Uarda : a Romance of Ancient Egypt — Complete

by Georg Ebers

  CHAPTER X.

  During the events we have described the house of the charioteer Mena hadnot remained free from visitors.

  It resembled the neighboring estate of Paaker, though the buildingswere less new, the gay paint on the pillars and walls was faded, andthe large garden lacked careful attention. In the vicinity of the houseonly, a few well-kept beds blazed with splendid flowers, and the opencolonnade, which was occupied by Katuti and her daughter, was furnishedwith royal magnificence.

  The elegantly carved seats were made of ivory, the tables of ebony, andthey, as well as the couches, had gilt feet. The artistically workedSyrian drinking vessels on the sideboard, tables, and consoles wereof many forms; beautiful vases full of flowers stood everywhere; rareperfumes rose from alabaster cups, and the foot sank in the thick pileof the carpets which covered the floor.

  And over the apparently careless arrangement of these various objectsthere reigned a peculiar charm, an indescribably fascinating something.

  Stretched at full-length on a couch, and playing with asilky-haired white cat, lay the fair Nefert--fanned to coolness by anegro-girl--while her mother Katuti nodded a last farewell to her sisterSetchem and to Paaker.

  Both had crossed this threshold for the first time for four years, thatis since the marriage of Mena with Nefert, and the old enmity seemed nowto have given way to heartfelt reconciliation and mutual understanding.

  After the pioneer and his mother had disappeared behind the pomegranateshrubs at the entrance of the garden, Katuti turned to her daughter andsaid:

  "Who would have thought it yesterday? I believe Paaker loves you still."

  Nefert colored, and exclaimed softly, while she hit the kitten gentlywith her fan--

  "Mother!"

  Katuti smiled.

  She was a tall woman of noble demeanor, whose sharp but delicately-cutfeatures and sparkling eyes could still assert some pretensions tofeminine beauty. She wore a long robe, which reached below herankles; it was of costly material, but dark in color, and of a studiedsimplicity. Instead of the ornaments in bracelets, anklets, ear andfinger-rings, in necklaces and clasps, which most of the Egyptianladies--and indeed her own sister and daughter--were accustomed to wear,she had only fresh flowers, which were never wanting in the gardenof her son-in-law. Only a plain gold diadem, the badge of her royaldescent, always rested, from early morning till late at night, on herhigh brow--for a woman too high, though nobly formed--and confined thelong blue-black hair, which fell unbraided down her back, as if itsowner contemned the vain labor of arranging it artistically. But nothingin her exterior was unpremeditated, and the unbejewelled wearer of thediadem, in her plain dress, and with her royal figure, was everywheresure of being observed, and of finding imitators of her dress, andindeed of her demeanor.

  And yet Katuti had long lived in need; aye at the very hour when wefirst make her acquaintance, she had little of her own, but lived on theestate of her son-in-law as his guest, and as the administrator of hispossessions; and before the marriage of her daughter she had lived withher children in a house belonging to her sister Setchem.

  She had been the wife of her own brother,

  [Marriages between brothers and sisters were allowed in ancient Egypt. The Ptolemaic princes adopted this, which was contrary to the Macedonian customs. When Ptolemy II. Philadelphus married his sister Arsinoe, it seems to have been thought necessary to excuse it by the relative positions of Venus and Saturn at that period, and the constraining influences of these planets.]

  who had died young, and who had squandered the greatest part of thepossessions which had been left to him by the new royal family, in anextravagant love of display.

  When she became a widow, she was received as a sister with her childrenby her brother-in-law, Paaker's father. She lived in a house of her own,enjoyed the income of an estate assigned to her by the old Mohar, andleft to her son-in-law the care of educating her son, a handsome andoverbearing lad, with all the claims and pretensions of a youth ofdistinction.

  Such great benefits would have oppressed and disgraced the proud Katuti,if she had been content with them and in every way agreed with thegiver. But this was by no means the case; rather, she believed that shemight pretend to a more brilliant outward position, felt herself hurtwhen her heedless son, while he attended school, was warned to work moreseriously, as he would by and by have to rely on his own skill andhis own strength. And it had wounded her when occasionally herbrother-in-law had suggested economy, and had reminded her, in hisstraightforward way, of her narrow means, and the uncertain future ofher children.

