Queen of the Dawn A Love Tale of Old Egypt

QUEEN OF THE DAWN

would be on their hands. So in the end he made them a large present, for which they thanked him with many bows, and, just as the sun began to set, departed back to the temple.

As they went side by side, Khian, who was lost in thought and wonder, heard Ru mutter:

“A second whom the gods have smitten with the desire to climb the pyramids. Who could have believed that there were two such mad people in the world? What does it mean? Surely such folly must have a meaning, for among my people, the Ethiopians, they say that the maddest are always the most inspired.”

Twice or thrice he muttered thus, till at last Khian asked him suddenly:

“Who, then, was the other fool to whom the gods gave the desire to climb the pyramids? Was she perchance that one whom I saw standing with the Sheik and his sons upon yonder crest?”

“No, I think not,” answered the startled Ru confusedly. “Indeed, I am sure not, since to-day she has other business to attend. Also, I should have known – “ Then he remembered and stopped.

“So there is a lady who loves this sport! Well, I have heard as much before, and, friend Ru, as you seem to know her, if you will arrange that I can follow it in her company, you will find yourself growing richer than you are.”

“Here is the door to the temple,” answered Ru, with a grin, “and, by the way, the second prophet, Tau, bade me to pray you to eat with him and others this night.”

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“I obey,” said Khian, hoping in his heart that one of those others would be the lovely lady whom he had seen crowned as Princess of Egypt. Yet this was not so, for at that meal were only Tau and with him three aged councillors, who, when they had partaken sparingly, slipped away, leaving him and his host together. Then these two began to talk, each of them seeking knowledge of the other.

Soon Khian learned that this Tau, the second Prophet of the order, though not Egyptian by blood, had been born to a high station and great wealth. He had been a warrior and a statesman also, and, it seemed, might have become a king, either in Cyprus or Syria, where he would not say. Far and wide he had travelled about the world, acquiring the languages of many peoples and much learning, and studying religions and philosophies. Yet in the end he had abandoned all and become one of the Priesthood of the Dawn.

Khian asked him why he who, as he understood, might have sat upon a throne and mingled with the great ones of the earth while children grew up about him had chosen instead to dwell in tombs with the brethren of a secret order.

“Would you learn? Then I will tell you,” answered Tau. “I have done this because I seek peace, peace for Egypt and the world and peace for my own soul, and in pomps and governments there is no peace but only strivings that for the most part end in war to win more wealth and powers that we do not need. Scribe Rasa,” he added, looking at him keenly, “were you other than you are, a prince, for instance, I think that perhaps, had you instruction in our philosophy, in the end you might prove to be such another as I am, or even as is Roy the Prophet,

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and turning your back upon what the world calls greatness, might follow in this same path of peace and service.”

“Were I such a one, Priest Tau, it might be so, though other roads run to peace through service than those that lead there by monasteries or tombs, and each must follow that which lies open to his feet.”

“That is true and well spoken, Scribe Rasa.”

“Yet,” went on Khian, “being athirst for knowledge I would learn of these mysteries of yours and of how their servants may attain to this peace and help to call it down upon the world. Is it possible while I sojourn here that one could be found to instruct me in them?”

“I think that it is possible, but of this matter we will talk again. Sleep well, Scribe Rasa, and take counsel with your heart before you enter on this difficult path.”

Then he rose and Ru appeared to lead Khian back to his chamber.

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CHAPTER 11

THE FALL

On the following morning Khian was informed by Ru that orders had been sent to the Captain of the Pyramids to instruct him in the art of scaling them, should he so desire. So presently, accompanied by Ru, he went out and at the foot of the smallest of the pyramids found this man and his sons awaiting him. Awhile later, having been stripped of most of his garments and removed his sandals, he began his lesson, much as Nefra had done, with a rope tied about his middle. Like her, being young, active, and very bold, accustomed to the scaling of heights moreover, he proved an apt pupil, climbing two thirds of the height of the pyramid, that is, as far as he was allowed to go, turning about, as Nefra had done, and descending again with but little help from his guide. Yet trouble came, for when he was within some forty feet of the ground, to which the Sheik who was beneath him had descended already and there stood, talking to Ru, Khian called to him above who held the rope to throw it down as it was no more needed, and at the same time undid the noose from about his middle.

