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  CHAPTER II

  THE PROMISE OF THE GOD

  It was morning at Thebes, and the great city glowed in the rays ofthe new-risen sun. In a royal barge sat Abi the prince, splendidlyapparelled, and with him Kaku, his astrologer, his captain of the guardand three other of his officers, while in a second barge followed slaveswho escorted two chiefs and some fair women captured in war, also thechests of salted heads and hands, offerings to Pharaoh.

  The white-robed rowers bent to their oars, and the swift boat shotforward up the Nile through a double line of ships of war, all of themcrowded with soldiers. Abi looked at these ships which Pharaoh hadgathered there to meet him, and thought to himself that Kaku had givenwise counsel when he prayed him to attempt no rash deed, for againstsuch surprises clearly Pharaoh was well prepared. He thought it againwhen on reaching the quay of cut stones he saw foot and horse-menmarshalled there in companies and squadrons, and on the walls abovehundreds of other men, all armed, for now he saw what would havehappened to him, if with his little desperate band he had tried topierce that iron ring of watching soldiers.

  At the steps generals met him in their mail and priests in their fullrobes, bowing and doing him honour. Thus royally escorted, Abi passedthrough the open gates and the pylons of the splendid temple dedicatedto the Trinity of Thebes, "the House of Amen in the Southern Apt,"where gay banners fluttered from the pointed masts, up the long streetbordered with tall houses set in their gardens, till he came to thepalace wall. Here more guards rolled back the brazen gates which inhis folly of a few hours gone he had thought that he could force, andthrough the avenues of blooming trees he was led to the great pillaredhall of audience.

  After the brightness without, that hall seemed almost dark, only a rayof sunshine flowing from an unshuttered space in the clerestory above,fell full on the end of it, and revealed the crowned Pharaoh and hisqueen seated in state upon their thrones of ivory and gold. Gatheredround and about him also were scribes and councillors and captains, andbeyond these other queens in their carved chairs and attended, each ofthem, by beautiful women of the household in their gala dress. Moreover,behind the thrones, and at intervals between the columns, stood thefamous Nubian guard of two hundred men, the servants of the body ofPharaoh as they were called, each of them chosen for faithfulness andcourage.

  The centre of all this magnificence was Pharaoh, on him the sunlightbeat, to him every eye was turned, and where his glance fell there headsbowed and knees were bent. A small thin man of about forty years of agewith a puckered, kindly and anxious face, and a brow that seemed tosink beneath the weight of the double crown that, save for its royalsnake-crest of hollow gold, was after all but of linen, a man withthin, nervous hands which played amongst the embroideries of his goldenrobe--such was Pharaoh, the mightiest monarch in the world, the rulerwhom millions that had never seen him worshipped as a god.

  Abi, the burly framed, thick-lipped, dark-skinned, round-eyed Abi, bornof the same father, stared at him with wonderment, for years had passedsince last they met, and in the palace when they were children a gulfhad been set between the offspring of a royal mother and the child of aHyksos concubine taken into the Household for reasons of state. In hisvigour, and the might of his manhood, he stared at this weakling, theson of a brother and a sister, and the grandson of a brother and asister. Yet there was something in that gentle eye, an essence ofinherited royalty, before which his rude nature bowed. The body might becontemptible, but within it dwelt the proud spirit of the descendant ofa hundred kings.

  Abi advanced to the steps of the throne and knelt there, till after alittle pause Pharaoh stretched out the sceptre in his hand for him tokiss. Then he spoke in his light, quick voice.

  "Welcome, Prince and my brother," he said. "We quarrelled long ago,did we not, and many years have passed since we met, but Time heals allwounds and--welcome, son of my father. I need not ask if you are well,"and he glanced enviously at the great-framed man who knelt before him.

  "Hail to your divine Majesty!" answered Abi in his deep voice. "Healthand strength be with you, Holder of the Scourge of Osiris, Wearer of theFeathers of Amen, Mortal crowned with the glory of Ra."

  "I thank you, Prince," answered Pharaoh gently, "and that health andstrength I need, who fear that I shall only find them when I haveyielded up the Scourge of Osiris whereof you speak to him who lent itme. But enough of myself. Let us to business, afterwards we will talkof such matters together. Why have you left your government at Memphiswithout leave asked, to visit me here in my City of the Gates?"

