CHAPTER XIV
THE BOAT OF RA
Tua, Star of Amen, opened her eyes. For some time already she had lainas one lies between sleep and waking, and it seemed to her that sheheard the sound of dipping oars, and of water that rippled gentlyagainst the sides of a ship. She thought to herself that she dreamed.Doubtless she was in her bed in the palace at Thebes, and presently,when it was light, her ladies would come to waken her.
In the palace at Thebes! Why, now she remembered that it was monthssince she had seen that royal city, she who had travelled far sincethen, and come at last to white-walled Memphis, where many terriblethings had befallen her. One by one they came into her mind; the snare,Pharaoh's murder by magic, the battle, and the slaughter of her guards,the starvation in the tower, with death on one hand, and the hateful Abion the other; the wondrous vision of that spirit who wore her face, andsaid she was the guardian Ka given to her at birth, the words it spoke,and her dread resolve; and last of all Asti and herself standing inthe lofty window niche, then a flame of fire before her face, and thatfearful downward rush.
Oh! without a doubt it was over; she was dead, and these dreams andmemories were such as come to the dwellers in the Under-world. Only thenwhy did she hear the sound of lapping water, and of dipping oars?
Very slowly she opened her eyes, for Tua greatly feared what she mightsee. Light flowed upon her, the light of the moon which hung in a clearsky like some great lamp of gold. By it she saw that, robed all inwhite, she lay upon a couch in a pavilion, whereof the silken curtainswere drawn back in front, and tied to gilded posts. At her side, wrappedin a grey robe, lay another figure, which she knew for Asti. It wasstill, so still that she was sure it must be dead, yet she knew thatthis was Asti. Perchance Asti dreamed also, and could hear in herdreams; at least, she would speak to her.
"Asti," she whispered, "Asti, can you hear me?"
The grey figure at her side stirred, and the head turned towards her.Then the voice of Asti, none other, answered:
"Aye, Lady, I hear and see. But say, where are we now?"
"In the Under-world, I think, Asti. Oh! that fire was death, and now wejourney to the Place of Souls."
"If so, Lady, it is strange that we should still have eyes and flesh andvoices as mortal women have. Let us sit up and look."
So they sat up, their arms about each other, and peered through the opencurtains. Behold! they were on a ship more beautiful than any they hadever seen, for it seemed to be covered with gold and silver, while sweetodours floated from its hold. Their pavilion was set in the centre ofthe ship and looking aft, they perceived lines of white-clad rowersseated at their oars in the shadow of the bulwarks, and on the highstern--also robed in white--a tall steersman whose face was veiled,behind whom in the dim glimpses of the moon, they caught sight of a wideand silvery river, and on its distant banks palms and temple towers.
"It is the Boat of Ra," murmured Tua, "which bears us down the River ofDeath to the Kingdom behind the Sun."
Then she sank back upon her cushions, and once more fell into swoon orsleep.
Tua woke again, and lo! the sun was shining brightly, and at her sidesat Asti watching her. Moreover, in front of them was set a table spreadwith delicate food.
"Tell me what has chanced, Nurse," she said faintly, "for I ambewildered, and know not in what world we wander."
"Our own, Queen, I think," answered Asti, "but in charge of those whoare not of it, for surely this is no mortal boat, nor do mortals guideher to her port. Come, we need food. Let us eat while we may."
So they ate and drank heartily enough, and when they had finished evendared to go out of the pavilion. Looking around them they saw that theystood upon a high deck in the midst of a great ship, but that this shipwas enclosed with a net of silver cords in which they could find noopening. Looking through its meshes they noted that the oars wereinboard, and the great purple sails set upon the mast, also that therowers were gone, perchance to rest beneath the deck, while on theforecastle of the ship stood the captain, white-robed and masked, andaft the steersman, also still masked, so that they could see nothing oftheir faces. Now, too, they were no longer sailing on a river, but downa canal bordered by banks of sand on either side, beyond which stretcheddesert farther than the eye could reach.
Asti studied the desert, then turned and said:
"I think I know this canal, Lady, for once I sailed it as a child. Ithink it is that which was dug by the Pharaohs of old, and repairedafter the fall of the Hyksos kings, and that it runs from Bubastis tothat bay down which wanderers sail towards the rising sun."
