to +see me before he ate. This, however, was not necessary since while he +spoke Peroa, who as I guessed had been waiting for me, entered by +another door. He was a majestic-looking man of middle age, for grey +showed in his hair and beard, clad in white garments with a purple hem +and wearing on his brow a golden circlet, from the front of which rose +the /uræus/ in the shape of a hooded snake that might be worn by those +of royal blood alone. His face was full of thought and his black and +piercing eyes looked heavy as though with sleeplessness. Indeed I +could see that he was troubled. His gaze fell upon us and his features +changed to a pleasant smile. + +"Greeting, Cousin Shabaka," he said. "I am glad that you have returned +safe from the East, and burn to hear your tidings. I pray that they +may be good, for never was good news more needed in Egypt." + +"Greeting, Prince," I answered, bowing my knee. "I and my servant here +are returned safe, but as for our tidings, well, judge of them for +yourself," and drawing the letter of the Great King from my robe, I +touched my forehead with the roll and handed it to him. + +"I see that you have acquired the Eastern customs, Shabaka," he said +as he took it. "But here in my own house which once was the palace of +our forefathers, the Pharaohs of Egypt, by your leave I will omit +them. Amen be my witness," he added bitterly, "I cannot bear to lay +the letter of a foreign king against my brow in token of my country's +vassalage." + +Then he broke the silk of the seals and read, and as he read his face +grew black with rage. + +"What!" he cried, casting down the roll and stamping on it. "What! +Does this dog of an Eastern king bid me send my niece, by birth the +Royal Princess of Egypt, to be his toy until he wearies of her? First +I will choke her with my own hands. How comes it, Shabaka, that you +care to bring me such a message? Were I Pharaoh now I think your life +would pay the price." + +"As it would certainly have paid the price, had I not done so. Prince, +I brought the letter because I must. Also a copy of it has gone, I +believe, to Idernes the Satrap at Sais. It is better to face the +truth, Prince, and I think that I may be of more service to you alive +than dead. If you do not wish to send the lady Amada to the King, +marry her to someone else, after which he will seek her no more." + +He looked at me shrewdly and said, + +"To whom then? I cannot marry her, being her uncle and already +married. Do you mean to yourself, Shabaka?" + +"I have loved the lady Amada from a child, Prince," I answered boldly. +"Also I have high blood in me and having brought much gold from the +East, am rich again and one accustomed to war." + +"So you have brought gold from the East! How? Well, you can tell me +afterwards. But you fly high. You, a Count of Egypt, wish to marry the +Royal Lady of Egypt, for such she is by birth and rank, which, if ever +Egypt were free again, would give you a title to the throne." + +"I ask no throne, Prince. If there were one to fill I should be +content to leave that to you and your heirs." + +"So you say, no doubt honestly. But would the children of Amada say +the same? Would you even say it if you were her husband, and would she +say it? Moreover she is a priestess, sworn not to wed, though perhaps +that trouble might be overcome, if she wishes to wed, which I doubt. +Mayhap you might discover. Well, you are hungry and worn with long +travelling. Come, let us eat, and afterwards you can tell your story. +Amada and the others will be glad to hear it, as I shall. Follow me, +Count Shabaka." + +So we went to the lesser banqueting-hall, I filled with joy because I +should see Amada, and yet, much afraid because of that story which I +must tell. Gathered there, waiting for the Prince, we found the +Princess his wife, a large and kindly woman, also his two eldest +daughters and his young son, a lad of about sixteen. Moreover, there +were certain officers, while at the tables of the lower hall sat +others of the household, men of smaller rank, and their wives, since +Peroa still maintained some kind of a shadow of the Court of old +Egypt. + +The Princess and the others greeted me, and Bes also who had always +been a favourite with them, before he went to take his seat at the +lowest table, and I greeted them, looking all the while for Amada whom +I did not see. Presently, however, as we took our places on the +couches, she entered dressed, not as a priestess, but in the beautiful +robes of a great lady of Egypt and wearing on her head the /uræus/ +circlet that signified her royal blood. As it chanced the only seat +left vacant was that next to myself, which she took before she +recognized me, for she was engaged in asking pardon for her lateness +of the Prince and Princess, saying that she had been detained by the +ceremonies at the temple. Seeing suddenly that I was her neighbour, +she made as though she would change her place, then altered her mind +and stayed where she was. + +"Greeting, Cousin Shabaka," she said, "though not for the first time +to-day. Oh! my heart was glad when looking up, outside the temple, I +caught sight of you clad in that strange Eastern armour, and knew that +you had returned safe from your long wanderings. Yet afterwards I must +do penance for it by saying two added prayers, since at such a time my +thoughts should have been with the goddess only." + +"Greeting, Cousin Amada," I answered, "but she must be a jealous +goddess who grudges a thought to a relative--and friend--at such a +time." + +"She is jealous, Shabaka, as being the Queen of women she must be who +demands to reign alone in the hearts of her votaries. But tell me of +your travels in the East and how you came by that rope of wondrous +pearls, if indeed there can be pearls so large and beautiful." + +This at the time I had little chance of doing, however, since the +young Princess on the other side of her began to talk to Amada about +some forthcoming festival, and the Prince's son next to me who was +fond of hunting, to question me about sport in the East and when, +unhappily, I said that I had shot lions there, gave me no peace for +the rest of that feast. Also the Princess opposite was anxious to +learn what food noble people ate in the East, and how it was cooked +and how they sat at table, and what was the furniture of their rooms +and did women attend feasts as in Egypt, and so forth. So it came +about that what between these things and eating and drinking, which, +being well-nigh starved, I was obliged to do, for, save a cup of wine, +I had taken nothing in my mother's house, I found little chance of +talking with the lovely Amada, although I knew that all the while she +was studying me out of the corners of her large eyes. Or perhaps it +was the rose-hued pearls she studied, I was not sure. + +Only one thing did she say to me when there was a little pause while +the cup went round, and she pledged me according to custom and passed +it on. It was, + +"You look well, Shabaka, though somewhat tired, but sadder than you +used, I think." + +"Perhaps because I have seen things to sadden me, Amada. But you too +look well but somewhat lovelier than you used, I think, if that be +possible." + +She smiled and blushed as she replied, + +"The Eastern ladies have taught you how to say pretty things. But you +should not waste them upon me who have done with women's vanities and +have given myself to learning and--religion." + +"Have learning and religion no vanities of their own?" I began, when +suddenly the Prince gave a signal to end the feast. + +Thereon all the lower part of the hall went away and the little tables +at which we ate were removed by servants, leaving us only wine-cups in +our hands which a butler filled from time to time, mixing the wine +with water. This reminded me of something, and having asked leave, I +beckoned to Bes, who still lingered near the door, and took from him +that splendid, golden goblet which the Great King had given me, that +by my command he had brought wrapped up in linen and hidden beneath +his robe. Having undone the wrappings I bowed and offered it to the +Prince Peroa. + +"What is this wondrous thing?" asked the Prince, when all had finished +admiring its workmanship. "Is it a gift that you bring me from the +King of the East, Shabaka?" + +"It is a gift from myself, O Prince, if you will be pleased to accept +it," I answered, adding, "Yet it is true that it comes from the King +of the East, since it was his own drinking-cup that he gave me in +exchange for a certain bow, though not the one he sought, after he had +pledged me." + +"You seem to have found much favour in the eyes of this king, Shabaka, +which is more than most of us Egyptians do," he exclaimed, then went +on hastily, "Still, I thank you for your splendid gift, and however +you came by it, shall value it much." + +"Perhaps my cousin Shabaka will tell us his story," broke in Amada, +her eyes still fixed upon the rose-hued pearls, "and of how he came to +win all the beauteous things that dazzle our eyes to-night." + +Now I thought of offering her the pearls, but remembering my mother's +words, also that the Princess might not like to see another woman bear +off such a prize, did not do so. So I began to tell my story instead, +Bes seated on the ground near to me by the Prince's wish, that he +might tell his. + +The tale was long for in it was much that went before the day when I +saw myself in the chariot hunting lions with the King of kings, which +I, the modern man who set down all this vision, now learned for the +first time. It told of the details of my journey to the East, of my +coming to the royal city and the rest, all of which it is needless to +repeat. Then I came to the lion hunt, to my winning of the wager, and +all that happened to me; of my being condemned to death, of the +weighing of Bes against the gold, and of how I was laid in the boat of +torment, a story at which I noticed Amada turn pale and tremble. + +Here I ceased, saying that Bes knew better than I what had chanced at +the Court while I was pinned in the boat, whereon all present cried +out to Bes to take up the tale. This he did, and much better than I +could have done, bringing out many little things which made the scene +appear before them, as Ethiopians have the art of doing. At last he +came to the place in his story where the king asked him if he had ever +seen a woman fairer than the dancers, and went on thus: + +"O Prince, I told the Great King that I had; that there dwelt in Egypt +a lady of royal blood with eyes like stars, with hair like silk and +long as an unbridled horse's tail, with a shape like to that of a +goddess, with breath like flowers, with skin like milk, with a voice +like honey, with learning like to that of the god Thoth, with wit like +a razor's edge, with teeth like pearls, with majesty of bearing like +to that of the king himself, with fingers like rosebuds set in pink +seashells, with motion like that of an antelope, with grace like that +of a swan floating upon water, and--I don't remember the rest, O +Prince." + +"Perhaps it is as well," exclaimed Peroa. "But what did the King say +then?" + +"He asked her name, O Prince." + +"And what name did you give to this wondrous lady who surpasses all +the goddesses in loveliness and charm, O dwarf Bes?" inquired Amada +much amused. + +"What name, O High-born One? Is it needful to ask? Why, what name +could I give but your own, for is there any other in the world of whom +a man whose heart is filled with truth could speak such things?" + +Now hearing this I gasped, but before I could speak Amada leapt up, +crying, + +"Wretch! You dared to speak my name to this king! Surely you should be +scourged till your bones are bare." + +"And why not, Lady? Would you have had me sit still and hear those fat +trollops of the East exalted above you? Would you have had me so +disloyal to your royal loveliness?" + +"You should be scourged," repeated Amada stamping her foot. "My Uncle, +I pray you cause this knave to be scourged." + +"Nay, nay," said Peroa moodily. "Poor simple man, he knew no better +and thought only to sing your praises in a far land. Be not angry with +the dwarf, Niece. Had it been Shabaka who gave your name, the thing +would be different. What happened next, Bes?" + +"Only this, Prince," said Bes, looking upwards and rolling his eyes, +as was his fashion when unloading some great lie from his heart. "The +King sent his servants to bring my master from the boat, that he might +inquire of him whether he had always found me truthful. For, Prince, +those Easterns set much store by truth which here in Egypt is +worshipped as a goddess. There they do not worship her because she +lives in the heart of every man, and some women." + +Now all stared at Bes who continued to stare at the ceiling, and I +rose to say something, I know not what, when suddenly the doors opened +and through them appeared heralds, crying, + +"Hearken, Peroa, Prince of Egypt by grace of the Great King. A message +from the Great King. Read and obey, O Peroa, Prince of Egypt by grace +of the Great King!" + +As they cried thus from between them emerged a man whose long Eastern +robes were stained with the dust of travel. Advancing without salute +he drew out a roll, touched his forehead with it, bowing deeply, and +handed it to the prince, saying, + +"Kiss the Word. Read the Word. Obey the Word, O servant of our Master, +the King of kings, beneath whose feet we are all but dust." + +Peroa took the roll, made a semblance of lifting it to his forehead, +opened and read it. As he did so I saw the veins swell upon his neck +and his eyes flash, but he only said, + +"O Messenger, to-night I feast, to-morrow an answer shall be given to +you to convey to the Satrap Idernes. My servants will find you food +and lodging. You are dismissed." + +"Let the answer be given early lest you also should be dismissed, O +Peroa," said the man with insolence. + +Then he turned his back upon the prince, as one does on an inferior, +and walked away, accompanied by the herald. + +When they were gone and the doors had been shut, Peroa spoke in a +voice that was thick with fury, saying, + +"Hearken, all of you, to the words of the writing." + +Then he read it. + + + "From the King of kings, the Ruler of all the earth, to Peroa, one + of his servants in the Satrapy of Egypt, + + "Deliver over to my servant Idernes without delay, the person of + Amada, a lady of the blood of the old Pharaohs of Egypt, who is + your relative and in your guardianship, that she may be numbered + among the women of my house." + + +Now all present looked at each other, while Amada stood as though she +had been frozen into stone. Before she could speak, Peroa went on, + +"See how the King seeks a quarrel against me that he may destroy me +and bray Egypt in his mortar, and tan it like a hide to wrap about his +feet. Nay, hold your peace, Amada. Have no fear. You shall not be sent +to the East; first will I kill you with my own hands. But what answer +shall we give, for the matter is urgent and on it hang all our lives? +Bethink you, Idernes has a great force yonder at Sais, and if I refuse +outright, he will attack us, which indeed is what the King means him +to do before we can make preparation. Say then, shall we fight, or +shall we fly to Upper Egypt, abandoning Memphis, and there make our +stand?" + +Now the Councillors present seemed to find no answer, for they did not +know what to say. But Bes whispered in my ear, + +"Remember, Master, that you hold the King's seal. Let an answer be +sent to Idernes under the White Seal, bidding him wait on you." + +Then I rose and spoke. + +"O Peroa," I said, "as it chances I am the bearer of the private +signet of the Great King, which all men must obey in the north and in +the south, in the east and in the west, wherever the sun shines over +the dominions of the King. Look on it," and taking the ancient White +Seal from about my neck, I handed it to him. + +He looked and the Councillors looked. Then they said almost with one +voice, + +"It is the White Seal, the very signet of the Great Kings of the +East," and they bowed before the dreadful thing. + +"How you came by this we do not know, Shabaka," said Peroa. "That can +be inquired of afterwards. Yet in truth it seems to be the old Signet +of signets, that which has come down from father to son for countless +generations, that which the King of kings carries on his person and +affixes to his private orders and to the greatest documents of State, +which afterwards can never be recalled, that of which a copy is +emblazoned on his banner." + +"It is," I answered, "and from the King's person it came to me for a +while. If any doubt, let the impress be brought, that is furnished to +all the officers throughout the Empire, and let the seal be set in the +impress." + +Now one of the officers rose and went to bring the impress which was +in his keeping, but Peroa continued, + +"If this be the true seal, how would you use it, Shabaka, to help us +in our present trouble?" + +"Thus, Prince," I answered. "I would send a command under the seal to +Idernes to wait upon the holder of the seal here in Memphis. He will +suspect a trap and will not come until he has gathered a great army. +Then he will come, but meanwhile, you, Prince, can also collect an +army." + +"That needs gold, Shabaka, and I have little. The King of kings takes +all in tribute." + +"I have some, Prince, to the weight of a heavy man, and it is at the +service of Egypt." + +"I thank you, Shabaka. Believe me, such generosity shall not go +unrewarded," and he glanced at Amada who dropped her eyes. "But if we +can collect the army, what then?" + +"Then you can put Memphis into a state of defence. Then too when +Idernes comes I will meet him and, as the bearer of the seal, command +him under the seal to retreat and disperse his army." + +"But if he does, Shabaka, it will only be until he has received fresh +orders from the Great King, whereon he will advance again." + +"No, Prince, /he/ will not advance, or that army either. For when they +are in retreat we will fall on them and destroy them, and declare you, +O Prince, Pharaoh of Egypt, though what will happen afterwards I do +not know." + +When they heard this all gasped. Only Amada whispered, + +"Well said!" and Bes clapped his big hands softly in the Ethiopian +fashion. + +"A bold counsel," said Peroa, "and one on which I must have the night +to think. Return here, Shabaka, an hour after sunrise to-morrow, by +which time I can gather all the wisest men in Memphis, and we will +discuss this matter. Ah! here is the impress. Now let the seal be +tried." + +A box was brought and opened. In it was a slab of wood on which was an +impress of the King's seal in wax, surrounded by those of other seals +certifying that it was genuine. Also there was a writing describing +the appearance of the seal. I handed the signet to Peroa who, having +compared it with the description in the writing, fitted it to the +impress on the wax. + +"It is the same," he said. "See, all of you." + +They looked and nodded. Then he would have given it back to me but I +refused to take it, saying, + +"It is not well that this mighty symbol should hang about the neck of +a private man whence it might be stolen or lost." + +"Or who might be murdered for its sake," interrupted Peroa. + +"Yes, Prince. Therefore take it and hide it in the safest and most +secret place in the palace, and with it these pearls that are too +priceless to be flaunted about the streets of Memphis at night, unless +indeed----" and I turned to look for Amada, but she was gone. + +So the seal and the pearls were taken and locked in the box with the +impress and borne away. Nor was I sorry to see the last of them, +wisely as it happened. Then I bade the Prince and his company good +night, and presently was driving homeward with Bes in the chariot. + +Our way led us past some large houses once occupied by officers of the +Court of Pharaoh, but now that there was no Court, fallen into ruins. +Suddenly from out of these houses sprang a band of men disguised as +common robbers, whose faces were hidden by cloths with eye-holes cut +in them. They seized the horses by the bridles, and before we could do +anything, leapt upon us and held us fast. Then a tall man speaking +with a foreign accent, said, + +"Search that officer and the dwarf. Take from them the seal upon a +gold chain and a rope of rose-hued pearls which they have stolen. But +do them no harm." + +So they searched us, the tall man himself helping and, aided by +others, holding Bes who struggled with them, and searched the chariot +also, by the light of the moon, but found nothing. The tall man +muttered that I must be the wrong officer, and at a sign they left us +and ran away. + +"That was a wise thought of mine, Bes, which caused me to leave +certain ornaments in the palace," I said. "As it is they have taken +nothing." + +"Yes, Master," he answered, "though I have taken something from them," +a saying that I did not understand at the time. "Those Easterns whom +we met by the canal told Idernes about the seal, and he ordered this +to be done. That tall man was one of the messengers who came to-night +to the palace." + +"Then why did they not kill us, Bes?" + +"Because murder, especially of one who holds the seal, is an ugly +business, that is easily tracked down, whereas thieves are many in +Memphis and who troubles about them when they have failed? Oh! the +Grasshopper, or Amen, or both, have been with us to-night." + +So I thought although I said nothing, for since we had come off +scatheless, what did it matter? Well, this. It showed me that the +signet of the Great King was indeed to be dreaded and coveted, even +here in Egypt. If Idernes could get it into his possession, what might +he not do with it? Cause himself to be proclaimed Pharaoh perhaps and +become the forefather of an independent dynasty. Why not, when the +Empire of the East was taxed with a great war elsewhere? And if this +was so why should not Peroa do the same, he who had behind him all Old +Egypt, maddened with its wrongs and foreign rule? + +That same night before I slept, but after Bes and I had hidden away +the bags of gold by burying them beneath the clay floor, I laid the +whole matter before my mother who was a very wise woman. She heard me +out, answering little, then said, + +"The business is very dangerous, and of its end I will not speak until +I have heard the counsel of your great-uncle, the holy Tanofir. Still, +things having gone so far, it seems to me that boldness may be the +best course, since the great King has his Grecian wars to deal with, +and whatever he may say, cannot attack Egypt yet awhile. Therefore if +Peroa is able to overcome Idernes and his army he may cause himself to +be proclaimed Pharaoh and make Egypt free if only for a time." + +"Such is my mind, Mother." + +"Not all your mind, Son, I think," she answered smiling, "for you +think more of the lovely Amada than of these high policies, at any +rate to-night. Well, marry your Amada if you can, though I misdoubt me +somewhat of a woman who is so lost in learning and thinks so much +about her soul. At least if you marry her and Egypt should become +free, as it was for thousands of years, you will be the next heir to +the throne as husband of the Great Royal Lady." + +"How can that be, Mother, seeing that Peroa has a son?" + +"A vain youth with no more in him than a child's rattle. If once Amada +ceases to think about her soul she will begin to think about her +throne, especially if she has children. But all this is far away and +for the present I am glad that neither she nor the thieves have got +those pearls, though perhaps they might be safer here than where they +are. And now, my son, go rest for you need it, and dream of nothing, +not even Amada, who for her part will dream of Isis, if at all. I will +wake you before the dawn." + +So I went, being too tired to talk more, and slept like a crocodile in +the sun, till, as it seemed to me, but a few minutes later I saw my +mother standing over me with a lamp, saying that it was time to rise. +I rose, unwillingly enough, but refreshed, washed and dressed myself, +by which time the sun had begun to appear. Then I ate some food and, +calling Bes, made ready to start for the palace. + +"My son," said my mother, the lady Tiu, before we parted, "while you +have been sleeping I have been thinking, as is the way of the old. +Peroa, your cousin, will be glad enough to make use of you, but he +does not love you over much because he is jealous of you and fears +lest you should become his rival in the future. Still he is an honest +man and will keep a bargain which he once has made. Now it seems that +above everything on earth you desire Amada on whom you have set your +heart since boyhood, but who has always played with you and spoken to +you with her arm stretched out. Also life is short and may come to an +end any day, as you should know better than most men who have lived +among dangers, and therefore it is well that a man should take what he +desires, even if he finds afterwards that the rose he crushes to his +breast has thorns. For then at least he will have smelt the rose, not +only have looked on and longed to smell it. Therefore, before you hand +over your gold, and place your wit and strength at the service of +Peroa, make your bargain with him; namely, that if thereby you save +Amada from the King's House of Women and help to set Peroa on the +throne, he shall promise her to you free of any priestly curse, you +giving her as dowry the priceless rose-hued pearls that are worth a +kingdom. So you will get your rose till it withers, and if the thorns +prick, do not blame me, and one day you may become a king--or a slave, +Amen knows which." + +Now I laughed and said that I would take her counsel who desired Amada +and nothing else. As for all her talk about thorns, I paid no heed to +it, knowing that she loved me very much and was jealous of Amada who +she thought would take her place with me. + + + + CHAPTER X + + SHABAKA PLIGHTS HIS TROTH + +Bes and I went armed to the palace, walking in the middle of the road, +but now that the sun was up we met no more robbers. At the gate a +messenger summoned me alone to the presence of Peroa, who, he said, +wished to talk with me before the sitting of the Council. I went and +found him by himself. + +"I hear that you were attacked last night," he said after greeting me. + +I answered that I was and told him the story, adding that it was +fortunate I had left the White Seal and the pearls in safe keeping, +since without doubt the would-be thieves were Easterns who desired to +recover them. + +"Ah! the pearls," he said. "One of those who handled them, who was +once a dealer in gems, says that they are without price, unmatched in +the whole world, and that never in all his life has he seen any to +equal the smallest of them." + +I replied that I believed this was so. Then he asked me of the value +of the gold of which I had spoken. I told him and it was a great sum, +for gold was scarce in Egypt. His eyes gleamed for he needed wealth to +pay soldiers. + +"And all this you are ready to hand over to me, Shabaka?" + +Now I bethought me of my mother's words, and answered, + +"Yes, Prince, at a price." + +"What price, Shabaka?" + +"The price of the hand of the Royal Lady, Amada, freed from her vows. +Moreover, I will give her the pearls as a marriage dowry and place at +your service my sword and all the knowledge I have gained in the East, +swearing to stand or fall with you." + +"I thought it, Shabaka. Well, in this world nothing is given for +nothing and the offer is a fair one. You are well born, too, as well +as myself, and a brave and clever man. Further, Amada has not taken +her final vows and therefore the high priests can absolve her from her +marriage to the goddess, or to her son Horus, whichever it may be, for +I do not understand these mysteries. But, Shabaka, if Fortune should +chance to go with us and I should became the first Pharaoh of a new +dynasty in Egypt, he who was married to the Royal Princess of the true +blood might become a danger to my throne and family." + +"I shall not be that man, Prince, who am content with my own station, +and to be your servant." + +"And my son's, Shabaka? You know that I have but one lawful son." + +"And your son's, Prince." + +"You are honest, Shabaka, and I believe you. But how about your sons, +if you have any, and how about Amada herself? Well, in great +businesses something must be risked, and I need the gold and the rest +which I cannot take for nothing, for you won them by your skill and +courage and they are yours. But how you won the seal you have not told +us, nor is there time for you to do so now." + +He thought a little, walking up and down the chamber, then went on, + +"I accept your offer, Shabaka, so far as I can." + +"So far as you can, Prince?" + +"Yes; I can give you Amada in marriage and make that marriage easy, +but only if Amada herself consents. The will of a Royal Princess of +Egypt of full age cannot be forced, save by her father if he reigns as +Pharaoh, and I am not her father, but only her guardian. Therefore it +stands thus. Are you willing to fulfil your part of the bargain, save +only as regards the pearls, if she does not marry you, and to take +your chance of winning Amada as a man wins a woman, I on my part +promising to do all in my power to help your suit?" + +Now it was my turn to think for a moment. What did I risk? The gold +and perhaps the pearls, no more, for in any case I should fight for +Peroa against the Eastern king whom I hated, and through him for +Egypt. Well, these came to me by chance, and if they went by chance +what of it? Also I was not one who desired to wed a woman, however +much I worshipped her, if she desired to turn her back on me. If I +could win her in fair love--well. If not, it was my misfortune, and I +wanted her in no other way. Lastly, I had reason to think that she +looked on me more favourably than she had ever done on any other man, +and that if it had not been for what my mother called her soul and its +longings, she would have given herself to me before I journeyed to the +East. Indeed, once she had said as much, and there was something in +her eyes last night which told me that in her heart she loved me, +though with what passion at the time I did not know. So very swiftly I +made up my mind and answered, + +"I understand and I accept. The gold shall be delivered to you to-day, +Prince. The pearls are already in your keeping to await the end." + +"Good!" he exclaimed. "Then let the matter be reduced to writing and +at once, that afterwards neither of us may have cause to complain of +the other." + +So he sent for his secret scribe and dictated to him, briefly but +clearly, the substance of our bargain, nothing being added, and +nothing taken away. This roll written on papyrus was afterwards copied +twice, Peroa taking one copy, I another, and a third being deposited +according to custom, in the library of the temple of Ptah. + +When all was done and Peroa and I had touched each other's breasts and +given our word in the name of Amen, we went to the hall in which we +had dined, where those whom the Prince