Read Online The Hippopotamus Marsh by Pauline Gedge - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Pauline Gedge
Ads: Link
bring disgrace on you all.” Si-Amun nodded miserably.
“I think there is already rebellion in his heart. It is so unfair!” he burst out. “Our house has been loyal to Het-Uart for hentis! Why is the One pushing so?”
“Calm yourself,” Teti said soothingly. “Have you eaten well? Good. A little more beer and then we will make our way home.” Si-Amun watched as the dark liquid spilled into his cup. “You are not a child, Si-Amun,” Teti reproved him gently. “You know the King’s fear. It will be laid to rest as long as your father strives to obey.” He drank, sighed, and wiped his mouth on a piece of linen a servant discreetly passed to him. “You and I must do our best to make sure that Seqenenra rides out this storm in peace. I say again, it will pass. I am your friend, young man, and your father’s too.” He bent a solemn gaze upon Si-Amun. “I would be desolate if anything happened to either of you. Let me help.” Si-Amun looked gratefully into the plump, painted face.
“You are very kind, Teti,” he said huskily, “but I don’t know what you can do.”
“I can speak for your father in Het-Uart. The One knows that my own loyalty is without question. I can be an intermediary, tactful, pouring oil on these troubled waters. I can also come and visit your father, talk to him of sense and preservation if his anxieties become too much to bear.”
Suddenly Si-Amun knew what was coming. He cringed inside, wishing fervently that the whole subject had never arisen, and then wondering if it would have surfaced in any case. He was caught. He could not back away after having expressed his concern for his father. It would seem callous. He could not refuse Teti’s offer of assistance, for that in turn would appear to render the problem frivolous and his own words an exaggeration. But they were not my words even though they were present in my heart, he thought while Teti regarded him fondly. Teti spoke them aloud, not me.
“But if I am to be of any help I must know how things stand with Seqenenra,” Teti went on. “Someone who cares must keep me informed so that I can come to Weset at a moment’s notice.” Seeing Si-Amun’s expression, he shook his head violently. “No no no, my loyal young man! Gods! Do you think I am asking you to spy on your father?” His thick black eyebrows rose. “Well, I suppose that in a sense I am, but my request comes from love, Si-Amun. Do not let Seqenenra go down under Apepa’s heel! Help me to help him!”
It is a reasonable request, Si-Amun thought, indeed, it is a risky one. Teti himself might be seen by the One to be conspiring with my father if too much correspondence begins to flow from Khemennu to Weset and back again.How can such an expression of familial concern be wrong? Yet he hesitated. “Very well,” he said reluctantly, “but my father would be furious if he believed that I did not trust his judgement in this matter and was deferring to yours. You are right that he must be watched for his own sake, but …”
Teti drew a ring from his finger and showed it to Si-Amun. “This is my family’s seal,” he said. “I shall imprint my letters to you with it. You in turn shall write under the seal of— what? What shall it be?”
“A hippopotamus,” Si-Amun said slowly.
“Very well.” Teti pushed the ring back onto his thick finger. “You know that Mersu, your grandmother’s steward, grew up in the same village as my steward? You may give any messages for me to Mersu to be sent north. You and Ramose have known each other since your youth. You can say they are for him. Or you can say nothing at all and let Mersu draw his own conclusions. But given his loyalty to your family, I’m sure he would understand.”
He heaved himself to his feet, gestured, and the waiting servants sprang to roll up the mats. The litter bearers readied themselves. Si-Amun scrambled up. “But you will speak to the King?” he croaked. “You will assure Apepa of my
“I think there is already rebellion in his heart. It is so unfair!” he burst out. “Our house has been loyal to Het-Uart for hentis! Why is the One pushing so?”
“Calm yourself,” Teti said soothingly. “Have you eaten well? Good. A little more beer and then we will make our way home.” Si-Amun watched as the dark liquid spilled into his cup. “You are not a child, Si-Amun,” Teti reproved him gently. “You know the King’s fear. It will be laid to rest as long as your father strives to obey.” He drank, sighed, and wiped his mouth on a piece of linen a servant discreetly passed to him. “You and I must do our best to make sure that Seqenenra rides out this storm in peace. I say again, it will pass. I am your friend, young man, and your father’s too.” He bent a solemn gaze upon Si-Amun. “I would be desolate if anything happened to either of you. Let me help.” Si-Amun looked gratefully into the plump, painted face.
“You are very kind, Teti,” he said huskily, “but I don’t know what you can do.”
“I can speak for your father in Het-Uart. The One knows that my own loyalty is without question. I can be an intermediary, tactful, pouring oil on these troubled waters. I can also come and visit your father, talk to him of sense and preservation if his anxieties become too much to bear.”
Suddenly Si-Amun knew what was coming. He cringed inside, wishing fervently that the whole subject had never arisen, and then wondering if it would have surfaced in any case. He was caught. He could not back away after having expressed his concern for his father. It would seem callous. He could not refuse Teti’s offer of assistance, for that in turn would appear to render the problem frivolous and his own words an exaggeration. But they were not my words even though they were present in my heart, he thought while Teti regarded him fondly. Teti spoke them aloud, not me.
“But if I am to be of any help I must know how things stand with Seqenenra,” Teti went on. “Someone who cares must keep me informed so that I can come to Weset at a moment’s notice.” Seeing Si-Amun’s expression, he shook his head violently. “No no no, my loyal young man! Gods! Do you think I am asking you to spy on your father?” His thick black eyebrows rose. “Well, I suppose that in a sense I am, but my request comes from love, Si-Amun. Do not let Seqenenra go down under Apepa’s heel! Help me to help him!”
It is a reasonable request, Si-Amun thought, indeed, it is a risky one. Teti himself might be seen by the One to be conspiring with my father if too much correspondence begins to flow from Khemennu to Weset and back again.How can such an expression of familial concern be wrong? Yet he hesitated. “Very well,” he said reluctantly, “but my father would be furious if he believed that I did not trust his judgement in this matter and was deferring to yours. You are right that he must be watched for his own sake, but …”
Teti drew a ring from his finger and showed it to Si-Amun. “This is my family’s seal,” he said. “I shall imprint my letters to you with it. You in turn shall write under the seal of— what? What shall it be?”
“A hippopotamus,” Si-Amun said slowly.
“Very well.” Teti pushed the ring back onto his thick finger. “You know that Mersu, your grandmother’s steward, grew up in the same village as my steward? You may give any messages for me to Mersu to be sent north. You and Ramose have known each other since your youth. You can say they are for him. Or you can say nothing at all and let Mersu draw his own conclusions. But given his loyalty to your family, I’m sure he would understand.”
He heaved himself to his feet, gestured, and the waiting servants sprang to roll up the mats. The litter bearers readied themselves. Si-Amun scrambled up. “But you will speak to the King?” he croaked. “You will assure Apepa of my
Similar Books
