第16章
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  ThenonceagainthewaveofWarrolledinuponthem,andthestrifegrewfierceanddesperate。Theironhedgeofspearswaswell-nighbroken,andnowtheWanderer,doingsuchdeedsashadnotbeenknowninKhem,stoodalonebetweenMeriamuntheQueenandtheswordsthatthirstedforherlifeandthelifeofPharaoh。Thenofasudden,fromfardownthegreathallofbanquets,therecamealoudcrythatshrilledabovetheclashofswords,thegroansofmen,andallthedinofbattle。

  “/Pharaoh!Pharaoh!Pharaoh!/“roseavoice。“Nowwiltthouletthepeoplego?“

  Thenhewhosmotestayedhishandandhewhoguardeddroppedhisshield。Thebattleceasedandallturnedtolook。Thereattheendofthehall,amongthedeadanddying,therestoodthetwoancientmenoftheApura,andintheirhandswerecedarrods。

  “ItistheWizards——theWizardsoftheApura,“mencried,andshrunkthiswayandthat,thinkingnomoreonwar。

  Theancientmendrewnigh。Theytooknoheedofthedyingorthedead:

  ontheywalked,throughbloodandwineandfallentablesandscatteredarms,tilltheystoodbeforethePharaoh。

  “/Pharaoh!Pharaoh!Pharaoh!/“theycriedagain。“Deadarethefirst-

  bornofKhematthehandofJahveh。Wiltthouletthepeoplego?“

  ThenPharaohliftedhisfaceandcried:

  “Getyougone——youandallthatisyours。Getyougoneswiftly,andletKhemseeyourfacenomore。“

  Thepeopleheard,andthelivingleftthehall,andsilencefellonthecity,andonthedeadwhodiedofthesword,andthedeadwhodiedofthepestilence。Silencefell,andsleep,andtheGods’bestgift——

  forgetfulness。

  Evenoutofthisnightofdreadthemorningrose,andwithitcameRei,bearingamessagefromtheKing。ButhedidnotfindtheWandererinhischamber。ThePalaceeunuchssaidthathehadrisenandhadaskedforKurri,theCaptainoftheSidonians,whowasnowtheQueen’sJeweller。ThitherReiwent,forKurriwaslodgedwiththeservantsinacourtoftheRoyalHouse,andastheoldmancameheheardthesoundofhammersbeatingonmetal。There,intheshadowwhichthePalacewallcastintoalittlecourt,therewastheWanderer;nolongerinhisgoldenmail,butwithbarearms,anddressedinsuchalightsmockastheworkmenofKhemwerewonttowear。

  TheWandererwasbendingoverasmallbrazier,whenceaflameandalightbluesmokearoseandmeltedintothemorninglight。Inhishandheheldasmallhammer,andhehadalittleanvilbyhim,onwhichlayoneofthegoldenshoulder-platesofhisarmour。Theotherpieceswereheapedbesidethebrazier。Kurri,theSidonian,stoodbesidehim,withgravingtoolsinhishands。

  “Hailtothee,Eperitus,“criedRei,callinghimbythenamehehadchosentogivehimself。“Whatmakestthouherewithfireandanvil?“

  “Iambutfurbishingupmyarmour,“saidtheWanderer,smiling。“Ithasmorethanonedintfromthefightinthehall;“andhepointedtohisshield,whichwasdeeplyscarredacrosstheblazonoftheWhiteBull,thecognizanceofdeadParis,Priam’sson。“Sidonian,blowupthefire。“

  Kurricrouchedonhishamsandblewtheblazetoawhiteheatwithapairofleathernbellows,whiletheWandererfittedtheplatesandhammeredatthemontheanvil,makingthejointuressmoothandstrong,talkingmeanwhilewithRei。

  “Strangeworkforaprince,asthoumustbeinAlybas,whencethoucomest,“quothRei,leaningonhislongrodofcedar,headedwithanappleofbluestone。“Inourcountrychiefsdonotlabourwiththeirhands。“

  “Differentlands,differentways,“answeredEperitus。“Inmycountrymenwednottheirsistersasyourkingsdo,though,indeed,itcomesintomymindthatonceImetsuchbridesinmywanderingsintheisleoftheKingoftheWinds。“

  Forthethoughtofthe?olianisle,whereKing?olusgavehimallthewindsinabag,cameintohismemory。

  “Myhandscanservemeineveryneed,“hewenton。“Mowingthedeepgreengrassinspring,ordrivingoxen,orcuttingacleanfurrowwiththeploughinheavysoil,orbuildinghousesandships,ordoingsmith’sworkwithgoldandbronzeandgreyiron——theyareallonetome。“

  “Ortheworkofwar,“saidRei。“ForthereIhaveseentheelabour。

  Now,listen,thouWanderer,theKingMeneptahandtheQueenMeriamunsendmetotheewiththisscrolloftheirwill,“andhedrewfortharollofpapyrus,boundwithgoldenthreads,andhelditonhisforehead,bowing,asifheprayed。

  “Whatisthatrollofthine?“saidtheWanderer,whowashammeringatthebronzespear-point,thatstoodfastinhishelm。

