VIII
THE KA, THE BAI, AND THE KHOU
"The Divine Pharaoh Rameses died and was gathered to Osiris. With thesehands I closed his coffin and set him in his splendid tomb, where heshall rest unharmed for ever till the day of the awakening. And Meriamunand Meneptah reigned in Khem. But to Pharaoh she was very cold, thoughhe did her will in everything, and they had but one child, so that in awhile he wearied of her loveliness.
"But hers was the master-mind, and she ruled Pharaoh as she ruled allelse.
"For me, my lot was bettered; she talked much with me, and advanced meto great dignity, so that I was the first Master Builder in Khem, andCommander of the legion of Amen.
"Now it chanced that Meriamun made a feast, where she entertainedPharaoh and Hataska sat beside him. She was the first lady about theQueen's person, a beautiful but insolent woman, who had gained Pharaoh'sfavour for the hour. Now wine worked so with the King that he toyedopenly with the lady Hataska's hand, but Meriamun the Queen took nonote, though Hataska, who had also drunk of the warm wine of the LowerLand, grew insolent, as was her wont. She quaffed deep from her cupof gold, and bade a slave bear it to the Queen, crying, 'Pledge me, mysister.'
"The meaning of her message was plain to all who heard; this waitinglady openly declared herself wife to Pharaoh and an equal of the Queen.Now Meriamun cared nothing for Pharaoh's love, but for power she didcare, and she frowned, while a light shone in her dark eyes; yet shetook the cup and touched it with her lips.
"Presently she lifted her own cup in turn and toyed with it, then madepretence to drink, and said softly to the King's paramour, who hadpledged her:
"'Pledge me in answer, Hataska, my servant, for soon, methinks, thoushalt be greater than the Queen.'
"Now this foolish woman read her saying wrong, and took the golden cupfrom the eunuch who bore it.
"With a little nod to the Queen, and a wave of her slim hand, Hataskadrank, and instantly, with a great cry, she fell dead across the board.Then, while all the company sat in terror, neither daring to be silentnor to speak, and while Meriamun smiled scornfully on the dark headlying low among the roses on the board, Pharaoh leaped up, mad withwrath, and called to the guards to seize the Queen. But she waved themback, and, speaking in a slow, cold voice, she said:
"'Dare not to touch Khem's anointed Queen lest your fate be as _her_fate. For thee, Meneptah, forget not thy marriage oath. What, am IQueen, and shall thy wantons throw their insolence in my teeth and nameme their sister? Not so, for if my eyes be blind yet my ears are open.Peace, she is rightly served--choose thou a lowlier mistress!'
"And Pharaoh made no answer, for he feared her with an ever-growingfear. But she, sinking back in her seat of state, played with the goldkepher on her breast, and watched them bear the body forth to the Houseof Osiris. One by one all the company made obeisance and passed thence,glad to be gone, till at the last there were left only Pharaoh andMeriamun the Queen, and myself--Rei the Priest--for all were muchafraid. Then Pharaoh spoke, looking neither at her nor at me, and halfin fear, half in anger.
"'Thou hateful woman, accursed be the day when first I looked upon thybeauty. Thou hast conquered me, but beware, for I am still Pharaoh andthy Lord. Cross my purpose once again, and, by Him who sleeps at Philae,I will discrown thee and give thy body to the tormentors, and set thysoul loose to follow her whom thou hast slain.'
"Then Meriamun answered proudly:
"'Pharaoh, be warned: lift but one finger against my majesty and thouart doomed. Thou canst not slay me, but I can over-match thee, and Iswear by the same oath! By Him who sleeps at Philae, lift a hand againstme, ay, harbour one thought of treachery, and thou diest. Not lightlycan I be deceived, for I have messengers that thou canst not hear.Something, Royal Meneptah, do I know of the magic of that Queen Taia whowas before me. Now listen--do this one thing and all shall be well.Go on thy path and leave me to follow mine. Queen I am, Queen I willremain, and in all matters of the State mine must be an equal voicethough it is thine that speaks. And, for the rest, we are aparthenceforth, for thou fearest me, and Meneptah, I love not thee, nor anyman.'
