下载辰思小说免费APP
“TheprayerthatyouwillsuffermetoshelterinthishousefromthemanydangersthatthreatenmeatthehandsofPharaohandtheprophetsofyourpeople，andanofferingofsuchhelpasIcangivebymyartsandknowledgeagainstblackerdangerswhichthreaten——another。“
HereoncemorehegazedatthetrunkofthetreebeyondwhichIheardtheinfantwail。
“IfIconsent，whatthen？“sheasked，hoarsely。
“Then，Lady，IwillstrivetoprotectacertainlittleoneagainstacursewhichJabeztellsmethreatenshimandmanyothersinwhomrunsthebloodofEgypt。Iwillstrive，ifIamallowedtobidehere——IdonotsaythatIshallsucceed，forasyourlordhasremindedme，andasyoushowedmeinthetempleofAmon，mystrengthissmallerthanthatoftheprophetsandprophetessesofIsrael。“
“AndifIrefuse？“
“Then，Lady，“heansweredinavoicethatranglikeiron，“Iamsurethatonewhomyoulove——asmotherslove——willshortlyberockedinthearmsofthegodwhomwenameOsiris。“
“/Stay/，“shecriedand，turning，fledaway。
“Why，Ana，sheisgone，“hesaid，“andthatbeforeIcouldbargainformyreward。Well，thisImustfindinyourcompany。Howstrangearewomen，Ana!Hereyouhaveoneofthegreatestofhersex，asyoulearnedinthetempleofAmon。Andyetsheopensbeneaththesunofhopeandshrivelsbeneaththeshadowoffear，likethetouchedleavesofthattenderplantwhichgrowsuponthebanksoftheriver；shewho，withhereyessetonthemysterythatisbeyond，whereofshehearsthewhisperingwinds，shouldtreadbothearthlyhopeandfearbeneathherfeet，ormakeofthemsteppingstonestoglory。Weresheamanshewoulddoso，buthersexwrecksher，shewhothinksmoreofthekissofababethanofallthesplendoursshemightharbourinherbreast。
Yes，ababe，asinglewretchedlittlebabe。Youhadoneonce，didyounot，Ana？“
“Oh!toSetandhisfireswithyouandyoureviltalk，“Isaid，andlefthim。
WhenIhadgonealittleway，Ilookedbackandsawthathewaslaughing，throwinguphisstaffashelaughed，andcatchingitagain。
“Setandhisfires，“hecalledafterme。“Iwonderwhattheyarelike，Ana。Perhapsonedayweshalllearn，youandItogether，ScribeAna。“
SoKitookuphisabodewithus，inthesamelodgingsasBakenkhonsu，andalmosteverydayIwouldmeetthemwalkinginthegarden，sinceI，whowasofthePrince’stable，exceptwhenheatewiththeladyMerapi，didnottakemyfoodwiththem。Thenwewouldtalktogetheraboutmanysubjects。Onthosewhichhadtodowithlearning，orevenreligion，IhadthebetterofKi，whowasnogreatscholarormasteroftheology。Butalwaysbeforewepartedhewouldplantsomearrowinmyribs，atwhicholdBakenkhonsulaughed，andlaughedagain，yeteverthrewovermetheshieldofhisvenerablewisdom，justbecausehelovedmeIthink。
ItwasafterthisthattheplaguestruckthecattleofEgypt，sothattensofthousandsofthemdied，thoughnotallaswasreported。But，asIhavesaid，oftheherdsofSetinonedied，nor，asweweretold，didanyofthoseoftheIsraelitesinthelandofGoshen。NowtherewasgreatdistressinEgypt，butKismiledandsaidthatheknewitwouldbeso，andthattherewasmuchworsetocome，forwhichIcouldhavesmittenhimovertheheadwithhisownstaff，hadInotfearedthat，ifIdidso，itmightoncemoreturntoaserpentinmyhand。
OldBakenkh
