At length we came to the desert without accident and crossed it, though more slowly. But even here the King had his posts which were in charge of Arabs who lived in tents by wells of water, or sometimes where there was none save what was brought to them. So still we galloped on, parched by the burning sand beneath and the burning sand above, and reached the borders of Egypt.
Here, upon the very boundary line, the two officers halted the cavalcade saying that their orders were to return thence and make report to the King. There then we parted, Bes and I with the six hunters who still chose to cling to me, going forward and the officers of the King with the guides and servants going back. The good horses that we rode from the last post they gave to us by the King"s command, together with the sumpter beasts, since horses broken to the saddle were hard to come by in Egypt where they were trained to draw chariots. These we took, sending back my thanks to the King, and started on once more, Bes leading that beast which bore the gold and the hunters serving as a guard.
Indeed I was glad to see the last of those Easterns although they had brought us safely and treated us well, for all the while I was never sure but that they had some orders to lead us into a trap, or perhaps to make away with us in our sleep and take back the gold and the priceless, rose-hued pearls, any two of which were worth it all. But such was not their command nor did they dare to steal them on their own account, since then, even if they escaped the vengeance of the King, their wives and all their families would have paid the price.
Now we entered Egypt near the Salt Lakes that are not far from the head of the Gulf, crossing the ca.n.a.l that the old Pharaohs had dug, which proved easy for it was silted up. Before we reached it we found some peasant folk labouring in their gardens and I heard one of them call to another,
"Here come more of the Easterns. What is toward, think you, neighbour?"
"I do not know," answered the other, "but when I pa.s.sed down the ca.n.a.l this morning, I saw a body of the Great King"s guards gathering from the fort. Doubtless it is to meet these men of whose coming the other two who went by fifty hours ago, have warned the officers."
"Now what does that mean?" I asked of Bes.
"Neither more nor less than we have heard, Master. The two King"s messengers who have gone ahead of us all the way from the city, have told the officer of the frontier fort that we are coming, so he has advanced to the ford to meet us, for what purpose I do not know."
"Nor do I," I said, "but I wish we could take another road, if there were one."
"There is none, Master, for above and below the ca.n.a.l is full of water and the banks are too steep for horses to climb. Also we must show no doubt or fear."
He thought a while, then added,
"Take the royal seal, Master. It may be useful."
He gave it to me, and I examined it more closely than I had done before.
It was a cylinder of plain white sh.e.l.l hung on a gold chain, that which Bes had bitten through, but now mended again by taking out the broken link. On this cylinder were cut figures; as I think of a priest presenting a n.o.ble to a G.o.d, over whom was the crescent of the moon, while behind the G.o.d stood a man or demon with a tall spear. Also between the figures were mystic signs, meaning I know not what. The workmanship of the carving was grown shallow with time and use for the cylinder seemed to be very ancient, a sacred thing that had descended from generation to generation and was threaded through with a bar of silver on which it turned.
I put the seal which was like no other that I had seen, being the work of an early and simpler age, round my neck beneath my mail and we went on.
Descending the steep bank of the ca.n.a.l we came to the ford where the sand that had silted in was covered by not more than a foot of water. As we entered it, on the top of the further bank appeared a body of about thirty armed and mounted men, one of whom carried the Great King"s banner, on which I noted was blazoned the very figures that were cut upon the cylinder. Now it was too late to retreat, so we rode through the water and met the soldiers. Their officer advanced, crying,
"In the name of the Great King, greeting, my lord Shabaka!
"In the name of the Great King, greeting!" I answered. "What would you with Shabaka, Officer of the King?"
"Only to do him honour. The word of the King has reached us and we come to escort you to the Court of Idernes, the Satrap of the King and Governor of Egypt who sits at Sais."
"That is not my road, Officer. I travel to Memphis to deliver the commands of the King to my cousin, Peroa, the ruler of Egypt under the King. Afterwards, perchance, I shall visit the high Idernes."
