THE MORNING STAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14352, 23 April 1910, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE MORNING STAR.

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.

-• - ' ■>. . ■. . • ■ "-i-v- - £•>'> 'BY H. ;RIDER HAGGARD, : : Antbor.of "Kins Solomon's Mines." " She." " Cleopatra." " Nada the Lily," "The People of the Mist."." Heart of the World," " Ayesha. or the Return of She. rho Ghost Kings." " The Volln'v. God." "Montezuma's l?aa?htcr," etc., etc., etc. •

COPYRIGHT. CHAPTER VI. -, ; THE BEGGAR AND THE KING. It was the afternoon of the third day. Tua and Asti,. seated in the window-place of their splendid prison, looked through the wooden screen down into the great court below, where, according to his custom at this hour, Janees the king sat in the shadow to administer justice and hear the petitions of his subjects. The two women were ,ill at ease,' for the time of respite had almost passed. ■ 0 ■' " Night • draws near," said Tua, " and with it will come Janees. Look how he eyes this window, like a hungry lion waiting to be fed. Kepher has made no sign; : perchance after all he is but a wandering beggar-man tilled with strange fancies, or perchance he is dead, as may well happen at his age. At least, he makes no sign, nor does Amen, to whom I have prayed so hard, send any answer to my prayers. ' 1 am forsaken. Oh! Asti, you who are wise, tell me, what shall I do?" • ( " Trust in the gods," said Asti. " There are still three hours to sundown, and in three hours the gods, to whom time is nothing, can destroy the • world and build it up again. Remember when we starved in the pylon tower at Memphis, and what befell us there.' Remember the flight to death and the Boat of Ra. and those by whom it was captained.. Remember, and trust in the gods."

" I trust— truth, I trust, Asti, but yet—oh ! let us talk of something else. I wonder what has chanced in Memphis since we left it in so strange a fashion? Do you think that awful Ka. of mine queens it there with Abi for a husband? If so, I almost grieve for Abi. for she had something in her eyes which chilled my mortal blood, and yet you say she is a part of me, a spirit who cannot die, cast in my mould, and, given to me at Birth. I would I had another Ka, and that you could draw it forth again, Asti, to bewitch this Janees, and hold him while we fled. See, that case draws to ah end at length. . Janees is giving judgment, or rather his councillor is, for he prompts him all the time. Can you not hear his whispers? As for Janees himrelt. his thoughts are here; I feel his eyes burn me through this wooden screen. He is about to rise. Why ! Who comes Awake, nurse, and look." ' , .' :

Asti obeyed. There in the gate of the court she saw a tall man, white-bearded, yellow-faced, horny-eyed, ancient, who, clad in a tattered, robe, leaned upon his staff of thornwood. and stared about him blindly as though the sun bewildered him. The guards came .to thrust him away, but he waved his staff, and they fell back from him as though there were power in that staff. N6w his slow, tortoise-like eyes seemed to catch sight of . the glittering throne, and of him who sat upon' it, and with long strides lie walked to the throne and halted in '■■'. front of - it, 1 again leaning on his staff.., :; : " "',.<,-

"Who is this fellow?" asked : Janees in an angry voice, " who stands here and makes no obeisance to the King?"•/" "Are you a king?" asked. Kepher. "I am very blind.' I thought .you were 'but a common man such as I am, only clad in bright clothes. Tell me, what is it like to be a king, and have all ' things; beneath your feet. * Do you still ? hope and > suffer and fear death Him a nnmrann man? I ; Is

the flesh beneath, your gold and purple the same as mine beneath my rags? (Do, old memories: torment you, "Memories;. of the dead who ' come no more? Can you ] feel griefs, and the ache of disappointment?" ''.•: w '.';:.;'"-:'i' ';-'- ■:''': : .' '.. 'Vv.-v "Do I sit here to answer riddles, fool?" answered. Janees, angrily. "Turn the fellow out, I have business." > x i' Now guards sprang forward to do the king's bidding, but again Kepher waved his staff, and again they fell back. Certainly it seemed as though there ,'weri power in that staff. "Business, king," he said. ' Not oi the State, I think, but with one who lodges yonder," and he nodded towards the shuttered room whence Tua watched him. " Well, that is three hours hence after the sun has set, so you still have time to listen to my prayer, which you will do as it is of this same lady with whom you have business." :". "What do : you know of the lady, you old knave, and of my dealings with her?" asked Janees angrily. " Much of both, 6 King, for I am her father, and—shall I tell the rest?" ''Her father, you hoary liar!" broke in Janees.

