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

by Bolesław Prus

  CHAPTER LXIII

  On Paofi 12 alarming news went forth from various Egyptian temples.During a few preceding days an altar was overturned in the temple ofHorus; in the temple of Isis a statue of the goddess shed tears. Inthe temple of Amon at Thebes, and from the tomb of Osiris in Dendera,omens of much evil were given. The priests inferred from infalliblesigns that some dreadful misfortune would threaten Egypt before themonth had ended. Hence Herhor and Mefres, the high priests, commandedprocessions around the temples and sacrifice in houses.

  On Paofi 13 there was a great procession in Memphis: the god Ptahissued from his temple, and the goddess Isis from hers. Bothdivinities moved toward the centre of the city with a very smallassembly of believers, mainly women. But they were forced to withdraw,for Egyptians reviled them and foreigners went so far as to hurlstones at the sacred boats of the divinities.

  In presence of these abuses the police bore themselves withindifference, some of them even took part in unseemly jests. Duringthe afternoon unknown persons told the crowd that the priests wouldnot permit relief to be given the people and desired a rebellionagainst the pharaoh.

  Toward evening laborers gathered in crowds at the temples, where theyhissed the priests and abused them. Meanwhile stones were hurled atthe gate, and some criminals openly beat off the nose of Horus who wason guard at his own entrance.

  A couple of hours after sunset the high priests and their mostfaithful adherents assembled in the temple of Ptah. The worthy Herhorwas there; so were Mefres, Mentezufis, three nomarchs, and the highestjudge.

  "Terrible times!" said the judge. "I know to a certainty that thepharaoh wishes to rouse a rabble to attack temples."

  "I have heard," said the nomarch of Sebes, "that an order has beensent to Nitager to hurry at the earliest with new troops, as if thosehere were insufficient."

  "Communication between Upper and Lower Egypt is interrupted sinceyesterday," added the nomarch of Aa. "On the roads are posted troops,and the galleys of his holiness examine every barge sailing on theriver."

  "Rameses XIII. is not 'holiness,'" said Mefres, dryly, "for he has notreceived a crown from the gods yet."

  "All this would be a trifle," said the judge. "Treason is worse. Wehave indications that many of the younger priests are favorable to thepharaoh and inform him of everything."

  "There are some even who have undertaken to facilitate the occupationof the temples by troops," added Herhor.

  "Are troops to enter the temples?" exclaimed the nomarch of Sebes.

  "They have such an order at least for the 23d," replied Herhor.

  "And dost thou speak of this, worthiness, quietly?" inquired thenomarch of Ament.

  Herhor shrugged his shoulders, while the nomarchs exchanged glances.

  "I do not understand this," said the nomarch of Aa, almost in anger."There are barely a few hundred warriors at the temples, some priestsare traitors, the pharaoh cuts us off from Thebes and is rousing thepeople, while the worthy Herhor speaks as though we were invited to abanquet. Either let us defend ourselves, if that be still possible,or--"

  "Shall we yield to 'his holiness?'" inquired Mefres, with irony.

  "We shall have time for that always!"

  "But we should like to learn about means of defence," said the nomarchof Sebes.

  "The gods will save those who are faithful to them," answered Herhor.

  The nomarch of Aa wrung his hands.

  "If I am to open my heart, I must say that I too am astonished at thyindifference," said the judge. "Almost all the people are against us."

  "The common people are like barley in the field, they incline with thewind."

  "But the army?"

  "What army will not fall before Osiris?"

  "I know," replied the nomarch of Aa, with impatience, "but I seeneither Osiris nor that wind which is to turn the people toward us.Meanwhile, the pharaoh has attached them by promises, and he willappear with gifts to-morrow."

  "Fear is stronger than promises and gifts," replied Herhor.

  "What have they to fear? Those three hundred soldiers of ours?"

  "They will fear Osiris."

  "But where is he?" asked the indignant nomarch of Aa.

  "Ye will see him. But happy the man who will be blind on that day."