had summoned were assembled. +Altogether there were about thirty of them, great citizens of Memphis, +or landowners from without who had been called together in the night. +Some of these men were very old and could remember when Egypt had a +Pharaoh of its own before the East set its heel upon her neck, of +noble blood also. + +Others were merchants who dealt with all the cities of Egypt; others +hereditary generals, or captains of fleets of ships; others Grecians, +officers of mercenaries who were supposed to be in the pay of the King +of kings, but hated him, as did all the Greeks. Then there were the +high priests of Ptah, of Amen, of Osiris and others who were still the +most powerful men in the land, since there was no village between +Thebes and the mouths of the Nile in which they had not those who were +sworn to the service of their gods. + +Such was the company representing all that remained or could be +gathered there of the greatness of Egypt the ancient and the fallen. + +To these when the doors had been closed and barred and trusty watchmen +set to guard them, Peroa expounded the case in a low and earnest +voice. He showed them that the King of the East sought a new quarrel +against Egypt that he might grind her to powder beneath his heel, and +that he did this by demanding the person of Amada, his own niece and +the Royal Lady of Egypt, to be included in his household like any +common woman. If she were refused then he would send a great army +under pretext of taking her, and lay the land waste as far as Thebes. +And if she were granted some new quarrel would be picked and in the +person of the royal Amada all of them be for ever shamed. + +Next he showed the seal, telling them that I--who was known to many of +them, at least by repute--had brought it from the East, and repeating +to them the plan that I had proposed upon the previous night. After +this he asked their counsel, saying that before noon he must send an +answer to Idernes, the King's Satrap at Sais. + +Then I was called upon to speak and, in answer to questions, answered +frankly that I had stolen the ancient White Seal from the King's +servant who carried it as a warrant for the King's private vengeance +on one who had bested him. How I did not mention. I told them also of +the state of the Great King's empire and that I had heard that he was +about to enter upon a war with the Greeks which would need all its +strength, and that therefore if they wished to strike for liberty the +time was at hand. + +Then the talk began and lasted for two hours, each man giving his +judgment according to precedence, some one way and some another. When +all had done and it became clear that there were differences of +opinion, some being content to live on in slavery with what remained +to them and others desiring to strike for freedom, among whom were the +high priests who feared lest the Eastern heretics should utterly +destroy their worship, Peroa spoke once more. + +"Elders of Egypt," he said briefly, "certain of you think one way, and +certain another, but of this be sure, such talk as we have held +together cannot be hid. It will come to the ears of spies and through +them to those of the Great King, and then all of us alike are doomed. +If you refuse to stir, this very day I with my family and household +and the Royal Lady Amada, and all who cling to me, fly to Upper Egypt +and perhaps beyond it to Ethiopia, leaving you to deal with the Great +King, as you will, or to follow me into exile. That he will attack us +there is no doubt, either over the pretext of Amada or some other, +since Shabaka has heard as much from his own lips. Now choose." + +Then, after a little whispering together, every man of them voted for +rebellion, though some of them I could see with heavy hearts, and +bound themselves by a great oath to cling together to the last. + +The matter being thus settled such a letter was written to Idernes as +I had suggested on the night before, and sealed with the Signet of +signets. Of the yielding up of Amada it said nothing, but commanded +Idernes, under the private White Seal that none dared disobey, to wait +upon the Prince Peroa at Memphis forthwith, and there learn from him, +the Holder of the Seal, what was the will of the Great King. Then the +Council was adjourned till one hour after noon, and most of them +departed to send messengers bearing secret word to the various cities +and nomes of Egypt. + +Before they went, however, I was directed to wait upon my relative, +the holy Tanofir, whom all acknowledged to be the greatest magician in +Egypt, and to ask of him to seek wisdom and an oracle from his Spirit +as to the future and whether in it we should fare well or ill. This I +promised to do. + +When most of the Council were gone the messengers of Idernes were +summoned, and came proudly, and with them, or rather before them, Bes +for whom I had sent as he was not present at the Council. + +"Master," he whispered to me, "the tallest of those messengers is the +man who captained the robbers last night. Wait and I will prove it." + +Peroa gave the roll to the head messenger, bidding him bear it to the +Satrap in answer to the letter which he had delivered to him. The man +took it insolently and thrust it into his robe, as he did so revealing +a silver chain that had been broken and knotted together, and asked +whether there were words to bear besides those written in the roll. +Before Peroa could answer Bes sprang up saying, + +"O Prince, a boon, the boon of justice on this man. Last night he and +others with him attacked my master and myself, seeking to rob us, but +finding nothing let us go." + +"You lie, Abortion!" said the Eastern. + +"Oh! I lie, do I?" mocked Bes. "Well, let us see," and shooting out +his long arm, he grasped the chain about the messenger's neck and +broke it with a jerk. "Look, O Prince," he said, "you may have noted +last night, when that man entered the hall, that there hung about his +neck this chain to which was tied a silver key." + +"I noted it," said Peroa. + +"Then ask him, O Prince, where is the key now." + +"What is that to you, Dwarf?" broke in the man. "The key is my mark of +office as chief butler to the High Satrap. Must I always bear it for +your pleasure?" + +"Not when it has been taken from you, Butler," answered Bes. "See, +here it is," and from his sleeve he produced the key hanging to a +piece of the chain. "Listen, O Prince," he said. "I struggled with +this man and the key was in my left hand though he did not know it at +the time, and with it some of the chain. Compare them and judge. Also +his mask slipped and I saw his face and knew him again." + +Peroa laid the pieces of the chain together and observed the +workmanship which was Eastern and rare. Then he clapped his hands, at +which sign armed men of his household entered from behind him. + +"It is the same," he said. "Butler of Idernes, you are a common +thief." + +The man strove to answer, but could not for the deed was proved +against him. + +"Then, O Prince," asked Bes, "what is the punishment of those thieves +who attack passers-by with violence in the streets of Memphis, for +such I demand on him?" + +"The cutting off of the right hand and scourging," answered Peroa, at +which words the butler turned to fly. But Bes leapt on him like an ape +upon a bird, and held him fast. + +"Seize that thief," said Peroa to his servants, "and let him receive +fifty blows with the rods. His hand I spare because he must travel." + +They laid the man down and the rods having been fetched, gave him the +blows until at the thirtieth he howled for mercy, crying out that it +was true and that it was he who had captained the robbers, words which +Peroa caused to be written down. Then he asked him why he, a messenger +from the Satrap, had robbed in the streets of Memphis, and as he +refused to answer, commanded the officer of justice to lay on. After +three more blows the man said, + +"O Prince, this was no common robbery for gain. I did what I was +commanded to do, because yonder noble had about him the ancient White +Seal of the Great King which he showed to certain of the Satrap's +servants by the banks of the canal. That seal is a holy token, O +Prince, which, it is said, has descended for twice a thousand years in +the family of the Great King, and as the Satrap did not know how it +had come into the hands of the noble Shabaka, he ordered me to obtain +it if I could." + +"And the pearls too, Butler?" + +"Yes, O Prince, since those gems are a great possession with which any +Satrap could buy a larger satrapy." + +"Let him go," said Peroa, and the man rose, rubbing himself and +weeping in his pain. + +"Now, Butler," he went on, "return to your master with a grateful +heart, since you have been spared much that you deserve. Say to him +that he cannot steal the Signet, but that if he is wise he will obey +it, since otherwise his fate may be worse than yours, and to all his +servants say the same. Foolish man, how can you, or your master, guess +what is in the mind of the Great King, or for what purpose the Signet +of signets is here in Egypt? Beware lest you fall into a pit, all of +you together, and let Idernes beware lest he find himself at the very +bottom of that pit." + +"O Prince, I will beware," said the humbled butler, "and whatever is +written over the seal, that I will obey, like many others." + +"You are wise," answered Peroa; "I pray for his own sake that the +Satrap Idernes may be as wise. Now begone, thanking whatever god you +worship that your life is whole in you and that your right hand +remains upon your wrist." + +So the butler and those with him prostrated themselves before Peroa +and bowed humbly to me and even to Bes because in their hearts now +they believed that we were clothed by the Great King with terrible +powers that might destroy them all, if so we chose. Then they went, +the butler limping a little and with no pride left in him. + +"That was good work," said Peroa to me afterwards when we were alone, +"for now yonder knave is frightened and will frighten his master." + +"Yes," I answered, "you played that pipe well, Prince. Still, there is +no time to lose, since before another moon this will all be reported +in the East, whence a new light may arise and perchance a new signet." + +"You say you stole the White Seal?" he asked. + +"Nay, Prince, the truth is that Bes bought it--in a certain fashion-- +and I used it. Perhaps it is well that you should know no more at +present." + +"Perhaps," he answered, and we parted, for he had much to do. + +That afternoon the Council met again. At it I gave over the gold and +by help of it all was arranged. Within a week ten thousand armed men +would be in Memphis and a hundred ships with their crews upon the +Nile; also a great army would be gathering in Upper Egypt, officered +for the most part by Greeks skilled in war. The Greek cities too at +the mouths of the Nile would be ready to revolt, or so some of their +citizens declared, for they hated the Great King bitterly and longed +to cast off his yoke. + +For my part, I received the command of the bodyguard of Peroa in which +were many Greeks, and a generalship in the army; while to Bes, at my +prayer, was given the freedom of the land which he accepted with a +smile, he who was a king in his own country. + +At length all was finished and I went out into the palace garden to +rest myself before I rode into the desert to see my great uncle, the +holy Tanofir. I was alone, for Bes had gone to bring our horses on +which we were to ride, and sat myself down beneath a palm-tree, +thinking of the great adventure on which we had entered with a merry +heart, for I loved adventures. + +Next I thought of Amada and was less merry. Then I looked up and lo! +she stood before me, unaccompanied and wearing the dress, not of a +priestess, but of an Egyptian lady with the little circlet of her rank +upon her hair. I rose and bowed to her and we began to walk together +beneath the palms, my heart beating hard within me, for I knew that my +hour had come to speak. + +Yet it was she who spoke the first, saying, + +"I hear that you have been playing a high part, Shabaka, and doing +great things for Egypt." + +"For Egypt and for you who are Egypt," I answered. + +"So I should have been called in the old days, Cousin, because of my +blood and the rank it gives, though now I am but as any other lady of +the land." + +"And so you shall be called in days to come, Amada, if my sword and +wit can win their way." + +"How so, Cousin, seeing that you have promised certain things to my +uncle Peroa and his son?" + +"I have promised those things, Amada, and I will abide by my promise; +but the gods are above all, and who knows what they may decree?" + +"Yes, Cousin, the gods are above all, and in their hands we will let +these matters rest, provoking them in no manner and least of all by +treachery to our oaths." + +We walked for a little way in silence. Then I spoke. + +"Amada, there are more things than thrones in the world." + +"Yes, Cousin, there is that in which all thrones end--death, which it +seems we court." + +"And, Amada, there is that in which all thrones begin--love, which I +court from you." + +"I have known it long," she said, considering me gravely, "and been +grateful to you who are more to me than any man has been or ever will +be. But, Shabaka, I am a priestess bound to set the holy One I serve +above a mortal." + +"That holy One was wed and bore a child, Amada, who avenged his +father, as I trust that we shall avenge Egypt. Therefore she looks +with a kind eye upon wives and mothers. Also you have not taken your +final vows and can be absolved." + +"Yes," she said softly. + +"Then, Amada, will you give yourself into my keeping?" + +"I think so, Shabaka, though it has been in my mind for long, as you +know well, to give myself only to learning and the service of the +heavenly Lady. My heart calls me to you, it is true, day and night it +calls, how loudly I will not tell; yet I would not yield myself to +that alone. But Egypt calls me also, since I have been shown in a +dream while I watched in the sanctuary, that you are the only man who +can free her, and I think that this dream came from on high. Therefore +I will give myself, but not yet." + +"Not yet," I said dismayed. "When?" + +"When I have been absolved from my vows, which must be done on the +night of the next new moon, which is twenty-seven days from this. +Then, if nothing comes between us during those twenty-seven days, it +shall be announced that the Royal Lady of Egypt is to wed the noble +Shabaka." + +"Twenty-seven days! In such times much may happen in them, Amada. +Still, except death, what can come between us?" + +"I know of nothing, Shabaka, whose past is shadowless as the noon." + +"Or I either," I replied. + +Now we were standing in the clear sunlight, but as I said the words a +wind stirred the palm-trees and the shadow from one of them fell full +upon me, and she who was very quick, noted it. + +"Some might take that for an omen," she said with a little laugh, +pointing to the line of the shadow. "Oh! Shabaka, if you have aught to +confess, say it now and I will forgive it. But do not leave me to +discover it afterwards when I may not forgive. Perchance during your +journeyings in the East----" + +"Nothing, nothing," I exclaimed joyfully, who during all that time had +scarcely spoken to a youthful woman. + +"I am glad that nothing happened in the East that could separate us, +Shabaka, though in truth my thought was not your own, for there are +more things than women in the world. Only it seems strange to me that +you should return to Egypt laden with such priceless gifts from him +who is Egypt's greatest enemy." + +"Have I not told you that I put my country before myself? Those gifts +were won fairly in a wager, Amada, whereof you heard the story but +last night. Moreover you know the purpose to which they are to be +put," I replied indignantly. + +"Yes, I know and now I am sure. Be not angry, Shabaka, with her who +loves you truly and hopes ere long to call you husband. But till that +day take it not amiss if I keep somewhat aloof from you, who must +break with the past and learn to face a future of which I did not +dream." + +For the rest she stretched out her hand and I kissed it, for while she +was still a priestess her lips she would not suffer me to touch. +Another moment and smiling happily, she had glided away, leaving me +alone in the garden. + +Then it was for the first time that I bethought me of the warnings of +Bes and remembered that it was I, not he, who had told the Great King +the name of the most beautiful woman in Egypt, although in all +innocence. Yes, I remembered, and felt as if all the shadows on the +earth had wrapped me round. I thought of finding her, but she had gone +whither I knew not in that great palace. So I determined that the next +time we were alone I would tell her of the matter, explaining all, and +with this thought I comforted myself who did not know that until many +days were past we should be alone no more. + +After this I went home and told my mother all my joy, for in truth +there was no happier man in Egypt. She listened, then answered, +smiling a little. + +"When your father wished to take me to wife, Shabaka, it was not my +hand that I gave him to kiss, and as you know, I too have the blood of +kings in me. But then I was not a priestess of Isis, so doubtless all +is well. Only in twenty-seven days much may happen, as you said to +Amada. Now I wonder why did she----? Well, no matter, since +priestesses are not like other women who only think of the man they +have won and of naught before or after. The blessing of the gods and +mine be on you both, my son," and she went away to attend to her +household matters. + +As we rode to Sekera to find the holy Tanofir I told Bes also, adding +that I had forgotten to reveal that it was I who had spoken Amada's +name to the king, but that I intended to do so ere long. + +Bes rolled his eyes and answered, + +"If I were you, Master, as I had forgotten, I should continue to +forget, for what is welcome in one hour is not always welcome in +another. Why speak of the matter at all, which is one hard to explain +to a woman, however wise and royal? I have already said that /I/ spoke +the name to the King and that you were brought from the boat to say +whether I was noted for my truthfulness. Is not that enough?" + +While I considered, Bes went on, + +"You may remember, Master, that when I told, well--the truth about +this story, the lady Amada asked earnestly that I should be scourged, +even to the bones. Now if you should tell another truth which will +make mine dull as tarnished silver, she will not leave me even my +bones, for I shall be proved a liar, and what will happen to you I am +sure I do not know. And, Master, as I am no longer a slave here in +Egypt, to say nothing of what I may be elsewhere, I have no fancy for +scourgings, who may not kiss the hand that smites me as you can." + +"But, Bes," I said, "what is, is and may always be learned in this way +or in that." + +"Master, if what is were always learned, I think the world would fall +to pieces, or at least there would be no men left on it. Why should +this matter be learned? It is known to you and me alone, leaving out +the Great King who probably has forgotten as he was drunk at the time. +Oh! Master, when you have neither bow nor spear at hand, it is not +wise to kick a sleeping lion in the stomach, for then he will remember +its emptiness and sup off you. Beside, when first I told you that tale +I made a mistake. I did tell the Great King, as I now remember quite +clearly, that the beautiful lady was named Amada, and he only sent for +you to ask if I spoke the truth." + +"Bes," I exclaimed, "you worshippers of the Grasshopper wear virtue +easily." + +"Easily as an old sandal, Master, or rather not at all, since the +Grasshopper has need of none. For ages they have studied the ways of +those who worship the gods of Egypt, and from them have learned----" + +"What?" + +"Amongst other things, Master, that woman, being modest, is shocked at +the sight of the naked Truth." + + + + CHAPTER XI + + THE HOLY TANOFIR + +We entered the City of Graves that is called Sekera. In the centre +towered pyramids that hid the bones of ancient and forgotten kings, +and everywhere around upon the desert sands was street upon street of +monuments, but save for a priest or two hurrying to patter his paid +office in the funeral chapels of the departed, never a living man. Bes +looked about him and sniffed with his wide nostrils. + +"Is there not death enough in the world, Master," he asked, "that the +living should wish to proclaim it in this fashion, rolling it on their +tongues like a morsel they are loth to swallow, because it tastes so +good? Oh! what a waste is here. All these have had their day and yet +they need houses and pyramids and painted chambers in which to sleep, +whereas if they believed the faith they practised, they would have +been content to give their bones to feed the earth they fed on, and +fill heaven with their souls." + +"Do your people thus, Bes?" + +"For the most part, Master. Our dead kings and great ones we enclose +in pillars of crystal, but we do this that they may serve a double +purpose. One is that the pillars may support the roof of their +successors, and the other, that those who inherit their goods may +please themselves by reflecting how much handsomer they are than those +who went before them. For no mummy looks really nice, Master, at least +with its wrappings off, and our kings are put naked into the crystal." + +"And what becomes of the rest, Bes?" + +"Their bodies go to the earth or the water and the Grasshopper carries +off their souls to--where, Master?" + +"I do not know, Bes." + +"No, Master, no one knows, except the lady Amada and perhaps the holy +Tanofir. Here I think is the entrance to his hole," and he pulled up +his beast with a jerk at what looked like the doorway of a tomb. + +Apparently we were expected, for a tall and proud-looking girl clad in +white and with extraordinarily dark eyes, appeared in the doorway and +asked in a soft voice if we were the noble Shabaka and Bes, his slave. + +"I am Shabaka," I answered, "and this is Bes, who is not my slave but +a free citizen of Egypt." + +The girl contemplated the dwarf with her big eyes, then said, + +"And other things, I think." + +"What things?" inquired Bes with interest, as he stared at this +beautiful lady. + +"A very brave and clever man and one perhaps who is more than he seems +to be?" + +"Who has been telling you about me?" exclaimed Bes anxiously. + +"No one, O Bes, at least not that I can remember." + +"Not that you can remember! Then who and what are you who learn things +you know not how?" + +"I am named Karema and desert-bred, and my office is that of Cup to +the holy Tanofir." + +"If hermits drink from such a cup I shall turn hermit," said Bes, +laughing. "But how can a woman be a man's cup and what kind of a wine +does he drink from her?" + +"The wine of wisdom, O Bes," she replied colouring a little, for like +many Arabs of high blood she was very fair in hue. + +"Wine of wisdom," said Bes. "From such cups most drink the wine of +folly, or sometimes of madness." + +"The holy Tanofir awaits you," she interrupted, and turning, entered +the doorway. + +A little way down the passage was a niche in which stood three lamps +ready lighted. One of these she took and gave the others to us. Then +we followed her down a steep incline of many steps, till at length we +found ourselves in a hot and enormous hall hewn from the living rock +and filled with blackness. + +"What is this place?" said Bes, who looked frightened, and although he +spoke in a low whisper, our guide overheard him and turning, answered, + +"This is the burial place of the Apis bulls. See, here lies the last, +not yet closed in," and holding up her lamp she revealed a mighty +sarcophagus of black granite set in a niche of the mausoleum. + +"So they make mummies of bulls as well as of men," groaned Bes. "Oh! +what a land. But when I have seen the holy Tanofir it was in a brick +cell beneath the sky." + +"Doubtless that was at night, O Bes," answered Karema, "for in such a +house he sleeps, spending his days in the Apis tomb, because of all +the evil that is worked beneath the sun." + +"Hump," said Bes, "I should have thought that more was worked beneath +the moon, but doubtless the holy Tanofir knows better, or being asleep +does not mind." + +Now in front of each of the walled-up niches was a little chapel, and +at the fourth of these whence a light came, the maiden stopped, +saying, + +"Enter. Here dwells the holy Tanofir. He tended this god during its +life-days in his youth, and now that the god is dead he prays above +its bones." + +"Prays to the bones of a dead bull in the dark! Well, give me a live +grasshopper in the light; he is more cheerful," muttered Bes. + +"O Dwarf," cried a deep and resounding voice from within the chapel, +"talk no more of things you do not understand. I do not pray to the +bones of a dead bull, as you in your ignorance suppose. I pray to the +spirit whereof this sacred beast was but one of the fleshly symbols, +which in this haunted place you will do well not to offend." + +Then for once I saw Bes grow afraid, for his great jaw dropped and he +trembled. + +"Master," he said to me, "when next you visit tombs where maidens look +into your heart and hermits hear your very thoughts, I pray you leave +me behind. The holy Tanofir I love, if from afar, but I like not his +house, or his----" Here he looked at Karema who was regarding him with +a sweet smile over the lamp flame, and added, "There is something the +matter with me, Master; I cannot even lie." + +"Cease from talking follies, O Shabaka and Bes, and enter," said the +tremendous voice from within. + +So we entered and saw a strange sight. Against the back wall of the +chapel which was lit with lamps, stood a life-sized statue of Maat, +goddess of Law and Truth, fashioned of alabaster. On her head was a +tall feather, her hair was covered with a wig, on her neck lay a +collar of blue stones; on her arms and wrists were bracelets of gold. +A tight robe draped her body. In her right hand that hung down by her +side, she held the looped Cross of Life, and in her left which was +advanced, a long, lotus-headed sceptre, while her painted eyes stared +fixedly at the darkness. Crouched upon the ground, at the feet of the +statue, scribe fashion, sat my great-uncle Tanofir, a very aged man +with sightless eyes and long hands, so thin that one might see through +them against the lamp-flame. His head was shaven, his beard was long +and white; white too was his robe. In front of him was a low altar, on +which stood a shallow silver vessel filled with pure water, and on +either side of it a burning lamp. + +We knelt down before him, or rather I knelt, for Bes threw himself +flat upon his face. + +"Am I the King of kings whom you have so lately visited, that you +should prostrate yourselves before me?" said Tanofir in his great +voice, which, coming from so frail and aged a man seemed most +unnatural. "Or is it to the goddess of Truth beyond that you bow +yourselves? If so, that is well, since one, if not both of you, +greatly needs her pardon and her help. Or is it to the sleeping god +beyond who holds the whole world on his horns? Or is it to the +darkness of this hallowed place which causes you to remember the +nearness of the awaiting tomb?" + +"Nay, my Uncle," I said, "we would greet you, no more, who are so +worthy of our veneration, seeing we believe, both of us, that you +saved us yonder in the East, from that tomb of which you speak, or +rather from the jaws of lions or a cruel death by torments." + +"Perchance I did, I or the gods of which I am the instrument. At least +I remember that I sent you certain messages in answer to a prayer for +help that reached me, here in my darkness. For know that since we +parted I have gone quite blind so that I must use this maiden's eyes +to read what is written in yonder divining-cup. Well, it makes the +darkness of this sepulchre easier to bear and prepares me for my own. +'Tis full a hundred and twenty years since first I looked upon the +light, and now the time of sleep draws near. Come hither, my nephew, +and kiss me on the brow, remembering in your strength that a day will +dawn when as I am, so shall you be, if the gods spare you so long." + +So I kissed him, not without fear, for the old man was unearthly. Then +he sent Karema from the place and bade me tell him my story, which I +did. Why he did this I cannot say, since he seemed to know it already +and once or twice corrected me in certain matters that I had +forgotten, for instance as to the exact words that I had used to the +Great King in my rage and as to the fashion in which I was tied in the +boat. When I had done, he said, + +"So you gave the name of Amada to the Great King, did you? Well, you +could have done nothing else if you wished to go on living, and +therefore cannot be blamed. Yet before all is finished I think it will +bring you into trouble, Shabaka, since among many gifts, the gods did +not give that of reason to women. If so, bear it, since it is better +to have trouble and be alive than to have none and be dead, that is, +for those whose work is still to do in the world. And you, or rather +Bes, stole the White Signet of signets of which, although it is so +simple and ancient, there is not the like for power in the whole +world. That was well done since it will be useful for a while. And now +Peroa has determined to rebel against the King, which also is well +done. Oh! trouble not to tell me of that business for I know all. But +what would you learn of me, Shabaka?" + +"I am instructed to learn from you the end of these great matters, my +Uncle." + +"Are you mad, Shabaka, that you should think me a god who can read the +future?" + +"Not at all, my Uncle, who know that you can if you will." + +"Call the maiden," he said. + +So Bes went out and brought her in. + +"Be seated, Karema, there in front of the altar, and look into my +eyes." + +She obeyed and presently seemed to go to sleep for her head nodded. +Then he said, + +"Wake, woman, look into the water in the bowl upon the altar and tell +me what you see." + +She appeared to wake, though I perceived that this was not really so, +for she seemed a different woman with a fixed face that frightened me, +and wide and frozen eyes. She stared into the silver bowl, then spoke +in a new voice, as though some spirit used her tongue. + +"I see myself crowned a queen in a land I hate," she said coldly, a +saying at which I gasped. "I am seated on a throne beside yonder +dwarf," a saying at which Bes gasped. "Although so hideous, this dwarf +is a great man with a good heart, a cunning mind and the courage of a +lion. Also his blood is royal." + +Here Bes rolled his eyes and smiled, but Tanofir did not seem in the +least astonished, and said, + +"Much of this is known to me and the rest can be guessed. Pass on to +what will happen in Egypt, before the spirit leaves you." + +"There will be war in Egypt," she answered. "I see fightings; Shabaka +and others lead the Egyptians. The Easterns are