Historical Miniatures | Page 8

delayed her return, she went from the wall down to the gate, and out to the low river shore where the bulrushes swayed in the gentle south wind. A stonechat of the desert sat on a rock by the river, wagged its tail, and flapped its wings, as though it wished to show something which it saw; and chattered at the sight of something strange among the bulrushes. High up in the air a hawk hovered in spiral circles, eyeing the ground below. Miriam broke off some lotus-buds and threw them at the stonechat, which flew away, but kept its beak still pointing towards the rushes. The girl girt up her dress, waded into the water, and now saw her mother standing, hidden up to her waist in a forest of papyrus-reeds, bending over a reed-basket with a baby at her breast.
"Mother," whispered Miriam, "Pharaoh's daughter is approaching; she comes to bathe in the river."
"Lord God of Israel, have mercy on my child!"
"If you have given the child enough to drink, hasten and come."
The mother bowed herself like an arch over the child; her hair hung down like an insect-net, and two tears fell from her eyes on the little one's outstretched hands. Then she rose, placed a sweet date in its mouth, softly closed the cover, murmured a blessing, and came out of the water.
A gentle breeze from the land swayed the rushes and crisped the surface of the river.
"The basket swims," she said, "but the river flows on; it is red with blood and thick as cream. Lord God of Israel, have mercy!"
"Yes, He will," answered Miriam, "as He had mercy on our father Abraham, who obtained the promise, because he obeyed and believed, 'Through thy seed shall all the families on the earth be blessed.'"
"And now Pharaoh slays all the first-born."
"But not thy son."
"Not yet."
"Pray and hope."
"What? That the monsters of the river do not swallow him, that the waves of the river do not drown him, that Pharaoh's executioners do not kill him! Is that the hope?"
"The promise is greater, and it lives: 'Thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies.'"
"And then Amram thy father has fled."
"To Raamses and Pithom, where our people toil in the buildings; he has gone there to warn and advise them. He has done well. Hush! Pharaoh's daughter comes."
"But she cannot bathe in the blood of our child."
"She comes, however. But she is the friend of the poor Hebrews; fear not."
"She is her father's daughter."
"The Egyptians are our cousins; they are Ham's descendants, and we are Shem's. Shem and Ham were brothers."
"But Ham was cursed by his father Noah, and Kanaan was Ham's son."
"But Noah said, 'Blessed be the Lord God of Shem, and let Kanaan be his servant.' Have you heard? Shem received the promise, and we belong to him."
"Lord of Hosts, help us; the basket drifts with the wind! It drifts towards the bathing-house,--and the vulture up there in the air."
"That is a hawk, mother!" Jochebed ran up and down the bank, like a dog whom its master has deserted; she beat her breast, and wept great tears.
Steps and voices were audible. "Here is Pharaoh's daughter!"
"But the Lord God of Israel is watching over us."
The two women hid themselves in the reeds, and Pharaoh's daughter appeared with her attendants at the watergate. She stepped on the bridge leading to the bath-house, which was a hut of coloured camel's skin, supported by pillars which stood in the bed of the river. But the basket drifted against the bridge and excited the curiosity of the princess. She remained standing and waited. Jochebed and Miriam could not hear what she said on account of the wind, but by her quiet movements they saw that she expected some amusement from the strange gift brought by the river. Now she sent a slave to the bank. The latter ran and broke off a long reed, which she handed to her mistress, who fished for the basket and brought it within reach. Then she knelt down and opened it. Jochebed saw two little arms outstretched. The princess laughed aloud, and turned to the women. She uttered an expression of joy, and then lifted the infant, which nestled in her maiden bosom and felt about in her white robe. Then the princess kissed it, pressed it to her breast, and turned back to the shore.
Miriam, who had now lost all fear, stepped forward and fell on her face. "See, Miriam," said the princess, whose name was Temma, "I have found a baby. I have received it from the Nile, and therefore it is a child of the gods. But now you must find a nurse for it."
"Where shall I find one, noble princess?"
"Search! But you must find one before evening. Do not forget, however, that