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

by Bolesław Prus

  CHAPTER IX

  On the right bank of the Nile, on the edge of the northern suburb ofMemphis, was that land which the heir to the throne had given as placeof residence to Sarah the daughter of Gideon.

  That was a possession thirty-five acres in area, forming a quadranglewhich was seen from the house-top as something on the palm of thehand. The land was on a hill and was divided into four elevations. Thetwo lowest and widest, which the Nile always flooded, were intendedfor grain and for vegetables. The third, which at times was untouchedby the overflow, produced palms, figs, and other fruit-trees. On thefourth, the highest, was a garden planted with olives, grapes, nuts,and sweet chestnuts; in the middle garden stood the dwelling.

  This dwelling was of wood, one story, as usual, with a flat roof onwhich was a tent made of canvas. On the ground dwelt the prince'sblack slave; above Sarah with her relative and serving-woman Tafet.The place was surrounded by a wall of partially burnt brick, beyondwhich at a certain distance were houses for cattle, workmen, andoverseers.

  Sarah's chambers were not large, but they were elegant. On the floorwere divans, at the doors and windows were curtains with stripes ofvarious colors. There were armchairs and a carved bed, inlaid boxesfor clothing, three-legged and one-legged tables on which were potswith flowers, a slender pitcher for wine, boxes and bottles ofperfume, golden and silver cups and goblets, porcelain vases anddishes, bronze candlesticks. Even the smallest furniture or vessel wasornamented with carving or with a colored drawing; every piece ofclothing with lace or bordering.

  Sarah had dwelt ten days in this retreat, hiding herself before peoplefrom fear and shame, so that almost no one of the servants had seenher. In the curtained chamber she sewed, wove linen on a small loom,or twined garlands of living flowers for Rameses. Sometimes she wentout on the terrace, pushed apart the sides of the tent with care, andlooked at the Nile covered with boats in which oarsmen were singingsongs joyfully. On raising her eyes she looked with fear at the graypylons of the pharaoh's palace, which towered silent and gloomy abovethe other bank of the river. Then she ran again to her work and calledTafet.

  "Sit here, mother," said she; "what art thou doing down there?"

  "The gardener has brought fruit, and they have sent bread, wine, andgame from the city; I must take them."

  "Sit here and talk, for fear seizes me."

  "Thou art a foolish child," said Tafet, smiling. "Fear looked at metoo the first day from every corner; but when I went out beyond thewall, there was no more of it. Whom have I to fear here? All fall ontheir knees before me. Before thee they would stand on their headseven! Go to the garden; it is as beautiful as paradise. Look out atthe field, see the wheat harvest; sit down in the carved boat theowner of which is withering from anxiety to see thee and take thee outon the river."

  "I am afraid."

  "Of what?"

  "Do I know? While I am sewing, I think that I am in our valley andthat my father will come right away; but when the wind pushes thecurtain aside from the window and I look on this great country itseems to me,--knowest what?--that some mighty vulture has caught andborne me to his nest on a mountain, whence I have no power to savemyself."

  "Ah, thou--thou! If thou hadst seen what a bathtub the prince sentthis morning, a bronze one; and what a tripod for the fire, what potsand spits! And if thou knew that to-day I have put two hens to set,and before long we shall have little chicks here."

  Sarah was more daring after sunset, when no one could see her. Shewent out on the roof and looked at the river. And when from afar aboat appeared, flaming with torches, which formed fiery and bloodylines along the dark water, she pressed with both hands her poorheart, which quivered like a bird caught that instant. Rameses wascoming, and she could not tell what had seized her,--delight becausethat beautiful youth was approaching whom she had seen in the valley,or dread because she would see again a great lord and ruler who madeher timid.

  One Sabbath evening her father came for the first time since she hadsettled in that villa. Sarah rushed to him with weeping; she washedhis feet herself, poured perfumes on his head, and covered him withkisses. Gideon was an old man of stern features. He wore a long robereaching his feet and edged at the bottom with colored embroidery;over this he wore a yellow sleeveless kaftan. A kind of cape coveredhis breast and shoulders. On his head was a smallish cap, growingnarrow toward the top.

  "Thou art here! thou art here!" exclaimed Sarah; and she kissed hishead again.

  "I am astonished myself at being here," said Gideon, sadly. "I stoleto the garden like a criminal; I thought, along the whole way fromMemphis, that all the Egyptians were pointing me out with theirfingers and that each Jew was spitting."

  "But thou didst give me thyself to the prince, father."

  "I did, for what could I do? Of course it only seems to me that theypoint and spit. Of Egyptians, whoever knows me bows the lower thehigher he is himself. Since thou art here our lord Sesofris has saidthat he must enlarge my house; Chaires gave me a jar of the best wine,and our most worthy nomarch himself has sent a trusty servant to askif thou art well, and if I will not become his manager."

  "But the Jews?" inquired Sarah.

  "What of the Jews! They know that I did not yield of my own will.Every one of them would wish to be constrained in like manner. Letthe Lord God judge us all. Better tell how thou art feeling."

  "In Abraham's bosom she will not have more comfort," said Tafet."Every day they bring us fruit, wine, bread, meat, and whatever thesoul wishes. And such baths as we have, all bronze, and such kitchenutensils!"

  "Three days ago," interrupted Sarah, "the Phoenician Dagon was here. Idid not wish to see him, but he insisted."