"'As thou hast spoken, so be it,' quoth Pharaoh, for his heart sank, andhis fear came back upon him. 'Evil was the day when first we met, andthis is the price of my desire. Henceforth we are apart in bed andboard, but in the council we are still one, for our ends are one. I knowthy power, Meriamun, thou gifted of the evil Gods; thou needest not fearthat I shall seek to slay thee, for a spear cast against the heavensreturns on him who threw it. Rei, my servant, thou art witness to ouroaths; hear now their undoing. Meriamun, the Queen of ancient Khem, thouart no more wife of mine. Farewell.'
"And he went heavily and stricken with fear.
"'Nay,' she said, gazing after him, 'no more am I Meneptah's wife, butstill am I Khem's dreaded Queen. Oh, thou old priest, I am aweary. Seewhat a lot is mine, who have all things but love, and yet am sick ofall! I longed for power, and power is mine, and what is power? It isa rod wherewith we beat the air that straightway closes on the stroke.Yes, I tire of my loveless days and of this dull round of common things.Oh, for one hour of love and in that hour to die! Oh that the futurewould lift its veil and disclose the face of time to be! Say, Rei! Wiltthou be bold and dare a deed?' And she clasped me by the sleeve andwhispered in my ear, in the dead tongue known to her and me--'Her Islew--thou sawest----'
"'Ay, Queen, I saw--what of her? 'Twas ill done.'
"'Nay, 'twas rightly done and well done. But thou knowest she is notyet cold, nor for a while will be, and I have the art to drag her spiritback ere she be cold, from where she is, and to force knowledge from herlips--for being an Osiris all the future is open to her in this hour.'
"'Nay, nay,' I cried. 'It is unholy--not lightly may we disturb thedead, lest the Guardian Gods be moved to anger.'
"'Yet will I do it, Rei. If thou dost fear, come not. But I go. I amfain for knowledge, and thus only may I win it. If I die in the dreadendeavour, write this of Meriamun the Queen: That in seeking theto-be--she found it!'
"'Nay, Royal Lady,' I answered, 'thou shalt not go alone. I too havesome skill in magic, and perchance can ward evil from thee. So, ifindeed thou wilt dare this dreadful thing, behold now, as ever, I am thyservant.'
"'It is well. See, now, the body will this night be laid in thesanctuary of the Temple of Osiris that is near the great gates, as isthe custom, to await the coming of the embalmers. Come ere she be colderthan my heart, come with me, Rei, to the house of the Lord of the Dead!'
"She passed to her chamber, wrapped herself about in a dark robe, andhurried with me to the Temple doors, where we were challenged by theguards.
"'Who passes? In the name of the Holy Osiris speak.'
"'Rei, the Master Builder and the anointed Priest, and with himanother,' I made answer. 'Open.'
"'Nay, I open not. There is one within who may not be wakened.'
"'Who, then, is within?'
"'She whom the Queen slew.'
"'The Queen sends one who would look on her she slew.'
"Then the priest gazed on the hooded form beside me and started back,crying, 'A token, noble Rei.'
"I held up the Royal signet, and, bowing, he opened. Being come withinthe Temple I lit the tapers that had been prepared. Then by their feeblelight we passed through the outer hall till we came to the curtains thatveil the sanctuary of the Holy Place, and here I quenched the tapers;for no fire must enter there, save that which burns upon the altar ofthe dead. But through the curtains came rays of light.
"'Open!' said Meriamun, and I opened, and hand in hand we passed in. Onthe altar that is in the place the flame burnt brightly. The chamber isnot wide and great, for this is the smallest of the temples of Tanis,but yet so large that the light could not reach its walls nor piercethe overhanging gloom, and by much gazing scarcely could we discover theoutline of the graven shapes of the Holy Gods that are upon the walls.But the light fell clear upon the great statue of the Osiris that wasseated behind the altar fashi
oned in the black stone of Syene, woundabout with the corpse-cloths, wearing on his head the crown of theUpper Land, and holding in his hands the crook of divinity and the awfulscourge of punishment. The light shone all about the white and dreadfulshape that was placed upon his holy knees, the naked shape of lostHataska who this night had died at the hand of Meriamun. There she bowedher head against the sacred breast, her long hair streaming down oneither side, her arms tied across her heart, and her eyes, whence thehues of life had scarcely faded, widely staring at the darkness of theshrine. For at Tanis to this day it is the custom for a night to placethose of high birth or office who die suddenly upon the knees of thestatue of Osiris.
