第16章
Evennow，asitchanced，wedidnotreachGoshenwithoutfurthertrouble。JustaswehadcrossedthebridgeoverthecanalI，toilingbehind，sawintheclearmoonlightayoungmanrunningtowardsus。HewasaHebrew，tall，well-madeandveryhandsomeinhisfashion。Hiseyesweredarkandfierce，hisnosewashooked，histeethwhereregularandwhite，andhislong，blackhairhungdowninamassuponhisshoulders。Heheldawoodenstaffinhishandandanakedknifewasgirdedabouthismiddle。Seeingthechariothehaltedandpeeredatit，thenaskedinHebrewifthosewhotravelledhadseenaughtofayoungIsraelitishladywhowaslost。
“Ifyouseekme，Laban，Iamhere，“repliedMerapi，speakingfromtheshadowofthecloak。
“WhatdoyoutherealonewithanEgyptian，Merapi？“hesaidfiercely。
WhatfollowedIdonotknowfortheyspokesoquicklyintheirunfamiliartonguethatIcouldnotunderstandthem。AtlengthMerapiturnedtothePrince，saying：
“Lord，thisisLabanmyaffianced，whocommandsmetodescendfromthechariotandaccompanyhimasbestIcan。“
“AndI，Lady，commandyoutostayinit。Labanyouraffiancedcanaccompanyus。“
NowatthisLabangrewangry，asIcouldseehewaspronetodo，andstretchedouthishandasthoughtopushSetiasideandseizeMerapi。
“Haveacare，man，’saidthePrince，whileI，throwingdownthestraw，drewmyswordandsprangbetweenthem，crying：
“Slave，wouldyoulayhandsuponthePrinceofEgypt？“
“PrinceofEgypt!“hesaid，drawingbackastonished，thenaddedsullenly，“WellwhatdoesthePrinceofEgyptwithmyaffianced？“
“Hehelpsherwhoishurttoherhome，havingfoundherhelplessinthedesertwiththisaccursedstraw，“Ianswered。
“Forward，driver，“saidthePrince，andMerapiadded，“Peace，Laban，andbearthestrawwhichhisHighness’scompanionhascarriedsuchawearyway。“
Hehesitatedamoment，thensnatchedupthebundleandsetitonhishead。
Aswewalkedsidebyside，hiseviltemperseemedtogetthebetterofhim。Withoutceasing，hegrumbledbecauseMerapiwasaloneinthechariotwithanEgyptian。AtlengthIcouldbearitnolonger。
“Besilent，fellow，“Isaid。“LeastofallmenshouldyoucomplainofwhathisHighnessdoes，seeingthatalreadyhehasavengedthekillingofthislady’sfather，andnowhassavedherfromlyingoutallnightamongthewildbeastsandmenofthewilderness。“
“OfthefirstIhaveheardmorethanenough，“heanswered，“andoftheseconddoubtlessIshallhearmorethanenoughalso。Eversincemyaffiancedmetthisprince，shehaslookedonmewithdifferenteyesandspokentomewithanothervoice。Yes，andwhenIpressformarriage，shesaysitcannotbeforalongwhileyet，becausesheismourningforherfather；herfatherforsooth，whomsheneverforgavebecausehebetrothedhertomeaccordingtothecustomofourpeople。“
“Perhapsshelovessomeotherman？“Iqueried，wishingtolearnallI
couldaboutthislady。
“Shelovesnoman，ordidnotawhileago。Shelovesherselfalone。“
“Onewithsomuchbeautymaylookhighinmarriage。“
“High!“herepliedfuriously。“HowcanshelookhigherthanmyselfwhoamalordofthelineofJudah，andthereforegreaterfarthananupstartprinceoranyotherEgyptian，werehePharaohhimself？“
“Surelyyoumustbetrumpetertoyourtribe，“Imocked，formytemperwasrising。
“Why？“heasked。“ArenottheHebrewsgreaterthantheEgyptians，asthoseoppressorssoonshalllearn，andisnotalordofIsraelmorethananyidol-worshipperamongyourpeople？“
Ilookedatthemancladinmeangarmentsandfoulfromhislabourinthebrickfield，marvellingathisinsolence。Therewasnodoubtbutthathebelievedwhathesaid；Icouldseeitinhisproudeyeandbearing。Hethoughtthathistribewasofmoreimportintheworldthanourgreatandancientnation，andthathe，anunknownyouth，equalledorsurpassedPharaohhimself。Then，beingenragedbytheseinsults，Ianswered：
“Yousayso，butletusputittotheproof。Iambutascribe，yetI
haveseenwar。LingeralittlethatwemaylearnwhetheralordofIsraelisbetterthanascribeofEgypt。“