  "Be not wrath with me," answered Abi humbly. "A while ago, in obedienceto your divine command, I attacked the barbarians who threatened yourdominions in the desert. Like Menthu, god of war, I fell upon them.I took them by surprise, I smote them, thousands of them bit the dustbefore me. Two of their kings I captured with their women--they waitwithout, to be slain by your Majesty. I bring with me the heads ofa hundred of their captains and the hands of five hundred of theirsoldiers, in earnest of the truth of my word. Let them be spread outbefore you. I report to your divine Majesty that those barbarians are nomore, that for a generation, at least, I have made the land safe to youruttermost dominions in the north. Suffer that the heads and the hands bebrought in and counted out before your Majesty, that the smell of themmay rise like incense to your divine nostrils."

  "No, no," said Pharaoh, "my officers shall count them without, for Ilove not such sights of death, and I take your word for the number. Whatpayment do you ask for this service, my brother, for with great giftswould I reward you, who have done so well for me and Egypt?"

  Before he answered Abi looked at the beautiful queen, Ahura, who sat atPharaoh's side, and at the other royal consorts and women.

  "Your Majesty," he said, "I see here many wives and ladies, but royalchildren I do not see. Grant--for doubtless they are in their ownchambers--grant, O Pharaoh, that they may be led hither that my eyes mayfeed upon their loveliness, and that I may tell of them, each of them,to their cousins who await me at Memphis."

  At these words a flush as of shame spread itself over the lovely face ofAhura, the royal wife, the Lady of the Two Lands; while the women turnedtheir heads away whispering to each other bitterly, for the insult hurtthem. Only Pharaoh set his pale face and answered with dignity.

  "Prince Abi, to affront those whom the gods have smitten, be they kingsor peasants, is an unworthy deed which the gods will not forget. Youknow well that I have no children. Why then do you ask me to show youtheir loveliness?"

  "I had heard rumours, O Pharaoh," answered the Prince, "no more. Indeed,I did not believe them, for where there are so many wives I was certainthat there would be some mothers. Therefore I asked to be sure beforeI proffered a petition which now I will make to you not for my own sakebut for Egypt's and yours, O Pharaoh. Have I your leave to speak here inpublic?"

  "Speak on," said Pharaoh sternly. "Let aught that is for the welfare ofEgypt be heard by Egypt."

  "Your Majesty has told me," replied Abi bowing, "that the gods, beingwrath, have denied you children. Not so much as one girl of your bloodhave they given to you to fill your throne after you when in due seasonit pleases you to depart to Osiris. Were it otherwise, were there evenbut a single woman-child of your divine race, I would say nothing, Iwould be silent as the grave. But so it is, and though your queens befair and many, so it would seem that it must remain, since the ears ofthe gods having been deaf to your pleadings for so long, although youhave built them glorious temples and made them offerings without count,will scarcely now be opened. Even Amen your father, Amen, whose name youbear, will perform no miracle for you, O Pharaoh, who are so great thathe has decreed that you shall shine alone like the full moon at night,not sharing your glory with a single star."

  Now Ahura the Queen, who all this while had been listening intently,spoke for the first time in a quick angry voice, saying,

  "How know you that, Prince of Memphis? Sometimes the gods relent andthat which they have withheld for a space, th
ey give. My lord lives, andI live, and a child of his may yet fill the throne of Egypt."

  "It may be so, O Queen," said Abi bowing, "and for my part I pray thatit will be so, for who am I that I should know the purpose of the kingsof heaven? If but one girl be born of you and Pharaoh, then I takeback my words and give to you that title which for many years has beenwritten falsely upon your thrones and monuments, the title of RoyalMother."

  Now Ahura would have answered again, for this sneering taunt stung herto the quick. But Pharaoh laid his hand upon her knee and said,

  "Continue, Prince and brother. We have heard from you that which wealready know too well--that I am childless. Tell us what we do not know,the desire of your heart which lies hid beneath all these words."

  "Pharaoh, it is this--I am of your holy blood, sprung of the same divinefather----"

  "But of a mother who was not divine," broke in Ahura; "of a mother takenfrom a race that has brought many a curse upon Khem, as any mirror willshow you, Prince of Memphis."

