Soldier of Sidon

Thotmaktef said, "Is it the character of my ancient nation? I will read it for you if you wish, Noble Qanju."

"It is not for you to read," Qanju told him.

Sahuset took black cords from the earth on which we sat and bound the scroll. "Neither is it for me to read at this time and in this place," he said, "but the scroll is mine. Do we agree upon that?"

Qanju nodded. Thotmaktef nodded too, though I saw that he did not wish to.

Sahuset said, "Latro?" (It is how my wife speaks to me.)

"You say I promised it to you," I said. "I give it to you now and am quit of my promise."

"Agreed." Sahuset put the scroll into his robe.

My wife says these people will take her home. I HAVE SPOKEN again with Qanju. Our company was sent south by the satrap, and instructed to explore the river as far as possible. In Nubia, Qanju learned that Kames was held by the king. I and others freed him, but Myt-ser'eu and I were taken, and Qanju and the rest thought us dead.

There is a place where the river divides into streams called Blue and White. Our ship sailed the Blue as far as it could go, and Qanju and a certain woman questioned the men of the highlands as to its origin.

After that, our ship turned about, rowed back to the rivers' parting, and sailed up this river until it could sail no farther, seeing many strange sights and speaking with many strange peoples. Now it is returning to the satrap. THE SHIP I wrote of has been pulled on shore. We have had a great feast, with much dancing and many good things to eat and drink. All sleep. I sit by the fire to think, knowing I ate too much, and that if I had drunk as much pombe as Myt-ser'eu I would not think at all.

She is very happy. Qanju will make a gift to her for my sake when we part, and he has much gold. The king will make her a gift, too, when he and I leave the ship. The ship will return her to her home, though the journey is long. I should be as happy as she, but am not. How can a man be happy, knowing he must part from his wives and children?

Nor can I be happy until I regain Falcata. She was at my side before Myt-ser'eu, I know. I ca

The queen came to me, walking badly. She wished to tell someone how happy she was, talked much of it, and lifted her skirt to show what I might have if I wished it. I did not wish it, and returned her to the palace, making her lie beside the king. No good can come of such things.

Is it she the tall woman and her cat seek? They came near while we spoke. Her cat is black, not spotted, though I believed such cats spotted. I must ask someone about this. I WOKE EARLY on this ship. Only my sentry and one woman were awake. The sentry saluted me, and I told him he might sleep if he could; I would take the rest of his watch.

The woman is Sahuset's wife. He is a wise man of Riverland. I explained that I had been trying to recall how I came here. She said I forget more quickly than most men, though all forget in time, and in time everything is forgotten. She showed me the leather case that holds this, and said it held my memory. I have read enough now to know that she spoke the truth.

I told her all that I remember-my mother and father, our house and our fields, and casting my sword Falcata into a river whose god restored it to me.

She told me who she was, and offered to point out all the persons of importance who slept on the ship. Most, she said, were the king's warriors (men she does not know), sailors of no importance, and my soldiers, whom she said were of still less importance. I protested that since they were mine, as I knew they were, they were important to me; but she does not know their names.

She showed me the queen, who slept in a little tent on deck with the king. She must have the queen's blood to live, she said. The queen stirred at our words, and we went away. She showed me her husband, too, and my wife.

"I will be your wife when she has gone," she said, "and a better wife than she."

I asked whether my wife would leave me, and she said she would, very soon.

"It is nearly sunrise," she said, "and I must go to bed. Will you do me a service, Latro? A small favor for someone who fought the Nubians with you?"

I said I would if I could.

"You can, and very easily. Did you see the amulet your wife wears? The bull's head? I want you to cut the cord and drop the amulet into the water. Great good will come to you if you do this."

I said I would never do such a thing without my wife's permission.

"Then gain it, and do it."

I nodded, but promised nothing. She went below-her bed is in the hold.

My weapons lie where I slept. I have a spear, a club, and a small shield in need of polishing. I must tell one of my soldiers to do that when they wake.

The sun is above the trees. A few stir, but most still sleep. The trees near the river are tall and thick, the home of many bright birds who call among the topmost branches. Beautiful white wading birds are everywhere, and small birds hop in and out of the mouths of crocodiles. This is a lovely land and a terrible land, but it is not my land. THE QUEEN CAME to sit with me while I wrote. We are old friends, she says. She is a handsome woman, somewhat heavier than either of us might like. Her name is Bittusilma. I asked how she had injured her arm. She said she fell on the night of the feast and cut it. I did not remember this feast, yet I was there, and danced-badly, she said-and drank and feasted with the others. She told me a great deal about it.

After that, as the others were waking and rising, she talked of her native city. It is walled, and its walls are the highest in all the world. She told me much of it, and its conquest by the Great King-too much to write. We are going there soon, which makes Bittusilma very happy.

33

THE SAILORS AND my soldiers, as well as the persons of greater importance, gathered in the ship's waist this morning as we lay at anchor in the middle of the river. I told them of the river god I remember so well and how he had returned Falcata to me. I told them also that I was determined to find her again and reclaim her. I said that if need be I would leave the ship and remain behind in Nubia. That I will find her or die in the attempt.

Qanju said he could not stay or order the ship to, but he would give me all the help he could. We would stop at every town and village so I might search. The captain explained that he was under Qanju's orders and could not do as he might wish. Furthermore, he has been chartered by the king; when he has reported to the satrap, he will bear the king and queen to the Great Sea, and over it to the cities of the Crimson Men, from which they can proceed by an easy road to the queen's city. He would return to Nubia, however, when this voyage had ended, find me there, assist me if he could, and take me home or to Sidon, as I preferred.

Through his queen, the king expressed his great friendship. He and his four warriors will help me search in every place we pass, and help me regain Falcata if we find her. He has given me gold.

Kames spoke of his fear at reentering Nubia. He will not dare to show his face as long as our ship is there; but if I must remain behind-as I have sworn I will if I do not find Falcata-he will send me aid from his father's house in Wast.

Prince Nasakhma promised to assist me in every possible way, should the gods choose him to wear the crown; and Sahuset said that he would help me as long as I remained with the ship, searching for my sword by magic and telling me everything that he discovered.