Moon of Israel: A Tale of the Exodus Page 4

  CHAPTER III

  USERTI

  Seti rose, stretching out his arms.

  "That is finished," he said, "as everything finishes, and for once I amsorry. Now what next? Sleep, I suppose, in which all ends, or perhapsyou would say all begins."

  As he spoke the curtains at the end of the room were drawn and betweenthem appeared the chamberlain, Pambasa, holding his gold-tipped wandceremoniously before him.

  "What is it now, man?" asked Seti. "Can I not even sup in peace? Stay,before you answer tell me, do things end or begin in sleep? The learnedAna and I differ on the matter and would hear your wisdom. Bear in mind,Pambasa, that before we are born we must have slept, since of that timewe remember nothing, and after we are dead we certainly seem to sleep,as any who have looked on mummies know. Now answer."

  The chamberlain stared at the wine flask on the table as though hesuspected his master of having drunk too much. Then in a hard officialvoice he said:

  "She comes! She comes! She comes, offering greetings and adoration tothe Royal Son of Ra."

  "Does she indeed?" asked Seti. "If so, why say it three times? And whocomes?"

  "The high Princess, the heiress of Egypt, the daughter of Pharaoh, yourHighness's royal half-sister, the great lady Userti."

  "Let her enter then. Ana, stand you behind me. If you grow weary andI give leave you can depart; the slaves will show you yoursleeping-place."

  Pambasa went, and presently through the curtain appeared a royal-lookinglady splendidly apparelled. She was accompanied by four waiting womenwho fell back on the threshold and were no more seen. The Prince steppedforward, took both her hands in his and kissed her on the brow, thendrew back again, after which they stood a moment looking at each other.While they remained thus I studied her who was known throughout the landas the "Beautiful Royal Daughter," but whom till now I had never seen.In truth I did not think her beautiful, although even had she been cladin a peasant's robe I should have been sure that she was royal. Herface was too hard for beauty and her black eyes, with a tinge of grey inthem, were too small. Also her nose was too sharp and her lips weretoo thin. Indeed, had it not been for the delicately and finely-shapedwoman's form beneath, I might have thought that a prince and not aprincess stood before me. For the rest in most ways she resembled herhalf-brother Seti, though her countenance lacked the kindliness of his;or rather both of them resembled their father, Meneptah.

  "Greeting, Sister," he said, eyeing her with a smile in which I caught agleam of mockery. "Purple-bordered robes, emerald necklace and enamelledcrown of gold, rings and pectoral, everything except a sceptre--why areyou so royally arrayed to visit one so humble as your loving brother?You come like sunlight into the darkness of the hermit's cell and dazzlethe poor hermit, or rather hermits," and he pointed to me.

  "Cease your jests, Seti," she replied in a full, strong voice. "I wearthese ornaments because they please me. Also I have supped with ourfather, and those who sit at Pharaoh's table must be suitably arrayed,though I have noted that sometimes you think otherwise."

  "Indeed. I trust that the good god, our divine parent, is well to-nightas you leave him so early."

  "I leave him because he sent me with a message to you." She paused,looking at me sharply, then asked, "Who is that man? I do not know him."

  "It is your misfortune, Userti, but one which can be mended. He is namedAna the Scribe, who writes strange stories of great interest which youwould do well to read who dwell too much upon the outside of life. Heis from Memphis and his father's name was--I forget what. Ana, what wasyour father's name?"

  "One too humble for royal ears, Prince," I answered, "but my grandfatherwas Pentaur the poet who wrote of the deeds of the mighty Rameses."

  "Is it so? Why did you not tell me that before? The descent should earnyou a pension from the Court if you can extract it from Nehesi. Well,Userti, his grandfather's name was Pentaur whose immortal verses youhave doubtless read upon temple walls, where our grandfather was carefulto publish them."

  "I have--to my sorrow--and thought them poor, boastful stuff," sheanswered coldly.

  "To be honest, if Ana will forgive me, so do I. I can assure you thathis stories are a great improvement on them. Friend Ana, this is mysister, Userti, my father's daughter though our mothers were not thesame."

  "I pray you, Seti, to be so good as to give me my rightful titles inspeaking of me to scribes and other of your servants."

