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If thou wilt not let the people go, then shall all the firstborn of Khem, of the Prince and the slave, of the ox and the ass, be smitten of Jahveh. Wilt thou let the people go?" Now Pharaoh hearkened, and those who were at the feast rose and cried with a loud voice: "O Pharaoh, let the people go! Great woes are fallen upon Khem because of the Apura. O Pharaoh, let the people go!"
The morning came, and lo! before me the waters of the sea were built up as a wall on the right hand and the left, and between the walls of water was dry land, and the Apura passed between the walls. Then I cried to my captains to arise and follow swiftly, and they did my bidding.
There came the smith, black from the forge, and the scribe bowed with endless writing; and the dyer with his purple hands, and the fisher from the stream; and the stunted weaver from the loom, and the leper from the Temple gates. They were mad with lust of life, a starveling life that the King had taxed, when he let not the Apura go.
But in the end he determined to forbear and see with his own eyes what befell those who strove to win the way. So he drew back, wondering much; and, bidding farewell to the aged priest, he went with Rei, the Master Builder, through the town of Tanis, where the Apura were still spoiling the people of Khem, and he came to the Palace where he was lodged.
"Nay, O Queen! A great fleet sails with them up the eastern mouth of Sihor, and in it are twelve thousand chosen warriors of the Aquaiusha, the sons of those men who sacked Troy town." And now a great groan went up to heaven from the lips of those who hearkened. Only Meriamun spoke thus: "And yet the Apura are gone, for whose sake, ye say, came the plagues.
"Whither goest thou, Rei?" she asked, "and why is thy face so sad?" "I go about my business, Queen," he answered, "and I am sad because no tidings come of Pharaoh, nor of how it has fared with him and the host of the Apura." "Perchance thou speakest truth, and yet not all the truth," she answered. "Enter, I would have speech with thee."
But before he could answer yea or nay, Meriamun the Queen, who was not minded that he should leave her, spoke hastily: "This is my counsel, Meneptah, that the Lord Eperitus should abide here in Tanis and be the Captain of my Guard while thou art gone to smite the Apura.
So she cried and pointed down the way, and so fierce was her gaze, and so awful were her words, that the people of the Apura trembled and the women ceased to sing. The Wanderer watched the Queen and marvelled. "Never had woman such a hardy heart," he mused; "and it were ill to cross her in love or war!" "They will sing no more at my gates," murmured Meriamun, with a smile.
Two women of the Apura saw her and ran to her, crying: "Lend to us those golden ornaments thou wearest." Then, without a word, she took her gold bracelets and chains and rings, and let them all fall in a heap at her feet. The women of the Apura took them all and mocked her, crying: "Where now is thy husband and thy son and thy brother, thou who art of Pharaoh's house?
He even made as if he held the army lightly, and asked the priest if this was all the strength of Pharaoh! Then Rei told him that it was but a fourth part, for none of the mercenaries and none of the soldiers from the Upper Land marched with the King in pursuit of the Apura. Then the Wanderer knew that he was come among a greater people than he had ever encountered yet, on land or sea.
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