第16章

ThenonceagainthewaveofWarrolledinuponthem，andthestrifegrewfierceanddesperate。Theironhedgeofspearswaswell-nighbroken，andnowtheWanderer，doingsuchdeedsashadnotbeenknowninKhem，stoodalonebetweenMeriamuntheQueenandtheswordsthatthirstedforherlifeandthelifeofPharaoh。Thenofasudden，fromfardownthegreathallofbanquets，therecamealoudcrythatshrilledabovetheclashofswords，thegroansofmen，andallthedinofbattle。

“/Pharaoh！Pharaoh！Pharaoh！/“roseavoice。“Nowwiltthouletthepeoplego？“

Thenhewhosmotestayedhishandandhewhoguardeddroppedhisshield。Thebattleceasedandallturnedtolook。Thereattheendofthehall，amongthedeadanddying，therestoodthetwoancientmenoftheApura，andintheirhandswerecedarrods。

“ItistheWizards——theWizardsoftheApura，“mencried，andshrunkthiswayandthat，thinkingnomoreonwar。

Theancientmendrewnigh。Theytooknoheedofthedyingorthedead:

ontheywalked，throughbloodandwineandfallentablesandscatteredarms，tilltheystoodbeforethePharaoh。

“/Pharaoh！Pharaoh！Pharaoh！/“theycriedagain。“Deadarethefirst-

bornofKhematthehandofJahveh。Wiltthouletthepeoplego？“

ThenPharaohliftedhisfaceandcried:

“Getyougone——youandallthatisyours。Getyougoneswiftly，andletKhemseeyourfacenomore。“

Thepeopleheard，andthelivingleftthehall，andsilencefellonthecity，andonthedeadwhodiedofthesword，andthedeadwhodiedofthepestilence。Silencefell，andsleep，andtheGods’bestgift——

forgetfulness。

Evenoutofthisnightofdreadthemorningrose，andwithitcameRei，bearingamessagefromtheKing。ButhedidnotfindtheWandererinhischamber。ThePalaceeunuchssaidthathehadrisenandhadaskedforKurri，theCaptainoftheSidonians，whowasnowtheQueen’sJeweller。ThitherReiwent，forKurriwaslodgedwiththeservantsinacourtoftheRoyalHouse，andastheoldmancameheheardthesoundofhammersbeatingonmetal。There，intheshadowwhichthePalacewallcastintoalittlecourt，therewastheWanderer；nolongerinhisgoldenmail，butwithbarearms，anddressedinsuchalightsmockastheworkmenofKhemwerewonttowear。

TheWandererwasbendingoverasmallbrazier，whenceaflameandalightbluesmokearoseandmeltedintothemorninglight。Inhishandheheldasmallhammer，andhehadalittleanvilbyhim，onwhichlayoneofthegoldenshoulder-platesofhisarmour。Theotherpieceswereheapedbesidethebrazier。Kurri，theSidonian，stoodbesidehim，withgravingtoolsinhishands。

“Hailtothee，Eperitus，“criedRei，callinghimbythenamehehadchosentogivehimself。“Whatmakestthouherewithfireandanvil？“

“Iambutfurbishingupmyarmour，“saidtheWanderer，smiling。“Ithasmorethanonedintfromthefightinthehall；“andhepointedtohisshield，whichwasdeeplyscarredacrosstheblazonoftheWhiteBull，thecognizanceofdeadParis，Priam’sson。“Sidonian，blowupthefire。“

Kurricrouchedonhishamsandblewtheblazetoawhiteheatwithapairofleathernbellows，whiletheWandererfittedtheplatesandhammeredatthemontheanvil，makingthejointuressmoothandstrong，talkingmeanwhilewithRei。

“Strangeworkforaprince，asthoumustbeinAlybas，whencethoucomest，“quothRei，leaningonhislongrodofcedar，headedwithanappleofbluestone。“Inourcountrychiefsdonotlabourwiththeirhands。“

“Differentlands，differentways，“answeredEperitus。“Inmycountrymenwednottheirsistersasyourkingsdo，though，indeed，itcomesintomymindthatonceImetsuchbridesinmywanderingsintheisleoftheKingoftheWinds。“

Forthethoughtofthe？olianisle，whereKing？olusgavehimallthewindsinabag，cameintohismemory。

“Myhandscanservemeineveryneed，“hewenton。“Mowingthedeepgreengrassinspring，ordrivingoxen，orcuttingacleanfurrowwiththeploughinheavysoil，orbuildinghousesandships，ordoingsmith’sworkwithgoldandbronzeandgreyiron——theyareallonetome。“

“Ortheworkofwar，“saidRei。“ForthereIhaveseentheelabour。

Now，listen，thouWanderer，theKingMeneptahandtheQueenMeriamunsendmetotheewiththisscrolloftheirwill，“andhedrewfortharollofpapyrus，boundwithgoldenthreads，andhelditonhisforehead，bowing，asifheprayed。

“Whatisthatrollofthine？“saidtheWanderer，whowashammeringatthebronzespear-point，thatstoodfastinhishelm。

