CHAPTER V
THE PROPHECY
Whether or no the Prince Seti saw Userti again before the hour of hismarriage with her I cannot say, because he never told me. Indeed I wasnot present at the marriage, for the reason that I had been grantedleave to return to Memphis, there to settle my affairs and sell my houseon entering upon my appointment as private scribe to his Highness. Thusit came about that fourteen full days went by from that of the holdingof the Court of Betrothal before I found myself standing once more atthe gate of the Prince's palace, attended by a servant who led an asson which were laden all my manuscripts and certain possessions that haddescended to me from my ancestors with the title-deeds of their tombs.Different indeed was my reception on this my second coming. Even as Ireached the steps the old chamberlain Pambasa appeared, running downthem so fast that his white robes and beard streamed upon the air.
"Greeting, most learned scribe, most honourable Ana," he panted. "Gladindeed am I to see you, since very hour his Highness asks if you havereturned, and blames me because you have not come. Verily I believe thatif you had stayed upon the road another day I should have been sentto look for you, who have had sharp words said to me because I did notarrange that you should be accompanied by a guard, as though the VizierNehesi would have paid the costs of a guard without the direct orderof Pharaoh. O most excellent Ana, give me of the charm which you havedoubtless used to win the love of our royal master, and I will pay youwell for it who find it easier to earn his wrath."
"I will, Pambasa. Here it is--write better stories than I do instead oftelling them, and he will love you more than he does me. But say--howwent the marriage? I have heard upon the way that it was very splendid."
"Splendid! Oh! it was ten times more than splendid. It was as though thegod Osiris were once more wed to the goddess Isis in the very halls ofheaven. Indeed his Highness, the bridegroom, was dressed as a god, yes,he wore the robes and the holy ornaments of Amon. And the procession!And the feast that Pharaoh gave! I tell you that the Prince was soovercome with joy and all this weight of glory that, before it was over,looking at him I saw that his eyes were closed, being dazzled by thegleam of gold and jewels and the loveliness of his royal bride. He toldme that it was so himself, fearing perhaps lest I should have thoughtthat he was asleep. Then there were the presents, something to everyoneof us according to his degree. I got--well it matters not. And, learnedAna, I did not forget you. Knowing well that everything would be gonebefore you returned I spoke your name in the ear of his Highness,offering to keep your gift."
"Indeed, Pambasa, and what did he say?"
"He said that he was keeping it himself. When I stared wondering what itmight be, for I saw nothing on him, he added, 'It is here,' and touchedthe private signet guard that he has always worn, an ancient ring ofgold, but of no great value I should say, with 'Beloved of Thoth and ofthe King' cut upon it. It seems that he must take it off to make roomfor another and much finer ring which her Highness has given him."
Now, by this time, the ass having been unloaded by the slaves and ledaway, we had passed through the hall where many were idling as ever, andwere come to the private apartments of the palace.
"This way," said Pambasa. "The orders are that I am to take you tothe Prince wherever he may be, and just now he is seated in the greatapartment with her Highness, where they have been receiving homage anddeputations from distant cities. The last left about half an hour ago."
"First I will prepare myself, worthy Pambasa," I began.
"No, no, the orders are instant, I dare not disobey them. Enter," andwith a courtly flourish he drew a rich curtain.
"By Amon," exclaimed a weary voice which I knew as that of the Prince,"here come more councillors or priests. Prepare, my sister, prepare!"
"I pray you, Seti," answered another voice, that of Userti, "to learn tocall me by my right name, which is no longer sister. Nor, indeed, am Iyour full sister."
"I crave your pardon," said Seti. "Prepare, Royal Wife, prepare!"
By now the curtain was fully drawn and I stood, travel-stained, forlornand, to tell the truth, trembling a little, for I feared her Highness,in the doorway, hesitating to pass the threshold. Beyond was a splendidchamber full of light, in the centre of which upon a carven and goldenchair, one of two that were set there, sat her Highness magnificentlyapparelled, faultlessly beautiful and calm. She was engaged in studyinga painted roll, left no doubt by the last deputation, for others similarto it were laid neatly side by side upon a table.
