Читать книгу The Pharaoh and the Priest - Bolesław Prus - Страница 10

Table of Contents

THE entrance to the pharaoh’s palace at Memphis was through a gate placed between two lofty towers or pylons. The external walls of these buildings were of gray sandstone covered from foundation to summit with bas-reliefs.

At the top of the gate rose the arms of the state, or its symbol: a winged globe, from behind which appeared two serpents. Lower down sat a series of gods to which the pharaohs were bringing offerings. On side pillars images of the gods were cut out also in five rows, one above the other, while below were hieroglyphic inscriptions.

On the walls of each pylon the chief place was occupied by a flat sculpture of Rameses the Great, who held in one hand an uplifted axe and grasped in the other, by the hair of the head, a crowd of people tied in a bundle, like parsley. Above the king stood or sat two rows of gods; still higher, a line of people with offerings; at the very summit of the pylons were winged serpents intertwined with scarabs.

Those pylons with walls narrowing toward the top, the gate which connected them, the flat sculptures in which order was mingled with gloomy fantasy and piety with cruelty, produced a tremendous impression. It seemed difficult to enter that place, impossible to go out, and a burden to live there.

From the gate, before which stood troops and a throng of small officials, those who entered came into a court surrounded by porticos resting on pillars. That was an ornamental garden, in which were cultivated aloes, palms, pomegranates, and cedars in pots, all placed in rows and selected according to size. In the middle shot up a fountain; the paths were sprinkled with colored sand.

Under the gallery sat or walked higher officials of the state, speaking in low tones.

From the court, through a high door, the visitor passed to a hall of twelve lofty columns. The hall was large, but as the columns also were large, the hall seemed diminutive. It was lighted by small windows in the walls and through a rectangular opening in the roof. Coolness and shade prevailed there; the shade was almost a gloom, which did not, however, prevent him who entered from seeing the yellow walls and pillars, covered with lines of paintings. At the top leaves and flowers were represented; lower down, the gods; still lower, people who carried their statues or brought them offerings; and between these groups were lines of hieroglyphs.

All this was painted in clear, almost glaring colors,—green, red, and blue.

In this hall, with its varied mosaic pavement, stood in silence, white robed and barefoot, the priests, the highest dignitaries of State, Herhor, the minister of war, also the leaders Nitager and Patrokles, who had been summoned to the presence of the pharaoh.

His holiness Rameses XII., as usual before he held council, was placing offerings before the gods in his chapel. This continued rather long. Every moment some priest or official ran in from the more distant chambers and communicated news touching the course of the service.

“The lord has broken the seal to the chapel— He is washing the sacred divinity— Now he is putting it away— Now he has closed the door—”

On the faces of courtiers, notwithstanding their offices, concern and humility were evident. But Herhor was indifferent, Patrokles impatient, and Nitager now and then disturbed with his deep voice the solemn silence. After every such impolite sound from the old leader, the courtiers moved, like frightened sheep, and looked at one another, as if saying,—

“This rustic has been hunting barbarians all his life, we may pardon him.”

From remoter chambers were heard the sound of bells and the clatter of weapons. Into the hall came in two ranks some tens of the guard in gilt helmets, in breastplates, and with drawn swords, next two ranks of priests, and at last appeared the pharaoh, carried in a litter, surrounded by clouds of smoke and incense.

The ruler of Egypt, Rameses XII., was nearly sixty years old. His face was withered. He wore a white mantle; on his head was a red and white cap with a golden serpent; in his hand he held a long staff.

When the retinue showed itself, all present fell on their faces, except Patrokles, who, as a barbarian, stopped at a low bow, while Nitager knelt on one knee, but soon rose again.

The litter stopped before a baldachin under which was an ebony throne on an elevation. The pharaoh descended slowly from the litter, looked awhile at those present, and then, taking his seat on the throne, gazed fixedly at the cornice on which was painted a rose-colored globe with blue wings and green serpents.

On the right of the pharaoh stood the chief scribe, on the left a judge with a staff; both wore immense wigs.

At a sign from the judge all sat down or knelt on the pavement, while the scribe said to the pharaoh,—

“Our lord and mighty ruler! Thy servant Nitager, the great guard on the eastern boundary, has come to render thee homage, and has brought tribute from conquered nations: a vase of green stone filled with gold, three hundred oxen, a hundred horses, and the fragrant wood teshep.”

“That is a mean tribute, my lord,” said Nitager. “Real treasures we can find only on the Euphrates, where splendid kings, though weak so far, need much to be reminded of Rameses the Great.”

“Answer my servant Nitager,” said the pharaoh to the scribe, “that his words will be taken under careful consideration. But now ask him what he thinks of the military ability of my son and heir, whom he had the honor of meeting near Pi-Bailos yesterday.”

“Our lord, the master of nine nations, asks thee, Nitager—” began the scribe.

But the leader interrupted quickly, to the great dissatisfaction of the courtiers,—

“I hear myself what my lord says. Only the heir to the throne could be his mouth when he turns to me; not thou, chief scribe.”

The scribe looked with consternation at the daring leader, but the pharaoh answered,—

“My faithful Nitager speaks truth.”

The minister of war bowed.

Now the judge announced to all present—to the priests, the officials, and the guards that—they might go to the palace courtyard; and he himself, bowing to the throne, was the first to go thither. In the hall remained only the pharaoh, Herhor, and the two leaders.

“Incline thy ears, O sovereign, and listen to complaints,” began Nitager. “This morning the official priest, who came at thy command to anoint my hair, told me that in going to thee I was to leave my sandals in the entrance hall. Meanwhile it is known, not only in Upper and Lower Egypt, but in the Hittite country, Libya, Phœnicia, and the land of Punt, that twenty years ago thou didst give me the right to stand before thee in sandals.”

