The Pharaoh And The Priest Part 90

"Ye know," said he to Sem and Mefres, "that I do not like the heir to the throne, for I have discovered his perversity and malice. But Osiris be my witness that that young man is a born leader. I will tell you a thing unparalleled: We shall concentrate our forces on the border three or four days earlier than it was possible to expect. The Libyans have lost the war already, though they have not heard the whistle of our arrows."

"So much the worse is such a pharaoh for us," interposed Mefres, with the stubbornness peculiar to old men.

Toward evening the sixth of Hator, Prince Rameses bathed and informed his staff that they would march on the morrow two hours before sunrise. "And now I wish to sleep," said he.

To wish for sleep was easier than to get it. The whole city was swarming with warriors; at the palace of the prince a regiment had encamped which had no thought of rest, but was eating, drinking, and singing.

The prince went to the remotest chamber, but even there he could not undress. Every few minutes some adjutant flew in with a report of no moment, or for an order in questions which could have been settled on the spot by the commander of a regiment. Spies were led in who brought no new information; great lords with small followings were announced; these wished to offer their services to the prince as volunteers.

Phnician merchants broke in on him; these wanted contracts for the army, or were contractors who complained of the extortion of generals.

Even soothsayers and astrologers were not lacking, who in the last hours before marching wished to draw his horoscope for the viceroy; there were even practisers of the black art who wished to sell unfailing amulets against missiles.

These people simply broke into the prince's chamber: each one of them judged that the fate of the expedition was in his hands, and that in such a case every etiquette should vanish.

The heir satisfied all applicants patiently. But when behind an astrologer one of his own women pushed into the room with complaint that Rameses did not love her, since he had not taken farewell, and when a quarter of an hour later the weeping of another was heard outside the window, the heir could endure no longer; he summoned Tutmosis.

"Sit in this room," said he, "and if thou wish, console the women of my household. I will hide somewhere in the garden; if not, I shall not sleep and to-morrow I shall look like a hen just pulled out of a cistern."

"Where am I to seek thee in case of need?" asked Tutmosis.

"Oho! ho!" laughed the heir. "Seek me nowhere. I shall appear of myself when the trumpet is sounded."

And throwing over his shoulders a long mantle with a hood, he slipped out to the garden. Through the garden were prowling soldiers, kitchen boys, and other servants. In the whole s.p.a.ce about the palace order had disappeared, as usual before an expedition. Noting this, Rameses turned to the densest part of the park, found a little arbor formed of grape-vines, and threw himself on a bench satisfied.

"Here neither priests nor women will find me," muttered the viceroy.

He fell asleep immediately, and slept like a stone.

Kama had felt ill for some days. To her irritation was joined some peculiar weakness and pain in the joints. Then there was an itching of her face, but especially of her forehead above the eyebrows.

These minute symptoms seemed to her so alarming that she ceased to dread a.s.sa.s.sination, but straightway she sat down before a mirror, and told her servants to withdraw and leave her. At such times she thought neither of Rameses nor the hated Sarah; all her attention was fixed on those spots which an untrained eye would not have even noticed.

"A spot--yes, these are spots," whispered she, full of terror. "Two, three-- O Astaroth, but thou wilt not punish thy priestess in this way! Death would be better-- But again what folly! If I rub my forehead, the spots will be redder. Evidently something has bitten me, or I have used impure oil in anointing. I will wash, and the spots will be gone by to-morrow."

The morrow came, but the spots had not vanished.

Kama called a servant.

"Listen!" said she. "Look at me!"

But as she spoke she sat down in a less lighted part of the chamber.

"Listen and look!" said she, in a stifled voice. "Dost thou see spots on my face? But come no nearer."

"I see nothing," answered the serving-woman.

"Neither under my left eye nor on my brows?" asked she, with growing irritation.

"Let the lady be pleased graciously to sit with the side of her face to the light," said the woman.

Of course that request enraged Kama.

"Away, wretch," cried she; "show thyself no more to me!"

When the serving-woman fled, her mistress rushed feverishly to the dressing-table, opened two little toilet jars, and with a brush painted her face rose-color.

Toward evening, feeling continual pain in her joints and fear in her heart, which was worse than pain, she commanded to call a physician.

When they told her that the physician had come, she looked at the mirror, and was seized by a new attack, as it were of insanity. She threw the mirror to the pavement, and cried out with weeping that she did not need the physician.

During the sixth of Hator she ate nothing all day and would see no person.

When the slave woman brought in a light after sundown, Kama lay on the bed, after she had wound herself in a shawl. She ordered the slave to go out as quickly as possible; then she sat in an armchair at a distance from the lamp, and pa.s.sed some hours in a half-waking stupor.

"There are no spots," said she, "and if there are, they are not spots of that kind! They are not leprosy. O ye G.o.ds!" cried she, throwing herself on the pavement. "It cannot be that I-- O ye G.o.ds, save me! I will go back to the temple; I will do lifelong penance-- I have no spots. I have been rubbing my skin for some days; that is why it is red. Again, how could I have it; has any one ever heard that a priestess and a woman of the heir to the throne could have leprosy? O ye G.o.ds! that never has happened since the world began. Only fishermen, prisoners, and vile Jews-- Oh, that low Jewess! Heavenly powers, oh, send down leprosy to her!"

At that moment some shadow pa.s.sed by the window on the first story.

Then a rustle was heard, and from the door to the middle of the room sprang in--Lykon.

Kama was amazed. She seized her head suddenly, and in her eyes immense terror was depicted.

"Lykon!" whispered she. "Thou here, Lykon? Be off! They are searching for thee."

"I know," answered the Greek, with a jeering laugh. "All the Phnicians are hunting me, and all the police of his holiness. Still I am with thee, and I have been in thy lord's chamber."

"Wert thou with the prince?"

"Yes; in his own bedchamber. And I should have left a dagger in his breast if the evil spirits had not saved him. Evidently he went to some other woman, not to thee."

"What dost thou wish here?" whispered Kama. "Flee!"

"But with thee. On the street a chariot is ready for us; on this we shall ride to the Nile, and there my boat is in waiting."

"Thou hast gone mad! But the city and the streets are filled with warriors."

"For that very reason I was able to enter this palace, and we can escape very easily. Collect all thy treasures. I shall be back here immediately and take thee."

"Whither art thou going?"

"I am seeking thy lord. I shall not go without leaving him a memento."

"Thou art mad!"

"Be silent!" interrupted Lykon, pale from anger. "Thou wishest yet to defend him."

The Phnician woman tottered; she clinched her fists, and an evil light flashed in her eyes.

"But if thou canst not find him?"