driven away or slain. +Peroa rules as Pharaoh, I see him on his throne. Shabaka is driven +away in his turn, I see him travelling south with the dwarf and with +myself, looking very sad. Time passes. I see the moons float by; I see +messengers reach Shabaka, sent by Peroa and you O holy Tanofir; they +tell of trouble in Egypt. I see Shabaka and the dwarf coming north at +the head of a great army of black men armed with bows. With them I +come rejoicing, for my heart seems to shine. He reaches a temple on +the Nile about which is camped another great army, a countless army of +Easterns under the command of the King of kings. Shabaka and the dwarf +give battle to that army and the fray is desperate. They destroy it, +they drive it into the Nile; the Nile runs red with blood. The Great +King falls, an arrow from the bow of Shabaka is in his heart. He +enters the temple, a conqueror, and there lies Peroa, dying or dead. A +veiled priestess is there before an image, I cannot see her face. +Shabaka looks on her. She stretches out her arms to him, her eyes burn +with woman's love, her breast heaves, and above the image frowns and +threatens. All is done, for Tanofir, Master of spirits, you die, +yonder in the temple on the Nile, and therefore I can see no more. The +power that comes through you, has left me." + +Then once more she became as a woman asleep. + +"You have heard, Shabaka and Bes," said Tanofir quietly and stroking +his long white beard, "and what that maiden seemed to read in the +water you may believe or disbelieve as you will." + +"What do you believe, O holy Tanofir?" I asked. + +"The only part of the story whereof I am sure," he replied, evading a +direct answer, "is that which said that I shall die, and that when I +am dead I shall no longer be able to cause the maiden Karema to see +visions. For the rest I do not know. These things may happen or they +may not. But," he added with a note of warning in his voice, "whether +they happen or not, my counsel to you both is that you say nothing of +them beforehand." + +"What then shall we report to those who bid me seek the oracle of your +wisdom, O Tanofir?" + +"You can tell them that my wisdom declared that the omens were mixed +with good and evil, but that time would show the truth. Hush now, the +maiden is about to awake and must not be frightened. Also it is time +for me to be led from this sepulchre to where I sleep, for I think +that Ra has set and I am weary. Oh! Shabaka, why do you seek to peer +into the future, which from day to day will unroll itself as does a +scroll? Be content with the present, man, and take what Fate gives you +of good or ill, not seeking to learn what offerings he hides beneath +his robe in the days and the years and the centuries to come." + +"Yet you have sought to learn those things, O Tanofir, and not in +vain." + +"Aye and what have they made of me? A blind old hermit weighed down +with the weight of years and holding in my fingers but some few +threads that with pain and grief I have plucked from the fringe of +Wisdom's robe. Be warned by me, Nephew. While you are a man, live the +life of a man, and when you become a spirit, live the life of a +spirit. But do not seek to mix the two together like oil and wine, and +thus spoil both. I am glad to learn, O Bes, that you are going to make +a king's, or a slave's wife, whichever it may be, of this maiden, +seeing that I love her well and hold this trade unwholesome for her. +She will be better bearing babes than reading visions in a diviner's +cup, and I will pray the gods that they may not be dwarfs as you are, +but take on the likeness of their mother, who tells me that she is +fair. Hush! she stirs. + +"Karema, are you awake? Good. Then lead me from the sepulchre, that I +may make my evening prayer beneath the stars. Go, Shabaka and Bes, you +are brave men, both of you, and I am glad to have the one for nephew +and the other for pupil. My greetings to your mother, Tiu. She is a +good woman and a true, one to whom you will do well to hearken. To the +lady Amada also, and bid her study her beauteous face in a mirror and +not be holy overmuch, since too great holiness often thwarts itself +and ends in trouble for the unholy flesh. Still she loves pearls like +other women, does she not, and even the statue of Isis likes to be +adorned. As for you, Bes, though I think that is not your name, do not +lie except when you are obliged, for jugglers who play with too many +knives are apt to cut their fingers. Also give no more evil counsel to +your Master on matters that have to do with woman. Now farewell. Let +me hear how fortune favours you from time to time, Shabaka, for you +take part in a great game, such as I loved in my youth before I became +a holy hermit. Oh! if they had listened to me, things would have been +different in Egypt to-day. But it was written otherwise, and as ever, +women were the scribes. Good night, good night, good night! I am glad +that my thought reached you yonder in the East, and taught you what to +say and do. It is well to be wise sometimes, for others' sake, but not +for our own, oh! not for our own." + + + +"Master," said Bes as we ambled homewards beneath the stars, "the holy +Tanofir is a man for thought to feed on, since having climbed to the +topmost peak of holiness, he does not seem to like its cold air and +warns off those who would follow in his footsteps." + +"Then he might have spared himself the pains in your case, Bes, or in +my own for that matter, since we shall never come so high." + +"No, Master, and I am glad to have his leave to stay lower down, since +that hot place of dead bulls is not one which I wish to inhabit in my +age, making use of a maiden to stare into a pot of water, and there +read marvels, which I could invent better for myself after a jug or +two of wine. Oh! the holy Tanofir is quite right. If these things are +going to happen let them happen, for we cannot change them by knowing +of them beforehand. Who wishes to know, Master, if his throat will be +cut?" + +"Or that he will be married," I suggested. + +"Just so, Master, seeing that such prophecies end in becoming truths +because we make them true, feeling that we must. Thus, now I must +marry yonder Karema if she will marry me for fear lest I should prove +the holy Tanofir to be what he called me--a liar." + +I laughed and then asked Bes if he had taken note of what the seeress +said of our flight south and our return thence with a great army of +black men armed with bows. + +"Yes, Master," he answered gravely, "and I think this army can be none +other than that of the Ethiopians of whom by right I am the King. This +very night I send messengers to tell those who rule in my place that I +still live and am changing my mind on the matter of marriage. Also +that if I do change it I may return to them, the wisest man who ever +wore the crown of Ethiopia, having journeyed all about the world and +collected much knowledge." + +"Perhaps, Bes, those who rule in your place may not wish to give it up +to you. Perhaps they will kill you." + +"Have no fear, Master; as I have told you, the Ethiopians are a +faithful people. Moreover they know that such a deed would bring the +curse of the Grasshopper on them, since then the locusts would appear +and eat up all their land, and when they were starving their enemies +would attack them. Lastly they are a very tall folk and simple-minded +and would not wish to miss the chance of being ruled over by the +wisest dwarf in all the world, if only because it would be something +new to them, Master." + +Again I laughed thinking that Bes was jesting according to his +fashion. But when that night, chancing to go round the corner of the +house, I came upon him with a circlet of feathers round his head and +his big bow in his hand, addressing three great black men who knelt +before him as though he were a god, I changed my mind. As I withdrew +he caught sight of me and said, + +"I pray you, my lord Shabaka, stay one moment." Then he spoke to the +three men in his own language, translating sentence by sentence to me +what he said to them. Briefly it was this:-- + +"Say to the Lords and Councillors of the Ancient Kingdom that I, the +Karoon" (for such it seemed was his title) "have a friend named the +lord Shabaka, he whom you see before you, who again and again has +saved my life, nursing me in his arms as a mother nurses her babe, and +who is, after me, the bravest and the wisest man in all the world. Say +to them that if indeed I double myself by marriage and return having +fulfilled the law, I will beg this mighty prince to accompany me, and +that if he consents that will be the most joyful day which the +Ethiopians have seen for a thousand years, since he will teach them +wisdom and lead their armies in great and glorious battles. Let the +priests of the Grasshopper pray therefore that he may consent to do +so. Now salute the mighty lord Shabaka who can send one arrow through +all three of you and two more behind, and depart, tarrying not day or +night till you reach the land of Ethiopia. Then when you have +delivered the message of Karoon to the Captains and the Councillors, +return, or let others return and seek me out wherever I may be, +bringing of the gold of Ethiopia and other gifts, together with their +answer, seeing that I and the lord Shabaka who have the world beneath +our feet, will not come to a land where we are not welcome." + +So these great men saluted me as though I were the King of kings +himself, after which they rubbed their foreheads in the dust before +Bes, said something which I did not understand, leapt to their feet, +crying "Karoon" and sprang away into the night. + +"It is good to have been a slave, Master," said Bes when they had +gone, "since it teaches one that it is even better to be a king, at +least sometimes." + +Here I may add that during the days which followed Bes was often +absent. When I asked him where he had gone, he would answer, to drink +in the wisdom of the holy Tanofir by help of a certain silver vessel +that the maiden Karema held to his lips. From all of which I gathered +that he was wooing the lady who had called herself the Cup of Tanofir, +and wondered how the business went, though as he said no more I did +not ask him. + +Indeed I had little time to talk with Bes about such light matters, +since things moved apace in Memphis. Within six days all the great +lords left in Upper Egypt were sworn to the revolt under the +leadership of Peroa, and hour by hour their vassals or hired +mercenaries flowed into the city. These it was my duty to weld into an +army, and at this task I toiled without cease, separating them into +regiments and drilling them, also arranging for the arming and +victualling of the boats of war. Then news came that Idernes was +advancing from Sais with a great force of Easterns, all the garrison +of Lower Egypt indeed, as his messengers said, to answer the summons +conveyed to him under the private Seal of seals. + +Of Amada during this time I saw little, only meeting her now and again +at the table of Peroa, or elsewhere in public. For the rest it pleased +her to keep away from me. Once or twice I tried to find her alone, +only to discover that she was engaged in the service of the goddess. +Once, too, as she left Peroa's table, I whispered into her ear that I +wished to speak with her. But she shook her head, saying, + +"After the new moon, Shabaka. Then you shall speak with me as much as +you wish." + +Thus it came about that never could I find opportunity to tell her of +that matter of what had happened at the court of the Great King. Still +every morning she sent me some token, flowers or trifling gifts, and +once a ring that must have belonged to her forefathers, since on its +bezel was engraved the royal /uræus/, together with the signs of long +life and health, which ring I wore hung about my neck but not upon my +finger, fearing lest that emblem of royalty might offend Peroa or some +of his House, if they chanced to see it. So in answer I also sent her +flowers and other gifts, and for the rest was content to wait. + +All of which things my mother noted with a smile, saying that the lady +Amada showed a wonderful discretion, such as any man would value in a +wife of so much beauty, which also must be most pleasing to her +mistress, the goddess Isis. To this I answered that I valued it less +as a lover than I might do as a husband. My mother smiled again and +spoke of something else. + +Thus things went on while the storm-clouds gathered over Egypt. + +One night I could not sleep. It was that of the new moon and I knew +that during those hours of darkness, before the solemn conclave of the +high priests, with pomp and ceremony in the sanctuary of the temple, +Amada had undergone absolution of her vows to Isis and been given +liberty to wed as other women do. Indeed my mother, in virtue of her +rank as a Singer of Amen, had been present at the rite, and returning, +told me all that happened. + +She described how Amada had appeared, clad as a priestess, how she had +put up her prayer to the four high priests seated in state, demanding +to be loosed from her vow "for the sake of her heart and of Egypt." + +Then one of the high priests, he of Amen, I think, as the chief of +them all, had advanced to the statue of the goddess Isis and whispered +the prayer to it, whereon after a pause the goddess nodded thrice in +the sight of all present, thereby signifying her assent. This done the +high priest returned and proclaimed the absolution in the ancient +words "for the sake of the suppliant's heart and of Egypt" and with it +the blessing of the goddess on her union, adding, however, the +formula, "at thy prayer, daughter and spouse, I, the goddess Isis, cut +the rope that binds thee to me on earth. Yet if thou should'st tie it +again, know that it may never more be severed, for if thou strivest so +to do, it shall strangle thee in whatever shape thou livest on the +earth throughout the generations, and with thee the man thou choosest +and those who give thee to him. Thus saith Isis the Queen of Heaven." + +"What does that mean?" I asked my mother. + +"It means, my son, that if, having broken her vows to Isis, a woman +should repeat them and once more enter the service of the goddess, and +then for the second time seek to break them, she and the man for whom +she did this thing would be like flies in a spider's web, and that not +only in this life, but in any other that may be given to them in the +world." + +"It seems that Isis has a long arm," I said. + +"Without doubt a very long arm, my son, since Isis, by whatever name +she is called, is a power that does not die or forget." + +"Well, Mother, in this case she can have no reason to remember, since +never again will Amada be her priestess." + +"I think not, Shabaka. Yet who can be sure of what a woman will or +will not do, now or hereafter? For my part I am glad that I have +served Amen and not Isis, and that after I was wed." + + + + CHAPTER XII + + THE SLAYING OF IDERNES + +Whilst I was still talking to my mother I received an urgent summons +to the palace. I went and in a little ante-chamber met Amada alone, +who, I could see, was waiting there for me. She was arrayed in her +secular dress and wore the insignia of royalty, looking exceedingly +beautiful. Moreover, her whole aspect had changed, for now she was no +longer a priestess sworn to mysteries, but just a lovely and a loving +woman. + +"It is done, Shabaka," she whispered, "and thou art mine and I am +thine." + +Then I opened my arms and she sank upon my breast and for the first +time I kissed her on the lips, kissed her many times and oh! my heart +almost burst with joy. But all too fleeting was that sweet moment of +love's first fruits, whereon I had sown the seed so many years ago, +for while we yet clung together, whispering sweet things into each +other's ears, I heard a voice calling me and was forced to go away +before I had even time to ask when we might be wed. + +Within the Council was gathered. The news before it was that the +Satrap Idernes lay camped upon the Nile with some ten thousand men, +not far from the great pyramids, that is, within striking distance of +Memphis. Moreover his messengers announced that he purposed to visit +the Prince Peroa that day with a small guard only, to inquire into +this matter of the Signet, for which visit he demanded a safe-conduct +sworn in the name of the Great King and in those of the gods of Egypt +and the East. Failing this he would at once attack Memphis +notwithstanding any commands that might be given him under the Signet, +which, until he beheld it with his own eyes, he believed to be a +forgery. + +The question was--what answer should be sent to him? The debate that +followed proved long and earnest. Some were in favour of attacking +Idernes at once although his camp was reported to be strongly +entrenched and flanked on one side by the Nile and on the other by the +rising ground whereon stood the great sphinx and the pyramids. Others, +among whom I was numbered, thought otherwise, for I hold that some +evil god led me to give counsel that day which, if it were good for +Egypt was most ill for my own fortunes. Perchance this god was Isis, +angry at the loss of her votary. + +I pointed out that by receiving Idernes Peroa would gain time which +would enable a body of three thousand men, if not more, who were +advancing down the Nile, to join us before they were perhaps cut off +from the city, and thus give us a force as large as his, or larger. +Also I showed that having summoned Idernes under the Signet, we should +put ourselves in the wrong if we refused to receive him and instead +attacked him at once. + +A third party was in favour of allowing him to enter Memphis with his +guard and then making him prisoner or killing him. As to this I +pointed out again that not only would it involve the breaking of a +solemn oath, which might bring the curse of the gods upon our cause +and proclaim us traitors to the world, but it would also be foolish +since Idernes was not the only general of the Easterns and if we cut +off him and his escort, it would avail us little for then the rest of +the Easterns would fight in a just cause. + +So in the end it was agreed that the safe-conduct should be sent and +that Peroa should receive Idernes that very day at a great feast given +in his honour. Accordingly it was sent in the ancient form, the oaths +being taken before the messengers that neither he nor those with him +who must not number more than twenty men, would be harmed in Memphis +and that he would be guarded on the road back until he reached the +outposts of his own camp. + +This done, I was despatched up the Nile bank in a chariot accompanied +only by Bes, to hurry on the march of those troops of which I have +spoken, so that they might reach Memphis by sundown. Before I went, +however, I had some words alone with Peroa. He told me that my +immediate marriage with the lady Amada would be announced at the feast +that night. Thereon I prayed him to deliver to Amada the rope of +priceless rose-hued pearls which was in his keeping, as my betrothal +gift, with the prayer that she would wear them at the feast for my +sake. There was no time for more. + +The journey up Nile proved long for the road was bad being covered +with drifted sand in some places and deep in mud from the inundation +waters in others. At length I found the troops just starting forward +after their rest, and rejoiced to see that there were more of them +than I had thought. I told the case to their captains, who promised to +make a forced march and to be in Memphis two hours before midnight. + +As we drove back Bes said to me suddenly, + +"Do you know why you could not find me this morning?" + +I answered that I did not. + +"Because a good slave should always run a pace ahead of his master, to +clear the road and tell him of its pitfalls. I was being married. The +Cup of the holy Tanofir is now by law and right Queen of the +Ethiopians. So when you meet her again you must treat her with great +respect, as I do already." + +"Indeed, Bes," I said laughing, "and how did you manage that business? +You must have wooed her well during these days which have been so full +for both of us." + +"I did not woo her over much, Master; indeed, the time was lacking. I +wooed the holy Tanofir, which was more important." + +"The holy Tanofir, Bes?" I exclaimed. + +"Yes, Master. You see this beautiful Cup of his is after all--his +beautiful Cup. Her mind is the shadow of his mind and from her he +pours out his wisdom. So I told him all the case. At first he was +angry, for, notwithstanding the words he spoke to you and me, when it +came to a point the holy Tanofir, being after all much like other men, +did not wish to lose his Cup. Indeed had he been a few score of years +younger I am not sure but that he would have forgotten some of his +holiness because of her. Still he came to see matters in the true +light at last--for your sake, Master, not for mine, since his wisdom +told him it was needful that I should become King of the Ethiopians +again, to do which I must be married. At any rate he worked upon the +mind of that Cup of his--having first settled that she should procure +a younger sister of her own to fill her place--in such fashion that +when at length I spoke to her on the matter, she did not say no." + +"No doubt because she was fond of you for yourself, Bes. A woman would +not marry even to please the holy Tanofir." + +"Oh! Master," he replied in a new voice, a very sad voice, "I would +that I could think so. But look at me, a misshapen dwarf, accursed +from birth. Could a fair lady like this Karema wed such a one for his +own sake?" + +"Well, Bes, there might be other reasons besides the holy Tanofir," I +said hurriedly. + +"Master, there were no other reasons, unless the Cup, when it is +awake, remembers what it has held in trance, which I do not believe. I +wooed her as I was, not telling her that I am also King of the +Ethiopians, or any more than I seem to be. Moreover the holy Tanofir +told her nothing, for he swore as much to me and he does not lie." + +"And what did she say to you, Bes?" I asked, for I was curious. + +"She lied fast enough, Master. She said--well, what she said when +first we met her, that there was more in me than the eye saw and that +she who had lived so much with spirits looked to the spirit rather +than to the flesh, and that dwarf or no she loved me and desired +nothing better than to marry me and be my true and faithful wife and +helpmeet. She lied so well that once or twice almost I believed her. +At any rate I took her at her word, not altogether for myself, believe +me, Master, but because without doubt what the holy Tanofir has shown +us will come to pass, and it is necessary to you that I should be +married." + +"You married her to help me, Bes?" + +"That is so, Master--after all, but a little thing, seeing that she is +beautiful, well born and very pleasant, and I am fond of her. Also I +do her no wrong for she has bought more than she bargained for, and if +she has any that are not dwarfs, her children may be kings. I do not +think," he added reflectively, "that even the faithful Ethiopians +could accept a second dwarf as their king. One is very well for a +change, but not two or three. The stomach of a tall people would turn +against them." + +I took Bes's hand and pressed it, understanding the depth of his love +and sacrifice. Also some spirit--doubtless it came from the holy +Tanofir--moved me to say, + +"Be comforted, Bes, for I am sure of this. Your children will be +strong and straight and tall, more so than any of their forefathers +that went before them." + +This indeed proved to be the case, for their father's deformity was +but an accident, not born in his blood. + +"Those are good-omened words, Master, for which I thank you, though +the holy Tanofir said the like when he wed us with the sacred words +this morning and gave us his blessing, endowing my wife with certain +gifts of secret wisdom which he said would be of use to her and me." + +"Where is she now, Bes?" + +"With the holy Tanofir, Master, until I fetch her, training her +younger sister to be a diviner's worthy Cup. Only perhaps I shall +never send, seeing that I think there will be fighting soon." + +"Yes, Bes, but being newly married you will do well to leave it to +others." + +"No, no, Master. Battle is better than wives. Moreover, could you +think that I would leave you to stand alone in the fray? Why if I did +and harm came to you I should die of shame or hang myself and then +Karema would never be a queen. So both her trades would be gone, since +after marriage she cannot be a Cup, and her heart would break. But +here are the gates of Memphis, so we will forget love and think of +war." + + + +An hour later I and my mother, the lady Tiu, stood in the banqueting +hall of the palace with many others, and learned that the Satrap +Idernes and his escort had reached Memphis and would be present at the +feast. A while later trumpets blew and a glittering procession entered +the hall. At the head of it was Peroa who led Idernes by the hand. +This Eastern was a big, strong man with tired and anxious eyes, such +as I had noted were common among the servants of the Great King who +from day to day never knew whether they would fill a Satrapy or a +grave. He was clad in gorgeous silks and wore a cap upon his head in +which shone a jewel, but beneath his robes I caught the glint of mail. + +As he came into the hall and noted the number and quality of the +guests and the stir and the expectant look upon their faces, he +started as though he were afraid, but recovering himself, murmured +some courteous words to his host and advanced towards the seat of +honour which was pointed out to him upon the Prince's right. After +these two followed the wife of Peroa with her son and daughters. Then, +walking alone in token of her high rank, appeared Amada, the Royal +Lady of Egypt, wonderfully arrayed. Now, however, she wore no emblems +of royalty, either because it was not thought wise that these should +be shown in the presence of the Satrap, or because she was about to be +given in marriage to one who was not royal. Indeed, as I noted with +joy, her only ornament was the rope of rose-hued pearls which were +arranged in a double row upon her breast. + +She searched me out with her eyes, smiled, touching the pearls with +her finger, and passed on to her place next to the daughters of Peroa, +at one end of the head table which was shaped like a horse's hoof. + +After her came the nobles who had accompanied Idernes, grave Eastern +men. One of these, a tall captain with eyes like a hawk, seemed +familiar to me. Nor was I mistaken, for Bes, who stood behind me and +whose business it would be to wait on me at the feast, whispered in my +ear, + +"Note that man. He was present when you were brought before the Great +King from the boat and saw and heard all that passed." + +"Then I wish he were absent now," I whispered back, for at the words a +sudden fear shot through me, of what I could not say. + +By degrees all were seated in their appointed places. Mine was by that +of my mother at a long table that stood as it were across the ends of +the high table but at a little distance from them, so that I was +almost opposite to Peroa and Idernes and could see Amada, although she +was too far away for me to be able to speak to her. + +The feast began and at first was somewhat heavy and silent, since, +save for the talk of courtesy, none spoke much. At length wine, +whereof I noted that Idernes drank a good deal, as did his escort, but +Peroa and the Egyptians little, loosened men's tongues and they grew +merrier. For it was the custom of the people of the Great King to +discuss both private and public business when full of strong drink, +but of the Egyptians when they were quite sober. This was well known +to Peroa and many of us, especially to myself who had been among them, +which was one of the reasons why Idernes had been asked to meet us at +a feast, where we might have the advantage of him in debate. + +Presently the Satrap noted the splendid cup from which he drank and +asked some question concerning it of the hawk-eyed noble of whom I +have spoken. When it had been answered he said in a voice loud enough +for me to overhear, + +"Tell me, O Prince Peroa, was this cup ever that of the Great King +which it so much resembles?" + +"So I understand, O Idernes," answered Peroa. "That is, until it +became mine by gift from the lord Shabaka, who received it from the +Great King." + +An expression of horror appeared upon the face of the Satrap and upon +those of his nobles. + +"Surely," he answered, "this Shabaka must hold the King's favours +lightly if he passes them on thus to the first-comer. At the least, +let not the vessel which has been hallowed by the lips of the King of +kings be dishonoured by the humblest of his servants. I pray you, O +Prince, that I may be given another cup." + +So a new goblet was brought to him, Peroa trying to pass the matter +off as a jest by appealing to me to tell the story of the cup. Then I +said while all listened, + +"O Prince, the most high Satrap is mistaken. The King of kings did not +give me the cup, I bought it from him in exchange for a certain famous +bow, and therefore held it not wrong to pass it on to you, my lord." + +Idernes made no answer and seemed to forget the matter. + +A while later, however, his eye fell upon Amada and the rose-hued +pearls she wore, and again he asked a question of the hawk-eyed +captain, then said, + +"Think me not discourteous, O Prince, if I seem to look upon yonder +lovely lady which in our country, where women do not appear in public, +we should think it an insult to do. But on her fair breast I see +certain pearls like to some that are known throughout the world, which +for many years have been worn by those who sit upon the throne of the +East. I would ask if they are the same, or others?" + +"I do not know, O Idernes," answered Peroa; "I only know that the lord +Shabaka brought them from the East. Inquire of him, if it be your +pleasure." + +"Shabaka again----" began Idernes, but I cut him short, saying, + +"Yes, O Satrap, Shabaka again. I won those pearls in a bet from the +Great King, and with them a certain weight of gold. This I think you +knew before, since your messenger of a while ago was whipped for +trying to steal them, which under the rods he said he did by command, +O Satrap." + +To this bold speech Idernes made no answer. Only his captains frowned +and many of the Egyptians murmured approval. + +After this the feast went on without further incident for a while, the +Easterns always drinking more wine, till at length the tables were +cleared and all of the meaner sort departed from the hall, save the +butlers and the personal servants such as Bes, who stood behind the +seats of their masters. There came a silence such as precedes the +bursting of a storm, and in the midst of it Idernes spoke, somewhat +thickly. + +"I did not come here, O Peroa," he said, "from the seat of government +at Sais to eat your meats and drink your wine. I came to speak of high +matters with you." + +"It is so, O Satrap," answered Peroa. "And now what may