"'See,' I said to the Queen, speaking low, for the weight of the hauntedplace sank into my heart, 'see how she who scarce an hour ago was buta lovely wanton hath by thine act been clad in majesty greater than allthe glory of the earth. Bethink thee, wilt thou dare indeed to summonback the spirit to the body whence thou hast set it free? Not easily, OQueen, may it be done for all thy magic, and if perchance she answereththee, it may well be that the terror of her words shall utterlyo'erwhelm us.'
"'Nay,' she made answer, 'I am instructed. I fear not. I know by whatname to call the Khou that hovers on the threshold of the Double Hallof Truth, and how to send it back to its own place. I fear not, butif perchance thou fearest, Rei, depart hence and leave me to the taskalone.'
"'Nay,' I said. 'I also am instructed, and I go not. But I say to theethat this is unholy.'
"Then Meriamun spoke no more--but lifting up her hands she held themheavenwards, and so for a while she stood, her face fixed, as was theface of dead Hataska. Then, as must be done, I drew the circle round usand round the altar and the statue of Osiris, and that which sat uponhis knee. With my staff I drew it, and standing therein I said the holywords which should ward away the evil things that come near in such anhour.
"Now Meriamun threw a certain powder into the flame upon the altar.Thrice she threw the powder, and as she threw it a ball of flame rosefrom the altar and floated away, each time that she threw did the ballof fire rise; and this it was needful to do, for by fire only may thedead be manifest, and therefore was a globe of fire given to each of thethree shapes that together make the threefold spirit of the dead. Andwhen the three globes of fire had melted into air, passing over the headof the statue of Osiris, thrice did Meriamun cry aloud:
"'_Hataska! Hataska! Hataska!_
"'By the dreadful Name I summon thee.
"'I summon thee from the threshold of the Double Hall.
"'I summon thee from the Gates of Judgment.
"'I summon thee from the door of Doom.
"'By the link of life and death that is between thee and me, I bid theecome from where thou art and make answer to that which I shall ask ofthee.'
"She ceased, but no answer came. Still the cold Osiris smiled, and stillthe body on his knee sat with open eyes gazing into nothingness.
"'Not thus easily,' I whispered, 'may this dreadful thing be done. Thouart instructed in the Word of Fear. If thou darest, let it pass thylips, or let us be gone.'
"'Nay, it shall be spoken,' she said--and thus she wrought. Passing tothe statue she hid her head within her cloak and with both hands graspedthe feet of the slain Hataska.
"Seeing this I also crouched upon the floor and hid my face, for it isdeath to hear that Word with an uncovered face.
"Then in so soft a whisper that scarce had its breath stirred a featheron her lips, Meriamun spoke the Word of Fear which may not be written,whose sound has power to pass all space and open the ears of the deadwho dwell in Amenti. Softly she said it, for in a shout of thunder itwas caught up and echoed from her lips, and down the eternal halls itseemed to rush on the feet of storm and the wings of wind, so thatthe roof rocked and the deep foundations of the Temple quivered like awind-stirred tree.
"'Unveil, ye mortals!' cried a dreadful voice, 'and look upon the sightof fear that ye have dared to summon.'
"And I rose and cast my cloak from about my face and gazed, then sankdown in terror. For round about the circle that I had drawn pressed allthe multitude of the dead; countless as the desert sands they pressed,gazing with awful eyes upon us twain. And the fire that was on the altardied away, but yet was there light, for it shone from those dead eyes,and in the eyes of lost Hataska there was light.
"And ever the faces changed, never for one beat of time did they ceaseto change. For as we gazed upon a face it would melt, even to the eyes,and round these same eyes again would gather but no more the same. Andlike the sloping sides of pyramids were the faces set about us from theground to the Temple roof--and on us were fixed their glowing eyes.
