Chapter 63

On Paofi 12 alarming news went forth from various Egyptian temples. During a few preceding days an altar was overturned in the temple of Horus; in the temple of Isis a statue of the goddess shed tears. In the temple of Amon at Thebes, and from the tomb of Osiris in Dendera, omens of much evil were given. The priests inferred from infallible signs that some dreadful misfortune would threaten Egypt before the month had ended. Hence Herhor and Mefres, the high priests, commanded processions around the temples and sacrifice in houses.

On Paofi 13 there was a great procession in Memphis: the god Ptah issued from his temple, and the goddess Isis from hers. Both divinities moved toward the centre of the city with a very small assembly of believers, mainly women. But they were forced to withdraw, for Egyptians reviled them and foreigners went so far as to hurl stones at the sacred boats of the divinities.

In presence of these abuses the police bore themselves with indifference, some of them even took part in unseemly jests. During the afternoon unknown persons told the crowd that the priests would not permit relief to be given the people and desired a rebellion against the pharaoh.

Toward evening laborers gathered in crowds at the temples, where they hissed the priests and abused them. Meanwhile stones were hurled at the gate, and some criminals openly beat off the nose of Horus who was on guard at his own entrance.

A couple of hours after sunset the high priests and their most faithful adherents assembled in the temple of Ptah. The worthy Herhor was there; so were Mefres, Mentezufis, three nomarchs, and the highest judge.

"Terrible times!" said the judge, "I know to a certainty that the pharaoh wishes to rouse a rabble to attack temples."

"I have heard," said the nomarch of Sebes, "that an order has been sent to Nitager to hurry at the earliest with new troops, as if those here were insufficient."

"Communication between Upper and Lower Egypt is interrupted since yesterday," added the nomarch of Aa. "On the roads are posted troops, and the galleys of his holiness examine every barge sailing on the river."

"Ramses XIII is not 'holiness,'" said Mefres, dryly, "for he has not received a crown from the gods yet."

"All this would be a trifle," said the judge. "Treason is worse. We have indications that many of the younger priests are favorable to the pharaoh and inform him of everything."

"There are some even who have undertaken to facilitate the occupation of the temples by troops," added Herhor.

"Are troops to enter the temples?" exclaimed the nomarch of Sebes.

"They have such an order at least for the 23d," replied Herhor.

"And dost Thou speak of this, worthiness, quietly?" inquired the nomarch of Ament.

Herhor shrugged his shoulders, while the nomarchs exchanged glances.

"I do not understand this," said the nomarch of Aa, almost in anger. "There are barely a few hundred warriors at the temples, some priests are traitors, the pharaoh cuts us off from Thebes and is rousing the people, while the worthy Herhor speaks as though we were invited to a banquet. Either let us defend ourselves, if that be still possible, or."

"Shall we yield to 'his holiness'?" inquired Mefres with irony.

"We shall have time for that always!"

"But we should like to learn about means of defense," said the nomarch of Sebes.

"The gods will save those who are faithful to them," answered Herhor.

The nomarch of Aa wrung his hands.

"If I am to open my heart, I must say that I too am astonished at thy indifference," said the judge. "Almost all the people are against us."

"The common people are like barley in the field, they incline with the wind."

"But the army?"

"What army will not fall before Osiris?"

"I know," replied the nomarch of Aa, with impatience, "but I see neither Osiris nor that wind which is to turn the people toward us. Meanwhile, the pharaoh has attached them by promises, and he will appear with gifts to-morrow."

"Fear is stronger than promises and gifts," replied Herhor.

"What have they to fear? Those three hundred soldiers of ours?"

"They will fear Osiris."

"But where is he?" asked the indignant nomarch of Aa.

"Ye will see him. But happy the man who will be blind on that day."

Herhor spoke with such calm solemnity that silence settled on the assembly.

"But what shall we do?" asked the judge after a while.

"The pharaoh," said Herhor, "wishes the people to attack the temple on the 23d. We must make them attack us on the 20th of Paofi."

"The gods live through eternity!" cried the nomarch of Aa, raising his hands. "But why should we bring misfortune on our heads, and besides two days earlier?"

"Listen to Herhor," said Mefres with a voice of decision; "try by all means that the attack be made on the morning of the 20th."

"But if they beat us in fact?" inquired the judge in confusion.

"If Herhor's spells fail I will call the gods to assist us," replied Mefres, and in his eyes was an ominous glitter.

"Ah, ye high priests have secrets which ye may not explain to us. We will do what ye command; we will cause the attack on the 20th. But remember, on your heads be our blood and the blood of our children."

