The ceremony proved very wearisome. First there was the long chariotride through the crowded, shouting streets, Pharaoh and Abi going in thefirst chariot, and Tua, attended by Abi's eldest daughter, a round-eyedlady much older than herself, in the second. Next came the office ofthe priests of Amen, over which Neter-Tua as daughter of Amen andhigh-priestess, must preside, to dedicate the temple to the glory of thegod. Then the foundation deposit of little vases of offerings and modelsof workmen's tools, and a ring drawn from Pharaoh's hand engraved withhis royal name, were blessed and set by the masons in hollows preparedfor them, and the two great corner-stones let down, hiding them forever, and declared respectively by Pharaoh and by Neter-Tua, MorningStar of Amen, Joint Sovereign of Egypt, to be well and truly laid.
Afterwards architects, those who "drew the line," exhibited plans of thetemple, and received gifts from Pharaoh, and when these things were donecame the mid-day feast and speeches.
At length all was over, and the great procession returned by anotherroute to the temple of Sekhet, where Pharaoh lodged, a very tediousjourney in the hot sun, since it involved a circuit of the endless wallsof Memphis, with stoppages before all the temples of the gods, at eachof which Pharaoh must make offerings. Nor, weary as he was, might herest, for in the outer court of the old shrine thrones had been set upand seated on them he and Tua must hear petitions till sunset and givejudgment, or postpone them for further consideration.
At last there came to an end, but, as Pharaoh, tired out, rose from histhrone, Abi, his brother, who all this time had not left them, said thathe also had a private petition to prefer. So they went into an innercourt that had been a sanctuary, and sat down again, there being presentbesides the scribes only Pharaoh, the Queen, some councillors, Mermes,captain of the guard, and certain women of the royal household,among them Asti, the Queen's nurse, and Merytra, Pharaoh's favouriteattendant. With Abi were his astrologer, Kaku, his two eldest sons, anda few of the great officers of his government, also the high-priests ofthe temples of Memphis, and three powerful chiefs of the Desert tribes.
"What is your prayer, my brother?" asked Pharaoh, as soon as the doorswere closed.
"A great one, your Majesties," answered the Prince, prostrating himself,"which for the good of Egypt, and for your own good, and for my good,who reverence you as a loyal subject, I pray that you will be pleased togrant." Then he drew himself up and said slowly, "I am here to ask thehand of the glorious Queen Neter-Tua, daughter of Amen, in marriage."
Now Pharaoh stared at him, while Tua, who knew well what was coming,turned her head aside, and asked a councillor who stood near, if in thehistory of the land any Queen of Egypt had ever married her uncle.
The councillor who was noted for his historical studies, answered thatat the moment he could recall no such case.
"Then," said Tua coolly, and still addressing him, "it seems that itwould be scarcely wise to create a precedent which other poor youngwomen of the royal race might be called upon to follow."
Pharaoh caught something of the words, though Abi did not for they werespoken in a low voice, and bethought him of a way out of his difficulty.
"The Queen Neter-Tua sits at my side, and is co-regent with me of thiskingdom, her mind is my mind, and what she approves it is probable Ishall approve. Prefer your request to her," he said.
So Abi turned to the Queen, and laying his hands upon his heart, bowed,ogled, and began:
"A burning love of your most excellent Majesty moves me----"
"I pray you, my Uncle," interrupted Tua, "correct your words, whichshould begin 'A burning love of your most excellent Majesty's throne andpower move me,' and so on."
Now Abi frowned while everyone else smiled, not excepting Pharaoh andthe astrologer, Kaku. Again he began his speech, but so confusedly thatpresently Tua stopped him for the second time, saying:
"I am not deaf, most noble prince, my Uncle. I heard the words you usedto Pharaoh, and even understood their import. In fact, I have alreadyconsulted our councillor here, a learned master of the law, as to thelegality of such an alliance as you propose, and he gives his judgmentagainst it."
Now Abi glared at the Councillor, a humble, dusty old man who spent allhis life among rolls and chronicles.
