Part 18 (1/2)
Here I ceased, saying that Bes knew better than I what had chanced at the Court while I was pinned in the boat, whereon all present cried out to Bes to take up the tale This he did, andout s which made the scene appear before the At last he ca asked him if he had ever seen a woman fairer than the dancers, and went on thus:
”O Prince, I told the Great King that I had; that there dwelt in Egypt a lady of royal blood with eyes like stars, with hair like silk and long as an unbridled horse's tail, with a shape like to that of a Goddess, with breath like flowers, with skin likelike to that of the God Thoth, it like a razor's edge, with teeth like pearls, with ers like rosebuds set in pink seashells, with race like that of a swan floating upon water, and--I don't remember the rest, O Prince”
”Perhaps it is as well,” exclai say then?”
”He asked her naive to this wondrous lady who surpasses all the Goddesses in loveliness and charm, O dwarf Bes?” inquired Ah-born One? Is it needful to ask? Why, what naive but your own, for is there any other in the world of whom a s?”
Now hearing this I gasped, but before I could speak A,
”Wretch! You dared to speak ed till your bones are bare”
”And why not, Lady? Would you have had me sit still and hear those fat trollops of the East exalted above you? Would you have had me so disloyal to your royal loveliness?”
”You should be scourged,” repeated A her foot ”My Uncle, I pray you cause this knave to be scourged”
”Nay, nay,” said Peroa ht only to sing your praises in a far land Be not angry with the dwarf, Niece Had it been Shabaka who gave your na would be different What happened next, Bes?”
”Only this, Prince,” said Bes, looking upwards and rolling his eyes, as was his fashi+on when unloading so sent his servants to bring ht inquire of him whether he had always found me truthful For, Prince, those Easterns set ypt is worshi+pped as a Goddess There they do not worshi+p her because she lives in the heart of every man, and some women”
Now all stared at Bes who continued to stare at the ceiling, and I rose to say so, I know not what, when suddenly the doors opened and through the,
”Hearken, Peroa, Prince of Egypt by grace of the Great King ARead and obey, O Peroa, Prince of Egypt by grace of the Great King!”
As they cried thus fro Eastern robes were stained with the dust of travel Advancing without salute he drew out a roll, touched his forehead with it, bowing deeply, and handed it to the prince, saying,
”Kiss the Word Read the Word Obey the Word, O servant of our Master, the King of kings, beneath whose feet we are all but dust”
Peroa took the roll,it to his forehead, opened and read it As he did so I saw the veins swell upon his neck and his eyes flash, but he only said,
”O Messenger, to-night I feast, to-iven to you to convey to the Satrap Idernes My servants will find you food and lodging You are disiven early lest you also should be dismissed, O Peroa,” said the man with insolence
Then he turned his back upon the prince, as one does on an inferior, and walked away, accoone and the doors had been shut, Peroa spoke in a voice that was thick with fury, saying,
”Hearken, all of you, to the words of the writing”
Then he read it
”Fros, the Ruler of all the earth, to Peroa, one of his servants in the Satrapy of Egypt,
”Deliver over to my servant Idernes without delay, the person of Aypt, who is your relative and in your guardianshi+p, that shethe women of my house”