"Why should I throw stones, lord of life and death? If I had hit my wife, I should have made trouble for a week. If I had hit the warrior, I should have got a blow of a fist in the belly that would have made my tongue stick out, for I am nothing but an earth-worker, and he is a warrior of our lord who lives through eternity."
The heir leaned out from behind the column. They led away Dutmoses, and brought in Anup. He was a short fellow. On his shoulders were scars from club-strokes.
"Tell me, Anup," began the official again, "how was it about that attack on the garden of the heir to the throne?"
"Eye of the sun," said the man, "vessel of wisdom, Thou knowest best of all that I did not make the attack, only a neighbor comes to me and says he, 'Anup, come up, for the Nile is rising.' And I say to him, 'Is it rising?' And he says to me, 'Thou art duller than an ass, for an ass would hear music on a hill, and Thou dost not hear it.' 'But,' says I, 'I am dull, for I did not learn writing; but with permission music is one thing and the rise of the river is another.' 'If there were not a rise,' says he, 'people would not have anything to be glad about and play and sing.' So I say to thy justice, we went to the hill, and they had driven away the music there and were throwing stones at the garden."
"Who threw stones?"
"I could not tell. The men did not look like earth-workers, but more like unclean dissectors who open dead bodies for embalming."
"And didst Thou see the priest?"
"With thy permission, O watchfulness, that was not a priest, but some spirit that guards the house of the erpatr may he live through eternity!"
"Why a spirit?"
"For at moments I saw him and at moments he went somewhere."