Uarda | Page 7

the ceremonies to the princess,
interrupting the wife of Mena, "and I did not conceal my opinion when
Bent-Anat announced her intention of visiting the accursed hole in
person. I suggested," he continued, turning to the priest, "that she
should let the girl be taken home, and send a royal present to the
father."
"And the princess?" asked the priest.
"She acted, as she always does, on her own judgment," replied the
master of the ceremonies.
"And that always hits on the right course," cried the wife of Mena.
"Would to God it were so!" said the princess in a subdued voice. Then
she continued, addressing the priest, "Thou knowest the will of the
Gods and the hearts of men, holy father, and I myself know that I give
alms willingly and help the poor even when there is none to plead for
them but their poverty. But after what has occurred here, and to these
unhappy people, it is I who come as a suppliant."
"Thou?" said the chamberlain.
"I," answered the princess with decision. The priest who up to this
moment had remained a silent witness of the scene raised his right hand

as in blessing and spoke.
"Thou hast done well. The Hathors fashioned thy heart and the Lady of
Truth guides it. Thou hast broken in on our night-prayers to request us
to send a doctor to the injured girl?"
[Hathor was Isis under a substantial form. She is the goddess of the
pure, light heaven, and bears the Sun-disk between cow-horns on a
cow's head or on a human head with cow's ears. She was named the
Fair, and all the pure joys of life are in her gift. Later she was regarded
as a Muse who beautifies life with enjoyment, love, song, and the
dance. She appears as a good fairy by the cradle of children and decides
their lot in life. She bears many names: and several, generally seven,
Hathors were represented, who personified the attributes and influence
of the goddess.]
"Thou hast said."
"I will ask the high-priest to send the best leech for outward wounds
immediately to the child. But where is the house of the paraschites
Pinem? I do not know it."
"Northwards from the terrace of Hatasu,--[A great queen of the 18th
dynasty and guardian of two Pharaohs]--close to--; but I will charge
one of my attendants to conduct the leech. Besides, I want to know
early in the morning how the child is doing.--Paaker."
The rough visitor, whom we already know, thus called upon, bowed to
the earth, his arms hanging by his sides, and asked:
"What dost thou command?"
"I appoint you guide to the physician," said the princess. "It will be
easy to the king's pioneer to find the little half-hidden house again--
[The title here rendered pioneer was that of an officer whose duties
were those at once of a scout and of a Quarter-Master General. In
unknown and comparatively savage countries it was an onerous post.

--Translator.]
besides, you share my guilt, for," she added, turning to the priest, "I
confess that the misfortune happened because I would try with my
horses to overtake Paaker's Syrian racers, which he declared to be
swifter than the Egyptian horses. It was a mad race."
"And Amon be praised that it ended as it did," exclaimed the master of
the ceremonies. "Packer's chariot lies dashed in pieces in the valley,
and his best horse is badly hurt."
"He will see to him when he has taken the physician to the house of the
paraschites," said the princess. "Dost thou know, Penbesa--thou
anxious guardian of a thoughtless girl--that to-day for the first time I
am glad that my father is at the war in distant Satiland?"--[Asia].
"He would not have welcomed us kindly!" said the master of the
ceremonies, laughing.
"But the leech, the leech!" cried Bent-Anat. "Packer, it is settled then.
You will conduct him, and bring us to-morrow morning news of the
wounded girl."
Paaker bowed; the princess bowed her head; the priest and his
companions, who meanwhile had come out of the temple and joined
him, raised their hands in blessing, and the belated procession moved
towards the Nile.
Paaker remained alone with his two slaves; the commission with which
the princess had charged him greatly displeased him. So long as the
moonlight enabled him to distinguish the litter of Mena's wife, he gazed
after it; then he endeavored to recollect the position of the hut of the
paraschites. The captain of the watch still stood with the guard at the
gate of the temple.
"Do you know the dwelling of Pinem the paraschites?" asked Paaker.
"What do you want with him?"

"That is no concern of yours," retorted Paaker.
"Lout!" exclaimed the captain, "left face and forwards,