CHAPTER XIII
ABI LEARNS THE TRUTH
A moon had gone by, and on the first day of the new month Kaku theVizier sat in the Hall of the Great Officers at Memphis, checking thepublic accounts of the city. It was not easy work, for during the pastten days twice these accounts had been sent back to him by the commandof the Queen, or the Pharaoh as she called herself, with requestsfor information as to their items, and other awkward queries. Abi hadoverlooked such matters, recognising that a faithful servant was worthyof his hire--provided that he paid himself. But now it seemed thatthings were different, and that the amount received was the exact amountthat had to be handed over to the Crown, neither more nor less. Well,there was a large discrepancy which must be made up from somewhere, or,in other words, from Kaku's private store.
In a rage he caused the two head collectors of taxes to be broughtbefore him, and as they would not pay, bade the executioners throwthem down and beat them on the feet until they promised to produce themissing sums, most of which he himself had stolen.
Then, somewhat soothed, he retired from the hall into his own office, tofind himself face to face with Abi, who was waiting for him. So changedwas the Prince from his old, portly self, so aged and thin and miserabledid he look, that in the dusk of that chamber Kaku failed to recognisehim. Thinking that he was some suppliant, he began to revile him andorder him to be gone. Then the fury of Abi broke out.
Rushing at him, he seized the astrologer by the beard and smote him onthe ears, saying: "Dog, is it thus that you speak to your king? Well, onyou at least I can revenge myself."
"Pardon, your Majesty," said Kaku, "I did not know you in these shadows.Your Majesty is changed of late."
"Changed!" said Abi, letting him go. "Who would not be changed whosuffers as I do ever since I listened to your cursed counsel, and triedto climb into the seat of Pharaoh? Before that I was happy. I had mysons, I had my wives, as many as I wished. I had my revenues and armies.Now everything has gone. My sons are dead, my women are driven away, myrevenues are taken from me, my armies serve another."
"At least," suggested Kaku, "you are Pharaoh, and the husband of themost beautiful and the wisest woman in the world."
"Pharaoh!" groaned Abi. "The humblest mummy in the common city vaultsis a greater king than I am, and as for the rest----" and he stopped andgroaned again.
"What is the matter with your Majesty?" asked Kaku.
"The matter is that I have fallen under the influence of an evilplanet."
"The Star of Amen," suggested the astrologer.
"Yes, the Star of Amen, that lovely Terror whom you call my wife. Man,she is no wife to me. Listen--there in the harem I went into the chamberwhere she was, none forbidding me, and found her sitting before hermirror and singing, clothed only in a thin robe of white, and her darkhair--O Kaku, never did you see such hair--which fell almost to theground. She smiled on me, she spoke me fair, she drew me with thoseglittering eyes of hers--yes, she even called me husband, and sighedand talked of love, till at length I drew near to her and threw my armsabout her."
"And then----"
"And then, Kaku, she was gone, and where her sweet face should have beenI saw the yellow, mummied head of Pharaoh, he who is with Osiris, thatseemed to grin at me. I opened my arms again, and lo! there she sat,laughing and shaking perfume from her hair, asking me, too, what ailedme that I turned so white, and if such were the way of husbands?
"Well, that was nigh a month ago, and as it began, so it has gone on. Iseek my wife, and I find the mummied head of Pharaoh, and all the whileshe mocks me. Nor may I see the others any more, for she has caused themto be hunted hence, even those who have dwelt with me for years, sayingthat she must rule alone."
"Is that all?" asked Kaku.
"No, indeed, for as she torments me, so she torments every other man whocomes near to her. She nets them with smiles, she bewitches them withher eyes till they go mad for love of her, and then, still smiling, shesends them about their business. Already two of them who were leaders inthe great plot have died by their own hands, and another is mad, whilethe rest have become my secret but my bitter foes, because they love myQueen and think that I stand between her and them."
"Is that all?" asked Kaku again.
"No, not all, for my power is taken from me. I who was great, afterPharaoh the greatest in all the land, now am but a slave. From morningto night I must work at tasks I hate; I must build temples to Amen, Imust dig canals, I must truckle to the common herd, and redress theirgrievances and remit their taxes. More, I must chastise the Bedouin whohave ever been my friends, and--next month undertake a war against thatKing of Khita, with whom I made a secret treaty, and whose daughter thatI married has been sent back to him because I loved her."
"And then?" asked Kaku.
"Oh! then when the Khita have been destroyed and made subject to Egypt,then her Majesty purposes to return in state to Thebes 'to attend to thefashioning of my sepulchre' since, so she says, this is a matter thatwill not bear delay. Indeed, already she makes drawings for it, horribleand mystic drawings that I cannot understand, and brings them to me tosee. Moreover, Friend, know this, out of it opens another smaller tombfor _you_. Indeed, but this morning she sent an expedition to the desertquarries to bring thence three blocks of stone, one for my sarcophagus,one for yours, and one for that of your wife, Merytra. For she saysthat after the old fashion she purposes to honour both of you with thesegifts."
