The Pharaoh And The Priest Part 57

Rameses turned on his horse, looked, and said,--

"I see there laborers of the pharaoh. So they too go for alms to the rich Phnician?"

The nomarch was silent. Happily they approached the official palace, and the prince forgot Hiram.

Feasts in honor of the viceroy continued a number of days in succession, but they did not please him. Gladness was lacking and disagreeable incidents happened.

One day a favorite of the prince was dancing before him; she burst into tears. Rameses seized her in his arms, and asked what her trouble was.

At first she hesitated, but emboldened by the kindness of her lord, she answered, shedding tears in still greater abundance,--

"We are thy women, O ruler, we come from great families, and respect is due to us."

"Thou speakest truth," said Rameses.

"Meanwhile thy treasurer stints us in allowance, and would deprive us of serving-maids, without whom we cannot bathe or dress our hair."

Rameses summoned his treasurer, and commanded sternly that his women should have all that belonged to their birth and position. The treasurer fell on his face before the prince, and promised to carry out all commands of the women. A couple of days later, a rebellion broke out among the court slaves, who complained that their wine had been taken. The heir ordered to give them wine. But during a review two days later a deputation from the regiments came to the viceroy with a most humble complaint, that their rations of meat and bread were diminished. The prince commanded that those pet.i.tioners be satisfied.

Still, two days later a great uproar at the palace roused him in the morning. Rameses inquired what the cause was; the officer on duty explained that the pharaoh's laborers had a.s.sembled and asked for arrears due them.

They summoned the treasurer, whom the prince attacked in great anger.

"What is going on here?" cried he. "Since my return there is no day without complaints of injustice. If anything like this is repeated, I shall order an inquiry and put an end to thy management."

The trembling treasurer fell on his face again, and groaned,--

"Slay me, lord! But what am I to do when thy treasury, thy granaries, and thy storehouses are empty?"

In spite of his anger the prince thought that the treasurer might be innocent. He commanded him to withdraw, and then summoned Tutmosis.

"Listen to me," said Rameses to the favorite, "things are done here which I do not understand, and to which I am not accustomed. My women, the slaves, the army, the pharaoh's workmen do not receive what is due them, or their supplies are curtailed. When I asked the treasurer what this means, he answered that the treasury and the storehouses are empty."

"He told truth."

"How is that?" burst out the prince. "For my journey his holiness a.s.signed two hundred talents in gold and goods. Can it be that all this is expended?"

"Yes," answered Tutmosis.

"How is that?" cried the viceroy. "Did not the nomarchs entertain us all the way?"

"Yes, but we paid them for doing so."

"Then they are rogues and robbers if they receive us as guests and then plunder us."

"Be not angry, and I will explain."

"Sit down."

Tutmosis took a seat.

"Dost thou know," asked he, "that for a month past I have eaten food from thy kitchen, drunk wine from thy pitchers, and dressed from thy wardrobe?"

"Thou hast a right to that privilege."

"But I have never acted thus. .h.i.therto. I have lived, dressed, and amused myself at my own expense, so as not to burden thy treasury. It is true that thou hast paid my debts more than once, but that was only a part of my outlay."

"Never mind the debts!"

"In a similar condition," continued Tutmosis, "are some tens of n.o.ble youths of thy court. They maintained themselves so as to uphold the splendor of the government; but now, like myself, they live at thy expense, for they have nothing to pay with."

"Some time I will reward them."

"Now," continued Tutmosis, "we take from thy treasury, for want is oppressing us; the nomarchs do the same. If they had means they would give feasts and receptions at their own cost; but as they have not the means they receive recompense. Wilt thou call them rogues now?"

"I condemned them too harshly. Anger, like smoke, covered my eyes,"

said Rameses. "I am ashamed of my words; none the less I wish that neither courtiers, soldiers, nor working men should suffer injustice.

But since my means are exhausted it will be necessary to borrow. Would a hundred talents suffice? What thinkest thou?"

"I think that no one would lend us a hundred talents," whispered Tutmosis.

The viceroy looked at him haughtily.

"Is that a fit answer to the son of a pharaoh?" asked he.

"Dismiss me from thy presence," said Tutmosis, sadly, "but I have told the truth. At present no one will make us a loan, for there is no one to do so."

"What is Dagon for?" wondered the prince. "He is not near my court; is he dead?"

"Dagon is in Pi-Bast, but he spends whole days with other Phnician merchants in the temple of Astarte in prayer and penance."

"Why such devotion? Is it because that I was in a temple that my banker thinks he too should take counsel of the G.o.ds?"

Tutmosis turned on the stool.

"The Phnicians," said he, "are alarmed; they are even crushed by the news--"

"About what?"

"Some one has spread the report, worthiness, that when thou shalt mount the throne all Phnicians will be expelled and their property confiscated."

"Well, they have time enough before that," laughed Rameses.

Tutmosis hesitated further. "They say," continued he, in a lowered voice, "that in recent days the health of his holiness--may he live through eternity!--has failed notably."

"That is untrue!" interrupted the prince, in alarm. "I should know of it."

"But the priests are performing religious services in secret for the return of health to the pharaoh. I know this to a certainty."