"Haggard, H Rider- Morning Star" - читать интересную книгу автора (Haggard H. Rider)

them on a matter which seems established, more or less."

"More or less," answered Abi gloomily. "What do you mean by your 'more
or less'? Here am I at the turning-point of my fortunes, not knowing
whether I am to be Pharaoh of the Upper and Lower Lands, or only the
petty lord of a city and a few provinces in the Delta, and you satisfy
my hunger for the truth with an empty dish of 'more or less.' Man,
what do you mean?"

"If your Majesty will be pleased to tell his servant exactly what you
desire to know, perhaps I may be able to answer the question," replied
Kaku humbly.

"Majesty! Well, I desire to know by what warrant you call me
'Majesty,' who am only Prince of Memphis. Did the stars give it to
you? Have you obeyed me and asked them of the future?"

"Certainly, certainly. How could I disobey? I observed them all last
night, and have been working out the results till this moment; indeed,
they are not yet finished. Question and I will answer."

"You will answer, yes, but what will you answer? Not the truth, I
fancy, because you are a coward, though if anyone can read the truth,
it is you. Man," he added fiercely, "if you dare to lie to me I will
cut your head off and take it to Pharaoh as a traitor's; and your body
shall lie, not in that fine tomb which you have made, but in the belly
of a crocodile whence there is no resurrection. Do you understand?
Then let us come to the point. Look, the sun sets there behind the
Tombs of Kings, where the departed Pharaohs of Egypt take their rest
till the Day of Awakening. It is a bad omen for me, I know, who wished
to reach this city in the morning when Ra was in the House of Life,
the East, and not in the House of Death, the West; but that accursed
wind sent by Typhon, held me back and I could not. Well, let us begin
at the end which must come after all. Tell me, you reader of the
heavens, shall I sleep at last in that valley?"

"I think so, Prince; at least, so says your planet. Look, yonder, it
springs to life above you," and he pointed to an orb that appeared at
the topmost edge of the red glow of the sunset.

"You are keeping something back from me," said Abi, searching Kaku's
face with his fierce eyes. "Shall I sleep in the tomb of Pharaoh, in
my own everlasting house that I shall have made ready to receive me?"

"Son of Ra, I cannot say," answered the astrologer. "Divine One, I
will be frank with you. Though you be wrath, yet will I tell you the
truth as you command me. An evil influence is at work in your House of
Life. Another star crosses and re-crosses your path, and though for a
long time you seem to swallow it up, yet at the last it eclipses you--
it and one that goes with it."