The Pharaoh and the Priest: An Historical Novel of Ancient Egypt

  CHAPTER XXX

  Next day Tutmosis, with a great suite of officers and attendants, paida visit to the Phoenician prince, and invited him to the viceroy.

  In the afternoon Hiram appeared before the palace in a simple litterborne by eight poor Egyptians to whom he gave alms. He was surroundedby the most notable Phoenician merchants, and that same throng ofpeople who stood before his house daily.

  Rameses greeted with a certain astonishment the old man out of whoseeyes wisdom was gazing and in whose whole bearing there was dignity.He bowed gravely before the viceroy, and raising his hands above hishead, pronounced a short blessing. Those present were deeply affected.

  When the viceroy indicated an armchair and commanded his courtiers towithdraw, Hiram said,--

  "Yesterday thy servant Dagon informed me that the prince needs ahundred talents. I sent out my couriers at once to Sabne-Chetam,Sethroe, Pi-Uto, and other cities where there are Phoenician ships,asking them to land all their goods. I think that in a day or two thouwilt receive this small sum--"

  "Small!" interrupted Rameses, with a smile. "Thou art happy if thoucall a hundred talents a small sum."

  Hiram nodded.

  "Thy grandfather, worthiness," said he, after a while, "the eternallyliving Rameses-sa-Ptah, honored me with his friendship; I know alsohis holiness, thy father--may he live through eternity!--and I willeven try to lay before him my homage, if I be permitted."

  "Whence could a doubt arise?" interrupted the prince.

  "There are persons," replied the guest, "who admit some to the face ofthe pharaoh and refuse others--but never mind them. Thou art not toblame for this; hence I venture to lay before thee one question, as anold friend of thy father and his father."

  "I am listening."

  "What means it," asked Hiram, slowly, "that the heir to the throne anda viceroy must borrow a hundred talents when more than a hundredthousand are due Egypt?"

  "Whence?" cried Rameses.

  "From the tribute of Asiatic peoples. Phoenicia owes five thousand;well, Phoenicia will pay, I guarantee that, unless some events happen.But, besides, Israel owes three thousand, the Philistines and theMoabites each two thousand, the Hittites thirty thousand. Finally, Ido not remember details, but I know that the total reaches a hundredand three or a hundred and five thousand talents."

  Rameses gnawed his lips, but on his vivacious countenance helplessanger was evident. He dropped his eyes and was silent.

  "It is true," said Hiram, on a sudden, and looking sharply at theviceroy. "Poor Phoenicia--but also Egypt."

  "What dost thou say?" asked the prince, frowning. "I understand notthy questions."

  "Prince, thou knowest what it is of which I speak, since thou dost notanswer my question," replied Hiram; and he rose as if to withdraw."Still, I withdraw not my promise. Thou wilt receive a hundredtalents."

  He made a low bow, but the viceroy forced him to sit down again.

  "Thou art hiding something," said Rameses, in a voice in which offencewas evident. "I would hear thee explain what danger threatens Egypt orPhoenicia."

  "Hast thou not heard?" asked Hiram, with hesitation.

  "I know nothing. I have passed more than a month in the temple."

  "That is just the place in which to learn everything."

  "Tell me, worthiness," said the viceroy, striking the table with hisfist. "I am not pleased when men are amused at my expense."

  "Give a great promise not to betray me to any one and I will tell,though I cannot believe that they have not informed the heir of this."

  "Dost thou not trust me?" asked the astonished prince.

  "In this affair I should require a promise from the pharaoh himself,"answered Hiram, with decision.

  "If I swear on my sword, and the standards of my troops, that I willtell no man--"

  "Enough," said Hiram.

  "I am listening."

  "Does the prince know what is happening at this moment in Phoenicia?"

  "I know nothing of that, even," interrupted the irritated viceroy.

  "Our ships," whispered Hiram, "are coming home from all parts of theearth to convey at the first signal our people and treasures to someplace--beyond the sea--to the west."

