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learning； thy mind consents thereto； then mount thy throne； O Pharaoh
and swear the oath！
〃Long has Khemi groaned beneath the mailed heel of the Greek； and
trembled at the shadow of the Roman's spear； long has the ancient
worship of its Gods been desecrated； and its people crushed with
oppression。 But we believe that the hour of deliverance is at hand；
and with the solemn voice of Egypt and by the ancient Gods of Egypt；
to whose cause thou art of all men bound； we call upon thee； Prince；
to be the sword of our deliverance。 Hearken！ Twenty thousand good and
leal men are sworn to wait upon thy word； and at thy signal to rise as
one； to put the Grecian to the sword； and with their blood and
substance to build thee a throne set more surely on the soil of Khem
than are its ancient pyramidssuch a throne as shall even roll the
Roman legions back。 And for the signal； it shall be the death of that
bold harlot； Cleopatra。 Thou must compass her death； Harmachis； in
such fashion as shall be shown to thee； and with her blood anoint the
Royal throne of Egypt。
〃Canst thou refuse； O our Hope？ Doth not the holy love of country
swell within thy heart？ Canst thou dash the cup of Freedom from thy
lips and bear to drink the bitter draught of slaves？ The emprise is
great； maybe it shall fail； and thou with thy life； as we with ours；
shalt pay the price of our endeavour。 But what of it； Harmachis？ Is
life； then； so sweet？ Are we so softly cushioned on the stony bed of
earth？ Is bitterness and sorrow in its sum so small and scant a thing？
Do we here breathe so divine an air that we should fear to face the
passage of our breath？ What have we here but hope and memory？ What see
we here but shadows？ Shall we then fear to pass pure…handed where
Fulfilment is and memory is lost in its own source； and shadows die in
the light which cast them？ O Harmachis； that man alone is truly blest
who crowns his life with Fame's most splendid wreath。 For； since to
all the Brood of Earth Death hands his poppy…flowers； he indeed is
happy to whom there is occasion given to weave them in a crown of
glory。 And how can a man die better than in a great endeavour to
strike the gyves from his Country's limbs so that she again may stand
in the face of Heaven and raise the shrill shout of Freedom； and； clad
once more in a panoply of strength； trample under foot the fetters of
her servitude； defying the tyrant nations of the earth to set their
seal upon her brow？
〃Khem calls thee； Harmachis。 Come then； thou Deliverer； leap like
Horus from the firmament； break her chains； scatter her foes； and rule
a Pharaoh on Pharaoh's Throne〃
〃Enough； enough！〃 I cried； while the long murmur of applause swept
about the columns and up the massy walls。 〃Enough； is there any need
to adjure me thus？ Had I a hundred lives； would I not most gladly lay
them down for Egypt？〃
〃Well said； well said！〃 answered Sepa。 〃Now go forth with the woman
yonder； that she may make thy hands clean before they touch the sacred
emblems； and anoint thy brow before it is encircled of the diadem。〃
And so I went into a chamber apart with the old wife； Atoua。 There；
muttering prayers； she poured pure water over my hands into a ewer of
gold； and having dipped a fine cloth into oil wiped my brow with it。
〃O happy Egypt！〃 she said； 〃O happy Prince； that art come to rule in
Egypt！ O Royal youth！too Royal to be a priestso shall many a fair
woman think； but； perchance； for thee they will relax the priestly
rule； else how shall the race of Pharaoh be carried on？ O happy I； who
dandled thee and gave my flesh and blood to save thee！ O royal and
beautiful Harmachis； born for splendour； happiness； and love！〃
〃Cease； cease；〃 I said； for her talk jarred upon me； 〃call me not
happy till thou knowest my end； and speak not to me of love； for with
love comes sorrow； and mine is another and a higher way。〃
〃Ay； ay； so thou sayestand joy； too； that comes with love！ Never
talk lightly of love； my King； for it brought thee here！ /La！ la！/ but
it is always the way'The goose on the wing laughs at crocodiles；' so
goes their saying down at Alexandria； 'but when the goose is asleep on
the water； it is the crocodiles that laugh。' Not but what women are
pretty crocodiles。 Men worship the crocodiles at Anthribis
Crocodilopolis they call it now； don't they？but they worship women