  At this she was deeply offended, for she ventured to say that herrelatives could never, with all their gifts, compensate for the insultsthey heaped upon her; and thus taught them by experience that we quarrelwith no one more readily than with the benefactor whom we can neverrepay for all the good he bestows on us.

  Nevertheless, when her brother-in-law asked the hand of her daughter forhis son, she willingly gave her consent.

  Nefert and Paaker had grown up together, and by this union she foresawthat she could secure her own future and that of her children.

  Shortly after the death of the Mohar, the charioteer Mena had proposedfor Nefert's hand, but would have been refused if the king himself hadnot supported the suit of his favorite officer. After the wedding, sheretired with Nefert to Mena's house, and undertook, while he was atthe war, to manage his great estates, which however had been greatlyburthened with debt by his father.

  Fate put the means into her hands of indemnifying herself and herchildren for many past privations, and she availed herself of themto gratify her innate desire to be esteemed and admired; to obtainadmission for her son, splendidly equipped, into a company ofchariot-warriors of the highest class; and to surround her daughter withprincely magnificence.

  When the Regent, who had been a friend of her late husband, removed intothe palace of the Pharaohs, he made her advances, and the clever anddecided woman knew how to make herself at first agreeable, and finallyindispensable, to the vacillating man.

  She availed herself of the circumstance that she, as well as he, wasdescended from the old royal house to pique his ambition, and to open tohim a view, which even to think of, he would have considered forbiddenas a crime, before he became intimate with her.

  Ani's suit for the hand of the princess Bent-Anat was Katuti's work. Shehoped that the Pharoah would refuse, and personally offend the Regent,and so make him more inclined to tread the dangerous road which she wasendeavoring to smooth for him. The dwarf Nemu was her pliant tool.

  She had not initiated him into her projects by any words; he howevergave utterance to every impulse of her mind in free language, which waspunished only with blows from a fan, and, only the day before, had beenso audacious as to say that if the Pharoah were called Ani instead ofRameses, Katuti would be not a queen but a goddess for she would thenhave not to obey, but rather to guide, the Pharaoh, who indeed himselfwas related to the Immortals.

  Katuti did not observe her daughter's blush, for she was lookinganxiously out at the garden gate, and said:

  "Where can Nemu be! There must be some news arrived for us from thearmy."

  "Mena has not written for so long," Nefert said softly. "Ah! here is thesteward!"

  Katuti turned to the officer, who had entered the veranda through a sidedoor:

  "What do you bring," she asked.

  "The dealer Abscha," was the answer, "presses for payment. The newSyrian chariot and the purple cloth--"

  "Sell some corn," ordered Katuti.

  "Impossible, for the tribute to the temples is not yet paid, and alreadyso much has been delivered to the dealers that scarcely enough remainsover for the maintenance of the household and for sowing."

  "Then pay with beasts."

  "But, madam," said the steward sorrowfully, "only yesterday, we againsold a herd to the Mohar; and the water-wheels must be turned, andthe corn must be thrashed, and we need beasts for sacrifice, and m
ilk,butter, and cheese, for the use of the house, and dung for firing."

  [In Egypt, where there is so little wood, to this day the dried dung of beasts is the commonest kind of fuel.]

  Katuti looked thoughtfully at the ground.

  "It must be," she said presently. "Ride to Hermonthis, and say to thekeeper of the stud that he must have ten of Mena's golden bays drivenover here."

  "I have already spoken to him," said the steward, "but he maintains thatMena strictly forbade him to part with even one of the horses, for he isproud of the stock. Only for the chariot of the lady Nefert."

  "I require obedience," said Katuti decidedly and cutting short thesteward's words, "and I expect the horses to-morrow."

  "But the stud-master is a daring man, whom Mena looks upon asindispensable, and he--"

  "I command here, and not the absent," cried Katuti enraged, "and Irequire the horses in spite of the former orders of my son-in-law."