  "Your pardon, Userti. This, Ana, is the first Lady of Egypt, the RoyalHeiress, the Princess of the Two Lands, the High-priestess of Amon,the Cherished of the Gods, the half-sister of the Heir-apparent, theDaughter of Hathor, the Lotus Bloom of Love, the Queen to be of--Userti,whose queen will you be? Have you made up your mind? For myself I knowno one worthy of so much beauty, excellence, learning and--what shall Iadd--sweetness, yes, sweetness."

  "Seti," she said stamping her foot, "if it pleases you to make a mockof me before a stranger, I suppose that I must submit. Send him away, Iwould speak with you."

  "Make a mock of you! Oh! mine is a hard fate. When truth gushes from thewell of my heart, I am told I mock, and when I mock, all say--he speakstruth. Be seated, Sister, and talk on freely. This Ana is my swornfriend who saved my life but now, for which deed perhaps he should bemy enemy. His memory is excellent also and he will remember what you sayand write it down afterwards, whereas I might forget. Therefore, withyour leave, I will ask him to stay here."

  "My Prince," I broke in, "I pray you suffer me to go."

  "My Secretary," he answered with a note of command in his voice, "I prayyou to remain where you are."

  So I sat myself on the ground after the fashion of a scribe, having nochoice, and the Princess sat herself on a couch at the end of the table,but Seti remained standing. Then the Princess said:

  "Since it is your will, Brother, that I should talk secrets intoother ears than yours, I obey you. Still"--here she looked at mewrathfully--"let the tongue be careful that it does not repeat whatthe ears have heard, lest there should be neither ears nor tongue. MyBrother, it has been reported to Pharaoh, while we ate together, thatthere is tumult in this town. It has been reported to him that becauseof a trouble about some base Israelite you caused one of his officers tobe beheaded, after which there came a riot which still rages."

  "Strange that truth should have come to the ears of Pharaoh so quickly.Now, my Sister, if he had heard it three moons hence I could havebelieved you--almost."

  "Then you did behead the officer?"

  "Yes, I beheaded him about two hours ago."

  "Pharaoh will demand an account of the matter."

  "Pharaoh," answered Seti lifting his eyes, "has no power to question thejustice of the Governor of Tanis in the north."

  "You are in error, Seti. Pharaoh has all power."

  "Nay, Sister, Pharaoh is but one man among millions of other men, andthough he speaks it is their spirit which bends his tongue, while abovethat spirit is a great greater spirit who decrees what they shall thinkto ends of which we know nothing."

  "I do not understand, Seti."

  "I never thought you would, Userti, but when you have leisure, ask Anahere to explain the matter to you. I am sure that _he_ understands."

  "Oh! I have borne enough," exclaimed Userti rising. "Hearken to thecommand of Pharaoh, Prince Seti. It is that you wait upon him to-morrowin full council, at an hour before noon, there to talk with him of thisquestion of the Israelitish slaves and the officer whom it has pleasedyou to kill. I came to speak other words to you also, but as theywere for your private ear, these can bide a more fitting opportunity.Farewell, my Brother."

  "What, are you going so soon, Sister? I wished to tell you the storyabout those Israelites, and especially of the maid whose name is--whatwas her name, Ana?"

  "Merapi, Moon of Israel, Prince," I added with a groan.

  "About the maid called Merapi, Moon of Israel, I think the sweetest thatever I have looked upon, whose father the dead captain murdered in mysight."

/>   "So there is a woman in the business? Well, I guessed it."

  "In what business is there not a woman, Userti, even in that of amessage from Pharaoh. Pambasa, Pambasa, escort the Princess andsummon her servants, women everyone of them, unless my senses mockme. Good-night to you, O Sister and Lady of the Two Lands, and forgiveme--that coronet of yours is somewhat awry."

  At last she was gone and I rose, wiping my brow with a corner of myrobe, and looking at the Prince who stood before the fire laughingsoftly.

  "Make a note of all this talk, Ana," he said; "there is more in it thanmeets the ear."

  "I need no note, Prince," I answered; "every word is burnt upon my mindas a hot iron burns a tablet of wood. With reason too, since now herHighness will hate me for all her life."

  "Much better so, Ana, than that she should pretend to love you, whichshe never would have done while you are my friend. Women oftimes respectthose whom they hate and even will advance them because of policy, butlet those whom they pretend to love beware. The time may come when youwill yet be Userti's most trusted councillor."