be your will? +Would you retire to discuss them with me and my Councillors?" + +"Where is the need, O Peroa, seeing that I have naught to say which +may not be heard by all?" + +"As it pleases you. Speak on, O Satrap." + +"I have been summoned here, Prince Peroa, by a writing under what +seems to be the Signet of signets--the ancient White Seal that for +generations unknown has been worn by the forefathers of the King of +kings. Where is this Signet?" + +"Here," said the Prince, opening his robe. "Look on it, Satrap, and +let your lords look, but let none of you dare to touch it." + +Idernes looked long and earnestly, and so did some of his people, +especially the lord with the hawk eyes. Then they stared at each other +bewildered and whispered together. + +"It seems to be the very Seal--the White Seal itself!" exclaimed +Idernes at length. "Tell me now, Peroa. How came this sacred thing +that dwells in the East hither into Egypt?" + +"The lord Shabaka brought it to me with certain letters from the Great +King, O Satrap." + +"Shabaka for the third time, by the holy Fire!" cried Idernes. "He +brought the cup; he brought the famous pearls; he brought the gold, +and he brought the Signet of signets. What is there then that he did +not bring? Perchance he has the person of the King of kings himself in +his keeping!" + +"Not that, O Satrap, only the commands of the King of kings which are +prepared ready to deliver to you under the White Seal that you +acknowledge." + +"And what may they be, Egyptian?" + +"This, O Satrap: That you and all the army which you have brought with +you retire to Sais and thence out of Egypt as quickly as you may, or +pay for disobedience with your lives." + +Now Idernes and his captains gasped. + +"Why this is rebellion!" he said. + +"No, O Satrap, only the command of the Great King given under the +White Seal," and drawing a roll from his breast, Peroa laid it on his +brow and cast it down before Idernes, adding, + +"Obey the writing and the Signet, or by virtue of my commission, as +soon as you are returned to your army and your safe-conduct is +expired, I fall upon you and destroy you." + +Idernes looked about him like a wolf in a trap, then asked, + +"Do you mean to murder me here?" + +"Not so," answered Peroa, "for you have our safe-conduct and Egyptians +are honourable men. But you are dismissed your office and ordered to +leave Egypt." + +Idernes thought a little while, then said, + +"If I leave Egypt, there is at least one whom I am commanded to take +with me under orders and writings that you will not dispute, a maiden +named Amada whom the Great King would number among his women. I am +told it is she who sits yonder--a jewel indeed, fair as the pearls +upon her breast which thus will return into the King's keeping. Let +her be handed over, for she rides with me at once." + +Now in the midst of an intense silence Peroa answered, + +"Amada, the Royal Lady of Egypt, cannot be sent to dwell in the House +of Women of the Great King without the consent of the lord Shabaka, +whose she is." + +"Shabaka for the fourth time!" said Idernes, glaring at me. "Then let +Shabaka come too. Or his head in a basket will suffice, since that +will save trouble afterwards, also some pain to Shabaka. Why, now I +remember. It was this very Shabaka whom the Great King condemned to +death by the boat for a crime against his Majesty, and who bought his +life by promising to deliver to him the fairest and most learned woman +in the world--the lady Amada of Egypt. And thus does the knave keep +his oath!" + +Now I leapt to my feet, as did most of those present. Only Amada kept +her seat and looked at me. + +"You lie!" I cried, "and were it not for your safe-conduct I would +kill you for the lie." + +"I lie, do I?" sneered Idernes. "Speak then, you who were present, and +tell this noble company whether I lie," and he pointed to the hawk- +eyed lord. + +"He does not lie," said the Captain. "I was in the Court of the Great +King and heard yonder Shabaka purchase pardon by promising to hand +over his cousin, the lady Amada, to the King. The pearls were +entrusted to him as a gift to her and I see she wears them. The gold +also of which mention has been made was to provide for her journey in +state to the East, or so I heard. The cup was his guerdon, also a sum +for his own purse." + +"It is false," I shouted. "The name of Amada slipped my lips by chance +--no more." + +"So it slipped your lips by chance, did it?" sneered Idernes. "Now, if +you are wise, you will suffer the lady Amada to slip your hand, and +not by chance. But let us have done with this cunning knave. Prince, +will you hand over yonder fair woman, or will you not?" + +"Satrap, I will not," answered Peroa. "The demand is an insult put +forward to force us to rebellion, since there is no man in Egypt who +will not be ready to die in defence of the Royal Lady of Egypt." + +This statement was received with a shout of applause by every Egyptian +in the hall. Idernes waited until it had died away, then said, + +"Prince Peroa and Egyptians, you have conveyed to me certain commands +sealed with the Signet of signets, which I think was stolen by yonder +Shabaka. Now hearken; until this matter is made clear I will obey +those commands thus far. I will return with my army to Sais and there +wait until I have received the orders of the Great King, after report +made to him. If so much as an arrow is shot at us on our march, it +will be open rebellion, as the price of which Egypt shall be crushed +as she was never crushed before, and every one of you here present +shall lose his head, save only the lady Amada who is the property of +the Great King. Now I thank you for your hospitality and demand that +you escort me and those with me back to my camp, since it seems that +here we are in the midst of enemies." + +"Before you go, Idernes," I shouted, "know that you and your lying +captain shall pay with your lives for your slander on me." + +"Many will pay with their lives for this night's work, O thief of +pearls and seals," answered the Satrap, and turning, left the hall +with his company. + +Now I searched for Amada, but she also had gone with the ladies of +Peroa's household who feared lest the feast should end in blows and +bloodshed, also lest she should be snatched away. Indeed of all the +women in the hall, only my mother remained. + +"Search out the lady Amada," I said to her, "and tell her the truth." + +"Yes, my son," she answered thoughtfully; "but what is the truth? I +understood it was Bes who first gave the name of the lady Amada to the +Great King. Now we learn from your own lips that it was you. Wise +would you have been, my son, if you had bitten out your tongue before +you said it, since this is a matter that any woman may well +misunderstand." + +"Her name was surprised out of me, Mother. It was Bes who spoke to the +King of the beauty of a certain lady of Egypt." + +"And I think, my son, it was Bes who told Peroa and his guests that he +and not you had given the King her name, which you do not seem to have +denied. Well, doubtless both of you are to blame for foolishness, no +more, since well I know that you would have died ten times over rather +than buy your life at the price of the honour of the Lady of Egypt. +This I will say to her as soon as I may, praying that it may not be +too late, and afterwards you shall tell me everything, which you would +have done well to do at first, if Bes, as I think, had not been over +cunning after the fashion of black people, and counselled you +otherwise. See, Peroa calls you and I must go, for there are greater +matters afoot than that of who let slip the name of the lady Amada to +the King of kings." + +So she went and there followed a swift council of war, the question +being whether we were to strike at the Satrap's army or to allow it to +retreat to Sais. In my turn I was asked for my judgment of the issue, +and answered, + +"Strike and at once, since we cannot hope to storm Sais, which is far +away. Moreover such strength as we have is now gathered and if it is +idle and perhaps unpaid, will disperse again. But if we can destroy +Idernes and his army, it will be long before the King of kings, who is +sending all his multitudes against the Greeks, can gather another, and +during this time Egypt may again become a nation and able to protect +herself under Peroa her own Pharaoh." + +In the end I, and those who thought like me, prevailed, so that before +the dawn I was sailing down the Nile with the fleet, having two +thousand men under my command. Also I took with me the six hunters +whom I had won from the Great King, since I knew them to be faithful, +and thought that their knowledge of the Easterns and their ways might +be of service. Our orders were to hold a certain neck of land between +the river and the hills where the army of Idernes must pass, until +Peroa and all his strength could attack him from behind. + +Four hours later, the wind being very favourable to us, we reached +that place and there took up our station and having made all as ready +as we could, rested. + +In the early afternoon Bes awakened me from the heavy sleep into which +I had fallen, and pointed to the south. I looked and through the +desert haze saw the chariots of Idernes advancing in ordered ranks, +and after them the masses of his footmen. + +Now we had no chariots, only archers, and two regiments armed with +long spears and swords. Also the sailors on the boats had their slings +and throwing javelins. Lastly the ground was in our favour since it +sloped upwards and the space between the river and the hills was +narrow, somewhat boggy too after the inundation of the Nile, which +meant that the chariots must advance in a column and could not gather +sufficient speed to sweep over us. + +Idernes and his captains noted all this also, and halted. Then they +sent a herald forward to ask who we were and to command us in the name +of the Great King to make way for the army of the Great King. + +I answered that we were Egyptians, ordered by Peroa to hold the road +against the Satrap who had done affront to Egypt by demanding that its +Royal Lady should be given over to him to be sent to the East as a +woman-slave, and that if the Satrap wished to clear a road, he could +come and do so. Or if it pleased him he could go back towards Memphis, +or stay where he was, since we did not wish to strike the first blow. +I added this, + +"I who speak on behalf of the Prince Peroa, am the lord Shabaka, that +same man whom but last night the Satrap and a certain captain of his +named a liar. Now the Easterns are brave men and we of Egypt have +always heard that among them none is braver than Idernes who gained +his advancement through courage and skill in war. Let him therefore +come out together with the lord who named me a liar, armed with swords +only, and I, who being a liar must also be a coward, together with my +servant, a black dwarf, will meet them man to man in the sight of both +the armies, and fight them to the death. Or if it pleases Idernes +better, let him not come and I will seek him and kill him in the +battle, or by him be killed." + +The herald, having taken stock of me and of Bes at whom he laughed, +returned with the message. + +"Will he come, think you, Master?" asked Bes. + +"Mayhap," I answered, "since it is a shame for an Eastern to refuse a +challenge from any man whom he calls barbarian, and if he did so it +might cost him his life afterwards at the hands of the Great King. +Also if he should fall there are others to take his command, but none +who can wipe away the stain upon his honour." + +"Yes," said Bes; "also they will think me a dwarf of no account, which +makes the task of killing you easy. Well, they shall see." + +Now when I sent this challenge I had more in my mind than a desire to +avenge myself upon Idernes and his captain for the public shame they +had put upon me. I wished to delay the attack of their host upon our +little band and give time for the army of Peroa to come up behind. +Moreover, if I fell it did not greatly matter, except as an omen, +seeing that I had good officers under me who knew all my plans. + +We saw the herald reach the Satrap's army and after a while return +towards us again, which made us think my challenge had been refused, +especially as with him was an officer who, I took it, was sent to spy +out our strength. But this was not so, for the man said, + +"The Satrap Idernes has sworn by the Great King to kill the thief of +the Signet and send his head to the Great King, and fears that if he +waits to meet him in battle, he may slip away. Therefore he is minded +to accept your challenge, O Shabaka, and put an end to you, and indeed +under the laws of the East he may not refuse. But a noble of the Great +King may not fight against a black slave save with a whip, so how can +that noble accept the challenge of the dwarf Bes?" + +"Quite well," answered Bes, "seeing that I am no slave but a free +citizen of Egypt. Moreover, in my own country of Ethiopia I am of +royal blood. Lastly, tell the man this, that if he does not come and +afterwards falls into my hands or into those of the lord Shabaka, he +who talks of whips shall be scourged with them till his life creeps +out from between his bare bones." + +Thus spoke Bes, rolling his great eyes and looking so terrible that +the herald and the officer fell back a step or two. Then I told them +that if my offer did not please them, I myself would fight, first +Idernes and then the noble. So they returned. + +The end of it was that we saw Idernes and his captain advancing, +followed by a guard of ten men. Then after I had explained all things +to my officers, I also advanced with Bes, followed by a guard of ten +picked men. We met between the armies on a little sandy plain at the +foot of the rise and there followed talk between the captains of our +guards as to arms and so forth, but we four said nothing to each +other, since the time for words was past. Only Bes and I sat down upon +the sand and spoke a little together of Amada and Karema and of how +they would receive the news of our victory or deaths. + +"It does not much matter, Master," said Bes at last, "seeing that if +we die we shall never know, and if we live we shall learn for +ourselves." + +At length all was arranged and we stood up to face each other, the +four of us being armed in the same way. For as did Idernes and the +hawk-eyed lord, Bes and I wore shirts of mail and helms, those that we +had brought with us from the East. For weapons we had short and heavy +swords, small shields and knives at our girdles. + +"Look your last upon the sun, Thieves," mocked Idernes, "for when you +see it again, it shall be with blind eyes from the points of spears +fastened to the gateway pillars of the Great King's palace." + +"Liars you have lived and liars you shall die," shouted Bes, but I +said nothing. + +Now the agreement was that when the word had been given Idernes and I, +and the noble and Bes, should fight together, but if they killed one +of us, or we killed one of them, the two who survived might fall +together on the remaining man. Remembering this, as he told me +afterwards, at the signal Bes leapt forward like a flash with working +face and foam upon his lips, and before ever I could come to Idernes, +how I know not, had received the blow of the Eastern lord upon his +shield and without striking back, had gripped him in his long arms and +wrapped him round with his bowed legs. In an instant they were on the +ground, Bes uppermost, and I heard the sound of blow upon blow struck +with knife or sword, I knew not which, upon the Eastern's mail, +followed by a shout of victory from the Egyptians which told me that +Bes had slain him. + +Now Idernes and I were smiting at each other. He was a taller and a +bigger man than myself, but older and one who had lived too well. +Therefore I thought it wise to keep him at a distance and tire him, +which I did by retreating and catching his sword-cuts on my shield, +only smiting back now and again. + +"He runs! He runs!" shouted the Easterns. "O Idernes, beware the +dwarf!" + +"Stand away, Bes," I called; "this is my game," and he obeyed, as +often he had done when we were hunting together. + +Now a shrewd blow from Idernes cut through my helm and staggered me, +and another before I could recover myself, shore the shield from my +hand, whereat the Easterns shouted more loudly than before. Then fear +of defeat entered into me and made me mad, for this Satrap was a great +fighter. With a shout of "Egypt!" I went at him like a wounded lion +and soon it was his turn to stagger back. But alas! I struck too hard, +for my sword snapped upon his mail. + +"The knife!" screamed Bes; "the knife!" + +I hurled the sword hilt in the Satrap's face and drew the dagger from +my belt. Then I ran in beneath his guard and stabbed and stabbed and +stabbed. He gripped me and we went down side by side, rolling over +each other. The gods know how it ended, for things were growing dim to +me when some thrust of mine found a rent in his mail made when the +sword broke and he became weak. His spirit weakened also, for he +gasped, + +"Spare my life, Egyptian, and my treasure is yours. I swear it by the +Fire." + +"Not for all the treasure in the world, Slanderer," I panted back and +drove the dagger home to the hilt thrice, until he died. Then I +staggered to my feet, and when the armies saw that it was I who rose +while Idernes lay still a roar of triumph went up from the Egyptians, +answered by a roar of rage from the Easterns. + +With a cry of "Well done, Master!" Bes leapt upon the dead man and +hewed his head from him, as already he had served the hawk-eyed noble. +Then gripping one head in each hand he held them up for the Easterns +to see. + +"Men of the Great King," I said, "bear us witness that we have fought +fairly, man to man, when we need not have done so." + +The ten of the Satrap's guard stood silent, but my own shouted, + +"Back, Shabaka! The Easterns charge!" + +I looked and saw them coming like waves of steel, then supported by my +men and preceded by Bes who danced in front shaking the severed heads, +I ran back to my own ranks where one gave me wine to drink and threw +water over my hurts which were but slight. Scarcely was it done when +the battle closed in and soon in it I forgot the deaths of Idernes and +the Eastern liar. + + + + CHAPTER XIII + + AMADA RETURNS TO ISIS + +We fought a very terrible fight that evening there by the banks of +Nile. Our position was good, but we were outnumbered by four or five +to one, and the Easterns and their mercenaries were mad at the death +of the Satrap by my hand. Time upon time they came on furiously, +charging up the slope like wild bulls. For the most part we relied +upon our archers to drive them back, since our half-trained troops +could scarcely hope to stand against the onset of veterans disciplined +in war. So taking cover behind the rocks we rained arrows on them, +shooting the horses in the chariots, and when these were down, pouring +our shafts upon the footmen behind. Myself I took my great black bow +and drew it thrice, and each time I saw a noble fall, for no mail +could withstand the arrows which it sent, and of that art I was a +master. None in Egypt could shoot so far or so straight as I did, save +perhaps Peroa himself. I had no time to do more since always I must be +moving up and down the line encouraging my men. + +Three times we drove them back, after which they grew cunning. Ceasing +from a direct onslaught and keeping what remained of their chariots in +reserve, they sent one body of men to climb along the slope of the +hill where the rocks gave them cover from our arrows, and another to +creep through the reeds and growing crops upon the bank of the river +where we could not see to shoot them well, although the slingers in +the ships did them some damage. + +Thus they attacked us on either flank, and while we were thus engaged +their centre made a charge. Then came the bitterest of the fighting +for now the bows were useless, and it was sword against sword and +spear against spear. Once we broke and I thought that they were +through. But I led a charge against them and drove them back a little +way. Still the issue was doubtful till I saw Bes rush past me grinning +and leaping, and with him a small body of Greeks whom we held in +reserve, and I think that the sight of the terrible dwarf whom they +thought a devil, frightened the Easterns more than did the Greeks. + +At any rate, shouting out something about an evil spirit whom the +Egyptians worshipped, by which I suppose they meant that god after +whom Bes was named, they retreated, leaving many dead but taking their +wounded with them, for they were unbroken. + +At the foot of the slope they reformed and took counsel, then sat down +out of bowshot as though to rest. Now I guessed their plan. It was to +wait till night closed in, which would be soon for the sun was +sinking, and then, when we could not see to shoot, either rush through +us by the weight of numbers, or march back to where the cliffs were +lower and climb them, thus passing us on the higher open land. + +Now we also took counsel, though little came of it, since we did not +know what to do. We were too few to attack so great an army, nor if we +climbed the cliffs could we hope to withstand them in the desert +sands, or to hold our own against them if they charged in the dark. If +this happened it seemed that all we could do would be to fight as long +as we could, after which the survivors of us must take refuge on our +boats. So it came to this, that we should lose the battle and the +greater part of the Easterns would win back to Sais, unless indeed the +main army under Peroa came to our aid. + +Whilst we talked I caused the wounded to be carried to the ships +before it grew too dark to move them. Bes went with them. Presently he +returned, running swiftly. + +"Master," he said, "the evening wind is blowing strong and stirs the +sand, but from a mast-head through it I caught sight of Peroa's +banners. The army comes round the bend of the river not four furlongs +away. Now charge and those Easterns will be caught between the hammer +and the stone, for while they are meeting us they will not look +behind." + +So I went down the lines of our little force telling them the good +news and showing them my plan. They listened and understood. We formed +up, those who were left of us, not more than a thousand men perhaps, +and advanced. The Easterns laughed when they saw us coming down the +slope, for they thought that we were mad and that they would kill us +every one, believing as they did that Peroa had no other army. When we +were within bowshot we began to shoot, though sparingly, for but few +arrows were left. Galled by our archery they marshalled their ranks to +charge us again. With a shout we leapt forward to meet them, for now +from the higher ground I saw the chariots of Peroa rushing to our +rescue. + +We met, we fought. Surely there had been no such fighting since the +days of Thotmes and Rameses the Great. Still they drove us back till +unseen and unsuspected the chariots and the footmen of Peroa broke on +them from behind, broke on them like a desert storm. They gave, they +fled this way and that, some to the banks of the Nile, some to the +hills. By the light of the setting sun we finished it and ere the +darkness closed in the Great King's army was destroyed, save for the +fugitives whom we hunted down next day. + +Yes, in that battle perished ten thousand of the Easterns and their +mercenaries, and upon its field at dawn we crowned Peroa Pharaoh of +Egypt, and he named me the chief general of his army. There, too, fell +over a thousand of my men and among them those six hunters whom I had +won in the wager with the Great King and brought with me from the +East. Throughout the fray they served me as a bodyguard, fighting +furiously, who knew that they could hope for no mercy from their own +people. One by one they were slain, the last two of them in the charge +at sunset. Well, they were brave and faithful to me, so peace be on +their spirits. Better to die thus than in the den of lions. + + + +In triumph we returned to Memphis, I bringing in the rear-guard and +the spoils. Before Pharaoh and I parted a messenger brought me more +good news. Sure tidings had come that the King of kings had been +driven by revolt in his dominions to embark upon a mighty war with +Syria, Greece and Cyprus and other half-conquered countries, in which, +doubtless by agreement, the fires of insurrection had suddenly burned +up. Also already Peroa's messengers had departed to tell them of what +was passing on the Nile. + +"If this be true," said Peroa when he had heard all, "the Great King +will have no new army to spare for Egypt." + +"It is so, Pharaoh," I answered. "Yet I think he will conquer in this +great war and that within two years you must be prepared to meet him +face to face." + +"Two years are long, Shabaka, and in them, by your help, much may be +done." + +But as it chanced he was destined to be robbed of that help, and this +by the work of Woman the destroyer. + +It happened thus. Amidst great rejoicings Pharaoh reached Memphis and +in the vast temple of Amen laid down our spoils in the presence of the +god, thousands of right hands hewn from the fallen, thousands of +swords and other weapons and tens of chariots, together with much +treasure of which a portion was given to the god. The high priests +blessed us in the name of Amen and of the other gods; the people +blessed us and threw flowers in our path; all the land rejoiced +because once more it was free. + +There too that day in the temple with ancient form and ceremonial +Peroa was crowned Pharaoh of Egypt. Sceptres and jewels that had been +hid for generations were brought out by those who knew the secret of +their hiding-places; the crowns that had been worn by old Pharaohs, +were set upon his head; yes, the double crown of the Upper and the +Lower Land. Thus in a Memphis mad with joy at the casting off of the +foreign yoke, he was anointed the first of a new dynasty, and with him +his queen. + +I too received honours, for the story of the slaying of Idernes at my +hands and of how I held the pass had gone abroad, so that next to +Pharaoh, I was looked upon as the greatest man in Egypt. Nor was Bes +forgotten, since many of the common people thought that he was a +spirit in the form of a dwarf whom the gods had sent to aid us with +his strength and cunning. Indeed at the close of the ceremony voices +cried out in the multitude of watchers, demanding that I who was to +marry the Royal Lady of Egypt should be named next in succession to +the throne. + +The Pharaoh heard and glanced first at his son and then at me, +doubtfully, whereon, covered with confusion, I slipped away. + +The portico of the temple was deserted, since all, even the guards, +had crowded into the vast court to watch the coronation. Only in the +shadow, seated against the pedestal of one of the two colossal statues +in front of the outer pylon gate and looking very small beneath its +greatness, was a man wrapped in a dark cloak whom noting vaguely I +took to be a beggar. As I passed him, he plucked at my robe, and I +stopped to search for something to give to him but could find naught. + +"I have nothing, Father," I said laughing, "except the gold hilt of my +sword." + +"Do not part with that, Son," answered a deep voice, "for I think you +will need it before all is over." + +Then while I stared at him he threw back his hood and I saw that +beneath was the ancient withered face and the long white beard of my +great-uncle, the holy Tanofir, the hermit and magician. + +"Great things happen yonder, Shabaka. So great that I have come from +my sepulchre to see, or rather, being blind, to listen, who thrice in +my life days have known the like before," and he pointed to the +glittering throng in the court within. "Yes," he went on, "I have seen +Pharaohs crowned and Pharaohs die--one of them at the hand of a +conqueror. What will happen to this Pharaoh, think you, Shabaka?" + +"You should be better able to answer that question than I, who am no +prophet, my Uncle." + +"How, my Nephew, seeing that your dwarf has borne away my magic Cup? I +do not grudge her to him for he is a brave dwarf and clever, who may +yet prove a good prop to you, as he has done before, and to Egypt +also. But she has gone and the new vessel is not yet shaped to my +liking. So how can I answer?" + +"Out of the store of wisdom gathered in your breast." + +"So! my Nephew. Well, my store of wisdom tells me that feasts are +sometimes followed by want and rejoicings by sorrow and victories by +defeat, and splendid sins by repentance and slow climbing back to good +again. Also that you will soon take a long journey. Where is the Royal +Lady Amada? I did not hear her step among those who passed in to the +Crowning. But even my hearing has grown somewhat weak of late, except +in the silence of the night, Shabaka." + +"I do not know, my Uncle, who have only been in Memphis one hour. But +what do you mean? Doubtless she prepares herself for the feast where I +shall meet her." + +"Doubtless. Tell me, what passes at the temple of Isis? As I crept +past the pylon feeling my way with my beggar's staff, I thought--but +how can you know who have only been in Memphis an hour? Yet surely I +heard voices just now calling out that you, Shabaka, should be named +as the next successor to the throne of Egypt. Was it so?" + +"Yes, holy Tanofir. That is why I have left who was vexed and am sworn +to seek no such honour, which indeed I do not desire." + +"Just so, Nephew. Yet gifts have a way of coming to those who do not +desire them and the last vision that I saw before my Cup left me, or +rather that she saw, was of you wearing the Double Crown. She said +that you looked very well in it, Shabaka. But now begone, for hark, +here comes the procession with the new-anointed Pharaoh whose royal +robe you won for him yonder in the pass, when you smote down Idernes +and held his legions. Oh! it was well done and my new Cup, though +faulty, was good enough to show me all. I felt proud of you, Shabaka, +but begone, begone! 