Thothises held up a hand. "Let it not disturb you, my son. Ere you depart, you shall know of some valued service that you and no other can perform for us."
Days dragged by while we durst not venture forth from our cells. Some played checkers while others plumbed the mysteries of Egyptian theology. Dikaiarchos filled sheets of papyrus with notes on his travels.
I modeled statuettes of brick clay: figures in poses of frantic action, fighting with knives as I had seen men fight in the bull-burial chamber. I suppose the priests threw them all out after we had gone, so alien were they to the spirit of Egyptian art; although, baked and painted, they would not have made bad household ornaments.
The temple servants served us excellent meals—the Egyptians are superior cooks—in cheap earthenware dishes and cups. These, I learnt, they carefully broke after each repast, lest they be polluted by our foreign touch.
During this time I missed Amenardis, who was housed in another part of the structure. The priests took care to keep us apart, because Egyptians forbid sexual intercourse in temples, deeming it a pollution.
As, however, I yearned for Amenardis' deep-curved, tawny body with a lust that drove me frantic, I began to make discreet inquiries in hope of finding somebody among the servants of Thôth who could be cajoled or bribed into arranging a tryst. Here, however, I found my ignorance of the Egyptian language a hopeless handicap. The priests, with most of whom I could converse, pretended with bland smiles not to know what I was hinting at; whereas the temple servitors of low degree, such as Phiôps the handyman, could not understand a word I said.
Then Manethôs came to me with that look on his face as if he had been sucking a citron. "Your Judaean friend is here," he said. "With the robe?"
"He bears a bundle. Were I you, I would scrutinize it with utmost care ere letting him go."
That proved unnecessary, for Azarias, proud of his fellow craftsmen's workmanship, unfolded the robe himself. And indeed it was a splendid piece of work.
"Here," he said, handing me a small and tattered role of silk, "is what remains of the original garment. We snipped off the gold thread and sequins to use on the new robe. Were I you, I would either destroy this remnant or hide it with such care that none should see it and ask embarrassing questions."
"Sir," I said, "you have more than repaid our small service to you. You have saved, if not our lives, at least our careers. If ever you come to Rhodes, ask what you will of me."
With much expression of eternal friendship and mutual esteem, we parted. As I came back into the temenos—for Azarias would not put foot on what he deemed unholy ground—Manethôs said:
"Will it suffice?"
"I'm sure of it. If the original, intact, were compared with the substitute, one could see differences. But if we hold our tongues, Python won't be any the wiser."
"Are you off for Tamiathis?"
"As soon as I can gather my people."
"Will you stop to see my uncle Thothises ere you go?"
The fat high priest, sprawled in a huge chair, said: "O Chares, two things have I to say ere we part. One is that the twenty-oared barge has been seen on the lower parts of the river, where the Province of the Ibis lies on the eastern bank. Meseems they lurk to ambush you. Down there in the swamps it were easy to hide behind a clump of reeds, whence one can see a long stretch of river, and then sally forth when the prey appears."
"What should we do? They have us much outnumbered and outweighed. They could cut us in two by ramming and let the crocodiles finish off the swimmers."
"Three and a half leagues below Sebennytos, past Iseion, the Mendesic branch of the Nile parts from the Phatnitic branch and wends eastward into Lake Tanis. Doubtless your boatman knows it. You could cross Lake Tanis, issue into the sea by the Mendesic mouth, sail west a few leagues to the Phatnitic mouth, and then sail up the river to Tamiathis. Though roundabout, this seems the readiest way to avoid your foes."
I foresaw a battle with Horos over the extra money he would demand, but I said: "An excellent suggestion, sir. And your other matter?"
"I should like Manethôs to go with you to Tamiathis. Thence he will find commercial transportation to Alexandria."
"Delighted! But may I ask why?"
"He has two missions. First, to save his life, which I think will be in less danger from Tis's ruffians at Ptolemaios' court than here. Second, to open direct negotiations between the king and the priesthoods of Thôth, instead of our being compelled, as now, to deal with the Ptolemaios through the Osirians."
"I'll do my best to get him to his destination safely— though your nephew seems a young man well able to take care of himself. Would that the gods enabled me to make a more adequate return to you for the debt of gratitude that Rhodes and I owe you!"
Thothises smiled broadly. "You have your share of the celebrated eloquence of Rhodes, I see. Well, your gods have heard your prayer. There is something more you can do."
"Yes, sir?"
"At royal courts all goes by favor and machination. You will reach Alexandria first, and when Manethôs comes, you should be well acquainted. Make the introductions and recommendations that shall further our holy aims, and we shall be well repaid."
BOOK VIII — PTOLEMAIOS
Pointing to the shore of the Province of the Catfish, beyond which the morning sky was paling, I said: "The Mendesic branch ought to fork off soon. Everybody watch."
I did not trust Horos to point out this fork when we reached it. He had raised a terrible outcry when Thothises' plan for going down to the sea by the Mendesic branch was broached. We should, Horos assured us, lose our way in the swamps of Lake Tanis, or be capsized by a hippopotamus, or be slain by the brigands of the Pasture. Although he had subsided into surly mutterings, I was sure that he would try to slip past the opening of the smaller branch without a word and then present us with an accomplished fact.
Zazamanx and Sambas were at the oars. The sky turned from dark blue to light blue, then to apple green, then to gold. As the first red limb of the sun appeared above the palm trees, Berosos said:
"Yonder it lies, methinks!"
I shaded my eyes against the low ruddy rays and made out a gap in the bank of the river. At the same time Horos called out:
"Look, ship!"
We looked in the direction of Horos' pointing finger. A boat, larger than ours, detached itself from the shadows along the western bank and headed out towards midstream. Berosos, peering with puckered brow, gave a little squeak and said:
"O Chares, surely it is the boat of the thieves! Nine or ten oars on the nigh side I do see, pulled by sinister-looking knaves."
Several of my comrades exclaimed: "Whither shall we go?"
I thought swiftly. On the wide waters of the Phatnitic branch the thieves could, with their greater oar power, easily catch us and run us down. The Mendesic branch, being narrow and tortuous, would give us a chance to keep ahead of them by dodging around bends.
"Horos!" I said. "Run us into the small branch, quickly. Onas and Dikaiarchos, take the other oars; you're the strongest. Where is that old crocodile spear? Row, curse you!"
The Hathor leaped towards the fork of the Mendesic branch. A yell floated across the water as the thieves perceived that their prey had sighted them. Their leader called the stroke with shouts. Their oars rapidly rose and fell; water foamed about their bow. Despite our efforts, they were plainly making twice our speed.
Nearer we came to the Mendesic branch, but nearer yet came the barge. A little group clustered in the bow with knives and short swords, ready to leap. I prayed to the Bright One that they should have no missile weapons.