But he sought him in vain, for Rei had fled, and was in hiding
from the anger of Meriamun.
Then Pharaoh bade his officers take the Wanderer, and set him in
a chariot and bear him to the city of On, where Pharaoh's host was
gathering. Their charge was to watch him night and day with uplifted
swords, and if he so much as turned his face from the foe towards Tanis,
then they should slay him. But when the host of Pharaoh marched from
On to do battle on the foe, then they should give the Wanderer his own
sword and the great black bow, and obey him in everything. But if he
turned his back upon the foe, then they should slay him; or if the host
of Pharaoh were driven back by the foe, then they should slay him.
The Wanderer heard, and smiled as a wolf smiles, but spoke no word.
Thereon the great officers of Pharaoh took him and led him forth. They
set him in a chariot, and with the chariot went a thousand horsemen; and
soon Meriamun, watching from the walls of Tanis, saw the long line of
desert dust that marked the passing of the Wanderer from the city which
he should see no more.
The Wanderer also looked back on Tanis with a heavy heart. There, far
away, he could see the shrine of Hathor gleaming like crystal above the
tawny flood of waters. And he must go down to death, leaving no word for
Her who sat in the shrine and deemed him faithless and forsworn.
Pages:
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273