Even as he speaks there is a shuffling of feet heard, and into the
room led by a beautiful child--a boy of eight years old--comes a
something that makes even the strong men present involuntarily shrink,
as they all rise and bow low before it.
The creature is robed in white and scarlet, and on his brow there is
fitted a crown of gold, glittering with diamonds, and rubies, emeralds
and pearls.
His protruding, wandering eyes have a blank stare, his full, wide
open, drooling lips are mumbling something, but he has a firm grasp on
the child's hand, and the child leads him.
"It is the King," cries a sweet treble voice. "The King, my father,
and we have run away from our good Miriam, for we are tired of our
clay dolls, are we not, my father?"
"Are we not, my father; are we not, my father?" mumbles the idiot, and
then looking into the child's face, he falls into a fit of immoderate
laughter and in the midst of it a woman enters. Although long past
youth she is as slight as a girl, typically Egyptian in feature and
coloring. She has about her something individual and distinctive and
she is clad in a costume that is masculine in most of its make-up.
Her upper garment is a tightly-fitting waist, with a full skirt that
reaches just to below the knee and made of bright scarlet stuff. Over
this she wears a corslet of finely wrought, flexible gold that clings
to her slight, beautiful figure like a glove. In lieu of sleeves she
is literally covered by bands of diamonds from forearm to wrist. A
broad collar of diamonds encircles her throat. Upon her head is a cap,
sewn thick with jewels, and her feet and legs are encased in sandals
and leggins like those worn by the officers of the Egyptian army.
As she enters the men salute her as their superior officer. She in
return lifts one of her small hands to her jeweled cap in token of
recognition.
Thus she passes on until she reaches the side of the King, when,
laying her hand firmly upon his shoulder, she says some gentle words
to him that stay his mirth, that transform him, for his leering grin
gives place to a solemn closing of the thick lips over the great
wolfish teeth, and, seating himself in a chair he says slowly and
distinctly: "Hatsu, the Goddess Queen, will speak my wishes"; but his
eyes look longingly at the boy, beside his chair, the sunny-haired
boy, whose hand is still clasped within his own--the little Prince,
his son, who nestles his golden head against his mother's gown.
"The King," says Queen Hatsu gravely, "the great King Tothmes the
Second, my saintly husband, bids me speak lest the effort of words
too much weary his great mind.
"He wishes that among ourselves (as among trusted and bosom friends)
we speak fully concerning the Israelites, and that this might be the
better accomplished he has called to private audience the two learned
men who have of late come out of Midian to plead Israel's cause with
Egypt. One of these men has strong claim to the throne's affection,
for our late lamented father and King had a twin sister, whom he
fondly loved. This sister did take from the Nile's bosom an infant,
and yearning toward it as a mother yearns for her child, the Princess
made the waif her own and reared him as a prince of the land; great of
mind was this adopted son; his play was study, his friends the sages;
gentle and good was he, slow to anger and of much compassion, but
silent was he because of a faltering in his speech. So grew he into
early manhood, then on a sudden he vanished. Egypt knew him no more.
'Tis said the Princess sped his going and being an Israelite he
returned to his own. Now he has come again into Egypt and with him is
his brother, Aaron, to make plea for the loosing of his people. We
would have this matter speedily settled, that we may turn our thoughts
upon more important matters, for you will recall that we have sent an
embassy to her most gracious highness the Queen of Punt, asking her
to be again our guest, and we must bring her thither in all pomp and
honor, and it ill becomes us to make her a witness to the wailings of
the Israelites."
She has never let her eyes wander from the face of the King, as she
has spoken, nor does she lift them when Alric says: "Gracious Queen
and sovereign lady, who is there in Egypt that shall dispute the
wisdom of our sainted sovereign, and surely we all know that people
everywhere in the land are saying that the man Moses, and his brother,
Aaron, come to Mizram vested with more than human power, that shall
make Egypt suffer if she refuse to let Israel go."
A voice interrupts Alric. It is the calm, clear voice of the King's
brother. "The King," he says haughtily, "is all powerful! His will
prevails. He rules Egypt's night as well as Egypt's day. He need not
fear harm through the threats of Moses and Aaron. Superstition and
ignorant fear have no place with Egypt's King and Egypt's councillors!
Let us bid Gethro's son go back to his sheep! let him seek among the
Midian hills a weakly race that listens trembling to old housewives'
prophecies! Nay, nay, we should be mad to rid ourselves of such
skilled workmen. My lord King, speak thou to these foolish ones and
say Israel shall abide."
It was Hatsu who replied: "It is well," she said slowly, "that we have
one among us so keen for the welfare and interest of his brother the
King and for the little Prince, the King that is to be, and while all
the words that thou hast spoken are wise, the King shall, in his own
good time, say HIS royal will." It was at this juncture that the child
spoke.
"My mother," he said, "how can the Israelites do good work for Egypt
when they are being famished and beaten? and why do you, my good
uncle, wish to bring suffering upon our dear Miriam, for Miriam is an
Israelite? She does not worship the many gods of Egypt! I am the
Prince Royal, the great King's only son, and I would make my father
say that Israel shall go!"
As the child began his speech the idiot had leaned forward in his
chair and a light came into his dull eyes, a something of
intelligence, as he replied: "Let Israel go! Let Israel go!"
But what had come to the Queen? Was she for all her soldierly bearing
a wilful woman? Surely no other motive could have so changed the
current of her purpose! surely it was that which made her happening by
chance to look into the General's eyes to say:
"Child, child, hold thy peace! It is the great King's will that Israel
shall not go, but go on to bitterer bondage, to a more intense
servitude." "But, my mother, listen!" cried the child, "he said go,
and not go on." It was then Miriam entered and Hatsu turned wearily
to her saying: "Take him hence. His ceaseless prattle disturbs the
Monarch's great thought."
It was some power, mightier than man, that made the silent, gentle
Miriam answer: "My Queen, fail not to remember, that out of the mouths
of babes comes perfect wisdom, God's own truth! Thy son is a prophet!
Listen to his plea ere it be too late! for the wrath of Jehovah, when
it is kindled, does not quench till His will is done! The wrath of the
God of Israel shall ere long darken this land! Hark, ye! has all your
years of binding broken our strength? Our children wax strong! our
cattle multiply! Listen to wisdom ere it be too late! listen to the
great King's counsel! and let Israel go!" Then in the profound
stillness, she stretched out her hand to the child, who, disentangling
his other hand with much effort from his father (who was only stayed
from following in obedience to some whispered words of the Queen), the
two departed.