"So be it! So be it!" cried both high priests together.

Then Herhor added: "For ten years we have governed the state, and during that time no wrong has happened to any of you, and we have kept every promise; so be patient and faithful for a few days. Ye will see the might of the gods and receive your reward."

The nomarchs took farewell of the high priests, not trying even to hide their own grief and alarm. Only Herhor and Mefres remained. After a long silence Herhor said,

"Yes, that Lykon was good as long as he counterfeited the maniac. But that it should be possible to show him instead of Ramses."

"If the-mother did not detect him," answered Mefres, "the man must resemble Ramses remarkably. As to sitting on the throne and saying a few words to those present, he will do that. Moreover, we shall be there."

"A terribly stupid comedian!" sighed Herhor, rubbing his forehead.

"He is wiser than millions of other men, for he has second sight and he may render the state immense service."

"Thou art speaking continually, worthiness, of that second sight. Let me convince myself of it certainly."

"Dost Thou wish to do so?" inquired Mefres. "Well come with me. But by the gods, Herhor, mention not, even before thy own heart, what Thou shalt witness."

They went beneath the temple of Ptah and entered a large vault where a lamp was then gleaming. By the feeble light Herhor saw a man sitting at a table; he was eating. The man wore a coat of the pharaoh's guardsmen.

"Lykon," said Mefres, "the highest dignitary of the state wishes evidence of those powers with which the gods have gifted thee."

"Cursed be the day in which the soles of my feet touched your land!" muttered Lykon, pushing away a plate with food on it. "I should rather labor in the quarries, and be beaten."

"There will be time for that always," interrupted Herhor, severely.

The Greek was silent, and trembled suddenly when he saw a dark crystal globe in the hand of Mefres. He grew pale, his sight became dim, large drops of sweat came out on his face. His eyes were fixed on one point, as if fastened to that ball of crystal.

"He is sleeping," said Mefres. "Is this not wonderful?"

"If he is not feigning."

"Punch him, stick him, burn him even," said Mefres.

Herhor drew from under his white robe a dagger and pointed it as if to strike Lykon between the eyes, but the Greek did not move, even his eyelids did not quiver.

"Look!" said Mefres, holding the crystal up to Lykon. "Dost Thou see the man who carried off Kama?"

The Greek sprang from his chair, his fists were clenched, and there was saliva on his lips.

"Let me go!" cried he with a hoarse voice. "Let me go and drink his blood."

"Where is he now?" inquired Mefres.

"In the villa at the side of the garden next the river. A beautiful woman is with him."

"Her name is Hebron, and she is the wife of Tutmosis," added Herhor. "Confess, Mefres, that second sight is not needed to know that."

Mefres closed his thin lips tightly.

"If this does not convince thee, worthiness, I will show something better," said he at length. "Lykon, find now the traitor who is seeking the way to the treasure of the labyrinth."

The sleeping Greek looked for a while at the crystal intently, and answered,

"I see him he is dressed in the rags of a beggar."

"Where is he?"

"In the court of the last inn before the labyrinth. He will be there in the morning."

"How does he look?"

"He has red hair and beard," answered Lykon.

"Well?" inquired Mefres of Herhor.

"Thou hast good police, worthiness," replied Herhor.

"But the overseers of the labyrinth guard it poorly!" said Mefres in anger. "I will go there to-night with Lykon to warn the local priests. But if I succeed in saving the treasure of the gods, Thou wilt permit me to become its overseer, worthiness?"

"As Thou wishest," answered Herhor with indifference. But in his heart he added: "The pious Mefres begins at last to show his claws and teeth. He desires to become only overseer of the labyrinth, and his ward, Lykon, he would make only pharaoh! Indeed, to satisfy the greed of my assistants the gods would have to make ten Egypts,"

When both dignitaries had left the vault, Herhor, in the night, returned on foot to the temple of Isis where he had a dwelling, but Mefres commanded to make ready a couple of litters on horses. In one of these the younger priests placed the sleeping Lykon with a bag on his head; in the other the high priest himself took his place and, surrounded by a party of horsemen went at a sharp trot in the direction of Fayum.

On the night between the 14th and 15th Paofi the high priest Samentu, according to the promise given Ramses, entered the labyrinth by a corridor known to himself only. He had in his hand a bundle of torches, one of which was burning, and on his back he carried tools in a small basket.

Samentu passed very easily from hall to hall, from corridor to corridor, pushing back with a touch stone slabs in columns and in walls where there were secret doors. Sometimes he hesitated, but then he read mysterious signs on the walls and compared them with signs on the beads which he bore on his neck.