"May it please your Majesty," this lawyer exclaimed in a thin agitatedvoice, "I only said there was no record of such a marriage that I canremember, though once I think a queen adopted a nephew, who afterwardsbecame Pharaoh."
"It is the same thing, Friend," replied Tua sweetly, "for that of whichthere is no record in the long history of Egypt must of necessity beillegal. Still, if my uncle here wishes to adopt me, I thank him, thoughhis lawful heirs may not, and the matter is one that can be considered."
Now, guessing that he was being played with, Abi grew angry.
"I have put a plain question to your Majesty," he said, "and perhaps Iam worthy of a plain answer. As all men know, O Queen, it is time thatyou should be wed, and I offer myself as your husband. It is true that Iam somewhat older than you are----"
"In what year was the Prince Abi born, the same as yourself, did yousay?" asked Tua in an audible aside of the aged and learned Councillor,who thereon vanished behind the throne, and was seen no more.
"But," went on Abi, taking no notice of this interruption, "on the otherhand I have much to offer. I rule here, your Majesties, who am also ofthe royal blood, and there is some disaffection in the North, especiallyamong the great Bedouin tribes of the Desert who watch the frontier ofthe Kingdom. Now if this alliance comes about, and in days to be I situpon the double throne as King-Consort of Egypt, they will be loyal, andnorth and south will be united more closely than they ever were before.Whereas if it does not come about----" Here Kaku, pretending to brush afly from his face, caught his hand in Abi's robe, a signal at which hismaster paused.
"Go on, my Uncle, I pray you," said Tua. "If it does not come about,what then?"
"Then, Queen, there may be trouble. Nay, leave me alone, Magician, Iwill speak the truth, chance what may. Pharaoh, you have reigned formany years; yes, forty times has the Nile overflowed its banks since welaid our divine father in the tomb. Now, during all those years but onechild has been born to you, and that after I came to Thebes to pray youto name me as your heir. Know, Pharaoh, that there are many who findthis strange, and wonder whether this beautiful queen, who is calledDaughter of Amen, and resembles you so little in body or in mind, sitsrightfully on the throne of Egypt. If I marry her these questioningswill cease. If I do not marry her the whisperings of men may grow to awind that will blow the crown from off her head."
Now a grasp of fear and wonder rose from all who heard this bold andtreasonable speech, and Tua, reddening to the eyes, bent forward asthough to answer. But before ever a word had passed her lips Pharaohsprang from his seat transformed with rage. All his patient gentlenesswas gone, and he looked so fierce and royal that everyone present there,even Abi himself, quailed before him.
"Is it for this that I have borne with you for so long, my brother?" hecried, rending at his robes. "Is it for this that I spared you years agoin Thebes, when your life was forfeit for your treachery? Is it forthis that I have suffered you to rise to great honour, and to rule herealmost as a king in my city of Memphis? Was it not enough that I shouldsit quiet, while you, an old man, the son of our father's barbarianslave, the loose-living despot, dare to ask for the pure hand of Egypt'sQueen in marriage, you, her uncle, who might well be her grandfatheralso? Must I also hear your foul mouth beslime her royal birth, andthe honour of her divine mother, and spit sneers at Amen, Father of thegods? Well, Amen shall deal with you when you come to the doors of hisEternal House, but here on earth I am his son and servant. Mermes, callmy guards, and arrest this man and hold him safe. At Thebes, whither wedepart to-morrow, he shall be judged according to our law."
Now Mermes blew a shrill call on the silver whistle that hung about hisneck, and, springing forward, seized the Prince by the arm. Abi drew hissword to cut him down, and at th
e sight of the blade, all who werewith him rushed to the door to escape, sweeping before them certain ofPharaoh's ladies, among them the waiting-woman, Merytra. But before everthey could pass it, the guards who had heard the signal of Mermes, ranin with lifted spears, driving them back again. Leaping upon Abi, theytore the sword from his hand, and threw him to the ground, huddling therest together like frightened sheep.