  Nefert, during this conversation, pulled herself up from her indolentattitude. On hearing the last words she rose from her couch, and said,with a decision which surprised even her mother--

  "The orders of my husband must be obeyed. The horses that Mena lovesshall stay in their stalls. Take this armlet that the king gave me; itis worth more than twenty horses."

  The steward examined the trinket, richly set with precious stones,and looked enquiringly at Katuti. She shrugged her shoulders, noddedconsent, and said--

  "Abscha shall hold it as a pledge till Mena's booty arrives. For a yearyour husband has sent nothing of importance."

  When the steward was gone, Nefert stretched herself again on her couchand said wearily:

  "I thought we were rich."

  "We might be," said Katuti bitterly; but as she perceived that Nefert'scheeks again were glowing, she said amiably, "Our high rank imposesgreat duties on us. Princely blood flows in our veins, and the eyesof the people are turned on the wife of the most brilliant hero in theking's army. They shall not say that she is neglected by her husband.How long Mena remains away!"

  "I hear a noise in the court," said Nefert. "The Regent is coming."

  Katuti turned again towards the garden.

  A breathless slave rushed in, and announced that Bent-Anat, the daughterof the king, had dismounted at the gate, and was approaching the gardenwith the prince Rameri.

  Nefert left her couch, and went with her mother to meet the exaltedvisitors.

  As the mother and daughter bowed to kiss the robe of the princess,Bent-Anat signed them back from her. "Keep farther from me," she said;"the priests have not yet entirely absolved me from my uncleanness."

  "And in spite of them thou art clean in the sight of Ra!" exclaimed theboy who accompanied her, her brother of seventeen, who was brought up atthe House of Seti, which however he was to leave in a few weeks--and hekissed her.

  "I shall complain to Ameni of this wild boy," said Bent-Anat smiling."He would positively accompany me. Your husband, Nefert, is his model,and I had no peace in the house, for we came to bring you good news."

  "From Mena?" asked the young wife, pressing her hand to her heart.

  "As you say," returned Bent-Anat. "My father praises his ability, andwrites that he, before all others, will have his choice at the dividingof the spoil."

  Nefert threw a triumphant glance at her mother, and Katuti drew a deepbreath.

  Bent-Anat stroked Nefert's cheeks like those of a child. Then she turnedto Katuti, led her into the garden, and begged her to aid her, who hadso early lost her mother, with her advice in a weighty matter.

  "My father," she continued, after a few introductory words, "informs methat the Regent Ani desires me for his wife, and advises me to rewardthe fidelity of the worthy man with my hand. He advises it, youunderstand-he does not command."

  "And thou?" asked Katuti.

  "And I," replied Bent-Anat decidedly, "must refuse him."

  "Thou must!"

  Bent-Anat made a sign of assent and went on:

  "It is quite clear to me. I can do nothing else."

  "Then thou dost not need my counsel, since even thy father, I well know,will not be able to alter thy decision."

  "Not God even," said Anat firmly. "But you are Ani's friend, and as Iesteem him, I would save him from this humiliation. Endeavor to persuadehim to give up his suit. I will meet him as though I knew nothing of hisletter to my father."

  Katuti looked down reflectively. Then she said--"The Regent certainlylikes very well to pass his hours of leisure with me gossiping orplaying draughts, but I do not know that I should dare to speak to himof so grave a matter."

  "Marriage-projects are women's affairs," said Bent-Anat, smiling.

  "But the marriage of a princess is a state event," replied the widow."In this case it is true the uncle

  [Among the Orientals--and even the Spaniards--it was and is common to give the name of uncle to a parent's cousin.]

  only courts his niece, who is dear to him, and who he hopes will makethe second half of his life the brightest. Ani is kind and withoutseverity. Thou would'st win in him a husband, who would wait on thylooks, and bow willingly to thy strong will."