At these words Kaku could no longer control himself, but began to walkup and down the room, muttering and snatching at his beard.
"How can you suffer it?" he said at length, "You who were a greatprince, to become a woman's slave, to be made as dirt beneath her feet,to be held up to the mockery of those you rule, to see your wives andhousehold driven away from you, to be tormented, to be mocked, to lookon other men favoured before your eyes, to be threatened with earlydeath. Oh! how can you suffer it? Why do you not kill her, and make anend?"
"Because," answered Abi, "because I dare not, since if I dreamed ofsuch a thing she would guess my thought and kill _me_. Fool, do you notremember the fall of the eternal obelisks upon my captains, and whatbefell that man who mocked her, calling her Bastard, and sought refugeamong the priests? No, I dare not lift a finger against her."
"Then, Prince, you must carry your yoke until it wears through to themarrow, which will be when that sepulchre is ready."
"Not so," answered Abi, shivering, "for I have another plan; it is ofit that I am come to speak with you. Friend Kaku, _you_ must kill her.Listen: you are a master of spells. The magic which prevailed againstthe father will overcome the daughter also. You have but to make a waxenimage or two and breathe strength into them, and the thing is done, andthen--think of the reward."
"Indeed I am thinking, most noble Prince," replied the astrologer withsarcasm. "Shall I tell you of that reward? It would be my death by slowtorture. Moreover, it is impossible, for if you would know the truth,she cannot be killed."
"What do you mean, Fool?" asked Abi angrily. "Flesh and blood must bowto death."
A sickly smile spread itself over Kaku's thin face as he answered:
"A saying worthy of your wisdom, Prince. Certainly the experience ofmankind is that flesh and blood must bow to death. Yes, yes, flesh andblood!"
"Cease grinning at me, you ape of the rocks," hissed the enraged Abi,"or I will prove as much on your mocking throat," and snatching out hissword he threatened him with it, adding: "Now tell me what you mean,or----"
"Prince," ejaculated Kaku, falling to his knees, "I may not, I cannot.Spare me, it is a secret of the gods."
"Then get you gone to the gods, you lying cur, and talk it over withthem," answered Abi, lifting the sword, "for at least she will not blameme if I send you there."
"Mercy, mercy!" gasped Kaku, sprawling on the ground, while his lordheld the sword above his bald head, thinking that he would choose speechrather than death.
It was at this moment, while the astrologer's fa
te trembled in thebalance, that a sound of voices reached their ears, and above themthe ring of a light, clear laugh which they knew well. Forgetting hispurpose, Abi stepped to the window-place, and looked through the openingof the shutters. Presently he turned, beckoning to Kaku, and whispered:
"Come and look; there is always time for you to die."
The Vizier heard, and, creeping on his hands and knees to thewindow-place, raised himself and peeped through the shutter. Thiswas what he saw. In the walled garden below, the secret garden of thepalace, stood the queen Neter-Tua, and the sunlight piercing through theboughs of a flowering tree, fell in bright bars upon her beauty. She wasnot alone, for before her knelt a man wearing the rich robes of a noble.Kaku knew him at once, for although still young, he was Abi's favouritecaptain, an officer whom he loved, and had raised to high placebecause of his wit and valour, having given him one of his daughtersin marriage. Also he had played a chief part in the great plot againstPharaoh, and it was he who had dealt the death-blow to Mermes, thehusband of the lady Asti.
Now he was playing another part, namely that of lover to the Queen,for he clasped the hem of her robe in his hands, and kissed it with hislips, and pleaded with her passionately. They could catch some of hiswords.
He had risked his life to climb the wall. He worshipped her. He couldnot live without her. He was ready to do her bidding in all things--togather a band and slay Abi; it would be easy, for every man was jealousof the Prince, and thought him quite unworthy of her. Let her give himher love, and he would make her sole Pharaoh of Egypt again, and becontent to serve her as a slave. At least let her say one kind word tohim.
Thus he spoke, wildly, imploringly, like a man that is drunk withpassion and knows not what he says or does, while Neter-Tua listenedcalmly, and now and again laughed that light, low laugh of hers.
At length he rose and strove to take her hand, but, still laughing, shewaved him back, then said suddenly:
"You slew Mermes when he was weak with wounds, did you not, and he wasmy foster-father. Well, well, it was done in war, and you must bea brave man, as brave as you are handsome, for otherwise you wouldscarcely have ventured here where a word of mine would give you to yourdeath. And now get you gone, Friend, back to my Lord's daughter who isyour wife, and if you dare--tell her where you have been and why, youwho are so brave a man," and once more she laughed.