After a journey of half an hour he found himself in the treasure room, whence by pushing aside a slab in the pavement he reached a hall in the lower story. The hall was spacious and its ceiling rested on a number of short thick columns.

Samentu put down his basket and, lighting two torches, began by the light of them to read inscriptions on the walls.

"Despite my wretched figure," declared one inscription, "I am a real son of the gods, for my auger is terrible.

"In the open air I turn to a column of fire, and I am lightning. Confined I am thunder and destruction, and no building can resist me.

"Nothing can weaken me but sacred water which takes my force away. But my anger is roused as well by the smallest spark as by a flame.

"In my presence everything is twisted and broken. I am like Typhon, who overturns the highest trees and lifts rocks from their places."

"In one word, every temple has its secret which others do not know," thought Samentu.

He opened one column and took a large pot from it. The pot had a' cover sealed with wax, also an opening through which passed a long slender cord; it was unknown where this cord ended inside the column. Samentu cut off a piece, touched the torch with it and saw that the cord gave out a hiss and burned quickly. Then with a knife be removed the cover very carefully and saw inside the pot as it were sand and pebbles of an ashen color. He took out a couple of the pebbles and going aside touched them with the torch. In one moment a flame burst forth and the pebbles vanished leaving thick smoke behind and a disagreeable odor. Samentu took some of the ash-colored sand, poured it on the pavement, put in the middle of it a piece of the cord which he had found at the pot, covered all with a heavy stone. Then he touched the cord with his torch, the cord burned and after a while the stone sprang up in a flame.

"I have that son of the gods now!" said Samentu smiling. "The treasure will not be lost."

He went from column to column to open slabs and take out hidden pots. In each pot was a cord which Samentu cut, the pots he left at one side.

"Well," said the priest, "his holiness might give me half these treasures and make my son a nomarch and surely he will do so, for he is a magnanimous sovereign."

When he had rendered the lower hall safe in this way Samentu returned to the treasure chamber, and hence went to the upper hall. There also were various inscriptions on the walls, numerous columns and in them pots provided with cords and filled with kernels which burst when fire touched them. Samentu cut the cords, removed the pots from the interior of the columns, and tied up in a rag one pinch of the sand. Then being wearied he sat down to rest. Six of his torches were burnt now. The night must have been nearing its end.

"I never should have supposed," said he to himself, "that those priests had such a wonderful agent. Why, with it they could overturn Assyrian fortresses! Well, we will not tell our own pupils everything either."

The wearied man fell to thinking. Now he was certain that he would hold the highest position in Egypt, a position higher than that held by Herhor. What would he do? Very much.

He would secure wealth and wisdom to his posterity. He would try to gain their secrets from all the temples and this would increase his power immensely; he would secure to Egypt preeminence above Assyria.

The young pharaoh jeered at the gods, that would facilitate to Samentu the establishment of the worship of one god, Osiris, for example; and the union of Phoenicians, Jews, Greeks, and Libyans in one state with Egypt.

Together they would make the canal to join the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. Along that canal they would build fortresses and concentrate a numerous army all the trade with unknown nations of the Orient and the West would fall into the hands of Egyptians.

They would require an Egyptian fleet and Egyptian sailors. But above all was the need to crush Assyria, which was growing each year more dangerous. It was imperative to stop priestly greed and excesses. Let priests be sages, let them have a sufficiency, but let them serve the state instead of using it for their own profit as at present.

"In the month Hator," thought Samentu, "I shall be ruler of Egypt! The young lord loves women and warriors too well to labor at governing. And if he has no son, then my son, my son."

He came to himself. One more torch had burnt out; it was high time to leave those underground chambers.

He rose, took his basket and left the hall above the treasure.

"I need no assistance," thought he, laughing. "I have secured everything I alone I, the despised priest of Set!"

He had passed a number of tens of chambers and corridors when he halted on a sudden. It seemed to him that on the pavement of the hall to which he was going he saw a small streak of light.

In one moment such dreadful fear seized the man that he put out his torch. But the streak of light on the pavement had vanished. Samentu strained his hearing, but he heard only the throbbing of his own temples.

"That only seemed to me!" said he.

With a trembling hand he took out of the basket a small vessel in which punk was burning slowly, and he lighted the torch again.

"I am very drowsy," thought he. Looking around the chamber he went to a wall in which a door was hidden. He pushed a nail; the door did not slip back. A second, a third pressure no effect.

"What does this mean?" thought Samentu in amazement.

