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

by Bolesław Prus

  CHAPTER XIX

  The foreign quarter in Memphis lay on the northeastern extremity ofthe city near the river. There were several hundred houses in thatplace and many thousand people,--Assyrians, Greeks, Jews, most of all,Phoenicians.

  That was a wealthy quarter. A street thirty paces in width formed itsleading artery. This street was rather straight, and paved with flatstones. On both sides were houses of sandstone, brick, or limestone,varying in height from three to five stories. In the cellars werestores of raw materials; on the ground floors were arched rooms; onthe first stories dwellings of wealthy people; higher were theworkshops of weavers, tailors, jewellers; highest of all, the crowdeddwellings of laborers.

  The buildings of this quarter, like those in the whole city, weremainly white; but one might see stone houses as green as a meadow, asyellow as a wheat-field, as blue as the sky, or as red as blood.

  The front walls of many houses were ornamented with picturesrepresenting the occupations of people who dwelt in them. On the houseof a jeweller long rows of pictures announced that its owner sold toforeign kings chains and bracelets of his own making which rousedtheir amazement. The immense palace of a merchant was covered withpictures representing the labors and perils of a trafficker: on thesea dreadful monsters with fish tails were seizing the man; in thedesert winged dragons breathing fire were grasping after him, and ondistant islands he was tormented by a giant whose sandals were largerthan any ship of the Phoenicians.

  A physician on the wall of his office represented persons who, thanksto his aid, had recovered lost hands and feet, even teeth andyouthfulness. On a building occupied by a government administrator ofthe quarter were to be seen a keg into which people were throwinggold rings; a scribe into whose ears some one was whispering; anoffender, stretched on the ground, whom two other men were beating.

  The street was full. Along the walls stood litter-bearers, men withfans, messengers and laborers, ready to offer their services. In themiddle of the street moved an unbroken line of merchants' warescarried by men, asses, or oxen attached to vehicles. On the sidewalkspushed forward noisy sellers of fresh water, grapes, dates, driedfish, and among them hucksters, flower-girls, musicians, andtricksters of various descriptions.

  In this torrent of people which flowed forward and separated, in whichmen bought and sold, crying out in various tones, policemen wereprominent. Each had a brownish tunic reaching to his knees, bare legs,an apron with blue and red stripes, a short sword at his side, and astrong stick in his hand. This official walked along on the sidewalk;sometimes he conversed with a colleague; most frequently, however, hestood on a stone at the edge of the street, so as to take in moreaccurately the crowd which flowed past in front of him.

  In view of such watchfulness street thieves had to do their workcleverly. Usually two began to fight, and when a crowd had gatheredaround them and the police clubbed both spectators and quarrellers,other confederates in the art did the stealing.

  About half-way between the two ends of the street stood the inn ofAsarhadon, a Phoenician from Tyre. In this inn, for easier control,all were forced to dwell who came from beyond the boundaries of Egypt.It was a large quadrangular building which on each side had a numberof tens of windows, and was not connected with other houses; hence mencould go around the place and watch it from all points. Over theprincipal gate hung the model of a ship; on the front wall werepictures representing his holiness Rameses XII. placing offeringsbefore the gods, or extending his protection to foreigners, among whomthe Phoenicians were distinguished by a sturdy stature and very ruddyfaces.

  The windows were narrow, always open, and only in case of need shadedby curtains of linen or by colored slats. The chambers of theinnkeeper and of travellers occupied three stories; the ground floorwas devoted to a wineshop and an eating-place. Sailors, carriers,handicraftsmen, and in general the poorer class of travellers ate anddrank in a courtyard which had a mosaic pavement and a linen roofresting on columns, so that all guests might be under inspection. Thewealthier and better born ate in a gallery which surrounded thecourtyard. In the courtyard the men sat on the pavement near stoneswhich were used instead of tables; in the galleries, which werecooler, there were tables, stools, and armchairs, even low couches,with cushions, on which guests might slumber.

  In each gallery there was a great table on which were bread, meat,fish, and fruits, also jugs holding several quarts of beer, wine, andwater. Negroes, men and women, bore around food to the guests, removedempty vessels, and brought from the cellars full pitchers, whilescribes watching scrupulously over the tables noted down carefullyeach piece of bread, bulb of garlic, and flagon of water. In thecourtyard two inspectors stood on an elevation with sticks in theirgrasp; these men kept their eyes on the servants and the scribes onthe one hand, and on the other by the aid of the sticks they settledquarrels between the poorer guests of various nations. Thanks to thisarrangement thefts and battles happened rarely; they were morefrequent in the galleries than the courtyard.

