The Pharaoh And The Priest Part 145

"Oh, Pentuer, what is his government?" interrupted the high priest, with laughter. "He has opened new military schools, he has increased the number of regiments, he is arming the whole people, he has promised holidays to working men. But how will he carry out his projects? Thou keepest far from him, hence knowest nothing; but I a.s.sure thee that he, when issuing orders, never stops to ask: Who will carry out this? What are the means? What will follow? It seems to thee that he governs. It is I who govern, I govern all the time, I, whom he dismissed. I am the cause that to-day fewer taxes come to the treasury, but I also prevent the rebellion of laborers; because of me they do not leave work on the ca.n.a.ls, dams, and roadways. To sum up, I have twice restrained a.s.syria from declaring war on us, war which that madman was calling out by his military dispositions.

"Rameses govern! He merely rouses disorder. Thou hadst trial of his management in Lower Egypt: he drank, frolicked, brought in woman after woman, and pretended to occupy himself with administration of the province, but he understood nothing, absolutely nothing. What is worst of all, he became intimate with Phnicians, with bankrupt n.o.bles, and traitors of various kinds, who are urging him to ruin."

"But the victory of the Soda Lakes?" inquired Pentuer.

"I recognize energy in him, and a knowledge of military art," added Herhor. "That is the one thing that he knows. But say thyself would he have won the battle at the Soda Lakes were it not for aid from thee and others of the priestly order? I know that ye informed him of every movement of the Libyan band. And now think, could Rameses, even with help from you, win a battle against Nitager, for example? Nitager is a master, Rameses is a mere apprentice."

"Then what will be the end of this hatred between him and you?"

inquired Pentuer.

"Hatred!" repeated Herhor. "Could I hate a frivolous fellow, who, moreover, is surrounded, like a deer in a ravine by hunters! But I must confess that his rule is so full of danger that if Rameses had a brother, or if Nitager were younger, we should set aside the present pharaoh."

"And thou, worthiness, would become his heir!" burst out Pentuer.

Herhor was by no means offended.

"Pentuer, thou hast grown marvellously dull since thy entry into politics on thy own account," replied he, shrugging his shoulders. "Of course, if the country were without a pharaoh, it would be my duty to become one by virtue of my office of high priest of Amon, and chief of the supreme council. But what is the office to me? Have I not had more power for a number of years than the pharaoh? Or do I not to-day, though I am a minister of war in disgrace, carry out in this state whatever I think needful?

"Those same high priests, treasurers, judges, nomarchs, and even generals who avoid me at present, must carry out every secret order of the council furnished with my seal. Is there a man in Egypt who would dare refuse obedience to those orders? Wouldst thou, for instance, dare oppose them?"

Pentuer hung his head.

If in spite of the death of Rameses XII. the supreme privy council of priests had maintained itself, Rameses XIII. must either yield or fight a life-and-death battle.

The pharaoh had on his side all the people, all the army, many priests, and the majority of the civil dignitaries. The council could reckon on hardly two thousand adherents, on its treasures and on its incomparably wise organization. The forces were utterly unequal, but the issue of the battle was very doubtful.

"Then ye have determined to destroy the pharaoh?" asked Pentuer.

"Not at all. We only wish to save the state."

"In that case what should Rameses XIII. do?"

"What he will do I know not. But I know what his father did," answered Herhor. "Rameses XII. began to govern in the same impetuous and tyrannical fas.h.i.+on, but when money failed him, and his most zealous adherents began to despise him, he turned to the G.o.ds. He surrounded himself with priests, he learned from them, nay, he even married a daughter of the high priest Amenhotep. And, after a few years, he went so far that he became himself not only a pious, but a very learned high priest."

"But if the pharaoh will not follow that example?"

"Then we shall dispense with him," said Herhor.

"Listen to me Pentuer," continued he, after a while. "I know not only the acts, but even the thoughts of that pharaoh of thine, who, moreover, has not been solemnly crowned yet, hence for us he is nothing. I know that he wants to make the priests his servants, and himself sole lord of Egypt.

"But such a plan is stupid, it is even treasonable. Not the pharaohs, as thou knowest well, but the G.o.ds and the priests created Egypt. It is not the pharaohs who mark the rise and fall of the Nile and regulate its overflows; it is not the pharaohs who teach the people to sow, to gather fruits and rear cattle. It is not the pharaohs who cure diseases and watch over the safety of the state against foreign enemies.

