The Pharaoh and the Priest: An Historical Novel of Ancient Egypt

by Bolesław Prus

  CHAPTER VII

  Some days later Prince Rameses was summoned before the face of hismost worthy mother, Nikotris, who was the second wife of the pharaoh,but now the greatest lady in Egypt. The gods were not mistaken whenthey 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 evenwhen she went unattended, in the modest garb of a priestess, peoplebowed their heads to her.

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

  When the prince had bowed low, the little dog sniffed him, then laydown 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 Ican listen."

  "Thy speech, mother, acts on me as a strong wind of the desert, and Ihave no longer courage to present my petition."

  "Then surely it is a question of money."

  Rameses dropped his head; he was confused.

  "But dost thou need much money?"

  "Fifteen talents--"

  "O gods!" cried the lady, "but a couple of days ago ten talents werepaid thee from the treasury. Go, girl, into the garden; thou must betired," said she to the black slave; and when alone with her son sheasked,--

  "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 thearmy, 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 decisionswithout consulting his mother. Just now I, remembering thy age, wishedto give thee a Phoenician slave maiden sent me by Tyre with tentalents 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 eatpork 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 theGreat: 'The yellow people are more numerous than we and they arericher; let us act against them, lest they grow too powerful, but letus act carefully.' I do not think, therefore, that a girl of thatpeople 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 poortenant?" asked the prince. "Besides, where are the Jews? Threecenturies 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 thymistress is not losing time. Be careful, Rameses; remember, that theirleader was Messu (Moses), that traitor priest whom we curse to thisday in our temples. Remember that the Jews bore away out of Egypt moretreasures than the labor of their few generations was worth to us;they took with them not only gold, but the faith in one god, and oursacred laws, which they give out to-day as their own faith and laws.Last of all, know this," added she, with great emphasis, "that thedaughters of that people prefer death to the bed of a foreigner. Andif they give themselves even to hostile leaders, it is to use them fortheir policy or to kill them."

  "Believe me, mother, that it is our priests who spread all thesereports. They will not admit to the footstool of the throne people ofanother faith lest those people might serve the pharaoh in oppositionto 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, andpossessed extensive power in this country."

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

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

  "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 acorps? But thou art a spoiled girl, not a man and a leader--"

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

  "I cannot recognize my own son. I do not see in thee the future lordof Egypt. The dynasty in thy person will be like a Nile boat without arudder. Thou wilt drive the priests from the court, but who willremain with thee? Who will be thy eye in the Lower and the UpperCountry, who in foreign lands? But the pharaoh must see everything,whatever it be, on which fall the divine rays of Osiris."

  "The priests will be my servants, not my ministers."

  "They are the most faithful servants. Thanks to their prayers thyfather reigns thirty-three years, and avoids war which might befatal."

  "To the priests?"

  "To the pharaoh and the state!" interrupted the lady. "Knowest thouwhat takes place in our treasury, from which in one day thou takestten talents and desirest fifteen more? Knowest thou that were it notfor the liberality of the priests, who on behalf of the treasury eventake real jewels from the gods and put false ones in their places, theproperty of the pharaoh would be now in the hands of Phoenicians?"

  "One fortunate war would overflow our treasury as the increase of theNile does our fields."

  "No. Thou, Rameses, art such a child yet that we may not even reckonthy godless words as sinful. Occupy thyself, I beg, with thy Greekregiments, get rid of the Jew girl as quickly as may be, and leavepolitics to us."

  "Why must I put away Sarah?"

  "Shouldst thou have a son from her, complications might rise in theState, which is troubled enough as matters now are. Thou mayst beangry with the priests," added she, "if thou wilt not offend them inpublic. They know that it is necessary to overlook much in an heir tothe throne, especially when he has such a stormy character. But timepacifies everything to the glory of the dynasty and the profit ofEgypt."

  The prince meditated; then he said suddenly,--

  "I cannot count, therefore, on money from the treasury."

  "Thou canst not in any case. The grand secretary would have beenforced to stop payment to-day had I not given him fourteen talentssent from Tyre to me."

  "And what shall I do with the army?" asked the prince, rubbing hisforehead impatiently.

  "Put away the Jewess, and beg the priests. Perhaps they will make aloan to thee."

  "Never! I prefer a loan from Phoenicians."

  The lady shook her head.

  "Thou art erpatr, act as may please thee. But I say that thou mustgive great security, and the Phoenicians, when once thy creditors,will not let thee go. They surpass the Jews in treachery."

  "A part of my income will suffice to cover such debts."

  "We shall see. I wish sincerely to help thee, but I have not themeans," said the lady, sadly. "Do, then, as thou art able, butremember that the Phoenicians in our state are like rats in a granary;when one pushes in through a crevice, others follow."

  Rameses loitered in leave-taking.

  "Hast thou something more to tell me?" inquired the queen.

  "I should like to ask-- My heart divines that thou, mother, hast someplans regarding me. What are they?"

  She stroked his face.

  "Not now--not yet. Thou art free to-day, like every young noble in thecountry; t
hen make use of thy freedom. But, Rameses, the time iscoming when thou wilt have to take a wife whose children will beprinces of the blood royal and whose son will be thy heir. I amthinking of that time--"

  "And what?"

  "Nothing defined yet. In every case political wisdom suggests to methat thy wife should be a priest's daughter."

  "Perhaps Herhor's?" said the prince, with a laugh.

  "What would there be blamable in that? Herhor will be high priest inThebes very soon, and his daughter is only fourteen years of age."

  "And would she consent to occupy the place of the Jewess?" askedRameses, ironically.

  "Thou shouldst try to have people forget thy present error."

  "I kiss thy feet, mother, and I go," said the prince, seizing his ownhead. "I hear so many marvellous things here that I begin to fear lestthe Nile may flow up toward the cataract, or the pyramids pass over tothe eastern desert."

  "Blaspheme not, my child," whispered the lady, gazing with fear atRameses. "In this land most wonderful miracles are seen."

  "Are not they this, that the walls of the palace listen to theirowners?" asked her son, with a bitter smile.

  "Men have witnessed the death of pharaohs who had reigned a few monthsonly, and the fall of dynasties which had governed nine nations."

  "Yes, for those pharaohs forgot the sword for the distaff," retortedRameses.

  He bowed and went out.

  In proportion as the sound of Rameses' steps grew less in the immenseantechamber, the face of the worthy lady changed; the place of majestywas taken by pain and fear, while tears were glistening in her greateyes.

  She ran to the statue of the goddess, knelt, and sprinkling incensefrom India on the coals, began to pray,--

  "O Isis, Isis, Isis! three times do I pronounce thy name. O Isis, whogivest birth to serpents, crocodiles, and ostriches, may thy name bethrice praised. O Isis, who preservest grains of wheat from robberwhirlwinds, and the bodies of our fathers from the destructive toil oftime, O Isis, take pity on my son and preserve him! Thrice be thy namerepeated--and here--and there--and beyond, to-day and forever, and forthe ages of ages, as long as the temples of our gods shall gaze onthemselves in the waters of the Nile."

  Thus praying and sobbing, the queen bowed down and touched thepavement with her forehead. Above her at that moment a low whisper wasaudible,--

  "The voice of the just is heard always."

  The worthy lady sprang up, and full of astonishment looked around. Butthere was no one in the chamber. Only the painted flowers gazed at herfrom the walls, and from above the altar the statue of the goddessfull of superterrestrial calm.