CHAPTER XL.
Nearly three months had passed since the battle of Kadesh, and to-daythe king was expected, on his way home with his victorious army, atPelusium, the strong hold and key of Egyptian dominion in the east.Splendid preparations had been made for his reception, and the man whotook the lead in the festive arrangements with a zeal that was doublyeffective from his composed demeanor was no less a person than theRegent Ani.
His chariot was to be seen everywhere: now he was with the workmen,who were to decorate triumphal arches with fresh flowers; now with theslaves, who were hanging garlands on the wooden lions erected on theroad for this great occasion; now--and this detained him longest--hewatched the progress of the immense palace which was being rapidlyconstructed of wood on the site where formerly the camp of the Hyksoshad stood, in which the actual ceremony of receiving the king was totake place, and where the Pharaoh and his immediate followers wereto reside. It had been found possible, by employing several thousandlaborers, to erect this magnificent structure, in a few weeks, andnothing was lacking to it that could be desired, even by a king soaccustomed as Rameses to luxury and splendor. A high exterior flight ofsteps led from the garden--which had been created out of a waste--to thevestibule, out of which the banqueting hall opened.
This was of unusual height, and had a vaulted wooden ceiling, which waspainted blue and sprinkled with stars, to represent the night heavens,and which was supported on pillars carved, some in the form ofdate-palms, and some like cedars of Lebanon; the leaves and twigsconsisted of artfully fastened and colored tissue; elegant festoons ofbluish gauze were stretched from pillar to pillar across the hall,and in the centre of the eastern wall they were attached to a largeshell-shaped canopy extending over the throne of the king, which wasdecorated with pieces of green and blue glass, of mother of pearl, ofshining plates of mica, and other sparkling objects.
The throne itself had the shape of a buckler, guarded by two lions,which rested on each side of it and formed the arms, and supported onthe backs of four Asiatic captives who crouched beneath its weight.Thick carpets, which seemed to have transported the sea-shore on to thedry land-for their pale blue ground was strewn with a variety of shells,fishes, and water plants-covered the floor of the banqueting hall, inwhich three hundred seats were placed by the tables, for the nobles ofthe kingdom and the officers of the troops.
Above all this splendor hung a thousand lamps, shaped like lilies andtulips, and in the entrance hall stood a huge basket of roses to bestrewn before the king when he should arrive.
Even the bed-rooms for the king and his suite were splendidly decorated;finely embroidered purple stuffs covered the walls, a light cloud ofpale blue gauze hung across the ceiling, and giraffe skins were laidinstead of carpets on the floors.
The barracks intended for the soldiers and bodyguard stood nearer tothe city, as well as the stable buildings, which were divided from thepalace by the garden which surrounded it. A separate pavilion, giltand wreathed with flowers, was erected to receive the horses which hadcarried the king through the battle, and which he had dedicated to theSun-God.
The Regent Ani, accompanied by Katuti, was going through the whole ofthese slightly built structures.
"It seems to me all quite complete," said the widow.
"Only one thing I cannot make up my mind about," replied Ani, "whethermost to admire your inventive genius or your exquisite taste."
"Oh! let that pass," said Katuti smiling. "If any thing deservesyour praise it is my anxiety to serve you. How many things had to beconsidered before this structure at last stood complete on this marshyspot where the air seemed alive with disgusting insects and now it isfinished how long will it last?"
Ani looked down. "How long?" he repeated. Then he continued: "There isgreat risk already of the plot miscarrying. Ameni has grown cool, andwill stir no further in the matter; the troops on which I counted areperhaps still faithful to me, but much too weak; the Hebrews, who tendtheir flocks here, and whom I gained over by liberating them from forcedlabor, have never borne arms. And you know the people. They will kissthe feet of the conqueror if they have to wade up to there through theblood of their children. Besides--as it happens--the hawk which old Hektkeeps as representing me is to-day pining and sick--"
"It will be all the prouder and brighter to-morrow if you are a man!"exclaimed Katuti, and her eyes sparkled with scorn. "You cannot nowretreat. Here in Pelusium you welcome Rameses as if he were a God,and he accepts the honor. I know the king, he is too proud to bedistrustful, and so conceited that he can never believe himself deceivedin any man, either friend or foe. The man whom he appointed to be hisRegent, whom he designated as the worthiest in the land, he will mostunwillingly condemn. Today you still have the car of the king; to-morrowhe will listen to your enemies, and too much has occurred in Thebes tobe blotted out. You are in the position of a lion who has his keeper onone side, and the bars of his cage on the other. If you let the momentpass without striking you will remain in the cage; but if you act andshow yourself a lion your keepers are done for!"
