Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-27
CHAPTER TX.
Hebrew Craft.

QIdWS lTOLl DuSy hiC WiAiC al iuAA 'AooA
| has beckoned to death. Inactivity preys
upon him like disease. The great artist,
forced into idleness by the succession OF an
incapable king, had been renewed by the
prospect Of labor which his exaltaflon into
the high office of royal architect hao az
forded. With pleasure In his heart Ken
kenes watched his father grow young again.
WHO was thy good friend in this?' the
young man asked one evening after num-
Der of contented remarks concerning the
| murkets appointment. who said the
word in the Pharaohs ear?
so to raise me to this office 1t is needful
that something more than my deserts must
have urged the king?" Mentu retorted.
Nay that was not my meaning" Ken
kenes made haste to say. But thou know
est. my father, that Meneptah must be for
ever directed. Who, then, offered him this
wise counsel? Ramesis?"
1T was never Har-hat," Mentu replied,
but half placated.
If he had, thou and I must no longer
call him poor counselor"
''Bribe-" the murket began, ruf1ed once
more
Nay" Kenkenes interrupted, smiling.
He had but proved himself worthy and
wise
Mentu shook his head, but there was no
more temper evident in his face.
Now is the propitious hour for good
counselor" kenkenes pursued.
What knowest thou?" Mentu asked with
interest.
Tape" the young man replied briefly.
May, the sediton in Tape is old and
vitiated."
And the Hak-heb."
THAT breach may be healed. But we
have sedition to fear among the bond
1.-THE bond-people!"
Even so. Open and organized sedition."
1.-THE Israelites?" Kenkenes exclaimed
with an incredulous note in his voice.
The Israelites.'
would sooner fear a rebellion among
the draft oxen and the mules of Ne
hapehu.''
THE elder Sets fears and the fears of
the great Rameses were other than yours
20, aye, they had cause for fear then,
but since Seti yoked the creatures
The Pharaohs did not begin in time,
the elder man interrupted. Had that royal
fiat, the defamation of Hebrew children,
continued, we should not have had the Is
raelite today, but godsr' he shuddered with
horror II hope that is a horrid SANDER
tradition, not fact. l like not to lay the
slaughter of babes at the door of any Egyp-
tian dynasty. But had an early Pharaoh
Of the house of Tothmes enforced the alb
sorption of the Hebrew by his same rank
among the Egyptians, we should have the
menace of hostile alien within our Dor
ders today. The heavy hand of oppression
has made a wondrous race of them for
strength. Theirs is no mean intellect; grea
men have come from among them, and
they will be a hardy foe arrayed against
u.s."
'They are not warriors; they are poor
and unequipped for hostilities; they are
thoroughly under subjection," the young
man pursued What can they do against
us?'
DO" Mentu exclaimed with Impotence
in the repetition. "They have only to say
to the banished Hyksos: Come ye, let us do
battle with Egypt. We will be your mer-
cenaries. They have only to send greeting
to that lean traitor Amon-meses, thus:
Give US the Delta to be ours and we will
help you win all Egypt, and there will be
enough DONE
''They must have a pact among them
selves and leader, first Kenkenes OBJ
jected.
Have l not said they are organized
And their leader is found. He is a foster
brother to Meneptah; an initiated priest of
Isis; a sorcerer and an infidel of the black
est order He is Prince Mesu, Hebrew
by birth.
"Dost thou know him?' Kenkenes asked
with interest.
NAY, he has dwelt in Widian these forty
years. He returned some time ago and
hath dwelt passively in Goshen till"
The artist dropped his voice and came
nearer to his son.
He hath dwelt passively In Goshen till
of late, and it is whispered that some Sc
cret work against him inaugurated by the
priesthood. or mayhap the Pharaoh, hath
given him provocation to revolt against
Meneotah."
After silence Kenkenes asked in a low
cred tone:
Hath he made demonstration?
20, aye, he is clamoring to lead his peo-
pie three days journey into the wilder
ness to make sacrifice to their god"
Shades of mine ancestors! If that is all,
let them, so they return" Kenkenes said
amicably.
Let them" the sculptor exploded. "Dost
thou believe that they would return?
II apprehend that the Rameside army
would be capable of thwartng them if they
were disposed to depart permanently"
Thou dost app ehend-aye. of truth,
know thou dost! Halt all our works of
peace for an indefinite time; mass the vast
army of the Pharaoh and spend days and
good arrows IN retrieving the runaways.
merely that a barbarian god may smell the
SAVIOR of holy animals sacrificed! Gods!
Kenkenes. thou art as trustworthy a coun-
selor as Harhat?
Thereafter there silence in the work
room. But peppery man is seldom sulky,
and Kenkenes WIS fully prepared for the
mildness in his fathers voice when lie
spoke again.
Thou shouldst see the pretense in his
demand, Kenkenes. He must have provo
cation to urge him to rebellion, and he
knows full well that Meneptah will not
grant that petition"
But hath he not provocation-thou hast
but a moment ago told
But that was only an offense against
him. The whole people would not go into
revolt because some one had conspired
against one of their number. Therefore lie
telleth Israel that its God would have Is
rael make a pilgrimage promising curses
upon the people if they obey not. Then Re
putteth the appeal to the Pharaoh and the
Pharaoh denieth it. Wherefore the whole
people is enraged and hath rallied to the
conspirator's cause. Seest thou, my SOM"
TT is strategy worthy the Incompatible
Pharaoh"
ut is Hebrew craft!'
Perhaps thou art right. But what per-
sonal grudge hath Mesu against Egypt or
the priesthood or Meneptah?'
at is said that he was wanted out of
the way, and by an unfortunate sum of ac-
cidents. the miscarriage of a priests letter
and a fight between a messenger and Bed
ouins in front of Hebrew tent, gave the
information into the hands of Mesu him.
self"
BY this time Kenkenes was on his feet.
"A miscarriage of a priests letter. he re-
peated slowly.
The artist nodded.
After the silence the young man spoke
again:
And thou believest truly that because of
this letter-because of this Israelites griev-
ance against the powers of Egypt, we shall
have uprising and serious trouble among
our bond people?"
II have said,' Mentu answered, raising
his head as though surprised at the earnest
ness in his sons voice Kenkenes did not
meet his fathers eyes. He turned on his
heel and left the work room.
Had the spiteful Seven, the Hathors, used
him as a tool whereby mischief should be
wrought between the nation and her slaves?