Voices from the Other World Read Online Free Page B

throne, halting before the king. Userkaf looked upon his son seated in his own place, around him his own men of state. At their head were Horurra and Samun: he knew that these two had gone straight to Sahura together to tell of his own appearance. And within himself he lauded the two of them coming to give witness. With them, the general would testify to Userkaf’s return to the throne, pledging him the loyalty entrusted to the faithful hands of his son. Together they had tasted the shame and disgrace that had tortured their wicked souls—and now were driven to repentance.
    The king gazed at his son with a meaningful smile. But just as he was about to speak, he heard a dog’s loud barking. He saw Zay cutting through the ranks of the guards, rushing up to him with irresistible force. Pharaoh stroked him with his hands, treating him with a deep concern that bespoke his ardent love and yearning. At the same time, he was not able to control his rage or to calm his mind except with a mighty effort. Then—yielding at last to his fury—he strode firmly up to the throne until he stood before the guards. He looked upon his son with consternation, saying, “Rise, my son, for my experiment is finished. Invite me to appear before these hypocrites.”
    But his son did not rise, nor vacate his place for him. Instead, he said to him, with the majesty of authority, “What have you come to do here? You—the man to whom the gods gave a vast kingdom—but who disdained his right, and went to dally in the land of Punt?”
    The son’s speech settled on his father like a sentence. His eyes widened and his amazement grew to madness; his stupefied face kept turning back and forth between his haughty son and his gloating men. Losing his tolerance, Sahura burst out cruelly.
    â€œI am now entitled to sever your head from your body. But I have not forgotten that you are my father. I would prefer to avoid this crime that our traditions condemn. Therefore—having opened my breast for you patiently—I grant you a day to prepare yourself. You will then go to the land of Nubia. ”
    His retinue extolled the charitable act of the king, their tongues ceaselessly showering him with prayers of praise. As for Userkaf, his sense of tribulation intensified until his own tongue was tied and his limbs were paralyzed. Meanwhile, his dog Zay sensed his pain; he kept on barking and tugging on his cloak that was covered with dust from his wanderings.
    The king then roused himself against his weakness, and spoke to his son, “And Queen Tey?”
    â€œShe is now the queen of contented Egypt.”
    The king sighed and asked, “May I be so bold as to ask that Zay might accompany me?”
    â€œThat I grant you—his barking annoys us.”
    So the king left the land of Egypt in guilt and sadness, humiliated by his misfortune. As he headed into exile, his faithful dog followed him. He arrived in the land of Nubia, where he lived among its mountains in fearful isolation, speaking to no one. But as his cares and angst pressed down upon him, the solitary creature that showed him love and devotion, bearing the pangs of deprivation patiently for his sake, gave voice to his complaints.
    The governor of Nubia did not leave him alone for long. He visited him and invited him to visit as well, withholding from him neither warmth nor welcome. He wasted no time in revealing his hidden self. Userkaf found him a grumbler who saw his station in Nubia as an offense against his person, which showed a lack of appreciation for his services and qualifications. And therefrom glimmered in the heart of the king a gleam of hope. He exploited the governor’s discontent, indulging his delusions, until the disgruntled man consented to dispatch Nubian and Egyptian troops northward, with Pharaoh at their lead. Sahura readied his own army to rebuke them: the two armies met in a decisive battle—in which Userkaf triumphed.