The Pharaoh And The Priest Part 12

"Oh, my father," burst out the heir, "if anger carries me away, it is because I feel the ill-will of the priests and of Herhor."

"But thou art thyself the grandson of a high priest; the priests taught thee. Thou hast learned more of their secrets than any other prince ever has."

"I have learned their insatiable pride, and greed of power. And because I will abridge it they are my enemies. Herhor is not willing to give me even a corps, for he wishes to manage the whole army."

When he had thrown out these incautious words, the heir was frightened. But the ruler raised his clear glance, and answered quietly,--

"I manage the state and the army. From me flow all commands and decisions. In this world I am the balance of Osiris, and I myself weigh the services of my servants, be they the heir, a minister, or the people. Imprudent would he be who should think that all intrigues are not known to me."

"But, father, if thou hadst seen with thy own eyes the course of the manuvres--"

"I might have seen a leader," interrupted the pharaoh, "who in the decisive moment was chasing through the bushes after an Israelite maiden. But I do not wish to observe such stupidity."

The prince fell at his father's feet, and whispered,--

"Did Tutmosis speak to thee of that, lord?"

"Tutmosis is a child, just as thou art. He piles up debts as chief of staff in the corps of Memphis, and thinks in his heart that the eyes of the pharaoh cannot reach to his deeds in the desert."

CHAPTER VII

Some days later Prince Rameses was summoned before the face of his most worthy mother, Nikotris, who was the second wife of the pharaoh, but now the greatest lady in Egypt. The G.o.ds were not mistaken when they called her to be the mother of a pharaoh. She was a tall person, of rather full habit, and in spite of forty years was still beautiful.

There was in her eyes, face, and whole form such majesty that even when she went unattended, in the modest garb of a priestess, people bowed their heads to her.

The worthy lady received Rameses in her cabinet, which was paved with porcelain tiles. She sat on an inlaid armchair under a palm-tree. At her feet, on a small stool, lay a little dog; on the other side knelt a black slave woman with a fan. The pharaoh's wife wore a muslin robe embroidered with gold, and on her wig a circlet in the form of a lotus, ornamented with jewels.

When the prince had bowed low, the little dog sniffed him, then lay down again; while the lady, nodding her head, made inquiry,--

"For what reason, O Rameses, hast thou desired an interview?"

"Two days ago, mother."

"I knew that thou wert occupied. But to-day we both have time, and I can listen."

"Thy speech, mother, acts on me as a strong wind of the desert, and I have no longer courage to present my pet.i.tion."

"Then surely it is a question of money."

Rameses dropped his head; he was confused.

"But dost thou need much money?"

"Fifteen talents--"

"O G.o.ds!" cried the lady, "but a couple of days ago ten talents were paid thee from the treasury. Go, girl, into the garden; thou must be tired," said she to the black slave; and when alone with her son she asked,--

"But is thy Jewess so demanding?"

Rameses blushed, but raised his head.

"Thou knowest, mother, that she is not. But I promised a reward to the army, and--I am unable to pay it."

The queen looked at him with calm loftiness.

"How evil it is," said she, after a while, "when a son makes decisions without consulting his mother. Just now I, remembering thy age, wished to give thee a Phnician slave maiden sent me by Tyre with ten talents for dowry. But thou hast preferred a Jewess."

"She pleased me. There is not such a beauty among thy serving maidens, mother, nor even among the wives of his holiness."

"But she is a Jewess!"

"Be not prejudiced, mother, I beg of thee. It is untrue that Jews eat pork and kill cats."

The worthy lady laughed.

"Thou art speaking like some boy from a primary school," answered she, shrugging her shoulders, "and hast forgotten the words of Rameses the Great: 'The yellow people are more numerous than we and they are richer; let us act against them, lest they grow too powerful, but let us act carefully.' I do not think, therefore, that a girl of that people is the one to be first mistress of the heir to the throne."

"Can the words of Rameses the Great apply to the daughter of a poor tenant?" asked the prince. "Besides, where are the Jews? Three centuries ago they left Egypt, and to-day they form a little state, ridiculous and priest-governed."

"I see," answered the worthy lady, frowning slightly, "that thy mistress is not losing time. Be careful, Rameses; remember, that their leader was Messu (Moses), that traitor priest whom we curse to this day in our temples. Remember that the Jews bore away out of Egypt more treasures than the labor of their few generations was worth to us; they took with them not only gold, but the faith in one G.o.d, and our sacred laws, which they give out to-day as their own faith and laws.

Last of all, know this," added she, with great emphasis, "that the daughters of that people prefer death to the bed of a foreigner. And if they give themselves even to hostile leaders, it is to use them for their policy or to kill them."

"Believe me, mother, that it is our priests who spread all these reports. They will not admit to the footstool of the throne people of another faith lest those people might serve the pharaoh in opposition to their order."

The queen rose from the armchair, and crossing her arms on her breast, gazed at her son with amazement.

"What they tell me is true then, thou art an enemy of our priests.

Thou, their favorite pupil!"

"I must have the traces of their canes to this day on my shoulders,"

said Rameses.

"But thy grandfather and my father, Amenhotep, was a high priest, and possessed extensive power in this country."

"Just because my grandfather was a pharaoh, and my father is a pharaoh also, I cannot endure the rule of Herhor."

"He was brought to his position by thy grandfather, the holy Amenhotep."

"And I will cast him down from it."

The mother shrugged her shoulders.

"And it is thou," answered she, with sadness, "who wishest to lead a corps? But thou art a spoiled girl, not a man and a leader--"

"How is that?" interrupted the prince, restraining himself with difficulty from an outburst.