第10章

And after these things Ptolemy the Piper troubled us no more， nor did he again send his soldiers to seek for him of whom it was prophesied that he should be Pharaoh. For the head of the child， my foster-brother， was brought to him by the eunuch as he sat in his palace of marble at Alexandria， flushed with Cyprian wine， and played upon the flute before his women. And at his bidding the eunuch lifted up the head by the hair for him to look on. Then he laughed and smote it on the cheek with his sandal， bidding one of the girls crown Pharaoh with flowers. And he bowed the knee， and mocked the head of the innocent child. But the girl， who was sharp of tongue--for all of this I heard in after years--said to him that "he did well to bow the knee， for this child was indeed Pharaoh， the greatest of Pharaohs， and his name was the /Osiris/ and his throne was /Death/."

Aulêtes was much troubled at these words， and trembled， for， being a wicked man， he greatly feared entering into Amenti. So he caused the girl to be slain because of the evil omen of her saying； crying that he would send her to worship that Pharaoh whom she had named. And the other women he sent away， and played no more upon the flute till he was once again drunk on the morrow. But the Alexandrians made a song on the matter， which is still sung about the streets. And this is the beginning of it--Ptolemy the Piper played Over dead and dying； Piped and played he well.

Sure that flute of his was made Of the dank reed sighing O'er the streams of Hell.

There beneath the shadows grey， With the sisters three， Shall he pipe for many a day.

May the Frog his butler be！

And his wine the water of that countrie--Ptolemy the Piper！

After this the years passed on， nor did I， being very little， know anything of the great things that came to pass in Egypt； nor is it my purpose to set them out here. For I， Harmachis， having little time left to me， will only speak of those things with which I have been concerned.

And as the time went on， my father and the teachers instructed me in the ancient learning of our people， and in such matters appertaining to the Gods as it is meet that children should know. So I grew strong and comely， for my hair was black as the hair of the divine Nout， and my eyes were blue as the blue lotus， and my skin was like the alabaster within the sanctuaries. For now that these glories have passed from me I may speak of them without shame. I was strong also.

There was no youth of my years in Abouthis who could stand against me to wrestle with me， nor could any throw so far with the sling or spear. And I much yearned to hunt the lion； but he whom I called my father forbade me， telling me that my life was of too great worth to be so lightly hazarded. But when I bowed before him and prayed he would make his meaning clear to me， the old man frowned and answered that the Gods made all things clear in their own season. For my part， however， I went away in wroth， for there was a youth in Abouthis who with others had slain a lion which fell upon his father's herds， and， being envious of my strength and beauty， he set it about that I was cowardly at heart， in that when I went out to hunt I only slew jackals and gazelles. Now， this was when I had reached my seventeenth year and was a man grown.

It chanced， therefore， that as I went sore at heart from the presence of the High Priest， I met this youth， who called to me and mocked me， bidding me know the country people had told him that a great lion was down among the rushes by the banks of the canal which runs past the Temple， lying at a distance of thirty stadia from Abouthis. And， still mocking me， he asked me if I would come and help him slay this lion， or would I go and sit among the old women and bid them comb my side lock？ This bitter word so angered me that I was near to falling on him； but in place therefore， forgetting my father's saying， I answered that if he would come alone， I would go with him and seek this lion， and he should learn if I were indeed a coward. And at first he would not， for， as men know， it is our custom to hunt the lion in companies； so it was my hour to mock. Then he went and fetched his bow and arrows and a sharp knife. And I brought forth my heavy spear， which had a shaft of thorn-wood， and at its end a pomegranate in silver， to hold the hand from slipping； and， in silence， we went， side by side， to where the lion lay. When we came to the place， it was near sundown； and there， upon the mud of the canal-bank， we found the lion's slot， which ran into a thick clump of reeds.

"Now， thou boaster，" I said， "wilt thou lead the way into yonder reeds， or shall I？" And I made as though I would lead the way.

"Nay， nay，" he answered， "be not so mad！ The brute will spring upon thee and rend thee. See！ I will shoot among the reeds. Perchance， if he sleeps， it will arouse him." And he drew his bow at a venture.

How it chanced I know not， but the arrow struck the sleeping lion， and， like a flash of light from the belly of a cloud， he bounded from the shelter of the reeds， and stood before us with bristling mane and yellow eyes， the arrow quivering in his flank. He roared aloud in fury， and the earth shook.

"Shoot with the bow，" I cried， "shoot swiftly ere he spring！"