第11章
“Hesaidthathewaskeepingithimself。WhenIstaredwonderingwhatitmightbe，forIsawnothingonhim，headded，’Itishere，’andtouchedtheprivatesignetguardthathehasalwaysworn，anancientringofgold，butofnogreatvalueIshouldsay，with’BelovedofThothandoftheKing’cutuponit。ItseemsthathemusttakeitofftomakeroomforanotherandmuchfinerringwhichherHighnesshasgivenhim。“
Now，bythistime，theasshavingbeenunloadedbytheslavesandledaway，wehadpassedthroughthehallwheremanywereidlingasever，andwerecometotheprivateapartmentsofthepalace。
“Thisway，“saidPambasa。“TheordersarethatIamtotakeyoutothePrincewhereverhemaybe，andjustnowheisseatedinthegreatapartmentwithherHighness，wheretheyhavebeenreceivinghomageanddeputationsfromdistantcities。Thelastleftabouthalfanhourago。“
“FirstIwillpreparemyself，worthyPambasa，“Ibegan。
“No，no，theordersareinstant，Idarenotdisobeythem。Enter，“andwithacourtlyflourishhedrewarichcurtain。
“ByAmon，“exclaimedawearyvoicewhichIknewasthatofthePrince，“herecomemorecouncillorsorpriests。Prepare，mysister，prepare!“
“Iprayyou，Seti，“answeredanothervoice，thatofUserti，“tolearntocallmebymyrightname，whichisnolongersister。Nor，indeed，amIyourfullsister。“
“Icraveyourpardon，“saidSeti。“Prepare，RoyalWife，prepare!“
BynowthecurtainwasfullydrawnandIstood，travel-stained，forlornand，totellthetruth，tremblingalittle，forIfearedherHighness，inthedoorway，hesitatingtopassthethreshold。Beyondwasasplendidchamberfulloflight，inthecentreofwhichuponacarvenandgoldenchair，oneoftwothatweresetthere，satherHighnessmagnificentlyapparelled，faultlesslybeautifulandcalm。Shewasengagedinstudyingapaintedroll，leftnodoubtbythelastdeputation，forotherssimilartoitwerelaidneatlysidebysideuponatable。
Thesecondchairwasempty，forthePrincewaswalkingrestlesslyupanddownthechamber，hisceremonialrobesomewhatdisarrayedandtheur？uscircletofgoldwhichhewore，tiltedbackuponhishead，becauseofhishabitofrunninghisfingersthroughhisbrownhair。AsIstillstoodinthedarkshadow，forPambasahadleftme，andthusremainedunseen，thetalkwenton。
“Iamprepared，Husband。Pardonme，itisyouwholookotherwise。Whywouldyoudismissthescribesandthehouseholdbeforetheceremonywasended？“
“Becausetheyweariedme，“saidSeti，“withtheircontinualbowingandpraisingandformalities。“
“InwhichIsawnothingunusual。Nowtheymustberecalled。“
“Letwhoeveritisenter，“heexclaimed。
ThenIsteppedforwardintothelight，prostratingmyself。
“Why，“hecried，“itisAnareturnedfromMemphis!Drawnear，Ana，andathousandwelcomestoyou。DoyouknowIthoughtthatyouwereanotherhigh-priest，orgovernorofsomeNomeofwhichIhadneverheard。“
“Ana!WhoisAna？“askedthePrincess。“Oh!Irememberthatscribe。Well，itisplainthathehasreturnedfromMemphis，“andsheeyedmydustyrobe。
“RoyalOne，“Imurmuredabashed，“donotblamemethatIenteryourpresencethus。PambasaledmehereagainstmywillbythedirectorderofthePrince。“
“Isitso？Say，Seti，doesthismanbringtidingsofimportfromMemphisthatyouneededhispresenceinsuchhaste？“
“Yes，Userti，atleastIthinkso。Youhavethewritingssafe，haveyounot，Ana？“
“Quitesafe，yourHighness，“Ianswered，thoughIknewnotofwhatwritingshespoke，unlesstheywerethemanuscriptsofmystories。
“Then，myLord，IwillleaveyoutotalkofthetidingsfromMemphisandthesewritings，“saidthePrincess。
“Yes，yes。Wemusttalkofthem，Userti。AlsoofthejourneytothelandofGoshenonwhichAnastartswithmeto-morrow。“
“To-morrow!Whythismorningyoutoldmeitwasfixedforthreedayshence。“
“DidI，Sister——ImeanWife？Ifso，itwasbecauseIwasnotsurewhetherAna，whoistobemychariotcompanion，wouldbeback。“
“Ascribeyourchariotcompanion!SurelyitwouldbemorefittingthatyourcousinAmenmeses-“
“ToSetwithAmenmeses!“heexclaimed。“Youknowwell，Userti，thatthemanishatefultomewithhiscunningyetemptytalk。“
“Indeed!Igrievetohearit，forwhenyouhateyoushowit，andAmenmesesmaybeabadenemy。ThenifnotourcousinAmenmeseswhoisnothatefultome，thereisSaptah。“
“Ithankyou；Iwillnottravelinacagewithajackal。“
“Jackal!IdonotloveSaptah，butoneoftheroyalbloodofEgyptajackal!ThenthereisNehesitheVizier，ortheGeneraloftheescortwhosenameIforget。“
