CHAPTER XXIV.
This eventful day had brought much that was unexpected to our friends inThebes, as well as to those who lived in the Necropolis.
The Lady Katuti had risen early after a sleepless night. Nefert had comein late, had excused her delay by shortly explaining to her mother thatshe had been detained by Bent-Anat, and had then affectionately offeredher brow for a kiss of "good-night."
When the widow was about to withdraw to her sleeping-room, and Nemu hadlighted her lamp, she remembered the secret which was to deliver Paakerinto Ani's hands. She ordered the dwarf to impart to her what heknew, and the little man told her at last, after sincere efforts atresistance--for he feared for his mother's safety--that Paaker hadadministered half of a love-philter to Nefert, and that the remainderwas still in his hands.
A few hours since this information would have filled Katuti withindignation and disgust; now, though she blamed the Mohar, she askedeagerly whether such a drink could be proved to have any actual effect.
"Not a doubt of it," said the dwarf, "if the whole were taken, butNefert only had half of it."
At a late hour Katuti was still pacing her bedroom, thinking of Paaker'sinsane devotion, of Mena's faithlessness, and of Nefert's altereddemeanor; and when she went to bed, a thousand conjectures, fears, andanxieties tormented her, while she was distressed at the change whichhad come over Nefert's love to her mother, a sentiment which of allothers should be the most sacred, and the most secure against all shock.
Soon after sunrise she went into the little temple attached to thehouse, and made an offering to the statue, which, under the form ofOsiris, represented her lost husband; then she went to the temple ofAnion, where she also prayed a while, and nevertheless, on her returnhome, found that her daughter had not yet made her appearance in thehall where they usually breakfasted together.
Katuti preferred to be undisturbed during the early morning hours, andtherefore did not interfere with her daughter's disposition to sleep farinto the day in her carefully-darkened room.
When the widow went to the temple Nefert was accustomed to take a cup ofmilk in bed, then she would let herself be dressed, and when her motherreturned, she would find her in the veranda or hall, which is so wellknown to the reader.
To-day however Katuti had to breakfast alone; but when she had eaten afew mouthfuls she prepared Nefert's breakfast--a white cake and a littlewine in a small silver beaker, carefully guarded from dust and insectsby a napkin thrown over it--and went into her daughter's room.
She was startled at finding it empty, but she was informed that Neferthad gone earlier than was her wont to the temple, in her litter.
With a heavy sigh she returned to the veranda, and there receivedher nephew Paaker, who had come to enquire after the health of hisrelatives, followed by a slave, who carried two magnificent bunches offlowers, and by the great dog which had formerly belonged to his father.One bouquet he said had been cut for Nefert, and the other for hermother.
[Pictures on the monuments show that in ancient Egypt, as at the present time, bouquets of flowers were bestowed as tokens of friendly feeling.]
Katuti had taken quite a new interest in Paaker since she had heard ofhis procuring the philter.
No other young man of the rank to which they belonged, would haveallowed himself to be so mastered by his passion for a woman as thisPaaker was, who went straight to his aim with stubborn determination,and shunned no means that might lead to it. The pioneer, who hadgrown up under her eyes, whose weaknesses she knew, and whom she wasaccustomed to look down upon, suddenly appeared to her as a differentman--almost a stranger--as the deliverer of his friends, and themerciless antagonist of his enemies.
These reflections had passed rapidly through her mind. Now her eyesrested on the sturdy, strongly-knit figure of her nephew, and it struckher that he bore no resemblance to his tall, handsome father. Often hadshe admired her brother-in-law's slender hand, that nevertheless couldso effectually wield a sword, but that of his son was broad and ignoblein form.
While Paaker was telling her that he must shortly leave for Syria,she involuntarily observed the action of this hand, which often wentcautiously to his girdle as if he had something concealed there; thiswas the oval phial with the rest of the philter. Katuti observed it, andher cheeks flushed when it occurred to her to guess what he had there.