He forgot now the streak of light. It seemed to him that a new thing, unheard of, had met him. He had opened in his life so many hundreds of secret doors, he had opened so many in the labyrinth, that he could not understand simply the present resistance. Terror seized him a second time. He ran from wall to wall and tried secret doors everywhere. At last one opened. He found himself in an immense hall, filled as usual with columns. His torch lighted barely a part of the space, the remainder of it was lost in thick darkness.

The darkness, the forest of columns, and above all the strangeness of the hall gave the priest confidence. At the bottom of his fear a spark of naive hope was roused then. It seemed to him that since he did not know the place himself no one else knew it, and that no man would meet him in that labyrinth.

He was pacified somewhat and felt that his legs were bending under him; so he sat down. But again he sprang up and looked around, as if to learn whether danger was really threatening, and whence. From which of those dark comers would it come out to rush at him?

Samentu was acquainted as no other man in Egypt with subterranean places, with going astray, and with darkness. He had passed also through many alarms in his life. But that which he experienced then was something perfectly new and so terrible that the priest feared to give its own name to it.

At last, with great effort, he collected his thoughts, and said,

"If indeed I have seen a light if indeed some one has closed the doors, I am betrayed. In that case what?"

"Death!" whispered a voice hidden in the bottom of his soul somewhere.

"Death?"

Sweat came out on his face, his breath stopped-. All at once the madness of fear mastered him. He ran through the chamber and struck his fist against the wall, seeking an exit. He forgot where he was and how he had got there; he lost his direction, and even the power of taking bearings with the bead-string.

All at once he felt that in him were two persons, so to speak: one really bewildered, the other wise and self-possessed. This wiseman explained to himself that all might be imagination, that no one had discovered him, that no one was searching, and that he could escape if he would recover somewhat. But the first, the bewildered man, would not listen to the voice of wisdom; on the contrary, he gained on his internal antagonist every moment.

Oh, if he could only hide in some column! Let them seek then Though surely no one would seek, and no one would find him, while self-command would come again to him.

"What can happen to me here?" said he, shrugging his shoulders. "If I calm myself they can chase me through the whole labyrinth. To cut off all the roads there would have to be many thousand persons, and to indicate what cell I am in a miracle would be needed! But let us suppose that they seize me. Then what? I will take this little vial here, put it to my lips, and in one moment I shall flee away so that no one could catch me not even a divinity."

But in spite of reasoning, such terrible fear seized the man again that he put out the torch a second time, and trembling, his teeth chattering, he pushed up to one of the columns.

"How was it possible how could I decide to come in here?" thought Samentu. "Had I not food to eat, a place on which to lay my head? It is a simple thing, I am discovered! The labyrinth has a multitude of overseers as watchful as dogs, and only a child, or an idiot, would think of deceiving them. Property power! Where is the treasure for which it would be worth while for a man to give one day of his life? And here, I, a man in the bloom of existence, have exposed myself."

It seemed to him that he heard heavy knocking. He sprang up and in the depth of the chamber he saw a gleam of light.

Yes! a real gleam of light, not an illusion. At a distant wall, somewhere at the end, stood an open door through which at that moment armed men were coming in carefully with torches.

At sight of this the priest felt a chill in his feet, in his heart, in his head. He doubted no longer that he was not merely discovered, but hunted and surrounded.

Who could have betrayed him? Of course only one man: the young priest of Set, whom he had acquainted minutely enough with his purposes. The traitor, if alone, would have had to look almost a month for the way to the treasure, but if he had agreed with the overseers they might in one day track out Samentu.

At that moment the high priest felt the impressions known only to men who are looking at death face to face. He ceased to fear since his imagined alarms had now vanished before real torches. Not only did he regain self-command, but he felt immensely above everything living. In a short time he would be threatened no longer by danger of any sort.

The thoughts flew through his head with lightning clearness and speed. He took in the whole of his existence: his toils, his perils, his hopes, his ambitions, and all of those seemed to him a trifle. For what would it serve him to be at that moment the pharaoh, or to own every treasure in all kingdoms? They were vanity, dust, and even worse an illusion. Death alone was all-mighty and genuine.

Meanwhile the torch-bearers were examining columns most carefully, and also every corner; they had passed through half the immense hall. Samentu saw even the points of their lances, and noted that the men hesitated and advanced with alarm and repulsion. A few steps behind them was another group of persons to whom one torch gave light. Samentu did not even feel aversion toward them, he was only curious as to who could have betrayed him. But even that point did not concern him overmuch, for incomparably more important then seemed the question: Why must he die, and why had he been brought into existence? For with death present as a fact a whole life-time is shortened into one painful minute even though that life were the longest of all and the richest in experience.

