The weird of the wanderer Being the papyrus records of some incidents in one of the previous lives of Mr. Nicholas Crabbe
thou lovely rudder of the eastern heavens:_
“_Hail, thou dweller in the temple of those with shiny faces, thou
lovely rudder of the southern heavens._”
And, because the expected intrusion of profane persons was still
delayed, when he had chaunted these strophes, Amenemhat shook the
sacred sistrum very slowly and very solemnly, and continued with the
_Invocation of the Triads_, thus:
“_Hail, ye gods who are above the earth, ye pilots of the netherworld:_
“_Hail, ye mother-gods, who are above the earth, and in the
netherworld, and in the house of Osiris:_
“_Hail, ye pilot-gods of Tasert, who are above the earth, and in the
netherworld, and with the followers of Ra in the train of Osiris_----”
But, when he had intoned these words, the quiet rattling of the sistrum
and the monotonous drone of his voice were drowned by the clanking of
arms, and by the blameless cries of mercenaries, appearing at the
cedar portal of the temple. Whom Amenemhat, reverend of mien and very
hierarchic, sternly confronted from his pulpit, saying: “Who dareth
thus to intrude upon the sacrosanct shrine of Mother Isis?”
But the answer came from one, whom I (from my secret station) perceived
to be an Argive of noble aspect, large of limb, and handsome, and very
gorgeously apparelled in golden mail with adornments of chrysoliths and
the plumage of yellow cock-parrots. He responded to Amenemhat, saying:
“I am called Agesilopodes, son of Golygosthenes, and I am a captain of
the Pharoah’s guard.”
“And what doth Agesilopodes, servant of the Pharoah, seek in these holy
precints?” Amenemhat continued.
“I seek the person of one Ape-man, whose trail we have pursued hither:”
the Khrysaspid affirmed.
“Thou seest,” said the priest indifferently, “how many persons are
present occupying our pews.”
“I see but thee:” quoth the captain: “but nevertheless I must search in
the shadows of all the most secret recesses.”
“The rule,” said Amenemhat, “is that the sons of Khem may have free
access to this oratory of our Lady of the Marshes, but not aliens,
undesirable or otherwise.”
“But the Ape-man whom I seek is guilty of sacrilege.”
“Even in that case, he would have secure sanctuary here, unless he be
pursued by the Pharoah’s own sigil.”
“Revere it:” said the captain, exhibiting his warrant.
Amenemhat had a prostration at the sight of the royal but tipsy
flute-player’s cartouche. But, having (by his wiles) caused the
mercenaries to persuade themselves that they were on a bootless quest,
he permitted the search to be made. Makedonians and Thrakians marched
slowly round the temple, casting fierce glances into every dark place:
but Amenemhat seated himself again in his pulpit, his knees closed and
his palms upon them, his head up and his eyes fixed, as a hierarch who
engages in holy meditation while expecting the imposition of his mitre.
But I devised a new and perfectly frightful wile. For, having taken
three wax-matches from my box, and having frayed out the half of each
match, wrapping the frayed part round the head loosely, as the men of
my future race were wont to do when they desired to kindle tobacco in
a gale of wind, then, indeed, I kindled them; and I dropped them, one
by one and horribly flaming, from the god’s mouth on to the plumed
casques of mercenaries who (by chance) were walking just below. And
their horse-hair crests instantly shrivelled with appalling stenches,
in flashes of fire which singed the soldiers’ hairy faces, terribly,
inexplicably: so that they fled, fearfully yelling, having a most
hideous tale, about gods who vomit fire, to narrate to their awful
comrades in their barracks.
In this manner, I dismissed well-greaved mercenaries (the most
righteous of men) from the temple of Isis at Tanis.
FOOTNOTES:
[33] Written in English, in what I take to be Mr. Crabbe’s own hand.
“Saint Aldate’s” was, of course, a low catholic parish of Oxford, near
Pembroke and The House, and much frequented by monsignori and other
catholic converts, and I believe that no particular rashness can be
attributed to me for saying that there was also a slightly excessive
music hall, called (quaintly enough) the “Empire” in the “Cowley” Road,
Oxford. But I really feel quite unable to elucidate the allusion in
this connection. Saturday night is, of course, the eve of the day of
the sun; and perhaps we have here some cryptic allusion to sun-worship,
which (we know) was certainly of an hilarious and somewhat energetic
character. _Cf._ Frazer’s chapter on Osiris and the Sun: _Studies in
Oriental Religion_, vii. 287-294. A. H.
THE TWELFTH PAPYRUS
But, when the place was clear, then, indeed, I waited where I was, till
Amenemhat should leave his pulpit, giving me a signal to descend and
join him. For he directed my actions at this juncture; and it seemed
to me that he, being at liberty, understood what to do for my security
better than I in my cell. But, after I had waited an hour, stiffness
invaded my members and tedium my noble mind. Wherefore, seeing that the
temple was deserted, and that Amenemhat still remained motionless in
meditation, I came down from the secret chamber, retracing my steps,
and entering the shrine by the priests’ door. But, having approached my
friend, addressing him softly by name, I perceived that he was indeed
rapt in an ecstasy, and (no doubt) receiving a peculiar revelation from
some god. At whose pulpit I stood, watching intensely, having no more
fear.