  Herhor spoke with such calm solemnity that silence settled on theassembly.

  "But what shall we do?" asked the judge after a while.

  "The pharaoh," said Herhor, "wishes the people to attack the temple onthe 23d. We must make them attack us on the 20th of Paofi."

  "The gods live through eternity!" cried the nomarch of Aa, raising hishands. "But why should we bring misfortune on our heads, and besidestwo days earlier?"

  "Listen to Herhor," said Mefres with a voice of decision; "try by allmeans that the attack be made on the morning of the 20th."

  "But if they beat us in fact?" inquired the judge in confusion.

  "If Herhor's spells fail I will call the gods to assist us," repliedMefres, and in his eyes was an ominous glitter.

  "Ah, ye high priests have secrets which ye may not explain to us. Wewill do what ye command; we will cause the attack on the 20th. Butremember, on your heads be our blood and the blood of our children."

  "So be it! So be it!" cried both high priests together.

  Then Herhor added: "For ten years we have governed the state, andduring that time no wrong has happened to any of you, and we have keptevery promise; so be patient and faithful for a few days. Ye will seethe might of the gods and receive your reward."

  The nomarchs took farewell of the high priests, not trying even tohide their own grief and alarm. Only Herhor and Mefres remained. Aftera long silence Herhor said,--

  "Yes, that Lykon was good as long as he counterfeited the maniac. Butthat it should be possible to show him instead of Rameses--"

  "If the mother did not detect him," answered Mefres, "the man mustresemble Rameses remarkably. As to sitting on the throne and saying afew words to those present, he will do that. Moreover, we shall bethere."

  "A terribly stupid comedian!" sighed Herhor, rubbing his forehead.

  "He is wiser than millions of other men, for he has second sight andhe may render the state immense service."

  "Thou art speaking continually, worthiness, of that second sight. Letme convince myself of it certainly."

  "Dost thou wish to do so?" inquired Mefres. "Well, come with me. But bythe gods, Herhor, mention not, even before thy own heart, what thoushalt witness."

  They went beneath the temple of Ptah and entered a large vault where alamp was then gleaming. By the feeble light Herhor saw a man sittingat a table; he was eating. The man wore a coat of the pharaoh'sguardsmen.

  "Lykon," said Mefres, "the highest dignitary of the state wishesevidence of those powers with which the gods have gifted thee."

  "Cursed be the day in which the soles of my feet touched your land!"muttered Lykon, pushing away a plate with food on it. "I should ratherlabor in the quarries, and be beaten--"

  "There will be time for that always," interrupted Herhor, severely.

  The Greek was silent, and trembled suddenly when he saw a dark crystalglobe in the hand of Mefres. He grew pale, his sight became dim, largedrops of sweat came out on his face. His eyes were fixed on one point,as if fastened to that ball of crystal.

  "He is sleeping," said Mefres. "Is this not wonderful?"

  "If he is not feigning."

  "Punch him, stick him, burn him even," said Mefres.

  Herhor drew from under his white robe a dagger and pointed it as ifto strike Lykon between the eyes, but the Greek did not move, even hiseyelids did not quiver.

  "Look!" said Mefres, holding the crystal up to Lykon. "Dost thou seethe man who carried off Kama?"

  The Greek sprang from his chair, his fists were clenched, and therewas saliva on his lips.

  "Let me go!" cried he with a hoarse voice. "Let me go and drink hisblood."

  "Where is he now?" inquired Mefres.

>   "In the villa at the side of the garden next the river. A beautifulwoman is with him."

  "Her name is Hebron, and she is the wife of Tutmosis," added Herhor."Confess, Mefres, that second sight is not needed to know that."

  Mefres closed his thin lips tightly.

  "If this does not convince thee, worthiness, I will show somethingbetter," said he at length. "Lykon, find now the traitor who isseeking the way to the treasure of the labyrinth."

  The sleeping Greek looked for a while at the crystal intently, andanswered,--

  "I see him--he is dressed in the rags of a beggar."

