第7章

strokes，“andhesmiled。

TheancientpriestbadetheTempleservantsretire，andastheywenttheyheardhimmurmuringaprayer。

“TheDeadspoketruth，“hemuttered，stillgazingfromthehelmetinhishandtotheWanderer；“ay，theDeadspeakseldom，buttheyneverlie。“

“Myson，thouhasteatenanddrunk，“thensaidReithePriestandMasterBuilder，“andmayanoldmanaskwhencethoucamest，whereisthynativecity，andwhoarethyparents？“

“IcomefromAlybas，“answeredtheWanderer，forhisownnamewastoowidelyknown，andhelovedanartfultale。“IcomefromAlybas；IamthesonofApheidas，sonofPolypemon，andmyownnameisEperitus。“

“Andwhereforecomestthouherealoneinashipofdeadmen，andwithmoretreasurethanaking’sransom？“

“ItwasmenofSidonwholabouredanddiedforallthatcargo，“saidtheWanderer；“theyvoyagedfarforit，andtoiledhard，buttheylostitinanhour。Fortheywerenotcontentwithwhattheyhad，butmademeaprisonerasIlayasleeponthecoastofCrete。ButtheGodsgavemetheupperhandofthem，andIbringtheircaptain，andmuchwhitemetalandmanyswordsandcupsandbeautifulwovenstuffs，asagifttoyourKing。Andforthycourtesy，comewithme，andchooseagiftforthyself。“

Thenheledtheoldmantothetreasure-chambersoftheTemple，whichwasrichintheofferingsofmanytravellers，goldandturquoiseandfrankincensefromSinaiandPunt，greathornsofcarvedivoryfromtheunknownEastandSouth；bowlsandbathsofsilverfromtheKhita，whowerethealliesofEgypt。Butamidstallthewealth，thestranger’scargomadeagoodlyshow，andtheoldpriest’seyesglitteredashelookedatit。

“Takethychoice，Ipraythee，“saidtheWanderer，“thespoilsoffoemenaretheshareoffriends。“

Thepriestwouldhaverefused，buttheWanderersawthathelookedeveratabowloftransparentamber，fromthefar-offNorthernseas，thatwasembossedwithcuriousfiguresofmenandgods，andhugefishes，suchasareunknownintheMidlandwaters。TheWandererputitintothehandsofRei。

“Thoushaltkeepthis，“hesaid，“andpledgemeinwinefromitwhenI

amgone，inmemoryofafriendandaguest。“

Reitookthebowl，andthankedhim，holdingituptothelighttoadmirethegoldencolour。

“Wearealwayschildren，“hesaid，smilinggravely。“Seeanoldchildwhomthouhastmadehappywithatoy。Butwearementoosoonagain；

theKingbidstheecomewithmebeforehim。And，myson，ifthouwouldstpleasememorethanbyanygift，Ipraytheepluckthatspear-

headfromthyhelmetbeforethoucomestintothepresenceoftheQueen。“

“Pardonme，“saidtheWanderer。“Iwouldnotharmmyhelmetbytearingitroughlyout，andIhavenosmith’stoolshere。Thespear-point，myfather，isawitnesstothetruthofmytale，andforonedaymore，ortwo，Imustwearit。“

Reisighed，bowedhishead，foldedhishands，andprayedtohisGodAmen，saying:

“OAmen，inwhosehandistheendofamatter，lightentheburdenofthesesorrows，andletthevisionbeeasyofaccomplishment，andI

praythee，OAmen，letthyhandbelightonthydaughterMeriamun，theLadyofKhem。“

ThentheoldmanledtheWandererout，andbadethepriestsmakereadyachariotforhim；andsotheywentthroughTanistotheCourtofMeneptah。Behindthemfollowedthepriests，carryinggiftsthattheWandererhadchosenfromthetreasuresoftheSidonians，andthemiserablecaptainoftheSidonianswasdraggedalongafterthem，boundtothehinderpartofachariot。ThroughthegazingcrowdtheyallpassedontotheHallofAudience，where，betweenthegreatpillars，satPharaohonhisgoldenthrone。Besidehim，athisrighthand，wasMeriamun，thebeautifulQueen，wholookedatthepriestswithwearyeyes，asifatamatterinwhichshehadnoconcern。TheycameinandbeattheearthwiththeirbrowsbeforetheKing。Firstcametheofficers，leadingthecaptainoftheSidoniansforagifttoPharaoh，andtheKingsmiledgraciouslyandacceptedtheslave。

Thencameothers，bearingthecupsofgoldfashionedliketheheadsoflionsandrams，andtheswordswithpicturesofwarsandhuntingsechoedontheirbladesinmany-colouredgold，andtheneckletsofamberfromtheNorth，whichtheWandererhadchosenasgiftsforPharaoh’sQueenandPharaoh。Hehadsilks，too，embroideredingold，andneedleworkofSidonianwomen，andallthesetheQueenMeriamuntouchedtoshowheracceptanceofthem，andsmiledgraciouslyandwearily。ButthecovetousSidoniangroaned，whenhesawhiswealthdepartingfromhim，thegainsforwhichhehadhazardedhislifeinunsailedseas。Lastly，PharaohbadethemleadtheWandererinbeforehispresence，andhecameunhelmeted，inallhissplendour，thegoodliestmanthathadeverbeenseeninKhem。Hewasofnogreatheight，butverygreatofgirth，andofstrengthunmatched，andwiththefaceofonewhohadseenwhatfewhaveseenandlived。Thebeautyofyouthwasgonefromhim，buthisfacehadthecomelinessofawarriortriedonseaandland；theeyeswereofavalourinvincible，andnowomancouldseehimbutshelongedtobehislove。

