The Cat of Bubastes: A Tale of Ancient Egypt

by G. A. Henty

  CHAPTER VIII.

  THE CONSPIRACY IN THE TEMPLE.

  For two days longer the party lingered by the side of the lake fishingand fowling, and then returned across the desert to the headquartersof Ameres. Two months were spent in examining canals and watercourses, seeing that the dykes were strengthened where needed, andthat the gates and channels were in good repair. Levels were taken forthe construction of several fresh branches, which would considerablyextend the margin of cultivation. The natives were called upon tofurnish a supply of labor for their formation; but the quota wasnot furnished without considerable grumbling on the part of theIsraelites, although Ameres announced that payment would be given themfor their work. At last, having seen that everything was in train,Ameres left one of his subordinates to carry out the work, and thenstarted with his son for Thebes.

  A fortnight after his return home he was informed that a young female,who said her name was Ruth, wished to see him. He bade the servantconduct her to him, and at the same time summon Chebron from hisstudies. The lad arrived first, and as Ruth entered presented her tohis father.

  "Welcome, child, to this house," the high priest said. "I suppose byyour coming that the old man, your great-grandfather, of whom my sonhas spoken to me, is no more?"

  "He died a month since, my lord," Ruth replied; "but it was two weeksbefore I could find a passage in a boat coming hither."

  "Chebron, tell Mysa to come here," Ameres said, and the lad at oncefetched Mysa, who had already heard that an Israelite girl was comingto be her special attendant, and had been much interested in Chebron'saccount of her and her rescue from the crocodile.

  "This is Ruth, Mysa," Ameres said when she entered, "who has come tobe with you. She has lost her last friend, and I need not tell you, mychild, to be kind and considerate with her. You know what you wouldsuffer were you to be placed among strangers, and how lonely you wouldbe at first. She will be a little strange to our ways, but you willsoon make her at home, I hope."

  "I will try and make her happy," Mysa replied, looking at her newcompanion.

  Although the girls were about the same age, Ruth looked the elder ofthe two. Mysa was still little more than a child, full of fun andlife. Ruth was broken down by the death of her grandfather and by thejourney she had made; but in any case she would have looked older thanMysa, the difference being in manner rather than in face or figure.Ruth had long had many responsibilities on her shoulders. There wasthe care and nursing of the old man, the cultivation of the garden onwhich their livelihood depended, the exchange of its products forother articles, the preparation of the meals. Her grandfather had beenin the habit of talking to her as a grown-up person, and there was anexpression of thoughtfulness and gravity in her eyes. Mysa, on thecontrary, was still but a happy child, who had never known thenecessity for work or exertion; her life had been like a summer day,free from all care and anxiety. Naturally, then, she felt as shelooked at Ruth that she was a graver and more serious personage thanshe had expected to see.

  "I think I shall like you," she said when her examination wasfinished, "when we know each other a little better, and I hope youwill like me; because, as my father says, we are to be together."

  "I am sure we shall," Ruth replied, looking admiringly at Mysa'sbright face. "I have never had anything to do with girls of my ownage, and you will find me clumsy at first; but I will do my best toplease you, for your father and brother have been very good to me."

  "There, take her away, Mysa. I have told your mother about her coming,and want to go on with my reading," Ameres said. "Show her your gardenand animals, and where she is to sleep; and give her in charge of oldMale, who will see that she has all that she wants, and get suitablegarments and all that is requisite."

  Before many days were over Ruth became quite at home in her new abode.Her position was a pleasant one. She was at once companion andattendant to Mysa, accompanying her in her walks under the escort ofJethro, playing with her in the garden, helping her to feed theanimals, and amusing her when she preferred to sit quiet by tellingher about her life near the lake by the Great Sea, about the fowlingand fishing there, and especially about the river course close to thecottage, with its hippopotami and crocodiles. Ruth brightened upgreatly in her new surroundings, which to her were marvelous andbeautiful; and she soon caught something of the cheerfulness of heryoung mistress, and the laughter of the two girls was often heardrising from Mysa's inclosure at the further end of the quiet garden.

