"This will profit thee if thou understand it."

"Will there be anything about Jewish brats in it?"

"Of priestesses there will be; only listen carefully.

"The following thing happened here long ago, in Pi-Bast:[17]

[17] A true story.

"Once Prince Satni, on the square before the temple of Ptah, saw a very beautiful woman. She surpa.s.sed all whom he had met before, and, what was more noteworthy, she had much gold on her person.

"She pleased the prince greatly, and when he learned that she was the daughter of the high priest, he sent his equerry to her with the following offer,--

"'I will give thee gold rings if thou wilt pa.s.s one short hour in my company.'

"The equerry went to the beautiful Tbubui and repeated the words of Prince Satni. When she had listened to him politely, she answered as became a well-bred young lady,--

"'I am the daughter of a high priest; I am innocent, no low girl. So, if the prince wishes to have the pleasure of knowing me, let him come to my house, where everything will be ready, and where acquaintance with him will not expose me to the scandal of all the street gossips.'

"Prince Satni went to Tbubui's chambers, the walls of which were covered with lapis lazuli and pale green enamel. There were also many couches decked with regal linen, and not a few one-legged tables on which gold goblets were standing. One of these goblets was filled with wine and given to the prince, while Tbubui said to him, 'Be gracious, and drink.' To this the prince answered, 'Thou knowest that I have not come to drink wine here.' Still the two sat down at the feast, during which Tbubui wore a long, heavy robe fastened at her neck closely.

When the prince, excited by wine, wished to kiss her, she repelled him, and answered,--

"'This house will be thine. But remember that I am no street woman, but an innocent maiden. If thou wish from me obedience, swear faith, and convey to me thy property.'

"'Let the scribe come!' cried the prince. When they brought in the scribe, Satni commanded him to write an act of betrothal, also a deed by which he transferred to Tbubui all his money, and all his property, personal and real.

"An hour later the servants announced to the prince that his children were waiting in the lower story. Tbubui left him then, but returned soon, attired in a transparent gauze robe. Satni wished again to embrace her, but she repelled him a second time, saying: 'This house will be thine. But, since I am no common woman, but an innocent maiden, if thou wish to possess me, let thy children renounce every claim, lest they raise lawsuits hereafter with my children.'

"Satni called up his children, and commanded them to sign an act renouncing all claim to his possessions. They did so. But when, roused by long resistance, he approached Tbubui, she repelled him, saying,--

"'This house will be thine. But I am no chance pa.s.sing woman, I am a pure maiden. If thou love me, give consent to kill those children lest they take property from my children.'"

"This is rather a long story," said Kama, impatiently.

"It will end right away. And dost thou know, Kama, what Satni replied to this: 'If thou wish, let the crime be accomplished.' Tbubui gave no chance to have these words said a second time. Before their father's eyes she commanded to kill the children, and throw their b.l.o.o.d.y limbs to dogs and cats outside the windows. Only after that did Satni enter her chamber and repose on her bed, inlaid with ivory."

"Tbubui did well not to trust to men's promises," said the irritated Kama.

"But Satni," said the heir, "did better. He woke, for his dreadful crime was a dream only. And remember this, Kama, the surest way to rouse a man from love's intoxication is to curse his son."

"Be at rest, lord," said Kama, gloomily, "I will never mention hereafter thy son or my sorrow."

"And I will not withdraw my favor from thee, and thou wilt be happy,"

said Rameses, in conclusion.

CHAPTER XL

Among the inhabitants of Pi-Bast alarming news had begun to circulate concerning the Libyans. It was said that those barbarian warriors, disbanded by the priests, began by begging on the road homeward, then they stole, and finally they fell to robbing and burning Egyptian villages, murdering the inhabitants meanwhile.

In the course of a few days they attacked and destroyed the towns of Chinen-su, Pinat, and Kasa, south of Lake Moeris, and they cut down also a caravan of merchants and Egyptian pilgrims returning from the oasis Uit-Mehe. The entire western boundary of the state was in peril, and even from Terenuthis inhabitants began to flee. And in the neighborhood beyond that, toward the sea, appeared bands of Libyans, sent, as it were, by the terrible chief, Musawasa, who, it seemed, was to declare a sacred war against Egypt.

Moreover, if any evening a western strip of sky was red for too long a time alarm fell on Pi-Bast. The people gathered along the streets; some of them went out on the flat roofs, or climbed trees, and declared that they saw a fire in Menuf or in Sechem. Some, even, in spite of darkness, saw fleeing people, or Libyan bands marching toward Pi-Bast in long black columns.

Notwithstanding the indignation of people, the rulers of provinces remained indifferent, for the central power issued no order.

Prince Rameses saw this alarm of the people and the indifference of dignitaries. Mad anger seized him, because he received no command from Memphis, and because neither Mefres nor Mentezufis spoke with him of dangers threatening Egypt.

But since neither priest visited him, and both, as it were, avoided conversation, the viceroy did not seek them, nor did he make any military preparations.

At last he ceased to visit the regiments stationed at Pi-Bast, but a.s.sembling at the palace all the young n.o.bles, he amused himself and feasted, repressing in his heart indignation at the priests and anxiety for the fate of the country.

"Thou wilt see!" said he once to Tutmosis. "The holy prophets will manage us so that Musawasa will take Lower Egypt, and we shall have to flee to Thebes, if not to Sunnu, unless the Ethiopians drive us also from that place."

"Thou speakest truth," replied Tutmosis; "our rulers' acts resemble those of traitors."

The first day in the month of Hator (August-September) a great feast was given at the palace of the viceroy. They began to amuse themselves at two in the afternoon, and before sunset all present were drunk. It went so far that men and women rolled on the floor, which was wet with wine and covered with flowers and pieces of broken pitchers.

The prince was the soberest among them. He was not on the floor, he was sitting in an armchair, holding on his knees two beautiful dancers, one of whom was giving him wine, while the other was pouring strong perfumes on his head.

At this moment an adjutant entered the hall, and, stepping over a number of guests lying prostrate, hurried up to Rameses.

"Worthy lord," said he, "the holy Mefres and the holy Mentezufis wish to speak at once with thee."

The viceroy pushed the girls away, and with red face, stained garments, and tottering steps went to his chamber in the upper story.

At sight of him Mefres and Mentezufis looked at each other.

"What do ye wish, worthy fathers?" asked the prince, dropping into an armchair.

"I do not know whether thou wilt be able to hear us," answered the anxious Mentezufis.

"Ah! do ye think that I am tipsy?" cried the prince. "Have no fear.

To-day all Egypt is either so mad or so stupid that most sense is found among drinkers."

The priests frowned, but Mentezufis began,--

"Thou knowest, worthiness, that our lord and the supreme council determined to disband twenty thousand mercenary warriors?"

"Well, if I do not know?" said the heir. "Ye have not deigned to ask my advice in a question so difficult to determine, ye have not even thought it worth while to inform me that four regiments are disbanded, and that those men, because of hunger, are attacking our cities."

"It seems to me, worthiness, that thou art criticising the commands of his holiness the pharaoh," interrupted Mentezufis.

"Not of his holiness!" cried the prince, stamping, "but of those traitors who, taking advantage of the sickness of my father, wish to sell Egypt to a.s.syrians and Libyans."

The priests were astounded. No Egyptian had ever used words of that kind.