Asheenteredmurmursofamazementpassedoverallthecompany，andalleyeswerefixedonhim，saveonlythewearyandwanderingeyesofthelistlessMeriamun。Butwhenshechancedtoliftherface，andgazeonhim，theywhowatchthelooksofkingsandqueenssawherturngreyasthedead，andclutchwithherhandatherside。Pharaohhimselfsawthisthoughhewasnotquicktomarkwhatpassed，andheaskedherifanythingailedher，butsheanswered:——

“Nay，onlymethinkstheairissickwithheatandperfume。Greetthouthisstranger。“Butbeneathherrobeherfingerswerefrettingallthewhileatthegoldenfringesofherthrone。

“Welcome，thouWanderer，“criedPharaoh，inadeepandheavyvoice，“welcome！Bywhatnameartthounamed，andwheredwellthypeople，andwhatisthynativeland？“

BowinglowbeforePharaoh，theWandereranswered，withafeignedtale，thathisnamewasEperitusofAlybas，thesonofApheidas。Therestofthestory，andhowhehadbeentakenbytheSidonians，andhowhehadsmittenthemontheseas，hetoldashehadtoldittoRei。Andhedisplayedhishelmetwiththespear-pointfastinit。ButwhenshesawthisMeriamunrosetoherfeetasifshewouldbegone，andthenfellbackintoherseatevenpalerthanbefore。

“TheQueen，helptheQueen，shefaints，“criedReithePriest，whoseeyeshadneverleftherface。Oneofherladies，abeautifulwoman，rantoher，kneltbeforeher，andchafedherhands，tillshecametoherself，andsatupwithangryeyes。

“Letbe！“shesaid，“andlettheslavewhotendstheincensebebeatenonthefeet。Nay，Iwillremainhere，Iwillnottomychamber。Letbe！“andherladydrewbackafraid。

ThenPharaohbademenleadtheSidonianout，andslayhiminthemarket-placeforhistreachery；buttheman，whosenamewasKurri，threwhimselfatthefeetoftheWanderer，prayingforhislife。TheWandererwasmerciful，whentherageofbattlewasover，andhisbloodwascool。

“Aboon，OPharaohMeneptah，“hecried。“Sparemethisman！Hesavedmyownlifewhenthecrewwouldhavecastmeoverboard。Letmepaymydebt。“

“Lethimbespared，asthouwilthaveitso，“spokePharaoh，“butrevengedogsthefeetoffoolishmercy，andmanydebtsarepaidereallisdone。“

ThusitchancedthatKurriwasgiventoMeriamuntobeherjewellerandtoworkforheringoldandsilver。TotheWandererwasallottedachamberintheRoyalPalace，forthePharaohtrustedthathewouldbealeaderofhisGuard，andtookgreatpleasureinhisbeautyandhisstrength。

AshelefttheHallofAudiencewithRei，theQueenMeriamunliftedhereyesagain，andlookedonhimlong，andherivoryfaceflushedrosy，liketheivorythattheSidoniansdyeredforthetrappingsofthehorsesofkings。ButtheWanderermarkedboththesuddenfearandtheblushofMeriamun，and，beautifulasshewas，helikeditill，andhisheartforebodedevil。WhenhewasalonewithRei，therefore，hespoketohimofthis，andprayedtheoldmantotellhimifhecouldguessatallthemeaningoftheQueen。

“Fortome，“hesaid，“itwasasiftheLadyknewmyface，andevenasifshefearedit；butIneversawherlikeinallmywanderings。

Beautifulsheis，andyet——butitisillspeakingintheirownlandofkingsandqueens！“

Atfirst，whentheWandererspokethus，Reiputitby，smiling。ButtheWanderer，seeingthathewastroubled，andrememberinghowhehadprayedhimtopluckthespear-pointfromhishelmet，pressedhimhardwithquestions。Thus，partlyoutofweariness，andpartlyforloveofhim，andalsobecauseasecrethadlongbeenburninginhisheart，theoldmantooktheWandererintohisownroominthePalace，andtherehetoldhimallthestoryofMeriamuntheQueen。

Rei，thePriestofAmen，theMasterBuilder，beganhisstoryunwillinglyenough，andslowly，butsoonhetookpleasureintellingitasoldmendo，andinsharingtheburdenofasecret。

“TheQueenisfair，“hesaid；“thouhastseennofairerinallthyvoyagings？“

“Sheisfairindeed，“answeredtheWanderer。“Ipraythatshebewell-

matedandhappyonherthrone？“

“ThatiswhatIwilltelltheeof，thoughmylifemaybethepriceofthetale，“saidRei。“Butalighterheartiswellworthanoldman’scheaprisk，andthoumay’sthelpmeandher，whenthouknowestall。

PharaohMeneptah，herlord，theKing，isthesonofthedivineRameses，theever-livingPharaoh，childoftheSun，whodwellethinOsiris。“

“Thoumeanestthatheisdead？“askedtheWanderer。

“HedwellethwithOsiris，“saidthePriest，“andtheQueenMeriamunwashisdaughterbyanotherbed。“

“Abrotherwedasister！“exclaimedtheWanderer。

“ItisthecustomofourRoyalHouse，fromthedaysoftheTimelessKings，thechildrenofHorus。Anoldcustom。“

“Thewaysofhishostsaregoodintheeyesofastranger，“saidtheWanderer，courteously。

“Itisanoldcustom，andasacred，“saidRei，“butwomen，thecustom-