"And I, Rei, being instructed, knew that to suffer myself to be overcomewith terror was death, as it was death to pass without the circle. So inmy heart I called upon Osiris, Lord of the Dead, to protect us, and evenas I named the ineffable name, lo! all the thousand thousand faces bentthemselves in adoration and then, turning, looked each upon the othereven as though each spake to each, and changed, and swiftly changed.
"'Meriamun,' I said, gathering up my strength, 'fear not, but beware!'
"'Nay, wherefore should I fear,' she answered, 'because the veil ofsense is torn, and for an hour we see those who are ever about our pathand whose eyes watch our most secret thought continually? I fear not.'And she stepped boldly, even to the edge of the circle, and cried:
"'All hail, ye Sahus, spirits of the awful dead, among whom I also shallbe numbered.'
"And as she came the changing faces shrunk away, leaving a space beforeher. And in the space there grew two arms, mighty and black, thatstretched themselves towards her, until there was not the length ofthree grains of wheat betwixt the clutching fingers and her breast.
"But Meriamun only laughed and drew back a space.
"'Not so, thou Enemy,' she said, 'this circle thou may'st not break; itis too strong for thee. But to the work. Hataska, once again by the linkof life and death I summon thee--and this time thou must come, thou whowast a wanton and now art "greater than the Queen."'
"And as she spoke, from the dead form of the woman on Osiris' knee thereissued forth another form and stood before us, as a snake issues fromits slough. And as was the dead Hataska so was this form, feature forfeature, look for look, and limb for limb. But still the corpse restedupon Osiris' knee, for this was but the _Ka_ that stood before us.
"And thus spoke the voice of Hataska in the lips of the Ka:
"'What wouldest thou with me who am no more of thy company, O thou bywhose hand my body did perish? Why troublest thou me?'
"And Meriamun made answer: 'I would this of thee, that thou shouldestdeclare unto me the future, even in the presence of this great company.Speak, I command thee.'
"And the Ka said: 'Nay, Meriamun, that I cannot do, for I am but theKa--the Dweller in the Tomb, the guardian of what was Hataska whomthou didst slay, whom I must watch through all the days of death tillresurrection is. Of the future I know naught; seek thou that whichknows.'
"'Stand thou on one side,' quoth the Queen, and the Dweller in the Tombobeyed.
"Then once more she called upon Hataska and there came a sound ofrushing wings. And behold, on the head of the statue of Osiris sat agreat bird, feathered as it were with gold. But the bird had the head ofa woman, and the face was fashioned as the face of Hataska. And thus itspoke, that was the _Bai_:
"'What wouldest thou with me, Meriamun, who am no more of thy company?Why dost thou draw me from the Under World, thou by whose hand my bodydid perish?'
"And Meriamun said: 'This I would of thee, that thou shouldest declareunto me the future. Speak, I command thee.'
"And the Bai said: 'Nay, Meriamun, that I cannot do. I am but the Baiof her who was Hataska, and I fly from Death to Life and Life to Death,till the hour of awakening is. Of the future I know naught; seek thouthat which knows.'
"'Rest thou where thou art,' quoth the Queen, and there it rested, awfulto see.
"Th
en once more Meriamun called upon Hataska, bidding her hear thesummons where she was.
"And behold the eyes of the Dead One that was upon the knee of Osirisglowed, and glowed the eyes of the Dweller in the Tomb, and of thewinged Messenger who sat above. And then there was a sound as the soundof wind, and from above, cleaving the darkness, descended a Tongue ofFlame and rested on the brow of the dead Hataska. And the eyes of allthe thousand thousand spirits turned and gazed upon the Tongue of Flame.And then dead Hataska spoke--though her lips moved not, yet she spoke.And this she said:
"'What wouldest thou with me, Meriamun, who am no more of thy company?Why dost thou dare to trouble me, thou by whose hand my body did perish,drawing me from the threshold of the Double Hall of Truth, back to theOver World?'
"And Meriamun the Queen said, 'Oh, thou _Khou_, for this purpose have Icalled thee. I am aweary of my days and I fain would learn the future.The future fain would I learn, but the forked tongue of That whichsleeps tells me no word, and the lips of That which is a-cold are dumb!Tell me, then, thou, I charge thee by the word that has power to openthe lips of the dead, thou who in all things art instructed, what shallbe the burden of my days?'