, "Aye, her father, and I have come to i tell you that as our blood is more ancient than yours, I will not have you for a , son-in-law, any more than that daughter of mine will have you for a husband." Now some of the courtiers who heard these words laughed outright, but Janees': '•<■ > . did not laugh; his dark face turned white ".(""( with rage, and he. gasped for breath. "Drag this madman forth," he shouted • at length, "and cut out his insolent ." tongue." ; ( Again the guards sprang forward; but . before ever they reached. him Kepher 'was speaking in a new' voice, a "voice so terrible that at the sound of it they stopped, leaving him untouched. . !(■>'■■■"'.- "Beware how you lay a finger on me, you men of Tat," he cried, " for how v know you who dwells within these rags? '•' Janees, you who call yourself a king, -' listen to the commands of a greater king, < whose throne is yonder above the sun.v: Ere night falls upon the earth set that . maiden upon whom you would force < yourself, and her companion, and all her ((' goods without your southern gate, and leave them there unharmed. Such is the command of the king of kings, who dwells on high." ;] " And what ■ if I mock at the command of this king?" asked Janees. '- '* "Mock not," replied Kepher. "Be- ' think you of a certain 'picture, that the • ' " lady Asti showed you in the water, and ".-'-' mock not." . \ / '.. .'■ : - "It was but an Egyptian trick,' wizard, - and one in which I see you had a hand. • Begone, I' defy you and your sorceries, - and your king. To-night that maid shall - be my wife." " Then, Janees, lord of Tat, listen to . the doom that I am sent to decree upon you. To-night you shall have : another , bride, and her name is Death. , Moreover, for their sins, and because their eyes are (;(( evil, and they have rejected; the worship;(. of the gods, . many of your people shall ' accompany you to darkness, and to-mor-row another king, who is not-; of 'your house,, shall rule in Tat." • ' \) r Kepher ceased speaking, then turned and walked slowly down the court •of judgment and through its; gates, nor did > ; any so. much as lift a finger to stay him, :: for now about this old man there seemed to , be a majesty which made, them :;; strengthless. > , , \ " Bring that wizard back arid-kill : him ■/;(. here," shouted » Janees* presently,; •,;as.: the i '(■(: spell, passed off ~ them, i and like hounds ■ from a leash they ; sprang, forward to do.;', the bidding, of the king. . ',' , „,■ But without the walls they could, not • * find j him. A woman seen . him here, - a child had seen him there, some slaves'..'.(' had watched him pass yonder, arid l ; ran, ' away because they noted; that he had no ■ shadow. . At i length, after many a false"turn, . they tracked him < to the - southern gate, and there the guard said that just • such a beggarman had passed '.through. ; as they were : about "to : . close the ; gate/•! : ■ vanishing .into, the sandstorm which blew &-'■■" without. They ( followed, but so thickly £i ''( blew , that, sand that, they lost< each other in their search, and but just before sun- ' down returned to ' the palace singly, where *" ■ in ; his rage the king - commanded ■ them -to "'-■'■ be beaten with 'rods, upon, their feet. ">:'; ; Now the - darkness came, and at the appointed hour Janees, hardening his heart, went up ' into the chamber where ' dwelt v ' Tua and ; Asti, leaving his guard ot'eu-.'( ; nuchs at the door. -The lamps were lit ' within that chamber, and the' window- V places closed; but without the desert = v ( ; ; wind .howled loudly, r and the air was ; ' blind with sand.- = On the further side of the marble basin, ■as ; once before, • Tua ' and "stood awaiting him. '• .''*•' .