Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: August 13, 2024
Nay, an old man may say it, there never was but one woman more fair than Meriamun, if a woman she be, she whom our people call the Strange Hathor." Now the Wanderer bethought him of the tale of the pilot, but he said nothing, and Rei went on. "The Prince saw her, and his anger sought for something new to break itself on. Up he came, and I rose before him, and bowed myself.
The rest of the story, and how he had been taken by the Sidonians, and how he had smitten them on the seas, he told as he had told it to Rei. And he displayed his helmet with the spear-point fast in it. But when she saw this Meriamun rose to her feet as if she would be gone, and then fell back into her seat even paler than before.
Now go, Rei!" Rei departed, wondering and heavy at heart, and Meriamun the Queen passed into her bed-chamber, and there she bade the eunuchs suffer none to enter, made fast the doors, and threw herself down upon the bed, hiding her face in its woven cushions. Thus she lay for many hours as one dead till the darkness of the evening gathered in the chamber.
But in his foolish wisdom he spoke no word to her of Meriamun the Queen. Rei the Priest had fled with what speed he might from the Gates of Death, those gates that guarded the loveliness of Helen and opened only upon men doomed to die. The old man was heavy at heart, for he loved the Wanderer.
"The feast was long, but it ended at last, and then came the music and the singers, but Meriamun, making excuse, rose and went out, attended by her ladies. And I also, weary and sad at heart, passed thence to my own chamber and busied myself with the instruments of my art, for, stranger, I build the houses of gods and kings.
"Say," she cried to Rei, who bowed before her, "say, who is this woman?" Rei looked at the Queen with terrified eyes, and spake in a voice of warning. "This is that Goddess who dwells in the Temple of Hathor," he said. "Let her pass in peace, O Queen." "In peace she shall pass indeed," answered Meriamun. "What saidest thou, old dotard? That Goddess!
The Wanderer grasped his bow and counted. From among those who sat at meat twenty and one had fallen dead. Yet those who lived sat gazing emptily, for so stricken with fear were they that scarce did each one know if it was he himself who lay dead or his brother who had sat by his side. But Meriamun looked down the hall with cold eyes, for she feared neither Death nor Life, nor God nor man.
His eyes stared wide in fear, so dry was his throat with haste and with the sand, that he stood speechless before them all. "Give him wine," cried Meriamun, and wine was brought. Then he drank, and he fell upon his knees before the Queen, for he knew not Pharaoh. "Thy tidings!" she cried. "Be swift with thy tidings." "Let the Queen pardon me," he said. "Let her not be wrath. These are my tidings.
There we found nothing but death; a pestilence had been in the land, but in a ruined hall this bow was lying, and I made prize of it. A good bow!" "A strange story, truly a very strange story," quoth Meriamun the Queen. "By chance thou didst buy the armour of Paris, by chance thou didst find the bow of Eurytus, that bow, methinks, with which the god-like Odysseus slew the wooers in his halls.
Such is the appearance of war." Meriamun listened to his tale, which he set forth roughly, as if he were some blunt, grumbling swordsman, and darkly she looked on him while she hearkened, and darkly she smiled as she looked. "A strange story, Eperitus, a strange story truly. Now tell me thus. How camest thou by yonder great bow, the bow of the swallow string?
Word Of The Day
Others Looking