CHAPTER IX
THE SMITING OF AMON
That evening I sat ill at ease in my work-chamber in Seti's palace,making pretence to write, I who felt that great evils threatened mylord the Prince, and knew not what to do to turn them from him. The dooropened, and old Pambasa the chamberlain appeared and addressed me by mynew titles, saying that the Hebrew lady Merapi, who had been my nurse insickness, wished to speak with me. Presently she came and stood beforeme.
"Scribe Ana," she said, "I have but just seen my uncle Jabez, who hascome, or been sent, with a message to me," and she hesitated.
"Why was he sent, Lady? To bring you news of Laban?"
"Not so. Laban has fled away and none know where he is, and Jabez hasonly escaped much trouble as the uncle of a traitress by undertakingthis mission."
"What is the mission?"
"To pray me, if I would save myself from death and the vengeance of God,to work upon the heart of his Highness, which I know not how to do----"
"Yet I think you might find means, Merapi."
"----save through you, his friend and counsellor," she went on, turningaway her face. "Jabez has learned that it is in the mind of Pharaohutterly to destroy the people of Israel."
"How does he know that, Merapi?"
"I cannot say, but I think all the Hebrews know. I knew it myself thoughnone had told me. He has learned also that this cannot be done under thelaw of Egypt unless the Prince who is heir to the throne and of full ageconsents. Now I am come to pray you to pray the Prince not to consent."
"Why not pray to the Prince yourself, Merapi----" I began, when fromthe shadows behind me I heard the voice of Seti, who had entered by theprivate door bearing some writings in his hand, saying:
"And what prayer has the lady Merapi to make to me? Nay, rise and speak,Moon of Israel."
"O Prince," she pleaded, "my prayer is that you will save the Hebrewsfrom death by the sword, as you alone have the power to do."
At this moment the doors opened and in swept the royal Userti.
"What does this woman here?" she asked.
"I think that she came to see Ana, wife, as I did, and as doubtless youdo. Also being here she prays me to save her people from the sword."
"And I pray you, husband, to give her people to the sword, which theyhave earned, who would have murdered you."
"And been paid, everyone of them, Userti, unless some still lingerbeneath the rods," he added with a shudder. "The rest are innocent--whyshould they die?"
"Because your throne hangs upon it, Seti. I say that if you continue tothwart the will of Pharaoh, as by the law of Egypt you can do, he willdisinherit you and set your cousin Amenmeses in your place, as by thelaw of Egypt he can do."
"I thought it, Userti. Yet why should I turn my back upon the right overa matter of my private fortunes? The question is--is it the right?"
She stared at him in amazement, she who never understood Seti and couldnot dream that he would throw away the greatest throne in all the worldto save a subject people, merely because he thought that they shouldnot die. Still, warned by some instinct, she left the first questionunanswered, dealing only with the second.
"It is the right," she said, "for many reasons whereof I need give butone, for in it lie all the others. The gods of Egypt are the true godswhom we must serve and obey, or perish here and hereafter. The god ofthe Israelites is a false god and those who worship him are heretics andby their heresy under sentence of death. Therefore it is most rightthat those whom the true gods have condemned should die by the swords oftheir servants."
"That is well argued, Userti, and if it be so, mayhap my mind willbecome as yours in this matter, so that I shall no longer stand betweenPharaoh and his desire. But is it so? There's the problem. I will notask you why you say that the gods of the Egyptians are the true gods,because I know what you would answer, or rather that you could give noanswer. But I will ask this lady whether her god is a false god, and ifshe replies that he is not, I will ask her to prove this to me ifshe can. If she is able to prove it, then I think that what I said toPharaoh to-day I shall repeat three days hence. If she is not able toprove it, then I shall consider very earnestly of the matter. Answernow, Moon of Israel, remembering that many thousands of lives may hangon what you say."
"O your Highness," began Merapi. Then she paused, clasped her hands andlooked upwards. I think that she was praying, for her lips moved. As shestood thus I saw, and I think Seti saw also, a very wonderful light growon her face and gather in her eyes, a kind of divine fire of inspirationand resolve.
"How can I, a poor Hebrew maiden, prove to your Highness that my God isthe true God and that the gods of Egypt are false gods? I know not, andyet, is there any one god among all the many whom you worship, whom youare prepared to set up against him?"
"Of a surety, Israelite," answered Userti. "There is Amon-Ra, Father ofthe gods, of whom all other gods have their being, and from whom theydraw their strength. Yonder his statue sits in the sanctuary of hisancient temple. Let your god stir him from his place! But what will youbring forward against the majesty of Amon-Ra?"
"My God has no statues, Princess, and his place is in the hearts ofmen, or so I have been taught by his prophets. I have nothing to bringforward in this war save that which must be offered in all wars--mylife."
"What do you mean?" asked Seti, astounded.