•;••• "Lady," he said, "it is (the! appointed hour, and I seek your answer." " "King," replied Tua, "hear me, and for' - ' your own sake—not for, mine. ,1 ■. am more - than I seem. I have friends in the earth and air, did not one of them visit vou today in yonder court? Put away tftis mad- ' ness and let me; be, for T( wish you' good, not evil, but if you so,much as lay a finger on me, then I think, that evil draws near, or at the best I die by my own. hand." •..", ( : " Lady," replied Janees"in ; a cold ? voice,/ "have done with threats; -I,; await your : answer." ~ ~ ' .(. , * ( ' "King," said Tua, " for the last time Xplead' with you.,, You think that I lie ;to v save myself, but it is not so. I would have you.', Look now," and she threw back her • veil and opened the. wrappings about her throat. •,;','..Look at that which : is stamped upon my breast, and think— it well to . .offer violence .to a woman who \ bears this \ holy seal?" • ■.' ( •:'•'•( ' ; : - : .- ':■':'. : .> ry :(--"AV«' ':'■'- "I have heard of such • a one,". said 1 Janees hoarsely, for the eight of ,her beauty :■■' maddened him. ; "They say that she was • born -in Thebes, .> and ;of *a ' strange '. father, though, if so,, how came she here? ; I am told that she; reigns as Pharaoh in : Egypt." "Ask that ; question of • your oracles, 0, King, but remember that' rumour does , not .' always lie,; and I let ■ the daughter of that strange father : go." (:;'(-.^^/-v;f ; /r ,/ :v;;;v, : ;-, ;;.? "There is another. who claims to be your '• father, lady, if by now my soldiers have not scourged him to his death— tattered - ■ beggarman.":'-:: : :;v ,"''-".* .;• ; " Whom those soldiers could not touch or find," broke in Asti, speaking for the first time. : ; ( : S:. :;(::'•'(v; : " : ': :-,''-;^-.';-(';/■;,;;„. >..«■■. "Well," went on Janees, without heed- ' ing her, " whether your father be a beggar ';-•('■(' or a god, or even if you are Hathor's self..: ' come down from heaven to be the death ofl- - know that I take you for my own. For the third time, answer, will ; you be( my queen of your own choice, or must my(, women drown yonder witch in ; this water' at your feet; and drag you hence?" • Now Tua made no answer. She only let v r ' fall. her veil, folded her 'arms ' upon . her '-•'.?.. breast, and waited. But Asti, mocking him, . ( cried in a loud voice, that he might hearabove the howling of the' hurricane without: l ' '( .' . " " ' . •' Call your, women, king,; for the air '. is \ : 'fi\ " full of sand that chokes my throat, and £ long for the water which you promise me."V . Then, in his fury, f Janees turned, and( shouted '' ''"",'-' " Come hither, slaves, and do what I commanded you." ■.;;'(;(;:; ' .'."As he spoke the door burst open,* and through it, no longer clad in rags, but wearing a white robe and head-dress, walk-. ( . ed Kepher the wanderer, while after ' him, their red swords in their hands, came savage-looking, chiefs, bearded, i black-faced, round-eyed, with gold chains that clanked ': upon their mail, captains of the desert,' men who knew neither; fear nor mercy. (\ Janees looked and .understood. I He snatched out his sword, and for a moment stayed, ; : irresolute,- while the 'great men ringed him'. (■; round and waited, their eyes fixed on Kepher's face. ( ■- >' (';-; ■ ■; " ; ( v ; : .;(( : ' :: '.;' ; -,■''''■'''■;( •'."Spare him, father, ~'if it may- be so,":;,: said Tua, "since love has made him mad." ; "Too late," answered Kepher: solemnly. ;. " Those who will not ; accept the warning of the gods must suffer the vengeance of the . gods. ; Janees, you who would do violence to a helpless woman, your palace burns, your city, is in my keeping, and : the :. few who stood, by you are slain. . Janees,'to- .■ morrow another shall rule in your' place. ~; Amen the Father has decreed your doom." ; ■ "Aye," echoed ' Janees heavily, " too late!;( ( Mortals cannot fight against the> gods that make their" sport of them. t Some god commanded that I should love. Some god com-', mands that I should die. i So be it, 1, am •glad to -would that I had not been born to know grief and death. Tell me, 0, prophet, what evil power is there whica orda'"s that we"must be born and puffer?,* ■ To be continued daily).