The Pharaoh And The Priest Part 30

The people in the boats were as if drunk, the people on the sh.o.r.e as if mad. Every moment some boat struck or overturned a boat and some man fell into the water, out of which luckily the crocodiles had fled, frightened by the unparalleled uproar. On the banks men ran into one another, for no one paid heed to his neighbor, his father, or his child, but fixed his wild eyes on the gilded beak of the barge and the tent of the pharaoh. Even people who were trampled, whose ribs the wild crowd broke stupidly, and whose joints they put out, had no cry save this,--

"May he live through eternity, O our ruler!--Shine on, thou the sun of Egypt!"

The madness of greeting spread to the barge of Rameses: officers, soldiers, and oarsmen pressed into one throng and strove to outshout one another. Tutmosis, forgetting the heir to the throne, clambered up on the prow, and almost flew into the water.

Meanwhile a trumpet sounded from the pharaoh's barge, and soon after one answered from the barge of Rameses. A second signal, and the barge of the heir touched the great barge of the pharaoh.

Some official called to Rameses. From barge to barge they extended a gangway of cedar with carved railings, and the prince found himself next in the embrace of his father.

The presence of the pharaoh, or the storm of shouts roaring about him, so stunned Prince Rameses that he could not utter a syllable. He fell at his father's feet, and the lord of the world pressed the heir to his sacred bosom.

A moment later the side walls of the tent rose, and all the people on both banks of the Nile saw their ruler on a throne, and on the high step of it Rameses kneeling, with his head on the breast of his father.

Such silence followed that the rustling of banners on the barges was audible. Then on a sudden burst forth one immense roar, greater than all which had preceded. With this the Egyptian people honored the reconciliation of son and father; they greeted their present, and saluted their future ruler.

If any man had reckoned on dissensions in the sacred family of the pharaoh, he might convince himself then that the new royal branch held to its parent trunk firmly.

His holiness looked very ill. After the tender greeting of his son, he commanded him to sit at the side of the throne.

"My soul was rushing forth toward thee, Rameses," said he, "and all the more ardently the better were the tidings which I had of thee.

To-day I see not only that thou hast the heart of a lion, but that thou art a man full of prudence, who knows how to estimate his own acts, who is able to restrain himself, and who feels for the interests of Egypt."

When the prince, filled with emotion, was silent and kissed his father's feet, the pharaoh continued,--

"Thou hast done well to renounce command of the Greek regiments, because from this day the corps in Memphis is thine, thou art its commander."

"My father!" whispered the heir, trembling.

"Besides, in Lower Egypt, which is open on three sides to attacks of hostile nations, I need a wise, active man, who will watch all things round him, weigh them well in his heart, and act promptly. For this reason I appoint thee my lieutenant in that half of the kingdom."

Abundant tears flowed from the prince's eyes. With those tears he bade farewell to his youth; he greeted power, to which his soul had turned for years with uncertainty and longing.

"I am now weak and wearied," said the ruler, "and were it not for anxiety touching thy youth and the future of Egypt, I would this day beg my deathless ancestors to call me to their glory. Each day is for me more difficult, and therefore, Rameses, thou wilt begin to share the burden of rule with me. As a hen teaches her chicks to search out grains of corn and hide before the hawk, so I will teach thee that toilsome art of ruling a state and watching the devices of enemies.

May thou fall on them in time, like an eagle on timid partridges."

The pharaoh's barge and its well-ordered retinue had descended to a point opposite the palace. The wearied ruler took a seat in his litter, and at that moment Herhor approached Rameses.

"Permit me, worthy prince," said he, "to be the earliest among those who are delighted with thy elevation. May thou lead the army with as much success as thou shalt govern the most important part of the state to the glory of Egypt."

Rameses pressed his hand firmly.

"Didst thou do this, O Herhor?" asked he.

"It belonged to thee," replied the minister.

"Thou hast my grat.i.tude, and wilt see that it is of value."

"Thou hast rewarded me already in speaking thus," replied Herhor.

The prince wished to depart; Herhor detained him.

"A brief word. Be careful, O heir, that one of thy women, Sarah, does not sing religious hymns."

When Rameses looked at him with astonishment, he added,--

"During our sail on the Nile that maiden sang our most sacred hymn, a hymn to which only the pharaoh and high priests have the right to listen. Poor child! she might have suffered for her skill and for her ignorance of what she was singing."

"Then has she committed sacrilege?" inquired Rameses, in confusion.

"Yes, unconsciously," answered Herhor. "It is lucky that I was the only man who understood it, and my decision is that between that song and our hymn the resemblance is remote. In every case let her never repeat it."

"Well, and should she purify herself?" asked the prince. "Will it suffice her, as a foreign woman, if she gives thirty cows to the temple of Isis?"

"Yes, let her give them," replied Herhor, with a slight grimace. "The G.o.ds are not offended by gifts."

"Do thou, n.o.ble lord," said Rameses, "be pleased to accept this miraculous shield, which I received from my sacred grandfather."

"I?--the shield of Amenhotep?" exclaimed the minister, with emotion.

"Am I worthy of it?"

"By thy wisdom thou art equal to my grandfather, and thou wilt equal him in position."

Herhor made a low bow in silence. That golden shield set with precious stones, besides its great value in money, had moreover the virtue of an amulet; hence it was a regal present.

But the prince's words might have the loftier meaning that Herhor would equal Amenhotep in position. Amenhotep had been the father-in-law of a pharaoh. Had the heir decided already to marry Herhor's daughter?

That was the fond dream of Queen Nikotris and the minister. But it must be acknowledged that Rameses in speaking of the future dignities of Herhor had not thought in the least of marrying his daughter, but of giving him new offices, of which there was a mult.i.tude at the court and in the temples.

CHAPTER XVIII

From the day that he became viceroy of Lower Egypt a life unparalleled in troubles set in for Rameses,--such a life as he had not even imagined, though born and reared in the pharaoh's palace.

People simply tortured him; his torturers were persons who had interests of various kinds and who were of various social cla.s.ses.

On the very first day, at sight of the throngs of people, who crowded and pushed one another with eagerness, trampled his lawns, broke his trees, and injured even the wall which enclosed his villa, the heir demanded a guard for protection. But on the third day he was forced to flee from his own dwelling to the precincts of the palace proper, where, because of numerous sentries and above all because of high walls, access to him was made difficult.

During the ten days which preceded his departure, representatives of all Egypt, if not of the whole world of that period, pa.s.sed before the eyes of the new viceroy.

First of all were admitted great personages. Hence to congratulate him came the high priests of temples, ministers, amba.s.sadors, Phnician, Greek, Hebrew, a.s.syrian, Nubian, men whose dresses even he could not remember. Next came the chiefs of neighboring provinces, judges, secretaries, the higher officers of the army corps in Memphis, and landowners.

These people desired nothing, they simply expressed their delight at honor shown him. But the prince, while listening to these persons from morning till midday and from midday till evening, felt confusion in his head, and a quivering in all his members.

After these came representatives of the lower cla.s.ses with gifts: merchants bringing gold, foreign stuffs, amber, fruits, and perfumes.

Then bankers and men who loaned money for interest. Further, architects with plans for new buildings, sculptors with projects for statues and carvings in relief, masons, potters, makers of ordinary and ornamental furniture, blacksmiths, founders, tanners, wine-merchants, weavers, even dissectors who opened the bodies of the departed.