all the world over！ /La！/ how my tongue runs on； and thou about to be
crowned Pharaoh！ Did I not prophesy it to thee？ Well； thou art clean；
Lord of the Double Crown。 Go forth！〃
So I went from the chamber with the old wife's foolish talk ringing in
my ears； though of a truth her folly had ever a grain of wit in it。
As I came； the Dignitaries rose once more and bowed before me。 Then my
father； without delay； drew near me； and placed in my hands a golden
image of the divine Ma； the Goddess of Truth； and golden images of the
arks of the God Amen…Ra； of the divine Mout； and the divine Khons； and
spoke solemnly：
〃Thou swearest by the living majesty of Ma； by the majesty of Amen…Ra；
of Mout； and of Khons？〃
〃I swear；〃 I said。
〃Thou swearest by the holy land of Khem； by Sihor's flood； by the
Temples of the Gods and the eternal Pyramids？〃
〃I swear。〃
〃Remembering thy hideous doom if thou shouldst fail therein； thou
swearest that thou wilt in all things govern Egypt according to its
ancient laws； that thou wilt preserve the worship of its Gods； that
thou wilt do equal justice； that thou wilt not oppress； that thou wilt
not betray； that thou wilt make no alliance with the Roman or the
Greek； that thou wilt cast out the foreign Idols； that thou wilt
devote thy life to the liberty of the land of Khem？〃
〃I swear。〃
〃It is well。 Mount； then； the throne； that in the presence of these
thy subjects； I may name thee Pharaoh。〃
I mounted upon the throne； of which the footstool is a Sphinx； and the
canopy the overshadowing wings of Ma。 Then Amenemhat drew nigh once
again and placed the Pshent upon my brow； and on my head the Double
Crown； and the Royal Robe about my shoulders； and in my hands the
Sceptre and the Scourge。
〃Royal Harmachis；〃 he cried； 〃by these outward signs and tokens； I；
the High Priest of the Temple of Ra…Men…Ma at Abouthis； crown thee
Pharaoh of the Upper and Lower Land。 Reign and prosper； O Hope of
Khemi！〃
〃Reign and prosper； Pharaoh！〃 echoed the Dignitaries； bowing down
before me。
Then； one by one； they swore allegiance； till all had sworn。 And；
having sworn； my father took me by the hand； he led me in solemn
procession into each of the seven Sanctuaries that are in this Temple
of Ra…Men…Ma； and in each I made offerings； swung incense； and
officiated as priest。 Clad in the Royal robes I made offerings in the
Shrine of Horus； in the Shrine of Isis； in the Shrine of Osiris； in
the Shrine of Amen…Ra； in the Shrine of Horemku； in the Shrine of
Ptah； till at length I reached the Shrine of the King's Chamber。
Here they made their offering to me； as the Divine Pharaoh； and left
me very wearybut a King。
＇Here the first and smallest of the papyrus rolls comes to an end。＇
BOOK II
THE FALL OF HARMACHIS
CHAPTER I
OF THE FAREWELL OF AMENEMHAT TO HARMACHIS； OF THE COMING
OF HARMACHIS TO ALEXANDRIA； OF THE EXHORTATION OF SEPA； OF
THE PASSING OF CLEOPATRA ROBED AS ISIS； AND OF THE OVERTHROW
OF THE GLADIATOR BY HARMACHIS
Now the long days of preparation had passed； and the time was at hand。
I was initiated； and I was crowned； so that although the common folk
knew me not； or knew me only as Priest of Isis； there were in Egypt
thousands who at heart bowed down to me as Pharaoh。 The hour was at
hand； and my soul went forth to meet it。 For I longed to overthrow the
foreigner； to set Egypt free； to mount the throne that was my
heritage； and cleanse the temples of my Gods。 I was fain for the
struggle； and I never doubted of its end。 I looked into the mirror；
and saw triumph written on my brows。 The future stretched a path of
glory from my feetay； glittering with glory like Sihor in the sun。 I
communed with my Mother Isis； I sat within my chamber and took counsel
with my heart； I planned new temples； I revolved great laws that I
would put forth for my people's weal； and in my ears rang the shouts
of exultation which should greet victorious Pharaoh on his throne。
But still I tarried a little while at Abouthis； and； having been
commanded to do so； let my hair； that had been shorn； grow again long
and black as the raven's wing； instructing myself meanwhile in all
manly exercises and feats of arms。 Also； for a purpose which shall be
seen； I perfected myself in the magic art of the Egyptians； and in the
reading of the stars； in which things； indeed； I already have great
skill。
Now； this was the plan that had been built up。 My uncle Sepa had； for
a while； left