第17章
EightfulldayswentbybeforeweleftthelandofGoshen。ThestorythattheIsraeliteshadtotellwaslong，sadalso。Moreover，theygaveevidenceastomanycruelthingsthattheyhadsuffered，andwhenthiswasfinishedthetestimonyoftheguardsandothersmustbecalled，allofwhichitwasnecessarytowritedown。Lastly，thePrinceseemedtobeinnohurrytobegone，ashesaidbecausehehopedthatthetwoprophetswouldreturnfromthewilderness，whichtheyneverdid。DuringallthistimeSetisawnomoreofMerapi，norindeeddidhespeakofher，evenwhentheCountAmenmesesjestedhimastohischariotcompanionandaskedhimifhehaddrivenagaininthedesertbymoonlight。
I，however，sawheronce。WhenIwaswanderinginthetownonedaytowardssunset，ImetherwalkingwithheruncleJabezupononesideandherlover，Laban，ontheother，likeaprisonerbetweentwoguards。Ithoughtshelookedunhappy，butherfootseemedtobewellagain；atleastshemovedwithoutlimping。
Istoppedtosaluteher，butLabanscowledandhurriedheraway。Jabezstayedbehindandfellintotalkwithme。Hetoldmethatshewasrecoveredofherhurt，butthattherehadbeentroublebetweenherandLabanbecauseofallthathappenedonthateveningwhenshecamebyit，endinginhisencounterwiththecaptain。
“Thisyoungmanseemstobeofajealousnature，“Isaid，“onewhowillmakeaharshhusbandforanywoman。“
“Yes，learnedscribe，jealousyhasbeenhiscursefromyouthasitiswithsomanyofourpeople，andIthankGodthatIamnotthewomanwhomheistomarry。“
“Why，then，doyousufferhertomarryhim，Jabez？“
“Becauseherfatheraffiancedhertothislion’swhelpwhenshewasscarcemorethanachild，andamongusthatisabondhardtobreak。
Formyownpart，“headded，droppinghisvoice，andglancingroundwithshiftingeyes，“IshouldliketoseemynieceinsomedifferentplacetothatofthewifeofLaban。Withhergreatbeautyandwit，shemightbecomeanything——anythingifshehadopportunity。Butunderourlaws，evenifLabandied，asmighthappentosoviolentaman，shecouldwednoonewhoisnotaHebrew。“
“IthoughtshetoldusthathermotherwasaSyrian。“
“Thatisso，ScribeAna。ShewasabeautifulcaptiveofwarwhomNathancametoloveandmadehiswife，andthedaughtertakesafterher。StillsheisHebrewandoftheHebrewfaithandcongregation。Haditnotbeenso，shemighthaveshonelikeastar，nay，liketheverymoonafterwhichsheisnamed，perhapsinthecourtofPharaohhimself。“
“AsthegreatqueenTaiadid，shewhochangedthereligionofEgypttotheworshipofonegodinabygonegeneration，“Isuggested。
“Ihaveheardofher，ScribeAna。Shewasawondrouswoman，beautifultoobyherstatues。WouldthatyouEgyptianscouldfindsuchanothertoturnyourheartstoapurerfaithandtosoftenthemtowardsuspooraliens。WhendoeshisHighnessleavethelandofGoshen？“
“Atsunriseonthethirddayfromthis。“
“Provisionwillbeneededforthejourney，muchprovisionforsolargeatrain。Idealinsheepandotherfoodstuffs，ScribeAna。“
“IwillmentionthemattertohisHighnessandtotheVizier，Jabez。“
“Ithankyou，Scribe，andwillinwaitingatthecampto-morrowmorning。See，LabanreturnswithMerapi。Oneword，lethisHighnessbewareofLaban。Heisveryrevengefulandhasnotforgottenthatsword-blowonthehead。“
“LetLabanbecareful，“Ianswered。“HaditnotbeenforhisHighnessthesoldierswouldhavekilledhimtheothernightbecausehedaredtoofferaffronttotheroyalblood。Asecondtimehewillnotescape。
Moreover，PharaohwouldavengeaughthediduponthepeopleofIsrael。“
“Iunderstand。ItwouldbesadifLabanwerekilled，verysad。ButthepeopleofIsraelhaveOnewhocanprotectthemevenagainstPharaohandallhishosts。Farewell，learnedScribe。IfeverIcometoTanis，withyourleavewewilltalkmoretogether。“
ThatnightItoldthePrinceallthathadpassed。Helistened，andsaid：
“IgrievefortheladyMerapi，forhersisliketobeahardfate。
Yet，“headdedlaughing，“perhapsitisaswellforyou，friend，thatyoushouldseenomoreofherwhoissuretobringtroublewherevershegoes。Thatwomanhasafacewhichhauntsthemind，astheKahauntsthetomb，andformypartIdonotwishtolookuponitagain。“
“Iamgladtohearit，Prince，andformypart，Ihavedonewithwomen，howeversweet。IwilltellthisJabezthattheprovisionsforthejourneywillbeboughtelsewhere。“
“Nay，buythemfromhim，andifNehesigrumblesattheprice，payitonmyaccount。ThewaytoaHebrew’sheartisthroughhistreasurebags。IfJabeziswelltreated，itmaymakehimkindertohisniece，ofwhomIshallalwayshaveapleasantmemory，forwhichIamgratefulamongthissourfolkwhohateus，andwithreason。“
