Woman on Her Own, False Gods and The Red Robe Part 48

SATNI. Yes.

YAOUMA. By Ammon?--[_Recollecting_] By your G.o.d?

SATNI. My G.o.d is not concerned with us.

YAOUMA. Who then is concerned with us?

SATNI. No one.

YAOUMA. You do not want to tell me. You treat me as a child--mocking me.

SATNI. Why do you need an oath? I love you, and you shall be my wife.

YAOUMA [_radiant_] I shall be your wife!--I, little Yaouma, I shall be wife to a man whom the heavens obey!--[_A pause_] When I think that you loosed the thunder for my sake--

SATNI. No, vain child, I did not loose the thunder.

YAOUMA. Yes, yes, yes--I understand. You want no one to know that you have found the book of Thoth--fear not, I know how to hold my peace.

[_Coaxingly she puts her arms round Satni's neck and rubs her cheek against his_] Tell me, how did you find it?

SATNI. I have not found the book of magic spells; besides, it would have profited me nothing.

YAOUMA. Sit--you would not sit? They say 'tis shut up in three caskets, hidden at the bottom of the sea.

SATNI. I tell you again I neither sought, nor found it.

YAOUMA. What do you do then, to strike fire from heaven?

SATNI. I did not strike fire from heaven.

YAOUMA [_crossly_] Oh! I do not love you now!--Yes, yes, yes, I love you! [_A pause_] So it pleased you then, when you were going away in the galley, to see me run barefoot on the bank--?

SATNI. Yes.

YAOUMA [_angry_] But speak! speak! [_Checking herself, then more coaxing still_] You wanted to weep? No? You said you did. For my part I know not, then, I could see nothing. But the day of your return, when you learned I was chosen for the sacrifice, then, then I saw your eyes--You love me--You said to me you would prevent me going to the Nile. I believed you not--you remember--Why! even yesterday, yes, yesterday again, in spite of all your words, I was resolved to escape and go to the temple. It needed this proof of your power!--tell me, it was you who shook the heavens and the earth for me.

SATNI. No.

YAOUMA. Again!--You must think but little of me, to believe I should reveal what you bade me keep secret. [_She lays her hands on Satni's cheeks_] It _was_ you, was it not?

SATNI. No, no, no! a thousand times no!

YAOUMA. It was your G.o.ds then, your G.o.ds whom I know not.

SATNI. No.

YAOUMA. Who was it then?

SATNI. No one.

YAOUMA [_out of countenance_] No one! [_A pause_] You possess no power that other men have not?

SATNI. No.

YAOUMA [_the same_] You seem as one speaking truth.

SATNI. I speak the truth.

YAOUMA. 'Tis a pity!

SATNI. Why?

YAOUMA. It would have been more beautiful. [_A long grave pause_] To go in the barge, on the Nile, that too had been more beautiful.

_Rheou and the Steward enter_

RHEOU [_agitated_] Go in, Yaouma. [_To the Steward_] Conduct her to her mistress--and make known to her what has pa.s.sed. [_Yaouma and the Steward go out_] Satni, terrible news has come to me: the Pharaoh, finding the people's enmity increase against him, has taken fright, and striking first, the blow has fallen on me. My goods are confiscated. I am sent to exile. The palace Chamberlain, but now, brought me the order to quit my house to-day, and deliver myself to the army leaving for Ethiopia.

SATNI. Can you do nothing against this order?

RHEOU. Yes. I can kill those who gave it.

SATNI. Kill!

RHEOU. Listen. I bring you the means to win the triumph of your ideas, and at the same time serve my cause. I can arm all the dwellers on my lands. We two must lead them. They will follow you, knowing you all powerful. Nay, hear me--wait. The soldiers, who fear you, will not dare resist us, we shall kill the high priest, the Pharaoh if need be--we shall be masters of Egypt.

SATNI. I would not kill.

RHEOU. So be it. Enough that you declare yourself ready to repeat the miracle of yesterday.

SATNI. I would not lie.

RHEOU. If you would neither kill nor lie, you will never succeed in governing men.

SATNI. I would fight the priests of Ammon, not imitate them.

RHEOU. You will never triumph without doing so. Profit by events. Do not deny the power they believe to be yours. Men will not follow you, if you speak only to their reason. You are above the crowd by your learning; that gives you rights. You would lead them to the summits; to get there, one must blindfold those who suffer from dizziness.

SATNI. I refuse.

RHEOU. One would think you were afraid of victory!

SATNI. Rheou, 'tis not the victory of my ideas you seek, 'tis your own vengeance, your own ambition.

RHEOU. They wish to rush the people of Egypt into an unjust and useless war. They hesitate; they feel the people lacking zest, that is why they have delayed the going of the army till the feast of Prodigies.

To-morrow they will make the G.o.ddess speak, and all those poor creatures will be led away. You can save thousands of lives by sacrificing a few.

SATNI. I refuse. The truth will prevail without help from cruelty or falsehood.