"Because I cannot," she answered angrily. "If ever I had such power it is gone from me, who am now the mother of an Egyptian"s child. But I have none. There in the temple of Amon some Strength worked through me, that is all, which never will visit me again because of my sin."
"What sin, Lady?"
"The sin of taking the Prince Seti to lord. Now, if any G.o.d spoke through me it would be one of those of the Egyptians, since He of Israel has cast me out."
Ki started as though some new thought had come to him, and at this moment she turned and went away.
"Would that she were high-priestess of Isis that she might work for us and not against us," he said.
Bakenkhonsu shook his head.
"Let that be," he answered. "Be sure that never will an Israelitish woman offer sacrifice to what she would call the abomination of the Egyptians."
"If she will not sacrifice to save the people, let her be careful lest the people sacrifice her to save themselves," said Ki in a cold voice.
Then he too went away.
"I think that if ever that hour comes, then Ki will have his share in it," laughed Bakenkhonsu. "What is the good of a shepherd who shelters here in comfort, while outside the sheep are dying, eh, Ana?"
It was after the plague of locusts, which ate all there was left to eat in Egypt, so that the poor folk who had done no wrong and had naught to say to the dealings of Pharaoh with the Israelites starved by the thousand, and during that of the great darkness, that Laban came. Now this darkness lay upon the land like a thick cloud for three whole days and nights. Nevertheless, though the shadows were deep, there was no true darkness over the house of Seti at Memphis, which stood in a funnel of grey light stretching from earth to sky.
Now the terror was increased tenfold, and it seemed to me that all the hundreds of thousands of Memphis were gathered outside our walls, so that they might look upon the light, such as it was, if they could do no more. Seti would have admitted as many as the place would hold, but Ki bade him not, saying, that if he did so the darkness would flow in with them. Only Merapi did admit some of the Israelitish women who were married to Egyptians in the city, though for her pains they only cursed her as a witch. For now most of the inhabitants of Memphis were certain that it was Merapi who, keeping herself safe, had brought these woes upon them because she was a worshipper of an alien G.o.d.
"If she who is the love of Egypt"s heir would but sacrifice to Egypt"s G.o.ds, these horrors would pa.s.s from us," said they, having, as I think, learned their lesson from the lips of Ki. Or perhaps the emissaries of Userti had taught them.
Once more we stood by the gate watching the people flitting to and fro in the gloom without, for this sight fascinated Merapi, as a snake fascinates a bird. Then it was that Laban appeared. I knew his hooked nose and hawk-like eyes at once, and she knew him also.
"Come away with me, Moon of Israel," he cried, "and all shall yet be forgiven you. But if you will not come, then fearful things shall overtake you."
She stood staring at him, answering never a word, and just then the Prince Seti reached us and saw him.
"Take that man," he commanded, flushing with anger, and guards sprang into the darkness to do his bidding. But Laban was gone.
On the second day of the darkness the tumult was great, on the third it was terrible. A crowd thrust the guard aside, broke down the gates and burst into the palace, humbly demanding that the lady Merapi would come to pray for them, yet showing by their mien that if she would not come they meant to take her.
"What is to be done?" asked Seti of Ki and Bakenkhonsu.
"That is for the Prince to judge," said Ki, "though I do not see how it can harm the lady Merapi to pray for us in the open square of Memphis."
"Let her go," said Bakenkhonsu, "lest presently we should all go further than we would."
"I do not wish to go," cried Merapi, "not knowing for whom I am to pray or how."
"Be it as you will, Lady," said Seti in his grave and gentle voice.
"Only, hearken to the roar of the mob. If you refuse, I think that very soon every one of us will have reached a land where perhaps it is not needful to pray at all," and he looked at the infant in her arms.
"I will go," she said.
She went forth carrying the child and I walked behind her. So did the Prince, but in that darkness he was cut off by a rush of thousands of folk and I saw him no more till all was over. Bakenkhonsu was with me leaning on my arm, but Ki had gone on before us, for his own ends as I think. A huge mob moved through the dense darkness, in which here and there lights floated like lamps upon a quiet sea. I did not know where we were going until the light of one of these lamps shone upon the knees of the colossal statue of the great Rameses, revealing his cartouche.
Then I knew that we were near the gateway of the vast temple of Memphis, the largest perhaps in the whole world.
We went on through court after pillared court, priests leading us by the hand, till we came to a shrine commanding the biggest court of all, which was packed with men and women. It was that of Isis, who held at her breast the infant Horus.
"O friend Ana," cried Merapi, "give help. They are dressing me in strange garments."
I tried to get near to her but was thrust back, a voice, which I thought to be that of Ki, saying:
"On your life, fool!"
Presently a lamp was held up, and by the light of it I saw Merapi seated in a chair dressed like a G.o.ddess, in the sacerdotal robes of Isis and wearing the vulture cap headdress--beautiful exceedingly. In her arms was the child dressed as the infant Horus.
"Pray for us, Mother Isis," cried thousands of voices, "that the curse of blackness may be removed."
Then she prayed, saying:
"O my G.o.d, take away this curse of blackness from these innocent people," and all of those present, repeated her prayer.
At that moment the sky began to lighten and in less than half an hour the sun shone out. When Merapi saw how she and the child were arrayed she screamed aloud and tore off her jewelled trappings, crying:
"Woe! Woe! Woe! Great woe upon the people of Egypt!"
But in their joy at the new found light few hearkened to her who they were sure had brought back the sun. Again Laban appeared for a moment.
"Witch! Traitress!" he cried. "You have worn the robes of Isis and worshipped in the temple of the G.o.ds of the Egyptians. The curse of the G.o.d of Israel be on you and that which is born of you."
I sprang at him but he was gone. Then we bore Merapi home swooning.
So this trouble pa.s.sed by, but from that time forward Merapi would not suffer her son to be taken out of her sight.
"Why do you make so much of him, Lady?" I asked one day.
"Because I would love him well while he is here, Friend," she answered, "but of this say nothing to his father."
A while went by and we heard that still Pharaoh would not let the Israelites go. Then the Prince Seti sent Bakenkhonsu and myself to Tanis to see Pharaoh and to say to him:
"I seek nothing for myself and I forget those evils which you would have worked on me through jealousy. But I say unto you that if you will not let these strangers go great and terrible things shall befall you and all Egypt. Therefore, hear my prayer and let them go."
Now Bakenkhonsu and I came before Pharaoh and we saw that he was greatly aged, for his hair had gone grey about his temples and the flesh hung in bags beneath his eyes. Also not for one minute could he stay still.
"Is your lord, and are you also of the servants of this Hebrew prophet whom the Egyptians worship as a G.o.d because he has done them so much ill?" he asked. "It may well be so, since I hear that my cousin Seti keeps an Israelitish witch in his house, who wards off from him all the plagues that have smitten the rest of Egypt, and that to him has fled also Ki the Kherheb, my magician. Moreover, I hear that in payment for these wizardries he has been promised the throne of Egypt by many fickle and fearful ones among my people. Let him be careful lest I lift him up higher than he hopes, who already have enough traitors in this land; and you two with him."
Now I said nothing, who saw that the man was mad, but Bakenkhonsu laughed out loud and answered:
"O Pharaoh, I know little, but I know this although I be old, namely, that after men have ceased to speak your name I shall still hold converse with the wearer of the Double Crown in Egypt. Now will you let these Hebrews go, or will you bring death upon Egypt?"
Pharaoh glared at him and answered, "I will not let them go."
"Why not, Pharaoh? Tell me, for I am curious."