The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-04-11
MEERAH.
BY CYRIL MuLLETT.


The night of the fourth day of the month
Tybi. Apap. the demon of the darkness.
held the world in the hollow of his hand;
and the vast Hall of the Seven Steps, in
The palace of the Pharaoh at Rameses. was
instinct with heavy life for the air it
breathed was thick with dread and charged
with direful circumstance. Pthah, who
made the golden egg wherce sprang the
sun and moon, the great god from whose
eye came forth the other gods, and from
whose mouth there issued men, had de-
serted his children, and had delivered the
faithful into the hands of their enemy.
The light of the lamps and the cressets
held by the shrinking slaves CLEANED on the
seventy columns of rose red granite and
sparkled on the carved capitals and those
craven cornices wrought by the Theban ar
list Hi 1t was reflected in the metal mir
rors the women wore on their breasts-ay
and in the tears which were in their eyes
II glinted on the arms of the chief of the
House OF Bronze. and it tipped with fire the
golden wands of the priests.
The hot night sank on the painted avn
ings which formed the roof of the hail.
and the folds Of the azure curtain hung
motiOnless between the two pyIones. The
Pickering lights acne appeared endowed
silent. scarcely moving, with no noise made
by the feet on the tiled floor
The whole assembly seemed to have but
one body. to breathe but one breath. save
for the sounds OF the suppressed sobs of
the women. The priests. gripping their
wands. stood with the bowed heads of the
subdued; the captains of the bowmen and
those who make war for the chariOts lis
tened with ears alert. to the steady distant
tramp of men. the cries of cattle and the
vague hum which accompanies the move
mcnts &C multitude
Erect by the great credence reared on the
seventh step. sacred to Pthah-whereon are
placed the offerings TO the god and the tri-
cute TO his high priest Pharaoh, the Son
of the Sun--stOod Menepthah. his look fixed
and distracted, his hand unwittingly rest
ing upon the altar. Until his hand be
raised may no man move. ard the tension
laid upon the minds and bodies Of his peo-
pie not be lifted.
Death was in every house; and Pharaoh
had risen up in the night and had hidden
the Apura go. He had sent for their lead
er. telling him to be gone. he and his peo-
pie. thrusting them forth in haste from
the land. together with their hocks and
their herds: for Pthah had turred his back
Existent, the God OF the Hebrews. had pre-
vailed. And the sound of the departure
hummed in the straining ears of the cap
tains; but Menepthah heard it not, till
aroused by the click of sandals in the outer
court
Then he lifted his hand from the altar,
and great breath went up from his fol-
lowers. a movement of relief quivered
through the company. as the veil at the
entrance was thrust aside. and there ap-
pedred on the threshold a man of four score
years, but still erect in his bearing, and
with the fire of his eye undmmed; his
streaming hair of reddish hue was streaked
with gray. and his shaggy beard was reach
ing to his waist.
Moses. the man OF Jahveh. entered the
presence OF Pharaoh with shod feet, and
bearing in his hand the cad he had cut on
Mount Horeb. in the wilderness. The great
leader paused until he was joined by
younger man, while the priests and the
khartumim scowled beneath their brows
at one who adept at their own arts.
making light of their deepest magic.
Then Menepthah spoke:
Thou whom Thermuthis drew from the
reeds Of the river, why troubest more thy
servant Pharaoh? Have I not given thee
permission TO lead thy people up into the
desert that they may sacrifice unto their
God thou cravest? Have /, deserted by
Pthah. not hidden thee take thy brethren
and thy God up quickly out of the land of
Khem. so that my people may no longer say
the God of Moses is more powerful than the
gods of Pharaoh? Thou hast brought re-
proach upon me; thou hast wrought ill i'm
my country; thou hast slain my son in
whom L would live. and my gods flee before
he Oft haxr Cot
that l may see thy face no more and yet
thou returnest again ut,on me to work. per-
chance. some fresh humiliation. Speak and
get thee gone. for my soul is sick unto
death and the sight of the Apura is evil
before me- as the face of Apap is unto Tmu
il the evening"
And Moses answered: 30 Pharaoh. even
now. by thy permission. do my people, i'm
manner which bespeaks not haste, pass out
of the homes and the places set apart unto
them and gather together northward be-
yond the city. with their cattle driven be-
fore them and their possessions bound up
I'm their raiment; every man according TO
his tribe. every woman according TO her
husband. every child according to his
parents. Thy people urge them on the path
and speed them with gifts of gold in their
desire to be rid of them.
Then why Earliest thou here, who
shouldst be at the head of thy people?''
In that the tale of my company is not
complete. In that have been commanded
10 bring up everv che of the children of
Israel out of the land. The thousands go on
before but the ole remains behind. and the
family or this man Harmi. the son of Acco.
of the tribe OF Benjamin, lacks its compile
nnent. Pharaoh. / say unto three render
thou this one TO me. Meerah, i bid thee
come forth from among the women of
Pharaoh that, in company with thy father
and thy people. thou mayest 60 up from
the country OF thy bondage"
There was a sudden eager movement on
the part of the throng. and all looks were
bent on Meerah, the favorite, who, as
waiting woman. had seemed good before
Nenepthah. and whose beauty and charm
OF manner had made her chief among the
women. Pharaoh turned sharply round
20 where the girl was standing. He held
out his hand, and Meerah-pale Ma, the
beautiful faced, who stands before the
Pthah-advanced. trembling in every limb.
to the foot of the altar. She gaZed round
afrightedly Moses stretched forth his
hand. and she made step forward. If