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them。 Then； too； we will get the rolls deciphered。 I expect that they
only contain the usual thing； copies of the 'Book of the Dead；' but
there /may/ be something else in them。 Needless to say； I did not
narrate this little adventure in Egypt； or I should have had the
Boulac Museum people on my track。 Good…bye； 'Mafish Fineesh；' as Ali
Baba always said。〃
In due course； my friend； the writer of the letter from which I have
quoted； arrived in London； and on the very next day we paid a visit to
a learned acquaintance well versed in Hieroglyphics and Demotic
writing。 The anxiety with which we watched him skilfully damping and
unfolding one of the rolls and peering through his gold…rimmed glasses
at the mysterious characters may well be imagined。
〃Hum；〃 he said； 〃whatever it is； this is /not/ a copy of the 'Book of
the Dead。' By George； what's this？ CleCleoCleopatra Why； my
dear Sirs； as I am a living man； this is the history of somebody who
lived in the days of Cleopatra； /the/ Cleopatra； for here's Antony's
name with hers！ Well； there's six months' work before me heresix
months； at the very least！〃 And in that joyful prospect he fairly lost
control of himself； and skipped about the room； shaking hands with us
at intervals； and saying 〃I'll translateI'll translate it if it
kills me； and we will publish it； and； by the living Osiris； it shall
drive every Egyptologist in Europe mad with envy！ Oh； what a find！
what a most glorious find！〃
And O you whose eyes fall upon these pages； see； they have been
translated； and they have been printed； and here they lie before you
an undiscovered land wherein you are free to travel！
Harmachis speaks to you from his forgotten tomb。 The walls of Time
fall down； and； as at the lightning's leap； a picture from the past
starts upon your view； framed in the darkness of the ages。
He shows you those two Egypts which the silent pyramids looked down
upon long centuries agothe Egypt of the Greek； the Roman； and the
Ptolemy； and that other outworn Egypt of the Hierophant； hoary with
years； heavy with the legends of antiquity and the memory of long…lost
honours。
He tells you how the smouldering loyalty of the land of Khem blazed up
before it died； and how fiercely the old Time…consecrated Faith
struggled against the conquering tide of Change that rose； like Nile
at flood； and drowned the ancient Gods of Egypt。
Here； in his pages； you shall learn the glory of Isis the Many…shaped；
the Executrix of Decrees。 Here you shall make acquaintance with the
shade of Cleopatra； that 〃Thing of Flame；〃 whose passion…breathing
beauty shaped the destiny of Empires。 Here you shall read how the soul
of Charmion was slain of the sword her vengeance smithied。
Here Harmachis； the doomed Egyptian； being about to die； salutes you
who follow on the path he trod。 In the story of his broken years he
shows to you what may in its degree be the story of your own。 Crying
aloud from that dim Amenti＇*＇ where to…day he wears out his long
atoning time； he tells； in the history of his fall； the fate of him
who； however sorely tried； forgets his God； his Honour； and his
Country。
＇*＇ The Egyptian Hades or Purgatory。Editor。
BOOK I
THE PREPARATION OF HARMACHIS
CHAPTER I
OF THE BIRTH OF HARMACHIS； THE PROPHECY OF THE HATHORS；
AND THE SLAYING OF THE INNOCENT CHILD
By Osiris who sleeps at Abouthis； I write the truth。
I； Harmachis； Hereditary Priest of the Temple； reared by the divine
Sethi； aforetime a Pharaoh of Egypt； and now justified in Osiris and
ruling in Amenti。 I； Harmachis； by right Divine and by true descent of
blood King of the Double Crown； and Pharaoh of the Upper and Lower
Land。 I； Harmachis； who cast aside the opening flower of our hope； who
turned from the glorious path； who forgot the voice of God in
hearkening to the voice of woman。 I； Harmachis； the fallen； in whom
are gathered up all woes as waters are gathered in a desert well； who
have tasted of every shame； who through betrayal have betrayed； who in
losing the glory that is here have lost the glory which is to be； who
am utterly undoneI write； and； by Him who sleeps at Abouthis； I
write the truth。
O Egypt！dear land of Khem； whose black soil nourished up my mortal
partland that I have betrayedO Osiris！Isis！Horus！ye Gods of
Egypt whom I have betrayed！O ye temples whose pylons strike the sky；