"You urge me on and on," said Ani. "But supposing your plan were tofail, as Paaker's well considered plot failed?"
"Then you are no worse off than you are now," answered Katuti. "TheGods rule the elements, not men. Is it likely that you should finish sobeautiful a structure with such care only to destroy it? And we have noaccomplices, and need none."
"But who shall set the brand to the room which Nemu and the slave havefilled with straw and pitch?" asked Ani.
"I," said Katuti decidedly. "And one who has nothing to look for fromRameses."
"Who is that?"
"Paaker."
"Is the Mohar here?" asked the Regent surprised.
"You yourself have seen him."
"You are mistaken," said Ani. "I should--"
"Do you recollect the one-eyed, grey-haired, blackman, who yesterdaybrought me a letter? That was my sister's son."
The Regent struck his forehead--"Poor wretch" he muttered.
"He is frightfully altered," said Katuti. "He need not have blackenedhis face, for his own mother would not know him again: He lost an eye inhis fight with Mena, who also wounded him in the lungs with a thrustof his sword, so that he breathes and speaks with difficulty, his broadshoulders have lost their flesh, and the fine legs he swaggered about onhave shrunk as thin as a negro's. I let him pass as my servant withoutany hesitation or misgiving. He does not yet know of my purpose, but Iam sure that he would help us if a thousand deaths threatened him. ForGod's sake put aside all doubts and fears! We will shake the tree foryou, if you will only hold out your hand to-morrow to pick up the fruit.Only one thing I must beg. Command the head butler not to stint thewine, so that the guards may give us no trouble. I know that you gavethe order that only three of the five ships which brought the contentsof your winelofts should be unloaded. I should have thought that thefuture king of Egypt might have been less anxious to save!"
Katuti's lips curled with contempt as she spoke the last words. Aniobserved this and said:
"You think I am timid! Well, I confess I would far rather that muchwhich I have done at your instigation could be undone. I would willinglyrenounce this new plot, though we so carefully planned it when we builtand decorated this palace. I will sacrifice the wine; there are jars ofwine there that were old in my father's time--but it must be so! You areright! Many things have occurred which the king will not forgive! Youare right, you are right--do what seems good to you. I will retire afterthe feast to the Ethiopian camp."
"They will hail you as king as soon as the usurpers have fallen in theflames," cried Katuti. "If only a few set the example, the others willtake up the cry, and even though you have offended Ameni he will attachhimself to you rather than to Rameses. Here he comes, and I already seethe standards in the distance."
"They are coming!" said the Regent. "One thing more! Pray see yourselfthat the princess Bent-Anat goes to the rooms intended for her; she mustnot be injured."
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bsp; "Still Bent-Anat?" said Katuti with a smile full of meaning but withoutbitterness. "Be easy, her rooms are on the ground floor, and she shallbe warned in time."
Ani turned to leave her; he glanced once more at the great hall, andsaid with a sigh. "My heart is heavy--I wish this day and this nightwere over!"
"You are like this grand hall," said Katuti smiling, "which is nowempty, almost dismal; but this evening, when it is crowded with guests,it will look very different. You were born to be a king, and yet are nota king; you will not be quite yourself till the crown and sceptre areyour own."
Ani smiled too, thanked her, and left her; but Katuti said to herself:
"Bent-Anat may burn with the rest: I have no intention of sharing mypower with her!"
Crowds of men and women from all parts had thronged to Pelusium, towelcome the conqueror and his victorious army on the frontier. Everygreat temple-college had sent a deputation to meet Rameses, that fromthe Necropolis consisting of five members, with Ameni and old Gagabuat their head. The white-robed ministers of the Gods marched in solemnprocession towards the bridge which lay across the eastern-Pelusiac-armof the Nile, and led to Egypt proper--the land fertilized by the watersof the sacred stream.