  "Where is he?"

  "In the court of the last inn before the labyrinth. He will be therein the morning."

  "How does he look?"

  "He has red hair and beard," answered Lykon.

  "Well?" inquired Mefres of Herhor.

  "Thou hast good police, worthiness," replied Herhor.

  "But the overseers of the labyrinth guard it poorly!" said Mefres inanger. "I will go there to-night with Lykon to warn the local priests.But if I succeed in saving the treasure of the gods, thou wilt permitme to become its overseer, worthiness?"

  "As thou wishest," answered Herhor with indifference. But in his hearthe added: "The pious Mefres begins at last to show his claws andteeth. He desires to become only overseer of the labyrinth, and hisward, Lykon, he would make only--pharaoh! Indeed, to satisfy the greedof my assistants the gods would have to make ten Egypts."

  When both dignitaries had left the vault, Herhor, in the night,returned on foot to the temple of Isis where he had a dwelling, butMefres commanded to make ready a couple of litters on horses. In oneof these the younger priests placed the sleeping Lykon with a bag onhis head; in the other the high priest himself took his place and,surrounded by a party of horsemen went at a sharp trot in thedirection of Fayum.

  On the night between the 14th and 15th Paofi the high priest Samentu,according to the promise given Rameses, entered the labyrinth by acorridor known to himself only. He had in his hand a bundle oftorches, one of which was burning, and on his back he carried tools ina small basket.

  Samentu passed very easily from hall to hall, from corridor tocorridor, pushing back with a touch stone slabs in columns and inwalls where there were secret doors. Sometimes he hesitated, but thenhe read mysterious signs on the walls and compared them with signs onthe beads which he bore on his neck.

  After a journey of half an hour he found himself in the treasureroom,--whence by pushing aside a slab in the pavement he reached ahall in the lower story. The hall was spacious and its ceiling restedon a number of short thick columns.

  Samentu put down his basket and, lighting two torches, began by thelight of them to read inscriptions on the walls.

  "Despite my wretched figure," declared one inscription, "I am a realson of the gods, for my anger is terrible.

  "In the open air I turn to a column of fire, and I am lightning.Confined I am thunder and destruction, and no building can resist me.

  "Nothing can weaken me but sacred water which takes my force away. Butmy anger is roused as well by the smallest spark as by a flame.

  "In my presence everything is twisted and broken. I am like Typhon,who overturns the highest trees and lifts rocks from their places."

  "In one word, every temple has its secret which others do not know,"thought Samentu.

  He opened one column and took a large pot from it. The pot had acover sealed with wax, also an opening through which passed a longslender cord; it was unknown where this cord ended inside the column.Samentu cut off a piece, touched the torch with it and saw that thecord gave out a hiss and burned quickly. Then with a knife he removedthe cover very carefully and saw inside the pot as it were sand andpebbles of an ashen color. He took out a couple of the pebbles andgoing aside touched them with the torch. In one moment a flame burstforth and the pebbles vanished leaving thick smoke behind and adisagreeable odor. Samentu took some of the ash-colored sand, pouredit on the pavement, put in the middle of it a piece of the cord whichhe had found at the pot, covered all with a heavy stone. Then hetouched the cord with his torch, the cord burned and after a while thestone sprang up in a flame.

  "I have that son of the gods now!" said Samentu smiling. "The treasurewill not be lost."

  He went from column to column to open slabs and take out hidden pots.In each pot was a cord which Samentu cut, the pots he left at oneside.

  "Well," said the priest, "his holiness might give me half thesetreasures and make my son a nomarch--and surely he will do so, for heis a magnanimous sovereign."

  When he had rendered the lower hall safe in this way Samentu returnedto the treasure chamber, and hence went to the upper hall. There alsowere various inscriptions on the walls, numerous columns and in thempots provided with cords and filled with kernels which burst when firetouched them. Samentu cut the cords, removed the pots from theinterior of the columns, and tied up in a rag one pinch of the sand.Then being wearied he sat down to rest. Six of his torches were burntnow. The night must have been nearing its end.

