"Peace, Nurse," replied Tua, "I have said that he is our guest, and the law of hospitality may not be broken."
"Then the law of hospitality will bring us to our deaths," muttered Asti.
"If so, so let it be, Nurse; at least this poor man will be filled, and for the rest, as always, we must trust to Amen our father."
Yet as she spoke the words tears gathered in her eyes, for she knew that Asti was right, and now that all the food was gone, on which with care they might have lived for two days or more, soon they would faint, and perish, unless help came to them, which was not likely in that lonesome place. Once, not so long ago, they had starved for lack of sustenance, and it was the thought of that slow pain so soon to be renewed, that brought the water to her eyes.
Meanwhile Kepher, whose appet.i.te for one so ancient was sharp indeed, finished the contents of the basket down to the last date, and handed it back to Tua with a bow, saying:
"I thank you, Daughter; the Queen of Egypt could not have entertained me more royally," and he peered at her with his h.o.r.n.y eyes. "I who have been empty for long, am full again, and since I cannot reward you I pray to the G.o.ds that they will do so. Beautiful Daughter, may you never know what it is to lack a meal."
At this saying Tua could restrain herself no more. A large tear from her eyes fell upon Kepher"s rough hand as she answered with a little sob:
"I am glad that you are comforted with meat, but do not mock us, Friend, seeing that we are but lost wanderers who very soon must starve, since now our food is done."
"What, Daughter?" asked the old man in an astonished voice, "what? Can I believe that you gave all you had to a beggar of the wilderness, and sat still while he devoured it? And is it for this reason that you weep?"
"Forgive me, Father, but it is so," answered Tua. "I am ashamed of such weakness, but recently my friend here and I have known hunger, very sore hunger, and the dread of it moves me. Come, Asti, let us be going while our strength remains in us."
Kepher looked up at the name, then turned to Tua and said:
"Daughter, your face is fair, and your heart is perfect, since otherwise you would not have dealt with me as you have done. Still, it seems that you lack one thing--undoubting faith in the goodness of the G.o.ds.
Though, surely," he added in a slow voice, "those who have pa.s.sed yonder lion-haunted forest without hurt should not lack faith. Say, now, how came you there?"
"We are ladies of Egypt," interrupted Asti, "or at least this maiden is, for I am but her old nurse. Man-stealing pirates of Phoenicia seized us while we wandered on the sh.o.r.es of the Nile, and brought us. .h.i.ther in their ship, by what way we do not know. At length they put into yonder river for water, and we fled at night. We are escaped slaves, no more."
"Ah!" said Kepher, "those pirates must mourn their loss. I almost wonder that they did not follow you. Indeed, I thought that you might be other folk, for, strangely enough, as I slept in the sand last night, a certain spirit from the Under-world visited me in my dreams, and told me to search for one Asti and another lady who was with her--I cannot remember the name of that lady. But I do remember the name of the spirit, for he told it to me; it was Mermes."
Now Asti gave a little cry, and, springing up, searched Kepher"s face with her eyes, nor did he shrink from her gaze.
"I perceive," she said slowly, "that you who seem to be a beggar are also a seer."
"Mayhap, Asti," he answered. "In my long life I have often noted that sometimes men are more than they seem--and women also. Perhaps you have learned the same, for nurses in great houses may note many things if they choose. But let us say no more. I think it is better that we should say no more. You and your companion--how is she named?"
"Neferte," answered Asti promptly.
"Neferte, ah! Certainly that was not the name which the spirit used, though it is true that other name began with the same sound, or so I think. Well, you and your companion, Neferte, escaped from those wicked pirates, and managed to bring certain things with you, for instance, that beautiful harp, wreathed with the royal _uraei_, and--but what is in that second basket?"
"Pearls," broke in Tua quickly.
"And a large basket of pearls. Might I see them? Oh! do not be afraid, I shall not rob those whose food I have eaten, it is against the custom of the desert."
"Certainly," answered Tua. "I never thought that you would rob us, for if you were of the tribe of thieves, surely you would be richer, and less hungry than you seem. I only thought that you were almost blind, Father Kepher, and therefore could not know the difference between a pearl and a pebble."
"My feeling still remains to me, Daughter Neferte," he answered with a little smile.
