Three Novels of Ancient Egypt

The men's hearts beat hard and Isfinis turned pale. Latu looked at the youth in astonishment and then asked him, “How is it that you know this history despite your young years?”

“My memory retains a few unshakable pictures — clear and unfading — of the first days of suffering. However, I owe my knowledge of the sad story of Thebes to my mother, who never ceased repeating it to me.”

Latu gave Ebana a curious look that disturbed the woman. Seeking to reassure her he said, “You are an outstanding woman and your son is a noble young man.”

To himself Latu said, “The lady is still cautious in spite of everything.” It had been his intention to ask about some matters that concerned him but, setting these aside for the moment, the old man deftly changed the course of the conversation, directing it to trivial matters and making everyone feel at ease once more, in an atmosphere of mutual affection. When the two traders got up to leave the house, Ahmose said to Isfinis, “When will you go, sir, to the governor of the South?”

Isfinis replied, surprisedby the question, “Perhaps tomorrow.”

“I have a request.”

“What is it?”

“That I may go with you to his estate.”

Isfinis was pleased and said to the youth, “Do you know the way there?”

“Very well.”

Ebana tried to object, but her son silenced her with a nervous gesture of his hand and Isfinis smiled and said, “If you have no objection, he can be our guide.”

8

The first half of the following day passed in preparations for the visit to the governor. Isfinis was well aware of the importance of this visit and knew that the future of all his hopes was hostage to its outcome, not to mention the hopes of those whom he had left behind him in Napata, where despair and hope struggled to dominate their mighty souls. He loaded his ship with caskets of finely wrought objects and pearls, cages holding strange animals, the pygmy Zolo, and a large number of slaves. Ahmose appeared at the end of the afternoon, greeted them joyfully, and said, “From this moment on, I'm your slave!”

Isfinis took his arm under his own and the three of them proceeded to the cabin on deck. Then the ship set sail toward the north under a clear sky and with a favorable wind. The people in the cabin fell silent, each absorbed in his own thoughts, his eyes fixed on the shore of Thebes. The ship passed the quarters of the poor and approached the lofty palaces half-hidden among spreading palms and sycamore figs, among whose branches fluttered birds of every kind and color and which served to divide one estate from another. Behind them, the green fields stretched out, crisscrossed by silver streams, valleys, palm trees, and grapevines, grazed by oxen and cows, the patient, naked peasants bent over them at their labors. On the shore, devices had been constructed that scooped water from the Nile, to the tune of exquisite songs. Breezes played with the trees, bringing with them the susurration of foliage, the twittering of small birds, the lowing of cattle, and the fragrance of flowers and sweet-smelling herbs. Isfinis felt as though memory's fingertips were caressing his feverish brow as he recalled spring days when he would go out into the fields carried in his royal litter, slaves and guards marching before him, and the peasants, overjoyed to see the pure young child, would greet him, scattering roses on his fortunate path.

He was wakened by the voice of Ahmose saying, “There's the governor's palace!”

Isfinis sighed and looked where the youth was pointing. Latu looked too and an expression of amazement and distaste filled the old man's eyes.

The ship turned toward the palace, its oars stilled. A small war craft, bursting with soldiers, barred its way and an officer shouted at them roughly and arrogantly, “Get your filthy ship away from here, peasant!”

Isfinis leapt from the cabin, went to the ship's side, and greeted the officer respectfully, saying, “I have a private letter to His Highness, the governor of the South.”

The officer gave him a sharp, brutal stare and said, “Give it to me and wait!”

The youth extracted the letter from the pocket of his cloak and gave it to the officer, who examined it carefully and then gave an order to his men, who turned the craft toward the garden steps. The officer called a guard and handed him the letter. The guard took it and departed in the direction of the palace. He disappeared for a short while then returned in a hurry to the officer and said a few words to him in secret, after which the officer gestured to Isfinis to bring the ship in close. The youth ordered his sailors to row on until the ship anchored at the palace mooring, where the officer said to him, “His Highness awaits you, so unload your goods and take them to him.”

The youth issued his orders to the Nubians and these, Ahmose among them, unloaded the caskets, while others removed the cages of animals and Zolo's litter. In parting, Latu said to the youth, “The Lord grant you success!”