Thus freed the rope slid away, but, although Khian did not notice this, it caught upon the marble but a little below him. Continuing his descent carelessly enough, in setting his foot upon a certain knob of this marble, his heel rested upon the

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rope that twisted round beneath his weight, causing him to slip and lose his balance.

Next instant he was sliding down the face of the pyramid, and, as he slid he turned so that now his head pointed towards the ground. The Sheik saw, as did Ru. Together they bounded forward to catch him in his fall. In a second he was on them, but the weight of his body struck between them, forcing them apart although they grasped him as he came. Do what they would, his head hit the ground, not so very hard indeed, but, as it chanced, where a stone fallen from the pyramid was hidden just beneath the sand, and though he never felt the blow, of a sudden his senses left him, for he was stunned.

When they returned, dimly and as at a great distance he heard a voice speaking, though who spoke he could not see because his eyelids seemed to be glued together with blood, and for this, or some other reason, he was unable to open them.

“I think that he is not dead,” said the voice, which in truth was that of a physician. “The neck does not seem to be broken, nor indeed any limb. Therefore unless the skull is cracked, which I cannot discover for the blood from the cut makes search difficult, I hold that he is but stunned and will come to himself in time.”

“The gods send that you are right, Leech,” answered another voice, a woman’s voice that was full of doubt and fear. “For three long hours has he lain senseless in this tomb and so still that almost I think – Oh! see, he stirs his hand. He lives! He lives! Feel his heart again.”

The physician did so, and said:

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“It beats more strongly. Trouble not, Lady. I believe that he will recover.”

“Pray that he does, all of you,” went on the woman’s voice, in which now was hope mingled with anger. “Ill did you pyra- mid-climbers guard him who tangled the rope about his feet. As for you, Ru, was not your great strength enough to hold so light a weight falling from but a little height?”

“It seems not, Lady,” answered the deep voice of Ru, “seeing that this light weight of his knocked me down and the Sheik with me, and almost tore my arm out of its socket. Full forty feet he came like a stone from a sling.”

At this moment Khian opened his lips and very faintly asked for water. It was brought to him. A soft hand lifted his head, a vase was held to his lips. He drank, sighed, and swooned again.

Once more he awoke or was awakened by the sharp pain that seemed to stab his head from side to side. Now he could open his eyes and, looking about him, saw that he was back in his chamber at the temple, for upon a stool lay possessions of his own. At the foot of the couch a curtain had been drawn and beyond the curtain he heard two women talking.

“How goes he, Kemmah? Has he awakened?” asked a sweet voice that he knew again, for it was the voice of the guide who had led him from the palm grove, the voice, too, of her whom he had seen crowned as Queen of Egypt.

Khian strove to lift his head, to look past the end of the curtain, but could not because his neck was stiff as a stone; so he lay still and listened, his heart beating for joy because

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this fair, royal lady had been at the pains to visit him that she might learn his state.

“Not yet, child,” answered the Lady Kemmah, “though it is true that it is time he did. The learned leech, our brother, said that he can find no great hurt and that he should wake within twelve hours, but twenty have gone by and still he sleeps – or swoons.”

“Oh! Kemmah, do you think that he will die?” asked Nefra in tones that were full of fear.

“Nay, nay, I hope not, though when the head is hurt one never can be sure. It would be most sad, for he is a fine man. Never did I see one more perfect in body or more comely in his face, though half his blood is that of the accursed Shepherds.” “Who told you about his blood, Kemmah, and whence it

sprang?”

“The birds of the air or the blowing wind. Are you the last to learn what all here know – that this guest of ours is no palace scribe or officer, but the Prince Khian himself, who, if you take Apepi as a husband, will be your stepson?”

“Have done with your talk of Apepi, on whom be the curse of all the gods of Egypt, and of his own as well. For the rest, I guessed, but I did not know, though I was sure that this Rasa could be no common man. Save him, Kemmah! For if he dies – oh! what am I saying? Come, let me look on him. As he sleeps there can be no harm and I will make the sign of health upon his brow and pray for his recovery to the Spirit that we worship.”

