第7章
“Becauseofancientcustomwhichsheworships。Alsobecausesheknowsmewellandinherfashionisfondofme，whomshebelievestobeagentle-mindeddreamerthatshecanrule。Lastly，becauseIamthelawfulheirtotheCrownandwithoutmetoshareit，shethinksthatshewouldneverbesafeupontheThrone，especiallyifIshouldmarrysomeotherwoman，ofwhomshewouldbejealous。ItistheThroneshedesiresandwouldwed，notthePrinceSeti，herhalf-brother，whomshetakeswithittobeinnameherhusband，asPharaohcommandsthatsheshoulddo。LoveplaysnopartinUserti’sbreast，Ana，whichmakesherthemoredangerous，sincewhatsheseekswithacoldheartofpolicy，thatshewillsurelyfind。“
“Thenitwouldseem，Prince，thatthecageisbuiltaboutyou。Afterallitisaverysplendidcageandmadeofgold。“
“Yes，Ana，yetnotoneinwhichIwouldlive。Still，exceptbydeathhowcanIescapefromthethreefoldchainofthewillofPharaoh，ofEgypt，andofUserti？Oh!“hewentoninanewvoice，onethathadinitbothsorrowandpassion，“thisisamatterinwhichIwouldhavechosenformyselfwhoinallothersmustbeaservant。AndImaynotchoose!“
“Isthereperchancesomeotherlady，Prince？“
“None!ByHathor，none——atleastIthinknot。YetIwouldhavebeenfreetosearchforsuchaoneandtakeherwhenIfoundher，ifshewerebutafishergirl。“
“TheKingsofEgyptcanhavelargehouseholds，Prince。“
“Iknowit。AretherenotstillscoreswhomIshouldcallauntanduncle？Ithinkthatmygrandsire，Rameses，blessedEgyptwithquitethreehundredchildren，andinsodoinginawaywaswise，sincethushemightbesurethat，whiletheworldendures，initwillflowsomethebloodthatoncewashis。“
“Yetinlifeordeathhowwillthathelphim，Prince？Somemustbegetthemultitudesoftheearth，whatdoesitmatterwhothesemayhavebeen？“
“Nothingatall，Ana，sincebygoodorevilfortunetheyareborn。
Therefore，whytalkoflargehouseholds？Though，likeanymanwhocanpayforit，Pharaohmayhavealargehousehold，Iseekaqueenwhoshallreigninmyheartaswellasonmythrone，nota“largehousehold，“Ana。Oh!Iamweary。Pambasa，comehitherandconductmysecretary，Ana，totheemptyroomthatisnexttomyown，thepaintedchamberwhichlookstowardthenorth，andbidmyslavesattendtoallhiswantsastheywouldtomine。“
“Whydidyoutellmeyouwereascribe，mylordAna？“askedPambasa，asheledmetomybeautifulsleeping-place。
“Becausethatismytrade，Chamberlain。“
Helookedatme，shakinghisgreatheadtillthelongwhitebeardwavedacrosshisbreastlikeatemplebannerinthefainteveningbreeze，andanswered：
“Youarenoscribe，youareamagicianwhocanwintheloveandfavourofhisHighnessinanhourwhichotherscannotdobetweentworisingsoftheNile。Hadyousaidsoatonce，youwouldhavebeendifferentlytreatedyonderinthehallofwaiting。ForgivemethereforewhatIdidinignorance，and，mylord，Iprayitmaypleaseyounottomeltawayinthenight，lestmyfeetshouldanswerforitbeneaththesticks。“
Itwasthefourthhourfromsunriseofthefollowingdaythat，forthefirsttimeinmylifeIfoundmyselfintheCourtofPharaohstandingwithothermembersofhishouseholdinthetrainofhisHighness，thePrinceSeti。Itwasaverygreatplace，forPharaohsatinthejudgmenthall，whereoftheroofisupheldbyroundandsculpturedcolumns，betweenwhichweresetstatuesofPharaohswhohadbeen。Saveatthethroneendofthehall，wherethelightfloweddownthroughclerestories，thevastchamberwasdimalmosttodarkness；atleastsoitseemedtomeenteringthereoutofthebrilliantsunshine。Throughthisgloommanyfolkmovedlikeshadows；captains，nobles，andstateofficerswhohadbeensummonedtotheCourt，andamongthemwhite-
robedandshavenpriests。AlsotherewereothersofwhomItooknocount，suchasArabheadmenfromthedesert，traderswithjewelsandotherwarestosell，farmersandevenpeasantswithpetitionstopresent，lawyersandtheirclients，andIknownotwhobesides，throughwhichofallthesenoneweresufferedtoadvancebeyondacertainmarkwherethelightbegantofall。Speakinginwhispersallofthesefolkflittedtoandfrolikebatsinatomb。
WewaitedbetweentwoHathor-headedpillarsinoneofthevestibulesofthehall，thePrinceSeti，whowascladinpurple-broideredgarmentsandworeuponhisbrowafilletofgoldfromwhichrosetheur？usorhoodedsnake，alsoofgold，thatroyalonesalonemightwear，leaningagainstthebaseofastatue，whiletherestofusstoodsilentbehindhim。Foratimehewassilentalso，asamanmightbewhosethoughtswereotherwhere。Atlengthheturnedandsaidtome：