The second chair was empty, for the Prince was walking restlessly up anddown the chamber, his ceremonial robe somewhat disarrayed and the uraeuscirclet of gold which he wore, tilted back upon his head, because of hishabit of running his fingers through his brown hair. As I still stood inthe dark shadow, for Pambasa had left me, and thus remained unseen, thetalk went on.
"I am prepared, Husband. Pardon me, it is you who look otherwise. Whywould you dismiss the scribes and the household before the ceremony wasended?"
"Because they wearied me," said Seti, "with their continual bowing andpraising and formalities."
"In which I saw nothing unusual. Now they must be recalled."
"Let whoever it is enter," he exclaimed.
Then I stepped forward into the light, prostrating myself.
"Why," he cried, "it is Ana returned from Memphis! Draw near, Ana, anda thousand welcomes to you. Do you know I thought that you were anotherhigh-priest, or governor of some Nome of which I had never heard."
"Ana! Who is Ana?" asked the Princess. "Oh! I remember that scribe----.Well, it is plain that he has returned from Memphis," and she eyed mydusty robe.
"Royal One," I murmured abashed, "do not blame me that I enter yourpresence thus. Pambasa led me here against my will by the direct orderof the Prince."
"Is it so? Say, Seti, does this man bring tidings of import from Memphisthat you needed his presence in such haste?"
"Yes, Userti, at least I think so. You have the writings safe, have younot, Ana?"
"Quite safe, your Highness," I answered, though I knew not of whatwritings he spoke, unless they were the manuscripts of my stories.
"Then, my Lord, I will leave you to talk of the tidings from Memphis andthese writings," said the Princess.
"Yes, yes. We must talk of them, Userti. Also of the journey to the landof Goshen on which Ana starts with me to-morrow."
"To-morrow! Why this morning you told me it was fixed for three dayshence."
"Did I, Sister--I mean Wife? If so, it was because I was not surewhether Ana, who is to be my chariot companion, would be back."
"A scribe your chariot companion! Surely it would be more fitting thatyour cousin Amenmeses----"
"To Set with Amenmeses!" he exclaimed. "You know well, Userti, that theman is hateful to me with his cunning yet empty talk."
"Indeed! I grieve to hear it, for when you hate you show it, andAmenmeses may be a bad enemy. Then if not our cousin Amenmeses who isnot hateful to me, there is Saptah."
"I thank you; I will not travel in a cage with a jackal."
"Jackal! I do not love Saptah, but one of the royal blood of Egypt ajackal! Then there is Nehesi the Vizier, or the General of the escortwhose name I forget."
"Do you think, Userti, that I wish to talk about state economies withthat old money-sack, or to listen to boastings of deeds he never did inwar from a half-bred Nubian butcher?"
"I do not know, Husband. Yet of what will you talk with this Ana? Ofpoems, I suppose, and silliness. Or will it be perchance of Merapi, Moonof Israel, whom I gather both of you think so beautiful. Well, have yourway. You tell me that I am not to accompany you upon this journey, Iyour new-made wife, and now I find that it is because you wish my placeto be filled by a writer of tales whom you picked up the other day--your'twin in Ra' forsooth! Fare you well, my Lord," and she rose from herseat, gathering up her robes with both hands.
Then Seti grew angry.
"Userti," he said, stamping upon the floor, "you shoul
d not use suchwords. You know well that I do not take you with me because there may bedanger yonder among the Hebrews. Moreover, it is not Pharaoh's wish."
She turned and answered with cold courtesy:
"Then I crave your pardon and thank you for your kind thought forthe safety of my person. I knew not this mission was so dangerous. Becareful, Seti, that the scribe Ana comes to no harm."
So saying she bowed and vanished through the curtains.
"Ana," said Seti, "tell me, for I never was quick at figures, how manyminutes is it from now till the fourth hour to-morrow morning when Ishall order my chariot to be ready? Also, do you know whether it ispossible to travel from Goshen across the marshes and to return bySyria? Or, failing that, to travel across the desert to Thebes and saildown the Nile in the spring?"
"Oh! my Prince, my Prince," I said, "I pray you to dismiss me. Let me goanywhere out of the reach of her Highness's tongue."
"It is strange how alike we think upon every matter, Ana, even of Merapiand the tongues of royal ladies. Hearken to my command. You are not togo. If it is a question of going, there are others who will go first.Moreover, you cannot go, but must stay and bear your burdens as I bearmine. Remember the broken cup, Ana."