  Shortly after the return from their visit to Lower Egypt an importantevent took place, Chebron being initiated into the lowest grade of thepriesthood. His duties at first were slight; for aspirants to thehigher order, who were with scarce an exception the sons of thesuperior priesthood, were not expected to perform any of the drudgerythat belonged properly to the work of the lower class of the order. Itwas necessary to ascend step by step; but until they arrived at thegrade beyond which study and intelligence alone led to promotion,their progress was rapid, and they were expected only to take part insuch services and ceremonies of the temple as required the attendanceof all attached to it.

  His duties, therefore, interfered but little with his studies orordinary mode of life, and he was almost as much at home as before. Hecould now, however, enter the temple at all hours, and had access tothe inner courts and chambers, the apartments where the sacred animalswere kept, and other places where none but the priests were permittedto enter. He availed himself of this privilege chiefly of an evening.All the great courts were open to the sky, and Chebron loved to roamthrough them in the bright moonlight, when they were deserted by thecrowd of worshipers and all was still and silent. At that time themassive columns, the majestic architecture, the strange figures of thegods exercised an influence upon his imagination which was wanting inthe daytime. Upon the altars before the chief gods fire ever burned,and in the light of the flickering flames the faces assumed life andexpression.

  Now and then a priest in his white linen robe moved through thedeserted courts; but for the most part Chebron had undisturbedpossession, and was free to meditate without interruption. He foundthat his mind was then attuned to a pitch of reverence and devotionto the gods that it failed to attain when the sun was blazing downupon the marble floor and the courts were alive with worshipers. Then,strive as he would, he could not enter as he wanted into the spirit ofthe scene. When he walked in the solemn procession carrying a sacredvessel or one of the sacred emblems, doubts whether there could beanything in common between the graven image and the god it representedwould occur to him.

  He would wonder whether the god was really gratified by theseprocessions, whether he felt any real pleasure in the carrying aboutof sacred vessels, emblems, and offerings of flowers. He was shockedat his own doubts, and did his best to banish them from his mind. Attimes it seemed to him that some heavy punishment must fall upon himfor permitting himself to reason on matters so far beyond hiscomprehension, and he now rejoiced at what he before was inclined toregret, that his father had decided against his devoting his wholelife to the service of the temple.

  Sometimes he thought of speaking to his father and confessing to himthat his mind was troubled with doubts, but the thought of the horrorwith which such a confession would be received deterred him from doingso. Even to Amuba he was silent on the subject, for Amuba he thoughtwould not understand him. His friend believed firmly in the gods ofhis own country, but accepted the fact that the Egyptian deities wereas powerful for good or evil to the Egyptians as were his own to theRebu. And, indeed, the fact that the Egyptians were so great andpowerful, and prevailed over other nations, was, he was inclined tothink, due to the superior power of their gods.

  The majesty of the temples, the splendor of the processions, and thedevoutness with which the people worshiped their gods, alike impressedhim; and although the strangeness of the images struck him assingular, he was ready to admit that the gods might take any shapethey pleased. Thus, then, Chebron could look for no sympathy from him,and shrank from openin
g his mind to him. Nevertheless he sometimestook Amuba with him in his visits to the temple. The doors at alltimes stood open, and any could enter who chose, and had they in theinner courts met with any of the priests, Amuba would have passedunnoticed as being one of the attendants of the temple in company withChebron.

  But few words were exchanged between the lads during these rambles,for the awful grandeur of the silent temple and its weird aspect inthe moonlight affected Amuba as strongly as it did Chebron. At timeshe wondered to himself whether if he ever returned home and were tointroduce the worship of these terrible gods of Egypt, they wouldextend their protection to the Rebu.

  Near the house of Ameres stood that of Ptylus, a priest who occupied aposition in the temple of Osiris, next in dignity to that of the highpriest.

