sun, a finger's length above the reedtops " – well, by early tomorrow at the latest. You must realize that the, ah, the size of the levy was unexpected, though of course the Temple of Tatenen never hesitates to carry out the desires of the King."
"Yes, you've done quite well, then," said Samlor with an attempt to make the words sound appreciative rather than ironic. Tekhao was a toady, but he had carried out a difficult task in a short time.
They stepped beneath the arch into the temple enclosure. Two-story buildings were built along the right and left sides of the courtyard, while the facade of the temple closed the end facing the gate and the river beyond. Four caryatids representing aspects of Tatenen, the Creator, supported the temple pediment whose reliefs showed the Court of Heaven over which Tatenen presided.
The courtyard was crowded with folk ranging from those who cultivated the temple fields to priests' wives garbed as richly as the functionaries themselves. They began to cheer when Samlor and his family entered the enclosure.
"Ah, your highness," Tekhao murmured with his lips to Samlor's ear. "It's our understanding that the temple's contribution to the royal granary this year will be reduced by the value of the wax. May we assume that the wax will be valued at the rate prevailing in the capital on the date contributions are due?"
Merib, startled by the cheering crowd, began to wail again, but his cries were lost in the enthusiasm.
"You may assume that the affairs of scribes will be handled by scribes," Samlor retorted loudly enough that he did not need to bend close to the chief priest. "No doubt they will be aware that goods turned over to the king are valued at the place where they come into the hands of the royal agents."
"Of course, Prince Nanefer, of course," boomed Tekhao, smiling so that all his subordinates could see how well he was getting along with the king's son. "We'll conduct you to your chambers, now, and perhaps at the banquet later we can discuss some of the special problems with which a temple estate in this district must deal."
"Of course," said Samlor, irriated at having been so tart a moment before.
The crowd cheered, and Ahwere glanced at her husband across the crying visage of their son.
CHAPTER 13
"WE'RE SO HONORED by the presence of your highness," said Tekhao's wife-for at least the third time during the course of the banquet-while her beaming husband served Samlor the dessert, a compote of limes and white grapes, with his own hands. The other priests, temple administrators, and wives watched the two couples at the high table with expressions of awe and envy as their temperaments dictated.
"Perhaps you can tell me, Tekhao," said Ahwere as she accepted the ladleful of fruit the chief priest was offering. "There's an odd-looking wall next to the dock. Well, near it. What do you use that for?"
Tekhao sat down and filled his own cup from the serving bowl. "An involved question, your highness," he answered with a smirk in his voice. "In a manner of speaking, we don't use it; but in another way it is the reason a temple of Tatenen is located here."
He had forgotten to serve his own wife. Her scowl was one that would wake thunder later when the couple was alone, but now she said sweetly to Samlor, "A child is always such a responsibility, Prince Nanefer, and for you, knowing that your lovely boy will succeed you as king, well. . The State is fortunate that such a responsibility is in hands so capable."
Samlor managed a smile. His mouth was full of fruit and his attention was focused on the explanation the priest was giving Ah were.
"You see, your highness," Tekhaosaid, "we didn't build the wall. That is, human beings didn't. It was placed on Earth by Tatenen himself when he created the cosmos."
Tekhao permitted himself a brief smile to indicate to his visitors that he was too sophisticated to believe such a myth-if they were-but without committing himself to heresy if Ah were and her husband took a rigidly accepting approach to their religion.
Ah were's nod was no certain indication either way, so the chief priest went on in factual neutrality. "The wall is only a hundred feet long, to be sure, but the stones in its fabric are of exceptional size. There are a few buildings in the capital as massively constructed, but nothing whatever here on the Lower River. And even in Napata, the close fit between the individual stones would be considered remarkable. It is-"
Tekhao paused to consider his words. "It is said," he continued, "that Tatenen made the stones soft for a moment after he put them in place, so that the surfaces flowed together. Despite weathering, there is no place in the wall that a knife will slip further than a fingertip between the layers."
"But there's a face on it, isn't there?" Ahwere asked. "Was that always there?"
Samlor couldn't tell whether Ahwere were just making conversation, or if she had a suspicion of what he intended-but would not ask her husband directly.
"Yes indeed, your highness," Tekhao said. "The face of Tatenen himself, ah-it is said. Stamped onto the stone with his, ah, seal ring as his final act of creation."
The chief priest's wife stood up and stumped heavily across the front of the table to reach the fruit compote. One of the servants standing behind the diners' chairs would have served her had she flicked a finger toward him-but that wouldn't have given her the opportunity to glare straight into her husband's eyes.
"There was once a ceremony," continued Tekhao. Only a tic of his right cheek betrayed his awareness of his wife's displeasure. "The Cleansing of the Face, it was called.
Every year the nearby villages brought offerings which they cast into the river, and they scrubbed the face clean. Horrible waste. Ah, the offerings, that is."
"Now the ceremony is held here in the temple," said Tekhao's wife brightly, joining the conversation as a better way of getting attention than glowering from her end of the table. "It's much nicer. Though still very colorful, of course."
"Ah, yes," agreed Tekhao with a hint of well-deserved embarrassment. "It seemed more fitting that the ceremony be held here in the temple enclosure. Of course, we know that Tatenen is everywhere, not in an idol or a, or a face on a wall. But it makes it easier for the common villagers to carry out their duties to the god if they associate him with the, ah, house where their offerings are deposited."
"The wall," said Samlor, "is thought to be the dam which Tatenen built to separate the realm of men from the realm of gods."
Tekhao blinked and turned to face Samlor. "Yes, your highness," he said. "That is said. Though-" his round face became as neutral as an expanse of flooring " – nothing is behind the stone except earth. There have been, ah, examinations. Muddy earth."
Samlor nodded calmly.
Ahwere was looking at him past the chief priest's head. Her face was gray with fear.
CHAPTER 14
MERIB WAS ASLEEP, but they could hear the nurse singing to him in the room beyond the doorway screened by reed matting.
Ahwere began to cry softly.
Samlor touched her shoulders from behind, then began to massage them gently as he moved closer.
She turned, throwing her arms around him and burying her face against his chest. "Oh, Nanefer," she said through her sobs. "My prince, my brother, my only love…"
"Don't be afraid," Samlor whispered, bending to kiss her forehead and eyelid. "There isn't anything to fear."