"I remember, my Prince, but sooner would I be scourged with rods than bysuch words as those to which I must listen."
Yet that very night, when I had left the Prince, I was destined to hearmore pleasant words from this same changeful, or perchance politic,royal lady. She sent for me and I went, much afraid. I found her in asmall chamber alone, save for one old lady of honour who sat the end ofthe room and appeared to be deaf, which perhaps was why she was chosen.Userti bade me be seated before her very courteously, and spoke to methus, whether because of some talk she had held with the Prince or not,I do not know.
"Scribe Ana, I ask your pardon if, being vexed and wearied, I said toyou and of you to-day what I now wish I had left unsaid. I know wellthat you, being of the gentle blood of Egypt, will make no report ofwhat you heard outside these walls."
"May my tongue be cut out first," I answered.
"It seems, Scribe Ana, that my lord the Prince has taken a great love ofyou. How or why this came about so suddenly, you being a man, I do notunderstand, but I am sure that as it is so, it must be because thereis much in you to love, since never did I know the Prince to show deepregard for one who was not most honourable and worthy. Now things beingso, it is plain that you will become the favourite of his Highness, aman who does not change his mind in such matters, and that he willtell you all his secret thoughts, perhaps some that he hides from theCouncillors of State, or even from me. In short you will grow intoa power in the land and perhaps one day be the greatest in it--afterPharaoh--although you may still seem to be but a private scribe.
"I do not pretend to you that I should have wished this to be so, whowould rather that my husband had but one real councillor--myself. Yetseeing that it is so, I bow my head, hoping that it may be decreed forthe best. If ever any jealousy should overcome me in this matter andI should speak sharply to you, as I did to-day, I ask your pardon inadvance for that which has not happened, as I have asked it for thatwhich has happened. I pray of you, Scribe Ana, that you will do yourbest to influence the mind of the Prince for good, since he is easilyled by any whom he loves. I pray you also being quick and thoughtful,as I see you are, that you will make a study of statecraft, and ofthe policies of our royal House, coming to me, if it be needful, forinstruction therein, so that you may be able to guide the feet of thePrince aright, should he turn to you for counsel."
"All of this I will do, your Highness, if by any chance it lies in mypower, though who am I that I should hope to make a path for the feet ofkings? Moreover, I would add this, although he is so gentle-natured, Ithink that in the end the Prince is one who will always choose his ownpath."
"It may be so Ana. At the least I thank you. I pray you to be sure alsothat in me you will always have a friend and not an enemy, although attimes the quickness of my nature, which has never been controlled, maylead you to think otherwise. Now I will say one more thing that shallbe secret between us. I know that the Prince loves me as a friend andrelative rather than as a wife, and that he would not have sought thismarriage of himself, as is perhaps natural. I know, too, that otherwomen will come into his life, though these may be fewer than in thecase of most kings, because he is more hard to please. Of such I cannotcomplain, as this is according to the customs of our country. I fearonly one thing--namely that some woman, ceasing to be his toy, may takeSeti's heart and make him altogether hers. In this matter, Scribe Ana,as in others I ask your help, since I would be queen of Egypt in allways, not in name only."
"Your Highness, how can I say to the Prince--'So much shall you lovethis or that woman and no more?' Moreover, why do you fear that whichhas not and may never come about?"
"I do not know how you can say such a thing, Scribe, still I ask you tosay it if you can. As to why I fear, it is because I seem to feel thenear shadow of some woman lying cold upon me and building a wall ofblackness between his Highness and myself."
"It is but a dream, Princess."
"Mayhap. I hope so. Yet I think otherwise. Oh! Ana, cannot you, whostudy the hearts of men and women, understand my case? I have marriedwhere I can never hope to be loved as other women are, I who am a wife,yet not a wife. I read your thought; it is--why then did you marry?Since I have told you so much I will tell you that also. First, it isbecause the Prince is different to other men and in his own fashionabove them, yes, far above any with whom I could have wed as royalheiress of Egypt. Secondly, because being cut off from love, whatremains to me but ambition? At least I would be a great queen, as wasHatshepu in her day, and lift my country out of the many troubles inwhich it is sunk and write my name large upon the books of history,which I could only do by taking Pharaoh's heir to husband, as is myduty."
