第17章
“Wherenowisthyhusbandandthysonandthybrother，thouwhoartofPharaoh’shouse？Nowthoupayestusforthelabourofourhandsandforthebricksthatwemadewithoutstraw，gatheringleavesandrushesinthesun。Nowthoupayestforthestickinthehandoftheoverseers。Wherenowisthyhusbandandthysonandthybrother？“andtheywentstillmocking，andlefttheladyweeping。
ButofallsightstheWandererheldthisstrangest，andmanysuchthereweretosee。Atfirsthewouldhavetakenbackthespoilandgivenittothosewhoworeit，butReithePriestprayedhimtoforbear，lestthecurseshouldstrikethemalso。Sotheypressedonthroughthetumult，everseeingnewsightsofgreedanddeathandsorrow。Hereamotherweptoverherbabe，hereabrideoverherhusband——thatnightthegroomofherandofdeath。Herethefierce-
facedApura，clamouringlikegulls，torethesilvertrinketsfromthechildrenofthoseofthebasersort，orthesacredamuletsfromthemummiesofthosewhowerelaidoutforburial，andhereawater-
carrierwailedoverthecarcassoftheassthatwonhimhislivelihood。
Atlength，passingthroughthecrowd，theycametoatemplethatstoodneartotheTempleoftheGodPtah。Thepylonsofthistemplefacedtowardsthehousesofthecity，buttheinnercourtswerebuiltagainstthewallsofTanisandlookedoutacrossthefaceofthewater。Thoughnotoneofthelargesttemples，itwasverystrongandbeautifulinitsshape。ItwasbuiltoftheblackstoneofSyene，andallthepolishedfaceofthestonewasgravenwithimagesoftheHolyHathor。Heresheworeacow’shead，andherethefaceofawoman，butshealwaysboreinherhandsthelotus-headedstaffandtheholytokenoflife，andherneckwasencircledwiththecollarofthegods。
“HeredwellsthatStrangeHathortowhomthoudidstdrinklastnight，Eperitus，“saidReithePriest。“ItwasawildpledgetodrinkbeforetheQueen，whoswearsthatshebringsthesewoesonKhem。Though，indeed，sheisguiltlessofthis，withallthebloodonherbeautifulhead。TheApuraandtheirapostatesorcerer，whomweourselvesinstructed，bringtheplaguesonus。“
“DoestheHathormanifestherselfthisday？“askedtheWanderer。
“Thatwewillaskofthepriests，Eperitus。Followthoume。“
Nowtheypasseddowntheavenueofsphinxeswithinthewallofbrick，intothegardenplotoftheGoddess，andsoonthroughthegatesoftheoutertower。ApriestwhowatchedtherethrewthemwideatthesignthatwasgivenofRei，theMaster-Builder，thebelovedofPharaoh，andtheycametotheoutercourt。Beforethesecondtowertheyhalted，andReishowedtotheWandererthatplaceuponthepylonroofwheretheHathorwaswonttostandandsingtillthehearers’
heartsweremeltedlikewax。Heretheyknockedoncemore，andwereadmittedtotheHallofAssemblywherethepriestsweregathered，throwingdustupontheirheadsandmourningthoseamongthemwhohaddiedwiththeFirstborn。WhentheysawRei，theinstructed，theProphetofAmen，andtheWanderercladingoldenarmourwhowaswithhim，theyceasedfromtheirmourning，andanancientpriestoftheirnumbercameforward，and，greetingRei，askedhimofhiserrand。ThenReitooktheWandererbythehandandmadehimknowntothepriest，andtoldhimofthosedeedsthathehaddone，andhowhehadsavedthelifeofPharaohandofthoseoftheRoyalHousewhosatatthefeastwithPharaoh。
“ButwhenwilltheLadyHathorsinguponhertowertop？“saidRei，“fortheStrangerdesirestoseeherandhearher。“
ThetemplepriestbowedbeforetheWanderer，andansweredgravely:
“OnthethirdmornfromnowtheHolyHathorshowsherselfuponthetemple’stop，“hesaid；“butthou，mightylord，whoartrisenfromthesea，hearkentomywarning，andif，indeed，thouartnogod，darenottolookuponherbeauty。Ifthoudostlook，thenthyfateshallbeasthefateofthosewhohavelookedbefore，andhavelovedandhavediedforthesakeoftheHathor。“
“NogodamI，“saidtheWanderer，laughing，“yet，perchance，Ishalldaretolook，anddaretofacewhateveritbethatguardsher，ifmyheartbidsmeseehernearer。“
“Thenthereshallbeanendoftheeandthywanderings，“saidthepriest。“Nowfollowme，andIwillshowtheethosemenwholastsoughttowintheHathor。“
Hetookhimbythehandandledhimthroughpassageshewninthewallstilltheycametoadeepandgloomycell，wherethegoldenarmouroftheWanderershonelikealampateve。Thecellwasbuiltagainstthecitywall，andscarcelyathreadoflightcameintothechinkbetweenroofandwall。Allaboutthechamberwerebathsfashionedofbronze，andinthebathslayduskyshapesofdark-skinnedmenofEgypt。Theretheylay，andinthefaintlighttheirlimbswerebeinganointedbysomesad-facedattendants，asfolkwereanointedbymerrygirlsintheshiningbathsoftheWanderer’shome。WhenReiandEperituscamenear，thesad-facedbath-menshrankawayinshame，asdogsshrinkfromtheirevilmeatatnightwhenatravellergoespast。
Marvellingatthestrangesight，thebathersandthebathed，theWandererlookedmoreclosely，andhisstoutheartsankwithinhim。Foralltheseweredeadwholayinthebathsofbronze，anditwasnotwaterthatflowedabouttheirlimbs，butevil-smellingnatron。
“Hereliethose，“saidthepriest，“wholaststrovetocomeneartheHolyHathor，andtopassintotheshrineofthetemplewherenightanddayshesitsandsingsandweaveswithhergoldenshuttle。Heretheylie，thehalfofascore。Onebyonetheyrushedtoembraceher，andonebyonetheyweresmittendown。Heretheyarebeingattiredforthetomb，forwegivethemallrichburial。“
“Truly，“quoththeWanderer，“IlefttheworldofLightbehindmewhenIlookedontheblood-redseaandsailedintotheblackgloomoffPharos。MoreevilsightshaveIseeninthishauntedlandthaninallthecitieswhereIhavewandered，andonalltheseasthatIhavesailed。“
“Thenbewarned，“saidthepriest，“forifthoudostfollowwheretheywent，anddesirewhattheydesired，thoutooshaltlieinyonderbath，andbewashedofyonderwaters。Forwhateverbefalse，thisistrue，thathewhoseeksloveofttimesfindsdoom。Butherehefindsitmostspeedily。“
TheWandererlookedagainatthedeadandattheirministers，andheshudderedtillhisharnessrattled。HefearednotthefaceofDeathinwar，oronthesea，butthiswasanewthing。Littlehelovedthesightofthebrazenbathsandthosewholaythere。Thelightofthesunandthebreathofairseemedgoodtohim，andhesteppedquicklyfromthechamber，whilethepriestsmiledtohimself。Butwhenhereachedtheouterair，hisheartcamebacktohim，andhebegantoaskagainabouttheHathor——whereshedwelt，andwhatitwasthatslewherlovers。
“Iwillshowthee，“answeredthepriest，andbroughthimthroughtheHallofAssemblytoacertainnarrowwaythatledtoacourt。InthecentreofthecourtstoodtheholyshrineoftheHathor。Itwasagreatchamber，builtofalabaster，lightedfromtheroofalone，andshutinwithbrazendoors，beforewhichhungcurtainsofTyrianweb。
Fromtheroofoftheshrineastairwayranoverheadtotheroofofthetempleandsototheinnerpylontower。
