Moon of Israel | Page 9

making merry, save some who gathered in circles
to listen to a teller of tales or wandering musicians, or to watch women
who danced half naked for gifts.
Now and again the crowd would part to let pass the chariot of some
noble or lady before which went running footmen who shouted, "Make
way, Make way!" and laid about them with their long wands. Then
came a procession of white-robed priests of Isis travelling by moonlight
as was fitting for the servants of the Lady of the Moon, and bearing
aloft the holy image of the goddess before which all men bowed and for
a little while were silent. After this followed the corpse of some great
one newly dead, preceded by a troop of hired mourners who rent the air
with their lamentations as they conducted it to the quarter of the
embalmers. Lastly, from out of one of the side streets emerged a gang
of several hundred hook-nosed and bearded men, among whom were a
few women, loosely roped together and escorted by a company of
armed guards.
"Who are these?" I asked, for I had never seen their like.
"Slaves of the people of Israel who return from their labour at the
digging of the new canal which is to run to the Red Sea," answered the
Prince.
We stood still to watch them go by, and I noted how proudly their eyes
flashed and how fierce was their bearing although they were but men in
bonds, very weary too and stained by toil in mud and water. Presently
this happened. A white-bearded man lagged behind, dragging on the
line and checking the march. Thereupon an overseer ran up and flogged
him with a cruel whip cut from the hide of the sea-horse. The man
turned and, lifting a wooden spade that he carried, struck the overseer
such a blow that he cracked his skull so that he fell down dead. Other

overseers rushed at the Hebrew, as these Israelites were called, and beat
him till he also fell. Then a soldier appeared and, seeing what had
happened, drew his bronze sword. From among the throng sprang out a
girl, young and very lovely although she was but roughly clad.
Since then I have seen Merapi, Moon of Israel, as she was called, clad
in the proud raiment of a queen, and once even of a goddess, but never,
I think, did she look more beauteous than in this hour of her slavery.
Her large eyes, neither blue nor black, caught the light of the moon and
were aswim with tears. Her plenteous bronze-hued hair flowed in great
curls over the snow-white bosom that her rough robe revealed. Her
delicate hands were lifted as though to ward off the blows which fell
upon him whom she sought to protect. Her tall and slender shape stood
out against a flare of light which burned upon some market stall. She
was beauteous exceedingly, so beauteous that my heart stood still at the
sight of her, yes, mine that for some years had held no thought of
woman save such as were black and evil.
She cried aloud. Standing over the fallen man she appealed to the
soldier for mercy. Then, seeing that there was none to hope for from
him, she cast her great eyes around until they fell upon the Prince Seti.
"Oh! Sir," she wailed, "you have a noble air. Will you stand by and see
my father murdered for no fault?"
"Drag her off, or I smite through her," shouted the captain, for now she
had thrown herself down upon the fallen Israelite. The overseers
obeyed, tearing her away.
"Hold, butcher!" cried the Prince.
"Who are you, dog, that dare to teach Pharaoh's officer his duty?"
answered the captain, smiting the Prince in the face with his left hand.
Then swiftly he struck downwards and I saw the bronze sword pass
through the body of the Israelite who quivered and lay still. It was all
done in an instant, and on the silence that followed rang out the sound
of a woman's wail. For a moment Seti choked--with rage, I think. Then

he spoke a single word--"Guards!"
The four Nubians, who, as ordered, had kept at a distance, burst
through the gathered throng. Ere they reached us I, who till now had
stood amazed, sprang at the captain and gripped him by the throat. He
struck at me with his bloody sword, but the blow, falling on my long
cloak, only bruised me on the left thigh. Then I, who was strong in
those days, grappled with him and we rolled together on the ground.
After this there was great tumult. The Hebrew slaves burst their rope
and flung themselves upon the soldiers like dogs upon a jackal,