"I mean that I, unfriended and alone, will enter the presence of Amon-Rain his chosen sanctuary, and in the name of my God will challenge him tokill me, if he can."
We stared at her, and Userti exclaimed:
"If he can! Hearken now to this blasphemer, and do you, Seti, accept herchallenge as hereditary high-priest of the god Amon? Let her life payforfeit for her sacrilege."
"And if the great god Amon cannot, or does not deign to kill you, Lady,how will that prove that your god is greater than he?" asked the Prince."Perhaps he might smile and in his pity, let the insult pass, as yourgod did by me."
"Thus it shall be proved, your Highness. If naught happens to me, or ifI am protected from anything that does happen, then I will dare to callupon my god to work a sign and a wonder, and to humble Amon-Ra beforeyour eyes."
"And if your god should also smile and let the matter pass, Lady, as hedid by me the other day when his priests called upon him, what shall wehave learned as to his strength, or as to that of Amon-Ra?"
"O Prince, you will have learned nothing. Yet if I escape from the wrathof Amon and my God is deaf to my prayer, then I am ready to be deliveredover into the hands of the priests of Amon that they may avenge mysacrilege upon me."
"There speaks a great heart," said Seti; "yet I am not minded thatthis lady should set her life upon such an issue. I do not believe thateither the high-god of Egypt or the god of the Israelites will stir, butI am quite sure that the priests of Amon will avenge the sacrilege, andthat cruelly enough. The dice are loaded against you, Lady. You shallnot prove your faith with blood."
"Why not?" asked Userti. "What is this girl to you, Seti, that youshould stand between her and the fruit of her wickedness, you who atleast in name are the high-priest of the god whom she blasphemes and whowear his robes at temple feasts? She believes in her god, leave it toher god to help her as she has dared to say he will."
"You believe in Amon, Userti. Are you prepared to stake your lifeagainst hers in this contest?"
"I am not so mad and vain, Seti, as to believe that the god of all theworld will descend from heaven to save me at my prayer, as this impiousgirl pretends that she believes."
"You refuse. Then, Ana, what say you, who are a loyal worshipper ofAmon?"
"I say, O Prince, that it would be presumptuous of me to take precedenceof his high-priest in such a matter."
Seti smiled and answered:
"And the high-priest says that it would be presumptuous of him to pushso far the prerogative of a high office which he never sought."
"Your Highness," broke in Merapi in her honeyed, pleading voice, "I prayyou to
be gracious to me, and to suffer me to make this trial, whichI have sought, I know not why. Words such as I have spoken cannot berecalled. Already they are registered in the books of Eternity, and soonor late, in this way or in that, must be fulfilled. My life is staked,and I desire to learn at once if it be forfeit."
Now even Userti looked on her with admiration, but answered only:
"Of a truth, Israelite, I trust that this courage will not forsake youwhen you are handed over to the mercies of Ki, the Sacrificer of Amon,and the priests, in the vaults of the temple you would profane."
"I also trust that it will not, your Highness, if such should be myfate. Your word, Prince of Egypt."
Seti looked at her standing before him so calmly with bowed head, andhands crossed upon her breast. Then he looked at Userti, who wore amocking smile upon her face. She read the meaning of that smile as Idid. It was that she did not believe that he would allow this beautifulwoman, who had saved his life, to risk her life for the sake of any orall the powers of heaven or hell. For a little while he walked to andfro about the chamber, then he stopped and said suddenly addressing, notMerapi, but Userti:
"Have your will, remembering that if this brave woman fails and dies,her blood is on your hands, and that if she triumphs and lives, I shallhold her to be one of the noblest of her sex, and shall make study ofall this matter of religion. Moon of Israel, as titular high-priest ofAmon-Ra, I accept your challenge on behalf of the god, though whetherhe will take note of it I do not know. The trial shall be madeto-morrow night in the sanctuary of the temple, at an hour that will becommunicated to you. I shall be present to make sure that you meet withjustice, as will some others. Register my commands, Scribe Ana, andlet the head-priest of Amon, Roi, and the sacrificer to Amon, Ki theMagician, be summoned, that I may speak with them. Farewell, Lady."
She went, but at the door turned and said:
"I thank you, Prince, on my own behalf, and on that of my people.Whatever chances, I beseech you do not forget the prayer that I havemade to you to save them, being innocent, from the sword. Now I ask thatI may be left quite alone till I am summoned to the temple, who mustmake such preparation as I can to meet my fate, whatever it may be."
Userti departed also without a word.
"Oh! friend, what have I done?" said Seti. "Are there any gods? Tell me,are there any gods?"
"Perhaps we shall learn to-morrow night, Prince," I answered. "At leastMerapi thinks that there is a god, and doubtless has been commanded toput her faith to proof. This, as I believe, was the real message thatJabez her uncle has brought to her."