"Why was he alive? For what purpose?"

He was sobered by the voice of one of the armed men,

"There is no one here, and cannot be."

They halted. Samentu felt that he loved those men, and his heart thumped within him.

The second group of persons came up; among them there was a discussion,

"How can even thou, worthiness, suppose that some one has entered?" asked a voice quivering with anger. "All the entrances are guarded, especially now. And even if any one stole in it would be only to die here of hunger."

"But, worthiness, see how this Lykon bears himself," answered another voice. "The sleeping man looks all the time as if he felt an enemy near him.."

"Lykon?" thought Samentu. "Ah, that Greek who is like the pharaoh. What do I see? Mefres has brought him!"

At this moment the sleeping Greek rushed forward and stopped at the column behind which Samentu was hidden. The armed men ran after him, and the gleam of their torches threw light on the dark figure of Samentu.

"Who is here?" cried, with a hoarse voice, the leader.

Samentu stood forth. The sight of him made such a powerful impression that the torch-bearers withdrew. He might have passed out between them, so terrified were they, and no one would have detained him; but the priest thought no longer of rescue.

"Well, has my man with second sight been mistaken?" said Mefres, pointing at his victim. "There is the traitor!"

Samentu approached him with a smile, and said,

"I recognize thee by that cry, Mefres. When Thou canst not be a cheat, Thou art merely an idiot."

Those present were astounded. Samentu spoke with calm irony.

"Though it is true that at this moment Thou art both cheat and fool. A cheat, for Thou art trying to persuade the overseers of the labyrinth that this villain has the gift of second sight; and a fool, for Thou thinkest that they believe thee. Better tell them that in the temple of Ptah there are detailed plans of the labyrinth."

"That is a lie!" cried Mefres.

"Ask those men whom they believe: thee, or me? I am here because I found plans in the temple of Set; Thou hast come by the grace of the immortal Ptah," concluded Samentu, laughing.

"Bind that traitor and liar!" cried Mefres.

Samentu moved back a couple of steps, drew forth quickly from under his garment a vial, and said, while raising it to his lips, "Mefres, Thou wilt be an idiot till death. Thou hast wit only when it is a question of money."

He placed the vial between his lips and fell to the pavement.

The armed men rushed to the priest and raised him, but he had slipped through their fingers already.

"Let him stay here, like others," said the overseer of the labyrinth.

The whole retinue left the hall and closed the open doors carefully. Soon they issued forth from the edifice.

When the worthy Mefres found himself in the court he commanded the priests to make ready the mounted litters, and rode away with the sleeping Lykon to Memphis.

The overseers of the labyrinth, dazed by the uncommon events, looked now at one another, and now at the escort of Mefres, which was disappearing in a yellow dust cloud.

"I cannot believe," said the chief overseer, "that in our days there was a man who could break into the labyrinth."

"Your worthiness forgets that this day there were three such," interrupted one of the younger priests looking askance at him.

"A a true!" answered the high priest. "Have the gods disturbed my reason?" said he, rubbing his forehead and pressing the amulet on his breast.

"And two have fled," added the younger priest.

"Why didst Thou not turn my attention to that in the labyrinth?" burst out the superior.

"I did not know that things would turn out as they have."

"Woe is on my head!" cried the high priest. "Not chief should I be at this edifice, but gatekeeper. We were warned that some one was stealing in, but now we have let out two of the most dangerous, who will bring now whomever it may please them O woe!"

"Thou hast no need, worthiness, to despair," said another priest. "Our law is explicit. Send four or six of our men to Memphis, and provide them with sentences. The rest will be their work."

"I have lost my reason," complained the high priest.

"What has happened is over," interrupted the young priest, with irony. "One thing is certain: that men who not only reach the vaults, but even walk through them as through their own houses, may not live."

"Then select six from our militia."

"Of course! It is necessary to end this," confirmed the overseers.

"Who knows if Mefres did not act in concert with the most worthy Herhor?" whispered some one.

"Enough!" exclaimed the high priest. "If we find Herhor in the labyrinth we will act as the law directs. But to make guesses, or suspect any one is not permitted. Let the secretaries prepare sentences for Mefres and Lykon, Let those chosen hurry after them, and let the militia strengthen the watch. We must also examine the interior of the edifice and discover how Samentu got into it, though I am sure that he will have no followers in the near future."

A couple of hours later six men had set out for Memphis.