  "He gave me a gold ring," added Tafet.

  "He told me," continued Sarah, "that he was a tenant of my lord; hegave me two anklets, pearl earrings, and a box of perfumes from theland of Punt."

  "Why did he give them to thee?" asked her father.

  "For nothing. He simply begged that I would think well of him, andtell my lord sometimes that Dagon was his most faithful servant."

  "Very soon thou wilt have a whole box of earrings and bracelets," saidGideon, smiling. But after a moment he added: "Gather up a greatproperty quickly and let us flee back to our own land, for here thereis misery at all times, misery when we are in trouble, and still moreof it when we are prosperous."

  "And what would my lord say?" asked Sarah, with sadness.

  Her father shook his head.

  "Before a year passes thy lord will cast thee aside, and others willhelp him. Wert thou an Egyptian, he would take thee to his palace; buta Jewess--"

  "He will cast aside?" said Sarah, sighing.

  "Why torment one's self with days to come, which are in the hand ofGod? I am here to pass the Sabbath with thee."

  "I have splendid fish, meat, cakes, and wine of the Jews," put inTafet, quickly. "I have bought also, in Memphis, a seven-branchedcandlestick and wax tapers. We shall have a better supper than hasLord Chaires."

  Gideon went out on the flat roof with his daughter.

  "Tafet tells me," said he, when they were alone, "that thou art alwaysin the house. Why is this? Thou shouldst look at least on the garden."

  "I am afraid," whispered Sarah.

  "Why be afraid of thy own garden? Here thou art mistress, a greatlady."

  "Once I went out in the daytime. People of some sort stared at me,and said to one another, 'Look! that is the heir's Jewess; she delaysthe overflow.'"

  "They are fools!" interrupted Gideon. "Is this the first time that theNile is late in its overflow? But go out in the evening."

  Sarah shook her head with greater vigor.

  "I do not wish, I do not wish. Another time I went out in the evening.All at once two women pushed out from a side path. I was frightenedand wished to flee, when one of them, the younger and smaller, seizedmy hands, saying, 'Do not flee, we must look at thee;' the second, theelder and taller, stood some steps in front and looked me in the eyesdirectly. Ah, fat
her, I thought that I should turn into stone. What alook, what a woman!"

  "Who could she be?" asked Gideon.

  "The elder woman looked like a priestess."

  "And did she say anything?"

  "Nothing. But when going and they were hidden behind trees, I heardsurely the voice of the elder say these words: 'Indeed she isbeautiful!'"

  Gideon fell to thinking.

  "Maybe they were great ladies from the court."

  The sun went down, and on both banks of the Nile dense crowds ofpeople collected waiting impatiently for the signal of the overflow,which in fact was belated. For two days the wind had been blowing fromthe sea and the river was green; the sun had passed the star Sothisalready, but in the well of the priest in Memphis the water had notrisen even the breadth of a finger. The people were alarmed, all themore since in Upper Egypt, according to signals, the overflowproceeded with regular increase and even promised to be perfect.

  "What detains it at Memphis then?" asked the anxious earth-tillerswaiting for the signal in disquiet.

  When the stars had appeared in the sky, Tafet spread a white cloth onthe table, placed on it the candlestick with seven lighted torches,pushed up three armchairs, and announced that the Sabbath supper wouldbe served immediately.

  Gideon covered his head then, and raising both hands above the table,said with his eyes looking heavenward,--

  "God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Thou who didst lead our people outof Egypt, who didst give a country to the slave and exile, who didstmake with the sons of Judah an eternal covenant, O Jehovah, O Adonai,permit us to enjoy without sin the fruits of the enemies' country.Bring us out of sorrow and fear in which we are buried, and restore usto the banks of the Jordan, which we left for Thy glory."

  At the moment a voice was heard from beyond the wall,--

  "His worthiness Tutmosis, the most faithful servant of his holinessand of his son Prince Rameses!"

  "May he live through eternity!" called a number of voices from thegarden.

  "His worthiness," said a single voice again, "sends greeting to themost beautiful rose of Lebanon."

  When the voice ceased, the sound of harps and flutes was heard.

  "That is music!" exclaimed Tafet, clapping her hands. "We shall passthe Sabbath with music."

  Sarah and her father, frightened at first, began to laugh, and satdown again at the table.

  "Let them play," said Gideon; "their music is not bad for theappetite."

  The flute and harp played, then a tenor voice sang,--

  "Thou art more beautiful than all the maidens who look at themselvesin the Nile. Thy hair is blacker than the feathers of a raven, thyeyes have a milder glance than the eyes of a deer which is yearningfor its fawn. Thy stature is the stature of a palm, and the lotusenvies thee thy charm. Thy bosoms are like grape clusters with thejuice of which kings delight themselves."

  Again the flute and harp were heard, and next a song,--

  "Come and repose in the garden. The servants which belong to thee willbring various vessels and beer of all kinds. Come, let us celebratethis night and the dawn which will follow it. In my shadow, in theshadow of the fig, giving sweet fruit, thy lover will rest at thyright hand; and thou wilt give him to drink and consent to all hiswishes--"

  Next came the flutes and harps, and after them a new song,--

  "I am of a silent disposition, I never tell what I see, I spoil notthe sweetness of my fruits with vain tattling."[4]

  [4] Authentic.