"Bind this traitor and keep him safe, for to-morrow he accompanies us toThebes," said Pharaoh.
"What of his sons, and those with him, your Majesty?" asked the officerof the guard.
"Let them go," answered Pharaoh wearily, "for they have not sinnedagainst us. Let them go, and take warning from their master's fate."
Now, as it chanced in the confusion, Merytra had been pushed againstKaku.
"Hearken," whispered the astrologer into the woman's ear. "Do as I bidyou last night, and all will yet be well. Do it or die. Do you hear me?"
"I hear, and I will obey," answered Merytra in the same low voice.
Then they were separated, for the guards took Kaku by the arm and thrusthim out of the temple together with the sons of Abi.
An hour later Mermes and Asti stood before Pharaoh, and prayed him thathe would depart from Memphis that very night, saying that such was thecounsel also of the Queen and of his officers. But Pharaoh was tiredout, and would not listen.
"To-morrow, when I have slept, will be time enough," he answered."Moreover, shall I fly from my own city like a thief when naught isready for our journey? Why do you press me to such a coward's act?" headded peevishly.
"For this reason, your Majesty," answered Mermes. "We are sure there isa plot to keep you here. This afternoon you could not have gone, had youtried, but to-night, Abi, being a prisoner, his people are dismayed, andhaving no leader will open the gates. By to-morrow one may be found, andthey will be double-barred and guarded."
"What!" asked the King scornfully, "do you mean that I am a prisoneralso, and here in Egypt, which I rule? Nay, good friends, at Pharaoh'sword those gates will open. Or if they do not, I will pull down Memphisstone by stone, and drive out its people to share their caves withjackals. Do they think because I am kind and gentle, that I cannot liftthe sword if there be need? Have they forgotten how I smote those rebelsin my youth, and gave their cities to the flames, and set my yoke onSyria, that aided them. We march to-morrow, and not before. I havespoken."
Now Mermes bowed and turned to go, since when those words had passedPharaoh's lips it was not lawful to answer them. Yet Asti dared to doso.
"O Pharaoh," she said, "be not wrath with your servant. Pharaoh, as youknow, I have skill in divination, the spirits of the dead whisper attimes in my ears of things that are to be. It seemed to me just now whenhaving left the presence of the Queen, my foster-child, I stood a whilealone in the darkness, that the divine Majesty of the great lady, theroyal wife, Ahura, who was my friend and mistress, stood beside me andsaid:
"'Go, Asti, to Pharaoh, and say to Pharaoh that great danger threatenshim and our royal daughter. Say to him--Fly from Memphis, lest there heshould be prepared for burial, and the Star of Amen hidden by a cloud ofshame. Bid him beware of one about his throne, and of that evil magicianwith whom she made a pact last night.'"
Now Pharaoh looked at Asti and said:
"O dreamer of dreams, interpret your own dream. Who is she about mythrone of whom I should beware, and who is the magician with whom shemade a pact?"
"The divine Queen did not tell me, Pharaoh," answered Asti stubbornly,"but my own skill tells me. She is Merytra, your favourite, and themagician is Kaku, whom she visited last night."
"What!" exclaimed Pharaoh, laughing. "That long-legged old astrologerwith the painted cap who ran so fast when his master was taken? Why! heis nothing but a spy who has been in my pay for years; a charlatan whopretends to knowledge that he may win the secrets of his Prince. AndMerytra, too, Merytra, who in bygone times warned me of this Abi'sfoolish plot. Asti, you are high-born and wise, one whom I love, andhonour much, as does the Queen, my daughter, but you can still bejealous, as I have noted long. Asti, be not deceived, it was jealousy ofMerytra that whispered in your ears, not the spirit of the divineAhura. Now go and take your terrors with you, for this dark conspirator,Merytra, waits in my chamber to unrobe me, and talk me to sleep with herpleasant jests and gossip."
"Pharaoh has spoken, I go," said Asti in her quiet voice. "May Pharaoh'srest be sweet, and his awaking happy."