"Mayhap," answered Tua. "At least, this is the world that bore us and noother, and by the mercy of Amen and the power of my Spirit we are stillalive, and not dead, or so it seems. Call now to the captain on yonderdeck; perhaps he will tell whither he bears us in his magic ship."
So Asti called, but the captain made no sign that he saw or heard her.Next she called to the steersman, but although his veiled face wastowards them, he also made no sign, so that at last they believed eitherthat these were spirits or that they were men born deaf and dumb. In theend, growing weary of staring at this beautiful ship, at the canal andthe desert beyond it, and of wondering where they were, and how theycame thither, they returned to the pavilion to avoid the heat of thesun. Here they found that during their absence some hand unseen hadarranged the silken bed-clothing on their couches and cleared away thefragments of their meal, resetting the beautiful table with other foods.
"Truly here is wizardry at work," said Tua, as she sank into aleather-seated ivory chair that was placed ready.
"Who doubts it?" answered Asti calmly. "By wizardry were you born; bywizardry was Pharaoh slain; by wizardry we are saved to an end that wecannot guess; by wizardry, or what men so name, does the whole worldmove; only being so near we see it not."
Tua thought a while, then said:
"Well, this golden ship is better than the sty of Abi the hog, nor do Ibelieve that we journey to no purpose. Still I wonder what that spiritwho named herself my Ka does on the throne of Egypt; also how we came onboard this boat, and whither we sail."
"Wonder not, for all these things we shall learn in due season, and formy part, although I hate him I am sorry for Abi," answered Asti drily.
So they sat there in the pavilion watching the desert, over the sandsof which their ship seemed to move, till at length the sun grew low,and they went to walk upon the deck. Then they returned to eat of thedelicious food that was always provided for them in such plenty, and atnightfall sought their couches, and slept heavily, for they needed rest.
When they awoke again, it was daylight, though no sun shone through theskies, and their vessel rolled onward across a wide and sullen sea outof sight of land. Also the silken pavilion about them was gone, andreplaced by a cabin of massive cedar wood, though of this, being satedwith marvels, Tua and Asti took little note. Indeed, having neither ofthem been on an angry ocean before, a strange dizziness overcame them,which caused them to sleep much and think little for three whole daysand nights.
At length, one evening as the sun sank, they perceived that the violentmotion of the vessel had ceased with the roaring of the gale above,which for all this while had driven them onward at such fearful speed.Venturing from their cedar house, they saw that they had entered themouth of a great river upon the banks of which grew enormous trees thatsent out long crooked roots into the water, and that among these rootscrouched crocodiles and other noisome reptiles. Also the white-robedoarsmen had appeared again, and, as there was no wind, rowed the ship upthe river, till at length they came to a spit of sand which jutted outinto the stream, and here cast anchor.
Now Tua's and Asti's desire for food returned to them, and they ate.Just as they had finished their meal, and the sun was sinking suddenly,there appeared before them two masked men, each of whom bore a basketin his hand. Asti began to question them, but like the captain andthe steersman, they seemed to be deaf and dumb. At least they made noanswer,
only prostrated themselves humbly, and pointed towards the shorewhere now Tua saw a fire burning on a rock, though who had lit it shedid not know.
"They mean us to leave the ship," said Asti. "Come, Queen, let us followour fortunes, for doubtless these are high."
"As you will," answered Tua, "seeing that we should scarcely have beenbrought here to no end."
So they accompanied the men to the side of that splendid vessel, for nowthe netting that confined them had been removed, to find that a gangwayhad been laid from its bulwark to the shore. As they stepped on tothis gangway their masked companions handed to each of them one of thebaskets, then again bowed humbly and were gone. Soon they gained thebank, and scarcely had their feet touched it when the gangway waswithdrawn, and the great oars began to beat the muddy water.
Round swung the ship, and for a minute hung in midstream. There stoodthe captain on the foredeck, and there was the steersman at the helm,and the red light of the sinking sun turned them into figures of flame.Suddenly with a simultaneous motion these men tore off their masks sothat for a moment Asti and Tua saw their faces--and behold! the face ofthe captain was the face of Pharaoh, Tua's father, and the face of thesteersman was the face of Mermes, Asti's husband.
