Uarda: a Romance of Ancient Egypt

e-shaped peaks stand out sharply from the level background of the many-colored. limestone hills, on which no palm-tree flourishes and in which no humble desert-plant can strike root. Rocky crevass

ind the western it stretches without limit, into infinity. In t

Nile, bestowing blessing and abundance; at once the father and the cradle of millions of beings. On each shore spreads the wide

d-time are of a shining blue-green, and towards the time of harvest glow like gold. Near the brooks and water-wheels here and there stands a shady sycamore; and date-palms, carefully tended, group them

ssable limits had been set by the hand of man, in many places in Thebes, to the inroads of the water; high dyk

from the dykes to the land within, and smal

gaudy Temples of the city of Amon; behind these and at a short distance from the Eastern hills-indeed at their very foot and partly even on the so

in the streets of the

of the river there was a compact mass of houses, and the citizens went cheerfully and openly about their day's work, on this side there were solitary splend

rdly manor house. Looking from the plain up to the precipice of the western hills, hundreds of closed portals could be seen, some solitary,

rn shore, all were in eager pursuit of labor or recreation, stirred by pleasure or by grief, active in deed and speech; here, in the west, little was sp

processions passed on to the western heights; but the Nile boats bore the dead, the songs sung he

he soil of the City

ted lived on; that the justified absorbed into Osiris floated over the Heavens in the vessel of the Sun; that they appeared on earth in the form they choose to take upon them, and that they might exert influence on the current of the lives of the survivors. So h

gods be absent, and the silent City of the Dead was regarded as a favor

munities of priests dwelt together, and close to the extensive embalming houses liv

thither to select what they needed from among the beasts pronounced by the priests to be clean for sacrifice, and to have them sealed with the sacred seal. Many bought only part of a victim at the shambles-the poor could not even do this. They bought only colored cakes in the shape of beasts, which symbolically took the place of the calves and geese which their means were unable to procure. In the

wall with lofty, carefully-closed portals, which were only opened when a chorus of priests came out to

n was compared to tha

Horns, grew by midd

nake for his diadem, a

een born of darkness,

rns and the othe

he west bank hastened in disorder to the shore, driven on by the body of watchmen who took it in turns to do this duty and to protect the graves against robbers. The merchants closed their booths, the embalmers and workmen ended their day's work and retired to their houses, the

ailors on the numberless ferry boats from the western shore to Thebes died away, its f

ter flying the whole evening near the Nile to catch flies, to drink, and so prepare itself for the next day's sleep. From time to time black forms with long shadows glided over the still

cred to the god Anubis, the tutelary of sepulchres; and indeed th

d Anubis was the son

cred to him. In the e

r world. He conducts t

e, guards the Necro

bis), opens the way f

watch of the gods as

n.

tisfaction of the devotees, who, when they found that by the following day the meat had dis

ere a dangerous foe for any intruder who, under the s

the reader to accompany us to the Necropolis of Thebes-after the p

is, a dog barked loudly; soon a second took up the cry, a third, a fourth. The captain of the watch called to his me

the north of the Necropolis. Once more the word to "halt" was given, and as the guard perceived the glare of torches in the direction where the dogs were barking loudest

owers joined by a ga

ptian temple were

ucture, while the walls glowed with the ruddy smoky light o

oung woman, and in the carriage, next to the driver, was the tall figure of a lady. Several men of the upper classes and many servants stood around the litter and the chariot. Few words were exchanged; the whole attention of the strangely lighted groups seemed concentrated on the temple-g

ne who knocked, and aske

ead, he cried out-"How long are we to wait here for you-you dirty hound? Come down and open the door and then ask questions. If the torch-light is

ided voice, "You forget, Paaker, that you are back again in Egypt, and that here you have to deal not with the wild Schasu,-[A Semitic race of robbers in the cast of Egypt.]-but with friendly

handle of his whip, and, while he seemed to be bowing humbly, he struck such a heavy blow on the bare leg of a slave who was standing near to him, an old Ethiopian, that he shuddered as if from sudden cold, tho

tunity of speaking, but the lady i

You know the narrow pass in the rocks which leads up the gorge. On the way home I myself held the reins and I had the misfortune to drive over a girl who sat by the road with a basket full of flowers, and to hurt her-to hurt her very badly I am afraid. T

n into his hou

d, "I know of course that I have defiled myself

in a day be purified by thee or by her house-priest, while she can hardly-or

errupting the wife of Mena, "and I did not conceal my opinion when Bent-Anat announced her intention of visiting the accursed hole in perso

ncess?" aske

, on her own judgment," replie

on the right course,"

the Gods and the hearts of men, holy father, and I myself know that I give alms willingly and help the poor even when there is none

aid the c

o up to this moment had remained a silent witness of th

e Lady of Truth guides it. Thou hast broken in on our night-

r a substantial form.

, and bears the Sun-di

uman head with cow's e

joys of life are in h

beautifies life with

appears as a good f

their lot in life. Sh

en, Hathors were repre

and influence o

hast

outward wounds immediately to the child. But where is

ian of two Pharaohs]-close to-; but I will charge one of my attendants to conduct th

thus called upon, bowed to the earth, h

st thou

e princess. "It will be easy to the king's pion

ed pioneer was that of

a scout and of a Qua

ely savage countries i

nsla

the misfortune happened because I would try with my horses to overtake Paaker's Syria

he master of the ceremonies. "Packer's chariot lies dashed

the princess. "Dost thou know, Penbesa-thou anxious guardian of a thoughtless girl-that to-

us kindly!" said the master

r, it is settled then. You will conduct him, and br

s, who meanwhile had come out of the temple and joined him, raised thei

long as the moonlight enabled him to distinguish the litter of Mena's wife, he gazed after it; then he endeavored to recoll

ing of Pinem the paras

you want

cern of yours,"

captain, "left face

in a rage. "I am the

e easily find the way back

then followed his lord into the fore court of the temple. Both attributed the titter, which they still could hear without being able to detect its origin, to wandering spirits. But the mocking tones had been heard too by t

-for-nothing

reeks. The enemy of

d strife in nature. Ho

iris, can throw him a

ilate

ds and brood of

oonlight, the old man pursued them panting, and, after a shor

thirteen, and held him so tight by the ear that his pretty head

s, gathered coaxing round him, with words of repentance, though every eye sparkled with delight at the fun they had had, and of which no one could deprive them; and when the biggest of them took the old man's chin, a

u little know this old man. I will complain to the Gods, not to the school-master; and a