第19章
“Murder!“
“Shemeansthatsheisgoingtobemurdered，“saidthePrincetome。
“No，“shepanted，“you——you!TheHebrews。Goback!“
“Turnthehorses!“Icriedtothecharioteer。
Hebegantoobeyhelpedbythetwoguards，butbecauseofthenarrownessoftheroadandthesteepnessofthebanksthiswasnoteasy。Indeedtheywerebuthalfroundinsuchfashionthattheyblockedthepathwayfromsidetoside，whenawildyellof’Jahveh’
brokeuponourears，andfromroundthebend，afewpacesaway，rushedahordeoffierce，hook-nosedmen，brandishingknivesandswords。
Scarcelywastheretimeforustoleapbehindtheshelterofthechariotandmakeready，whentheywereonus。
“Hearken，“Isaidtothecharioteerastheycame，“runasyouneverranbefore，andbringuptheguardbehind!“
Hesprangawaylikeanarrow。
“Getback，Lady，“criedSeti。“Thisisnowoman’swork，andseeherecomesLabantoseekyou，“andhepointedwithhisswordattheleaderofthemurderers。
Sheobeyed，staggeringafewpacestoastoneattheroadside，behindwhichshecrouched。Afterwardsshetoldmethatshehadnostrengthtogofurther，andindeednowill，sinceifwewerekilled，itwerebetterthatshewhohadwarnedusshouldbekilledalso。
Nowtheyhadreachedus，thewholefloodofthem，thirtyorfortymen。
Thefirstwhocamestabbedthefrightenedhorses，anddowntheywentagainstthebank，struggling。OnthechariotleapttheHebrews，seekingtocomeatus，andwemetthemasbestwemight，tearingoffourcloaksandthrowingthemoverourleftarmstoserveasshields。
Oh!whatafightwasthat。Intheopen，orhadwenotbeenprepared，wemusthavebeenslainatonce，but，asitwas，theplaceandthebarrierofthechariotgaveussomeadvantage。Sonarrowwastheroadway，thewallsofwhichwereheretoosteeptoclimb，thatnotmorethanfouroftheHebrewscouldstrikeatusatonce，whichfourmustfirstsurmountthechariotorthestilllivinghorses。
Butwealsowerefour，andthankstoUserti，twoofuswerecladinmailbeneathourrobes——fourstrongmenfightingfortheirlives。
AgainstuscamefouroftheHebrews。OneleaptfromthechariotstraightatSeti，whoreceivedhimuponthepointofhisironsword，whereofIheardthehiltringagainsthisbreast-bone，thatsamefamousironswordwhichto-dayliesburiedwithhiminhisgrave。
Downhecamedead，throwingthePrincetothegroundbytheweightofhisbody。TheHebrewwhoattackedmecaughthisfootonthechariotpoleandfellforward，soIkilledhimeasilywithablowuponthehead，whichgavemetimetodragthePrincetohisfeetagainbeforeanotherfollowed。Thetwoguardsalso，sturdyfightersbothofthem，killedormortallywoundedtheirmen。ButotherswerepressingbehindsothickandfastthatIcouldkeepnocountofallthathappenedafterwards。
PresentlyIsawoneoftheguardsfall，slainbyLaban。Astabonthebreastsentmereelingbackwards；haditnotbeenforthatmailIwassped。Theotherguardkilledhimwhowouldhavekilledme，andthenhimselfwaskilledbytwowhocameonhimatonce。
NowonlythePrinceandIwereleft，fightingbacktoback。Heclosedwithoneman，averygreatfellow，andwoundedhimonthehand，sothathedroppedhissword。Thismangrippedhimroundthemiddleandtheyrolledtogetherontheground。LabanappearedandstabbedthePrinceintheback，butthecurvedknifehewasusingsnappedontheSyrianmail。IstruckatLabanandwoundedhimonthehead，dazinghimsothathestaggeredbackandseemedtofalloverthechariot。Thenothersrushedatme，andbutforUserti’sarmourthreetimesatleastImusthavedied。Fightingmadly，Istaggeredagainsttherock，andwhilstwaitingforanewonset，sawthatSeti，hurtbyLaban’sthrust，wasnowbeneaththegreatHebrewwhohadhimbythethroat，andwaschokingthelifeoutofhim。
Isawsomethingelsealso——awomanholdingaswordwithbothhandsandstabbingdownward，afterwhichthegripoftheHebrewloosenedfromSeti’sthroat。
“Traitress!“criedone，andstruckather，sothatshereeledbackhurt。Thenwhenallseemedfinished，andbeneaththerainofblowsmysenseswerefailing，Iheardthethunderofhorses’hoofsandtheshoutof“/Egypt!Egypt!/“fromthethroatsofsoldiers。Theflashofbronzecaughtmydazedeyes，andwiththeroarofbattleinmyearsI
seemedtofallasleepjustasthelightofdaydeparted。
