Soldier of Sidon

But I remembered! I remember even now. Not just seeing it in the metal, but the whole event: How my head ached that day, and how weak I was. How I had prayed for the black man with me-he was the king, I know, for his face was the same.

He was my only friend, and the river god the only god I knew. I cast my sword into the river when I had asked the river god to bless him. The river god showed it to his daughters, beautiful young girls with skin as white as his, and his skin was as white as foam. When they had seen it and tried to take it from him, he returned it to me.

"Not wood, nor bronze, nor iron shall stand against her, and she will not fail you until you fail her."

I have failed her now, but I will redeem my failure. Or walk alone and sorrowing, as this says my son did, into the bush to die.

32

TOMORROW WE WILL go down the Great River. Last night I talked long with the king. I spoke as Hellenes do, he as his people do. I understand that speech better than I speak it.

He told me many things that had taken place while we were together in Hellas. They are fading from my mind even as I write. It may be well that they do, because there are many I ca

I told him of casting Falcata into the river, and he said I had told him of it before, long ago. I said that I must find her and hold her again, or die in the attempt. I had spoken of Falcata to my senior wife. (Myt-ser'eu is her name, and she is the smaller of the two.) She told me how I had lost it when I fought the men of Nubia. It must surely be somewhere in Nubia now, I told the king, for no soldier would cast aside such a weapon. I was going there to find it, I said; and I asked in the light of our friendship that he see that my wives and children did not want while I was away. He said he would, but soon said that he himself would go with me. He will bring warriors and gold, for it may be that we will have to buy back Falcata from her new owner. He will bring the queen as well; and when I have regained Falcata, we will journey north into Riverland and from there to her city. Unguja will govern for the king in his absence. We spoke with him, and he swore that he would see that my wives and children are well treated and have good food. AS SOON AS I could, I told Myt-ser'eu much of what the king and I had said. I do not recall it now-only the casting my sword into the river of Hellas-but when we spoke I did, and no doubt some are written here. She raged and wept and raged again. I swore, she said, that I would return her to her native city. She will have no gift from me, for I have become poor, her jewelry is gone, and now I intend to break my oath. She would take her own life-this she said again and again.

Then that she would take mine (though I do not fear her).

After that, that she would do both.

Weeping she spoke of all that we have been through together, of her faithful service and of the love she gave me without stinting.

I explained that I had sensed all those things, though I could not recall the events; and I told her what is very true-that she is first in my heart. Regaining Falcata may be dangerous indeed. The men she told me of, who had taken Falcata from me and enslaved us, were my foes. I might have to fight them again, and this time they might kill me.

She made me read the first part of this scroll, saying I would find my promise there. I read it. If I made such a promise, I did not record it. Yet her goddess had appeared to me, I had promised my protection, and the return of the singing girls was certainly implied in what the priest and the man with me had said. Further, it was implied that I would make Myt-ser'eu a suitable gift when we parted. As she said, I have none to give.

We spoke of this, and I read to her from this scroll, turning its speech into hers as I read. She asked again and again whether I had really spoken with her goddess. All that I could do was repeat that I did not know, that it was written as I had said.

"I have seen a god, however," I told her. "I saw the river god, and tried to give him my sword. He gave it back to me." I quoted his words to her again.

"Are you sure he didn't give me to you then?"

I shook my head. "Your own goddess gave you to me. That's what this says."

"You can't protect me if you're not here."

"I can leave you in good hands," I said, "instead of taking you into danger."

"That ugly old man's? Listen, I know women, which is more than you do. He and Cheche will have made a slave of me before you're out of sight."

"Have I ever beaten you?"

She shook her head. "I don't want to talk about that."

"Have I?"

"Yes!"

"Good. I'm glad to learn it. I can beat you whenever it's necessary. The priest said that. Not enough to put your life in danger, but a good beating. If you won't do as I say, I'll beat you."

"Is that the safety you want to provide for me? A beating? I'd rather have danger, with a chance of getting home."

There we left it, for we could not agree. I will go, and go without her. She may rage, but I will be far away. Perhaps I will leave the king and queen and return for her when I have regained Falcata, though I will have forgotten her long before that time, I know.

A SHIP HAS come, with many on board who say they are our friends. No doubt it is true of some. Myt-ser'eu's maidservant came to tell her of it, and she ran to the riverbank shouting. I ran after her, and the men on the ship, seeing us, anchored and came to shore in a boat. Myt-ser'eu has been talking ever since. I have heard everything with interest, but I ca

There is a woman on the ship who blows kisses to us, whom Myt-ser'eu says is her dearest friend. Of the men who came in the boat, I now know these: The small man, oldest of all, bearded, bald, and richly but simply dressed, is Noble Qanju. He commands the rests, and is of Parsa. The young man who helps him is of Kemet, like my wife. He is Holy Thotmaktef. The older man, not large but well muscled, is Captain Muslak. From what my wife had me read, I knew that it was he who went to the temple with me. We spoke of that. He says we are old friends, but I do not think I have known him as long as I have known the king.

The tall young man, Thotmaktef's friend, is Kames. He owes me much, he says, and will repay when he returns to his city.

The scholar Sahuset is tallest, lean, and older than I. The youngest is the prince. It is thought (Qanju says) that the priests will choose him if the Nubian king dies; thus the Nubian king hid him. We are not to speak of him.

Qanju has made gifts to King Seven Lions, and the king gifts to Qanju. There will be a feast.

When I learned that he, Thotmaktef, and Sahuset were all learned men, I asked them about the other scroll. All wished to see it, and Sahuset declared that I had promised long ago to give it to him.

I asked whether I had promised more than that, and he shook his head. I said that in that case I would give it to him gladly.

"You must show it to me first, Lucius," Qanju said. He says also that Lucius is my true name. The younger man agreed with him. Sahuset agreed to let Qanju look at the scroll, although with great reluctance.

I took it out, explaining that I could not find the knot to loose its cords.

Thotmaktef had a small knife, but dropped it each time he picked it up.

"The cords should not be cut," Qanju said. He took the scroll (not this one) from me, and at his touch the cords fell away. They were not cords at all, but snakes, small and slender black snakes that crawled away as swiftly as a deer might run, so that I did not see where they fled. Qanju opened the scroll, shook his head, and handed it to Sahuset.