  "Why?" asked the astounded viceroy.

  "Because Assyria is to take us under her dominion."

  "Thou hast gone mad, worthy man!" exclaimed Rameses. "Assyria to takePhoenicia! But we?--Egypt--what would we say to that?"

  "Egypt has consented already."

  Blood rushed to the prince's head.

  "The heat has disturbed thy mind, aged man," said he, in a calm voice."Thou hast forgotten, even, that such an affair could not take placewithout the pharaoh's permission and mine."

  "That will follow. Meanwhile the priests have concluded a treaty."

  "With whom? What priests?"

  "With Beroes, the high priest of Chaldea, at commission of KingAssar," said Hiram. "And who from your side? I will not state to acertainty. But it seems to me that his worthiness Herhor, hisworthiness Mefres, and the holy prophet Pentuer."

  The prince became pale.

  "Consider, Phoenician," said he, "that thou art accusing of treasonthe highest dignitaries of Egypt."

  "Thou art mistaken, prince, this is no treason: the high priest ofEgypt and the minister of his holiness have the right to make treatieswith neighboring states. Besides, how dost thou know, worthiness, thatall this is not done with consent of the pharaoh?"

  Rameses was obliged to confess in his soul that such a treaty wouldnot be treason, but disregard toward him, the erpatr.

  So then the priests treated him in this way,--him who might be thepharaoh a year hence? That is why Pentuer criticised war, and Mefressupported him.

  "When could that have happened, and where?" asked the prince.

  "Very likely they concluded the treaty at night in the temple of Setat Memphis," answered Hiram. "And when?--I know not exactly, but itseems to me that it took place when thou wert setting out fromMemphis."

  "The wretches!" thought the viceroy. "That is how they respect myposition! Some kind god made me doubt in the temple of Hator."

  After a time of internal conflict he added,--

  "Impossible! I shall not believe till proof be given."

  "Proof there will be," replied Hiram. "One of these days a great lordwill come to Pi-Bast from Assyria, Sargon, the friend of King Assar.He will come under pretext of a pilgrimage to the temple of Astaroth,he will bring gifts to thee and to his holiness; then he will make atreaty. Ye will in fact put seals to that which the priests havedetermined to the ruin of Phoenicia, and perhaps to your own greatmisfortune."

  "Never! What return could Assyria give Egypt?"

  "That speech is worthy of a pharaoh. What return would Egypt get?Every treaty is good for a state if only something be gained throughit. I am astonished specially by this," continued Hiram, "that Egyptshould conclude a bad transaction: besides Phoenicia, Assyria willtake almost all Asia, and to you will be left, in the form of a favor,the Israelites, the Philistines, and the peninsula of Sinai. In thatcase the tributes belonging to Egypt will be lost, and the pharaohwill never receive those hundred and five thousand talents."

  The viceroy shook his head.

  "Thou dost not know Egyptian priests," said he; "not one of them wouldaccept such a treaty."

  "Why not? The Phoenician proverb says: 'Better barley in the granarythan gold in the desert.' Should Egypt feel very weak she might preferSinai and Palestine to a war with Assyria. But this is what sets me tothinking: Not Egypt, but Assyria, is easy to conquer. Assyria has aquarrel on the northwest; Assyria has few troops, and those of poorquality. Were Egypt to attack she would destroy Assyria, seize immensetreasures in Babylon and Nineveh, and establish her authority in Asiaat once and securely--"

  "Such a treaty cannot exist, as thou seest," interrupted Rameses.

  "In one case alone could I understand such a treaty," continued Hiram."If 'tis the plan of the priests to set aside
kingly power in Egypt;and toward this, O prince, they have been striving since the days ofthy grandfather."

  "Thou art speaking aside from the question," said Rameses, but he feltalarm in his heart.

  "Perhaps I am mistaken," answered Hiram, looking into his eyesquickly. "But hear me out, worthiness."