'A gift for the poor old beggar! A gift, my lords, +for the poor blind beggar who has had none since the last Pharaoh was +crowned in Egypt and finds it hard to live on memories!'" + + + +At our house I found my mother just returned from the Coronation, but +Bes I did not find and guessed that he had slipped away to meet his +new-made wife, Karema. My mother embraced me and blessed me, making +much of me and my deeds in the battle; also she doctored such small +hurts as I had. I put the matter by as shortly as I could and asked +her if she had seen aught of Amada. She answered that she had neither +seen nor heard of her which I was sure she thought strange, as she +began to talk quickly of other things. I said to her what I had said +to the holy Tanofir, that doubtless she was making ready for the feast +since I could not find her at the Crowning. + +"Or saying good-bye to the goddess," answered my mother nodding, +"since there are some who find it even harder to fall from heaven to +earth than to climb from earth to heaven, and after all you are but a +man, my son." + +Then she slipped away to attire herself, leaving me wondering, because +my mother was shrewd and never spoke at random. + +There was the holy Tanofir, too, with his talk about the temple of +Isis, and he also did not speak at random. Oh! now I felt as I had +done when the shadow of the palm-tree fell on me yonder in the palace +garden. + +The mood passed for my blood still tingled with the glory of that +great fight, and my heart shut its doors to sadness, knowing as I did, +that I was the most praised man in Memphis that day. Indeed had I not, +I should have learned it when with my mother I entered the great +banqueting-hall of the palace somewhat late, for she was long in +making ready. + +The first thing I saw there was Bes gorgeously arrayed in Eastern +silks that he had plundered from the Satrap's tent, standing on a +table so that all might see and hear him, and holding aloft in one +hand the grisly head of Idernes and in the other that of the hawk-eyed +noble whom he had slain, while in his thick, guttural voice he told +the tale of that great fray. Catching sight of me, he called aloud, + +"See! Here comes the man! Here comes the hero to whom Egypt owes its +liberty and Pharaoh his crown." + +Thereon all the company and the soldiers and servants who were +gathered about the door began to shout and acclaim me, till I wished +that I could vanish away as the holy Tanofir was said to be able to +do. Since this was impossible I rushed at Bes who leapt from the table +like a monkey and, still waving the heads and talking, slipped from +the hall, I know not how, followed by the loud laughter of the guests. + +Then heralds announced the coming of Pharaoh and all grew silent. He +and his company entered with pomp and we, his subjects, prostrated +ourselves in the ancient fashion. + +"Rise, my guests," he cried. "Rise, my people. Above all do you rise, +Shabaka, my beloved cousin, to whom Egypt and I owe so much." + +So we rose and I took my seat in a place of honour having my mother at +my side, and looked about me for Amada, but in vain. There was the +carven chair upon which she should have been among those of the +princesses, but it was empty. At first I thought that she was late, +but when time went by and she did not appear, I asked if she were ill, +a question that none seemed able to answer. + +The feast went on with all the ancient ceremonies that attended the +crowning of a Pharaoh of Egypt, since there were old men who +remembered these, also the scribes and priests had them written in +their books. + +I took no heed of them and will not set them down. At length Pharaoh +pledged his subjects, and his subjects pledged Pharaoh. Then the doors +were opened and through them came a company of white-robed, shaven +priests bearing on a bier the body of a dead man wrapped in his mummy- +cloths. At first some laughed for this rite had not been performed in +Egypt since she passed into the hands of the Great Kings of the East +and therefore was strange to them. Then they grew silent since after +all it was solemn to see those death-bearing priests flitting in and +out between the great columns, now seen and now lost in the shadows, +and to listen to their funeral chants. + +In the hush my mother whispered to me that this body was that of the +last Pharaoh of Egypt brought from his tomb, but whether this were so +I cannot say for certain. At length they brought the mummy which was +crowned with a snake-headed circlet of the royal /uræus/ and still +draped with withered funeral wreaths, and stood it on its feet +opposite to Peroa just behind and between my mother and me in such a +fashion that it cut off the light from us. + +The faint and heavy smell of the embalmer's spices struck upon my +nostrils, a dead flower from the chaplets fell upon my head and, +glancing over my shoulder, I saw the painted or enamelled eyes in the +gilded mask staring at me. The thing filled me with fear, I knew not +of what. Not of death, surely, for that I had faced a score of times +of late and thought nothing of it. Indeed I am not sure that it was +fear I felt, but rather a deep sense of the vanity of all things. It +seemed to come home to me--Shabaka or Allan Quatermain, for in my +dream the inspiration or whatever it might be, struck through the +spirit that animated both of us--as it had never done before, that +everything is /nothing/, that victory and love and even life itself +have no meaning; that naught really exists save the soul of man and +God, of whom perchance that soul is a part sent forth for a while to +do His work through good and ill. The thought lifted me up and yet +crushed me, since for a moment all that makes a man passed away, and I +felt myself standing in utter loneliness, naked before the glory of +God, watched only by the flaming stars that light his throne. Yes, and +at that moment suddenly I learned that all the gods are but one God, +having many shapes and called by many names. + +Then I heard the priests saying, + +"Pharaoh the Osiris greets Pharaoh the living on the Earth and sends +to him this message--'As I am, so shalt thou be, and where I am, there +thou shalt dwell through all the ages of Eternity.'" + +Then Pharaoh the living rose and bowed to Pharaoh the dead and Pharaoh +the dead was taken away back to his Eternal House and I wondered +whether his Ka or his spirit, or whatever is the part of him that +lives on, were watching us and remembering the feasts whereof he had +partaken in his pomp in this pillared hall, as his forefathers had +done before him for hundreds or thousands of years. + +Not until the mummy had gone and the last sound of the chanting of the +priests had died, did the hearts of the feasters grow light again. But +soon they forgot, as men alive always forget death and those whom Time +has devoured, for the wine was good and strong and the eyes of the +women were bright and victory had crowned our spears, and for a while +Egypt was once more free. + +So it went on till Pharaoh rose and departed, the great gold earrings +in his ears jingling as he walked, and the trumpets sounding before +and after him. I too rose to go with my mother when a messenger came +and bade me wait upon Pharaoh, and with me the dwarf Bes. So we went, +leaving an officer to conduct my mother to our home. As I passed her +she caught me by the sleeve and whispered in my ear, + +"My son, whatever chances to you, be brave and remember that the world +holds more than women." + +"Yes," I answered, "it holds death and God, or they hold it," though +what put the words into my mind I do not know, since I did not +understand and had no time to ask her meaning. + +The messenger led us to the door of Peroa's private chamber, the same +in which I had seen him on my return from the East. Here he bade me +enter, and Bes to wait without. I went in and found two men and a +woman in the chamber, all standing very silent. The men were Pharaoh +who still wore his glorious robe and Double Crown, and the high priest +of Isis clothed in white; the other was the lady Amada also clothed in +the snowy robes of Isis. + +At the sight of her thus arrayed my heart stopped and I stood silent +because I could not speak. She too stood silent and I saw that beneath +her thin veil her beautiful face was set and pale as that of an +alabaster statue. Indeed she might have been not a lovely living +woman, but the goddess Isis herself whose symbols she bore about her. + +"Shabaka," said Pharaoh at length, "the Royal Lady of Egypt, Amada, +priestess of Isis, has somewhat to say to you." + +"Let the Royal Lady of Egypt speak on to her servant and affianced +husband," I answered. + +"Count Shabaka, General of the armies," she began in a cold clear +voice like to that of one who repeats a lesson, "learn that you are no +more my affianced husband and that I who am gathered again to Isis the +divine, am no more your affianced wife." + +"I do not understand. Will it please you to be more plain?" I said +faintly. + +"I will be more plain, Count Shabaka, more plain than you have been +with me. Since we speak together for the last time it is well that I +should be plain. Hear me. When first you returned from the East, in +yonder hall you told us of certain things that happened to you there. +Then the dwarf your servant took up the tale. He said that he gave my +name to the Great King. I was wroth as well I might be, but even when +I prayed that he should be scourged, you did not deny that it was he +who gave my name to the King, although Pharaoh yonder said that if you +had spoken the name it would have been another matter." + +"I had no time," I answered, "for just then the messengers came from +Idernes and afterwards when I sought you you were gone." + +"Had you then no time," she asked coldly, "beneath the palms in the +garden of the palace when we were affianced? Oh! there was time in +plenty but it did not please you to tell me that you had bought safety +and great gifts at the price of the honour of the Lady of Egypt whose +love you stole." + +"You do not understand!" I exclaimed wildly. + +"Forgive me, Shabaka, but I understand very well indeed, since from +your own words I learned at the feast given to Idernes that 'the name +of Amada' slipped your lips by chance and thus came to the ears of the +Great King." + +"The tale that Idernes and his captain told was false, Lady, and for +it Bes and I took their lives with our own hands." + +"It had perhaps been better, Shabaka, if you had kept them living that +they might confess that it was false. But doubtless you thought them +safer dead, since dead men cannot speak, and for this reason +challenged them to single combat." + +I gasped and could not answer for my mind seemed to leave me, and she +went on in a gentler voice, + +"I do not wish to speak angrily to you, my cousin Shabaka, especially +when you have just wrought such great deeds for Egypt. Moreover by the +law I serve I may speak angrily to no man. Know then that on learning +the truth, since I could love none but you according to the flesh and +therefore can never give myself in marriage to another, I sought +refuge in the arms of the goddess whom for your sake I had deserted. +She was pleased to receive me, forgetting my treason. On this very day +for the second time I took the oaths which may no more be broken, and +that I may dwell where I shall never see you more, Pharaoh here has +been pleased, at my request to name me high priestess and prophetess +of Isis and to appoint me as a dwelling-place her temple at Amada +where I was born far away in Upper Egypt. Now all is said and done, so +farewell." + +"All is not said and done," I broke out in fury. "Pharaoh, I ask your +leave to tell the full story of this business of the naming of the +lady Amada to the King of kings, and that in the presence of the dwarf +Bes. Even a slave is allowed to set out his tale before judgment is +passed upon him." + +Peroa glanced at Amada who made no sign, then said, + +"It is granted, General Shabaka." + +So Bes was called into the chamber and having looked about him +curiously, seated himself upon the ground. + +"Bes," I said, "you have heard nothing of what has passed." (Here I +was mistaken, for as he told me afterwards he had heard everything +through the door which was not quite closed.) "It is needful, Bes, +that you should repeat truly all that happened at the court of the +King of kings before and after I was brought from the boat." + +Bes obeyed, telling the tale very well, so well that all listened +earnestly, without error moreover. When he had finished I also told my +story and how, shaken by all I had gone through and already weak from +the torment of the boat, the name of Amada was surprised from me who +never dreamed that the King would at once make demand of her, and who +would have perished a thousand times rather than such a thing should +happen. I added what I had learned afterwards from our escort, that +this name was already well known to the Great King who meant to make +use of it as a cause of quarrel with Egypt. Further, that he had let +me escape from a death by horrible torments because of some dream that +he had dreamed while he rested before the banquet, in which a god +appeared and told him that it was an evil thing to slay a man because +that man had bested him at a hunting match and one of which heaven +would keep an account. Still because of the law of his land he must +find a public pretext for loosing one whom he had once condemned, and +therefore chose this matter of the lady Amada whom he pretended to +send me to bring to him. + +When I had finished, as Amada still remained silent, Pharaoh asked of +Bes how it came about that he told one story on the night of our +return and another on this night. + +"Because, O Pharaoh," answered Bes rolling his eyes, "for the first +time in my life I have been just a little too clever and shot my arrow +just a little too far. Hearken, Pharaoh, and Royal Lady, and High +Priest. I knew that my master loves the lady Amada and knew also that +she is quick of tongue and temper, one who readily takes offence even +if thereby she breaks her own heart and so brings her life to ruin, +and with it perchance her country. Therefore, knowing women whom I +have studied in my own land, I saw in this matter just such a cause of +offence as she would lay hold of, and counselled my master to keep +silent as to the story of the naming of her before the King. Some evil +spirit made him listen to this bad counsel, so far at least, that when +I lied as to what had chanced, for which lie the lady Amada prayed +that I might be scourged till my bones broke through the skin, he did +not at once tell all the truth. Nor did he do so afterwards because he +feared that if he did I should in fact be scourged, for my master and +I love each other. Neither of us wishes to see the other scourged, +though such is my lot to-night," and he glanced at Amada. "I have +said." + +Then at last Amada spoke. + +"Had I known all this story from the first, perhaps I should not have +done what I have done to-day and perhaps I should have forgiven and +forgotten, for in truth even if the dwarf still lies, I believe your +word, O Shabaka, and understand how all came about. But now it is too +late to change. Say, O Priest of the Mother, is it not too late?" + +"It is too late," said the priest solemnly, "seeing that if such vows +as yours are broken for the second time, O Prophetess, the curse of +the goddess will pursue you and him for whom they were broken, yes, +through this life and all other lives that perchance may be given to +you upon the earth or elsewhere." + +"Pharaoh," I cried in despair, "I made a bond with you. It is recorded +in writing and sealed. I have kept my part of the bond; my treasure +you have spent; your enemies I have slain; your army I have commanded +not so ill. Will you not keep yours and bid the priests release this +lady from her vow and give her to me to whom she was promised? Or must +I believe that you refuse, not because of goddesses and vows, but +because yonder is the Royal Lady of Egypt, the true heiress to the +throne who might perchance bear children, which as prophetess of Isis +she can never do. Yes, because of this and because of certain cries +that came to your ears in the hour of your crowning before Amen-ra and +all the gods?" + +Peroa flushed as he heard me and answered, + +"You speak roughly, Cousin, and were you any other man I might be +tempted to answer roughly. But I know that you suffer and therefore I +forgive. Nay, you must believe no such things. Rather must you +remember that in this bond of which you speak, it was set down that I +only promised you the lady Amada with her own consent, and this she +has withdrawn." + +"Then, Pharaoh, hearken! To-morrow I leave Egypt for another land, +giving you back your generalship and sheathing the sword that I had +hoped to wield in its defence and yours when the last great day of +trial by battle comes, as come it will. I tell you that I go to return +no more, unless the lady Amada yonder shall summon me back to fight +for her and you, promising herself to me in guerdon." + +"That can never be," said Amada. + +Then I became aware of another presence in the room, though how and +when it appeared I do not know, but I suppose that it had crept in +while we were lost in talk. At least between me and Pharaoh, crouched +upon the ground, was the figure of a man wrapped in a beggar's cloak. +It threw back the hood and there appeared the ashen face and snowy +beard of the holy Tanofir. + +"You know me, Pharaoh," he said in his deep, solemn voice. "I am +Tanofir, the King's son; Tanofir the hermit, Tanofir the seer. I have +heard all that passes, it matters not how and I come to you with a +message, I who read men's hearts. Of vows and goddesses and women I +say nothing. But this I say to you, that if you break the spirit of +your bond and suffer yonder Shabaka to go hence with a bitter heart, +trouble shall come on you. All the Great King's armies did not die +yonder by the banks of Nile, and mayhap one day he will journey to +bury the bones of those who fell, and with them /yours/, O Pharaoh. I +do not think that you will listen to me to-night, and I am sure that +yonder lady, full of the new-fanned flame of the jealous goddess, will +not listen. Still let her take counsel and remember my words: In the +hour of desperate danger let her send to Shabaka and demand his help, +promising in return what he has asked and remembering that if Isis +loves her, that goddess was born upon the Nile and loves Egypt more." + +"Too late, too late, /too late!/" wailed Amada + +Then she burst into tears and turning fled away with the high priest. +Pharaoh went also leaving me and Bes alone. I looked for the holy +Tanofir to speak with him, but he too was gone. + +"It is time to sleep, Master," said Bes, "for all this talk is more +wearisome than any battle. Why! what is this that has your name upon +it?" and he picked a silk-wrapped package from the floor and opened +it. + +Within were the priceless rose-hued pearls! + + + + CHAPTER XIV + + SHABAKA FIGHTS THE CROCODILE + +"Where to?" I said to Bes when we were outside the palace, for I was +so broken with grief that I scarcely knew what I did. + +"To the house of the lady Tiu, I think, Master, since there you must +make preparations for your start on the morrow, also bid her farewell. +Oh!" he went on in a kind of rapture which afterwards I knew was +feigned though at the time I did not think about it, "Oh! how happy +should you be who now are free from all this woman-coil, with life new +and fresh before you. Reflect, Master, on the hunting we will have +yonder in Ethiopia. No more cares, no more plannings for the welfare +of Egypt, no more persuading of the doubtful to take up arms, no more +desperate battle-ventures with your country's honour on your sword- +point. And if you must see women--well, there are plenty in Ethiopia +who come and go lightly as an evening breeze laden with the odour of +flowers, and never trouble in the morning." + +"At any rate /you/ are not free from such coils, Bes," I said and in +the moonlight I saw his great face fall in. + +"No, Master, I am tying them about my throat. See, such is the way of +the world, or of the gods that rule the world, I know not which. For +years I have been happy and free, I have enjoyed adventures and +visited strange countries and have gathered learning, till I think I +am the wisest man upon the Nile, at the side of one whom I loved and +holding nothing at risk, except my own life which mattered no more +than that of a gnat dancing in the sun. Now all is changed. I have a +wife whom I love also, more than I can tell you," and he sighed, "but +who still must be looked after and obeyed--yes, obeyed. Further, soon +I shall have a people and a crown to wear, and councillors and affairs +of state, and an ancient religion to support and the Grasshopper +itself knows what besides. The burden has rolled from your back to +mine, Master, making my heart which was so light, heavy, and oh! I +wish it had stopped where it was." + +Even then I laughed, sad as I was, for truth lived in the philosophy +of Bes. + +"Master," he went on in a changed voice, "I have been a fool and my +folly has worked you ill. Forgive me since I acted for the best, only +until the end no one ever knows what is the best. Now here is the +house and I go to meet my wife and to make certain arrangements. By +dawn perhaps you will be ready to start to Ethiopia." + +"Do you really desire that I should accompany you there, Bes?" + +"Certainly, Master. That is unless you should desire that I accompany +you somewhere else instead, by sea southward for instance. If so, I do +not know that I would refuse, since Ethiopia will not run away and +there is much of the world that I should still like to visit. Only +then there is Karema to be thought about, who expects, or, when she +learns all, soon will expect, to be a queen," he added doubtfully. + +"No, Bes, I am too tired to make new plans, so let us go to Ethiopia +and not disappoint Karema, who after holding a cup so long naturally +would like to try a sceptre." + +"I think that is wisest, Master; at any rate the holy Tanofir thinks +it wisest, and he is the voice of Fate. Oh! why do we trouble who +after all, every one of us, are nothing but pieces upon the board of +Fate." + +Then he turned and left me and I entered the house where I found my +mother sitting, still in her festal robes, like one who waits. She +looked at my face, then asked what troubled me. I sat down on a stool +at her feet and told her everything. + +"Much as I thought," she said when I had finished. "These over-learned +women are strange fish to catch and hold, and too much soul is like +too much sail upon a boat when the desert wind begins to blow across +the Nile. Well, do not let us blame her or Bes, or Peroa who is +already anxious for his dynasty and would rather that Amada were a +priestess than your wife, or even the goddess Isis, who no doubt is +anxious for her votaries. Let us rather blame the Power that is behind +the veil, or to it bow our heads, seeing that we know nothing of the +end for which it works. So Egypt shuts her doors on you, my Son, and +whither away? Not to the East again, I trust, for there you would soon +grow shorter by a head." + +"I go to Ethiopia, my Mother, where it seems that Bes is a great man +and can shelter me." + +"So we go to Ethiopia, do we? Well, it is a long journey for an old +woman, but I weary of Memphis where I have lived for so many years and +doubtless the sands of the south make good burial grounds." + +"We!" I exclaimed. "/We?/" + +"Surely, my Son, since in losing a wife you have again found a mother +and until I die we part no more." + +When I heard this my eyes filled with tears. My conscience smote me +also because of late, and indeed for years past, I had thought so much +of Amada and so little of my mother. And now it was Amada who had cast +me out, unjustly, without waiting to learn the truth, because at the +worst I, who worshipped her, had saved myself from death in slow +torment by speaking her name, while my mother, forgetting all, took me +to her bosom again as she had done when I was a babe. I knew not what +to say, but remembering the pearls, I drew them out and placed them +round my mother's neck. + +She looked at the wonderful things and smiled, then said, + +"Such gems as these become white locks and withered breasts but ill. +Yet, my Son, I will keep them for you till you find a wife, if not +Amada, then another." + +"If not Amada, I shall never find a wife," I said bitterly, whereat +she smiled. + +Then she left me to make ready before she slept a while. + + + +Work as we would noon had passed two hours, on the following day, +before we were prepared to start, for there was much to do. Thus the +house must be placed in charge of friends and the means of travel +collected. Also a messenger came from Pharaoh praying me for his and +Egypt's sake to think again before I left them, and an answer sent +that go I must, whither the holy Tanofir would know if at any time +Pharaoh desired to learn. In reply to this came another messenger who +brought me parting gifts from Pharaoh, a chain of honour, a title of +higher nobility, a commission as his envoy to whatever land I +wandered, and so forth, which I must acknowledge. Lastly as we were +leaving the house to seek the boat which Bes had made ready on the +Nile, there came yet another messenger at the sight of whom my heart +leapt, for he was priest of Isis. + +He bowed and handed me a roll. I opened it with a trembling hand and +read: + + + "From the Prophetess of Isis whose house is at Amada, aforetime + Royal Lady of Egypt, to the Count Shabaka, + + "I learn, O my Cousin, that you depart from Egypt and knowing the + reason my heart is sore. Believe me, my Cousin, I love you well, + better than any who lives upon the earth, nor will that love ever + change, since the goddess who holds my future in her hands, knows + of what we are made and is not jealous of the past. Therefore she + will not be wroth at the earthly love of one who is gathered to + her heavenly arms. Her blessing and mine be on you and if we see + each other no more face to face in the world, may we meet again in + the halls of Osiris. Farewell, beloved Shabaka. Oh! why did you + suffer that black master of lies, the dwarf Bes, to persuade you + to hide the truth from me?" + + +So the writing ended and below it were two stains still wet, which I +knew were caused by tears. Moreover, wrapped in a piece of silk and +fastened to the scroll was a little gold ring graven with the royal +/uræus/ that Amada had always worn from childhood. Only on the +previous night I had noted it on the first finger of her right hand. + +I took my stylus and my waxen tablets and wrote on one of them: + + + "Had you been a man, Amada, and not a woman, I think you would have + judged me differently but, learned priestess and prophetess as you + are, a woman you remain. Perchance a time may come when once more + you will turn to me in the hour of your need; if so and I am + living, I will come. Yea, if I am dead I think that I still shall + come, since nothing can really part us. Meanwhile by day and by + night I wear your ring and whenever I look on it I think of Amada + the woman whose lips have pressed my own, and forget Amada the + priestess who for her soul's sake has been pleased to break the + heart of the man who loved her and whom she misjudged so sorely in + her pride and anger." + + +This tablet I wrapped up and sealed, using clay and her own ring to +make the seal, and gave it for delivery to the priest. + +At length we drew near to the river and here, gathered on the open +land, I found the most of those who had fought with me in the battle +against the Easterns, and with them a great concourse of others from +the city. These collected round me, some of them wounded and hobbling +upon crutches, praying me not to go, as did the others who foresaw +sorrow to Egypt from my loss. But I broke away from them almost in +tears and with my mother hid myself beneath the canopy of the boat. +Here Bes was waiting, also his beautiful wife who, although she seemed +sad at leaving Egypt, smiled a greeting to us while the steersmen and +rowers of the boat, tall Ethiopians every one of them, rose and gave +me a General's salute. Then, as the wind served, we hoisted the sail +and glided away up Nile, till presently the temples and palm-groves of +Memphis were lost to sight. + + + +Of that long, long journey there is no need to tell. Up the Nile we +travelled slowly, dragging the boat past the cataracts till Egypt was +far behind us. In the end, many days after we had passed the mouth of +another river that was blue in colour which flowed from the northern +mountain lands down into the Nile, we came to a place where the rapids +were so long and steep that we must leave the boat and travel +overland. Drawing near to it at sunset I saw a multitude of people +gathered on the sand and beyond them a camp in which were set many +beautiful pavilions that seemed to be broidered with silk and gold, as +were the banners that floated above them whereon appeared the effigy +of a grasshopper, also done in gold with silver legs. + +"It seems that my messengers travelled in safety," said Bes to me, +"for know, that yonder are some of my subjects who have come here to +meet us. Now, Master, I must no longer call you master since I fear I +am once more a king. And you must no longer call me Bes, but Karoon. +Moreover, forgive me, but when you come into my presence you must bow, +which I shall like less than you do, but it is the custom of the +Ethiopians. Oh! I would that you were the king and that I were your +friend, for henceforth good-bye to ease and jollity." + +I laughed, but Bes did not laugh at all, only turned to his wife who +already ruled him as though he were indeed a slave, and said, "Lady +Karema, make yourself as beautiful as you can and forget that you have +ever been a Cup or anything useful, since henceforth you must be a +queen, that is if you please my people." + +"And what happens if I do not please them, Husband?" asked Karema +opening her fine eyes. + +"I do not quite know, Wife. Perhaps they may refuse to accept me, at +which I shall not weep. Or perhaps they may refuse to accept you, at +which of course I should weep very much, for you see you are so very +white and, heretofore, all the queens of the Ethiopians have been +black." + +"And if they refuse to accept me because I am white, or rather brown, +instead of black like oiled marble, what then, O Husband?" + +"Then--oh! then I cannot say, O Wife. Perhaps they will send you back +to your own country. Or perhaps they will separate us and place you in +a temple where you will live alone in all honour. I remember that once +they did that to a white woman, making a goddess of her until she died +of weariness. Or perhaps--well, I do not know." + +Then Karema grew angry. + +"Now I wish I had remained a Cup," she said, "and the servant of the +holy Tanofir who at least taught me many secret things, instead of +coming to dwell among black barbarians in the company of a dwarf who, +even if he be a king, it seems has no power to protect the wife whom +he has chosen." + +"Why will women always grow wroth before there is need?" asked Bes +humbly. "Surely it would be time to rate me when any of these things +had happened." + +"If any of them do happen, Husband, I shall say much worse things than +that," she replied, but the talk went no further, for at this moment +our boat grounded and singing a wild song, many of those who waited +rushed into the water to drag it to the bank. + +Then Bes stood up on the prow, waving his bow and there arose a mighty +shout of, "/Karoon! Karoon!