"To whom our commands are to take you now, my lord Shabaka, not afterwards," said the officer sternly, glancing round at his armed escort.
"I come to give commands, not to receive them, Captain of the King."
"Seize Shabaka and his servants," said the officer briefly, whereon the soldiers rode forward to surround us.
I waited till they were near at hand. Then suddenly I plunged my hand beneath my robe and drew out the small, white seal which I held before the eyes of the officer, saying,
"Who is it that dares to lay a finger upon the holder of the King"s White Seal? Surely that man is ready for death."
The officer stared at it, then leapt from his horse and flung himself face downwards on the ground, crying,
"It is the ancient signet of the Kings of the East, given to their first forefather by Samas the SunG.o.d, on which hangs the fortunes of the Great House! Pardon, my lord Shabaka."
"It is granted," I answered, "because what you did you did in ignorance.
Now go to the Satrap Idernes and say to him that if he would have speech with the bearer of the King"s seal which all must obey, he will find him at Memphis. Farewell," and with Bes and the six hunters I rode through the guards, none striving to hinder me.
"That was well done, Master," said Bes.
"Yes," I said. "Those two messengers who went ahead of us brought orders to the frontier guard of Idernes that I should be taken to him as a prisoner. I do not know why, but I think because things are pa.s.sing in Egypt of which we know nothing and the King did not desire that I should see the Prince Peroa and give him news that I might have gathered.
Mayhap we have been outwitted, Bes, and the business of the lady Amada is but a pretext to pick a quarrel suddenly before Peroa can strike the first blow."
"Perhaps, Master, for these Easterns are very crafty. But, Master, what happens to those who make a false use of the King"s ancient, sacred signet? I think they have cut the ropes which tie them to earth," and he looked upwards to the sky rolling his yellow eyes.
"They must find new ropes, Bes, and quickly, before they are caught.
Hearken. You have sat upon a throne and I can speak out to you. Think you that my cousin, the Prince Peroa, loves to be the servant of this distant, Eastern king, he who by right is Pharaoh of Egypt? Peroa must strike or lose his niece and perchance his life. Forward, that we may warn him."
"And if he will not strike, Master, knowing the King"s might and being somewhat slow to move?"
"Then, Bes, I think that you and I had best go hunting far away in those lands you know, where even the Great King cannot follow us."
"And where, if only I can find a woman who does not make me ill to look on, and whom I do not make ill, I too can once more be a king, Master, and the lord of many thousand brave armed men. I must speak of that matter to the holy Tanofir."
"Who doubtless will know what to advise you, Bes; or, if he dies not, I shall."
For a while we rode on in silence, each thinking his own thoughts. Then Bes said,
"Master, before so very long we shall reach the Nile, and having with us gold in plenty can buy boats and hire crews. It comes into my mind that we should do well for our own safety and comfort to start at once on a hunting journey far from Egypt; in the land of the Ethiopians, Master.
There perchance I could gather together some of the wise men in whose hands I left the rule of my kingdom, and submit to them this question of a woman to marry me. The Ethiopians are a faithful people, Master, and will not reject me because I have spent some years seeing the world afar, that I might learn how to rule them better."
"I have remembered that it cannot be, Bes," I said.
"Why not, Master?"
"For this reason. You left your country because of a woman? I cannot leave mine again because of a woman."
Bes rolled his eyes around as though he thought to see that woman in the desert. Not discovering her, he stared upwards and there found light.
"Is she perchance named the lady Amada, Master?"
I nodded.
"So. The lady Amada who you told the Great King is the most beautiful one in the whole world, causing the fire of Love to burn up in his royal heart, and with it many other things of which we do not know at present."
"_You_ told him, Bes," I said angrily.
"I told him of a beautiful one; I did not tell him her name, Master, and although I never thought of it at the time, perhaps she will be angry with him who told her name."
Now fear took hold of me, and Bes saw it in my face.