第15章
“Merapi!“Iwhispered。
“MoonofIsrael!“murmuredSeti，“filledwiththemoon，lovelyasthemoon，mysticasthemoonandworshippingthemoon，hermother。“
“Sheisintrouble；letushelpher，“Isaid。
“Nay，waitawhile，Ana，forneveragainshallyouandIseesuchasightasthis。“
Lowaswespokebeneathourbreath，Ithinktheladyheardus。Atleastherfacechangedandgrewfrightened。Hastilysherose，liftedthegreatbundleofstrawuponwhichshehadbeenkneelingandplaceditonherhead。Sheranafewsteps，thenstumbledandsankdownwithalittlemoanofpain。Inaninstantwewereatherside。Shestaredatusaffrighted，forwhowewereshecouldnotseebecauseofthewidehoodsofourcommoncloaksthatmadeuslooklikemidnightthieves，orslave-dealingBedouin。
“Oh!Sirs，“shebabbled，“harmmenot。Ihavenothingofvalueonmesavethisamulet。“
“Whoareyouandwhatdoyouhere？“askedthePrincedisguisinghisvoice。
“Sirs，IamMerapi，thedaughterofNathantheLevite，hewhomtheaccursedEgyptiancaptain，Khuaka，murderedatTanis。“
“HowdoyoudaretocalltheEgyptiansaccursed？“askedSetiintonesmadegrufftohidehislaughter。
“Oh!Sirs，becausetheyare——ImeanbecauseIthoughtyouwereArabswhohatethem，aswedo。AtleastthisEgyptianwasaccursed，forthehighPrinceSeti，Pharaoh’sheir，causedhimtobebeheadedforthatcrime。“
“AnddoyouhatethehighPrinceSeti，Pharaoh’sheir，andcallhimaccursed？“
Shehesitated，theninadoubtfulvoicesaid：
“No，Idonothatehim。“
“Whynot，seeingthatyouhatetheEgyptiansofwhomheisoneofthefirstandthereforetwiceworthyofhatred，beingthesonofyouroppressor，Pharaoh？“
“Because，althoughIhavetriedmybest，Icannot。Also，“sheaddedwiththejoyofonewhohasfoundagoodreason，“heavengedmyfather。“
“Thisisnocause，girl，seeingthatheonlydidwhatthelawforcedhimtodo。TheysaythatthisdogofaPharaoh’ssonishereinGoshenuponsomemission。Isittrue，andhaveyouseenhim？Answer，forweofthedesertfolkdesiretoknow。“
“Ibelieveitistrue，Sir，butIhavenotseenhim。“
“Whynot，ifheishere？“
“BecauseIdonotwishto，Sir。WhyshouldadaughterofIsraeldesiretolookuponthefaceofaprinceofEgypt？“
“IntruthIdonotknow，“repliedSetiforgettinghisfeignedvoice。
Then，seeingthatsheglancedathimsharply，headdedingrufftones：
“Brother，eitherthiswomanliesorsheisnoneotherthanthemaidtheycallMoonofIsraelwhodwellswitholdJabeztheLevite，heruncle。Whatthinkyou？“
“Ithink，Brother，thatshelies，andforthreereasons，“Ianswered，fallingintothejest。“First，sheistoofairtobeoftheblackHebrewblood。“
“Oh!Sir，“moanedMerapi，“mymotherwasaSyrianladyofthemountains，withaskinaswhiteasmilk，andeyesblueastheheavens。“
“Secondly，“Iwentonwithoutheedingher，“ifthegreatPrinceSetiisreallyinGoshenandshedwellsthere，itisunnaturalthatsheshouldnothavegonetolookuponhim。Beingawomanonlytwothingswouldhavekeptheraway，one——thatshefearedandhatedhim，whichshedenies，andtheother——thatshelikedhimtoowell，and，beingprudent，thoughtitwisestnottolookuponhimmore。“
Whensheheardthefirstofthesewords，Merapiglancedupwithherlipspartedasthoughtoanswer。Instead，shedroppedhereyesandsuddenlyseemedtochoke，whileeveninthemoonlightIsawtheredbloodpourtoherbrowandalongherwhitearms。
“Sir，“shegasped，“whyshouldyouaffrontme？IswearthatnevertillthismomentdidIthinksuchathing。Surelyitwouldbetreason。“
“Withoutdoubt，“interruptedSeti，“yetoneofasortthatkingsmightpardon。“
“Thirdly，“IwentonasthoughIhadheardneitherofthem，“ifthisgirlwerewhatshedeclares，shewouldnotbewanderingaloneinthedesertatnight，seeingthatIhaveheardamongtheArabsthatMerapi，daughterofNathantheLevite，isaladyofnomeanbloodamongtheHebrewsandthatherfamilyhaswealth。Still，howevermuchshelies，wecanseeforourselvesthatsheisbeautiful。“
“Yes，Brother，inthatwearefortunate，sincewithoutdoubtshewillsellforahighpriceamongtheslavetradersbeyondthedesert。“
“Oh!Sir，“criedMerapiseizingthehemofhisrobe，“surelyyouwhoI