  "Pharaoh," went on Abi without heeding her, "you grow weak; heavendesires you, the earth melts beneath you. In the north and in the southmany dangers threaten Egypt. Should you die suddenly without an heir,barbarians will flow in from the north and from the south, and the greatones of the land will struggle for your place. Pharaoh, I am a warrior;I am built strong; my children are many; my house is built upon a rock;the army trusts me; the millions of the people love me. Take me then torule with you and in the hearing of all the earth name me and my sonsas your successors, so that our royal race may continue for generationafter generation. So shall you end your days in peace and hope. I havespoken."

  Now, as the meaning of this bold request sank into their hearts, all thecourt there gathered gasped and whispered, while the Queen Ahura in heranger crushed the lotus flower which she held in her hand and cast it tothe floor. Only Pharaoh sat still and silent, his head bent and his eyesshut as though in prayer. For a minute or more he sat thus, and when helifted his pale, pure face, there was a smile upon it.

  "Abi, my brother," he said in his gentle voice, "listen to me. There arethose who filled this throne before me, who on hearing such words wouldhave pointed to you with their sceptres, whereon, Abi, those lips ofyours would have grown still for ever, and you and your name and thenames of all your House would have been blotted out by death. But, Abi,you were ever bold, and I forgive you for laying open the thoughts ofyour heart to me. Still, Abi, you have not told us all of them. You havenot told us, for instance," he went on slowly, and in the midst of anintense silence, "that but last night you debated whether it would notbe possible with that guard of yours to break into my palace and put meto the sword and name yourself Pharaoh--by right of blood, Abi; yes, byright of blood--my blood shed by you, my brother."

  As these words left the royal lips a tumult arose in the hall, the womenand the great officers sprang up, the captains stepped forward drawingtheir swords to avenge so horrible a sacrilege. But Pharaoh waved hissceptre, and they were still, only Abi cried in a great voice.

  "Who has dared to whisper a lie so monstrous?" And he glared first atKaku and then at the captain of his guard who stood behind him, andchoked in wrath, or fear, or both.

  "Suspect not your officers, Prince," went on the Pharaoh, still smiling,"for on my royal word they are innocent. Yet, Abi, a pavilion set uponthe deck of a ship is no good place to plot the death of kings. Pharaohhas many spies, also, at times, the gods, to whom as you say he is sonear, whisper tidings to him in his sleep. Suspect not your officers,Abi, although I think that to yonder Master of the Stars who standsbehind you, I should be grateful, since, had you attempted to executethis madness, but for him I might have been forced to kill you, Abi,as one kills a snake that creeps beneath his mat. Astrologer, you shallhave a gift from me, for you are a wise man. It may take the place,perhaps, of one that you have lost; was it not a certain woman slavewhom your master gave to you last night--after he had punished her forno fault?"

  Kaku prostrated himself before the glory of Pharaoh, understanding atlast that it was the lost girl Merytra who had overheard and betrayedthem. But heeding him no more, his Majesty went on.

  "Abi, Prince and brother, I forgive you a deed that you purposed butdid not attempt. May the gods and the spirits of our fathers forgiveyou also, if they will. Now as to your demand. You are my only livingbrother, and therefore I will weigh it. Perchance, if I should diewithout issue, although you are not all royal, although there flows inyour veins a blood that Egypt hates; although you could plot the murderof your lord and king, it may be well that when I am gone you shouldfill my place, for you are brave and of the ancient race on one side,if base-born on the other. But I am not yet dead, and children may stillcome to me. Abi, will you be a prisoner until Osiris calls me, or willyou swear an oath?"

  "I will swear an oath," answered the Prince hoarsely, for he knew hisshame and danger.

  "Then kneel here, and by the dreadful Name swear that you will lift nohand and plot no plot against me. Swear that if a child, male or female,should be given to me, you will serve such a child truly as your lordand lawful Pharaoh. In the presence of all this company, swear, knowingthat if you break the oath in letter or in spirit, then all the gods ofEgypt shall pour their curse upon your head in life, and in death shallgive you over to the everlasting torments of the damned."

  So, having little choice, Abi swore by the Name and kissed the sceptrein token of his oath.