He spoke, and Nefrekepta no more knew
What place he stood in nor what breath he drew,
But forth he hied him in great joy, and caught
My hand, and all this tale he told me true;
And cried: 'South, South to Coptos! None shall stay
Our going.' But I turned from him away
And found that aged Priest and said: 'Thou Priest,
May Amun curse thee for thy words this day!
The Book of Thoth, the serpents and the sea!
Most bitter striving thou hast made for me,
And bitter watching till my lord's return;
False art thou, and thy South all cruelty.'
And much I prayed my brother not to sail
To Coptos, but my prayer might not avail,
For straight to Pharaoh's throne he went, and spake
To Pharaoh of the Priest and all his tale.
And Pharaoh said: 'What wilt thou I should do?'
'Give me thy ship of pleasure and its crew,'
He said: 'and with me let Ahure sail
To find the Book, and the boy Merab too.'
So Pharaoh's pleasure-ship was brought, and all
Its crew; and southward in high festival
We sailed to Coptos; and the news went forth
Before us, and the folk stood on the wall.
The Priests of Isis and Harpocrates
And the Chief Priest of Isis, all of these
Came down to Nefrekepta, and to me
The women of the Priests in their degrees.
They led us to their Temple in a line;
And Nefrekepta gave ox, goose, and wine,
And brought to Isis and Harpocrates
Rite and oblation and all dues divine.
A temple beautiful exceedingly
Was over us, and there four days did he
Make with the Priests of Isis holiday,
And the priests' women holiday with me.
But when the morning of the fifth day came,
He called for wax made holy, without blame,
And shaped a boat with men, and spake a spell,
And breathed; and life woke in them like a flame.