Then Tua gave him the basket. He opened it and drew out the strings of pearls, feeling them, smelling and peering at them, touching them with his tongue, especially the large single ones which were wrapped up by themselves. At length, having handled them all, he restored them to the basket, saying drily:
"It is strange, indeed, Nurse Asti, that those Syrian man-stealers attempted no pursuit of you, for here, whether they were theirs or not, are enough gems to buy a kingdom."
"We cannot eat pearls," answered Asti.
"No, but pearls will buy more than you need to eat."
"Not in a desert," said Asti.
"True, but as it chances there is a city in this desert, and not so very far away."
"Is it named Napata?" asked Tua eagerly.
"Napata? No, indeed. Yet, I have heard of such a place, the City of Gold they called it. In fact, once I visited it in my youth, over a hundred years ago."
"A hundred years ago! Do you remember the way thither?"
"Yes, more or less, but on foot it is over a year"s journey away, and the path thither lies across great deserts and through tribes of savage men. Few live to reach that city."
"Yet I will reach it, or die, Father."
"Perhaps you will, Daughter Neferte, perhaps you will, but I think not at present. Meanwhile, you have a harp, and therefore it is probable that you can play and sing; also you have pearls. Now the inhabitants of this town whereof I spoke to you love music. Also they love pearls, and as you cannot begin your journey to Napata for three months, when the rain on the mountains will have filled the desert wells, I suggest that you would do wisely to settle yourselves there for a while. Nurse Asti here would be a dealer in pearls, and you, her daughter, would be a musician. What say you?"
"I say that I should be glad to settle myself anywhere out of this desert," said Tua wearily. "Lead us on to the city, Father Kepher, if you know the way."
"I know the way, and will guide you thither in payment for that good meal of yours. Now come. Follow me." And taking his long staff he strode away in front of them.
"This Kepher goes at a wonderful pace for an old man," said Tua presently. "When first we saw him he could scarcely hobble."
"Man!" answered Asti. "He is not a man, but a spirit, good or bad, I don"t know which, appearing as a beggar. Could a man eat as much as he did--all our basketful of food? Does a man talk of cities that he visited in his youth over a hundred years ago, or declare that my dead husband spoke to him in his dreams? No, no, he is a ghost like those upon the ship."
"So much the better," answered Tua cheerfully, "since ghosts have been good friends to us, for had it not been for them I should have been dead or shamed to-day."
"That we shall find out at the end of the story," said Asti, who was cross and weary, for the heat of the sun was great. "Meanwhile, follow on. There is nothing else to do."
For hour after hour they walked, till at length towards evening, when they were almost exhausted, they struggled up a long rise of sand and rocks, and from the crest of it perceived a large walled town set in a green and fertile valley not very far beneath them. Towards this town Kepher, who marched at a distance in front, guided them till they reached a clump of trees on the outskirts of the cultivated land. Here he halted, and when they came up to him, led them among the trees.
"Now," he said, "drop your veils and bide here, and if any should come to you, say that you are poor wandering players who rest. Also, if it pleases you, give me a small pearl off one of those strings, that I may go into the city, which is named Tat, and sell it to buy you food and a place to dwell in."
"Take a string," said Tua faintly.
"Nay, nay, Daughter, one will be enough, for in this town pearls are rare, and have a great value."
So she gave him the gem, or rather let him take it from the silk, which he re-fastened very neatly for one who seemed to be almost blind, and strode off swiftly towards the town.
"Man or spirit, I wonder if we shall see him again?" said Asti.
Tua made no answer--she was too tired, but resting herself against the bole of a tree, fell into a doze. When she awoke again it was to see that the sun had sunk, and that before her stood the beggar Kepher, and with him two black men, each of whom led a saddled mule.
"Mount, Friends," he said, "for I have found you a lodging."
So they mounted, and were led to the gate of the city which at the word of Kepher was opened for them, and thence down a long street to a house built in a walled garden. Into this house they entered, the black men leading off the mules, to find that it was a well-furnished place with a table ready set in the ante-room, on which was food in plenty. They ate of it, all three of them, and when they had finished Kepher bade a woman who was waiting on them, lead them to their chamber, saying that he himself would sleep in the garden.