The pioneer could not but observe Katuti's agitation, and he said in atone of sympathy:
"I perceive that you are in pain, or in trouble. The master of Mena'sstud at Hermonthis has no doubt been with you--No? He came to meyesterday, and asked me to allow him to join my troops. He is very angrywith you, because he has been obliged to sell some of Mena's gold-bays.I have bought the finest of them. They are splendid creatures! Now hewants to go to his master 'to open his eyes,' as he says. Lie down alittle while, aunt, you are very pale."
Katuti did not follow this prescription; on the contrary she smiled, andsaid in a voice half of anger and half of pity:
"The old fool firmly believes that the weal or woe of the family dependson the gold-bays. He would like to go with you? To open Mena's eyes? Noone has yet tried to bind them!"
Katuti spoke the last words in a low tone, and her glance fell. Paakeralso looked down, and was silent; but he soon recovered his presence ofmind, and said:
"If Nefert is to be long absent, I will go."
"No--no, stay," cried the widow. "She wished to see you, and must sooncome in. There are her cake and her wine waiting for her."
With these words she took the napkin off the breakfast-table, held upthe beaker in her hand, and then said, with the cloth still in her hand:
"I will leave you a moment, and see if Nefert is not yet come home."
Hardly had she left the veranda when Paaker, having convinced himselfthat no one could see him, snatched the flask from his girdle, and, witha short invocation to his father in Osiris, poured its whole contentsinto the beaker, which thus was filled to the very brim. A few minuteslater Nefert and her mother entered the hall.
Paaker took up the nosegay, which his slave had laid down on a seat, andtimidly approached the young woman, who walked in with such an aspectof decision and self-confidence, that her mother looked at her inastonishment, while Paaker felt as if she had never before appearedso beautiful and brilliant. Was it possible that she should love herhusband, when his breach of faith troubled her so little? Did her heartstill belong to another? Or had the love-philter set him in the place ofMena? Yes! yes! for how warmly she greeted him. She put out her hand tohim while he was still quite far off, let it rest in his, thanked himwith feeling, and praised his fidelity and generosity.
Then she went up to the table, begged Paaker to sit down with her, brokeher cake, and enquired for her aunt Setchern, Paaker's mother.
Katuti and Paaker watched all her movements with beating hearts.
Now she took up the beaker, and lifted it to her lips, but set it downagain to answer Paaker's remark that she was breakfasting late.
"I have hitherto been a real lazy-bones," she said with a blush. "Butthis morning I got up early, to go and pray in the temple in the freshdawn. You know what has happened to the sacred ram of Amion. It is afrightful occurrence. The priests were all in the greatest agitation,but the venerable Bek el Chunsu received me himself, and interpreted mydream, and now my spirit is light and contented."
"And you did all this without me?" said Katuti in gentle reproof.
"I would not disturb you," replied Nefert. "Besides," she addedcoloring, "you never take me to the city and the temple in the morning."
Again she took up the wine-cup and looked into it, but without drinkingany, went on:
"Would you like to hear what I dreamed, Paaker? It was a strangevision."
The pioneer could hardly breathe for expectation, still he begged her totell her dream.
"Only think," said Nefert, pushing the beaker on the smooth table,which was wet with a few drops which she had spilt, "I dreamed of the
Neha-tree, down there in the great tub, which your father brought mefrom Punt, when I was a little child, and which since then has grownquite a tall tree. There is no tree in the garden I love so much, for italways reminds me of your father, who was so kind to me, and whom I cannever forget!"
Paaker bowed assent.
Nefert looked at him, and interrupted her story when she observed hiscrimson cheeks.
"It is very hot! Would you like some wine to drink---or some water?"
With these words she raised the wine-cup, and drank about half of thecontents; then she shuddered, and while her pretty face took a comicalexpression, she turned to her mother, who was seated behind her and heldthe beaker towards her.
"The wine is quite sour to-day!" she said. "Taste it, mother."
