The Pharaoh And The Priest Part 45

The nomarch and the officials of the province were frightened, when they saw the enthusiasm of the Libyans, and the favor which the heir showed barbarians.

"Here is a ruler!" whispered the chief secretary to Sofra. "If he wished, those people would kill us and our children."

The troubled nomarch sighed to the G.o.ds, and commended himself to their gracious protection.

Late at night Rameses found himself in his own palace, and there the servants told him that another bedchamber had been given him.

"Why is this?"

"Because in the first chamber people saw a poisonous serpent, which hid, and no one could find it."

In a wing near the house of the nomarch was a new sleeping chamber,--a four-cornered room surrounded by columns on all sides. Its walls were of alabaster, covered with painted bas-reliefs; below were plants in vases; higher up garlands of olive and laurel.

Almost in the centre of the room stood a great bed inlaid with ebony, gold, and ivory. The chamber was lighted by two fragrant tapers; under the colonnade were small tables with wine, food, and garlands of roses. In the ceiling was a large quadrangular opening covered with linen.

The prince bathed and lay on the soft bed; his servants went to remote chambers. The tapers were burning out; cool air filled with the odor of flowers moved in the chamber. At the same time low music from harps was heard above him.

Rameses raised his head. The linen canopy of the chamber slipped to one side, and through the opening he saw the constellation Leo, and in it the brilliant star Regulus. The music of harps became louder.

"Are the G.o.ds preparing to make me a visit?" thought the viceroy, with a smile.

In the opening of the ceiling shone a broad streak of light; it was powerful but tempered. A moment later a litter appeared in the form of a golden boat, bearing a small arbor with flowers in it; the pillars of the arbor were entwined with garlands of roses, the top of it covered with lotuses and violets.

On ropes, entwined with green, the golden boat descended to the chamber in silence. It stopped on the pavement, and from beneath the flowers came forth a naked maiden of unparalleled beauty. Her body had the smoothness of marble; from her amber-like waves of hair came an intoxicating odor.

The maiden stepped from the litter and knelt before Rameses.

"Art thou the daughter of Sofra?" asked he.

"Thou speakest truth, Lord Rameses."

"And still thou hast come to me!"

"To implore thee to pardon my father. He is unhappy; since midday he has been shedding tears and covering his head with ashes."

"And if I would not forgive him, wouldst thou leave me?"

"No," whispered she.

Rameses drew her toward him and kissed her with pa.s.sion. His eyes flashed.

"For this I forgive him."

"Oh, how good thou art!" cried she, nestling up to Rameses; then she added with sweetness,--

"Wilt thou command a reward for the damages done by that mad laborer?"

"I will command."

"And wilt thou take me to thy household?"

Rameses looked at her.

"I will take thee, for thou art a beauty."

"Really?" asked she, putting her arm around his neck. "Look at me better. Among the beauties of Egypt I hold only the fourth place."

"What does that mean?"

"In Memphis, or near there, dwells thy first; happily she is only a Jewess! In Sochem is the second--"

"I know nothing of that one," interrupted Rameses.

"Oh, thou dove! Then surely thou knowest nothing of the third one in Anu."

"Does she too belong to my household?"

"Ungrateful!" cried the girl, striking him with a lotus flower. "Thou wouldst be ready to say the same of me a month hence. But I will not let myself be injured."

"Like thy father."

"Hast thou not forgotten him yet? Remember that I will go--"

"Stay, stay!"

Next day the viceroy was pleased to receive homage and a feast from Sofra. He praised in public the nomarch's government of the province, and to reward him for the damages caused by the drunken laborer, Rameses presented him with one-half of the furniture and vessels presented in Anu.

The second half of those gifts was taken by the beautiful Abeb, daughter of the nomarch, as lady of the court. Besides, she commanded that five talents be given her from the treasury of the viceroy, for clothes, slaves, and horses.

In the evening the prince, while yawning, spoke thus to Tutmosis,--

"His holiness my father gave me a great lesson when he said that women are very costly."

"The position is worse when there are no women," replied the exquisite.

"But I have four, and I do not even know clearly how. I might give thee two of them."

"And Sarah?"

"Not her, especially if she has a son."

"If thou wilt a.s.sign a good dowry, husbands will be found for those charmers most easily."

The prince yawned a second time.

"I do not like to hear of dowries," said he. "Aaa! What luck, that I shall tear away from thee and settle among the priests!"

"Wilt thou indeed?"