  Between the two priests there was little cordiality, for they differedalike in disposition and manner of thought. Ptylus was narrow andbigoted in his religion, precise in every observance of ceremonial;austere and haughty in manner, professing to despise all learningbeyond that relating to religion, but secretly devoured with jealousyat the esteem in which Ameres was held by the court, and hisreputation as one of the first engineers, astronomers and statesmen ofEgypt. He had been one of the fiercest in the opposition raised to theinnovations proposed by Ameres, and had at the time exerted himself tothe utmost to excite such a feeling against him as would render itnecessary for him to resign his position in the temple.

  His disappointment had been intense when--owing in no slight degree tothe influence of the king himself, who regarded Ameres with too muchtrust and affection to allow himself to be shaken in his confidenceeven by what he held to be the erroneous views of the high priest ofOsiris--his intrigue came to nothing; but he had ever since kept anunceasing watch upon the conduct of his colleague, without, however,being able to find the slightest pretense for complaint against him.For Ameres was no visionary; and having failed in obtaining afavorable decision as to the views he entertained, he had not strivenagainst the tide, knowing that by doing so he would only involvehimself and his family in ruin and disgrace, without forwarding in thesmallest degree the opinions he held.

  He was thus as exact as ever in his ministration in the temple,differing only from the other performers of the sacred rites inasmuchas while they offered their sacrifices to Osiris himself, he in hisheart dedicated his offerings to the great God of whom Osiris was buta feeble type or image.

  A certain amount of intimacy was kept up between the two families.Although there was no more liking between the wives of the two prieststhan between their husbands, they were of similar dispositions--bothwere fond of show and gayety, both were ambitious; and although insociety both exhibited to perfection the somewhat gentle and indolentmanner which was considered to mark high breeding among the women ofEgypt, the slaves of both knew to their cost that in their own homestheir bearing was very different.

  In their entertainments and feasts there was constant rivalry betweenthem, although the wife of the high priest considered it nothing shortof insolence that the wife of one inferior to her husband's rankshould venture to compete with her; while upon the other hand, thelittle airs of calm superiority her rival assumed when visiting herexcited the deepest indignation and bitterness in the heart of thewife of Ptylus. She, too, was aware of the enmity that her husbandbore to Ameres, and did her best to second him by shaking her head andaffecting an air of mystery whenever his name was mentioned, leavingher friends to suppose that did she choose she could tell terribletales to his disadvantage.

  Ameres on his part had never alluded at home either to his viewsconcerning religion or to his difference of opinion with hiscolleagues. There was but little in common between him and hiswife. He allowed her liberty to do as she chose, to give frequententertainments to her female friends, and to spend money as she likedso long as his own mode of life was not interfered with. He kept inhis own hands, too, the regulation of the studies of Chebron and Mysa.

  One day when he was in his study his wife entered. He looked up withan expression of remonstrance, for it was an understood thing thatwhen occupied with his books he was on no account to be disturbedexcept upon business of importance.

  "You must not mind my disturbing you for once, Ameres; but animportant thing has happened. Nicotis, the wife of Ptylus, has beenhere this afternoon, and what do you think she was the bearer of--aproposal from her husband and herself that their son Plexo shouldmarry our Mysa."

  Ameres uttered an exclamation of surprise and anger.

  "She is a child at present; the thing is ridiculous!"

  "Not so much a child, Ameres, after all. She is nearer fifteen thanfourteen, and betrothal often takes place a year earlier. I have beenthinking for some time of talking the matter over with you, for it isfully time that we thought of her future."

  Ameres was silent. What his wife said was perfectly true, and Mysahad reached the age at which the Egyptian maidens were generallybetrothed. It came upon him, however, as an unpleasant surprise. Hehad regarded Mysa as still a child, and his affections were centeredin her and Chebron; for his eldest son, who resembled his mother inspirit, he had but little affection or sympathy.

  "Very well," he said at last in a tone of irritation very unusual tohim, "if Mysa has reached the age when we must begin to think whom sheis to marry, we will think of it, but there is no occasion whateverfor haste. As to Plexo, I have marked him often when he has been herewith Chebron, and I do not like his disposition. He is arrogant andoverbearing, and, at the same time, shallow and foolish. Such is notthe kind of youth to whom I shall give Mysa."

  The answer did not quite satisfy his wife. She agreed with him inobjecting to the proposed alliance, but on entirely different grounds.She had looked forward to Mysa making a brilliant match, which wouldadd to her own consequence and standing. On ceremonial occasions, asthe wife of the high priest, and herself a priestess of Osiris, shewas present at all the court banquets; but the abstemious tastes andhabits of Ameres prevented her from taking the part she desired inother festivities, and she considered that were Mysa to marry somegreat general, or perhaps even one of the princes of the blood, shewould then be able to take that position in society to which sheaspired, and considered, indeed, that she ought to fill as the wife ofAmeres, high priest of Osiris and one of the most trusted counselorsof the king.

  Such result would certainly not flow from Mysa's marriage to the sonof one of less rank in the temple than her husband, and far inferiorin public estimation. Being content, however, that her husbandobjected to the match on other grounds, she abstained from pressingher own view of the subject, being perfectly aware that it was onewith which Ameres would by no means sympathize. She therefore onlysaid:

  "I am glad that you object to the match, Ameres, and am quite inaccord with you in your opinion of the son of Ptylus. But what reasonshall I give Nicotis for declining the connection?"

  "The true one, of course!" Ameres said in surprise. "What other reasoncould there be? In respect to position no objection could arise, norupon that of wealth. He is an only son, and although Ptylus may nothave so large an income as myself (for I have had much stateemployment), he can certainly afford to place his son in at least asgood a position as we can expect for Mysa. Were we to decline theproposal without giving a reason Ptylus would have good ground foroffense."

  "I do not suppose, Amense, he will be pleased at fault being foundwith his son, but that we cannot help. Parents cannot expect othersto see their offspring with the same eyes that they do. I shouldcertainly feel no offense were I to propose for a wife for Chebron toreceive as an answer that he lacked some of the virtues the parentsrequired in a husband for their daughter. I might consider thatChebron had those virtues, but if they thought otherwise why should Ibe offended?"

  "It is not everyone who sees matters as you do, Ameres, and no onelikes having his children slighted. Still, if it is your wish that Ishould tell Nicotis that you have a personal objection to her son, ofcourse I will do so."

/>   "Do not put it that light, Amense. It is not that I have a personalobjection to him. I certainly do not like him, but that fact hasnothing to do with my decision. I might like him very much, and yetconsider that he would not make Mysa a good husband; or, on the otherhand, I might dislike him personally, and yet feel that I could safelyintrust Mysa's happiness to him. You will say, then, to Nicotis thatfrom what I have seen of Plexo, and from what I have learned of hischaracter, it does not appear to me that a union between him and Mysawould be likely to conduce to her happiness; and that, therefore, Idecline altogether to enter into negotiations for the bringing aboutof such a marriage."

  Amense was well pleased, for she felt that this message, given in herhusband's name, would be a great rebuff for her rival, and would farmore than counterbalance the many triumphs she had gained over her bythe recital of the number of banquets and entertainments in which shehad taken part.

  Had Amense been present when Nicotis informed Ptylus of the refusal oftheir proposal for the hand of Mysa, she might have felt that even thesatisfaction of mortifying a rival may be dearly purchased.

  "You know the woman, Ptylus, and can picture to yourself the air ofinsolence with which she declined our proposal. I wished at the momentwe had been peasants' wives instead of ladies of quality. I would havegiven her cause to regret her insolence for a long time. As it was, itwas as much as I could do to restrain myself, and to smile and saythat perhaps, after all, the young people were not as well suited foreach other as could be wished; and that we had only yielded to thewishes of Plexo, having in our mind another alliance which would inevery respect be more advantageous. Of course she replied that she wasglad to hear it, but she could not but know that I was lying, for thelotus flower I was holding in my hand trembled with the rage thatdevoured me."

  "And it was, you say, against Plexo personally that the objection wasmade?" Ptylus said gloomily.

  "So she seemed to say. Of course she would not tell me that she hadset her mind on her daughter marrying one of the royal princes, thoughit is like enough that such is her thought, for the woman is pushingand ambitious enough for anything. She only said, in a formal sort ofway, that while the alliance between the two families would naturallybe most agreeable to them, her husband was of opinion that thedispositions of the young people were wholly dissimilar, and that hefeared such a union would not be for the happiness of either; and thathaving perhaps peculiar ideas as to the necessity for husband and wifebeing of one mind in all matters, he thought it better that the ideashould be abandoned. I had a mind to tell her that Ameres did not seemto have acted upon those ideas in his own case, for everyone knowsthat he and Amense have not a thought in common--that she goes her wayand he goes his."

  "Let them both beware!" Ptylus said. "They shall learn that we are notto be insulted with impunity. This Ameres, whom the people regard asso holy, is at heart a despiser of the gods. Had he not been afavorite of Thotmes he would ere now have been disgraced and degraded,and I should be high priest in his place; for his son, Neco, is tooyoung for such a dignity. But he is ascending in the scale, and everyyear that his father lives and holds office he will come more and moreto be looked upon as his natural successor. A few more years and mychance will be extinguished."

  "Then," Nicotis said decidedly, "Ameres must not hold office for manymore years. We have talked the matter over and over again, and youhave always promised me that some day I should be the wife of the highpriest, and that Plexo should stand first in the succession of theoffice. It is high time that you carried your promises into effect."

  "It is time, Nicotis. This man has too long insulted the gods byministering at their services, when in his heart he was false to them.It shall be so no longer; this last insult to us decides me! Had heagreed to our proposal I would have laid aside my own claims, and withmy influence could have secured that Plexo, as his son-in-law, shouldsucceed, rather than that shallow-brained fool, Neco. He has refusedthe offer, and he must bear the consequences. I have been too patient.I will be so no longer, but will act. I have a strong party among theupper priesthood who have long been of my opinion that Ameres is adisgrace to our caste and a danger to our religion. They will join meheart and soul, for they feel with me that his position as high priestis an outrage to the gods. Ask me no questions, Nicotis, but beassured that my promises shall be kept. I will be high priest; Plexoshall marry this child he fancies, for his doing so will not onlystrengthen my position, but render his own succession secure, bysilencing those who might at my death seek to bring back thesuccession to Neco."

  "That is well, Ptylus. I have long wondered that you were content tobe lorded over by Ameres. If I can aid you in any way be sure that Iwill do so. By the way, Amense invited us to a banquet she is about togive next week. Shall we accept the invitation?"

  "Certainly. We must not show that we are in any way offended at whathas passed. As far as Ameres himself is concerned it matters not, forthe man has so good an opinion of himself that nothing could persuadehim that he has enemies; but it would not do, in view of what I haveresolved upon, that any other should entertain the slightest suspicionthat there exists any ill-feeling between us."

  Great preparations were made by Amense for the banquet on thefollowing week, for she had resolved that this should completelyeclipse the entertainments of Nicotis. Ameres had, as usual, lefteverything in her hands, and she spared no expense. For a day or twoprevious large supplies of food arrived from the farm and from themarkets in the city; and early on the morning of the entertainment ahost of professional cooks arrived to prepare the dinner. The headcooks superintended their labors. The meat consisted of beef andgoose, ibex, gazelle, and oryx; for although large flocks of sheepwere kept for their wool, the flesh was not eaten by the Egyptians.There were, besides, great numbers of ducks, quails, and other smallfowl. The chief cooks superintended the cutting up of the meat and theselection of the different joints for boiling or roasting. One servantworked with his feet a bellows, raising the fire to the required heat;another skimmed the boiling caldrons with a spoon; and a third poundedsalt, pepper, and other ingredients in a large mortar. Bakers andconfectioners made light bread and pastry; the former being made inthe form of rolls, sprinkled at the top with carraway and other seeds.The confectionary was made of fruit and other ingredients mixed withdough, and this was formed by a skillful workman into various artisticshapes, such as recumbent oxen, vases, temples, and other forms.Besides the meats there was an abundance of all the most delicatekinds of fish.