And anon he came out of his trance, with the usual eye-rollings and
shiverings and deep sighings for the long-unused breath. But, when his
returning gaze lit on me, he began to sob very quietly in the manner
of a man, shedding no tears; and that is the most horrible of all
things to see. But I was aware, from these tokens, that he had had a
revelation concerning me and portending a parting. For which cause I
treated him tenderly, saying nothing.
And, at length, he descended from his pulpit; and, having led me a
long way into the innermost recesses of the temple, into a large hall
which I never yet had seen, wherein were numerous unheard-of matters,
then, he began to speak. But his words were unwinged; and thus he
said: “O Nicholas, the hour of thy departure is at hand. For, since
the Pharoah’s mercenaries have invaded this sacred place, it will be
insecure for thee as also for us. For there will be a blameless guard
continually about our walls; and, though thou mayst leave once by the
secret postern, thou couldst not do so more than once; and it is not in
thy nature to brook confinement. Also, as long as the guards remain,
the shrine of the goddess will be deserted and her gifts wasted for
lack of receivers. Wherefore thou needs must go. But, before thou
goest, know that the well-feathered shiny gods have deigned to give
me an order concerning thee and to send thee a message by my mouth,
whereby thy mind may be enlightened about mysteries of the past and a
foresight of thy future revealed to thee.”
But I, hearing this, perceived that very fine solemnities were on hand.
Wherefore I listened attentively.
And Amenemhat continued his discourse, saying: “Thou knowest, O
Wanderer, who thou art and whence thou camest: but thou knowest not
who thou hast been, nor who thou shalt be. But these are the matters
on which I am to give thee information. For thou, Nicholas the Third,
called the Crab, who art come from the kingdom of Victory queen of
the stalwart stately Anglicans, knowest no more of thine ancestors
than the names of Nicholas the First who was father of Robert who was
father of William who was father of Nicholas the Second who was father
of thy gentle father James. Nevertheless, thou (having been brought
backward through the rolling wheels of time) shalt know that it is
the inscrutable will of the blessed gods to make thee aware of him
who was thy primal sire. And he is none other than Laertes, lord of
rocky Ithaka, whose wife Antikleja was the daughter of Aytolikos, whom
wing-footed Hermes the Luck-bringer begat.”
But I began to understand all sorts of riddles, and many mysteries
indeed were being solved. But the priest was uttering his rede with
the tones of one inspired; and I eagerly lent him both my ears.
And Amenemhat pursued his revelation, saying: “Furthermore, O Wily
One, thou art to know this. For, seeing that the much-enduring
much-contriving son of King Laertes, having wandered far by sea and
land during the ten years following after the siege of windy Ilion, set
out once again on another wandering (but wherefore I do not know); and
was slain here, at the mouth of sacred Sihor, by young Telegonos, his
own son and Kirke’s (that awful goddess), ignorant of whom he slew,
now, therefore, it is the will of those divine ones who have never
lost their faces that thou, Nicholas called the Crab, shouldst pursue
thy quest for wisdom reincarnate in thine original person as King
Odysseys, undertaking a third wandering, the course of which is not yet
known to me: but it will be known by me, and revealed by me to thee, in
the moment when thou farest forth. For the thing is yet on the knees of
the gods.”
But, when Amenemhat had said all this, the Anglican portion of me
suggested the placing of some term to such seemingly nonsensical
ravings. For which cause, I said, as stolidly as possible: “When shall
I, Nicholas called the Crab, find myself reincarnate as King Odysseys
for the purpose named?”
And the priest solemnly answered, saying: “Thou art Odysseys, even now.”
To whom I said: “I require proof of the truth of thy word.”
But Amenemhat drew back a veil which was concealing a picture painted
on the wall. And he said: “See here, now, O Wily One, for this is a
copy of that portrait of Odysseys Laertiades which is in the temple of
Herakles at Naykratis, a precious possession. Art thou like it, or does
it resemble thee, O thou from whom it was painted?”
And certainly the piece did exactly resemble me, with my long arms and
legs and my silver hair and my well-sunned skin and the shy fierce
ruthlessness of my visage. But I was not overanxious to begin another
life at that moment; and, for this cause, I would not be convinced: but
I believed that the priest was deceiving me with a portrait painted
from myself secretly, for I had never seen the portrait at Naykratis.
But seeing myself likely to be brought to a full stop in the matter, I
determined to use my magic art as a means of arriving at the truth.
And, casting a severe glance at Amenemhat, I withdrew my attention from
him as one unworthy. But he waited, calmly, placidly, saying nothing.
But I took from my robe my orb of divination, of rock-crystal banded
with silver with adornments of blue moonstones; and, having placed it
properly, I peered into its illimitable profundity. And all within
was blank and void. But I made an act of will, willing to see the
Naykratian portrait as it was. And instantly it filled the crystal
void. And, having compared it with the picture on the wall, I was aware
that they were alike in every particular. But I gazed again into the
crystal, making another act of will, willing to see Odysseys Laertiades
in his habit as he lived. And instantly I saw him there. And, having
compared him with the picture on the wall, I was aware that it was as
like to him in every particular as it was like to me.
But I returned the crystal to its place, and drew forth my magic staff,
signing the priest with it, and reciting the _Spell_ called _Compelling
Truth_. And I inquired of him, saying: “Who am I?”
And he answered me: “Odysseys Laertiades.”
But I inquired of him again, saying: “Who have I been?”
And he answered me: “Nicholas, called the Crab.”
But I inquired of him yet again, saying: “Who shall I be?”