Moon of Israel: A Tale of the Exodus
Page 19
CHAPTER XII
THE MESSAGE OF JABEZ
That night there were none who rejoiced in the streets of the city, andsave in the palace and houses of those of the Court, none who feasted. Iwalked abroad in the market-place and noted the people going to and frogloomily, or talking together in whispers. Presently a man whose facewas hidden in a hood began to speak with me, saying that he had amessage for my master, the Prince Seti. I answered that I took nomessages from veiled strangers, whereon he threw back his hood, and Isaw that it was Jabez, the uncle of Merapi. I asked him whether he hadobeyed the Prince, and borne the body of that prophet back to Goshen andtold the elders of the manner of the man's death.
"Yes," he answered, "nor were the Elders angry with the Prince over thismatter. They said that their messenger had exceeded his authority, sincethey had never told him to curse Merapi, and much less attempt to killher, and that the Prince did right to slay one who would have donemurder before his royal eyes. Still they added that the curse, havingonce been spoken by this priest, would surely fall upon Merapi in thisway or in that."
"What then should she do, Jabez?"
"I do not know, Scribe. If she returns to her people, perchance shewill be absolved, but then she must surely marry Laban. It is for her tojudge."
"And what would you do if you were in her place, Jabez?"
"I think that I should stay where I was, and make myself very dear toSeti, taking the chance that the curse may pass her by, since it was notlawfully decreed upon her. Whichever way she looks, trouble waits, andat the worst, a woman might wish to satisfy her heart before it falls,especially if that heart should happen to turn to one who will bePharaoh."
"Why do you say 'who will be Pharaoh,' Jabez?" I asked, for we werestanding in an empty place alone.
"That I may not tell you," he replied cunningly, "yet it will come aboutas I say. He who sits upon the throne is mad as Meneptah was mad,and will fight against a strength that is greater than his until itoverwhelms him. In the Prince's heart alone does the light of wisdomshine. That which you saw to-day is only the first of many miracles,Scribe Ana. I can say no more."
"What then is your message, Jabez?"
"This: Because the Prince has striven to deal well with the people ofIsrael and for their sake has cast aside a crown, whatever may chanceto others, let him fear nothing. No harm shall come to him, or to thoseabout him, such as yourself, Scribe Ana, who also would deal justly byus. Yet it may happen that through my niece Merapi, on whose head theevil word has fallen, a great sorrow may come to both him and her.Therefore, perhaps, although setting this against that, she may be wiseto stay in the house of Seti, he, on the balance, may be wise to turnher from his doors."
"What sorrow?" I asked, who grew bewildered with his dark talk, butthere was no answer, for he had gone.
Near to my lodging another man met me, and the moonlight shining on hisface showed me the terrible eyes of Ki.
"Scribe Ana," he said, "you leave for Memphis to-morrow at the dawn, andnot two days hence as you purposed."
"How do you know that, Magician Ki?" I answered, for I had told mychange of plan to none, not even to Bakenkhonsu, having indeed onlydetermined upon it since Jabez left me.
"I know nothing, Ana, save that a faithful servant who has learned allyou have learned to-day will hurry to make report of it to his master,especially if there is some other to whom he would also wish to makereport, as Bakenkhonsu thinks."
"Bakenkhonsu talks too much, whatever he may think," I exclaimedtestily.
"The aged grow garrulous. You were at the crowning to-day, were younot?"
"Yes, and if I saw aright from far away, those Hebrew prophets seemedto worst you at your own trade there, Kherheb, which must grieve you, asyou were grieved in the temple when Amon fell."
"It does not grieve me, Ana. If I have powers, there may be others whohave greater powers, as I learned in the temple of Amon. Why thereforeshould I feel ashamed?"
"Powers!" I replied with a laugh, for the strings of my mind seemed tornthat night, "would not craft be a better word? How do you turn a stickinto a snake, a thing which is impossible to man?"
"Craft might be a better word, since craft means knowledge as well astrickery. 'Impossible to man!' After what you saw a while ago in thetemple of Amon, do you hold that there is anything impossible to man orwoman? Perhaps you could do as much yourself."
"Why do you mock me, Ki? I study books, not snake-charming."
He looked at me in his calm fashion, as though he were reading, not myface, but the thoughts behind it. Then he looked at the cedar wand inhis hand and gave it to me, saying:
"Study this, Ana, and tell me, what is it."
"Am I a child," I answered angrily, "that I should not know a priest'srod when I see one?"
"I think that you are something of a child, Ana," he murmured, all thewhile keeping those eyes of his fixed upon my face.
Then a horror came about. For the rod began to twist in my hand andwhen I stared at it, lo! it was a long, yellow snake which I held bythe tail. I threw the reptile down with a scream, for it was turningits head as though to strike me, and there in the dust it twisted andwrithed away from me and towards Ki. Yet an instant later it was only astick of yellow cedar-wood, though between me and Ki there was a snake'strack in the sand.
"It is somewhat shameless of you, Ana," said Ki, as he lifted the wand,"to reproach me with trickery while you yourself try to confound a poorjuggler with such arts as these."
Then I know not what I said to him, save the end of it was that Isupposed he would tell me next that I could fill a hall with darkness atnoonday and cover a multitude with terror.
"Let us have done with jests," he said, "though these are well enough intheir place. Will you take this rod again and point it to the moon? Yourefuse and you do well, for neither you nor I can cover up her face.Ana, because you are wise in your way and consort with one who is wiser,and were present in the temple when the statue of Amon was shattered bya certain witch who matched her strength against mine and conquered me,I, the great magician, have come to ask _you_--whence came that darknessin the hall to-day?"
"From God, I think," I answered in an awed whisper.
"So I think also, Ana. But tell me, or ask Merapi, Moon of Israel, totell me--from what god? Oh! I say to you that a terrible power is afootin this land and that the Prince Seti did well to refuse the throne ofEgypt and to fly to Memphis. Repeat it to him, Ana."
Then he too was gone.