not shy away from cutting a man’s throat from ear to ear if that needs to be done, I still believe what my mother taught me, and Amun is my god, and I want to earn his favour before I die, since every time my stomach hurts, it makes me uneasy to remember all the black things I have done.”
“Truly,” said the priest equally intoxicated. “Your deed will be of great merit and a lot will be forgiven to you because of it, and if you are in danger because of Amun, know that you will enter straight to the Western Land even if your body rots on the wall. Also enter the seamen, who drown in the service of Amun while bringing him expensive wood and good incense, straight to the Western Land without sloshing around in the swamps of the underworld. Therefore Pharaoh is a criminal when he denies them the opportunity to drown for Amun.” He hit his muscle shell cup on the table and turned towards all tavern guests and shouted, “As a priest of the fourth order I have the power to tie and release your Kas and Bas. Truly I tell you that anything you do for Amun is forgiven, whether it is a killing, an assault, a theft or a rape — for Amun looks into the heart of men and judges their deeds according to their heart’s purpose. Go and take weapons under your cloaks and —”
His shout was interrupted, for the landlord went to him quietly and hit him on the head with a leather club so that his head fell between his knees and words stayed in his throat. Everyone was startled, and the plague-faced took a knife from his belt, but the landlord remarked calmly:
“I did this for Amun, and therefore it is already forgiven, and the priest will be the first to acknowledge this when his head is clear. For even if he spoke truth in the name of Amun, it was also the crocodile’s tail that spoke in him, because he shouted too loudly, and no one else but me can shout and brawl in this house. I think you all know what I mean if you are wise.”
All admitted that the landlord spoke wisely and truthfully. Plague-faced started reviving the priest, and some guests sneaked out quickly. Also Kaptah and I left, and I said to Merit at the door, “You know that I am alone, but your eyes have told me that you also are alone. I have pondered over the words you once said to me and believe that at times a lie can be sweeter than truth for a solitary person whose first springtime
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is past. I should like you to wear such a new summer dress as you were speaking of, for you are grown up shapely and your legs are long, and I do not think you will need to be ashamed of your belly when I walk with you along the Avenue of Rams.” This time she did not put aside my hand but pressed it gently and said, “Perhaps I will do as you suggest.” Yet her promise gave me no pleasure when I stepped out into the hot evening air, but I was filled with melancholy, and from far out upon the river came the lonely notes of a double-reed pipe.
On the following day, Horemheb returned to Thebes and with him an armed force. But to tell of this and of all else that happened, I must begin on a new book. Yet I should first mention that in the course of my practice, I twice had occasion to open skulls. One patient was a powerful man and the other a poor woman who believed herself to be the great Queen Hatshepsut. Both were cured and recovered perfectly, though I believe the old woman was happier in thinking herself queen than being cured.
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