Reiundidthegoldenthreadsandopenedthescroll，whichhegaveintotheWanderer’shand。

“Gods！Whathavewehere？“saidtheWanderer。“Herearepictures，tinyandcunninglydrawn，serpentsinred，andlittlefiguresofmensittingorstanding，axesandsnakesandbirdsandbeetles！Myfather，whattokensarethese？“andhegavethescrollbacktoRei。

“TheKinghasmadehisChiefScribewritetothee，namingtheeCaptainoftheLegionofPasht，theGuardoftheRoyalHouse，forlastnighttheCaptainwasslain。Hegivestheeahightitle，andhepromisestheehouses，lands，andacityoftheSouthtofurnishtheewithwine，andacityoftheNorthtofurnishtheewithcorn，ifthouwiltbehisservant。“

“NeverhaveIservedanyman，“saidtheWanderer，flushingred，“thoughIwentneartobeingsoldandtoknowingthedayofslavery。

TheKingdoesmetoomuchhonour。“

“ThouwouldestfainbegonefromKhem？“askedtheoldman，eagerly。

“IwouldfainfindherIcametoseek，wherevershemaybe，“saidtheWanderer。“Hereorotherwhere。“

“Then，whatanswershallIcarrytotheKing？“

“Timebringsthought，“saidtheWanderer；“Iwouldseethecityifthouwiltguideme。ManycitieshaveIseen，butnonesogreatasthis。AswewalkIwillconsidermyanswertoyourKing。“

Hehadbeenworkingathishelmashespoke，fortherestofhisarmourwasnowmended。Hehaddrawnoutthesharpspear-headofbronze，andwasbalancingitinhishandandtryingitsedge。

“Agoodblade，“hesaid；“betterwasneverhammered。Itwentneartodoingitswork，Sidonian，“andheturnedtoKurriashespoke。“TwothingsofthineIhad:thylifeandthyspear-point。ThylifeIgavethee，thyspear-pointthoudidstlendme。Here，takeitagain，“andhetossedthespear-headtotheQueen’sJeweller。

“Ithankthee，lord，“answeredtheSidonian，thrustingitinhisgirdle；buthemutteredbetweenhisteeth，“Thegiftsofenemiesaregiftsofevil。“

TheWandererdidonhismail，setthehelmetonhishead，andspoketoRei。“Comeforth，friend，andshowmethycity。“

ButReiwaswatchingthesmileonthefaceoftheSidonian，andhedeemeditcruelandcraftyandwarlike，likethelaughoftheSardanaofthesea。Hesaidnought，butcalledaguardofsoldiers，andwiththeWandererhepassedthePalacegatesandwentoutintothecity。

Thesightwasstrange，anditwasnotthusthattheoldman，wholovedhisland，wouldhavehadtheWandererseeit。

Fromallthewealthyhouses，andfrommanyofthepoorersort，rangthewailofthewomenmournersastheysangtheirdirgesforthedead。

Butinthemeanerquartersmanyahovelwasmarkedwiththreesmearsofblood，dashedoneachpillarofthedoorandonthelintel；andthesoundthatcamefromthesedwellingswasthecryofmirthandfestival。Thereweretwopeoples；onelaughed，onelamented。Andinandoutofthehousesmarkedwiththesplashesofbloodwomenwereevergoingwithemptyhands，orcomingwithhandsfullofjewels，ofgold，ofsilverrings，ofcups，andpurplestuffs。Emptytheywentout，ladentheycamein，darkmenandwomenwithkeenblackeyesandthefeaturesofbirdsofprey。Theywent，theycame，theyclamouredwithdelightamongthemourningofthemenandwomenofKhem，andnonelaidahandonthem，nonerefusedthem。

OnetallfellowsnatchedatthestaffofRei。

“Lendmethystaff，oldman，“hesaid，sneering；“lendmethyjewelledstaffformyjourney。Idobutborrowit；whenYak？bcomesfromthedesertthoushalthaveitagain。“

ButtheWandererturnedonthefellowwithsuchaglancethathefellback。

“Ihaveseen/thee/before，“hesaid，andhelaughedoverhisshoulderashewent；“Isawtheelastnightatthefeast，andheardthygreatbowsing。ThouartnotofthefolkofKhem。Theyareagentlefolk，andYak？bwinsfavourintheirsight。“

“Whatpassesnowinthishauntedlandofthine，oldman？“saidtheWanderer，“forofallthesightsthatIhaveseen，thisisthestrangest。Noneliftsahandtosavehisgoodsfromthethief。“

ReithePriestgroanedaloud。

“EvildayshavecomeuponKhem，“hesaid。“TheApuraspoilthepeopleofKhemeretheyflyintotheWilderness。“

Evenashespoketherecameagreatladyweeping，forherhusbandwasdead，andhersonandherbrother，allweregoneinthebreathofthepestilence。ShewasoftheRoyalHouse，andrichlydeckedwithgoldandjewels，andtheslaveswhofannedher，asshewenttotheTempleofPtahtoworship，woregoldchainsupontheirnecks。TwowomenoftheApurasawherandrantoher，crying:

“Lendtousthosegoldenornamentsthouwearest。“

Then，withoutaword，shetookhergoldbraceletsandchainsandrings，andletthemallfallinaheapatherfeet。ThewomenoftheApuratookthemallandmockedher，crying: