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his death！ Prince！ Holy Father！ Amenemhat！ awake； arise！〃 and she
hobbled towards the corpse。 〃Why； how is it！ By Him who sleeps； he's
dead！ untended and alone/dead！ dead！/〃 and she sent her long wail of
grief ringing up the sculptured walls。
〃Hush！ woman； be still！〃 I said； gliding from the shadows。
〃Oh； what art thou？〃 she cried； casting down her basket。 〃Wicked man；
hast thou murdered this Holy One； the only Holy One in Egypt？ Surely
the curse will fall on thee； for though the Gods do seem to have
forsaken us now in our hour of trial； yet is their arm long； and
certainly they will be avenged on him who hath slain their anointed！〃
〃Look on me； Atoua；〃 I cried。
〃Look！ ay； I lookthou wicked wanderer who hast dared this cruel
deed！ Harmachis is a traitor and lost far away； and Amenemhat his holy
father is murdered； and now I'm all alone without kith or kin。 I gave
them for him。 I gave them for Harmachis； the traitor！ Come； slay me
also； thou wicked one！〃
I took a step toward her； and she； thinking that I was about to smite
her； cried out in fear：
〃Nay； good Sir； spare me！ Eighty and six； by the Holy Ones； eighty and
six； come next flood of Nile； and yet I would not die； though Osiris
is merciful to the old who served him！ Come no nearerhelp！ help！〃
〃Thou fool； be silent；〃 I said； 〃knowest thou me not？〃
〃Know thee？ Can I know every wandering boatman to whom Sebek grants to
earn a livelihood till Typhon claims his own？ And yetwhy； 'tis
strangethat changed countenance！that scar！that stumbling gait！
It is thou； Harmachis！'tis thou； O my boy！ Art come back to glad
mine old eyes？ I hoped thee dead！ Let me kiss thee？nay； I forget。
Harmachis is a traitor； ay； and a murderer！ Here lies the holy
Amenemhat； murdered by the traitor； Harmachis！ Get thee gone！ I'll
have none of traitors and of parricides！ Get thee to thy wanton！it
is not thou whom I did nurse。〃
〃Peace！ woman； peace！ I slew not my fatherhe died； alas！he died
even in my arms。〃
〃Ay； surely； and cursing thee； Harmachis！ Thou hast given death to him
who gave thee life！ /La！ la！/ I am old； and I've seen many a trouble；
but this is the heaviest of them all！ I never liked the looks of
mummies； but I would I were one this hour！ Get thee gone； I pray
thee！〃
〃Old nurse； reproach me not！ Have I not enough to bear？〃
〃Ah！ yes； yes！I did forget！ Well； and what is thy sin？ A woman was
thy bane； as women have been to those before thee； and shall be to
those after thee。 And what a woman！ /La！ la！/ I saw her； a beauty such
as never wasan arrow pointed by the evil Gods for destruction！ And
thou； a young man bred as a priestan ill traininga very ill
training！ 'Twas no fair match。 Who can wonder that she mastered thee？
Come； Harmachis； let me kiss thee！ It is not for a woman to be hard on
a man because he loved our sex too much。 Why； that is but nature； and
Nature knows her business； else she had made us otherwise。 But here is
an evil case。 Knowest thou that this Macedonian Queen of thine hath
seized the temple lands and revenues； and driven away the priests
all； save the holy Amenemhat； who lies here； and whom she left； I know
not why； ay； and caused the worship of the Gods to cease within these
walls。 Well； he's gone！he's gone！ and indeed he is better with
Osiris； for his life was a sore burden to him。 And hark thou；
Harmachis： he hath not left thee empty…handed； for； so soon as the
plot failed； he gathered all his wealth； and it is large； and hid it
where； I can show theeand it is thine by right of descent。〃
〃Talk not to me of wealth； Atoua。 Where shall I go and how shall I
hide my shame？〃
〃Ah！ true； true； here mayst thou not abide； for if they found thee；
surely they would put thee to the dreadful deathay； to the death by
the waxen cloth。 Nay； I will hide thee； and； when the funeral rites of
the holy Amenemhat have been performed； we will fly hence； and cover
us from the eyes of men till these sorrows are forgotten。 /La！ la！/ it
is a sad world； and full of trouble as the Nile mud is full of
beetles。 Come； Harmachis； come。〃
CHAPTER III
OF THE LIFE OF HIM WHO WAS NAMED THE LEARNED OLYMPUS； IN
THE TOMB OF THE HARPERS THAT IS BY TáPé； OF HIS COUNSEL TO
CLEOPATRA； OF THE MESSAGE OF CHARMION； AND OF THE PASSING
OF OLYMPUS DOWN TO ALEXANDRIA
These things then came to pass。 For eighty days I was hidden of the
old wife； Atoua； while the body of the Prince； my father； was made
ready for burial by those skilled in the arts of embalming。 And when
at last all things were done in order； I crept from my hiding…place
and made offerings to the spirit of my father； and placing lotus…
flowers on his breast went thence sorrowing。 And on the following day；
from where I lay hid； I saw the Priests of the Temple of Osiris and of
the holy shrine of Isis come forth； and in slow procession bear his
painted coffin to the sacred lake and lay it beneath the funeral tent
in the consecrated boat。 I saw them celebrate the symbol of the trial
of the dead； and name him above all men just； and then bear him thence
to lay him by his wife； my mother； in the deep tomb that he had hewn
in the rock near to the resting…place of the Holy Osiris； where；
notwithstanding my sins； I； too； hope to sleep ere long。 And when all
these things were done and the deep tomb sealed； the wealth of my
father having been removed from the hidden treasury and placed in
safety； I fled； disguised； with the old wife； Atoua； up the Nile till
we came to Tápé；＇*＇ and here in this great city I lay a while； till a
place could be found where I should hide myself。
＇*＇ Thebes。Editor。
And such a place I found。 For to the north of the great city are brown
and rugged hills； and desert valley blasted of the sun； and in this
place of desolation the Divine Pharaohs； my forefathers； hollowed out
their tombs in the solid rock； the most part of which are lost to this
day； so cunningly have they been hidden。 But some are open； for the
accursed Persians and other thieves broke into them in search of
treasure。 And one nightfor by night only did I leave my hiding…place
just as the dawn was breaking on the mountain tops； I wandered alone
in this sad valley of death； like to which there is no other； and
presently came to the mouth of a tomb hidden amid great rocks； which
afterwards I knew for the place of the burying of the Divine Rameses；
the third of that name； now long gathered to Osiris。 And by the faint
light of the dawn creeping through the entrance I saw that it was
spacious and that within were chambers。
On the following night； therefore； I returned； bearing lights； with
Atoua； my nurse； who ever ministered faithfully to me as when I was
little and without discretion。 And we searched the mighty tomb and
came to the great Hall of the Sarcophagus of granite； in which the
Divine Rameses sleeps； and saw the mystic paintings on the walls： the
symbol of the Snake unending； the symbol of Ra resting upon the
Scarab？us； the symbol of Ra resting upon Nout； the symbol of the
Headless men； and many others； whereof； being initiated； well I read
the mysteries。 And opening from the long descending passage I found
chambers in which were paintings beautiful to behold； and of all
manner of things。 For beneath each chamber is entombed the master of
the craft of which the paintings tell； he who was the chief of the
servants of that craft in the house of this Divine Rameses。 And on the
walls of the last chamberon the left…hand side； looking toward the
Hall of the Sarcophagusare paintings exceedingly beautiful； and two
blind harpers playing upon their bent harps before the God Mou； and
beneath the flooring these harpers； who harp no more； are soft at
sleep。 Here； then； in this gloomy place； even in the tomb of the
Harpers and the company of the dead； I took up my abode； and here for
eight long years I worked out my penance and made atonement for my
sin。 But Atoua； because she loved to be near the light； abode in the
chamber of the Boatsthat is； the first chamber on the right…hand
side of the gallery looking toward the Hall of the Sarcophagus。
And this was the manner of my life。 On every second day the old wife；
Atoua； went forth and brought water from the city and such food as is
necessary to keep the life from failing； and also tapers made from
fat。 And one hour at the time of sunrise and one hour at the time of
sunset I did go forth also to wander in the valley for my health's
sake and to save my sight from failing in the great darkness of the
tomb。 But the other hours of the day and night； except when I climbed
the mountain to watch the course of the stars； I spent in prayer and
meditation and sleep； till the cloud of sin lifted from my heart and
once more I drew near to the Gods； though with Isis； my heavenly
Mother； I might speak no more。 And I grew exceedingly wise also；
pondering on all those