The
activities of life seemed to be suspended. The call to prayers could
be heard hourly from the great gongs of the temple at Karnak, when in
happier days the sound had been lost in the city's noises within the
very shadow of the pylons. He could hear strains of music in religious
processions, when the wind was fair, but he missed the acclaim of the
populace. Besides these sounds, silence had settled over Thebes.
Booths were closed in many instances; the streets, which ordinarily
were quiet, were now deserted; there were no carpets swinging from
balconies and housetops, and the citizens he saw were sober of
countenance and of garb. So few, indeed, he met, that he noted each
passer-by as an event. Once, some distance away from him, he saw again
the youth whom he had met in the doorway of the prison.
At a caterer's he purchased supplies for a day's journey and looked
about him for a carrier. Catching the boy's eye, he beckoned him, but
the youth turned on his heel and disappeared. The son of the merchant
offering himself, Kenkenes continued rapidly toward the river where he
engaged a vessel to take him to Memphis.
He roused the boatmen into immediate activity by promises of reward for
every mile gained over the average day's journey.
Pages:
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509