She brooded a while, then added, "Now I have shown you all my thought.Whether I have been wise to do so the gods know alone and time will tellme."
"Princess," I said, "I thank you for trusting me and I will help you ifI may. Yet I am troubled. I, a humble man if of good blood, who alittle while ago was but a scribe and a student, a dreamer who hadknown trouble also, have suddenly by chance, or some divine decree, beenlifted high in the favour of the heir of Egypt, and it would seem haveeven won your trust. Now I wonder how I shall bear myself in this newplace which in truth I never sought."
"I do not know, who find the present and its troubles enough to carry.But, doubtless, the decree of which you speak that set you there hasalso written down what will be the end of all. Meanwhile, I have a giftfor you. Say, Scribe, have you ever handled any weapon besides a pen?"
"Yes, your Highness, as a lad I was skilled in sword play. Moreover,though I do not love war and bloodshed, some years ago I fought in thegreat battle between the Ninebow Barbarians, when Pharaoh called uponthe young men of Memphis to do their part. With my own hands I slew twoin fair fight, though one nearly brought me to my end," and I pointedto a scar which showed red through my grey hair where a spear had bittendeep.
"It is well, or so I think, who love soldiers better than stainers ofpapyrus pith."
Then, going to a painted chest of reeds, she took from it a wonderfulshirt of mail fashioned of bronze rings, and a short sword also ofbronze, having a golden hilt of which the end was shaped to the likenessof the head of a lion, and with her own hands gave them to me, saying:
"These are spoils that my grandsire, the great Rameses, took in hisyouth from a prince of the Khitah, whom he smote with his own hands inSyria in that battle whereof your grandfather made the poem. Wear theshirt, which no spear will pierce, beneath your robe and gird the swordabout you when you go down yonder among the Israelites, whom I do nottrust. I have given a like coat to the Prince. Let it be your duty tosee that it is upon his sacred person day and night. Let it be yourduty also, if need arises, with this sword to defend him to the death.Farewell."
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p; "May all the gods reject me from the Fields of the Blessed if I fail inthis trust," I answered, and departed wondering, to seek sleep which, asit chanced, I was not to find for a while.
For as I went down the corridor, led by one of the ladies of thehousehold, whom should I find waiting at the end of it but old Pambasato inform me with many bows that the Prince needed my presence. I askedhow that could be seeing he had dismissed me for the night. He repliedthat he did not know, but he was commanded to conduct me to the privatechamber, the same room in which I had first seen his Highness. Thither Iwent and found him warming himself at the fire, for the night was cold.Looking up he bade Pambasa admit those who were waiting, then noting theshirt of mail and the sword I carried in my hand, said:
"You have been with the Princess, have you not, and she must have hadmuch to say to you for your talk was long? Well, I think I can guess itspurport who from a child have known her mind. She told you to watch mewell, body and heart and all that comes from the heart--oh! and muchelse. Also she gave you that Syrian gear to wear among the Hebrews asshe has given the like to me, being of a careful mind which foreseeseverything. Now, hearken, Ana; I grieve to keep you from your rest, whomust be weary both with talk and travel. But old Bakenkhonsu, whom youknow, waits without, and with him Ki the great magician, whom I thinkyou have not seen. He is a man of wonderful lore and in some ways notaltogether human. At least he does strange feats of magic, and at timesboth the past and the future seem to be open to his sight, though as weknow neither the one nor the other, who can tell whether he reads themtruly. Doubtless he has, or thinks he has, some message to me from theheavens, which I thought you might wish to hear."
"I wish it much, Prince, if I am worthy, and you will protect me fromthe anger of this magician whom I fear."
"Anger sometimes turns to trust, Ana. Did you not find it so just nowin the case of her Highness, as I told you might very well happen? Hush!They come. Be seated and prepare your tablets to make record of whatthey say."