  The Phoenician innkeeper himself, the noted Asarhadon, a man beyondfifty, dressed in a long tunic and a muslin cape, walked among theguests to see if each received what he had ordered.

  "Eat and drink, my sons!" said he to the Greek sailors, "for such porkand beer there is not in all the world as I have. I hear that a stormstruck your ship about Rafia? Ye should give a bounteous offering tothe gods for preserving you. In Memphis a man might not see a stormall his life, but at sea it is easier to meet lightning than a copperuten. I have mead, flour, incense for holy sacrifices, and here, inthe corner, stand the gods of all nations. In my inn a man may stillhis hunger and be pious for very slight charges."

  He turned and went to the gallery among the merchants. "Eat and drink,worthy lords," incited he, making obeisance. "The times are good. Themost worthy heir--may he live for ever!--is going to Pi-Bast with anenormous retinue, but from the upper kingdom a transport of gold hascome, of which more than one of you will win a good portion. I havepartridges, young goslings, fish direct from the river, perfect roastvenison. And what wine they have sent me from Cyprus! May I be turnedinto a Jew if a goblet of that luxury is not worth two drachmas, butto you, my benefactors and fathers, I will give it to-day for onedrachma,--only to-day, to make a beginning."

  "Give it for half a drachma a goblet, and we will taste it," said oneof the merchants.

  "Half a drachma!" repeated the host. "Sooner will the Nile flow upwardtoward Thebes than I give such sweetness for half a drachma, unless Ido it for thee, Lord Belezis, who art the pearl of Sidon. Hei, slaves!bring to our benefactors the largest pitcher of wine from Cyprus."

  When the innkeeper had walked on, the merchant named Belezis said tohis companions,--

  "May my hand wither if that wine is worth half a drachma! But nevermind! We shall have less trouble with the police hereafter."

  Conversation with guests of all nations and conditions did not preventthe host from looking at the scribes who noted down food and drink, atthe watchman who stared at the scribes and the servants, and above allat a traveller who had seated himself on cushions in the frontgallery, with his feet under him, and who was dozing over a handful ofdates and a goblet of pure water. That traveller was about forty yearsold, he had abundant hair and beard of raven color, thoughtful eyes,and wonderfully noble features which seemed never to have beenwrinkled by anger or distorted by fear.

  "That is a dangerous rat!" thought the innkeeper, frowning. "He hasthe look of a priest, but he wears a dark coat. He has left gold andjewels with me to the value of a talent, and he neither eats meat nordrinks wine. He must be a great prophet or a very great criminal."

  Two naked serpent-tamers came into the courtyard bearing a basket fullof poisonous reptiles, and began their exhibition. The younger oneplayed on a flute, while the elder wound around his body snakes bigand little, any one of which would have sufficed to drive away guestsfrom the inn "Under the Ship."

  The flute-player gave out shriller and shriller notes; theserpent-tamer squir
med, foamed at the mouth, quivered convulsively,and irritated the reptiles till one of them bit him on the hand,another on the face, while he swallowed alive a third one, thesmallest.

  The guests and the servants looked at the exhibition of theserpent-tamer with alarm. They trembled when he irritated thereptiles, they closed their eyes when they bit him; but when theperformer swallowed one of the snakes, they howled with delight andwonder.

  The traveller in the front gallery, however, did not leave hiscushions, he did not deign even to look at the exhibition. But whenthe tamer approached for pay, he threw to the pavement two copperutens, giving a sign with his hand not to come nearer.

  The exhibition lasted half an hour perhaps. When the performers leftthe courtyard, a negro attending to the chambers of the inn rushed upto the host and whispered something anxiously. After that, it wasunknown whence, a decurion of the police appeared, and when he hadconducted Asarhadon to a remote window, he conversed long with him.The worthy owner of the inn beat his breast, clasped his hands, orseized his head. At last he kicked the black man in the belly, andcommanded him to give the police official a roast goose and a pitcherof Cyprus wine; then he approached the guest in the front gallery, whoseemed to doze there unbrokenly, though his eyes were open.

  "I have evil news for thee, worthy lord," said the host, sitting atthe side of the traveller.

  "The gods send rain and sadness on people whenever it pleases them,"replied the guest, with indifference.

  "While we were looking at the snake-tamers," continued the host,pulling at his parti-colored beard, "thieves reached the second storyand stole thy effects,--three bags and a casket, of course veryprecious."

  "Thou must inform the court of my loss."

  "Wherefore the court?" whispered the host. "With us thieves have aguild of their own. We will send for their elder, and value theeffects; thou wilt pay him twenty per cent of the value and all willbe found again. I can assist thee."

