But one remained now of the procession he had escorted from the river.
This was the Lady Ta-meri's litter, and his own chariot stood ahead of
it. She had lifted the curtains and was piling the opposite seat with
cushions in a manner unmistakably inviting. He hesitated a moment.
Should he dismiss his charioteer and journey to the nomarch's mansion
in the companionable luxury of the litter? But even while he debated
with himself, he passed her with a soft word and stepped into his
chariot.
[1] The inundation, more properly Nilus--the river-god.
CHAPTER XIV
THE MARGIN OF THE NILE
Meneptah having come and the old regime of life resumed, Memphis
subsided into her normal state of dignity. Mentu remained in his house
preparing for his investiture with the office of murket. His hours
were spent in study, and the coming and going of Kenkenes crossed his
consciousness as swiftly as the shadows wavered under his young palms.
His son might work for hours near him on mysterious drawings, but so
deep was the great artist in the writings of the old murkets that he
did not think to ask him what he did. It might not have won his
attention even had he seen the young man burn the sheets of papyrus
thereafter, and grow restless and dissatisfied.
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