“Yonder，Stranger，theholyGoddessdwellswithintheAlabasterShrine，“saidthepriest。“Bythatstairshepassestothetempleroof，andthencetothepylontop。Therebythecurtains，onceineveryday，weplacefood，anditisdrawnintothesanctuary，howweknownot，fornoneofushavesetfootthere，norseentheHathorfacetoface。Now，whentheGoddesshasstooduponthepylonandsungtothemultitudebelow，shepassesbacktotheshrine。Thenthebrazenouterdoorsofthetemplecourtarethrownwideandthedoomedrushonmadly，onebyone，towardsthedrawncurtains。Butbeforetheypassthecurtainstheyarethrustback，yettheystrivetopass。Thenwehearasoundoftheclashingofweaponsandthemenfalldeadwithoutaword，whilethesongoftheHathorswellsfromwithin。“
“Andwhoareherswordsmen？“saidtheWanderer。
“Thatweknownot，Stranger；nomanhaslivedtotell。Come，drawneartothedooroftheshrineandhearken，maybethouwiltheartheHathorsinging。Havenofear；thouneedstnotapproachtheguardedspace。“
ThentheWandererdrewnearwithadoubtingheart，butReithePrieststoodafaroff，thoughthetemplepriestscamecloseenough。Atthecurtainstheystoppedandlistened。Thenfromwithintheshrinetherecameasoundofsingingwildandsweetandshrill，andthevoiceofitstirredtheWandererstrangely，bringingtohismindmemoriesofthatIthacaofwhichhewasLordandwhichheshouldseenomore；ofthehappydaysofyouth，andoftheGod-builtwallsofwindyIlios。Buthecouldnothavetoldwhyhethoughtonthesethings，norwhyhisheartwasthusstrangelystirredwithinhim。
“Hearken！theHathorsingsassheweavesthedoomofmen，“saidthepriest，andashespokethesingingended。
ThentheWanderertookcounselwithhimselfwhetherheshouldthenandthereburstthedoorsandtakehisfortune，orwhetherheshouldforbearforthatwhile。Butintheendhedeterminedtoforbearandseewithhisowneyeswhatbefellthosewhostrovetowintheway。
Sohedrewback，wonderingmuch；and，biddingfarewelltotheagedpriest，hewentwithRei，theMasterBuilder，throughthetownofTanis，wheretheApurawerestillspoilingthepeopleofKhem，andhecametothePalacewherehewaslodged。Hereheturnedoverinhismindhowhemightseethestrangewomanofthetemple，andyetescapethebathsofbronze。Therehesatandthoughttillatlengththenightdrewon，andonecametosummonhimtosupwithPharaohintheHall。
Thenheroseupandwent，andmeetingPharaohandMeriamuntheQueenintheouterchamber，passedinafterthemtotheHall，andontotheda？swhichhehadheldagainsttherabble，fortheplacewasclearofdead，and，saveforcertainstainsuponthemarblefloorthatmightnotbewashedaway，andforsomefewarrowsthatyetwerefixedhighupinthewallsorintheloftyroof，therewasnothingtotellofthegreatfraythathadbeenfoughtbutonedaygone。
HeavywasthefaceofPharaoh，andthefewwhosatwithhimweresadenoughbecauseofthedeathofsomanywhomtheyloved，andtheshameandsorrowthathadfallenuponKhem。ButtherewerenotearsforheronechildintheeyesofMeriamuntheQueen。Anger，notgrief，toreherheartbecausePharaohhadlettheApurago。Foreverastheysatatthesadfeasttherecameasoundofthetrampingfeetofarmies，andoflowingcattle，andsongsoftriumph，sungbytenthousandvoices，andthustheysangthesongoftheApura:——
AlampforourfeettheLordhathlitten，SignshathHeshownintheLandofKhem。
TheKingsoftheNationsourLordhathsmitten，HisshoehathHecasto’ertheGodsofthem。
HehathmadeHimamockoftheheiferofIsis，HehathbrokenthechariotreinsofRa，OnYak？bHecries，andHisfolkarises，AndthekneesoftheNationareloosedinawe。
Hegivesustheirgoodsforaspoiltogather，Jewelsofsilver，andvesselsofgold；