Again he began his passionate implorings, begging for some token, tillat length she seemed to melt and take pity on him, for stretching outher hand, she chose a flower from the many that grew near, and gaveit to him, then pointed to the trees that hid the wall, among whichpresently he vanished, reeling in the delirium of his joy.
She watched him go, smiling very strangely, then, still smiling, lookeddown at the bush whence she had plucked the flower, and Kaku noted thatit was one used only by the embalmers to furnish coronals for the dead.
But Abi noted no such thing. Forgetting his quarrel with Kaku and allelse, he gasped, and foamed in his jealous rage, muttering that he wouldkill that captain, yes, and the false Queen, too, who dared to listento a tale of love and give the lover flowers. Yes, were she ten timesPharaoh he would kill her, as he had the right to do, and, the nakedsword still in his hand, he turned to leave the place.
"If that is your will, Lord," said Kaku in a strained voice, "bidehere."
"Why, man?" asked Abi.
"Because her Majesty comes," he answered, "and this chamber is quiet andfitting. None enter it save myself."
As he spoke the words the door opened, and closed again, and before themstood Neter-Tua, Star of Amen.
In the dusk of that room the first thing that seemed to catch her eyewas the bared blade in Abi's hand. For a moment she looked at it andhim, also at Kaku crouching in the corner, then asked in her quietvoice:
"Why is your sword drawn, O Husband?"
"To kill you, O Wife," he answered furiously, for his rage mastered him.
She continued to look at him a little while and said, smiling in herstrange fashion:
"Indeed? But why more now than at any other time? Has Kaku's counselgiven you courage?"
"Need you ask, shameless woman? Does not this window-place open on toyonder garden?"
"Oh! I remember, that captain of yours--he who slew Mermes, yourdaughter's husband who made love to me--so well that I rewarded him witha funeral flower, knowing that you watched us. Settle your account withhim as you and his wife may wish; it is no matter of mine. But I warnyou that if you would take men's lives for such a fault as this, soonyou will have no servants left, since they all are sinners who desire tousurp your place."
Then Abi's fury broke out. He cursed and reviled her, he called her byill names, swearing that she should die, who bewitched all men and wasthe love of none, and who made him a mock and a shame in the sight ofEgypt. But Neter-Tua only listened until at length he raved himself tosilence.
"You talk much and do little," she said at length. "The sword is in yourhand, use it, I am here."
Maddened by her scorn he lifted the weapon and rushed at her, only toreel back again as though he had been smitten by some power unseen. Herested against the wall, then again rushed and again reeled back.
"You are a poor butcher," she said at length, "after so many years ofpractice. Let Kaku yonder try. I think he has more skill in murder."
"Oh! your Majesty," broke in the astrologer, "unsay those cruel words,you who know that rather than lift hands against you I would die athousand times."
"Yes," she answered gravely, "the Prince Abi suggested it to you butnow, did he not, after you had suggested it to him, and you refused--foryour own reasons?"
Then the sword fell from Abi's hand, and there was silence in thatchamber.
"What were you talking of, Abi, before you peeped through the shuttersand saw that captain of yours and me together in the garden, and why didyou wish to kill this dog?" she went on presently. "Must I answer foryou? You were talking of how you might be rid of me, and you wished tokill him because he did not dare to tell you why he could not do thedeed, knowing that if he did so he must die. Well, since you desire toknow, you shall learn, and now. Look on me, wretched Man, whom men namemy husband. Look on me, accursed Slave, whom Amen has given into myhand to punish here upon the earth, until you pass to his yonder in theUnder-world."
He looked up, and Kaku looked also, because he could not help it, butwhat they saw they never told. Only they fell down upon their faces,both of them, and groaned; beating the floor with their foreheads.
At length the icy terror seemed to be lifted from their hearts, and theydared to glance up again, and saw that she was as she had been, a mostroyal and lovely woman, but no more.
"What are you?" gasped Abi. "The goddess Sekhet in the flesh, or Isis,Queen of Death, or but dead Tua's ghost sent here for vengeance?"
"All of them, or none of them, as you will, though, Man, it is true thatI am sent here for vengeance. Ask the Wizard yonder. He knows, and Igive him leave to say."
"_She is the Double of Amen's daughter_," moaned Kaku. "She is her Kaset free to bring doom upon those who would have wronged her. She isa ghost armed with the might of the gods, and all we who have sinnedagainst dead Pharaoh and her and her father Amen are given into her handto be tormented and brought to doom."
"Where, then, is Neter-Tua, who was Queen of Egypt?" gasped Abi, rollinghis great eyes. "Is she with Osiris?"
"I will tell you, Man," answered the royal Shape. "She is not dead--shelives, and is gone to seek one she loves. When she returns with him anda certain Beggar, then I shall depart and you will die, both of you,for such is the punishment decreed upon you. Until then, arise and do mybidding."
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