"
Kenkenes expressed his thanks and the priest went on.
"Be not rash, I charge thee. Farewell, and thy father's gods attend
thee."
Without the dwarf pylons, Kenkenes bent for the old man's blessing and
turned away. Walking rapidly to the northern limits of the town, he
took the dusty highway again, and struck into an easy run.
The road sloped up toward the north, but the rise was gradual and the
ascent was not wearying. The miles slipped behind swiftly, for he
covered them as naturally as the unloitering bird traverses the air.
In two hours he had reached the pinnacle of the upland. To the north
the road led continuously down to the sea. He paused and looked back
over the long gentle declivity toward the south and west.
A sharp pain pierced him. In that moment, he realized that he was
expatriated. After he had warned Meneptah, Egypt dropped out of his
aims. Thereafter he had the rescue of Rachel, or her avenging to
accomplish, and the results following upon the necessity of either of
these alternatives would not permit him to return into the land of his
fathers. There was no turning back now, nor any desire in him to do
so. His conscience had been witness to the renunciation of his nation
and his faith, and it did not chide him.
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