“Doyouthink，Userti，thatIwishtotalkaboutstateeconomieswiththatoldmoney-sack，ortolistentoboastingsofdeedsheneverdidinwarfromahalf-bredNubianbutcher？“
“Idonotknow，Husband。YetofwhatwillyoutalkwiththisAna？Ofpoems，Isuppose，andsilliness。OrwillitbeperchanceofMerapi，MoonofIsrael，whomIgatherbothofyouthinksobeautiful。Well，haveyourway。YoutellmethatIamnottoaccompanyyouuponthisjourney，Iyournew-madewife，andnowIfindthatitisbecauseyouwishmyplacetobefilledbyawriteroftaleswhomyoupickeduptheotherday——your’twininRa’forsooth!Fareyouwell，myLord，“andsherosefromherseat，gatheringupherrobeswithbothhands。
ThenSetigrewangry。
“Userti，“hesaid，stampinguponthefloor，“youshouldnotusesuchwords。YouknowwellthatIdonottakeyouwithmebecausetheremaybedangeryonderamongtheHebrews。Moreover，itisnotPharaoh’swish。“
Sheturnedandansweredwithcoldcourtesy：
“ThenIcraveyourpardonandthankyouforyourkindthoughtforthesafetyofmyperson。Iknewnotthismissionwassodangerous。Becareful，Seti，thatthescribeAnacomestonoharm。“
Sosayingshebowedandvanishedthroughthecurtains。
“Ana，“saidSeti，“tellme，forIneverwasquickatfigures，howmanyminutesisitfromnowtillthefourthhourto-morrowmorningwhenI
shallordermychariottobeready？Also，doyouknowwhetheritispossibletotravelfromGoshenacrossthemarshesandtoreturnbySyria？Or，failingthat，totravelacrossthedeserttoThebesandsaildowntheNileinthespring？“
“Oh!myPrince，myPrince，“Isaid，“Iprayyoutodismissme。LetmegoanywhereoutofthereachofherHighness’stongue。“
“Itisstrangehowalikewethinkuponeverymatter，Ana，evenofMerapiandthetonguesofroyalladies。Hearkentomycommand。Youarenottogo。Ifitisaquestionofgoing，thereareotherswhowillgofirst。Moreover，youcannotgo，butmuststayandbearyourburdensasIbearmine。Rememberthebrokencup，Ana。“
“Iremember，myPrince，butsoonerwouldIbescourgedwithrodsthanbysuchwordsasthosetowhichImustlisten。“
Yetthatverynight，whenIhadleftthePrince，Iwasdestinedtohearmorepleasantwordsfromthissamechangeful，orperchancepolitic，royallady。ShesentformeandIwent，muchafraid。Ifoundherinasmallchamberalone，saveforoneoldladyofhonourwhosattheendoftheroomandappearedtobedeaf，whichperhapswaswhyshewaschosen。Usertibademebeseatedbeforeherverycourteously，andspoketomethus，whetherbecauseofsometalkshehadheldwiththePrinceornot，Idonotknow。
“ScribeAna，Iaskyourpardonif，beingvexedandwearied，Isaidtoyouandofyouto-daywhatInowwishIhadleftunsaid。Iknowwellthatyou，beingofthegentlebloodofEgypt，willmakenoreportofwhatyouheardoutsidethesewalls。“
“Maymytonguebecutoutfirst，“Ianswered。
“Itseems，ScribeAna，thatmylordthePrincehastakenagreatloveofyou。Howorwhythiscameaboutsosuddenly，youbeingaman，Idonotunderstand，butIamsurethatasitisso，itmustbebecausethereismuchinyoutolove，sinceneverdidIknowthePrincetoshowdeepregardforonewhowasnotmosthonourableandworthy。Nowthingsbeingso，itisplainthatyouwillbecomethefavouriteofhisHighness，amanwhodoesnotchangehismindinsuchmatters，andthathewilltellyouallhissecretthoughts，perhapssomethathehidesfromtheCouncillorsofState，orevenfromme。Inshortyouwillgrowintoapowerinthelandandperhapsonedaybethegreatestinit——
afterPharaoh——althoughyoumaystillseemtobebutaprivatescribe。
“IdonotpretendtoyouthatIshouldhavewishedthistobeso，whowouldratherthatmyhusbandhadbutonerealcouncillor——myself。Yetseeingthatitisso，Ibowmyhead，hopingthatitmaybedecreedforthebest。IfeveranyjealousyshouldovercomemeinthismatterandI
shouldspeaksharplytoyou，asIdidto-day，Iaskyourpardoninadvanceforthatwhichhasnothappened，asIhaveaskeditforthatwhichhashappened。Iprayofyou，ScribeAna，thatyouwilldoyourbesttoinfluencethemindofthePrinceforgood，sinceheiseasilyledbyanywhomheloves。Iprayyoualsobeingquickandthoughtful，asIseeyouare，thatyouwillmakeastudyofstatecraft，andofthepoliciesofourroyalHouse，comingtome，ifitbeneedful，forinstructiontherein，sothatyoumaybeabletoguidethefeetofthePrincearight，shouldheturntoyouforcounsel。“
“AllofthisIwilldo，yourHighness，ifbyanychanceitliesinmypower，thoughwhoamIthatIshouldhopetomakeapathforthefeetofkings？Moreover，Iwouldaddthis，althoughheissogentle-