  Bent-Anat's eyes flashed, and she hastily exclaimed: "That is exactlywhat forces the decisive irrevocable 'No' to my lips. Do you think thatbecause I am as proud as my mother, and resolute like my father, that Iwish for a husband whom I could govern and lead as I would? How littleyou know me! I will be obeyed by my dogs, my servants, my officers, ifthe Gods so will it, by my children. Abject beings, who will kiss myfeet, I meet on every road, and can buy by the hundred, if I wish it,in the slave market. I may be courted twenty times, and reject twentysuitors, but not because I fear that they might bend my pride and mywill; on the contrary, because I feel them increased. The man to whom Icould wish to offer my hand must be of a loftier stamp, must begreater, firmer, and better than I, and I will flutter after the mightywing-strokes of his spirit, and smile at my own weakness, and glory inadmiring his superiority."

  Katuti listened to the maiden with the smile by which the experiencedlove to signify their superiority over the visionary.

  "Ancient times may have produced such men," she said. "But if in thesedays thou thinkest to find one, thou wilt wear the lock of youth,

  [The lock of youth was a curl of hair which all the younger members of princely families wore at the side of the head. The young Horus is represented with it.]

  till thou art grey. Our thinkers are no heroes, and our heroes are nosages. Here come thy brother and Nefert."

  "Will you persuade Ani to give up his suit!" said the princess urgently.

  "I will endeavor to do so, for thy sake," replied Katuti. Then, turninghalf to the young Rameri and half to his sister, she said:

  "The chief of the House of Seti, Ameni, was in his youth such a man asthou paintest, Bent-Anat. Tell us, thou son of Rameses, that art growingup under the young sycamores, which shall some day over-shadow theland-whom dost thou esteem the highest among thy companions? Is thereone among them, who is conspicuous above them all for a lofty spirit andstrength of intellect?"

  The young Rameri looked gaily at the speaker, and said laughing: "We areall much alike, and do more or less willingly what we are compelled, andby preference every thing that we ought not."

  "A mighty soul--a youth, who promises to be a second Snefru, a Thotmes,or even an Amem? Dost thou know none such in the House of Seti?" askedthe widow. "Oh yes!" cried Rameri with eager certainty.

  "And he is--?" asked Katuti.

  "Pentaur, the poet," exclaimed the youth. Bent-Anat's face glowed withscarlet color, while her, brother went on to explain.

  "He is noble and of a lofty soul, and all the Gods dwell in him whenhe speaks. Formerly we used to go to sleep in the lecture-hall; but hiswords carry us away, and if we do not take in the full meaning of histhoughts, yet we feel that they are genuine and noble."

  Bent-Anat breathed quicker at these words, and her eyes hung on theboy's lips.


  "You know him, Bent-Anat," continued Rameri. "He was with you at theparaschites' house, and in the temple-court when Ameni pronounced youunclean. He is as tall and handsome as the God Mentli, and I feel thathe is one of those whom we can never forget when once we have seen them.Yesterday, after you had left the temple, he spoke as he never spokebefore; he poured fire into our souls. Do not laugh, Katuti, I feel itburning still. This morning we were informed that he had been sent fromthe temple, who knows where--and had left us a message of farewell. Itwas not thought at all necessary to communicate the reason to us; butwe know more than the masters think. He did not reprove you stronglyenough, Bent-Anat, and therefore he is driven out of the House ofSeti. We have agreed to combine to ask for him to be recalled; Anana isdrawing up a letter to the chief priest, which we shall all subscribe.It would turn out badly for one alone, but they cannot be at all of usat once. Very likely they will have the sense to recall him. If not, weshall all complain to our fathers, and they are not the meanest in theland."

  "It is a complete rebellion," cried Katuti. "Take care, you lordlings;Ameni and the other prophets are not to be trifled with."

  "Nor we either," said Rameri laughing, "If Pentaur is kept inbanishment, I shall appeal to my father to place me at the school atHeliopolis or Chennu, and the others will follow me. Come, Bent-Anat,I must be back in the trap before sunset. Excuse me, Katuti, so we callthe school. Here comes your little Nemu."

  The brother and sister left the garden.

  As soon as the ladies, who accompanied them, had turned their backs,Bent-Anat grasped her brother's hand with unaccustomed warmth, and said:

  "Avoid all imprudence; but your demand is just, and I will help you withall my heart."