"What would happen, tell me that, were our order to yield Egypt to the mercy of the pharaohs? The wisest pharaohs have behind them the experience of a few years at the longest, but the priestly order has investigated and taught during tens of thousands of years. The mightiest ruler has two eyes and two hands, while we possess thousands of eyes and thousands of hands in all provinces at home, and in all foreign countries.

"Can the activity of a pharaoh equal ours; and when opinions differ who should yield, we or the pharaoh?"

"Well, what am I to do now?" inquired Pentuer.

"Do what that stripling commands if thou betray not holy secrets. And leave the rest--to time. I wish most sincerely that the youth called Rameses XIII. might come to his senses, and I suppose that he would were it not that he has attached himself to disgusting traitors over whom the hands of the G.o.ds are now suspended."

Pentuer took farewell of the high priest. He was filled with dark forebodings, but he did not fail in spirit, since he knew that whatever he might gain in improving the condition of the common man would remain, even were the pharaoh to bend before the power of the priestly order.

"In the worst case," thought he, "we must do what we can, and what pertains to us. When conditions improve, what is sown to-day will give fruit hereafter."

But still he determined to renounce agitation among the people. He was even ready to calm the impatient, so as not to increase trouble for the pharaoh.

A couple of weeks later Pentuer entered the boundaries of Lower Egypt, looking about on the way for the wisest of common men and artisans from whom it would be possible to select delegates to the a.s.sembly summoned by the pharaoh.

Everywhere on the way he found signs of the greatest excitement.

Earth-tillers, as well as artisans, were trying to have the seventh day for rest and receive pay for all public works, as was the case in former ages. And it was only through remonstrances from priests of various temples, that a general uprising was averted, or at least that work was continued.

At the same time Pentuer was struck by certain new phenomena which he had not observed a month earlier: first of all the people had divided into two parties. Some were partisans of the pharaoh and enemies of the priests; others were active against Phnicians. Some proved that the priests ought to give the treasures of the labyrinth to the pharaoh; others whispered that the pharaoh afforded foreigners too much protection.

But strangest of all was a report of unknown origin that Rameses XIII. showed signs of insanity, like his elder brother, who for this cause had been excluded from succession. Priests, scribes, even common men discussed this report of insanity.

"Who told thee such a lie?" inquired Pentuer of an engineer.

"It is no lie," replied the engineer, "it is sad reality. In the Theban palaces they saw the pharaoh running naked through the gardens.

One night he climbed a tree under the window of his mother's chamber, and spoke to her."

Pentuer a.s.sured the man that no longer than two weeks before he had seen Rameses in the best of health. He observed at once, however, that the engineer did not believe him.

"This is Herhor's work!" thought he. "Priests alone could have news from Thebes so promptly."

For the moment he lost desire to busy himself in finding delegates, but he regained energy at the thought that what the people received to-day they would not lose to-morrow, unless something uncommon should happen.

Beyond Memphis to the north of the pyramids and the sphinx, on the boundary of the desert, was a small temple of the G.o.ddess Nut. An old priest Menes lived in that temple. This sage had more knowledge of the stars than any man in Egypt; he was an engineer in addition.

When a great public edifice was to be built or a new ca.n.a.l made, Menes went to the place and gave directions. Apart from such tasks he lived in solitude and poverty in his temple; at night he investigated the stars, in the daytime he worked over curious instruments.

For some years Pentuer had not been in that place; hence he was struck by neglect in it, and poverty. The brick wall was falling, in the garden the trees were withering, in the yard a lean goat moved around and a few hens were scratching.

There was no one near the temple. Only after Pentuer had called out did an old man come down from a pylon. His feet were bare, on his head was a soiled cap like that of a laborer, around his waist was a ragged girdle, and on his shoulder a panther skin from which the hair had fallen. Still, his bearing was dignified, and his face full of wisdom.

He looked quickly at the guest and said,--

"Either I am mistaken, or thou art Pentuer?"

"I am he," answered the newly arrived, and he embraced the old man with heartiness.

"Ho! ho!" exclaimed Menes, for it was he; "I see that thou hast changed for official reasons. Thou hast a smoother face, whiter hands, and a gold chain on thy neck. Mother Nut of the heavenly ocean would have to wait long for such ornaments."

Pentuer wished to remove the chain, but Menes stopped him with a smile.

"Do not. If thou knew what jewels we have in the heavens thou wouldst not hasten with an offering of gold. Well, hast thou come to stay with us?"

Pentuer shook his head.

"No," replied he, "I have come only to bow down before thee, divine teacher."