  Now here I, Ana the Scribe, will state that in after days, when thissame queen was the wife of Pharaoh Saptah, I did, as it chanced, becomeher most trusted councillor. Moreover, in those times, yes, and even inthe hour of her death, she swore from the moment her eyes first fellon me she had known me to be true-hearted and held me in esteem as noself-seeker. More, I think she believed what she said, having forgottenthat once she looked upon me as her enemy. This indeed I never was, whoalways held her in high regard and honour as a great lady who lovedher country, though one who sometimes was not wise. But as I could notforesee these things on that night of long ago, I only stared at thePrince and said:

  "Oh! why did you not allow me to depart as your Highness said I might atthe beginning? Soon or late my head will pay the price of this night'swork."

  "Then she must take mine with it. Listen, Ana. I kept you here, not tovex the Princess or you, but for a good reason. You know that it is thecustom of the royal dynasties of Egypt for kings, or those who willbe kings, to wed their near kin in order that the blood may remain thepurer."

  "Yes, Prince, and not only among those who are royal. Still, I think itan evil custom."

  "As I do, since the race wherein it is practised grows ever weakerin body and in mind; which is why, perhaps, my father is not what hisfather was and I am not what my father is."

  "Also, Prince, it is hard to mingle the love of the sister and of thewife."

  "Very hard, Ana; so hard that when it is attempted both are apt tovanish. Well, our mothers having been true royal wives, though hers diedbefore mine was wedded by my father, Pharaoh desires that I shouldmarry my half-sister, Userti, and what is worse, she desires it also.Moreover, the people, who fear trouble ahead in Egypt if we, who aloneare left of the true royal race born of queens, remain apart and shetakes another lord, or I take another wife, demand that it should bebrought about, since they believe that whoever calls Userti the Stronghis spouse will one day rule the land."

  "Why does the Princess wish it--that she may be a queen?"

  "Yes, Ana, though were she to wed my cousin, Amenmeses, the son ofPharaoh's elder brother Khaemuas, she might still be a queen, if I choseto stand aside as I would not be loth to do."

  "Would Egypt suffer this, Prince?"

  "I do not know, nor does it matter since she hates Amenmeses, who isstrong-willed and ambitious, and will have none of him. Also he isalready married."

  "Is there no other royal one whom she might take, Prince?"

  "None. Moreover she wishes me alone."

  "Why, Prince?"

  "Because of ancient custom which she worships. Also because she knowsme well and in her fashion is fond of me, whom she believes to be agentle-minded dreamer that she can rule. Lastly, because I am the lawfulheir to the Crown and without me to share it, she thinks that she wouldnever be safe upon the Throne, especially if I should marry some otherwoman, of whom she would be jealous. It is the Throne she desires andwould wed, not the Prince Seti, her half-brother, whom she takes with itto be in name her husband, as Pharaoh commands that she should do.Love plays no part in Userti's breast, Ana, which makes her the moredangerous, since what she seeks with a cold heart of policy, that shewill surely find."

  "Then it would seem, Prince, that the cage is built about you. After allit is a very splendid cage and made of gold."

  "Yes, Ana, yet not one in which I would live. Still, except by death howcan I escape from the threefold chain of the will of Pharaoh, of Egypt,and of Userti? Oh!" he went on in a new voice, one that had in it bothsorrow and passion, "this is a matter in which I would have chosen formyself who in all others must be a servant. And I may not choose!"

  "Is there perchance some other lady, Prince?"

  "None! By Hathor, none--at least I think not. Yet I would have been freeto search for such a one and take her when I found her, if she were buta fishergirl."

  "The Kings of Egypt can have large households, Prince."

  "I know it. Are there not still scores whom I should call aunt anduncle? I think that my grandsire, Rameses, blessed Egypt with quitethree hundred children, and in so doing in a way was wise, since thushe might be sure that, while the world endures, in it will flow some theblood that once was his."

  "Yet in life or death how will that help him, Prince? Some must begetthe multitudes of the earth, what does it matter who these may havebeen?"

  "Nothing at all, Ana, since by good or evil fortune they are born.Therefore, why talk of large households? Though, like any man who canpay for it, Pharaoh may have a large household, I seek a queen who shallreign in my heart as well as on my throne, not a 'large household,' Ana.Oh! I am weary. Pambasa, come hither and conduct my secretary, Ana, tothe empty room that is next to my own, the painted chamber which lookstoward the north, and bid my slaves attend to all his wants as theywould to mine."