“Thisiswearywork。WouldIhadaskedyoutobringthatnewtaleofyours，ScribeAna，thatwemighthavereadittogether。“
“ShallItellyoutheplotofit，Prince？“
“Yes。Imean，notnow，lestIshouldforgetmymannerslisteningtoyou。Look，“andhepointedtoadark-browed，fierce-eyedmanofmiddleagewhopassedupthehallasthoughhedidnotseeus，“theregoesmycousin，Amenmeses。Youknowhim，doyounot？“
Ishookmyhead。
“Thentellmewhatyouthinkofhim，atoncebeforethefirstjudgmentfades。“
“Ithinkheisaroyal-lookinglord，obstinateinmindandstronginbody，handsometooinhisway。“
“Allcanseethat，Ana。Whatelse？“
“Ithink，“Isaidinalowvoicesothatnonemightoverhear，“thathisheartisasblackashisbrow；thathehasgrownwickedwithjealousyandhateandwilldoyouevil。“
“Canamangrowwicked，Ana？Ishenotashewasborntilltheend？I
donotknow，nordoyou。Stillyouareright，heisjealousandwilldomeevilifitbringshimgood。Buttellme，whichofuswilltriumphatthelast？“
WhileIhesitatedwhattoanswerIbecameawarethatsomeonehadjoinedus。LookingroundIperceivedaveryancientmancladinawhiterobe。Hewasbroad-facedandbald-headed，andhiseyesburnedbeneathhisshaggyeyebrowsliketwocoalsinashes。Hesupportedhimselfonastaffofcedar-wood，grippingitwithbothhandsthatforthinnesswereliketothoseofamummy。Forawhileheconsideredusbothasthoughhewerereadingoursouls，thensaidinafullandjovialvoice：
“Greeting，Prince。“
Setiturned，lookedathim，andanswered：
“Greeting，Bakenkhonsu。Howcomesitthatyouarestillalive？WhenwepartedatThebesImadesure-“
“Thatonyourreturnyouwouldfindmeinmytomb。Notso，Prince，itisIwhoshalllivetolookuponyouinyourtomb，yes，andonotherswhoareyettositintheseatofPharaoh。Whynot？Ho!ho!Whynot，seeingthatIambutahundredandseven，IwhorememberthefirstRamesesandhaveplayedwithhisgrandson，yourgrandsire，asaboy？
WhyshouldInotlive，Prince，tonurseyourgrandson——ifthegodsshouldgrantyouonewhoasyethaveneitherwifenorchild？“
“Becauseyouwillgettiredoflife，Bakenkhonsu，asIamalready，andthegodswillnotbeabletospareyoumuchlonger。“
“Thegodscanendureyetawhilewithoutme，Prince，whensomanyareflockingtotheirtable。IndeeditistheirdesirethatonegoodpriestshouldbeleftinEgypt。KitheMagiciantoldmesoonlythismorning。HehaditstraightfromHeaveninadreamlastnight。“
“WhyhaveyoubeentovisitKi？“askedSeti，lookingathimsharply。
“Ishouldhavethoughtthatbeingbothofatradeyouwouldhavehatedeachother。“
“Notso，Prince。Onthecontraryweaddupeachother’saccount；I
mean，checkandinterpreteachother’svisions，withwhichwearebothofusmuchtroubledjustnow。IsthatyoungmanascribefromMemphis？“
“Yes，andmyfriend。HisgrandsirewasPentaurthepoet。“
“Indeed。IknewPentaurwell。Oftenhashereadmetosleepwithhislongpoems，rankstuffthatgrewlikecoarsegrassuponadeepbuthalf-drainedsoil。Areyousure，youngman，thatPentaurwasyourgrandfather？Youarenotlikehim。Quiteadifferentkindofherbage，andyouknowthatitisamatteruponwhichwemusttakeawoman’sword。“
SetiburstoutlaughingandIlookedattheoldpriestangrily，thoughnowthatIcametothinkofitmyfatheralwayssaidthathismotherwasoneofthebiggestliarsinEgypt。
“Well，letitbe，“wentonBakenkhonsu，“tillwefindoutthetruthbeforeThoth。Kiwasspeakingofyou，youngman。Ididnotpaymuchattentiontohim，butitwassomethingaboutasuddenvowoffriendshipbetweenyouandthePrincehere。Therewasacupinthestorytoo，analabastercupthatseemedfamiliartome。Kisaiditwasbroken。“
SetistartedandIbeganangrily：
“Whatdoyouknowofthatcup？Wherewereyouhid，OPriest？“
“Oh，inyoursouls，Isuppose，“heanswereddreamily，“orratherKiwas。ButIknownothing，andamnotcurious。Ifyouhadbrokenthecupwithawomannow，itwouldhavebeenmoreinteresting，eventoanoldman。BesogoodastoanswerthePrince’squestionastowhetherheorhiscousinAmenmeseswilltriumphatthelast，foronthatmatterbothKiandIarecurious。“
“AmIaseer，“Ibeganagainstillmoreangrily，“thatIshouldreadthefuture？“
“Ithinkso，alittle，butthatiswhatIwanttofindout。“
Hehobbledtowardsme，laidoneofhisclaw-likehandsuponmyarm，andsaidinanewvoiceofcommand：