The curtains were drawn and through them came the aged Bakenkhonsuleaning upon his staff, and with him another man, Ki himself, clad in awhite robe and having his head shaven, for he was an hereditary priestof Amon of Thebes and an initiate of Isis, Mother of Mysteries. Also hisoffice was that of Kherheb, or chief magician of Egypt. At first sightthere was nothing strange about this man. Indeed, he might well havebeen a middle-aged merchant by his looks; in body he was short andstout; in face fat and smiling. But in this jovial countenance were settwo very strange eyes, grey-hued rather than black. While the rest ofthe face seemed to smile these eyes looked straight into nothingness asdo those of a statue. Indeed they were like to the eyes or rather theeye-places of a stone statue, so deeply were they set into the head. Formy part I can only say I thought them awful, and by their look judgedthat whatever Ki might be he was no cheat.
This strange pair bowed to the Prince and seated themselves at a signfrom him, Bakenkhonsu upon a stool because he found it difficult torise, and Ki, who was younger, scribe fashion on the ground.
"What did I tell you, Bakenkhonsu?" said Ki in a full, rich voice,ending the words with a curious chuckle.
"You told me, Magician, that we should find the Prince in this chamberof which you described every detail to me as I see it now, althoughneither of us have entered it before. You said also that seated thereinon the ground would be the scribe Ana, whom I know but you do not,having in his hands waxen tablets and a stylus and by him a coat ofcurious mail and a lion-hilted sword."
"That is strange," interrupted the Prince, "but forgive me, Bakenkhonsusees these things. If you, O Ki, would tell us what is written uponAna's tablets which neither of you can see, it would be stranger still,that is if anything is written."
Ki smiled and stared upwards at the ceiling. Presently he said:
"The scribe Ana uses a shorthand of his own that is not easy todecipher. Yet I see written on the tablets the price he obtained forsome house in a city that is not named--it is so much. Also I see thesums he disbursed for himself, a servant, and the food of an ass at twoinns where he stopped upon a journey. They are so much and so much. Alsothere is a list of papyrus rolls and the words, 'blue cloak,' and thenan erasure."
"Is that right, Ana?" asked the Prince.
"Quite right," I answered with awe, "only the words 'blue cloak,' whichit is true I wrote upon the tablet, have also been erased."
Ki chuckled and turned his eyes from the ceiling to my face.
"Would your Highness wish me to tell you anything of what is writtenupon the tablets of this scribe's memory as well as upon those of waxwhich he holds in his hand? They are easier to decipher than the othersand I see on them many things of interest. For instance, secret wordsthat seem to have been said to him by some Great One within an hour,matters of high policy, I think. For instance, a certain saying, I thinkof your Highness's, as to shivering upon the edge of water on a coldday, which when entered produced heat, and the answer thereto. Forinstance, words that were spoken in this palace when an alabaster cupwas broke. By the way, Scribe, that was a very good place you chose inwhich to hide one half of the cup in the false bottom of a chest in yourchamber, a chest that is fastened with a cord and sealed with a scarabof the time of the second Rameses. I think that the other half of thecup is somewhat nearer at hand," and turning, he stared at the wallwhere I could see nothing save slabs of alabaster.
Now I sat open-mouthed, for how could this man know these things, andthe Prince laughed outright, saying:
"Ana, I begin to think you keep your counsel ill. At least I shouldthink so, were it not that you have had no time to tell what thePrincess yonder may have said to you, and can scarcely know the trick ofthe sliding panel in that wall which I have never shown to you."
Ki chuckled again and a smile grew on old Bakenkhonsu's broad andwrinkled face.
"O Prince," I began, "I swear to you that never has one word passed mylips of aught----"
"I know it, friend," broke in the Prince, "but it seems there are somewho do not wait for words but can read the Book of Thought. Therefore itis not well to meet them too often, since all have thoughts that shouldbe known only to them and God. Magician, what is your business with me?Speak on as though we were alone."
"This, Prince. You go upon a journey among the Hebrews, as all haveheard. Now, Bakenkhonsu and I, also two seers of my College, seeing thatwe all love you and that your welfare is much to Egypt, have separatelysought out the future as regards the issue of this journey. Althoughwhat we have learned differs in some matters, on others it is the same.Therefore we thought it our duty to tell you what we have learned."
"Say on, Kherheb."
"First, then, that your Highness's life will be in danger."
"Life is always in danger, Ki. Shall I lose it? If so, do not fear totell me."
"We do not know, but we think not, because of the rest that is revealedto us. We learn that it is not your body only that will be in danger.Upon this journey you will see a woman whom you will come to love. Thiswoman will, we think, bring you much sorrow and also much joy."