  He moved up his armchair to the prince, and said in a lowered voice,--

  "If the pharaoh should make war on Assyria, he would have a great armyattached to his person; a hundred thousand talents of tribute inarrears, about two hundred thousand talents from Nineveh and Babylon,finally about a hundred thousand talents yearly from conqueredcountries. Such immense wealth would enable him to redeem the propertymortgaged to the priests, and put an end at once and forever to theirmeddling."

  The prince's eyes glittered, and Hiram continued,--

  "To-day the army depends on Herhor, and therefore on the priests;remove the foreign regiments, and the pharaoh, in case of war, couldnot depend on his warriors.

  "Besides, the royal treasury is empty, and the greater part of thepharaoh's property belongs to the temples. He must contract new debtsyearly even to maintain his household; and since there will be noPhoenicians among you, ye must borrow of the temples. In this way,when ten years have passed, his holiness--may he live througheternity!--will lose what is left of his property, and then what?"

  On the forehead of Rameses perspiration came out in drops.

  "Thou seest then, worthy lord," continued Hiram, "the priests mightand even would be forced in one case to accept the most disgracefultreaty with Assyria: if they are working to lower and destroy thepower of the pharaoh--well, there may be another case: if Egypt wereso weak as to need peace at any price--"

  The prince sprang up.

  "Silence!" cried he. "I should prefer treason on the part of my mostfaithful servants, to such weakness in the country. Egypt yield toAssyria--why, a year later Egypt herself would fall under the yoke ofAssyria, for by subscribing to such infamy she would confess her ownhelplessness."

  He walked up and down the room, with indignation, while Hiram lookedat him with compassion or with sympathy.

  All at once Rameses halted before the Phoenician,--

  "This is false! Some adroit villain has deceived thee, O Hiram, withthe semblance of truth, and thou hast believed him. If such a treatyexisted, they would have kept it in the closest secrecy. In thepresent case one of the four priests whom thou hast mentioned is atraitor, not only to his own sovereign, but to his co-conspirators--"

  "There might have been some fifth man who overheard them," interruptedHiram.

  "And who sold the secret to thee?"

  "It is a wonder to me," said Hiram, "that the prince has notdiscovered the power of gold."

  "But stop, worthiness, our priests have more gold than thou, thoughthou art wealthy beyond the wealthy!"

  "Still I am not angry when a drachma comes to me. Why should othersrefuse a talent?"

  "They would because they are servants of the gods," said the prince,passionately; "they would fear divine punishment."

  The Phoenician laughed.

  "I have seen," said he, "many temples of various nations, and in thosetemples great and small statues, of wood, stone, and gold even. Butgods I have never met."

  "Blasphemer!" exclaimed Rameses. "I have seen a divinity, I have feltits hand on my person, I have heard its voice."

  "In what place?"

  "In the temple of Hator, in its hall of entrance, and in my cell."

  "In the daytime?"

  "In the night," replied the prince; and he stopped.

  "At night the prince heard speeches of the gods, and felt theirhands," replied the Phoenician, emphasizing word after word. "At nightit is possible to see many things. What happened?"

  "In the temple I was seized by the head, by the shoulders, by thelegs; and I swear--"

  "Phst!" interrupted Hiram, with a smile. "It is not proper to swear invain."

  He looked fixedly at Rameses with his quick and wise eyes, and seeingthat doubt was rising in the young man, he continued,--

  "I will tell thee something, lord. Thou art inexperienced, thoughsurrounded by a net of intrigues, but I have been the friend of thygrandfather and thy father. Now I will render thee a service: Come inthe night to the temple of Astaroth, but bind thyself to keep thesecret. Come alone, and thou wilt be convinced as to who the gods arewho speak in the temples and touch us."

  "I will come," said Rameses, after some meditation.