“Thou speakest truth,” said the pharaoh. “Various disorders have crept into the court ceremonial.”

“Only give command, O king, and my veterans will produce order immediately,” added Nitager.

At a sign given by the minister of war, a number of officials ran in: one brought sandals and put them on Nitager’s feet; others put down costly stools for the minister and leaders.

When the three dignitaries were seated, Rameses XII. said,—

“Tell me, Nitager, dost thou think that my son will be a leader?—But tell pure truth.”

“By Amon of Thebes, by the glory of my ancestors in whom was blood royal, I swear that thy heir, Prince Rameses, will be a great leader, if the gods permit,” replied Nitager. “He is a young man, a lad yet; still he concentrated his regiments, eased their march, and provided for them. He pleased me most of all by this, that he did not lose his head when I cut off the road before him, but led his men to the attack. He will be a leader, and will conquer the Assyrians, whom we must vanquish to-day if they are not to be seen on the Nile by our grandchildren.”

“What dost thou say to that?” inquired the pharaoh of Herhor.

“As to the Assyrians, I think that the worthy Nitager is concerned about them too early. We must strengthen ourselves well before we begin a new war. As to the heir, Nitager says justly that the young man has the qualities of a leader: he is as keen as a fox, and has the energy of a lion. Still he made many blunders yesterday.”

“Who among us has not made them?” put in Patrokles, silent thus far.

“The heir,” continued the minister, “led the main corps wisely, but he neglected his staff; through this neglect we marched so slowly and in such disorder that Nitager was able to cut off the road before us.”

“Perhaps Rameses counted on your dignity,” said Nitager.

“In government and war we must count on no man: one unreckoned little stone may overturn everything,” said the minister.

“If thou, worthiness,” answered Patrokles, “had not pushed the columns from the road because of those scarabs—”

“Thou, worthiness, art a foreigner and an unbeliever,” retorted Herhor, “hence this speech. But we Egyptians understand that when the people and the soldiers cease to reverence the scarabs, their sons will cease to fear the ureus (the serpent). From contempt of the gods is born revolt against the pharaohs.”

“But what are axes for?” asked Nitager. “Whoso wishes to keep a head on his shoulders let him listen to the supreme commander.”

“What then is your final opinion of the heir?” asked the pharaoh of Herhor.

“Living image of the sun, child of the gods,” replied the minister. “Command to anoint Rameses, give him a grand chain and ten talents, but do not appoint him yet to command the corps in Memphis. The prince is too young for that office, too passionate and inexperienced. Can we recognize him as the equal of Patrokles, who has trampled the Ethiopians and the Libyans in twenty battles? Or can we place him at the side of Nitager, whose name alone brings pallor to our northern and eastern enemies?”

The pharaoh rested his head on his hand, meditated, and said,—

“Depart with my favor and in peace. I will do what is indicated by wisdom and justice.”

The dignitaries bowed low, and Rameses XII., without waiting for his suite, passed to remoter chambers.

When the two leaders found themselves alone in the entrance hall, Nitager said to Patrokles,—

“Here priests rule as in their own house. I see that. But what a leader that Herhor is! He vanquished us before we spoke; he does not grant a corps to the heir.”

“He praised me so that I dared not utter a word,” said Patrokles.

“He is far seeing, and does not tell all he thinks. In the wake of the heir various young lords who go to war taking singers would have shoved themselves into the corps, and they would occupy the highest places. Naturally old officers would fall into idleness from anger, because promotion had missed them; the exquisites would be idle for the sake of amusement, and the corps would break up without even meeting an enemy. Oh, Herhor is a sage!”

“May his wisdom not cost thee more than the inexperience of Rameses,” whispered Patrokles.

Through a series of chambers filled with columns and adorned with paintings, where at each door priests and palace officials gave low obeisances before him, the pharaoh passed to his cabinet. That was a lofty hall with alabaster walls on which in gold and bright colors were depicted the most famous events in the reign of Rameses XII., therefore homage given him by the inhabitants of Mesopotamia, the embassy from the King of Buchten, and the triumphal journey of the god Khonsu through the land of that potentate.

In this hall was the malachite statue of the bird-headed Horus, adorned with gold and jewels. In front of the statue was an altar shaped as a truncated pyramid, the king’s armor, costly armchairs and stools, also tables covered with trifles and small objects.

When the pharaoh appeared, one of the priests burnt incense before him, and one of the officials announced Prince Rameses, who soon entered and bowed low before his father. On the expressive face of the prince feverish disquiet was evident.

“Erpatr, I rejoice,” said the pharaoh, “that thou hast returned in good health from a difficult journey.”

“Mayst thou live through eternity, holiness, and thy affairs fill the two worlds!” replied Rameses.

“My military advisers have just informed me of thy labor and prudence.”

The heir’s face quivered and changed. He fixed great eyes on the pharaoh and listened.

“Thy deeds will not remain without reward. Thou wilt receive ten talents, a great chain, and two Greek regiments with which thou wilt exercise.”

Rameses was amazed, but after a while he asked with a stifled voice,—

“But the corps in Memphis?”

“In a year we will repeat the manœuvres, and if thou make no mistake in leading the army thou wilt get the corps.”

“I know that Herhor did this!” cried the prince, hardly restraining his anger.

He looked around, and added, “I can never be alone with thee, my father; strangers are always between us.”

The pharaoh moved his brows slightly, and his suite vanished, like a crowd of shadows.

“What hast thou to tell me?”

“Only one thing, father. Herhor is my enemy. He accused me to thee and exposed me to this shame!”

In spite of his posture of obedience the prince gnawed his lips and balled his fists.