"Then perhaps the journey is worth making, Ki, since many travel farbefore they find aught they can love. Tell me, have I met this woman?"
"There we are troubled, Prince, for it would seem--unless we aredeceived--that you have met her often and often; that you have knownher for thousands of years, as you have known that man at your side forthousands of years."
Seti's face grew very interested.
"What do you mean, Magician?" he asked, eyeing him keenly. "How can Iwho am still young have known a woman and a man for thousands of years?"
Ki considered him with his strange eyes, and answered:
"You have many titles, Prince. Is not one of them 'Lord of Rebirths,'and if so, how did you get it and what does it mean?"
"It is. What it means I do not know, but it was given to me because ofsome dream that my mother had the night before I was born. Do _you_ tell_me_ what it means, since you seem to know s
o much."
"I cannot, Prince. The secret is not one that has been shown to me. Yetthere was an aged man, a magician like myself from whom I learned muchin my youth--Bakenkhonsu knew him well--who made a study of this matter.He told me he was sure, because it had been revealed to him, that mendo not live once only and then depart hence for ever. He said that theylive many times and in many shapes, though not always on this world, andthat between each life there is a wall of darkness."
"If so, of what use are lives which we do not remember after death hasshut the door of each of them?"
"The doors may open again at last, Prince, and show us all the chambersthrough which our feet have wandered from the beginning."
"Our religion teaches us, Ki, that after death we live eternallyelsewhere in our own bodies, which we find again on the day ofresurrection. Now eternity, having no end, can have no beginning; it isa circle. Therefore if the one be true, namely that we live on, it wouldseem that the other must be true, namely that we have always lived."
"That is well reasoned, Prince. In the early days, before the priestsfroze the thought of man into blocks of stone and built of them shrinesto a thousand gods, many held that this reasoning was true, as then theyheld that there was but one god."
"As do these Israelites whom I go to visit. What say you of their god,Ki?"
"That _he_ is the same as our gods, Prince. To men's eyes God has manyfaces, and each swears that the one he sees is the only true god. Yetthey are wrong, for all are true."
"Or perchance false, Ki, unless even falsehood is a part of truth. Well,you have told me of two dangers, one to my body and one to my heart. Hasany other been revealed to your wisdom?"
"Yes, Prince. The third is that this journey may in the end cost youyour throne."
"If I die certainly it will cost me my throne."
"No, Prince, if you live."
"Even so, Ki, I think that I could endure life seated more humbly thanon a throne, though whether her Highness could endure it is anothermatter. Then you say that if I go upon this journey another will bePharaoh in my place."
"We do not say that, Prince. It is true that our arts have shown usanother filling your place in a time of wizardry and wonders and of thedeath of thousands. Yet when we look again we see not that other but youonce more filling your own place."
Here I, Ana, bethought me of my vision in Pharaoh's hall.
"The matter is even worse than I thought, Ki, since having once leftthe crown behind me, I think that I should have no wish to wear it anymore," said Seti. "Who shows you all these things, and how?"
"Our _Kas_, which are our secret selves, show them to us, Prince, and inmany ways. Sometimes it is by dreams or visions, sometimes by pictureson water, sometimes by writings in the desert sand. In all thesefashions, and by others, our _Kas_, drawing from the infinite well ofwisdom that is hidden in the being of every man, give us glimpses of thetruth, as they give us who are instructed power to work marvels."
"Of the truth. Then these things you tell me are true?"
"We believe so, Prince."
"Then being true must happen. So what is the use of your warning meagainst what must happen? There cannot be two truths. What would youhave me do? Not go upon this journey? Why have you told me that I mustnot go, since if I did not go the truth would become a lie, which itcannot? You say it is fated that I should go and because I go such andsuch things will come about. And yet you tell me not to go, for that iswhat you mean. Oh! Kherheb Ki and Bakenkhonsu, doubtless you are greatmagicians and strong in wisdom, but there are greater than you who rulethe world, and there is a wisdom to which yours is but as a drop ofwater to the Nile. I thank you for your warnings, but to-morrow I godown to the land of Goshen to fulfil the commands of Pharaoh. If I comeback again we will talk more of these matters here upon the earth. If Ido not come back, perchance we will talk of them elsewhere. Farewell."