For one moment only did they see them, then a dark cloud hid the dyingsun, and when it passed that ship was gone, whither they knew not.
The two women looked at each other, and for the first time were muchafraid.
"Truly," said Tua, "we are haunted if ever mortals were, for yonder shiphas ghosts for mariners."
"Aye, Lady," answered Asti, "so have I thought from the first. Still,take heart, for these ghosts once were men who loved us well, anddoubtless they love us still. Be sure that for no ill purpose have webeen snatched out of the hand of Abi, and brought living and unharmed bythe shades of Pharaoh your sire, and Mermes my husband, to this secretshore. See, yonder burns a fire, let us go to it, and await what maybefall bravely, knowing that at least it can be naught but good."
So they went to the rock and, darkness being come, sat themselves downby the fire, alongside of which lay wood for its replenishment, and nearthe wood soft robes of camel-hair to shield them from the cold.These robes they put on with thankfulness, and, having fed the flame,bethought them of and opened the baskets which were given to them whenthey left the ship. The first basket, that which Asti held, they foundto contain food, cakes, dried meats and dates, as much as one womancould carry. But the second, that which had been given to Tua, wasotherwise provided, for in the mouth of it lay a lovely harp of ivorywith golden strings, whereof the frame was fashioned to the shape of awoman. Tua drew it out and looked at it by the light of the fire.
"It is my own harp," she said in an awed voice, "the harp that thePrince of Kesh, whom Rames slew, brought as a gift to me, to the notesof which I sang the Song of the Lovers but just before the giver died.Yes, it is my own harp that I left in Thebes. Say, now, Nurse, how cameit here?"
"How came _we_ here?" answered Asti shortly. "Answer my question and Iwill answer yours."
Then, laying down the harp, Tua looked again into her basket andfound that beneath a layer of dried papyrus leaves were hidden pearls,thousands of pearls of all sizes, and of such lustre and beauty as shehad never seen. They were strung upon threads of silk, all those of alike size being set upon a single thread, except the very biggest, whichwere as great as a finger nail, or even larger, that lay wrapped upseparately in cloth at the bottom of the basket.
"Surely," said Tua, amazed, "no Queen in all the earth ever had a dowerof such priceless pearls. Moreover, what good they and the harp can beto us in this forest I may not guess."
"Doubtless we shall discover in due course," answered Asti; "meanwhile,let us thank the gods for their gifts and eat."
So they ate, and then, having nothing else to do, lay down by the fireand would have slept.
But scarcely had they closed their eyes when the forest seemed to awake.First from down by the river there came dreadful roarings which theyknew must be the voice of lions, for there were tame beasts of this sortin the gardens at Thebes. Next they heard the whines and wimperings ofwolves and jackals, and mingled with them great snortings such as aremade by the rhinoceros and the river-horse.
Nearer, nearer came these awful sounds, till at length they saw yelloweyes moving like stars in the darkness at the edge of the forest, whilecross the patch of sand beneath their rock galloped swift shapes whichhalted and sniffed towards them. Also on the river side of them appearedhuge, hog-like beasts, with gleaming tusks, and red cavernous mouths,and beyond these again, crashing through the brushwood, a gigantic brutethat bore a single horn upon its snout.
"Now our end is at hand," said Tua faintly, "for surely these creatureswill devour us."
But Asti only threw more wood upon the fire and waited, thinking thatthe flame would frighten them away. Yet it did not, for so curious, orso hungry were they, that the lions crept and crept nearer, and stillmore near, till at length they lay lashing their tails in the distancealmost within springing distance of the rock, while on the farther sideof these, like a court waiting on its monarch, gathered the hyenas andother beasts.
"They will spring presently," whispered Tua.
"Did the Spirits of the divine Pharaoh your father, and of Mermes mylord, bring us here in the Boat of Ra that we should be devoured by wildanimals, like lost sheep in the desert?" asked Asti. Then, as though byan inspiration, she added, "Lady, take that harp of yours, and play andsing to it."
So Tua took the harp and swept its golden chords, and, lifting up herlovely voice, she began to sing. At first it trembled a little, but bydegrees, as she forgot all save the music, it grew strong, and rang outsweetly in the silence of the forest, and the great, slow-moving river.And lo! as she sang thus, the wild brutes grew still, and seemed tolisten as though they were charmed. Yes, even a snake wriggled out frombetween the rocks and listened, waving its crested head to and fro.