The deputation from the temple of Memphis led the procession; thistemple had been founded by Mena, the first king who wore the unitedcrowns of Upper and Lower Egypt, and Chamus, the king's son, was thehigh-priest. The deputation from the not less important temple ofHeliopolis came next, and was followed by the representatives of theNecropolis of Thebes.
A few only of the members of these deputations wore the modestwhite robe of the simple priest; most of them were invested with thepanther-skin which was worn by the prophets. Each bore a staff decoratedwith roses, lilies, and green branches, and many carried censers in theform of a golden arm with incense in the hollow of the hand, to be burntbefore the king. Among the deputies from the priesthood at Thebes wereseveral women of high rank, who served in the worship of this God, andamong them was Katuti, who by the particular desire of the Regent hadlately been admitted to this noble sisterhood.
Ameni walked thoughtfully by the side of the prophet Gagabu.
"How differently everything has happened from what we hoped andintended!" said Gagabu in a low voice. "We are like ambassadors withsealed credentials--who can tell their contents?"
"I welcome Rameses heartily and joyfully," said Ameni. "After that whichhappened to him at Kadesh he will come home a very different man to whathe was when he set out. He knows now what he owes to Amon. His favoriteson was already at the head of the ministers of the temple at Memphis,and he has vowed to build magnificent temples and to bring splendidofferings to the Immortals. And Rameses keeps his word better than thatsmiling simpleton in the chariot yonder."
"Still I am sorry for Ani," said Gagabu.
"The Pharaoh will not punish him--certainly not," replied thehigh-priest. "And he will have nothing to fear from Ani; he is a feeblereed, the powerless sport of every wind."
"And yet you hoped for great things from him!"
"Not from him, but through him--with us for his guides," replied Ameniin a low voice but with emphasis. "It is his own fault that I haveabandoned his cause. Our first wish--to spare the poet Pentaur--he wouldnot respect, and he did not hesitate to break his oath, to betray us,and to sacrifice one of the noblest of God's creatures, as the poetwas, to gratify a petty grudge. It is harder to fight against cunningweakness than against honest enmity. Shall we reward the man who hasdeprived the world of Pentaur by giving him a crown? It is hard to quitthe trodden way, and seek a better--to give up a half-executed plan andtake a more promising one; it is hard, I say, for the individual man,and makes him seem fickle in the eyes of others; but we cannot see tothe right hand and the left, and if we pursue a great end we cannotremain within the narrow limits which are set by law and custom to theactions of private individuals. We draw back just as we seem to havereached the goal, we let him fall whom we had raised, and lift him,whom we had stricken to the earth, to the pinnacle of glory, in shortwe profess--and for thousands of years have professed--the doctrine thatevery path is a right one that leads to the great end of securing to thepriesthood the supreme power in the land. Rameses, saved by a miracle,vowing temples to the Gods, will for the future exhaust his restlessspirit not in battle as a warrior, but in building as an architect. Hewill make use of us, and we can always lead the man who needs us. So Inow hail the son of Seti with sincere joy."
Ameni was still speaking when the flags were hoisted on the standards bythe triumphal arches, clouds of dust rolled up on the farther shore ofthe Nile, and the blare of trumpets was heard.
First came the horses which had carried Rameses through the fight, withthe king himself, who drove them. His eyes sparkled with joyful triumphas the people on the farther side of the bridge received him with shoutsof joy, and the vast multitude hailed him with wild enthusiasm and tearsof emotion, strewing in his path the spoils of their gardens-flowers,garlands, and palm-branches.
Ani marched at the head of the procession that went forth to meethim; he humbly threw himself in the dust before the horses, kissedthe ground, and then presented to the king the sceptre that hadbeen entrusted to him, lying on a silk cushion. The king received itgraciously, and when Ani took his robe to kiss it, the king bent downtowards him, and touching the Regent's forehead with his lips, desiredhim to take the place by his side in the chariot, and fill the office ofcharioteer.
