Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"What more have I to do of which to accuse myself, O Rameses? Egypt knows why I came to court. Egypt will know why I shall leave it. What have I not offered and what hast thou given me? Where shall I find that refuge from the pitying smile of the nation? Spare my womanhood " "Ah, fie upon thy pretense, Ta-user! Art thou not shrewd enough to know how well I understand thee? Thou dost not love me.
The little girl sat expectantly watching his face. "Nay, I would not take Seti's boyish transports seriously," he said gently. "His very frankness disclaims any heart interest in Ta-user. Besides, she is as old as I three whole Nile-floods older than the prince. She thinks on him as Senci looks on me he regards her as a lad looks up to gracious womanhood. Nay, fret not, thou dear jealous child."
Ta-user flung him a smile and, passing him without a word of leave-asking, smiled again and disappeared through the door. Meneptah, who sat alone, raised his head from the scroll he was laboriously spelling. If he had meant to resent the intrusion, the impulse died within him at the charming obeisance the princess made. As she rose at his sign, Har-hat entered.
Thou knowest she was born of a prince of Egypt and a lovely Tahennu, and the mingling of our dusky blood with that of a fair-haired northern people, hath wrought a marvelous beauty in Ta-user. Her hair is like copper and like copper her eyes. There is no brownness nor any flush in her skin. It is like thick cream, smooth, soft and cool.
"Nay," he exclaimed. "Never!" "Wherefore, I pray thee?" Hotep asked with a deprecating smile. "There is no mating between the lion and the eagle; the stag and the asp! They could not love." "Thou dreamy idealist!" Hotep laughed. "The half of great marriages are moves of strategy, attended more by Set than Athor. Ta-user is mad for the crown, Rameses for undisputed power.
"Am I over-credulous?" he asked. "Thou art. Thou believest this Hebrew to be honest in his show of interest in his people?" "I can not doubt him, Ta-user. One has but to see him to be convinced." "One has but to see him to know that he might be coaxed into passiveness with that for which an Israelite would sell his mummy gold!" "Nay! Nay!" Seti exclaimed. "Thou dost wrong him!
He is the soul of misdirected zeal. His is an earnestness not to be frightened with death nor abated with bribes." She laughed a cool little laugh. "Deliver to him but the price he names, and the Israelitish unrest will settle like a swarm of smoked bees." "Ta-user, it is thou that art deceived," Seti remonstrated. "Even the Pharaoh does not hesitate to assert that Mesu is terribly upright.
"I do not ask for thy crown, or thy son, or for an army, or treasure, or anything but that which thou wouldst gladly give me, because of thy just and generous heart." The doubt faded out of his face. "Thou hast my word, Ta-user." "And for that I thank thee." She bent her head and touched her lips to the hand lying nearest her. "Give me ear, then," she continued.
Furthermore, thou didst give the writing into my hands, and in obedience to thy command, I acted as I thought best. My purposes have been wilfully distorted!" Meneptah frowned with perplexity. But while he pondered, Ta-user drew near to him and said to him very softly: "If his words be true, O my Sovereign, one lovely Israelite is as serviceable as another. The young man loves this maiden.
Ta-user drew a freer breath. "Thou wilt not wed her, then." "That I will. I have vowed it. Go, Ta-user, the hour is late. Have thy woman stir a potion for thee, and sleep. I would to mine own dreams. They yield me what the day denies." "Stay, Rameses," she urged, catching at his robes once more. "I would have thee know something. But am I to tell thee in words what I would have thee know?
Word Of The Day