  "In my country," replied the guest, "no man compounds with thieves,and I will not. I lodge with thee, I trusted thee with my property,and thou wilt answer."

  The worthy Asarhadon began to scratch his shoulder-blades.

  "Man of a distant region," continued he, in a lower voice, "yeHittites and we Phoenicians are brothers, hence I advise theesincerely not to turn to an Egyptian court, for it has only onedoor,--that by which a man enters, but none by which he goes out."

  "The gods can conduct an innocent man through a wall," said theHittite.

  "Innocent! Who of us in the land of bondage is innocent?" whisperedthe host. "Look in that direction; over there that commander of tenpolicemen is finishing a goose, an excellent young goose, which Imyself would have eaten gladly. But dost thou know why, taking it frommy own mouth, I gave that goose to him?"

  "It was because the man came to inquire about thee."

  When he said this, the Phoenician looked askance at the traveller, whodid not lose calmness for an instant.

  "He asked me," continued the host, "that master of ten policemenasked, 'What sort of man is that black one who sits two hours over ahandful of dates?' I replied: 'A very honorable man, the lord Phut.''Whence comes he?' 'From the country of the Hittites, from the city ofHarran; he has a good house there of three stories, and much land.''Why has he come hither?' 'He has come,' I replied, 'to receive fivetalents from a certain priest, talents lent by his father.'

  "And dost thou know, worthy lord," continued the innkeeper, "what thatdecurion answered? 'Asarhadon,' said he, 'I know that thou art afaithful servant of his holiness, thou hast good food and pure wines;for this reason I warn thee, look to thyself. Have a care offoreigners who make no acquaintances, who avoid wine and everyamusement, and are silent. That Phut of Harran may be an Assyrianspy.' The heart died in me when I heard this. But these words do notaffect thee," said he, indignantly, when he saw that the terriblesuspicion of espionage did not disturb the calm face of the Hittite.

  "Asarhadon," said the guest, after a while, "I confided to thee myselfand my property. See to it, therefore, that my bags and my casket arereturned to me, for in the opposite case I shall complain of thee tothat same chief of ten who is eating the goose which was intended forthee."

  "Well, but permit me to pay the thieves only fifteen per cent of thevalue of the things," cried the host.

  "Thou hast no right to pay."

  "Give them even thirty drachmas."

  "Not an uten."

  "Give the poor fellows even ten drachmas."

  "Go in peace, Asarhadon, and beg the gods to return thee thy reason,"answered the traveller, with the same unchanging calmness.

  The host sprang up, panting from anger.

  "The reptile!" thought he. "He has not come for a debt simply. He isdoing some business here. My heart tells me that he is a richmerchant, or maybe an innkeeper who, in company with priests andjudges, will open another inn somewhere near this one. May the firstfire of heaven burn thee! May the leprosy devour thee! Miser,deceiver, criminal from whom an honest man can make nothing."

  The worthy Asarhadon had not succeeded yet in calming himself when thesounds of a flute and a drum were heard on the street, and after awhile four dancers, almost naked, rushed into the courtyard. Thecarriers and sailors greeted them with shouts of delight, and evenimportant merchants in the galleries looked at them with curiosity andmade remarks on their beauty. The dancers with motions of the handsand with smiles greeted all the company. One began to play on a doubleflute, another accompanied with a drum, and the two others dancedaround the court in such fashion that there was hardly a guest whomtheir muslin shawls did not strike as they whirled.

  Those who were drinking began to sing, shout, and call to the dancers,while among the common herd a quarrel sprang up which the inspectorssettled with canes. A certain Libyan, angered at sight of the canes,drew a knife, but two black men seized his arms, took from him somebronze rings as pay for food, and hurled him out to the street.Meanwhile one of the dancers remained with the sailors, two went amongthe merchants who offered them wine and cakes, and the oldest passedamong the tables to make a collection.

  "By the sanctuary of the divine Isis!" cried she, "pious strangers,give offerings to the goddess who guards all creation. The more yougive the more happiness and blessing will come to you. For thesanctuary of Mother Isis!"

  They threw onto her drum coils of copper wire, sometimes a grain ofgold. One merchant asked if it were permitted to visit her, to whichshe nodded with a smile.

  When she entered the front gallery, Phut of Harran reached for hisleather bag and took out a gold ring, saying,--

  "Istar is a great and good goddess; take this for her sanctuary."

  The priestess looked quickly at him and whispered,--

  "Anael, Sachiel--"

  "Amabiel, Abalidot," answered the traveller, in the same low tone.

  "I see that thou lovest Mother Isis," said the priestess, aloud. "Thoumust be wealthy and art bountiful, so it is worth while to soothsayfor thee."