  "I never should have supposed," said he to himself, "that thosepriests had such a wonderful agent. Why, with it they could overturnAssyrian fortresses! Well, we will not tell our own pupils everythingeither."

  The wearied man fell to thinking. Now he was certain that he wouldhold the highest position in Egypt, a position higher than that heldby Herhor. What would he do? Very much. He would secure wealth andwisdom to his posterity. He would try to gain their secrets from allthe temples and this would increase his power immensely; he wouldsecure to Egypt preeminence above Assyria.

  The young pharaoh jeered at the gods, that would facilitate to Samentuthe establishment of the worship of one god, Osiris, for example; andthe union of Phoenicians, Jews, Greeks, and Libyans in one state withEgypt.

  Together they would make the canal to join the Red Sea and theMediterranean. Along that canal they would build fortresses andconcentrate a numerous army--all the trade with unknown nations of theOrient and the West would fall into the hands of Egyptians.

  They would require an Egyptian fleet and Egyptian sailors. But aboveall was the need to crush Assyria, which was growing each year moredangerous. It was imperative to stop priestly greed and excesses. Letpriests be sages, let them have a sufficiency, but let them serve thestate instead of using it for their own profit as at present.

  "In the month Hator," thought Samentu, "I shall be ruler of Egypt! Theyoung lord loves women and warriors too well to labor at governing.And if he has no son, then my son, my son--"

  He came to himself. One more torch had burnt out; it was high time toleave those underground chambers.

  He rose, took his basket and left the hall above the treasure.

  "I need no assistance," thought he, laughing. "I have securedeverything--I alone--I, the despised priest of Set!"

  He had passed a number of tens of chambers and corridors when hehalted on a sudden. It seemed to him that on the pavement of the hallto which he was going he saw a small streak of light.

  In one moment such dreadful fear seized the man that he put out historch. But the streak of light on the pavement had vanished. Samentustrained his hearing, but he heard only the throbbing of his owntemples.

  "That only seemed to me!" said he.

  With a trembling hand he took out of the basket a small vessel inwhich punk was burning slowly, and he lighted the torch again.

  "I am very drowsy," thought he. Looking around the chamber he went toa wall in which a door was hidden. He pushed a nail; the door did notslip back. A second, a third pressure--no effect.

  "What does this mean?" thought Samentu in amazement.

  He forgot now the streak of light. It seemed to him that a new thing,unheard of, had met him. He had opened in his life so many hundreds ofsecret doors, he had opened so many in the labyrinth, that he couldnot understand simply the present resistance. Terror seized him asecond time. He ran from wall to wall and tried secret doorseverywhere. At last
one opened. He found himself in an immense hall,filled as usual with columns. His torch lighted barely a part of thespace, the remainder of it was lost in thick darkness.

  The darkness, the forest of columns, and above all the strangeness ofthe hall gave the priest confidence. At the bottom of his fear a sparkof naive hope was roused then. It seemed to him that since he did notknow the place himself no one else knew it, and that no man would meethim in that labyrinth.

  He was pacified somewhat and felt that his legs were bending underhim; so he sat down. But again he sprang up and looked around, as ifto learn whether danger was really threatening, and whence. From whichof those dark corners would it come out to rush at him?

  Samentu was acquainted as no other man in Egypt with subterraneanplaces, with going astray, and with darkness. He had passed alsothrough many alarms in his life. But that which he experienced thenwas something perfectly new and so terrible that the priest feared togive its own name to it.

  At last, with great effort, he collected his thoughts, and said,--

  "If indeed I have seen a light--if indeed some one has closed thedoors, I am betrayed. In that case what?"

  "Death!" whispered a voice hidden in the bottom of his soul somewhere.

  "Death?"

  Sweat came out on his face, his breath stopped. All at once themadness of fear mastered him. He ran through the chamber and struckhis fist against the wall, seeking an exit. He forgot where he was andhow he had got there; he lost his direction, and even the power oftaking bearings with the bead-string.