The king's eyes were moist with grateful emotion. He had not beendeceived, and he could re-enter the country for whose greatness andwelfare alone he lived, as a father, loving and beloved, and not asa master to judge and punish. He was deeply moved as he accepted thegreetings of the priests, and with them offered up a public prayer. Thenhe was conducted to the splendid structure which had been prepared forhim gaily mounted the outside steps, and from the top-most stairbowed to his innumerable crowd of subjects; and while he awaited theprocession from the harbor which escorted Bent-Anat in her litter, heinspected the thousand decorated bulls and antelopes which were tobe slaughtered as a thank-offering to the Gods, the tame lions andleopards, the rare trees in whose branches perched gaily-colored birds,the giraffes, and chariots to which ostriches were harnessed, which allmarched past him in a long array.
[The splendor of the festivities I make Ani prepare seems pitiful compared with those Ptolemy Philadelphus, according to the report of an eye witness, Callexenus, displayed to the Alexandrians on a festal occasion.]
Rameses embraced his daughter before all the people; he felt as if hemust admit his subjects to the fullest sympathy in the happiness anddeep thankfulness which filled his soul. His favorite child had neverseemed to him so beautiful as this day, and he realized with deepemotion her strong resemblance to his lost wife.--[Her name was IsisNefert.]
Nefert had accompanied her royal friend as fanbearer, and she kneltbefore the king while he gave himself up to the delight of meeting hisdaughter. Then he observed her, and kindly desired her to rise. "Howmuch," he said, "I am feeling to-day for the first time! I have alreadylearned that what I formerly thought of as the highest happinessis capable of a yet higher pitch, and I now perceive that the mostbeautiful is capable of growing to greater beauty! A sun has grown fromMena's star."
Rameses, as he spoke, remembered his charioteer; for a moment his browwas clouded, and he cast down his eyes, and bent his head in thought.
Bent-Anat well knew this gesture of her father's; it was the omen ofsome kindly, often sportive suggestion, such as he loved to surprise hisfriends with.
He reflected longer than usual; at last he looked up, and his full eyesrested lovingly on his daughter as he asked her:
"What did your friend say when she heard that her husband had taken apretty stranger into his tent, and harbored her there for months? Tellme the whole truth of it, Bent-Anat."
"I am indebted to this deed of Mena's, which must certainly be quiteexcusable if you can smile when you speak of it,
" said the princess,"for it was the cause of his wife's coming to me. Her mother blamed herhusband with bitter severity, but she would not cease to believe in him,and left her house because it was impossible for her to endure to hearhim blamed."
"Is this the fact?" asked Rameses.
Nefert bowed her pretty head, and two tears ran down her blushingcheeks.
"How good a man must be," cried the king, "on whom the Gods bestow suchhappiness! My lord Chamberlain, inform Mena that I require his servicesat dinner to-day--as before the battle at Kadesh. He flung away thereins in the fight when he saw his enemy, and we shall see if he cankeep from flinging down the beaker when, with his own eyes, he seeshis beloved wife sitting at the table.--You ladies will join me at thebanquet."
Nefert sank on her knees before the king; but he turned from her tospeak to the nobles and officers who had come to meet him, and thenproceeded to the temple to assist at the slaughter of the victims, andto solemnly renew his vow in the presence of the priests and the people,to erect a magnificent temple in Thebes as a thank-offering for hispreservation from death. He was received with rapturous enthusiasm; hisroad led to the harbor, past the tents in which lay the wounded, who hadbeen brought home to Egypt by ship, and he greeted them graciously fromhis chariot.
Ani again acted as his charioteer; they drove slowly through the longranks of invalids and convalescents, but suddenly Ani gave the reins aninvoluntary pull, the horses reared, and it was with difficulty that hesoothed them to a steady pace again.
Rameses looked round in anxious surprise, for at the moment when thehorses had started, he too had felt an agitating thrill--he thought hehad caught sight of his preserver at Kadesh.
Had the sight of a God struck terror into the horses? Was he the victimof a delusion? or was his preserver a man of flesh and blood, who hadcome home from the battle-field among the wounded!
The man who stood by his side, and held the reins, could have informedhim, for Ani had recognized Pentaur, and in his horror had given thereins a perilous jerk.