第10章
NowUsertishiftedhereyesfrommetoSeti，watchinghimveryclosely。Seatedathissideuponthegroundwithmywritingrollspreadacrossmyknee，I，too，watchedhimclosely，andnotedthathislipsturnedwhiteandhisfacegrewfixedandstrange。
“IhearthecommandofPharaoh，“hesaidinalowvoicemakingobeisance，andhesitated。
“Haveyouaughttoadd？“askedMeneptahsharply。
“Only，OPharaoh，thatthoughthiswouldbeamarriagedecreedforreasonsoftheState，stillthereisaladywhomustbegiveninmarriage，andshemyhalf-sisterwhoheretoforehasonlylovedmeasarelative。Therefore，Iwouldknowfromherlipsifitisherwilltotakemeasahusband。“
NowalllookedatUsertiwhorepliedinacoldvoice：
“Inthismatter，Prince，asinallothersIhavenowillbutthatofPharaoh。“
“Youhaveheard，“interruptedMeneptahimpatiently，“andasinourHouseithasalwaysbeenthecustomforkintomarrykin，whyshoulditnotbeherwill？Also，whoelseshouldshemarry？Amenmesesisalreadywed。ThereremainsonlySaptahhisbrotherwhoisyoungerthanherself-“
“SoamI，“murmuredSeti，“bytwolongyears，“buthappilyUsertididnothearhim。
“Nay，myfather，“shesaidwithdecision，“neverwillItakeadeformedmantohusband。“
Nowfromtheshadowonthefurthersideofthethrone，whereIcouldnotseehim，therehobbledforwardayoungnoble，shortinstature，light-hairedlikeSeti，andwithasharp，cleverfacewhichputmeinmindofthatofajackal(indeedforthisreasonhewasnamedThothbythecommonpeople，afterthejackal-headedgod)。Hewasveryangry，forhischeekswereflushedandhissmalleyesflashed。
“MustIlisten，Pharaoh，“hesaidinalittlevoice，“whilemycousintheRoyalPrincessreproachesmeinpublicformylamefoot，whichI
havebecausemynurseletmefallwhenIwasstillinarms？“
“Thenhisnurselethisgrandfatherfallalso，forhetoowasclub-
footed，asIwhohaveseenhimnakedinhiscradlecanbearwitness，“
whisperedoldBakenkhonsu。
“Itseemsso，CountSaptah，unlessyoustopyourears，“repliedPharaoh。
“Shesaysshewillnotmarryme，“wentonSaptah，“mewhofromchildhoodhavebeenaslavetoherandtonootherwoman。“
“Notbymywish，Saptah。Indeed，Iprayyoutogoandbeaslavetoanywomanwhomyouwill，“exclaimedUserti。
“ButIsay，“continuedSaptah，“thatonedaysheshallmarryme，forthePrinceSetiwillnotliveforever。“
“Howdoyouknowthat，Cousin？“askedSeti。“TheHigh-priestherewilltellyouadifferentstory。“
Nowcertainofthosepresentturnedtheirheadsawaytohidethesmileupontheirfaces。YetonthisdaysomegodspokewithSaptah’svoicemakinghimaprophet，sinceinayeartocomeshedidmarryhim，inorderthatshemightstayuponthethroneatatimeoftroublewhenEgyptwouldnotsufferthatawomanshouldhavesoleruleovertheland。
ButPharaohdidnotsmilelikethecourtiers；indeedhegrewangry。
“Peace，Saptah!“hesaid。“Whoareyouthatwranglebeforeme，talkingofthedeathofkingsandsayingthatyouwillwedtheRoyalprincess？
Onemoresuchwordandyoushallbedrivenintobanishment。Hearkennow。AlmostamImindedtodeclaremydaughter，theRoyalPrincess，soleheiresstothethrone，seeingthatinherthereismorestrengthandwisdomthaninanyotherofourHouse。“
“IfsuchbePharaoh’swill，letPharaoh’swillbedone，“saidSetimosthumbly。“WellIknowmyownunworthinesstofillsohighastation，andbyallthegodsIswearthatmybelovedsisterwillfindnomorefaithfulsubjectthanmyself。“
“Youmean，Seti，“interruptedUserti，“thatratherthanmarrymeyouwouldabandonyourrighttothedoublecrown。TrulyIamhonoured。
Seti，whetheryoureignorI，Iwillnotmarryyou。“
“WhatwordsaretheseIhear？“criedMeneptah。“IsthereindeedoneinthislandofEgyptwhodarestosaythatPharaoh’sdecreeshallbedisobeyed？Writeitdown，Scribes，andyou，OOfficers，letitbeproclaimedfromThebestothesea，thatonthethirddayfromnowatthehourofnooninthetempleofHathorinthiscity，thePrince，theRoyalHeir，SetiMeneptah，BelovedofRa，willwedtheRoyalPrincessofEgypt，LilyofLove，BelovedofHathor，Userti，Daughterofme，thegod。“
“Life!Blood!Strength!“calledalltheCourt。
Then，guidedbysomehighofficer，thePrinceSetiwasledbeforethethroneandthePrincessUsertiwassetbesidehim，orratherfacinghim。Accordingtotheancientcustomagreatgoldcupwasbroughtandfilledwithredwine，tomeitlookedlikeblood。Usertitookthecupand，kneeling，gaveittothePrince，whodrankandgaveitbacktoherthatshemightalsodrinkinsolemntokenoftheirbetrothal。IsnotthescenegravenonthebroadbraceletsofgoldwhichinafterdaysSetiworewhenhesatuponthethrone，thosesamebraceletsthatatafuturetimeIwithmyownhandsclaspedaboutthewristsofdeadUserti？