SothesheepandallthefoodstuffsforthejourneywereboughtfromJabezathisownprice，forwhichhethankedmemuch，andonthethirddaywestarted。AtthelastmomentthePrince，whosemoodseemedtobeperversethatevening，refusedtotravelwiththehostuponthemorrowbecauseofthenoiseanddust。InvaindidtheCountAmenmesesreasonwithhim，andNehesiandthegreatofficersimplorehimalmostontheirknees，sayingthattheymustanswerforhissafetytoPharaohandthePrincessUserti。Hebadethembegone，replyingthathewouldjointhemattheircamponthefollowingnight。Ialsoprayedhimtolisten，buthetoldmesharplythatwhathesaidhehadsaid，andthatheandIwouldjourneyinhischariotalone，withtwoarmedrunnersandnomore，addingthatifIthoughttherewasdangerIcouldgoforwardwiththetroops。ThenIbitmylipandwassilent，whereon，seeingthathehadhurtme，heturnedandcravedmypardonhumblyenoughashiskindhearttaughthimtodo。
“IcanbearnomoreofAmenmesesandthoseofficers，“hesaid，“andI
lovetobeinthedesertalone。Lasttimewejourneyedtherewemetwithadventuresthatwerepleasant，Ana，andatTanisdoubtlessI
shallfindothersthatarenotpleasant。AdmitthatHebrewpriestwhoiswaitingtoinstructmeinthemysteriesofhisfaithwhichIdesiretounderstand。“
SoIbowedandlefthimtomakereportthatIhadfailedtoshakehiswill。Takingtheriskofhiswrath，however，Ididthis——forhadInotsworntothePrincessthatIwouldprotecthim？InplaceoftherunnersIchosetwoofthebestandbravestsoldierstoplaytheirpart。Moreover，IinstructedthatcaptainwhosmotedownLabantohideawaywithascoreofpickedmenandenoughchariotstocarrythem，andtofollowafterthePrince，keepingjustoutofsight。
Soonthemorrowthetroops，nobles，andofficerswentonatdaybreak，togetherwiththebaggagecarriers；nordidwefollowthemtillmanyhourshadgoneby。SomeofthistimethePrincespentindrivingaboutthetown，takingnoteoftheconditionofthepeople。These，asIsaw，lookedonussullenlyenough，moresothanbefore，Ithought，perhapsbecausewewereunguarded。Indeed，turningroundIcaughtsightofamanshakinghisfistandofanoldhagspittingafterus，andwishedthatwewereoutofthelandofGoshen。ButwhenIreportedittothePrinceheonlylaughedandtooknoheed。
“AllcanseethattheyhateusEgyptians，“hesaid。“Well，letitbeourtasktotrytoturntheirhatetolove。“
“Thatyouwillneverdo，Prince，itistoodeep-rootedintheirhearts；forgenerationstheyhavedrunkitinwiththeirmother’smilk。Moreover，thisisawarofthegodsofEgyptandofIsrael，andmenmustgowheretheirgodsdrivethem。“
“Doyouthinkso，Ana？Thenaremennothingbutdustblownbythewindsofheaven，blownfromthedarknessthatisbeforethedawntobegatheredatlastandforeverintothedarknessofthegraveofnight？“
Hebroodedawhile，thenwenton。
“YetifIwerePharaohIwouldletthesepeoplego，forwithoutdoubttheirgodhasmuchpowerandItellyouthatIfearthem。“
“Whywillhenotletthemgo？“Iasked。“Theyareaweakness，notastrengthtoEgypt，aswasshownatthetimeoftheinvasionoftheBarbarianswithwhomtheysided。Moreover，thevalueofthisrichlandoftheirs，whichtheycannottakewiththem，isgreaterthanthatofalltheirlabour。“
“Idonotknow，friend。Thematterisoneuponwhichmyfatherkeepshisowncounsel，evenfromthePrincessUserti。Perhapsitisbecausehewillnotchangethepolicyofhisfather，Rameses；perhapsbecauseheisstiff-neckedtothosewhocrosshiswill。OritmaybethatheisheldinthispathbyamadnesssentofsomegodtobringlossandshameonEgypt。“
“Then，Prince，allthepriestsandnoblesaremadalso，fromCountAmenmesesdown。“
“WherePharaohleadspriestsandnoblesfollow。Thequestionis，wholeadsPharaoh？HereisthetempleoftheseHebrews；letusenter。“
Sowedescendedfromthechariot，where，formypart，Iwouldhaveremained，andwalkedthroughthegatewayinthesurroundingmudwallintotheoutercourtofthetemple，whichonthistheholyseventhdayoftheHebrewswasfullofprayingwomen，whofeignednottoseeusyetwatchedusoutofthecornersoftheireyes。Passingthroughthemwecametoadoorway，bywhichweenteredanothercourtthatwasroofedover。Hereweremanymenwhomurmuredasweappeared。Theywereengagedinlisteningtoapreacherinawhiterobe，whoworeastrangeshapedcapandsomeornamentsonhisbreast。Iknewtheman；hewasthepriestKohathwhohadinstructedthePrinceinsomuchofthemysteriesoftheHebrewfaithashechosetoreveal。Onseeingusheceasedsuddenlyinhisdiscourse，utteredsomehastyblessingandadvancedtogreetus。