“GladlywouldIchastiseyou，Writer，“heanswered，“didInotseeyourplot。Youwishtodelaymehere，andperhapstomurdermebysomefoulmeans，whileyourmasterbasksinthesmilesoftheMoonofIsrael。ThereforeIwillnotstay，butanothertimeitshallbeasyouwish，andperhapserelong。“
NowIthinkthatIshouldhavestruckhimintheface，thoughIamnotoneofthosewholovebrawling。ButatthismomentthereappearedacompanyofEgyptianhorseledbynoneotherthantheCountAmenmeses。
SeeingthePrinceintheChariot，theyhaltedandgavethesalute。
Amenmesesleapttotheground。
“WearecomeouttosearchforyourHighness，“hesaid，“fearinglestsomehurthadbefallenyou。“
“Ithankyou，Cousin，“answeredthePrince，“butthehurthasbefallenanother，notme。“
“Thatiswell，yourHighness，“saidtheCount，studyingMerapiwithasmile。“Whereistheladywounded？Notinthebreast，Itrust。“
“No，Cousin，inthefoot，whichiswhyshetravelswithmeinthischariot。“
“YourHighnesswaseverkindtotheunfortunate。Iprayyouletmetakeyourplace，orsuffermetosetthisgirluponahorse。“
“Driveon，“saidSeti。
So，escortedbythesoldiers，whomIheardmakingjeststoeachotheraboutthePrinceandthelady，asIthinkdidtheHebrewLabanalso，forheglaredabouthimandgroundhisteeth，wecameatlasttothetown。Here，guidedbyMerapi，thechariotwashaltedatthehouseofJabezheruncle，awhite-beardedoldHebrewwithacunningeye，whorushedfromthedoorofhismud-roofeddwellingcryinghehaddonenoharmthatsoldiersshouldcometotakehim。
“ItisnotyouwhomtheEgyptianswishtocapture，itisyournieceandmybetrothed，“shoutedLaban，whereatthesoldierslaughed，asdidsomewomenwhohadgatheredround。MeanwhilethePrincewashelpingMerapitodescendoutofthechariot，fromwhichindeedheliftedher。
ThesightseemedtomaddenLaban，whorushedforwardtotearherfromhisarms，andintheattemptjostledhisHighness。Thecaptainofthesoldiers——hewasanofficerofPharaoh’sbodyguard——liftedhisswordinafuryandstruckLabansuchablowupontheheadwiththeflatofthebladethathefelluponhisfaceandlaytheregroaning。
“AwaywiththatHebrewdogandscourgehim!“criedthecaptain。“IstheroyalbloodofEgypttobehandledbysuchashe？“
Soldierssprangforwardtodohisbidding，butSetisaidquietly：
“Letthefellowbe，friends；helacksmanners，thatisall。Ishehurt？“
AshespokeLabanleapttohisfeetand，fearingworsethings，fledawaywithacurseandaglareofhateatthePrince。
“Farewell，Lady，“saidSeti。“Iwishyouaquickrecovery。“
“IthankyourHighness，“sheanswered，lookingaboutherconfusedly。
“BepleasedtowaitalittlewhilethatImayreturntoyouyourjewel。“
“Nay，keepit，Lady，andifeveryouareinneedortroubleofanysort，sendittomewhoknowitwellandyoushallnotlacksuccour。“
Sheglancedathimandburstintotears。
“Whydoyouweep？“heasked。
“Oh!yourHighness，becauseIfearthattroubleisnearathand。Myaffianced，Laban，hasarevengefulheart。Helpmetothehouse，myuncle。“
“Listen，Hebrew，“saidSeti，raisinghisvoice；“ifaughtthatisevilbefallsthisnieceofyours，orifsheisforcedtowalkwhithershewouldnotgo，sorrowshallbeyourportionandthatofallwithwhomyouhavetodo。Doyouhear？“
“OmyLord，Ihear，Ihear。Fearnothing。Sheshallbeguardedcarefullyas——asshewilldoubtlessguardthattrinketonherfoot。“
“Ana，“saidthePrincetomethatnight，whenIwastalkingwithhimbeforehewenttorest，“Iknownotwhy，butIfearthatmanLaban；hehasanevileye。“
“ItoothinkitwouldhavebeenbetterifyourHighnesshadlefthimtobedealtwithbythesoldiers，afterwhichtherewouldhavebeennothingtofearfromhiminthisworld。“
“Well，Ididnot，sothere’sanend。Ana，sheisafairwomanandasweet。“
“ThefairestandthesweetestthateverIsaw，myPrince。“
“Becareful，Ana。Iprayyoubecareful，lestyoushouldfallinlovewithonewhoisalreadyaffianced。“
Ionlylookedathiminanswer，andasIlookedIbethoughtmeofthewordsofKitheMagician。So，Ithink，didthePrince；atleasthelaughednotunhappilyandturnedaway。
FormypartIrestedillthatnight，andwhenatlastIslept，itwastodreamofMerapimakingherprayerintheraysofthemoon。