/ It is he, it is he returned after many +years!" + +Twice they shouted thus and then, every one of them, threw themselves +face downwards in the sand. + +"Yes, my people," cried Bes, "it is I, Karoon, who having been +miraculously preserved from many dangers in far lands by the help of +the Grasshopper in heaven, and, as my messengers will have told you, +of my beloved friend, lord Shabaka the Egyptian, who has deigned to +come to dwell with us for a while, have at length returned to Ethiopia +that I may shed my wisdom on you like the sun and pour it on your +heads like melted honey. Moreover, mindful of our laws which aforetime +I defied and therefore left you, I have searched the whole world +through till I found the most beautiful woman that it contained, and +made her my wife. She too has deigned to come to this far country to +be your queen. Advance, fair Karema, and show yourself to these my +Ethiopians." + +So Karema stepped forward and stood on the prow of the boat by the +side of Bes, and a strange couple they looked. The Ethiopians who had +risen, considered her gravely, then one of them said, + +"Karoon called her beautiful, but in truth she is almost white and +very ugly." + +"At least she is a woman," said another, "for her shape is female." + +"Yes, and he has married her," remarked a third, "and even a king may +choose his own wife sometimes. For in such matters who can judge +another's taste?" + +"Cease," said Bes in a lordly way. "If you do not think her beautiful +to-night, you will to-morrow. And now let us land and rest." + +So we landed and while I did so I took note of these Ethiopians. They +were great men, black as charcoal with thick lips, white teeth and +flat noses. Their eyes were large and the whites of them somewhat +yellow, their hair curled like wool, their beards were short and on +their faces they wore a continual smile. Of dress most of them had +little, but their elders or leaders wore lion and leopard skins and +some were clad in a kind of silken tunic belted about the middle. All +were armed for war with long bows, short swords and small shields +round in shape and made from the hide of the hippopotamus or of the +unicorn. Gold was plentiful amongst them since even the humblest wore +bracelets of that metal, while about the necks of the chieftains it +was wound in great torques, also sometimes on their ankles. They wore +sandals on their feet and some of them had ostrich feathers stuck in +their hair, a few also had grasshoppers fashioned of gold bound on the +top of their heads, and these I took to be the priests. There were no +women in their number. + +As the sun was sinking we were led at once to a very beautiful tent +made of woven flax and ornamented as I have described, where we found +food made ready for us in plenty, milk in bowls and the flesh of sheep +and oxen boiled and roasted. Bes, however, was taken to a place apart, +which made Karema even more angry than she was before. + +Scarcely had we finished eating when a herald rushed into the tent +crying, "Prostrate yourselves! Yea, be prostrated, the Grasshopper +comes! Karoon comes." + +Here I must say that I found that the title of Karoon meant "Great +Grasshopper," but Karema who did not know this, asked indignantly why +she should prostrate herself to a grasshopper. Indeed she refused to +do so even when Bes entered the pavilion wonderfully attired in a +gorgeous-coloured robe of which the train was held by two huge men. So +absurd did he look that my mother and I must bow very deeply to hide +our laughter while Karema said, + +"It would be better, Husband, if you found children to carry your robe +instead of two giants. Moreover, if it is meant to copy the colours of +a grasshopper, 'tis badly done, since grasshoppers are green and you +are gold and scarlet. Also they do not wear feathers set awry upon +their heads." + +Bes rolled his eyes as though in agony, then turning, bade his +attendants be gone. They obeyed, though doubtfully as though they did +not like to leave him alone with us, whereon he let down the flap of +the pavilion, threw off his gorgeous coverings and said, + +"You must learn to understand, Wife, that our customs are different +from those of Egypt. There I was happy as a slave and you were held to +be beautiful as the Cup of the holy Tanofir, also learned. Here I am +wretched as a king and you are held to be ugly, also ignorant as a +stranger. Oh! do not answer, I pray you, but learn that all goes well. +For the time you are accepted as my wife, subject to the decision of a +council of matrons, aged relatives of my family, who will decide when +we reach the City of the Grasshopper whether or not you shall be +acknowledged as the Queen of the Ethiopians. No, no, I pray you say +nothing since I must go away at once, as according to the law of the +Ethiopians the time has come for the Grasshopper to sleep, alone, +Karema, as you are not yet acknowledged as my wife. You also can sleep +with the lady Tiu and for Shabaka a tent is provided. Rest sweetly, +Wife. Hark! They fetch me." + +"Now, if I had my way," said Karema, "I would rest in that boat going +back to Egypt. What say you, lord Shabaka?" + +But I made no answer who followed Bes out of the tent, leaving her to +talk the matter over with my mother. Here I found a crowd of his +people waiting to convey him to sleep and watching, saw them place him +in another tent round which they ranged themselves, playing upon +musical instruments. After this someone came and led me to my own +place where was a good bed in which I lay down to sleep. This however +I could not do for a long while because of my own laughter and the +noise of the drums and horns that were soothing Bes to his rest. For +now I understood why he had preferred to be a slave in Egypt rather +than a king in Ethiopia. + +In the morning I rose before the dawn and went out to the river-bank +to bathe. While I was making ready to wash myself, who should appear +but Bes, followed, but at a distance, by a number of his people. + +"Never have I spent such a night, Master," he said, "at least not +since you took me prisoner years ago, since by law I may not stop +those horns and musical instruments. Now, however, also according to +the law of the Ethiopians, I am my own lord until the sun rises. So I +have come here to gather some of those blue lilies which she loves as +a present for Karema, because I fear that she is angry and must be +appeased." + +"Certainly she is very angry," I said, "or at least was so when I left +her last night. Oh! Bes, why did you let your people tell her that she +was ugly?" + +"How can I help it, Master? Have you not always heard that the +Ethiopians are chiefly famous for one thing, namely that they speak +nothing but the truth. To them she, being different, seems to be ugly. +Therefore when they say that she is ugly, they speak the truth." + +"If so, it is a truth that she does not like, Bes, as I have no doubt +she will tell you by and by. Do they think me ugly also?" + +"Yes, they do, Master; but they think also that you look like a man +who can draw a bow and use a sword, and that goes far with the +Ethiopians. Of your mother they say nothing because she is old and +they venerate the aged whom the Grasshopper is waiting to carry away." + +Now I began to laugh again and went with Bes to gather the lilies. +These grew at the end of a mass of reeds woven together by the +pressure of the current and floating on the water. Bes lay down upon +his stomach while his people watched from a distance on the bank +amazed into silence, and stretched out his long arms to reach the blue +lotus flowers. Suddenly the reeds gave way beneath him just as he had +grasped two of the flowers and was dragging at them, so that he fell +into the river. + +Next instant I saw a swirl in the brown water and perceived a huge +crocodile. It rushed at Bes open-mouthed. Being a good swimmer he +twisted his body in order to avoid it, but I heard the great teeth +close with a snap on the short leathern garment which he wore about +his middle. + +"The devil has me! Farewell!" he cried and vanished beneath the water. + +Now, as I have said, I was almost stripped for bathing, but had not +yet taken off my short sword which was girded round me by a belt. In +an instant I drew it and amidst the yells of horror of the Ethiopians +who had seen all from the bank, I plunged into the river. There are +few able to swim as I could and I had the art of diving with my eyes +open and remaining long beneath the surface without drawing breath, +for this I had practised from a child. + +Immediately I saw the great reptile sinking to the mud and dragging +Bes with him to drown him there. But here the river was very deep and +with a few swift strokes I was able to get under the crocodile. Then +with all my strength I stabbed upwards, driving the sword far into the +soft part of the throat. Feeling the pain of the sharp iron the beast +let go of Bes and turned on me. How it happened I do not know but +presently I found myself upon its back and was striking at its eyes. +One thrust at least went home, for the blinded brute rose to the +surface, bearing me with him, and oh! the sweetness of the air as I +breathed again. + +Thus we appeared, I riding the crocodile like a horse and stabbing +furiously, while close by was Bes rolling his yellow eyes but +helpless, for he had no weapon. Still the devil was not dead although +blood streamed from him, only mad with pain and rage. Nor could the +shouting Ethiopians help me since they had only bows and dared not +shoot lest their shafts should pierce me. The crocodile began to sink +again, snapping furiously at my legs. Then I bethought me of a trick I +had seen practised by natives on the Nile. + +Waiting till its huge jaws were open I thrust my arm between them, +grasping the short sword in such fashion that the hilt rested on its +tongue and the point against the roof of its mouth. It tried to close +its jaws and lo! the good iron was fixed between them, holding them +wide open. Then I withdrew my hand and floated upwards with nothing +worse than a cut upon the wrist from one of its sharp fangs. I +appeared upon the surface and after me the crocodile spouting blood +and wallowing in its death agonies. I remembered no more till I found +myself lying on the bank surrounded by a multitude with Bes standing +over me. Also in the shallow water was the crocodile dead, my sword +still fixed between its jaws. + +"Are you harmed, Master" cried Bes in a voice of agony. + +"Very little I think," I answered, sitting up with the blood pouring +from my arm. + +Bes thrust aside Karema who had come lightly clothed from her tent, +saying, + +"All is well, Wife. I will bring you the lilies presently." + +Then he flung his arms about me, kissed my hands and my brow and +turning to the crowd, shouted, + +"Last night you were disputing as to whether this Egyptian lord should +be allowed to dwell with me in the land of Ethiopia. Which of you +disputes it now?" + +"No one!" they answered with a roar. "He is not a man but a god. No +man could have done such a deed." + +"So it seems," answered Bes quietly. "At least none of you even tried +to do it. Yet he is not a god but only that kind of man who is called +a hero. Also he is my brother, and while I reign in Ethiopia either he +shall reign at my side, or I go away with him." + +"It shall be so, Karoon!" they shouted with one voice. And after this +I was carried back to the tent. + +In front of it my mother waited and kissed me proudly before them all, +whereat they shouted again. + + + +So ended this adventure of the crocodile, except that presently Bes +went back and recovered the two lilies for Karema, this time from a +boat, which caused the Ethiopians to call out that he must love her +very much, though not as much as he did me. + +That afternoon, borne in litters, we set out for the City of the +Grasshopper, which we reached on the fourth day. As we drew near the +place regiments of men to the number of twelve thousand or more, came +out to meet us, so that at last we arrived escorted by an army who +sang their songs of triumph and played upon their musical instruments +until my head ached with the noise. + +This city was a great place whereof the houses were built of mud and +thatched with reeds. It stood upon a wide plain and in its centre rose +a natural, rocky hill upon the crest of which, fashioned of blocks of +gleaming marble and roofed with a metal that shone as gold, was the +temple of the Grasshopper, a columned building very like to those of +Egypt. Round it also were other public buildings, among them the +palace of the Karoon, the whole being surrounded by triple marble +walls as a protection from attack by foes. Never had I seen anything +so beautiful as that hill with its edifices of shining white roofed +with gold or copper and gleaming in the sun. + +Descending from my litter I walked to those of my mother and Karema, +for Bes in his majesty might not be approached, and said as much to +them. + +"Yes, Son," answered my mother, "it is worth while to have travelled +so far to see such a sight. I shall have a fine sepulchre, Son." + +"I have seen it all before," broke in Karema. + +"When?" I asked. + +"I do not know. I suppose it must have been when I was the Cup of the +holy Tanofir. At least it is familiar to me. Already I weary of it, +for who can care for a land or a city where they think white people +hideous and scarcely allow a wife to go near her husband, save between +midnight and dawn when they cease from their horrible music?" + +"It will be your part to change these customs, Karema." + +"Yes," she exclaimed, "certainly that will be my part," after which I +went back to my litter. + + + + CHAPTER XV + + THE SUMMONS + +Now at the gates of the City of the Grasshopper we were royally +received. The priests came out to meet us, pushing a colossal image of +their god before them on a kind of flat chariot, and I remember +wondering what would be the value of that huge golden locust, if it +were melted down. Also the Council came, very ancient men all of them, +since the Ethiopians for the most part lived more than a hundred +years. Perhaps that is why they were so glad to welcome Bes since they +were too old to care about retaining power in their own hands as they +had done during his long absence. For save Bes there was no other man +living of the true royal blood who could take the throne. + +Then there were thousands of women, broad-faced and smiling whose +black skins shone with scented oils, for they wore little except a +girdle about their waists and many ornaments of gold. Thus their +earrings were sometimes a palm in breadth and many of them had great +gold rings through their noses, such as in Egypt are put in those of +bulls. My mother laughed at them, but Karema said that she thought +them hideous and hateful. + +They were a strange people, these Ethiopians, like children, most of +them, being merry and kind and never thinking of one thing for more +than a minute. Thus one would see them weep and laugh almost in the +same breath. But among them was an upper class who had great learning +and much ancient knowledge. These men made their laws wherein there +was always sense under what seemed to be folly, designed the temples, +managed the mines of gold and other metals and followed the arts. They +were the real masters of the land, the rest were but slaves content to +live in plenty, for in that fertile soil want never came near them, +and to do as they were bid. + +Thus they passed from the cradle to the grave amidst song and flowers, +carrying out their light, allotted tasks, and for the rest, living as +they would and loving those they would, especially their children, of +whom they had many. By nature and tradition the men were warriors and +hunters, being skilled in the use of the bow and always at war when +they could find anyone to fight. Indeed when we came among them their +trouble was that they had no enemies left, and at once they implored +Bes to lead them out to battle since they were weary of herding kine +and tilling fields. + +All of these things I found out by degrees, also that they were a +great people who could send out an army of seventy thousand men and +yet leave enough behind them to defend their land. Of the world beyond +their borders the most of them knew little, but the learned men of +whom I have spoken, a great deal, since they travelled to Egypt and +elsewhere to study the customs of other countries. For the rest their +only god was the Grasshopper and like that insect they skipped and +chirruped through life and when the winter of death came sprang away +to another of which they knew nothing, leaving their young behind them +to bask in the sun of unborn summers. Such were the Ethiopians. + +Now of all the ceremonies of the reception of Bes and his re-crowning +as Karoon, I knew little, for the reason that the tooth of the +crocodile poisoned my blood and made me very ill, so that I remained +for a moon or more lying in a fine room in the palace where gold +seemed to be as plentiful as earthen pots are in Egypt, and all the +vessels were of crystal. Had it not been for the skill of the +Ethiopian leeches and above all for the nursing of my mother, I think +that I must have died. She it was who withstood them when they wished +to cut off my arm, and wisely, for it recovered and was as strong as +it had ever been. In the end I grew well again and from the platform +in front of the temple was presented to the people by Bes as his +saviour and the next greatest to him in the kingdom, nor shall I ever +forget the shoutings with which I was received. + +Karema also was presented as his wife, having passed the Ordeal of the +Matrons, but only, I think, because it was found that she was in the +way to give an heir to the throne. For to them her beauty was +ugliness, nor could they understand how it came about that their king, +who contrary to the general customs of the land, was only allowed one +wife lest the children should quarrel, could have chosen a lady who +was not black. So they received her in silence with many whisperings +which made Karema very angry. + +When in due course, however, the child came and proved to be a son +black as the best of them and of perfect shape, they relented towards +her and after the birth of a second, grew to love her. But she never +forgave and loved them not at all. Nor was she over-fond of these +children of hers because they were so black which, she said, showed +how poisonous was the blood of the Ethiopians. And indeed this is so, +for often I have noticed that if an Ethiopian weds with one of another +colour, their offspring is black down to the third or fourth +generation. Therefore Karema longed for Egypt notwithstanding the +splendour in which she dwelt. + +So greatly did she long that she had recourse to the magic lore which +she had learned from the holy Tanofir, and would sit for hours gazing +into water in a crystal bowl, or sometimes into a ball of crystal +without the water, trying to see visions therein that had to do with +what passed in Egypt. Moreover in time much of her gift returned to +her and she did see many things which she repeated to me, for she +would tell no one else of them, not even her husband. + +Thus she saw Amada kneeling in a shrine before the statue of Isis and +weeping: a picture that made me sad. Also she saw the holy Tanofir +brooding in the darkness of the Cave of the Bulls, and read in his +mind that he was thinking of us, though what he thought she could not +read. Again she saw Eastern messengers delivering letters to Pharaoh +and knew from his face that he was disturbed and that Egypt was +threatened with calamities. And so forth. + +Soon the news of her powers of divination spread abroad, so that all +the Ethiopians grew to fear her as a seeress and thenceforth, whatever +they may have thought, none of them dared to say that she was ugly. +Further, her gift was real, since if she told me of a certain thing +such as that messengers were approaching, in due course they would +arrive and make clear much that she had not been able to understand in +her visions. + +Now from the time that I grew strong again and as soon as Bes was +firmly seated on his throne, he and I set to work to train and drill +the army of the Ethiopians, which hitherto had been little more than a +mob of men carrying bows and swords. We divided it into phalanxes +after the Greek fashion, and armed these bodies with long lances, +swords, and large shields in the place of the small ones they had +carried before. Also we trained the archers, teaching them to advance +in open order and shoot from cover, and lastly chose the best soldiers +to be captains and generals. So it came about that at the end of the +two years that I spent in Ethiopia there was a force of sixty thousand +men or more whom I should not have been afraid to match against any +troops in the world, since they were of great strength and courage, +and, as I have said, by nature lovers of war. Also their bows being +longer and more powerful, they could shoot arrows farther than the +Easterns or the Egyptians. + +The Ethiopian lords wondered why their King and I did these things, +since they saw no enemy against which so great an army could be led to +battle. On that matter Bes and I kept our own counsel, telling them +only that it was good for the men to be trained to war, since, hearing +of their wealth, one day the King of kings might attempt to invade +their country. So month by month I laboured at this task, leading +armies into distant regions to accustom them to travelling far afield, +carrying with them what was necessary for their sustenance. + +So it went on until a sad thing happened, since on returning from one +of these forays in which I had punished a tribe that had murdered some +Ethiopian hunters and we had taken many thousands of their cattle, I +found my mother dying. She had been smitten by a fever which was +common at that season of the year, and being old and weak had no +strength to throw it off. + +As medicine did not help her, the priests of the Grasshopper prayed +day and night in their temple for her recovery. Yes, there they prayed +to a golden locust standing on an altar in a sanctuary that was +surrounded by crystal coffins wherein rested the flesh of former kings +of the land. To me the sight was pitiful, but Bes asked me what was +the difference between praying to a locust and praying to images with +the heads of beasts, or to a dwarf shaped as he was like we did in +Egypt, and I could not answer him. + +"The truth is, Brother," he said, for so he called me now, "that all +peoples in the world do not offer petitions to what they see and have +been taught to revere, but to something beyond of which to them it is +a sign. But why the Ethiopians should have chosen a grasshopper as a +symbol of God who is everywhere, is more than I can tell. Still they +have done so for thousands of years." + +When I came to my mother's bedside she was wandering and I saw that +she could not live long. In a little while, however, her mind cleared +so that she knew me and tears of joy ran down her pale cheeks because +I had returned before she died. She reminded me that she had always +said that she would find a grave in Ethiopia, and asked to be buried +and not kept above ground in crystal, as was the custom there. Then +she said that she had been dreaming of my father and of me; also that +she did not think that I need fret myself overmuch about Amada, since +she was sure that before long I should kiss her on the lips. + +I asked if she meant that I should marry her and that we should be +happy and fortunate. She replied that she supposed that I should marry +her, but of the rest would say nothing. Indeed her face grew troubled, +as though some thought hurt her, and leaving the matter of Amada she +bade Karema bring me the rose-hued pearls, blessed me, prayed for our +reunion in the halls of Osiris, and straightway died. + +So I caused her to be embalmed after the Egyptian fashion and enclosed +in a coffin of crystal with a scarab on her heart that Karema had +discovered somewhere in the city, for always she was searching for +things that reminded her of Egypt, whereof many were to be found +brought from time to time by travellers or strangers. Then with such +ceremony as we could without the services of the priests of Osiris, +Karema and I buried her in a tomb that Bes had caused to be made near +to the steps of the temple of the Grasshopper, while Bes and his +nobles watched from a distance. + +And so farewell to my beloved mother, the lady Tiu. + + + +After she was gone I grew very sad and lonely. While she lived I had a +home, but now I was an exile, a stranger in a strange land with no one +of my own people to talk to except Karema, with whom, as there were +gossips even in Ethiopia, I thought it well not to talk too much. +There was Bes it was true, but now he was a great king and the time of +kings is not their own. Moreover Bes was Bes and an Ethiopian and I +was I and an Egyptian, and therefore notwithstanding our love and +brotherhood, we could never be like men of the same blood and country. + +I grew weary of Ethiopia with its useless gold and damp eternal green +and heat, and longed for the sand and the keen desert air. Bes noted +it and offered me wives, but I shrank from these black women however +buxom and kindly, and wished for no offspring of their race whom +afterwards I could never leave. To Egypt I had sworn not to return +unless one voice called me and it remained silent. What then was I to +do, being no longer content to discipline and command an army that I +might not lead into battle? + +At length I made up my mind. By nature I was a hunter as much as a +soldier; I would beg from Bes a band of brave men whom I knew, lovers +of adventure who sought new things, and with them strike down south, +following the path of the elephants to wherever the gods might lead +us. Doubtless in the end it would be to death, but what matter when +there is nothing for which one cares to live? + +While I was brooding over these plans Karema read my mind, perhaps +because it was her own, perhaps by help of her strange arts, which I +do not know. At least one day when I was sitting alone looking at the +city beneath from one of the palace window-places, she came to me +looking very beautiful and very mystic in the white robes she always +loved to wear, and said, + +"My lord Shabaka, you tire of this land of honey and sweetness and +soft airs and flowers and gold and crystal and black people who grin +and chatter and are not pleasant to be near, is it not so?" + +"Yes, Queen," I answered. + +"Do not call me queen, my lord Shabaka, for I weary of that name, as +we both do of the rest. Call me Karema the Arab, or Karema the Cup, +which you will, but by the name of Thoth, god of learning, do /not/ +call me queen." + +"Karema then," I said. "Well, how do you know that I tire of all this, +Karema?" + +"How could you do otherwise who are not a barbarian and who have Egypt +in your heart, and Egypt's fate and----" here she looked me straight +in the eye's, "Egypt's Lady. Besides, I measure you by myself." + +"You at least should be happy, Karema, who are great and rich and +beloved, and the wife of a King who is one of the best of men, and the +mother of children." + +"Yes, Shabaka, I should be but I am not, for who can live on +sweetmeats only, especially when they like what is sour? See now how +strangely we are made. When I was a girl, the daughter of an Arab +chief, well bred and well taught as it chanced, I tired of the hard +life of the desert and the narrow minds about me, I who longed for +wisdom and to know great men. Then I became the Cup of the holy +Tanofir and wisdom was all about me, strange wisdom from another +world, rough, sharp wisdom from Tanofir, and the quiet wisdom of the +dead among whom I dwelt. I wearied of that also, Shabaka. I was +beautiful and knew it and I longed to shine in a Court, to be admired +among men, to be envied of women, to rule. My husband came my way. He +was clever with a great heart. He was your friend and therefore I was +sure that he must be loyal and true. He was, or might be, a king, as I +knew, though he thought that I did not. I married him and the holy +Tanofir laughed but he did not say me nay, and I became a queen. And +now I wish sometimes that I were dead, or back holding the cup of the +holy Tanofir with the wisdom of the heavens flowing round me and the +soft darkness of the tombs about me. It seems that in this world we +never can be content, Shabaka." + +"No, Karema, we only think that we should be if things were otherwise +than they are. But how can I help you, Karema?" + +"Least of all by going away and leaving me alone," she answered with +the tears starting to her eyes. + +Looking at her, I began to think that the best thing I could do would +be to go away and at once, but as ever she read my thought, shook her +head and laughed. + +"No, no, I have put on my yoke and will carry it to the end. Have I +not two black children and a husband who is a hero, a wit and a +mountebank in one, and a throne and more gold and crystal than I ever +wish to see again even in a dream, and shall I not cling to these good +things? If you went I should only be a little more unhappy than +before, that is all. Not for my sake do I ask you to stay, but for +your own." + +"How for my own, Karema? I have done all that I can do here. I have +built the army afresh from cook-boys to generals. Bes needs me no +longer who has you, his children and his country, and I die of +weariness." + +"You can stop to make use of that army you have built afresh, +Shabaka." + +"Against whom? There are none to fight." + +"Against the Great King of the East. Listen. My gift of vision has +grown strong and clear of late. Only to-day I have seen a meeting +between Pharaoh, the holy Tanofir and the lady Amada. They were all +disturbed, I know not at what, and the end of it was that Amada wrote +in a roll and gave the writing to messengers, who I think even now are +speeding southward--to you, Shabaka. Nay, do not look doubtfully on +me, it is true." + +"Then you did well to tell me, Karema, for within a moon of this day I +should have been where perhaps no messengers would have found me. Now +I will wait and let it be your part to prepare the mind of Bes. Do you +think that he would give me an army to lead to Egypt, if there were +need?" + +She nodded and answered, + +"He would do so for three reasons. The first is because he loves you, +the second because he too wearies of Ethiopia and this rich, fat life +of peace, and the third, because I shall tell him that he must." + +"Then why trouble to speak of the other two?" I said laughing. + +So I stayed on in the City of the Grasshopper, and busied myself with +the questions of how to transport and feed a great army that must hold +the field for six months or a year; also with the setting of hundreds +of skilled men to the making of bows, arrows, swords and shields. Nor +did Bes say me no in these matters. Indeed he helped them forward by +issuing the orders as his own, wherein I saw the hand of Karema. + +Three months went by and I began to think that Karema's power had been +at fault, or that her vision was one that came from her lips and not +from her heart, to keep me in Ethiopia. But again she read my mind and +smiled. + +"Not so, Shabaka," she said. "Those messengers have come to trouble +and are detained by a petty tribe beyond our borders over some matter +of a woman. Ten days ago the frontier guards marched to set them +free." + +So again I waited and at length