  She sat down near him, ate a couple of dates, and looking at his handbegan,--

  "Thou art from a distant region, from Bretor and Hagit.[6] Thou hasthad a pleasant journey. _For some days the Phoenicians are watchingthee_," added she, in a lower voice.

  [6] The spirits of the northern and eastern parts of the world.

  "Thou hast come for money, though thou art not a merchant. _Visit methis day after sunset._ Thy wishes will be accomplished," said she,aloud. "They should be accomplished. _I live on the Street of Tombs inthe house of the Green Star_," whispered she. "But beware of thieveswho are watching for thy property," finished she, seeing that theworthy Asarhadon was listening.

  "There are no thieves in my house!" burst out the Phoenician. "Nonesteal except those who come from the street."

  "Be not angry, old man," replied the priestess, jeeringly, "or a redline will come out on thy neck right away; that means an unluckydeath."

  When he heard this, Asarhadon spat three times, and
in a low voicerepeated a charm against evil predictions. When he had moved away tothe depth of the gallery, the priestess began to coquet with theHarran man. She gave him a rose from her crown, embraced him atparting, and went to the other tables.

  The traveller beckoned to the host.

  "I wish," said he, "that woman to come to me. Give command to conducther to my chamber."

  Asarhadon looked into his eyes, clapped his hands, and burst outlaughing.

  "Typhon has possessed thee, O man of Harran!" cried he. "If anythingof that sort happened in my house with an Egyptian priestess, theywould drive me out of the city. Here it is permissible to receive onlyforeign women."

  "In that case I will go to her," answered Phut, "for she is a wise anddevout person, and has told me of many happenings. After sunset thouwilt give me a guide, so that I may not go astray."

  "All the evil spirits have entered thy heart," said Asarhadon. "Dostthou know that this acquaintance will cost thee two hundred drachmas,perhaps three hundred, not counting that which thou must give theservants and the sanctuary. For such a sum, or say five hundreddrachmas, thou mayst make the acquaintance of a young and virtuouswoman, my daughter, who is now fourteen years of age, and like aprudent girl is collecting for herself a dowry. Do not wander in thenight through a strange city, for thou wilt fall into the hands of thepolice or of thieves, but make use of that which the gods give thee athome. Dost thou wish?"

  "But will thy daughter go with me to Harran?" inquired Phut.

  The innkeeper looked at him with astonishment. All at once he struckhis forehead, as if he had divined a secret, and seizing the travellerby the hand, he drew him to a quieter place at the window.

  "I know all," whispered he, excitedly. "Thou art dealing in women. Butremember that for taking away one Egyptian woman thou mayst lose thyproperty and go to the quarries. But--perhaps thou wilt take me intothy company, for here I know every road."

  "In that case show me the road to the priestess," said Phut. "Rememberthat after sunset thou art to have a guide for me, and to-morrow mybags and casket, otherwise I shall complain to the court."

  Then Phut left the gallery and went to his chamber on a higher story.

  Asarhadon with anger approached a table at which Phoenician merchantswere drinking, and called aside one of them named Kush.

  "Thou bringest beautiful guests to me!" said he, unable to restrainthe quivering of his voice. "That Phut eats almost nothing, and now,as if to insult my house, he is going out to an Egyptian dancerinstead of giving presents to my women."

  "What wonder in that?" answered Kush, smiling. "He could find aPhoenician woman in Sidon, but here he prefers an Egyptian. A fool ishe who in Cyprus does not taste Cyprus wine, but Tyrian beer--"

  "But I say," broke in the host, "that that man is dangerous. He seemsto be a citizen, though he looks like a priest."

  "Thou, Asarhadon, hast the look of a high priest, though thou art onlyan innkeeper. A bench does not cease to be a bench, though it has alion's skin on it."

  "But why does he go to priestesses? I would swear that that is apretence, and that this churlish Hittite, instead of going to a feastwith women, is going to some meeting of conspirators."

  "Anger and greed have darkened thy reason," answered Kush, withimpatience. "Thou art like a man who looking for melons on a fig-treesees not the figs on it. It is clear to any merchant that if Phut isto collect five talents from a priest he must win favors from all whogo around in the sanctuaries. But thou hast no understanding."

  "My heart tells me that this must be an Assyrian ambassador watchingto destroy his holiness."

  Kush looked with contempt on Asarhadon.

  "Watch him, then; follow every step of his. If thou discover anything,perhaps thou wilt get some part of his property."

  "Oh, now thou hast given wise counsel," said the host. "Let that ratgo to the priestesses, and from them to places unknown to me. But Iwill send after him my vision, from which nothing will be secret."