  All at once he felt that in him were two persons, so to speak: onereally bewildered, the other wise and self-possessed. This wise manexplained to himself that all might be imagination, that no one haddiscovered him, that no one was searching, and that he could escape ifhe would recover somewhat. But the first, the bewildered man, wouldnot listen to the voice of wisdom; on the contrary, he gained on hisinternal antagonist every moment.

  Oh, if he could only hide in some column! Let them seek then-- Thoughsurely no one would seek, and no one would find him, whileself-command would come again to him.

  "What can happen to me here?" said he, shrugging his shoulders. "If Icalm myself they can chase me through the whole labyrinth. To cut offall the roads there would have to be many thousand persons, and toindicate what cell I am in a miracle would be needed! But let ussuppose that they seize me. Then what? I will take this little vialhere, put it to my lips, and in one moment I shall flee away so thatno one could catch me--not even a divinity."

  But in spite of reasoning, such terrible fear seized the man againthat he put out the torch a second time, and trembling, his teethchattering, he pushed up to one of the columns.

  "How was it possible--how could I decide to come in here?" thoughtSamentu. "Had I not food to eat, a place on which to lay my head? Itis a simple thing, I am discovered! The labyrinth has a multitude ofoverseers as watchful as dogs, and only a child, or an idiot, wouldthink of deceiving them. Property--power! Where is the treasure forwhich it would be worth while for a man to give one day of his life?And here, I, a man in the bloom of existence, have exposed myself."

  It seemed to him that he heard heavy knocking. He sprang up and in thedepth of the chamber he saw a gleam of light.

  Yes!--a real gleam of light, not an illusion. At a distant wall,somewhere at the end, stood an open door through which at that momentarmed men were coming in carefully with torches.

  At sight of this the priest felt a chill in his feet, in his heart, inhis head. He doubted no longer that he was not merely discovered, buthunted and surrounded.

  Who could have betrayed him? Of course only one man: the young priestof Set, whom he had acquainted minutely enough with his purposes. Thetraitor, if alone, would have had to look almost a month for the wayto the treasure, but if he had agreed with the overseers they might inone day track out Samentu.

  At that moment the high priest felt the impressions known only to menwho are looking at death face to face. He ceased to fear since hisimagined alarms had now vanished before real torches. Not only did heregain self-command, but he felt immensely above everything living. Ina short time he would be threatened no longer by danger of any sort.

  The thoughts flew through his head with lightning clearness and speed.He took in the whole of his existence: his toils, his perils, hishopes, his ambitions, and all of those seemed to him a trifle. Forwhat would it serve him to be at that moment the pharaoh, or to ownevery treasure in all kingdoms? They were vanity, dust, and evenworse--an illusion. Death alone was all-mighty and genuine.

  Meanwhile the torch-bearers were examining columns most carefully, andalso every corner; they had passed through half the immense hall.Samentu saw even the points of their lances, and noted that the menhesitated and advanced with alarm and repulsion. A few steps behindthem was another group of persons to whom one torch gave light.Samentu did not even feel aversion toward them, he was only curious asto who could have betrayed him. But even that point did not concernhim over-much, for incomparably more important then seemed thequestion: Why must he die, and why had he been brought into existence?For with death present as a fact a whole lifetime is shortened intoone painful minute even though that life were the longest of all andthe richest in experience.

  "Why was he alive? For what purpose?"

  He was sobered by the voice of one of the armed men,--

  "There is no one here, and cannot be."

  They halted. Samentu felt that he loved those men, and his heartthumped within him.

  The second group of persons came up; among them there was adiscussion,--

  "How can even thou, worthiness, suppose that some one has entered?"asked a voice quivering with anger. "All the entrances are guarded,especially now. And even if any one stole in it would be only to diehere of hunger."

  "But, worthiness, see how this Lykon bears himself," answered anothervoice. "The sleeping man looks all the time as if he felt an enemynear him."