“Well, then, be swift, for if the leech or Tau should come, they might think it strange to find the Queen of Egypt in a sick

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man’s chamber. Still, have your way, but be swift, I will keep watch without.”

Now although Khian shut his eyes close so that he could see nothing, with his ears he heard the curtain drawn aside, heard, too, a light footfall by his bed. More, he felt soft fingers make a sign upon his brow, a loop it seemed to be with a line drawn through it, perchance the Loop of Life. Then she who had drawn the sign seemed to lean over him and, setting her lips close to his face, to murmur holy words of which he could not catch the drift or meaning. And as she murmured, ever those lips drew closer to his own, till at length for one second they touched his own and swiftly were withdrawn. Then came a sigh and silence.

Now Khian opened his eyes, to see other eyes gazing down at him, and in them tears.

“Where am I? What has chanced?” he asked faintly. “I dreamed that I was dead and that some daughter of the gods breathed new life into me. Oh! now I remember, my foot turned on that accursed rope and being careless and oversure, I fell. It matters not, soon I shall be strong again and then I swear that I will climb those pyramids one by one more swiftly than does the spirit who inhabits them.”

“Hush! Hush!” murmured Nefra. “Nurse, come here. This sick one is awake and speaks, though foolishly.”

“Soon he will be asleep again for good if you stay at his side talking of pyramids,” answered Kemmah who had entered the place unseen by either. “Have you not had enough of pyramids, both of you? Would that those vain fools of kings

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had never built them to bring trouble to the greater fools who come after.”

“Yet I will climb them,” muttered Khian.

“Begone, child, and bid Ru bring the leech, and swiftly,” went on Kemmah.

With one quick glance at Khian, Nefra glided away. Kemmah watched her go, saying to herself as she turned to minister to him:

“How strange a thing is love that can send so many to their deaths, or by its strength draw the dying back to life again. But of the love of these two what will be born?”

Then she gave Khian milk to drink and bade him lie still and silent.

Yet he would not obey who, having drunk, asked her dreamily:

“Think you, good Nurse, that the Spirit of the Pyramids of whom all talk in this holy land is as fair as that lady who has left us?”

“The Spirit of the Pyramids! Can I never be rid of these pyramids? Who, then, and what is this Spirit?”

“That is just what I would find out, Nurse, even if I lose my life in seeking it, as it seems that already almost I have done. My soul is aflame with desire to look upon this Spirit, for something within tells me that until I do so never shall I find happiness.”

“Here the story runs otherwise,” answered Kemmah. “Here it is said that those who look on her, if there be such a one, find madness.”

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“Are they not perchance the same thing, Nurse? Are we ever happy except when we are mad? Can the sane be happy, or the wise? Is your holy Prophet Roy happy, who is the sanest of the sane and the wisest of the wise? Are all those deathawaiting Whitebeards who surround him happy? Have you ever been happy, except perhaps years ago when sometimes you were mad?”

“If you ask me, I have not,” answered Kemmah, remembering certain things and trembling beneath the thought of them. “Perchance you are right, young sir. Perchance, as drunkards think, we are only happy when we are mad. Yet if you will be guided by me, you will cease to seek a spirit in the skies, or near them, and content yourself with following after woman upon the earth.”

“Who knows, Nurse,” replied Khian with all the solemnity of one whose brain still reels, “that in seeking after the Spirit I may not find the woman, as in seeking after a woman, some have found a spirit? Who knows that they are not the same thing? I will tell you – perhaps – when I have climbed those pyramids by the light of the full moon.”

“Which has already shone,” interrupted Kemmah angrily. “There are more full moons to come, Nurse. The sky is as peopled with full moons unborn as the sea is with oysters that will be eaten, and the pyramids will stand for a long while to

welcome climbers,” answered Khian faintly.

“To Set with the pyramids and with your silly talk!” burst out Kemmah, stamping her foot. Then she ceased, noting that Khian had once more swooned away.

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