  Reiundidthegoldenthreadsandopenedthescroll,whichhegaveintotheWanderer’shand。

  “Gods!Whathavewehere?“saidtheWanderer。“Herearepictures,tinyandcunninglydrawn,serpentsinred,andlittlefiguresofmensittingorstanding,axesandsnakesandbirdsandbeetles!Myfather,whattokensarethese?“andhegavethescrollbacktoRei。

  “TheKinghasmadehisChiefScribewritetothee,namingtheeCaptainoftheLegionofPasht,theGuardoftheRoyalHouse,forlastnighttheCaptainwasslain。Hegivestheeahightitle,andhepromisestheehouses,lands,andacityoftheSouthtofurnishtheewithwine,andacityoftheNorthtofurnishtheewithcorn,ifthouwiltbehisservant。“

  “NeverhaveIservedanyman,“saidtheWanderer,flushingred,“thoughIwentneartobeingsoldandtoknowingthedayofslavery。

  TheKingdoesmetoomuchhonour。“

  “ThouwouldestfainbegonefromKhem?“askedtheoldman,eagerly。

  “IwouldfainfindherIcametoseek,wherevershemaybe,“saidtheWanderer。“Hereorotherwhere。“

  “Then,whatanswershallIcarrytotheKing?“

  “Timebringsthought,“saidtheWanderer;“Iwouldseethecityifthouwiltguideme。ManycitieshaveIseen,butnonesogreatasthis。AswewalkIwillconsidermyanswertoyourKing。“

  Hehadbeenworkingathishelmashespoke,fortherestofhisarmourwasnowmended。Hehaddrawnoutthesharpspear-headofbronze,andwasbalancingitinhishandandtryingitsedge。

  “Agoodblade,“hesaid;“betterwasneverhammered。Itwentneartodoingitswork,Sidonian,“andheturnedtoKurriashespoke。“TwothingsofthineIhad:thylifeandthyspear-point。ThylifeIgavethee,thyspear-pointthoudidstlendme。Here,takeitagain,“andhetossedthespear-headtotheQueen’sJeweller。

  “Ithankthee,lord,“answeredtheSidonian,thrustingitinhisgirdle;buthemutteredbetweenhisteeth,“Thegiftsofenemiesaregiftsofevil。“

  TheWandererdidonhismail,setthehelmetonhishead,andspoketoRei。“Comeforth,friend,andshowmethycity。“

  ButReiwaswatchingthesmileonthefaceoftheSidonian,andhedeemeditcruelandcraftyandwarlike,likethelaughoftheSardanaofthesea。Hesaidnought,butcalledaguardofsoldiers,andwiththeWandererhepassedthePalacegatesandwentoutintothecity。

  Thesightwasstrange,anditwasnotthusthattheoldman,wholovedhisland,wouldhavehadtheWandererseeit。

  Fromallthewealthyhouses,andfrommanyofthepoorersort,rangthewailofthewomenmournersastheysangtheirdirgesforthedead。

  Butinthemeanerquartersmanyahovelwasmarkedwiththreesmearsofblood,dashedoneachpillarofthedoorandonthelintel;andthesoundthatcamefromthesedwellingswasthecryofmirthandfestival。Thereweretwopeoples;onelaughed,onelamented。Andinandoutofthehousesmarkedwiththesplashesofbloodwomenwereevergoingwithemptyhands,orcomingwithhandsfullofjewels,ofgold,ofsilverrings,ofcups,andpurplestuffs。Emptytheywentout,ladentheycamein,darkmenandwomenwithkeenblackeyesandthefeaturesofbirdsofprey。Theywent,theycame,theyclamouredwithdelightamongthemourningofthemenandwomenofKhem,andnonelaidahandonthem,nonerefusedthem。

  OnetallfellowsnatchedatthestaffofRei。

  “Lendmethystaff,oldman,“hesaid,sneering;“lendmethyjewelledstaffformyjourney。Idobutborrowit;whenYak?bcomesfromthedesertthoushalthaveitagain。“

  ButtheWandererturnedonthefellowwithsuchaglancethathefellback。

  “Ihaveseen/thee/before,“hesaid,andhelaughedoverhisshoulderashewent;“Isawtheelastnightatthefeast,andheardthygreatbowsing。ThouartnotofthefolkofKhem。Theyareagentlefolk,andYak?bwinsfavourintheirsight。“

  “Whatpassesnowinthishauntedlandofthine,oldman?“saidtheWanderer,“forofallthesightsthatIhaveseen,thisisthestrangest。Noneliftsahandtosavehisgoodsfromthethief。“

  ReithePriestgroanedaloud。

  “EvildayshavecomeuponKhem,“hesaid。“TheApuraspoilthepeopleofKhemeretheyflyintotheWilderness。“

  Evenashespoketherecameagreatladyweeping,forherhusbandwasdead,andhersonandherbrother,allweregoneinthebreathofthepestilence。ShewasoftheRoyalHouse,andrichlydeckedwithgoldandjewels,andtheslaveswhofannedher,asshewenttotheTempleofPtahtoworship,woregoldchainsupontheirnecks。TwowomenoftheApurasawherandrantoher,crying:

  “Lendtousthosegoldenornamentsthouwearest。“

  Then,withoutaword,shetookhergoldbraceletsandchainsandrings,andletthemallfallinaheapatherfeet。ThewomenoftheApuratookthemallandmockedher,crying:

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