Part 35 (2/2)
Then the Great King opened his eyes and knew us and on his dying features came a look of hate.
”So you have conquered, Egyptian,” he said. ”Oh! if only I had you again in the East, whence in my folly I let you go----”
”You would set me in your boat, would you not, whence by the wisdom of Bes I escaped.”
”More than that,” he gasped.
”I shall not serve you so,” I went on. ”I shall leave you to die as a warrior should upon a fair fought field. But learn, tyrant and murderer, that the shaft which overthrew you came from the black bow you coveted and thought you had received, and that this hand loosed it--not at hazard.”
”I guessed it,” he whispered.
”Know, too, King, that the lady Amada whom you also coveted, waits to be my wife; that your mighty army is destroyed, and that Egypt is free by the hands of Shabaka the Egyptian and Bes the dwarf.”
”Shabaka the Egyptian,” he muttered, ”whom I held and let go because of a dream and for policy. So, Shabaka, you will wed Amada whom I desired because I could not take her, and doubtless you will rule in Egypt, for Pharaoh, I think, is as I am to-day. O Shabaka, you are strong and a great warrior, but there is something stronger than you in the world--that which men call Fate. Such success as yours offends the G.o.ds.
Look on me, Shabaka, look on the King of kings, the Ruler of the earth, lying shamed in the dust before you, and, accursed Shabaka! do not call yourself happy until you see death as near as I do now.”
Then he threw his arms wide and died.
We called to soldiers to bear his body and having set the pursuit, with that royal clay entered into Amada in triumph. It was not a very great town and the temple was its finest building and thither we wended. In the outer court we found Pharaoh lying at the point of death, for from many wounds his life drained out with his flowing blood, nor could the leeches help him.
”Greeting, Shabaka,” he said, ”you and the Ethiopians have saved Egypt.
My son is slain in the battle and I too am slain, and who remains to rule her save you, you and Amada? Would that you had married her at once, and never left my side. But she was foolish and headstrong and I--was jealous of you, Shabaka. Forgive me, and farewell.”
He spoke no more although he lived a little while.
Karema came from the inner court. She greeted her husband, then turned and said,
”Lord Shabaka, one waits to welcome you.”
I rested myself upon her shoulder, for I could not walk alone.
”What happened to the army of the Karoon?” I asked as we went slowly.
”That happened, Lord, which the holy Tanofir foretold. The Easterns attacked across the swamp, thinking to bear us down by numbers. But the paths were too narrow and their columns were bogged in the mud.
Still they struggled on against the arrows to its edge and there the Ethiopians fell on them and being lighter-footed and without armour, had the mastery of them, who were enc.u.mbered by their very mult.i.tude. Oh! I saw it all from the temple top. Bes did well and I am proud of him, as I am proud of you.”
”It is of the Ethiopians that you should be proud, Karema, since with one to five they have won a great battle.”
We came to the end of the second court where was a sanctuary.
”Enter,” said Karema and fell back.
I did so and though the cedar door was left a little ajar, at first could see nothing because of the gloom of the place. By degrees my eyes grew accustomed to the darkness and I perceived an alabaster statue of the G.o.ddess Isis of the size of life, who held in her arms an ivory child, also lifesize. Then I heard a sigh and, looking down, saw a woman clad in white kneeling at the feet of the statue, lost in prayer.
Suddenly she rose and turned and the ray of light from the door ajar fell upon her. It was Amada draped only in the transparent robe of a priestess, and oh! she was beautiful beyond imagining, so beautiful that my heart stood still.
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