whose faith I have betrayed！O Royal blood of the Pharaohs of eld；
that yet runs within these withered veinswhose virtue I have
betrayed！O Invisible Essence of all Good！ and O Fate； whose balance
rested on my handhear me； and； to the day of utter doom； bear me
witness that I write the truth。
Even while I write； beyond the fertile fields； the Nile is running
red； as though with blood。 Before me the sunlight beats upon the far
Arabian hills； and falls upon the piles of Abouthis。 Still the priests
make orison within the temples at Abouthis that know me no more； still
the sacrifice is offered； and the stony roofs echo back the people's
prayers。 Still from this lone cell within my prison…tower； I； the Word
of Shame； watch thy fluttering banners； Abouthis； flaunting from thy
pylon walls； and hear the chants as the long procession winds from
sanctuary to sanctuary。
Abouthis； lost Abouthis！ my heart goes out toward thee！ For the day
comes when the desert sands shall fill thy secret places！ Thy Gods are
doomed； O Abouthis！ New Faiths shall make a mock of all thy Holies；
and Centurion shall call upon Centurion across thy fortress…walls。 I
weepI weep tears of blood： for mine is the sin that brought about
these evils and mine for ever is their shame。
Behold； it is written hereafter。
Here in Abouthis I was born； I； Harmachis； and my father； the
justified in Osiris； was High Priest of the Temple of Sethi。 And on
that same day of my birth Cleopatra； the Queen of Egypt； was born
also。 I passed my youth in yonder fields watching the baser people at
their labours and going in and out at will among the great courts of
the temples。 Of my mother I knew naught； for she died when I yet hung
at the breast。 But before she died in the reign of Ptolemy Aulêtes；
who is named the Piper； so did the old wife； Atoua； told me； my mother
took a golden ur？us； the snake symbol of our Royalty of Egypt； from a
coffer of ivory and laid it on my brow。 And those who saw her do this
believed that she was distraught of the Divinity； and in her madness
foreshadowed that the day of the Macedonian Lagid？ was ended； and that
Egypt's sceptre should pass again to the hand of Egypt's true and
Royal race。 But when my father； the old High Priest Amenemhat； whose
only child I was； she who was his wife before my mother having been；
for what crime I know not； cursed with barrenness by Sekhet： I say
when my father came in and saw what the dying woman had done； he
lifted up his hands towards the vault of heaven and adored the
Invisible； because of the sign that had been sent。 And as he adored；
the Hathors＇*＇ filled my dying mother with the Spirit of Prophecy； and
she rose in strength from the couch and prostrated herself thrice
before the cradle where I lay asleep； the Royal asp upon my brow；
crying aloud：
＇*＇ The Egyptian /Parc？/ or /Fates/。Editor。
〃Hail to thee； fruit of my womb！ Hail to thee； Royal child！ Hail to
thee； Pharaoh that shalt be！ Hail to thee； God that shalt purge the
land； Divine seed of Nekt…nebf； the descended from Isis。 Keep thee
pure； and thou shalt rule and deliver Egypt and not be broken。 But if
thou dost fail in thy hour of trial； then may the curse of all the
Gods of Egypt rest upon thee； and the curse of thy Royal forefathers；
the justified； who ruled the land before thee from the age of Horus。
Then in life mayst thou be wretched； and after death may Osiris refuse
thee； and the judges of Amenti give judgment against thee； and Set and
Sekhet torment thee； till such time as thy sin is purged； and the Gods
of Egypt； called by strange names； are once more worshipped in the
Temples of Egypt； and the staff of the Oppressor is broken； and the
footsteps of the Foreigner are swept clean； and the thing is
accomplished as thou in thy weakness shalt cause it to be done。〃
When she had spoken thus； the Spirit of Prophecy went out of her； and
she fell dead across the cradle where I slept； so that I awoke with a
cry。
But my father； Amenemhat； the High Priest； trembled； and was very
fearful； both because of the words which had been said by the Spirit
of the Hathors through the mouth of my mother； and because what had
been uttered was treason against Ptolemy。 For he knew that； if the
matter should come to the ears of Ptolemy； Pharaoh would send his
guards to destroy the life of the child concerning whom such things
were prophesied。 Therefore； my father shut the doors； and caused all
th