The Egyptian by Mika Waltari

Posted by admin_akashic on Mar 4th, 2022 in Stories

out to the forecourt in his golden boat and all the people prostrated themselves before him, and when the flood was at its height, I had seen him sail upon the sacred lake in his ship of cedar wood. But at that time being a lowly novice, I had but glimpsed him from a distance. His red robe had never made so fierce an impact as now, by lamplight, in the inviolate silence of the sanctuary. Red was worn by gods and Pharaohs alone, and as I gazed at his lifted face, I felt as if the very slabs of stone lay upon my breast to stifle me.

“Watch and pray before the curtain,” said the priest, clinging to the edge of the curtain, for he was unsteady on his legs. “Perchance he will call you, for it is his custom to reveal himself to the postulants, addressing them by name and speaking, if they be found worthy.” Hurriedly he made the holy signs, mumbled the divine names of Amun and pulled the veil back into place without troubling even to bow and stretch forth his hands at knee level.

He went and left us seven alone in the darkness of the inner antechamber, whose stone floor struck terrifying cold to our bare feet. But when he had gone, Mose brought forth a lamp from beneath his shoulder cloth while Ahmose walked coolly into the sanctuary and fetched some of the sacred flame with which to kindle the lamp.

“We should be fools to sit in darkness,” said Mose, and we felt better, though I think we were none of us without fear. Ahmose brought out bread and meat, and Mata and Nefru started throwing dice on the flagstones, calling the score so loudly as to wake the echoes in the Temple hall. But when Ahmose had eaten, he rolled himself in his shoulder cloth and, after swearing a little at the hardness of the stones, settled down to sleep, and a little later Sinufer and Nefru lay down beside him for warmth.

But I was young and I watched, though I knew that the priest had been given a jar of wine by Metufer, whom he had invited with one or two other distinguished candidates to his room and therefore would not be coming to take us by surprise. I watched, though I knew from the tales others had told me that it was the custom for would- be initiates to spend their vigil in secret eating, gaming and sleeping. Mata started telling about the Temple of Sekhmet, the Lion-Headed, where the divine daughter of Amun appeared to warrior kings and embraced them. This

temple was behind the Temple of Amun, but its fame had diminished. Pharaoh had not visited it for decades, and grass was growing between the stone tiles of its forecourt. But Mata said that he had no problem to sleep over there and embrace the naked goddess right now, and Nefru threw dice in his hand and yawned and felt sorry he had not taken any wine with him. After that, they both lied down, and soon I was the only one left awake.

My night was long, and while the others slept, I was filled with deep devotion and aspiration, so young I still was, and I reflected that I had kept myself pure and fasted and obeyed all the old commandments so that Amun might reveal himself to me. I repeated his holy names and listened to every rustle with senses alert, but the Temple was void and cold. With the approach of morning, the veil of the sanctuary stirred in the draft, but nothing further happened. As daylight began to creep into the hall, I blew out the lamp with a heavy heart and woke my companions.

Soldiers blew their horns, on the walls the guard was changed, and from the forecourts came a murmur like the rushing of distant waters so that we knew that day and its work had begun in the Temple. At last, the priest entered in a great hurry and with him, to my surprise, Metufer. A strong reek of wine came from them, and they were walking arm in arm, the priest swinging the keys of the sacred shrines in his hand. Prompted by Metufer, he gabbled off the holy formulas before greeting us.

“Postulants Mata, Mose, Bek, Sinufer, Nefru, Ahmose and Sinuhe,” said the priest. “Have you watched and prayed as you were commanded, that you might earn your initiation?”

“We have watched and prayed,” we answered with one voice.

“Has Amun revealed himself to you according to his word?” the priest asked and belched, and his eyes traveled over us unsteadily. We glanced sideways at each other and hesitated. At last Mose faltered, “He has revealed himself like he promised.” One after the other my companions repeated, “He has revealed himself.” Last of all, Ahmose firmly and reverently declared, “Most certainly did he reveal himself!” He stared the priest straight in the eye, but I said nothing and felt as if a hand were squeezing my heart, for to me my companions’ words were blasphemy.