She felt the
sickening numbness that stupefies one who realizes a terrible strait,
from which there is neither succor nor escape.
The procession passed and the servant, halting, bowed to his master.
He was short and fat, thick of neck and long of arm--a most unusual
Egyptian. Har-hat tossed him the reins and, walking around his horses,
approached Rachel. The smallest Hebrew--too small to be awed and yet
old enough to realize that the beloved Rachel was in danger, dropped
the hide he bore, and flinging himself before her, clasped her with his
arms, and turned a defiant face at Har-hat over his shoulder. The
fan-bearer paused.
"It is the very same," he said laughingly. "The hard life of the
quarries hath not robbed thee in the least of thy radiance. But by the
gambling god, Toth, thou didst take a risk! Dost dream what thou didst
miss through a malevolent caprice of the Hathors? Five months ago I
would have taken thee out of bondage into luxury but for an industrious
taskmaster and the unfortunate interference of a royal message. But
the Seven Sisters repent, and I find thee again."
Rachel had fixed her eyes upon the white walls of Memphis shining in
the morning sun, and did not seem to hear him.
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