  "Forewarn me, prince, on the morning of the day, and I will give theethe evening password; thou wilt be admitted. Only betray neither menor thyself," said the Phoenician, with a kindly smile. "Men neverpardon betrayal of their secrets, though gods pardon sometimes." Hebowed, raised his eyes and hands, while he whispered a blessing.

  "Deceivers!" cried the prince. "Thou prayest to gods, and dost notbelieve in them."

  Hiram finished the blessing, and said,--

  "It is true that I have no belief in Egyptian or Assyrian, or even inPhoenician gods, but I believe in One who dwells not in temples andwhose name is unknown to us."

  "Our priests believe also in One," said Rameses.

  "So do the Chaldeans, but they and your priests have conspired againstus. There is no truth in this world, prince."

  After Hiram's departure the heir shut himself up in the most remotechamber under pretext of reading sacred papyruses.

  Almost in the twinkle of an eye the information received recentlyarranged itself in the fiery imagination of Rameses, and he formed aplan. First of all, he understood that a secret battle for life anddeath was raging between the priests and the Phoenicians. About what?Naturally about wealth and influence. Hiram said truly, that shouldthe Phoenicians be expelled from Egypt, all the estates of thepharaoh, and even of the nomarchs and the entire aristocracy, wouldpass into possession of the temples.

  Rameses had never liked the priests, and he had known and seen for along time that the greater part of Egypt belonged to them, that theircities were the richest, their fields the best tilled, their peoplesatisfied. He understood too that one-half the treasures whichbelonged to the temples would suffice to rescue the pharaoh fromceaseless troubles and give back power to him.

  The prince knew this, and more than once he had said so withbitterness. But when through the influence of Herhor he became viceroyand received the corps in Memphis, he grew reconciled with the priestsand stifled his previous dislike of them.

  All that dislike had revived again.

  Not only had the priests not told him of their negotiations withAssyria, they had not even forewarned him of the embassy of Sargon.This question might indeed be the great secret of the state and thetemples. But why did they conceal the amount of tributes from variousAsiatic nations, unpaid thus far? One hundred thousand talents--why,that was a sum which might restore immediately the financial status ofthe pharaoh! Why had they concealed from him that which even a princeof Tyre knew, a man who was of the council in that city?

  What a shame for him, the heir to the throne, and the viceroy, thathis eyes were first opened by foreigners! But there was somethingworse still: Pentuer and Mefres had proved to him in every way thatEgypt must avoid war. In the temple of Hator that emphasis had seemedto him suspicious, since a war might obtain for the state thousands oflegions of slaves, and raise the general prosperity of the country.To-day this seemed the more necessary since Egypt ought to receiveunpaid sums and gain still more tribute.

  The prince rested his arms on the table and calculated,--

  "We," thought he, "should receive a hundred thousand talents. Hiramcalculates that the plunder of Nineveh and Babylon would give abouttwo hundred thousand; together, three hundred thousand. With such asum we might cover the cost of the mightiest war, and there wouldremain besides several hundred thousand as profit, and captives and ahundred thousand yearly tribute from newly conquered regions. Afterthat," concluded the prince, "we could reckon with the priesthood!"

  Ra
meses was excited. Still reflection came to him,--

  "But if Egypt was unable to wage a victorious war against Assyria?"His blood boiled at this question. "How Egypt? Why should Egypt nottrample Assyria, when he appeared at the head of its armies, he adescendant of Rameses the Great, who had hurled himself single-handedon the Hittite war-chariots and scattered them."

  The prince could understand everything save this, that man mightconquer him and that he could not snatch victory from the greatestenemy. He felt in himself endless daring, and he would have beenastounded if any enemy whatever had not fled at sight of his steeds infull onrush. Did not the gods themselves stand on the war-chariot ofthe pharaoh to defend his shield and smite with heavenly bolts hisenemies?

  "But what did this Hiram say to me about gods?" thought the prince."And what will he show me in the temple of Astaroth? We shall see."