  "Lykon?" thought Samentu. "Ah, that Greek who is like the pharaoh.What do I see? Mefres has brought him!"

  At this moment the sleeping Greek rushed forward and stopped at thecolumn behind which Samentu was hidden. The armed men ran after him,and the gleam of their torches threw light on the dark figure ofSamentu.

  "Who is here?" cried, with a hoarse voice, the leader.

  Samentu stood forth. The sight of him made such a powerful impressionthat the torch-bearers withdrew. He might have passed out betweenthem, so terrified were they, and no one would have detained him; butthe priest thought no longer of rescue.

  "Well, has my man with second sight been mistaken?" said Mefres,pointing at his victim. "There is the traitor!"

  Samentu approached him with a smile, and said,--

  "I recognize thee by that cry, Mefres. When thou canst not be a cheat,thou art merely an idiot."

  Those present were astounded. Samentu spoke with calm irony.

  "Though it is true that at this moment thou art both cheat and fool. Acheat, for thou art trying to persuade the overseers of the labyrinththat this villain has the gift of second sight; and a fool, for thouthinkest that they believe thee. Better tell them that in the templeof Ptah there are detailed plans of the labyrinth."

  "That is a lie!" cried Mefres.

  "Ask those men whom they believe: thee, or me? I am here because Ifound plans in the temple of Set; thou hast come by the grace of theimmortal Ptah," concluded Samentu, laughing.

  "Bind that traitor and liar!" cried Mefres.

  Samentu moved back a couple of steps, drew forth quickly from underhis garment a vial, and said, while raising it to his lips,--

  "Mefres, thou wilt be an idiot till death. Thou hast wit only when itis a question of money."

  He placed the vial between his lips and fell to the pavement.

  The armed men rushed to the priest and raised him, but he had slippedthrough their fingers already.

  "Let him stay here, like others," said the overseer of the labyrinth
.

  The whole retinue left the hall and closed the open doors carefully.Soon they issued forth from the edifice.

  When the worthy Mefres found himself in the court he commanded thepriests to make ready the mounted litters, and rode away with thesleeping Lykon to Memphis.

  The overseers of the labyrinth, dazed by the uncommon events, lookednow at one another, and now at the escort of Mefres, which wasdisappearing in a yellow dust cloud.

  "I cannot believe," said the chief overseer, "that in our days therewas a man who could break into the labyrinth."

  "Your worthiness forgets that this day there were three such,"interrupted one of the younger priests looking askance at him.

  "A--a--true!" answered the high priest. "Have the gods disturbed myreason?" said he, rubbing his forehead and pressing the amulet on hisbreast.

  "And two have fled," added the younger priest.

  "Why didst thou not turn my attention to that in the labyrinth?" burstout the superior.

  "I did not know that things would turn out as they have."

  "Woe is on my head!" cried the high priest. "Not chief should I be atthis edifice, but gatekeeper. We were warned that some one wasstealing in, but now we have let out two of the most dangerous, whowill bring now whomever it may please them--O woe!"

  "Thou hast no need, worthiness, to despair," said another priest. "Ourlaw is explicit. Send four or six of our men to Memphis, and providethem with sentences. The rest will be their work."

  "I have lost my reason," complained the high priest.

  "What has happened is over," interrupted the young priest, with irony."One thing is certain: that men who not only reach the vaults, buteven walk through them as through their own houses, may not live."

  "Then select six from our militia."

  "Of course! It is necessary to end this," confirmed the overseers.

  "Who knows if Mefres did not act in concert with the most worthyHerhor?" whispered some one.

  "Enough!" exclaimed the high priest. "If we find Herhor in thelabyrinth we will act as the law directs. But to make guesses, orsuspect, any one is not permitted. Let the secretaries preparesentences for Mefres and Lykon. Let those chosen hurry after them, andlet the militia strengthen the watch. We must also examine theinterior of the edifice and discover how Samentu got into it, though Iam sure that he will have no followers in the near future."

  A couple of hours later six men had set out for Memphis.