Katuti took the little silver-cup in her hand, and gravely put it to herlips, but without wetting them. A smile passed over her face, and hereyes met those of the pioneer, who stared at her in horror. The pictureflashed before her mind of herself languishing for the pioneer, and ofhis terror at her affection for him! Her selfish and intriguing spiritwas free from coarseness, and yet she could have laughed with all herheart even while engaged in the most shameful deed of her whole life.She gave the wine back to her daughter, saying good-humoredly:
"I have tasted sweeter, but acid is refreshing in this heat."
"That is true," said the wife of Mena; she emptied the cup to thebottom, and then went on, as if refreshed, "But I will tell you therest of my dream. I saw the Neha-tree, which your father gave me, quiteplainly; nay I could have declared that I smelt its perfume, but theinterpreter assured me that we never smell in our dreams. I went up tothe beautiful tree in admiration. Then suddenly a hundred axes appearedin the air, wielded by unseen hands, and struck the poor tree with suchviolence that the branches one by one fell to the ground, and atlast the trunk itself was felled. If you think it grieved me you aremistaken. On the contrary, I was delighted with the flashing hatchetsand the flying splinters. When at last nothing was left but the rootsin the tub of earth, I perceived that the tree was rising to new life.Suddenly my arms became strong, my feet active, and I fetched quantitiesof water from the tank, poured it over the roots, and when, at last, Icould exert myself no longer, a tender green shoot showed itself on thewounded root, a bud appeared, a green leaf unfolded itself, a juicy stemsprouted quickly, it became a firm trunk, sent out branches and twigs,and these became covered with leaves and flowers, white, red and blue;then various birds came and settled on the top of the tree, and sang.Ah! my heart sang louder than the birds at that moment, and I said tomyself that without me the tree would have been dead, and that it owedits life to me."
"A beautiful dream," said Katuti; "that reminds me of your girlhood,when you would be awake half the night inventing all sorts of tales.What interpretation did the priest give you?"
"He promised me many things," said Nefert, "and he gave me the assurancethat the happiness to which I am predestined shall revive in freshbeauty after many interruptions."
"And Paaker's father gave you the Neha-tree?" asked Katuti, leaving theveranda as she spoke and walking out into the garden.
"My father brought it to Thebes from the far cast," said Paaker, inconfirmation of the widow's parting words.
"And that is exactly what makes me so happy," said Nefert. "For yourfather was as kind, and as dear to me as if he had been my own. Do youremember when we were sailing round the pond, and the boat upset, andyou pulled me senseless out of the water? Never shall I forget theexpression with which the great man looked at me when I woke up in itsarms; such wise true eyes no one ever had but he."
"He was good, and he loved you very much," said Paaker, recalling, forhis part, the moment when he had dared to press a kiss on the lips ofthe sweet unconscious child.
"And I am so glad," Nefert went on, "that the day has come at last whenwe can talk of him together again, and when the old grudge that layso heavy in my heart is all forgotten. How good you are to us, I havealready learned; my heart overflows with gratitude to you, when Iremember my childhood, and I can never forget that I was indebted to youfor all that was bright and happy in it. Only look at the big dog--poorDescher!--how he rubs against me, and shows that he has not forgottenme! Whatever comes from your house fills my mind with pleasantmemories."
"We all love you dearly," said Paaker looking at her tenderly.
"And how sweet it was in your garden!" cried Nefert. "The nosegay herethat you have brought me shall be placed in water, and preserved a longtime, as greeting from the place in which once I could play carelessly,and dream so happily."
With these words she pressed the flowers to her lips; Paaker sprangforward, seized her hand, and covered it with burning kisses.
Nefert started and drew away her hand, but he put out his arm to claspher to him. He had touched her with his trembling hand, when loud voiceswere heard in the garden, and Nemu hurried in to announce he arrival ofthe princess Bent-Anat.
At the same moment Katuti appeared, and in a few minutes the princessherself.
Paaker retreated, and quitted the room before Nefert had time to expressher indignation. He staggered to his chariot like a drunken man. Hesupposed himself beloved by Mena's wife, his heart was full of triumph,he proposed rewarding Hekt with gold, and went to the palace withoutdelay to crave of Ani a mission to Syria. There it should be brought tothe test--he or Mena.