feel，Iknownotwhy，arenoevilthief，youwhohaveamotherand，perchance，sisters，wouldnotdoomamaidentosuchafate。MisjudgemenotbecauseIamalone。Pharaohhascommandedthatwemustfindstrawforthemakingofbricks。ThismorningIcamefartosearchforitonbehalfofaneighbourwhosewifeisillinchildbed。ButtowardssundownIslippedandcutmyselfupontheedgeofasharpstone。See，“
andholdingupherfootsheshowedawoundbeneaththeinstepfromwhichthebloodstilldropped，asightthatmovedbothofusnotalittle，“andnowIcannotwalkandcarrythisheavystrawwhichIhavebeenatsuchpainstogather。“
“Perchanceshespeakstruth，Brother，“saidthePrince，“andifwetookherhomewemightearnnosmallrewardfromJabeztheLevite。Butfirsttellme，Maiden，whatwasthatprayerwhichyoumadetothemoon，thatHathorshouldhelpyourheart？“
“Sir，“sheanswered，“onlytheidolatrousEgyptianspraytoHathor，theLadyofLove。“
“IthoughtthatalltheworldprayedtotheLadyofLove，Maiden。Butwhatoftheprayer？Istheresomemanwhomyoudesire？“
“None，“sheansweredangrily。
“Thenwhydoesyourheartneedsomuchhelpthatyouaskitoftheair？Isthereperchancesomeonewhomyoudo/not/desire？“
Shehungherheadandmadenoanswer。
“Come，Brother，“saidthePrince，“thisladyiswearyofus，andI
thinkthatifshewereatruewomanshewouldanswerourquestionsmorereadily。Letusgoandleaveher。Asshecannotwalkwecantakeherlaterifwewish。“
“Sirs，“shesaid，“Iamgladthatyouaregoing，sincethehyenaswillbesafercompanythantwomenwhocanthreatentosellahelplesswomanintoslavery。YetasweparttomeetnomoreIwillansweryourquestion。IntheprayertowhichyouwerenotashamedtolistenIdidnotprayforanylover，Iprayedtoberidofone。“
“Now，Ana，“saidthePrinceburstingintolaughterandthrowingbackhisdarkcloak，“doyoudiscoverthenameofthatunhappymanofwhomtheladyMerapiwishestoberid，forIdarenot。“
Shegazedintohisfaceandutteredalittlecry。
“Ah!“shesaid，“IthoughtIknewthevoiceagainwhenonceyouforgetyourpart。PrinceSeti，doesyourHighnessthinkthatthiswasakindjesttopractiseupononealoneandinfear？“
“LadyMerapi，“heansweredsmiling，“benotwroth，foratleastitwasagoodoneandyouhavetoldusnothingthatwedidnotknow。YoumayrememberthatatTanisyousaidthatyouwereaffiancedandtherewasthatinyourvoice。Suffermenowtotendthiswoundofyours。“
Thenhekneltdown，toreastripfromhisceremonialrobeoffinelinen，andbegantobindupherfoot，notunskilfully，beingamanfullofstrangeandunexpectedknowledge。Asheworkedatthetask，watchingthem，Isawtheireyesmeet，sawtoothatrichfloodofcolourcreeponcemoretoMerapi’sbrow。ThenIbegantothinkitunseemlythatthePrinceofEgyptshouldplaytheleechtoawoman’shurts，andtowonderwhyhehadnotleftthathumbletasktome。
Presentlythebandagingwasdoneandmadefastwitharoyalscarab？usmountedonapinofgold，whichthePrinceworeinhisgarments。Onitwascuttheur？uscrownandbeneathitwerethesignswhichread“LordoftheLowerandtheUpperLand，“beingPharaoh’sstyleandtitle。
“Seenow，Lady，“hesaid，“youhaveEgyptbeneathyourfoot，“andwhensheaskedhimwhathemeant，hereadherthewritinguponthejewel，whereatforthethirdtimeshecolouredtotheeyes。Thenheliftedherup，instructinghertorestherweightuponhisshoulder，sayinghefearedlestthescarab，whichhevalued，shouldbebroken。
Thuswestarted，Ibearingthebundleofstrawbehindashebademe，since，hesaid，havingbeengatheredwithsuchtoil，itmustnotbelost。Onreachingthechariot，wherewefoundtheguidegoneandthedriverasleep，hesatherinituponhiscloak，andwrappedherinminewhichheborrowed，sayingIshouldnotneeditwhomustcarrythestraw。Thenhemountedalsoandtheydroveawayatafoot’space。AsI
walkedafterthechariotwiththestrawthatfellaboutmyears，I
heardnothingoftheirfurthertalk，ifindeedtheytalkedatallwhich，thedriverbeingpresent，perhapstheydidnot。NorintruthdidIlistenwhowasengagedinthoughtastothehardlotofthesepoorHebrews，whomustcollectthisdirtystuffandbearitsofar，madeheavyasitwasbytheclaythatclungabouttheroots。