"And the dread Khou made answer: 'Love shall be the burden of thy days,and Death shall be the burden of thy love. Behold one draws near fromout the North whom thou hast loved, whom thou shalt love from life tolife, till all things are accomplished. Bethink thee of a dream thatthou dreamedst as thou didst lie on Pharaoh's bed, and read its riddle.Meriamun, thou art great and thy name is known upon the earth, and inAmenti is thy name known. High is thy fate, and through blood and sorrowshalt thou find it. I have spoken, let me hence.'
"'It is well,' the Queen made answer: 'But not yet mayest thou go hence.First I command thee, by the word of dread and by the link of life anddeath, declare unto me if here upon the earth and in this life I shallpossess him whom I shall love?'
"'In sin and craft and sorrow, Meriamun, thou shalt possess him; inshame and jealous agony he shall be taken from thee by one who isstronger than thou, though thou art strong; by one more beautiful thanthou, though thou art beautiful; and ruin thou shalt give him for hisguerdon, and ruin of the heart shalt thou harvest for thy portion. Butfor this time she shall escape thee, whose footsteps march with thine,and with his who shall be thine and hers. Nevertheless, in a day to comethou shalt pay her back measure for measure, and evil for evil. I havespoken. Let me hence.'
"'Not yet, O Khou--not yet. I have still to learn. Show me the face ofher who is mine enemy, and the face of him who is my love.'
"'Thrice mayest thou speak to me, O thou greatly daring,' answered thedread Khou, 'and thrice I may make reply, and then farewell till I meetthee on the threshold of the hall whence thou hast drawn me. Look now onthe face of that Hataska whom thou slewest.'
"And we looked, and behold the face of dead Hataska changed, and changedthe face of the Double, the _Ka_ that stood on one side, and the faceof the great bird, the _Bai_, that spread his wings about the head ofOsiris. And they grew beautiful, yes, most exceeding beautiful so thatit cannot be told, and the beauty was that of a woman asleep. Then lo,there hung above Hataska, as it were, the shadow of one who was watchingher sleeping. And his face we saw not, O thou Wanderer, it was hidden bythe visor of a golden two-horned helm, and in that helm stood fast _thebronze point of a broken spear_! But he was clad in the armour of thepeople of the Northern Sea, the Aquaiusha, and his hair fell dark abouthis shoulders like the petals of the hyacinth flower.
"'Behold thine enemy and behold thy love! Farewell,' said the dreadKhou, speaking through dead Hataska's lips, and as the words died thebeauty faded and the Tongue of Flame shot upwards and was lost, and oncemore the eyes of the thousand thousand dead turned and looked upon eachother, even as though their lips whispered each to each.
"But for a while Meriamun stood silent, as one amazed. Then, awaking,she waved her hand and cried, 'Begone, thou _Bai_! Begone, thou _Ka_!'
"And the great bird whereof the face was as the face of Hataska spreadhis golden wings and passed away to his own place, and the Ka thatwas in the semblance of Hataska drew near to the dead one's knees, andpassed back into her from whom she came. And all the thousand thousandfaces melted though the fiery eyes still gazed upon us.
"Then Meriamun covered her head and once more spoke the awful Word, andI also covered up my head. But, as must be done, this second time shecalled the Word aloud, and yet though she called it loud, it came butas a tiny whisper from her lips. Nevertheless, at the sound of it, oncemore was the Temple shaken as by a storm.
"Then Meriamun unveiled, and behold, again the fire burned upon thealtar, and on the knees of the Osiris sat Hataska, cold and still indeath, and round them was emptiness and silence.
"'Now that all is done, I greatly fear for that which has been, and thatwhich shall be. Lead me hence, O Rei, son of Pames, for I can no more.'
"And so with a heavy heart I led her forth, who of all sorceressesis the very greatest. Behold, thou Wanderer, wherefore the Queen wastroubled at the coming of the man in the armour of the North, in whosetwo-horned golden helm stands fast the point of a broken spear."
BOOK II