the messengers came, three of them +Egyptians and three men of Ethiopia who dwelt in Egypt to learn its +wisdom, reporting that as Karema had said, through the foolishness of +a servant they had been held prisoner by an Arab chief and thus +delayed. Then they delivered the writings which they had kept safe. +One was from Pharaoh to the Karoon of Ethiopia; one from the holy +Tanofir to Karema; and one from the lady Amada to myself. + +With a trembling hand I broke the silk and seals and read. It ran +thus: + + + "Shabaka, my Cousin, + + "You departed from Egypt saying that never would you return unless + I, Amada the priestess, called you, and I told you that I should + never call. You said, moreover, that if you came at my call you + would demand me in guerdon, and I told you that never would I give + myself to you who was doubly sworn to Isis. Yet now I call and now + I say that if you come and conquer and I yet live, then, if you + still will it, I am yours. Thus stands the case: The Great King + advances upon Egypt with an army countless as the sands, nor can + Egypt hope to battle against him unaided and alone. He comes to + make of her a slave, to kill her children, to burn her temples, to + sack her cities and to defile her gods with blasphemies. Moreover + he comes to seize me and to drag me away to shame in his House of + Women. + + "Therefore for the sake of the gods, for Egypt's sake and for my + own, I pray you come and save us. Moreover I still love you, + Shabaka, yes, more a thousand times, then ever I did, though + whether you still love me I know not. For that love's sake, + therefore, I am ready to break my vows to Isis and to dare her + vengeance, if she should desire to be avenged upon me who would + save her and her worship, praying that it may fall on my head and + not on yours. This will I do by the counsel of the holy Tanofir, + by command of Pharaoh, and with the consent of the high priests of + Egypt. + + "Now I, Amada, have written. Choose, Shabaka, beloved of my heart." + + +Such was the letter that caused my head to swim and set my soul on +fire. Still I said nothing, but thrust it into my robe and waited. +Presently Bes, who had been reading in his roll, looked up and spoke, +saying, + +"Are you minded to see arrows fly and swords shine in war, Brother? If +so, here is opportunity. Pharaoh writes to me above his own seal, +seeking an alliance between Egypt and Ethiopia. He says that the King +of kings invades him and that if he conquers Egypt he has sworn to +travel on and conquer Ethiopia also, since he learns that it is now +ruled by a certain dwarf who once stole his White Signet, and by a +certain Egyptian who once killed his Satrap, Idernes." + +"What says the Karoon?" I asked. + +Bes rolled his eyes and turning to Karema, asked, + +"What says the Karoon's wife?" + +Karema laid down the roll she had been studying and answered, + +"She says that she has received a command from her master the holy +Tanofir to wait upon him forthwith, for reasons that he will explain +when she arrives, or to brave his curse upon her, her children, her +country and her husband, and not only his but that of the spirits who +serve him." + +"The curse of the holy Tanofir is not a thing to mock at," said Bes, +"as I who revere him, know as well as any man." + +"No, Husband, and therefore I leave for Egypt as soon as may be. It +seems that my sister is dead, this year past, and the holy Tanofir has +no one to hold his cup." + +"And what shall I do?" asked Bes. + +"That is for you to say, Husband. But if you will, you can stay here +and guard our children, giving the command of your army to the lord +Shabaka." + +Now, for we were alone, Bes twisted himself about, rolling his eyes +and laughing as he used to do before he became Karoon of Ethiopia. + +"O-ho-ho! Wife," he said, "so you are to go to Egypt, leaving me to +play the nurse to babes, and my brother here is to command my armies, +leaving me to look after the old men and the women. Nay, I think +otherwise. I think that I shall come also, that is if my brother +wishes it. Did he not save my life and is it not his and with it all I +have? Oh! have done. Once more we will stand side by side in the +battle, Brother, and afterwards let Fate do as it will with us. Tell +me now, what is the tale of archers and of swordsmen with which we can +march against the Great King with whom, like you, I have a score to +settle?" + +"Seventy and five thousand," I answered. + +"Good! On the fifth day from now the army marches for Egypt." + + + + CHAPTER XVI + + TANOFIR FINDS HIS BROKEN CUP + +March we did, but on the fifteenth day, not the fifth, since there was +much to make ready. First the Council of the Ethiopians must be +consulted and through them the people. In the beginning there was +trouble over the matter, since many were against a distant war, and +this even after Bes had urged that it was better to attack than wait +to be attacked. For they answered, and justly, that here in Ethiopia +distance and the desert were their shields, since the King of kings, +however great his strength, would be weary and famished before he set +foot within their borders. + +In the end the knot was cut with a sword, for when the army came to +learn of the dispute, from the generals down to the common soldiers, +every man clamoured to be led to war, since, as I have said, these +Ethiopians were fighters all of them, and near at hand there were none +left with whom they could fight. So when the Council came to see that +they must choose between war abroad and revolt at home, they gave way, +bargaining only that the children of the Karoon should not leave the +land so that if aught befell him, there would be some of the true +blood left to succeed. + +Also the Grasshopper was consulted by the priests who found the omens +favourable. Indeed I was told that this great golden locust sat up +upon its hind legs upon the altar and waved its feelers in the air, +which only happened when wonderful fortune was about to bless the +land. The tale reminded me of the nodding of the statues of our own +gods in Egypt when a new Pharaoh was presented to them, and of that of +Isis when Amada put up her prayer to the divine Mother. To tell the +truth, I suspected Karema of having some hand in the business. +However, so it happened. + +At length we set forth, a mighty host, Bes commanding the swordsmen +and I, under him, the archers, of whom there were more than thirty +thousand men, and glad was I when all the farewells were said and we +were free of the weeping crowds of women. At first Bes and Karema were +somewhat sad at parting from their children, but in a little while +they grew gay again since the one longed for battle and the other for +the sands of Egypt. + +Now of our advance I need say little, except that it was slow, though +none dared to bar the road of so mighty an array. Since we must go on +foot, we were not able to cover more than five leagues a day, for even +after we reached the river boats could not be found for so many, +though Karema travelled in one with her ladies. Also cattle and corn +must always be sent forward for food. Still we crept on to Egypt +without sickness, accident, or revolt. + +When we drew near to its frontiers messengers met us from Pharaoh +bearing letters in answer to those which we had sent with the tidings +of our coming. These contained little but ill news. It seemed that the +Great King with a countless host had taken all the cities of the Delta +and, after a long siege, had captured Memphis and put it to the sack, +and that the army of Egypt, fighting desperately by land and upon the +Nile was being driven southwards towards Thebes. Pharaoh added that he +proposed to make his last stand at the strong city of Amada, since he +doubted whether the troops from Lower Egypt would not rather surrender +to the Easterns than retreat further up the Nile. He thanked and +blessed us for our promised aid and prayed that it might come in time +to save Egypt from slavery and himself from death. + +Also there was a letter for me from Amada in which she said, + + + "Oh! come quickly. Come quickly, beloved Shabaka, lest of me you + should find but bones for never will I fall living into the hands + of the Great King. We are sore pressed and although Amada has been + made very strong, it can stand but a little while against such a + countless multitude armed with all the engines of war." + + +For Karema, too, there were messages from the holy Tanofir of the same +meaning, saying that unless we appeared within a moon of their +receipt, all was lost. + +We read and took counsel. Then we pressed forward by double marches, +sending swift runners forward to bid Pharaoh and his army hold on to +the last spear and arrow. + +On the twenty-fifth day from the receipt of this news we came to the +great frontier city which we found in tumult for its citizens were mad +with fear. Here we rested one night and ate of the food that was +gathered there in plenty. Then leaving a small rear-guard of five +thousand men who were tired out, to hold the place, we pressed +onwards, for Amada was still four days' march away. On the morning of +the fourth day we were told that it was falling, or had fallen, and +when at length we came in sight of the place we saw that it was +beleaguered by an innumerable host of Easterns, while on the Nile was +a great fleet of Grecian and Cyprian mercenaries. Moreover, heralds +from the King of kings reached us, saying: + +"Surrender, Barbarians, or before the second day dawns you shall sleep +sound, every one of you." + +To these we answered that we would take counsel on the matter and that +perhaps on the morrow we would surrender, since when we had marched +from Ethiopia, we did not know how great was the King's strength, +having been deceived as to it by the letters of the Pharaoh. Meanwhile +that the King of kings would do well to let us alone, since we were +brave men and meant to die hard, and it would be better for him to +leave us to march back to Ethiopia, rather than lose an army in trying +to kill us. + +With these words which were spoken by Bes himself, the messengers +departed. One of them however, who seemed to be a great lord, called +in a loud voice to his companions, saying it was hard that nobles +should have to do the errands, not of a man but of an ape who would +look better hanging to a pole. Bes made no answer, only rolled his +yellow eyes and said when the lord was out of hearing, + +"Now by the Grasshopper and all the gods of Egypt I swear that in +payment for this insult I will choke the Nile with the army of the +Great King, and hang that knave to a pole from the prow of the royal +ship." Which last thing I hope he did. + + + +When the embassy had gone Bes gave orders that the whole army should +eat and lie down to sleep. + +"I am sure," said he, "that the Great King will not attack us at once, +since he will hope that we shall flee away during the night, having +seen his strength." + +So the Ethiopians filled themselves and then lay down to sleep, which +these people can do at any time, even if not tired as they were. But +while they rested Bes and I and Karema, with some of the generals +consulted together long and earnestly. For in truth we knew not what +to do. But a league away lay the town of Amada beset by hundreds of +thousands of the Easterns so that none could come in or out, and +within its walls were the remains of Pharaoh's army, not more than +twenty thousand men, all told, if what we heard were true. On the Nile +also was the great Grecian and Cyprian fleet, two hundred vessels and +more, though as we could see by the light of the setting sun the most +of these were made fast to the western bank where the Egyptians could +not come at them. + +For the rest our position was good, being on high desert beyond the +cultivated land which bordered the eastern bank. But in front of us, +separating us from the southern army of the King, stretched a swamp +hard to cross, so that we could not hope to make an attack by night as +there was no moon. Lastly, the main Eastern strength, to the number of +two hundred thousand or more, lay to the north beyond Amada. + +All these things we considered, talking low and earnestly there in the +tent, till it grew so dark that we could not see each other's faces +while behind us slumbered our army that now numbered some seventy +thousand men. + +"We are in a trap," said Bes at length. "If we await attack they will +weigh us down with numbers. If we flee they have camels and horses and +will overtake us; also ships of which we have none. If we attack it +must be without cover through swamp where we shall be bogged. + +"Meanwhile Pharaoh is perishing within yonder walls of Amada which the +engines batter down. By the Grasshopper! I know not what to do. It +seems that our journey is vain and that few of us will see Ethiopia +more; also that Egypt is sped." + +I made no answer, for here my generalship failed me and I had nothing +to say. The captains, too, were silent, only woman-like, Karema wept a +little, and I too went near to weeping who thought of Amada penned in +yonder temple like a lamb that awaits the butcher's knife. + +Suddenly, coming from the door of the tent which I thought was closed, +I heard a deep voice say, + +"I have ever noted that those of Ethiopian blood are melancholy after +sundown, though of Egyptians I had thought better things." + +Now about this voice there was something familiar to me, still I said +nothing, nor did the others, for to speak the truth, all of us were +frightened and thought that we must dream. For how could any thing +that breathed approach this tent through a triple line of sentries? So +we sat still, staring at the darkness, till presently in that darkness +appeared a glow of light, such as comes from the fire-flies of +Ethiopia. It grew and grew while we gasped with fear, till presently +it took shape, and the shape it took was that of the ancient withered +face, the sightless eyes, and the white beard of the holy Tanofir. +Yes, there not two feet from the ground seemed to float the head of +the holy Tanofir, limned in faint flame, which I suppose must have +been reflected on to it from the light of some camp-fire without. + +"O my beloved master!" cried Karema, and threw herself towards him. + +"O my beloved Cup!" answered Tanofir. "Glad am I to know you well and +unshattered." + +Then a torch was lit and lo! there before us, wrapped in his dark +cloak sat the holy Tanofir. + +"Whence come you, my Great-uncle?" I asked amazed. + +"From less far than you do, Nephew," he answered. "Namely out of Amada +yonder. Oh! ask me not how. It is easy if you are a blind old beggar +who knows the path. And by the way, if you have aught to eat I should +be glad of a bite and a sup, since in Amada food has been scarce for +this last month, and to-night there is little left." + +Karema sped from the tent and presently returned with bread and wine +of which Tanofir partook almost greedily. + +"This is the first strong drink that I have tasted for many a year," +he said as he drained the goblet; "but better a broken vow than broken +wits when one has much to plan and do. At least I hope the gods will +think so when I meet them presently. There--I am strong again. Now, +say, what is your force?" + +We told him. + +"Good. And what is your plan?" + +We shook our heads, having none. + +"Bes," he said sternly, "I think you grow dull since you became a king +--or perhaps it is marriage that makes you so. Why, in bygone years +schemes would have come so fast that they would have choked each other +between those thick lips of yours. And Shabaka, tell me, have you lost +all your generalship whereof once you had plenty, in the soft air of +Ethiopia? Or is it that even the shadow of marriage makes /you/ dull? +Well, I must turn to the woman, for that is always the lot of man. +Your plan, Karema, and quickly for there is no time to lose." + +Now the face of Karema grew fixed and her eyes dreamy as she spoke in +a slow, measured voice like one who knows not what she says. + +"My plan is to destroy the armies of the Great King and to relieve the +city of Amada." + +"A very good plan," said holy Tanofir, "but the question is, how?" + +"I think," went on Karema, "that about a league above this place there +is a spot where at this season the Nile can be forded by tall men +without the wetting of their shoulders. First then, I would send five +thousand swordsmen across that ford and let them creep down on the +navy of the Great King where the sailors revel in safety, or sleep +sound, and fire the ships. The wind blows strongly from the south and +the flames will leap fast from one of them to the other. Most of their +crews will be burned and the rest can be slain by our five thousand." + +"Good, very good," said the holy Tanofir, "but not enough, seeing that +on the eastern bank is gathered the host of over two hundred thousand +men. Now how will you deal with /them/, Karema?" + +"I seem to see a road yonder beyond the swamp. It runs on the edge of +the desert but behind the sand-hills. I would send the archers of whom +there are more than thirty thousand, under the command of Shabaka +along that road which leads them past Amada. On its farther side are +low hills strewn with rocks. Here I would let the archers take cover +and wait for the breaking of the dawn. Then beneath them they will see +the most of the Eastern host and with such bows as ours they can sweep +the plain from the hills almost to the Nile, and having a hundred +arrows to a man, should slaughter the Easterns by the ten thousand, +for when these turn to charge a shaft should pierce through two +together." + +"Good again," said Tanofir. "But what of the army of the Great King +which lies upon this side of Amada?" + +"I think that before the dawn, believing us so few, it will advance +and with the first light begin to thread the swamp, and therefore we +must keep five thousand archers to gall it as it comes. Still it will +win through, though with loss, and find us waiting for it here +shoulder to shoulder, rank upon rank with locked shields, against +which horse and foot shall break in vain, for who shall drive a wedge +through the Ethiopian squares that Shabaka has trained and that Bes, +the Karoon, commands? I say that they shall roll back like waves from +a cliff; yes, again and again, growing ever fewer till the clamour of +battle and the shouts of fear and agony reach their ears from beyond +Amada where Shabaka and the archers do their work and the sight of the +burning ships strikes terror in them and they fly." + +"Good again," said the holy Tanofir. "But still many on both fronts +will be left, for this army of Easterns is very vast. And how will you +deal with these, O Karema?" + +"On these I would have Pharaoh with all his remaining strength pour +from the northern and the southern gates of Amada, for so shall they +be caught like wounded lions between two wild bulls and torn and +trampled and utterly destroyed. Only I know not how to tell Pharaoh +what he must do, and when." + +"Good again," said the holy Tanofir, "very good. And as for the +telling of Pharaoh, well, I shall see him presently. It is strange, my +chipped Cup which I had almost thrown away as useless, that although +broken, you still hold so much wisdom. For know, wonderful though it +may seem, that just such plans as you have spoken have grown up in my +own mind, only I wished to learn if you thought them wise." + +Then he laughed a little and Karema stretched her arms as one does who +awakes from sleep, rubbed her eyes and asked if he would not eat more +food. + +In an instant Tanofir was speaking again in a quick, clear voice. + +"Bes, or King," he said, "doubtless you will do your wife's will. +Therefore let the host be aroused and stand to its arms. As it chances +I have four men without who can be trusted. Two of these will guide +the five thousand to the ford and across it; also down upon the ships. +The other two will guide Shabaka and the archers along the road which +Karema remembers so well; perhaps she trod it as a child. For my part +I return to Amada to make sure that Pharaoh does his share and at the +right time. For mark, unless all this is carried through to-night +Amada will fall to-morrow, a certain priestess will die, and you, Bes, +and your soldiers will never look on Ethiopia again. Is it agreed?" + +I nodded who did not wish to waste time in words, and Bes rolled his +eyes and answered, + +"When one can think of nothing, it is best to follow the counsel of +those who can think of something; also to hunt rather than to be +hunted. Especially is this so if that something comes from the holy +Tanofir or his broken Cup. Generals, you have heard. Rouse the host +and bid them stand to their arms company by company!" + +The generals leapt away into the darkness like arrows from a bow, and +presently we heard the noise of gathering men. + +"Where are these guides of yours, holy Tanofir?" asked Bes. + +Tanofir beckoned over his shoulder, and out of the gloom, one by one, +four men stole into the tent. They were strange, quiet men, but I can +say no more of them since their faces were veiled, nor as it chances, +did I ever see any of them after the battle, in which I suppose that +they were killed. Or perhaps they appeared after--well, never mind! + +"You have heard," said Tanofir, whereupon all four of them bowed their +mysterious veiled heads. + +"Now, my Brother," whispered Bes into my ear, "tell me, I pray you, +how did four men who were not in the tent, hear what was said in this +tent, and how did they come through the guards who have orders to kill +anyone who does not know the countersign, especially men whose faces +are wrapped in napkins?" + +"I do not know," I answered, whereon Bes groaned, only Karema smiled a +little as though to herself. + +"Then, having heard, obey," said the holy Tanofir, whereon the four +veiled ones bowed again. + +"Will you not give them their orders, O most Venerable?" inquired Bes +doubtfully. + +"I think it is needless," said Tanofir in a dry voice. "Why try to +teach those who know?" + +"Will you not offer them something to eat, since they also must be +hungry?" I asked of Karema. + +"Fool, be silent," she replied, looking on me with contempt. "Do the-- +friends--of Tanofir need to eat?" + +"I should have thought so after being beleaguered for a month in a +starving town. If the master wants to eat, why should not his men?" I +murmured. + +Then a thought struck me and I was silent. + +A general returned and reported that the orders had been executed and +that all the army was afoot. + +"Good," said Bes. "Then start forthwith with five thousand men, and +burn those ships, according to the plan laid down by the Queen Karema, +which you heard her speak but now," and he named certain regiments +that he should take with him, those of the general's own command, +adding: "Save some of the ships if you can, and afterwards cross the +Nile in them with your men, and join yourself either to my force or to +that of the lord Shabaka, according to what you see. May the +Grasshopper give you victory and wisdom." + +The general saluted and asked, + +"Who guides us to and across the ford of the great river?" + +Two of the veiled men stepped forward whereon the general muttered +into my ear, + +"I like not the look of them. I pray the Grasshopper they do not guide +us across the River of Death." + +"Have no fear, General," said the holy Tanofir from the other end of +the tent. "If you and your men play their parts as well as the guides +will play theirs, the ships are already burned together with their +companies. Only take fire with you." + +So that general departed with the two guides, looking somewhat +frightened, and soon was marching up Nile at the head of five thousand +swordsmen. + +Now Bes looked at me and said, + +"It seems that you had better be gone also, my Brother, with the +archers. Perchance the holy Tanofir will show you whither." + +"No, no," answered Tanofir, "my guides will show him. Look not so +doubtful, Shabaka. Did I fail you when you were in the grip of the +King of kings in the East, and only your own life and that of Bes were +at stake?" + +"I do not know," I answered. + +"You do not know, but I know, as I think do Bes and Karema, since the +one received the messages which the other sent. Well, if I did not +fail you then, shall I fail you now when Egypt is at stake? Follow +these guides I give you, and----" here he took hold of the quiver of +arrows that lay beside me on the ground, and as certainly as though he +could see it with his blind eyes, touched one of them, on the shaft of +which were two black and a white feather, "remember my words after you +have loosed this arrow from your great black bow and noted where it +strikes." + +Then I turned to Bes and asked, + +"Where do we meet again?" + +"I cannot say, Brother," he answered. "In Amada if that may be. If +not, at the Table of Osiris, or in the fields of the Grasshopper, or +in the blackness which swallows all, gods and men together." + +"Does Karema come with me or bide with you?" I asked again. + +"She does neither," interrupted Tanofir, "she accompanies me to Amada, +where I have need of her and she will be more safe. Oh! fear nothing, +for every hermit however poor, still carries his staff and his cup, +even if it be cracked." + +Then I shook Bes by the hand and went my way, wondering if I were +awake or dreaming, and the last thing I saw in that tent was the +beautiful face of Karema smiling at me. This I took to be a good omen, +since I knew that it was the heart of the holy Tanofir which smiled, +and that her eyes were but its mirror. + +Already my thirty thousand archers were marshalling, and having made +sure that there was ample store of arrows and that all their gourds +were filled with water, I set myself at their head while in front of +me walked the two veiled guides. I looked upon them doubtfully, since +it seemed dangerous to trust an army to unknown men who for aught I +knew, might lead us into the midst of our foes. Then I remembered that +they were vouched for by the holy Tanofir, my own great-uncle whom I +trusted above any man on earth, and took heart again. + +How had he come into our tent, I wondered, and how, blind as he was, +would he get back into Amada with Karema, if he took her? Well, who +could account for the goings or the comings of the holy Tanofir, who +was more of a spirit than a man? Perhaps it was not really he whom we +had seen, but what we Egyptians called his /Ka/ or Double which can +pass to and fro at will. Only do /Kas/ eat? Of this matter I knew only +that offerings of food and drink are made to them in tombs. So leaving +the holy Tanofir to guard himself, I turned my mind to our own +business, which was to surprise the army of the Great King. + +Skirting the swamp we came to rough and higher ground and though I +could see little in that darkness, I knew that we were walking up a +hill. Presently we crossed its crest and descending for three bowshots +or so, I felt that my feet were on a road. Now the guides turned to +the left and after them in a long line came my army of thirty thousand +archers. In utter silence we went since we had no beasts with us and +our sandalled feet made little noise; moreover orders had been passed +down the line that the man who made a sound should die. + +For two hours or more we marched thus, then bore to the left again and +climbed a slope, by which time I judged we must be well past the town +of Amada. Here suddenly the guides halted and we after them at +whispered words of command. One of them took me by the cloak, led me +forward a little way to the crest of the ridge, and pointed with his +white-sleeved arm. I looked and there beneath me, well within bowshot, +were thousands of the watchfires of the King's army, flaring, some of +them, in the strong wind. For a full league those fires burned and we +were opposite to the midmost of them. + +"See now, General Shabaka," said the guide, speaking for the first +time in a curious hissing whisper such as might come from a man who +had no lips, "beneath you sleeps the Eastern host, which being so +great, has not thought it needful to guard this ridge. Now marshal +your archers in a fourfold line in such fashion that at the first +break of dawn they can take cover behind the rocks and shoot, every +man of them without piercing his fellow. Do you bide here with the +centre where your standard can be seen by all to north and south. I +and my companion will lead your vanguard farther on to where the ridge +draws nearer to the Nile, so that with their arrows they can hold back +and slay any who strive to escape down stream. The rest is in your +hands, for we are guides, not generals. Summon your captains and issue +your commands." + +So we went back again and I called the officers together and told them +what they were to do, then despatched them to their regiments. + +Presently the vanguard of ten thousand men drew away and vanished, and +with them the white-robed guides on whom I never looked again. Then I +marshalled my centre as well as I could in the gloom, and bade them +lie down to rest and sleep if they were able; also, within thirty +minutes of the sunrise, to eat and drink a little of the food they +carried, to see that every bow was ready and that the arrows were +loosened in every quiver. This done, with a few whom I trusted to +serve me as messengers and guard, I crept up to the brow of the hill +or slope, and there we laid us down and watched. + + + + CHAPTER XVII + + THE BATTLE--AND AFTER + +Two hours went by and I knew by the stars that the dawn could not be +far away. My eyes were fixed upon the Nile and on the lights that hung +to the prows of the Great King's ships. Where were those who had been +sent to fire them, I wondered, for of them I saw nothing. Well, their +journey would be long as they must wade the river. Perhaps they had +not yet arrived, or perhaps they had miscarried. At least the fleet +seemed very quiet. None were alarmed there and no sentry challenged. + +At length it grew near to dawn and behind me I heard the gentle stir +of the Ethiopians arising and eating as they had been bidden, whereon +I too ate and drank a little, though never had I less wished for food. +The East brightened and far up the Nile of a sudden there appeared +what at first I took to be a meteor or a lantern waving in the wind +that now was blowing its strongest, as it does at this season of the +year just at the time of dawn. Yet that lantern seemed to travel fast +and lo! now I saw that it was fire running up the rigging of a ship. + +It leapt from rope to rope and from sail to sail till they blazed +fiercely, and in other ships also nearer to us, flame appeared that +grew to a great red sheet. Our men had not failed; the navy of the +King of kings was burning! Oh! how it burned fanned by the breath of +that strong wind. From vessel to vessel leapt the fire like a thing +alive, for all of them were drawn up on the bank with prows fastened +in such fashion that they could not readily be made loose. Some broke +away indeed, but they were aflame and only served to spread the fire +more quickly. Before the rim of the sun appeared for a league or more +there was nothing but blazing ships from which rose a hideous crying, +and still more and more took fire lower down the line. + +I had no time to watch for now I must be up and doing. The sky grew +grey, there was light enough to see though faintly. I cast my eyes +about me and perceived that no place in the world could have been +better for archery. In front the hill was steep for a hundred paces or +more and scattered over with thousands of large stones behind which +bowmen might take shelter. Then came a gentle slope of loose sand up +which attackers would find it hard to climb. Then the long flat plain +whereon the Easterns were camped, and beyond it, scarce two furlongs +away, the banks of Nile. + +Indeed the place was ill-chosen for so great an army, nor could it +have held them all, had not the camping ground been a full league in +length, and even so they were crowded. Out of the mist their tents +appeared, thousands of them, farther than my eye could reach, and +almost opposite to me, near to the banks of the river, was a great +pavilion of silk and gold that I guessed must shelter the majesty of +the King of kings. Indeed this was certain since now I saw that over +it floated his royal banner which I knew so well, I who had stolen the +little White Signet of signets from which it was taken. Truly the holy +Tanofir, or his Cup, Karema, or his messengers, or the spirits with +whom he dwelt, I know not which, had a general's eye and knew how to +plan an ambuscade. + +So, thought I to myself as I ran back to my army to meet the gathered +captains and set all things in order. It was soon done for they were +ready, as were the fierce Ethiopians fresh from their rest and food, +and stringing their bows, every one of them, or loosening the arrows +in their quivers. As I came they lifted their hands in salute, for +speak they dared not and I sent a whisper down their ranks, that this +day they must fight and conquer, or fall for the glory of Ethiopia and +their king. Then I gave my orders and before the sun rose and revealed +them they crept forward in a fourfold line and took shelter behind the +stones, lying there invisible on their bellies until the moment came. + +The red rim of Ra appeared glorious in the East, and I, from behind +the rocks that I had chosen, sat down and watched. Oh! truly Tanofir +or the gods of Egypt were ordering things aright for us. The huge camp +was awake now and aware of what was happening on the Nile. They could +not see well because of the tall reeds upon the river's rim and +therefore, without order or discipline, by the thousand and the ten +thousand, for their numbers were countless, some with arms and some +without, they ran to the slope of sand beneath our station and began +to climb it to have a better view of the burning ships. + +The sun leapt up swiftly as it does in Egypt. His glowing edge +appeared over the crest of the hill though the hollows beneath were +still filled with shadow. The moment was at hand. I waited till I had +counted ten, glancing to the right and left of me to see that all were +ready and to suffer the crowd to thicken on the slope, but not to +reach the lowest rocks, whither they were climbing. Then I gave the +double signal that had been agreed. + +Behind me the banner of the golden Grasshopper was raised upon a tall +pole and broke upon the breeze. That was the first signal whereat +every man rose to his knees and set shaft on string. Next I lifted my +bow, the black bow, the ancient bow that few save I could bend, and +drew it to my ear. + +Far away, out of arrow-reach as most would have said, floated the +Great King's standard over his pavilion. At this I aimed, making +allowance for the wind, and shot. The shaft leapt forward, seen in the +sunlight, lost in the shadow, seen in the sunlight again and lastly +seen once more, pinning that golden standard against its pole! + +At the sight of the omen a roar went up that rolled to right and left +of us, a roar from thirty thousand throats. Now it was lost in a sound +like to the hissing of thunder rain in Ethiopia, the sound of thirty +thousand arrows rushing through the wind. Oh! they were well aimed, +those arrows for I had not taught the Ethiopians archery in vain. + +How many went down before them? The gods of Egypt know alone. I do +not. All I know is that the long slope of sand which had been crowded +with standing men, was now thick with fallen men, many of whom lay as +though they were asleep. For what mail could resist the iron-pointed +shafts driven by the strong bows of the Ethiopians? + +And this was but a beginning, for, flight after flight, those arrows +sped till the air grew dark with them. Soon there were no more to +shoot at on the slope, for these were down, and the order went to lift +the bows and draw upon the camp, and especially upon the parks of +baggage beasts. Presently these were down also, or rushing maddened to +and fro. + +At last the Eastern generals saw and understood. Orders were shouted +and in a mad confusion the scores of thousands who were unharmed, +rushed back towards the banks of Nile where our shafts could not reach +them. Here they formed up in their companies and took counsel. It was +soon ended, for all the vast mass of them, preceded by a cloud of +archers, began to advance upon the hill. + +Now I passed a command to the Ethiopians, of whom so far not one had +fallen, to lie low and wait. On came the glittering multitude of +Easterns, gay with purple and gold, their mail and swords shining in +the risen sun. On they came by squadron and by company, more than the +eye could number. They reached the sand slope thick with their own +dead and wounded and paused a little because they could see no man, +since the black bodies of the Ethiopians were hid behind the black +stones and the black bows did not catch the light. + +Then from a gorgeous group that I guessed hid the person of the Great +King surrounded by his regiment of guards, ten thousand of them who +were called Immortals, messengers sprang forth screaming the order to +charge. The host began to climb the slippery sand slope but still I +held my hand till their endless lines were within fifty paces of us +and their arrows rattled harmlessly against our stones. Then I caused +the banner of the Grasshopper that had been lowered, to be lifted +thrice, and at the third lifting once more thirty thousand arrows +rushed forth to kill. + +They went down, they went down in lines and heaps, riddled through and +through. But still others came on for they fought under the eye of the +Great King, and to fly meant death with shame and torture. We could +not kill them all, they were too many. We could not kill the half of +them. Now their foremost were within ten paces of us and since we must +stand up to shoot, our men began to fall, also pierced with arrows. I +caused the blast of retreat to be sounded on the ivory horn and step +by step we drew back to the crest of the ridge, shooting as we went. +On the crest we re-formed rapidly in a double line standing as close +as we could together and my example was followed all down the ranks to +right and left. Then I bethought me of a plan that I had taught these +archers again and again in Ethiopia. + +With the flag I signalled a command to stop shooting and also passed +the word down the line, so that presently no more arrows flew. The +Easterns hesitated, wondering whether this were a trap, or if we +lacked shafts, and meanwhile I sent messengers with certain orders to +the vanguard, who sped away at speed behind the hill, running as they +never ran before. Presently I heard a voice below cry out, + +"The Great King commands that the barbarians be destroyed. Let the +barbarians be destroyed!" + +Now with a roar they came on like a flood. I waited till they were +within twenty paces of us, and shouted, "Shoot and fall!" + +The first line shot and oh! fearful was its work, for not a shaft +missed those crowded hosts and many pinned two together. My archers +shot and fell down, setting new arrows to the string as they fell, +whereon the second line also shot over them. Then up we sprang and +loosed again, and again fell down, whereon the second line once more +poured in its deadly hail. + +Now the Easterns stayed their advance, for their front ranks lay +prone, and those behind must climb over them if they could. Yes, +standing there in glittering groups they rocked and hesitated although +their officers struck them with swords and lances to drive them +forward. Once more our front rank rose and loosed, and once more we +dropped and let the shafts of the second speed over us. It was too +much, flesh and blood could not bear more of those arrows. Thousands +upon thousands were down and the rest began to flee in confusion. + +Then at my command the ivory horns sounded the charge. Every man slung +his bow upon his back and drew his short sword. + +"On to them!" I cried and leapt forward. + +Like a black torrent we rushed down the hill, leaping over the dead +and wounded. The retreat became a rout since before these ebon, great- +eyed warriors the soft Easterns did not care to stand. They fled +screaming, + +"These are devils! These are devils!" + +We were among them now, hacking and stabbing with the short swords +upon their heads and backs. There was no need to aim the blow, they +were so many. Like a huddled mob of cattle they turned and fled down +Nile. But my orders had reached the vanguard and these, hidden in the +growing crops on the narrow neck of swampy land between the hills and +the Nile, met them with arrows as they came, also raked them from the +steep cliff side. Their chariot wheels sank into the mud till the +horses were slain; their footmen were piled in heaps about them, till +soon there was a mighty wall of dead and dying. And our centre and +rearguard came up behind. Oh! we slew and slew, till before the sun +was an hour high over half the army of the Great King was no more. +Then we re-formed, having suffered but little loss, and drank of the +water of the Nile. + +"All is not done," I cried. + +For the Immortals still remained behind us, gathered in massed ranks +about their king. Also there were many thousands of others between +these and the walls of Amada, and to the south of the city yet a +second army, that with which Bes had been left to deal, with what +success I knew not. + +"Ethiopians," I shouted, "cease crying Victory, since the battle is +about to begin. Strike, and at once before the Easterns find their +heart again." + +So we advanced upon the Immortals, all of us, for now the vanguard had +joined our strength. + +In long lines we advanced over that blood-soaked plain, and as we came +the Great King loosed his remaining chariots against us. It availed +him nothing, since the horses could not face our arrows whereof, +thanks be to the gods! I had prepared so ample a store, carried in +bundles by lads. Scarce a chariot reached our lines, and those that +did were destroyed, leaving us unbroken. + +The chariots were done with and their drivers dead, but there still +frowned the squares of the Immortals. We shot at them till nearly all +our shafts were spent, and, galled to madness, they charged. We did +not wait for the points of those long spears, but ran in beneath them +striking with our short swords, and oh! grim and desperate was that +battle, since the Easterns were clad in mail and the Ethiopians had +but short jerkins of bull's hide. + +Fight as we would we were driven back. The fray turned against us and +we fell by hundreds. I bethought me of flight to the hills, since now +we were outnumbered and very weary. But behold! when all seemed lost a +great shouting rose from Amada and through her opened gates poured +forth all that remained of the army of Pharaoh, perhaps eighteen or +twenty thousand men. I saw, and my heart rose again. + +"Stand firm!" I cried. "Stand firm!" and lo! we stood. + +The Egyptians were on them now and in their midst I saw Pharaoh's +banner. By degrees the battle swayed towards the banks of Nile, we to +the north, the Egyptians to the south and the Easterns between us. +They were trying to turn our flank; yes, and would have done it, had +there not suddenly appeared upon the Nile a fleet of ships. At first I +thought that we were lost, for these ships were from Greece and +Cyprus, till I saw the banner of the Grasshopper wave from a prow, and +knew that they were manned by our five thousand who had gone out to +burn the fleet, and had saved these vessels. They beached and from +their crowded holds poured the five thousand, or those that were left +of them, and ranging themselves upon the bank, raised their war-shout +and attacked the ends of the Easterns' lines. + +Now we charged for the last time and the Egyptians charged from the +south. Ha-ha! the ranks of the Immortals were broken at length. We +were among them. I saw Pharaoh, his /uræus/ circlet on his helm. He +was wounded and sore beset. A tall Immortal rushed at him with a spear +and drove it home. + +Pharaoh fell. + +I leapt over him and killed that Eastern with a blow upon the neck, +but my sword shattered on his armour. The tide of battle rolled up and +swept us apart and I saw Pharaoh being carried away. Look! yonder was +the Great King himself standing in a golden chariot, the Great King in +all his glory whom last I had seen far away in the East. He knew me +and shot at me with a bow, the bow he thought my own, shouting, "Die, +dog of an Egyptian!" + +His arrow pierced my helm but missed my head. I strove to come at him +but could not. + +The real rout began. The Immortals were broken like an earthen jar. +They retreated in groups fighting desperately and of these the +thickest was around the Great King. He whom I hated was about to +escape me. He still had horses; he would fly down Nile, gain his +reserves and so away back to the East, where he would gather new and +yet larger armies, since men in millions were at his command. Then he +would return and destroy Egypt when perchance there were no Ethiopians +to help her, and perhaps after all drag Amada to his House of Women. +See, they were breaking through and already I was far away with a +wound in my breast, a hurt leg and a shattered sword. + +What could I do? My arrows were spent and the bearers had none left to +give me. No, there was one still in the quiver. I drew it out. On its +shaft were two black feathers and one white. Who had spoken of that +arrow? I remembered, Tanofir. I was to think of certain things that he +had said when I noted what it pierced. I unslung my bow, strung it and +set that arrow on the string. + +By now the Great King was far away, out of reach for most archers. His +chariot forging ahead amidst the remnant of his guards and the nobles +who attended on his sacred person, travelled over a little rise where +doubtless once there had been a village, long since rotted down to its +parent clay. The sunlight glinted on his shining armour and silken +robe, whereof the back was toward me. + +I aimed, I drew, I loosed! Swift and far the shaft sped forward. By +Osiris! it struck him full between the shoulders, and lo! the King of +kings, the Monarch of the World, lurched forward, fell on to the rail +of his chariot, and rolled to the ground. Next instant there arose a +roar of, "The King is dead! The Great King is dead! /Fly, fly, fly!/" + +So they fled and after them thundered the pursuers slaying and slaying +till they could lift their arms no more. Oh! yes, some escaped though +the men of Thebes and country folk murdered many of them and but a few +ever won back to the East to tell the tale of the blotting out of the +mighty army of the King of kings and of the doom dealt to him by the +great black bow of Shabaka the Egyptian. + +I stood there gasping, when suddenly I heard a voice at my side. It +said, + +"You seem to have done very well, Brother, even better than we did +yonder on the other side of the town, though some might think that +fray a thing whereof to make a song. Also that last shot of yours was +worthy of a good archer, for I marked it, I marked it. A great lord +was laid low thereby. Let us go and see who it was." + +I threw my arm round the bull neck of Bes and leaning on him, advanced +to where the King lay alone save for the fallen about him. + +"This man is not yet sped," said Bes. "Let us look upon his face," and +he turned him over, and stretched him there upon the sand with the +arrow standing two spans beyond his corselet. + +"Why," said Bes, "this is a certain High one with whom we had dealings +in the East!" and he laughed thickly. + +Then the Great King opened his eyes and knew us and on his dying +features came a look of hate. + +"So you have conquered, Egyptian," he said. "Oh! if only I had you +again in the East, whence in my folly I let you go----" + +"You would set me in your boat, would you not, whence by the wisdom of +Bes I escaped." + +"More than that," he gasped. + +"I shall not serve you so," I went on. "I shall leave you to die as a +warrior should upon a fair fought field. But learn, tyrant and +murderer, that the shaft which overthrew you came from the black bow +you coveted and thought you had received, and that this hand loosed it +--not at hazard." + +"I guessed it," he whispered. + +"Know, too, King, that the lady Amada whom you also coveted, waits to +be my wife; that your mighty army is destroyed, and that Egypt is free +by the hands of Shabaka the Egyptian and Bes the dwarf." + +"Shabaka the Egyptian," he muttered, "whom I held and let go because +of a dream and for policy. So, Shabaka, you will wed Amada whom I +desired because I could not take her, and doubtless you will rule in +Egypt, for Pharaoh, I think, is as I am to-day. O Shabaka, you are +strong and a great warrior, but there is something stronger than you +in the world--that which men call Fate. Such success as yours offends +the gods. Look on me, Shabaka, look on the King of kings, the Ruler of +the earth, lying shamed in the dust before you, and, accursed Shabaka! +do not call yourself happy until you see death as near as I do now." + +Then he threw his arms wide and died. + + + +We called to soldiers to bear his body and having set the pursuit, +with that royal clay entered into Amada in triumph. It was not a very +great town and the temple was its finest building and thither we +wended. In the outer court we found Pharaoh lying at the point of +death, for from many wounds his life drained out with his flowing +blood, nor could the leeches help him. + +"Greeting, Shabaka," he said, "you and the Ethiopians have saved +Egypt. My son is slain in the battle and I too am slain, and who +remains to rule her save you, you and Amada? Would that you had +married her at once, and never left my side. But she was foolish and +headstrong and I--was jealous of you, Shabaka. Forgive me, and +farewell." + +He spoke no more although he lived a little while. + +Karema came from the inner court. She greeted her husband, then turned +and said, + +"Lord Shabaka, one waits to welcome you." + +I rested myself upon her shoulder, for I could not walk alone. + +"What happened to the army of the Karoon?" I asked as we went slowly. + +"That happened, Lord, which the holy Tanofir foretold. The Easterns +attacked across the swamp, thinking to bear us down by numbers. But +the paths were too narrow and their columns were bogged in the mud. +Still they struggled on against the arrows to its edge and there the +Ethiopians fell on them and being lighter-footed and without armour, +had the mastery of them, who were encumbered by their very multitude. +Oh! I saw it all from the temple top. Bes did well and I am proud of +him, as I am proud of you." + +"It is of the Ethiopians that you should be proud, Karema, since with +one to five they have won a great battle." + +We came to the end of the second court where was a sanctuary. + +"Enter," said Karema and fell back. + +I did so and though the cedar door was left a little ajar, at first +could see nothing because of the gloom of the place. By degrees my +eyes grew accustomed to the darkness and I perceived an alabaster +statue of the goddess Isis of the size of life, who held in her arms +an ivory child, also lifesize. Then I heard a sigh and, looking down, +saw a woman clad in white kneeling at the feet of the statue, lost in +prayer. Suddenly she rose and turned and the ray of light from the +door ajar fell upon her. It was Amada draped only in the transparent +robe of a priestess, and oh! she was beautiful beyond imagining, so +beautiful that my heart stood still. + +She saw me in my battered mail and the blood flowed up to her breast +and brow and in her eyes there came a light such as I had never known +in them before, the light that is lit only by the torch of woman's +love. Yes, no longer were hers the eyes of a priestess; they were the +eyes of a woman who burns with mortal passion. + +"Amada," I whispered, "Amada found at last." + +"Shabaka," she whispered back, "returned at last, to me, your home," +and she stretched out her arms toward me. + +But before I could take her into mine, she uttered a little cry and +shrank away. + +"Oh! not here," she said, "not here in the presence of this Holy One +who watches all that passes in heaven and earth." + +"Then perchance, Amada, she has watched the freeing of Egypt on yonder +field to-day, and knows for whose sake it was done." + +"Hearken, Shabaka. I am your guerdon. Moreover as a woman I am yours. +There is naught I desire so much as to feel your kiss upon me. For it +and it alone I am ready to risk my spirit's death and torment. But for +you I fear. Twice have I sworn myself to this goddess and she is very +jealous of those who rob her of her votaries. I fear that her curse +will fall not only on me, but on you also, and not only for this life +but for all lives that may be given to us. For your own sake, I pray +you leave me. I hear that Pharaoh my uncle is dead or dying, and +doubtless they will offer you the throne. Take it, Shabaka, for in it +I ask no share. Take it and leave me to serve the goddess till my +death." + +"I too serve a goddess," I answered hoarsely, "and she is named Love, +and you are her priestess. Little I care for Isis who serve the +goddess Love. Come, kiss me here and now, ere perchance I die. Kiss me +who have waited long enough, and so let us be wed." + +One moment she paused, swaying in the wind of passion, like a tall +reed on the banks of Nile, and then, ah! then she sank upon my breast +and pressed her lips against my own. + + + + AND AFTER + +For a few moments I, Shabaka, seemed to be lost in a kind of delirium +and surrounded by a rose-hued mist. Then I, Allan Quatermain, heard a +sharp quick sound as of a clock striking, and looked up. It was a +lock, a beautiful old clock on a mantelpiece opposite to me and the +hands showed that it had just struck the hour of ten. + +Now I remembered that centuries ago, as I was dropping asleep, I did +not know why, I had seen that clock and those hands in the same +position and known that it was striking the second stroke of ten. Oh! +what did it all mean? Had thousands of years gone by or--only eight +seconds? + +There was a weight upon my shoulder. I glanced round to see what it +was and discovered the beautiful head of Lady Ragnall who was sweetly +sleeping there. Lady Ragnall! and in that very strange dream which I +had dreamed she was the priestess called Amada. Look, there was the +mark of the new moon above her breast. And not a second ago I had been +in a shrine with Amada dressed as Lady Ragnall was to-night, in +circumstances so intimate that it made me blush to think of them. Lady +Ragnall! Amada!--Amada! Lady Ragnall! A shrine! A boudoir! Oh! I must +be going mad! + +I could not disturb her, it would have been--well, unseemly. So I, +Shabaka, or Allan Quatermain, just sat still feeling curiously +comfortable, and tried to piece things together, when suddenly Amada-- +I mean Lady Ragnall woke. + +"I wonder," she said without lifting her head from my shoulder, "what +happened to the holy Tanofir. I think that I heard him outside the +shine giving directions for the digging of Pharaoh's grave at that +spot, and saying that he must do so at once as his time was very +short. Yes, and I wished that he would go away. Oh! my goodness!" she +exclaimed, and suddenly sprang up. + +I too rose and we stood facing each other. + +Between us, in front of the fire stood the tripod and the bowl of +black stone at the bottom of which lay a pinch of white ashes, the +remains of the /Taduki/. We stared at it and at each other. + +"Oh! where have we been, Shaba--I mean, Mr. Quatermain?" she gasped, +looking at me round-eyed. + +"I don't know," I answered confusedly. "To the East I suppose. That is +--it was all a dream." + +"A dream!" she said. "What nonsense! Tell me, were you or were you not +in a sanctuary just now with me before the statue of Isis, the same +that fell on George two years ago and killed him, and did you or did +you not give me a necklace of wonderful rosy pearls which we put upon +the neck of the statue as a peace-offering because I had broken my +vows to the goddess--those that you won from the Great King?" + +"No," I answered triumphantly, "I did nothing of the sort. Is it +likely that I should have taken those priceless pearls into battle? I +gave them to Karema to keep after my mother returned them to me on her +death-bed; I remember it distinctly." + +"Yes, and Karema handed them to me again as your love-token when she +appeared in the city with the holy Tanofir, and what was more welcome +at the moment--something to eat. For we were near starving, you know. +Well, I threw them over your neck and my own in the shrine to be the +symbol of our eternal union. But afterwards we thought that it might +be wise to offer them to the goddess--to appease her, you know. Oh! +how dared we plight our mortal troth there in her very shrine and +presence, and I her twice-sworn servant? It was insult heaped on +sacrilege." + +"At a guess, because love is stronger than fear," I replied. "But it +seems that you dreamed a little longer than I did. So perhaps you can +tell me what happened afterwards. I only got as far as--well, I forget +how far I got," I added, for at that moment full memory returned and I +could not go on. + +She blushed to her eyes and grew disturbed. + +"It is all mixed up in my mind too," she exclaimed. "I can only +remember something rather absurd--and affectionate. You know what +strange things dreams are." + +"I thought you said it wasn't a dream." + +"Really I don't know what it was. But--your wound doesn't hurt you, +does it? You were bleeding a good deal. It stained me here," and she +touched her breast and looked down wonderingly at her sacred, ancient +robe as though she expected to see that it was red. + +"As there is no stain now it /must/ have been a dream. But my word! +that was a battle," I answered. + +"Yes, I watched it from the pylon top, and oh! it was glorious. Do you +remember the charge of the Ethiopians against the Immortals? Why of +course you must as you led it. And then the fall of Pharaoh Peroa--he +was George, you know. And the death of the Great King, killed by your +black bow; you were a wonderful shot even then, you see. And the +burning of the ships, how they blazed! And--a hundred other things." + +"Yes," I said, "it came off. The holy Tanofir was a good strategist-- +or his Cup was, I don't know which." + +"And you were a good general, and so for the matter of that was Bes. +Oh! what agonies I went through while the fight hung doubtful. My +heart was on fire, yes, I seemed to burn for----" and she stopped. + +"For whom?" I asked. + +"For Egypt of course, and when, reflected in the alabaster, I saw you +enter that shrine, where you remember I was praying for your success-- +and safety, I nearly died of joy. For you know I had been, well, +attached to you--to Shabaka, I mean--all the time--that's my part of +the story which I daresay you did not see. Although I seemed so cold +and wayward I could love, yes, in that life I knew how to love. And +Shabaka looked, oh! a hero with his rent mail and the glory of triumph +in his eyes. He was very handsome, too, in his way. But what nonsense +I am talking." + +"Yes, great nonsense. Still, I wish we were sure how it ended. It is a +pity that you forget, for I am crazed with curiosity. I suppose there +is no more /Taduki/, is there?" + +"Not a scrap," she answered firmly, "and if there were it would be +fatal to take it twice on the same day. We have learned all there is +to learn. Perhaps it is as well, though I should like to know what +happened after our--our marriage." + +"So we /were/ married, were we?" + +"I mean," she went on ignoring my remark, "whether you ruled long in +Egypt. For you, or rather Shabaka, did rule. Also whether the Easterns +returned and drove us out, or what. You see the Ivory Child went away +somehow, for we found it again in Kendah Land only a few years ago." + +"Perhaps we retired to Ethiopia," I suggested, "and the worship of the +Child continued in some part of that country after the Ethiopian +kingdom passed away." + +"Perhaps, only I don't think Karema would ever have gone back to +Ethiopia unless she was obliged. You remember how she hated the place. +No, not even to see those black children of hers. Well, as we can +never tell, it is no use speculating." + +"I thought there /was/ more /Taduki/," I remarked sadly. "I am sure I +saw some in the coffer." + +"Not one bit," she answered still more firmly than before, and, +stretching out her hand, she shut down the lid of the coffer before I +could look into it. "It may be best so, for as it stands the story had +a happy ending and I don't want to learn, oh! I don't want to learn +how the curse of Isis fell on you and me." + +"So you believe in that?" + +"Yes, I do," she answered with passion, "and what is more, I believe +it is working still, which perhaps is why we have all come down in the +world, you and I and George and Hans, yes, and even old Harût whom we +knew in Kendah Land, who, I think, was the holy Tanofir. For as surely +as I live I /know/ beyond possibility of doubt that whatever we may be +called to-day, you were the General Shabaka and I was the priestess +Amada, Royal Lady of Egypt, and between us and about us the curse of +Isis wavers like a sword. That is why George was killed and that is +why--but I feel very tired, I think I had better go to bed." + + + +As I recall that I have explained, I was obliged to leave Ragnall +Castle early the next morning to keep a shooting engagement. O +heavens! to keep a shooting engagement! + + + +But whatever Amada, I mean Lady Ragnall, said, there /was/ plenty more +/Taduki/, as I have good reason to know. + +Allan Quatermain. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Ancient Allan, by H. Rider Haggard + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ANCIENT ALLAN *** + +This file should be named 8nctl10.txt or 8nctl10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, 8nctl11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 8nctl10a.txt + +Etext prepared by Dagny, dagnypg@yahoo.com + and John Bickers, jbickers@ihug.co.nz + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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