On
the counsel of Rameses, this day the Pharaoh sentenced Seti to banishment
for a year to the mines of Libya--"
"To the mines!" Masanath cried in horror.
"Not as a laborer. Nay, the sentence was not so harsh. But as a scribe
to the governor over them."
"It matters little!" she declared indignantly. "The boy-prince--the
poor, misguided young brother sent to a year of banishment--a lifelong
humiliation! Libya, the death-country! Now, was anything more brutal?
Nay, it is like Rameses!"
"Aye," the captain replied quickly, leaning over her with a cautioning
motion of his hand. "Aye, and it is like thee to say it. But hear me
yet further. The queen and the Son of Ptah have quarreled, violently,
over Seti," he continued in a low tone. "The little prince merited thy
father's disfavor, because Seti espoused the cause of Ta-user in thy
place, though he loves thee, and for that--we can find no other
reason--the noble Har-hat also urged the king into the harsh sentence of
the little prince. For this the queen hath publicly turned her back upon
the crown prince and the fan-bearer, and the atmosphere of the palace is
most unhappy."
He lowered his voice to a whisper. "Hotep championed Seti,--for the
young sister's sake, it would appear,--but to me it seemeth that the
scribe hath lost his wits.
Pages:
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586