Dreamupondream。Dreamsofvoices，dreamsoffaces，dreamsofsunlightandofmoonlightandofmyselfbeingborneforward，alwaysforward；dreamsofshoutingcrowds，and，aboveall，dreamsofMerapi’seyeslookingdownonmeliketwowatchingstarsfromheaven。Thenatlasttheawakening，andwithitthrobsofpainandqualmsofsickness。
AtfirstIthoughtthatIwasdeadandlyinginatomb。ThenbydegreesIsawthatIwasinnotombbutinadarkenedroomthatwasfamiliartome，myownroominSeti’spalaceatTanis。Itmustbeso，forthere，neartothebedonwhichIlay，wasmyownchestfilledwiththemanuscriptsthatIhadbroughtfromMemphis。Itriedtoliftmylefthand，butcouldnot，andlookingdownsawthatthearmwasbandagedliketothatofamummy，whichmademethinkagainthatI
mustbedead，ifthedeadcouldsuffersomuchpain。Iclosedmyeyesandthoughtorsleptawhile。
AsIlaythusIheardvoices。Oneofthemseemedtobethatofaphysician，whosaid，“Yes，hewillliveanderelongrecover。Theblowupontheheadwhichhasmadehimsenselessforsomanydayswastheworstofhiswounds，butthebonewasbutbruised，notshatteredordriveninuponthebrain。Thefleshcutsonhisarmsarehealingwell，andthemailheworeprotectedhisvitalsfrombeingpierced。“
“Iamglad，physician，“answeredavoicethatIknewtobethatofUserti，“sincewithoutadoubt，haditnotbeenforAna，hisHighnesswouldhaveperished。ItisstrangethatonewhomIthoughttobenothingbutadreamingscribeshouldhaveshownhimselfsobraveawarrior。ThePrincesaysthatthisAnakilledthreeofthosedogswithhisownhands，andwoundedothers。“
“Itwaswelldone，yourHighness，“answeredthephysician，“butstillbetterwashisforethoughtinprovidingarear-guardandindespatchingthecharioteertocallitup。ItseemstohavebeentheHebrewladywhoreallysavedthelifeofhisHighness，when，forgettinghersex，shestabbedthemurdererwhohadhimbythethroat。“
“ThatisthePrince’stale，orsoIunderstand，“sheansweredcoldly。
“Yetitseemsstrangethataweakandworn-outgirlcouldhavepiercedagiantthroughfrombacktobreast。“
“Atleastshewarnedhimoftheambush，yourHighness。“
“Sotheysay。PerhapsAnaherewillsoontellusthetruthaboutthesematters。Tendhimwell，physician，andyoushallnotlackforyourreward。“
Thentheywentaway，stilltalking，andIlayquiet，filledwiththankfulnessandwonder，fornoweverythingcamebacktome。
Awhilelater，asIlaywithmyeyesstillshut，foreventhatlowlightseemedtohurtthem，Ibecameawareofawoman’ssoftstepstealingroundmybedandofafragrancesuchascomesfromawoman’srobesandhair。IlookedandsawMerapi’sstar-likeeyesgazingdownonmejustasIhadseentheminmydreams。
“Greeting，MoonofIsrael，“Isaid。“Ofatruthwemeetagaininstrangecase。“
“Oh!“shewhispered，“areyouawakeatlast？IthankGod，ScribeAna，whoforthreedaysthoughtthatyoumustdie。“
“As，haditnotbeenforyou，Lady，surelyIshouldhavedone——Iandanother。Nowitseemsthatallthreeofuswilllive。“
“Wouldthatbuttwolived，thePrinceandyou，Ana。Wouldthat/I/haddied，“sheanswered，sighingheavily。
“Why？“
“Cannotyouguess？BecauseIamoutcastwhohasbetrayedmypeople。
Becausetheirbloodflowsbetweenmeandthem。ForIkilledthatman，andhewasmyownkinsman，forthesakeofanEgyptian——Imean，Egyptians。ThereforethecurseofJahvehisonme，andasmykinsmandieddoubtlessIshalldieinadaytocome，andafterwards——what？“
“Afterwardspeaceandgreatreward，iftherebejusticeinearthorheaven，Omostnobleamongwomen。“
“WouldthatIcouldthinkso!Hush，Ihearsteps。Drinkthis；Iamthechiefofyournurses，ScribeAna，anhonourablepost，sinceto-dayallEgyptlovesandpraisesyou。“
“Surelyitisyou，ladyMerapi，whomallEgyptshouldloveandpraise，“Ianswered。
ThenthePrinceSetientered。Istrovetosalutehimbyliftingmylessinjuredarm，buthecaughtmyhandandpressedittenderly。
“Hailtoyou，belovedofMenthu，godofwar，“hesaid，withhispleasantlaugh。“IthoughtIhadhiredascribe，andlo!inthisscribeIfindasoldierwhomightbeanarmy’sboast。“
AtthismomenthecaughtsightofMerapi，whohadmovedbackintotheshadow。
“Hailtoyoualso，MoonofIsrael，“hesaidbowing。“IfInameAnahereawarriorofthebest，whatnamecanbothofusfindforyoutowhomweoweourlives？Nay，looknotdown，butanswer。“