now, what's your opinion of the Maryut wine? I'm Theban, but I'm not prejudiced.”
“What you served me was fine,” Djedef replied.
This was enough chatter for Sennefer, who went off to sleep. But Djedef's cheek never touched his pillow, because his friend's mention of Meresankh had stirred his anguish and his burning love, just as food thrown on the water's surface excites the fish's hunger. Restive and disturbed, he spent the long, black night exchanging secrets with his sorrowing heart.
20
Within the heir apparent's palace, Djedef felt deep inside that he was close to an obscure secret. No doubt, he dwelt on the horizon — where it — would arise — and, inevitably, one of its blazing rays would someday illuminate it. Meanwhile, he waited in hope, in fear, and in rapture.
One late afternoon, he patrolled the palace meadows that overlooked the Nile, as the sun of the month of Hatur poured forth a joyous light recalling the days of his youthful prime and splendor. Making his rounds, he saw a royal ship lying in anchor at the garden's staircase — and none of the chamberlains were there to greet it. So he hurried — as duty obliged — to receive the honored messenger, and stood facing the ship like a striking statue.
He saw a divine, glorious vision hidden in the robe of a king's daughter. With pharaonic grandeur and ethereal grace, she came down from the ship to ascend the staircase. So ethereal was she, in fact, it seemed as though her weight was pulled upward, not downward. Djedef was looking at Her Royal Highness Princess Meresankh!
He drew out his long sword and gave a military salute, as the princess passed by him like a ravishing dream. And just as quickly, she departed the twisting paths of the garden.
How could this not be her?
Sight can be deceived, and so can hearing, but the heart never is — and if this wasn't her, then his heart would not beat so intensely that it was almost torn to pieces. And why else would it leave him in ecstasy like a staggering drunk? Yet her mind seemed neither to sense or to recall him — and hadn't something happened between them that would merit remembrance? Could she so quickly forget so strange an encounter? Or could she be just snobbishly pretending not to know him?
And what good would it do him, — whether she remembered him or not? What is the difference between the princess being the girl in the picture, or someone else — who resembles her? For his heart beats so hard only for the love of this lovely painting, and shall continue to do so, whether she resides in the body of the princess from the Great House of Pharaoh, or in that of the peasant girl from the villages around Memphis. And he shall remain in despair of her in either case, for there is no alternative to love — just as there is none to its denial.
He set his gaze toward the trees, and saw the birds drawn by their branches, continually warbling in song, their appearance announcing their joy from passionate love and affection. He felt a sentiment for them that he had not known before. He envied that they could cavort without cost, that they could love without torment, and that their natures transcended all doubts and illusions. He looked at his own colored uniform, his cocky headdress, and his sword, and felt insignificant: he had an urge to laugh at himself with snickering bitterness.
He had mastered archery and horseback riding, and excelled in hand-to-hand combat, achieving all that to which a youth aspires — yet he knew not how to make himself happy! Nafa was more fortunate because he had married Mana of the long, graceful neck and honey-colored eyes. And Kheny would wed in quiet simplicity, because he views marriage as a religious obligation. As for Djedef, he had to keep hidden within his breast a secret, despairing love, which withered his heart the way that the denial of Nile water and sun withers the leafy tree.
He remained rooted where he stood, longing to see her yet another time. To him, this visit seemed clearly unofficial, for had it been known by all in the palace, they would have received her in a manner appropriate to her station in the royal family. Therefore it was certainly possible that she would return to the boat by herself. His thinking turned out to be correct, for the princess reappeared alone after His Royal Highness had bid her goodbye at the palace entrance.
Djedef was at his place by the garden's staircase, in attendant readiness, until — when she passed by in front of him — he drew out his sword in salute. Suddenly Meresankh stopped and turned toward him — with highborn hauteur, inquiring bitingly, “Do you know your duties, Officer?”
“Yes, Your Highness,” he blurted, shaken as though by an earthquake.
“Do your duties include kidnapping maidens other than in time of war?”
As embarrassment seized him, she continued staring cruelly at him for a moment, then said, “Is it a soldier's duty to act treacherously?”
Unable to bear the pain, he told her, “O my mistress, the brave soldier never behaves treacherously.”
At this, she asked him mockingly, “Then what would you say to one who skulks in waiting behind the trees for virtuous maidens, and paints them on the sly?”
Then her tone changed. “You should know that I want that picture,” she demanded sternly.
Djedef obeyed, as he was accustomed to obey. He put his hand into his breast, pulling the painting out of its deep hiding place, and presented it to the princess.
She had not been expecting this. Surprise flashed on her face, in spite of her pride — but she soon regained her grip on herself as she stretched forth her soft-skinned hand and snatched the image from him.
Then she processed back to her ship, enveloped in majesty and grandeur.
21
Djedef's life in the prince's palace — went on-with nothing novel on the horizon, until one day he discovered a new source of pain.
On that day, His Highness Prince Khafra went out in his most exalted ceremonial uniform, preceded by a squadron of guards, among them Djedef's friend Sennefer. The prince returned toward the evening, and Sennefer came back to his chamber at the same time that Djedef did after fulfilling his duty, both as a guard and as inspector of the guards. Of course, it would have been natural to ask his friend what had prompted the prince to go out in a manner reserved usually for the great feasts. But he knew from experience that Sennefer was the sort who could not keep a secret. And in fact, Sennefer had only relaxed briefly when he said, while pulling on his nightshirt, “Do you know where we went today?”
“No,” said Djedef, calmly.
“His Highness Prince Ipuwer, governor of Arsina Nome,” Sennefer said, weightily, “went to Memphis today — where he was received by the heir apparent!”
“Isn't His Highness the son of His Majesty the King's maternal uncle?”
“Yes,” answered Sennefer, “and it is said that His Highness came bearing a report on the tribes of Sinai — there have been many more incidents lately involving them in the lands of the Eastern Delta.”
“Then His Highness was a herald of war?”
“True enough, Djedef,” replied Sennefer. “And what I've learned is that for a long time, the crown prince has leaned toward taming the tribes of Sinai, and Commander Arbu supports his view. Yet Pharaoh preferred to be patient until the country's forces were ready, after the huge effort expended in construction, especially in building the king's pyramid. After waiting for a time, the prince asked for the fulfillment of what his father had promised. But it's said that His Majesty the King is preoccupied these days in — writing his great book, — which he wants to make the greatest guide in both religious and worldly affairs for the Egyptians. So, as the king didn't seem prepared to think seriously about the question of — war, Prince Khafra turned to his relative Prince Ipuwer. He agreed that he would meet — with him himself to advise the king on the facts of the tribes’ insolence and their disdain for the government's authority, and of the consequences should this situation continue. Therefore, it seems likely that with the prince's coming a division of the army will be marching northeast in the very near future.”
Silence reigned for a moment, then Sennefer, driven by his love of chatter, resumed, “His Majesty the King