  When the hour of noon approached Ameres and Amense took their seats ontwo chairs at the upper end of the chief apartment, and as the guestsarrived each came up to them to receive their welcome. When all hadarrived the women took their places on chairs at the one side of thehall, the men on the other. Then servants brought in tables, piled upwith dishes containing the viands, and in some cases filled withfruits and decorated with flowers, and ranged them down the center ofthe room.

  Cups of wine were then handed round to the guests, lotus flowerspresented to them to hold in their hands, and garlands of flowersplaced round their necks. Stands, each containing a number of jars ofwine, stoppered with heads of wheat and decked with garlands, wereranged about the room. Many small tables were now brought in, andround these the guests took their seats upon low stools andchairs--the women occupying those on one side of the room, the menthose on the other.

  The servants now placed the dishes on the small tables, maleattendants waiting on the men, while the women were served by females.Egyptians were unacquainted with the use of knives and forks, thejoints being cut up by the attendants into small pieces, and theguests helping themselves from the dishes with the aid of pieces ofbread held between the fingers. Vegetables formed a large part of themeal, the meats being mixed with them to serve as flavoring; for in sohot a climate a vegetable diet is far more healthy than one composedprincipally of meat. While the meal was proceeding a party of femalemusicians, seated on the ground in one corner of the room, played ands
ang.

  The banquet lasted for a long time, the number of dishes served beingvery large. When it was half over the figure of a mummy, of aboutthree feet in length, was brought round and presented to each guest insuccession, as a reminder of the uncertainty of existence. But as allpresent were accustomed to this ceremony it had but little effect, andthe sound of conversation and laughter, although checked for a moment,broke out again as soon as the figure was removed. Wine of many kindswas served during the dinner, the women as well as the men partakingof it.

  When all was concluded servants brought round golden basins withperfumed water and napkins, and the guests removed from their fingersthe gravy that even with the daintiest care in feeding could not bealtogether escaped. Then the small tables and stools were removed, andthe guests took their places on the chairs along the sides of theroom. Then parties of male and female dancers by turn came in andperformed. Female acrobats and tumblers then entered, and went througha variety of performances, and jugglers showed feats of dexterity withballs, and other tricks, while the musicians of various nationalitiesplayed in turns upon the instruments in use in their own countries.All this time the attendants moved about among the guests, servingthem with wine and keeping them supplied with fresh flowers. A bardrecited an ode in honor of the glories of King Thotmes, and it was notuntil late in the evening that the entertainment came to an end.

  "It has gone off splendidly," Amense said to Ameres when all wasover, and the last guest had been helped away by his servants; forthere were many who were unable to walk steadily unaided. "Nothingcould have been better--it will be the talk of the whole town; and Icould see Nicotis was devoured by envy and vexation. I do think greatcredit is due to me, Ameres, for you have really done nothing towardthe preparations."

  "I am perfectly willing that you should have all the credit, Amense,"Ameres said wearily, "and I am glad that you are satisfied. To me thewhole thing is tedious and tiresome to a degree. All thissuperabundance of food, this too lavish use of wine, and the posturesand antics of the actors and dancers is simply disgusting. However, ifeveryone else was pleased, of course I am content."

  "You are the most unsatisfactory husband a woman ever had," Amensesaid angrily. "I do believe you would be perfectly happy shut up inyour study with your rolls of manuscript all your life, without seeinganother human being save a black slave to bring you in bread and fruitand water twice a day."

  "I think I should, my dear," Ameres replied calmly. "At any rate, Ishould prefer it vastly to such a waste of time, and that in a form tome so disagreeable as that I have had to endure to-day."