At length Tua ceased, and as the echoes died away the brutes, every oneof them, turned and vanished into the forest or the river, all save thesnake that coiled itself up and slept where it was. So stillness cameagain, and Tua and Asti slept also, nor did they wake until the sun wasshining in the heavens.
Then they arose wondering, and went down over the patch of sand that wasmarked with the footprints of all the beasts to the river's brink, anddrank and washed themselves, peering the while through the mists, forthey thought that perchance they would see that golden ship with theveiled crew which had carried them from Memphis, returned and awaitingthem in midstream.
But no ship was there; nothing was there except the river-horses whichrose and sank, and the crocodiles on the mud-banks, and the wildfowlthat flighted inward from the sea to feed. So they went back to theashes of their fire and ate of the food in Asti's basket, and, when theyhad eaten, looked at each other, not knowing what to do. Then Tua said:
"Come, Nurse, let us be going. Up the river and down the river we cannotwalk, for there are nothing but weeds and mud, so we must strike outthrough the forest, whither the gods may lead us."
Asti nodded, and, clad in the light warm clothes of camel-hair, they setthe baskets upon their heads after the fashion of the peasant women ofEgypt and started forward, the harp of ivory and of gold hanging uponTua's back.
For hour after hour they marched thus through the forest, threadingtheir path between the big boles of the trees, and heading always forthe south, for that way ran the woodland glades beyond which was densebush. Great apes chattered above them in the tree tops, and nowand again some beast of prey crossed their path and vanished in theunderwood, but nothing else did they see. At length, towards midday, theground began to rise, and the trees grew smaller and farther apart, tillat last they reached the edge of a sandy desert, and walked out to alittle oasis, where the green grass showed them they would find water.In this oasis there was a spring, and by the edge of it they sat downand drank, and ate of their store of food, and afterwards slept a
while.
Suddenly Tua, in her sleep, heard a voice, and, awaking with astart, saw a man who stood near by, leaning on a thornwood staff andcontemplating them. He was a very strange man, apparently of great age,for his long white hair fell down upon his shoulders, and his whitebeard reached to his middle. Once he must have been very tall, but nowhe was bent with age, and the bones of his gaunt frame thrust out hisragged garments. His dark eyes also were horny, indeed it seemed asthough he could scarcely see with them, for he leaned forward to peer attheir faces where they lay. His face was scored by a thousand wrinkles,and almost black with exposure to the sun and wind, but yet of amarvellous tenderness and beauty. Indeed, except that it was far moreancient, and the features were on a larger and a grander scale, itreminded Tua of the face of Pharaoh after he was dead.
"My Father," said Tua, sitting up, for an impulse prompted her to namethis wanderer thus, "say whence do you come, and what would you withyour servants?"
"My Daughter," answered the old man in a sweet, grave voice, "I comefrom the wilderness which is my home. Long have I outlived all those ofmy generation, yes, and their children also. Therefore the wildernessand the forest that do not change are now my only friends, since theyalone knew me when I was young. Be pitiful now to me, for I am poor, sopoor that for three whole days no food has passed my lips. It was thesmell of the meat which you have with you that led me to you. Give me ofthat meat, Daughter, for I starve."
"It is yours, O----" and she paused.
"I am called Kepher."
"Kepher, Kepher!" repeated Tua, for she thought it strange that abeggar-man should be named after that scarabaeus insect which among theEgyptians was the symbol of eternity. "Well, take and eat, O Kepher,"she said, and handed him the basket that contained what was left to themof their store.
The beggar took it, and having looked up to heaven as though to ask ablessing on his meal, sat down upon the sand and began to devour thefood ravenously.
"Lady," said Asti, "he will eat it all, and then we shall starve inthis desert. He is a locust, not a man," she added, as another cakedisappeared.
"He is our guest," answered Tua gravely, "let him take what we have togive."
For a while Asti was silent, then again she broke out into remonstrance.
"Peace, Nurse," replied Tua, "I have said that he is our guest, and thelaw of hospitality may not be broken."
"Then the law of hospitality will bring us to our deaths," mutteredAsti.
