day without any equal, the academy's prodigy without any peer, winning a place of wonder and appreciation in every heart there.
The winners were expected to approach the heir apparent so that he might congratulate them on their abilities. That day, Djedef went alone to offer the prince the military salute, and the heir apparent put his hand in his, saying, “I congratulate you, fearless Officer: first, for your superiority over all in the field; and second, for my selecting you to be an officer in my special guard.”
The young man's face was flooded with joy as he saluted the prince and returned to his place. Along the way he heard the crier announce to those in attendance that the prince had congratulated him and had chosen him to be a member of his guard. His heart fluttered as he thought of his family's excitement — Bisharu, Zaya, Kheny, and Nafa — who — were listening to the crier's speech, and — who — were experiencing the same indescribable delirium.
After that, the troop of new officers marched up to the crown prince's throne so that he might address them, saying in his gruff” voice: “O valiant officers, I hereby declare my full satisfaction with your courage, your talent, your enthusiasm, and your noble soldierly character. I hope that you will continue to be, like your brethren who have come before you, an ensign of glory for your homeland and for Pharaoh, Lord of the Two Lands.”
The soldiers cheered for the homeland and for Pharaoh. Thence came the announcement that the celebration was finished. As the invited guests departed, the heir apparent left the academy and his official procession returned to the royal palace.
During all this, Djedef was in a kind of daze that insulated him from what was going on around him. This was not the euphoria of victory — rather, it was a more serious and engrossing concern. For while he was listening to the prince's speech with his classmates, his eyes drifted from the speaker, only to find them settling on Princess Meresankh. Thunderstruck, he nearly fell on his face. By the gods in heaven, what did he see but the face of the peasant girl whose portrait he carried next to his heart! He wanted to look at it longer, but he feared that would cause a scandal, so he stared straight ahead without paying attention to anything. And when the gala ended and he recovered from his sudden surprise, he made his way back to the barracks like one touched by madness.
Could it be that his beautiful farmer's daughter is really Her Royal Highness Princess Meresankh? That seemed beyond belief— impossible even to imagine!
On the other hand, could one easily accept that there existed two faces with this same bewitching beauty? And had he forgotten the arrogance that the one in the picture showed him — a behavior not found among peasant girls? Yet all of these things together could not support this bizarre conjecture: if only he could carry out further inquiries in the features of her face!
And what, then, if she is the princess? Something immense had come to him whose consequences he could not predict. At this he lost his self-control and laughed — with bitter derision. “How fantastic!” he told himself. “Djedef son of Bisharu is in love — with the princess, Meresankh!” Then he gazed at the picture forlornly for quite a long time.
Are you truly the majestic princess?” he demanded of her image. “Be a simple peasant girl — for a peasant girl lost is nearer to the heart than a princess found.”
19
Djedef made ready to leave Bisharu's palace as an independent man for the first time. And this time he would leave behind him sadness mixed with admiration and pride, as Zaya kissed him until she drenched his cheeks with her tears. Kheny, too, blessed him in farewell: the priest himself had started preparing to depart their home for the temple. Meanwhile, Nafa gripped his hand warmly, saying, “The passing days will prove my prophecy true, O Djedef.” And a new member of Bisharu's family likewise bid him goodbye — this was Mana, daughter of Kamadi and wife of Nafa. As for old Bisharu, he put his coarse hand on the soldier's shoulder and told him with conceit, “I am happy, Djedef, that you are taking your first steps on the path of your great father.” Nor did Djedef forget to lay a lotus blossom on Gamurka's grave before taking leave of his house on the way to the palace of His Royal Pharaonic Highness, Prince Khafra.
By fortunate coincidence, one of his comrades in the prince's barracks was an old childhood friend, a decent, frank-spoken, warmhearted boy. His companion of yore, whose name was Sennefer, rejoiced at his arrival, receiving him warmly.
'Are you always on my trail?” he asked him, teasingly.
“So long as you're on the road to glory,” Djedef answered, grinning.
“Yours is the glory, Djedef. I once was champion of the chariot race, but as for you, there's never been a soldier like yourself: I congratulate you from my deepest heart.”
Djedef thanked him, and in the evening, Sennefer drew a flask of Maryut wine from his robe along with two silver goblets, saying, “I've grown accustomed to drinking a glass of this before going to sleep; a very beneficial ritual. Do you ever drink?”
“I drink beer — but why would I drink wine?”
Sennefer burst out laughing. “Drink!” he said. “Wine is the warrior's medicine.”
Then suddenly, he said to him seriously, “O brother Djedef, you have accepted an arduous life!”
Djedef smiled and said, somewhat disdainfully, “I am quite used to the soldier's life.”
“All of us are used to military life. But His Royal Highness is something else entirely,” Sennefer confided.
Surprise showed on Djedef's face. “What do you mean?” he asked.
“I'm counseling you, brother, on the obvious truth of the matter — and to warn you,” Sennefer said. “Serving the prince is a hardship like no other.”
“How is that?” asked Djedef.
“His Highness is extremely cruel, with a heart of stone, or even harder,” he confided. “A mistake to him is a deliberate offense,” Sennefer explained, “and a deliberate offense, to him, is a crime that cannot be forgiven. Egypt will find in him a strict ruler who does not treat a wound with balsam, as His Majesty his father sometimes does. Rather, he would not hesitate to cut off the worthless limb should it hinder him.”
“The firm monarch needs a bit of cruelty,” said Djedef.
“A bit of cruelty, yes — but not cruelty in all things,” Sennefer continued. “You'll see everything for yourself in due course. Yet there hardly comes a day when a number of punishments aren't issued, some against the servants, some against the soldiers, some for the lower ranks, and perhaps some for the officers. And as time goes by, he only gets nastier — more boastful and crude, in fact.”
“Usually, a man's nature softens as the years advance — this is what Kagemni says.”
Sennefer laughed loudly as he said, “ ‘It is not becoming for an officer to quote the sayings of the wise.’ That is what His Highness says! His Highness's life deviates from Kagemni's description. Why? Because he's forty years old. A crown prince who's forty — think of it!”
The young man looked at him quizzically, as Sennefer went on talking in a low voice. “One wants heirs apparent to come to power young, for if the Fates are awful to them, then they are awful to everyone else!” he opined.
“Isn't His Highness married?”
“And he has both boys and girls,” answered Sennefer.
“Then the throne is secure for his progeny.”
“This does nothing to relieve his chagrin… it's not what the prince fears.”
“What does he fear, then? His brothers uphold the laws of the kingdom honestly.”
“There's no doubt about that,” said Sennefer. “Perhaps they lack ambition because their mothers are just concubines in the harem — and Her Majesty the Queen gave birth only to the crown prince and his sister, Meresankh. The throne rightfully belongs to those two before anyone else. But what worries the prince is… the vigorous health of His Majesty the King!”
“Pharaoh is idolized by all Egypt,” said Djedef.
“There's no argument there,” the officer said. “But I imagine that I can see the lusts lodged deep in people's souls that the conscience does not allow to emerge. God forbid that a traitor be found in Egypt. No, brother… and