Thenhestretchedouthishandwhichshetouchedwithherlips，andbendingdownhekissedheronthebrow。Lastly，Pharaoh，descendingtotheloweststepofthethrone，laidhissceptre，firstupontheheadofthePrince，andnextuponthatofthePrincess，blessingthembothinthenameofhimself，ofhisKaorDouble，andofthespiritsandKasofalltheirforefathers，kingsandqueensofEgypt，thusappointingthemtocomeafterhimwhenhehadbeengatheredtothebosomofthegods。
Thesethingsdone，hedepartedinstate，surroundedbyhiscourt，precededandfollowedbyhisguardsandleaningonthearmofthePrincessUserti，whomhelovedbetterthananyoneintheworld。
AwhilelaterIstoodalonewiththePrinceinhisprivatechamber，whereIhadfirstseenhim。
“Thatisfinished，“hesaidinacheerfulvoice，“andItellyou，Ana，thatIfeelquite，quitehappy。Haveyouevershivereduponthebankofariverofawintermorning，fearingtoenter，andyet，whenyoudidenter，haveyounotbeenpleasedtofindthattheicywaterrefreshedyouandmadeyounotcoldbuthot？“
“Yes，Prince。Itiswhenonecomesoutofthewater，ifthewindblowsandnosunshines，thatonefeelscolderthanbefore。“
“True，Ana，andthereforeonemustnotcomeout。Oneshouldstoptheretillone——drownsoriseatenbyacrocodile。But，say，didIdoitwell？“
“OldBakenkhonsutoldme，Prince，thathehadbeenpresentatmanyroyalbetrothals，Ithinkhesaideleven，andhadneverseenoneconductedwithmoregrace。HeaddedthatthewayinwhichyoukissedthebrowofherHighnesswasperfect，aswasallyourdemeanourafterthefirstargument。“
“Andsoitwouldremain，Ana，ifIwerenevercalledupontodomorethankissherbrow，towhichIhavebeenaccustomedfromboyhood。Oh!
Ana，Ana，“headdedinakindofcry，“alreadyyouarebecomingacourtierliketherestofthem，acourtierwhocannotspeakthetruth。
Well，norcanI，sowhyshouldIblameyou？Tellmeagainallaboutyourmarriage，Ana，ofhowitbeganandhowitended。“
WhetherornothePrinceSetisawUsertiagainbeforethehourofhismarriagewithherIcannotsay，becausehenevertoldme。IndeedIwasnotpresentatthemarriage，forthereasonthatIhadbeengrantedleavetoreturntoMemphis，theretosettlemyaffairsandsellmyhouseonenteringuponmyappointmentasprivatescribetohisHighness。ThusitcameaboutthatfourteenfulldayswentbyfromthatoftheholdingoftheCourtofBetrothalbeforeIfoundmyselfstandingoncemoreatthegateofthePrince’spalace，attendedbyaservantwholedanassonwhichwereladenallmymanuscriptsandcertainpossessionsthathaddescendedtomefrommyancestorswiththetitle-deedsoftheirtombs。Differentindeedwasmyreceptiononthismysecondcoming。EvenasIreachedthestepstheoldchamberlainPambasaappeared，runningdownthemsofastthathiswhiterobesandbeardstreamedupontheair。
“Greeting，mostlearnedscribe，mosthonourableAna，“hepanted。“GladindeedamItoseeyou，sinceveryhourhisHighnessasksifyouhavereturned，andblamesmebecauseyouhavenotcome。VerilyIbelievethatifyouhadstayedupontheroadanotherdayIshouldhavebeensenttolookforyou，whohavehadsharpwordssaidtomebecauseI
didnotarrangethatyoushouldbeaccompaniedbyaguard，asthoughtheVizierNehesiwouldhavepaidthecostsofaguardwithoutthedirectorderofPharaoh。OmostexcellentAna，givemeofthecharmwhichyouhavedoubtlessusedtowintheloveofourroyalmaster，andIwillpayyouwellforitwhofinditeasiertoearnhiswrath。“
“Iwill，Pambasa。Hereitis——writebetterstoriesthanIdoinsteadoftellingthem，andhewillloveyoumorethanhedoesme。Butsay——
howwentthemarriage？Ihavehearduponthewaythatitwasverysplendid。“
“Splendid!Oh!itwastentimesmorethansplendid。ItwasasthoughthegodOsiriswereoncemorewedtothegoddessIsisintheveryhallsofheaven。IndeedhisHighness，thebridegroom，wasdressedasagod，yes，heworetherobesandtheholyornamentsofAmon。Andtheprocession!AndthefeastthatPharaohgave!ItellyouthatthePrincewassoovercomewithjoyandallthisweightofglorythat，beforeitwasover，lookingathimIsawthathiseyeswereclosed，beingdazzledbythegleamofgoldandjewelsandthelovelinessofhisroyalbride。Hetoldmethatitwassohimself，fearingperhapslestIshouldhavethoughtthathewasasleep。Thentherewerethepresents，somethingtoeveryoneofusaccordingtohisdegree。Igot——
wellitmattersnot。And，learnedAna，Ididnotforgetyou。KnowingwellthateverythingwouldbegonebeforeyoureturnedIspokeyournameintheearofhisHighness，offeringtokeepyourgift。“
“Indeed，Pambasa，andwhatdidhesay？“