"If so, so let it be, Nurse; at least this poor man will be filled, andfor the rest, as always, we must trust to Amen our father."
Yet as she spoke the words tears gathered in her eyes, for she knew thatAsti was right, and now that all the food was gone, on which with carethey might have lived for two days or more, soon they would faint, andperish, unless help came to them, which was not likely in that lonesomeplace. Once, not so long ago, they had starved for lack of sustenance,and it was the thought of that slow pain so soon to be renewed, thatbrought the water to her eyes.
Meanwhile Kepher, whose appetite for one so ancient was sharp indeed,finished the contents of the basket down to the last date, and handed itback to Tua with a bow, saying:
"I thank you, Daughter; the Queen of Egypt could not have entertainedme more royally," and he peered at her with his horny eyes. "I who havebeen empty for long, am full again, and since I cannot reward you I prayto the gods that they will do so. Beautiful Daughter, may you never knowwhat it is to lack a meal."
At this saying Tua could restrain herself no more. A large tear from hereyes fell upon Kepher's rough hand as she answered with a little sob:
"I am glad that you are comforted with meat, but do not mock us, Friend,seeing that we are but lost wanderers who very soon must starve, sincenow our food is done."
"What, Daughter?" asked the old man in an astonished voice, "what? Can Ibelieve that you gave all you had to a beggar of the wilderness, and satstill while he devoured it? And is it for this reason that you weep?"
"Forgive me, Father, but it is so," answered Tua. "I am ashamed of suchweakness, but recently my friend here and I have known hunger, very sorehunger, and the dread of it moves me. Come, Asti, let us be going whileour strength remains in us."
Kepher looked up at the name, then turned to Tua and said:
"Daughter, your face is fair, and your heart is perfect, since otherwiseyou would not have dealt with me as you have done. Still, it seemsthat you lack one thing--undoubting faith in the goodness of the gods.Though, surely," he added in a slow voice, "those who have passed yonderlion-haunted forest without hurt should not lack faith. Say, now, howcame you there?"
"We are ladies of Egypt," interrupted Asti, "or at least this maiden is,for I am but her old nurse. Man-stealing pirates of Phoenicia seized uswhile we wandered on the shores of the Nile, and brought us hither intheir ship, by what way we do not know. At length they put into yonderriver for water, and we fled at night. We are escaped slaves, no more."
"Ah!" said Kepher, "those pirates must mourn their loss. I almost wonderthat they did not follow you. Indeed, I thought that you might beother folk, for, strangely enough, as I slept in the sand last night, acertain spirit from the Under-world visited me in my dreams, and toldme to search for one Asti and another lady who was with her--I cannotremember the name of that lady. But I do remember the name of thespirit, for he told it to me; it was Mermes."
Now Asti gave a little cry, and, springing up, searched Kepher's facewith her eyes, nor did he shrink from her gaze.
"I perceive," she said slowly, "that you who seem to be a beggar arealso a seer."
"Mayhap, Asti," he answered. "In my long life I have often noted thatsometimes men are more than they seem--and women also. Perhaps you havelearned the same, for nurses in great houses may note many things ifthey choose. But let us say no more. I think it is better that we shouldsay no more. You and your companion--how is she named?"
"Neferte," answered Asti promptly.
"Neferte, ah! Certainly that was not the name which the spirit used,though it is true that other name began with the same sound, or so Ithink. Well, you and your companion, Neferte, escaped from those wickedpirates, and managed to bring certain things with you, for instance,that beautiful harp, wreathed with the royal _uraei_, and--but what is inthat second basket?"
"Pearls," broke in Tua quickly.
"And a large basket of pearls. Might I see them? Oh! do not be afraid, Ishall not rob those whose food I have eaten, it is against the custom ofthe desert."
"Certainly," answered Tua. "I never thought that you would rob us, forif you were of the tribe of thieves, surely you would be richer, andless hungry than you seem. I only thought that you were almost blind,Father Kepher, and therefore could not know the difference between apearl and a pebble."
"My feeling still remains to me, Daughter Neferte," he answered with alittle smile.
Then Tua gave him the basket. He opened it and drew out the strings ofpearls, feeling them, smelling and peering at them, touching them withhis tongue, especially the large single ones which were wrapped up bythemselves. At length, having handled them all, he restored them to thebasket, saying drily:
"It is strange, indeed, Nurse Asti, that those Syrian man-stealersattempted no pursuit of you, for here, whether they were theirs or not,are enough gems to buy a kingdom."
"We cannot eat pearls," answered Asti.
"No, but pearls will buy more than you need to eat."
"Not in a desert," said Asti.
"True, but as it chances there is a city in this desert, and not so veryfar away."
"Is it named Napata?" asked Tua eagerly.
"Napata? No, indeed. Yet, I have heard of such a place, the City of Goldthey called it. In fact, once I visited it in my youth, over a hundredyears ago."
"A hundred years ago! Do you remember the way thither?"
"Yes, more or less, but on foot it is over a year's journey away, andthe path thither lies across great deserts and through tribes of
savagemen. Few live to reach that city."
"Yet I will reach it, or die, Father."
"Perhaps you will, Daughter Neferte, perhaps you will, but I think notat present. Meanwhile, you have a harp, and therefore it is probablethat you can play and sing; also you have pearls. Now the inhabitants ofthis town whereof I spoke to you love music. Also they love pearls, andas you cannot begin your journey to Napata for three months, when therain on the mountains will have filled the desert wells, I suggest thatyou would do wisely to settle yourselves there for a while. Nurse Astihere would be a dealer in pearls, and you, her daughter, would be amusician. What say you?"
"I say that I should be glad to settle myself anywhere out of thisdesert," said Tua wearily. "Lead us on to the city, Father Kepher, ifyou know the way."
"I know the way, and will guide you thither in payment for that goodmeal of yours. Now come. Follow me." And taking his long staff he strodeaway in front of them.
"This Kepher goes at a wonderful pace for an old man," said Tuapresently. "When first we saw him he could scarcely hobble."
"Man!" answered Asti. "He is not a man, but a spirit, good or bad, Idon't know which, appearing as a beggar. Could a man eat as much ashe did--all our basketful of food? Does a man talk of cities that hevisited in his youth over a hundred years ago, or declare that my deadhusband spoke to him in his dreams? No, no, he is a ghost like thoseupon the ship."
"So much the better," answered Tua cheerfully, "since ghosts have beengood friends to us, for had it not been for them I should have been deador shamed to-day."
"That we shall find out at the end of the story," said Asti, who wascross and weary, for the heat of the sun was great. "Meanwhile, followon. There is nothing else to do."
For hour after hour they walked, till at length towards evening, whenthey were almost exhausted, they struggled up a long rise of sand androcks, and from the crest of it perceived a large walled town set in agreen and fertile valley not very far beneath them. Towards this townKepher, who marched at a distance in front, guided them till theyreached a clump of trees on the outskirts of the cultivated land. Herehe halted, and when they came up to him, led them among the trees.
"Now," he said, "drop your veils and bide here, and if any should cometo you, say that you are poor wandering players who rest. Also, if itpleases you, give me a small pearl off one of those strings, that I maygo into the city, which is named Tat, and sell it to buy you food and aplace to dwell in."
"Take a string," said Tua faintly.
"Nay, nay, Daughter, one will be enough, for in this town pearls arerare, and have a great value."
So she gave him the gem, or rather let him take it from the silk, whichhe re-fastened very neatly for one who seemed to be almost blind, andstrode off swiftly towards the town.
"Man or spirit, I wonder if we shall see him again?" said Asti.
Tua made no answer--she was too tired, but resting herself against thebole of a tree, fell into a doze. When she awoke again it was to seethat the sun had sunk, and that before her stood the beggar Kepher, andwith him two black men, each of whom led a saddled mule.
"Mount, Friends," he said, "for I have found you a lodging."
So they mounted, and were led to the gate of the city which at the wordof Kepher was opened for them, and thence down a long street to a housebuilt in a walled garden. Into this house they entered, the black menleading off the mules, to find that it was a well-furnished place with atable ready set in the ante-room, on which was food in plenty. They ateof it, all three of them, and when they had finished Kepher bade a womanwho was waiting on them, lead them to their chamber, saying that hehimself would sleep in the garden.
Thither then they went without more questions, and throwing themselvesdown upon beds which were prepared for them, were soon fast asleep.