Death Comes as the End Read online

  Montu spoke with reverence and approval of the King Nebhepet-Re. A first-class soldier and a man of piety also. The corrupt and cowardly North could hardly stand against him. A unified Egypt, that was what was needed. And it would mean, undoubtedly, great things for Thebes…

  The men walked together, discussing the future.

  Renisenb looked back at the cliff and the sealed tomb chamber.

  ‘So that is the end,’ she murmured. A feeling of relief swept over her. She had feared she hardly knew what! Some last minute outburst or accusation? But everything had gone with commendable smoothness. Nofret was duly buried with all the rites of religion.

  It was the end.

  Henet said below her breath: ‘I hope so, I’m sure I hope so, Renisenb.’

  Renisenb turned on her.

  ‘What do you mean, Henet?’

  Henet avoided her eyes.

  ‘I just said I hoped that it was the end. Sometimes what you think is an end is only a beginning. And that wouldn’t do at all.’

  Renisenb said angrily: ‘What are you talking about, Henet? What are you hinting at?’

  ‘I’m sure I never hint, Renisenb. I wouldn’t do such a thing. Nofret’s buried and everyone’s satisfied. So everything is as it should be.’

  Renisenb demanded: ‘Did my father ask you what you thought about Nofret’s death?’

  ‘Yes, indeed, Renisenb. Most particular, he was, that I should tell him exactly what I thought about it all.’

  ‘And what did you tell him?’

  ‘Well, of course I said it was an accident. What else could it have been? You don’t think for a minute, I said, that anyone in your family would harm the girl, do you? They wouldn’t dare, I said. They’ve far too much respect for you. Grumble they might, but nothing more, I said. You can take it from me, I said, that there’s been nothing of that kind!’

  Henet nodded her head and chuckled.

  ‘And my father believed you?’

  Again Henet nodded with a good deal of satisfaction.

  ‘Ah your father knows how devoted I am to his interests. He’ll always take old Henet’s word for anything. He appreciates me if none of the rest of you do. Ah well, my devotion to all of you is its own reward. I don’t expect thanks.’

  ‘You were devoted to Nofret, too,’ said Renisenb.

  ‘I’m sure I don’t know what gave you that idea, Renisenb. I had to obey orders like everyone else.’

  ‘She thought you were devoted to her.’

  Henet chuckled again.

  ‘Nofret wasn’t quite as clever as she thought herself. A proud girl–and a girl who thought she owned the earth. Well, she’s got the judges in the underworld to satisfy now–and a pretty face won’t help her there. At any rate we’re quit of her. At least,’ she added under her breath and touching one of the amulets she wore, ‘I hope so.’

  II

  ‘Renisenb, I want to talk to you about Satipy.’

  ‘Yes, Yahmose?’

  Renisenb looked up sympathetically into her brother’s gentle, worried face.

  Yahmose said slowly and heavily: ‘There is something very wrong the matter with Satipy. I cannot understand it.’

  Renisenb shook her head sadly. She was at a loss to find anything comforting to say.

  ‘I have noticed this change in her for some time,’ went on Yahmose. ‘She starts and trembles at any unaccustomed noise. She does not eat well. She creeps about as though–as though she were afraid of her own shadow. You must have noticed it, Renisenb?’

  ‘Yes, indeed, we have all noticed it.’

  ‘I have asked her if she is ill–if I should send for a physician–but she says there is nothing–that she is perfectly well.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘So you have asked her that too? And she has said nothing to you–nothing at all?’

  He laid stress on the words. Renisenb sympathized with his anxiety, but she could say nothing to help.

  ‘She insists that she is quite well.’

  Yahmose murmured. ‘She does not sleep well at night–she cries out in her sleep. Is she–could she have some sorrow that we know nothing about?’

  Renisenb shook her head.

  ‘I do not see how that is possible. There is nothing wrong with the children. Nothing has happened here –except, of course, Nofret’s death–and Satipy would hardly grieve for that,’ she added drily.

  Yahmose smiled faintly.

  ‘No, indeed. Quite the contrary. Besides, this has been coming on for some time. It began, I think, before Nofret’s death.’

  His tone was a little uncertain and Renisenb looked at him quickly. Yahmose said with mild persistence:

  ‘Before Nofret’s death, don’t you think so?’

  ‘I did not notice it until afterwards,’ said Renisenb, slowly.

  ‘And she has said nothing to you–you are sure?’

  Renisenb shook her head. ‘But you know, Yahmose, I do not think Satipy is ill. It seems to me more that she is–afraid.’

  ‘Afraid?’ exclaimed Yahmose, in great astonishment. ‘But why should Satipy be afraid? And of what? Satipy has always had the courage of a lion.’

  ‘I know,’ said Renisenb, helplessly. ‘We have always thought so–but people change–it is queer.’

  ‘Does Kait know anything–do you think? Has Satipy spoken to her?’

  ‘She would be more likely to talk to her than to me–but I do not think so. In fact, I am sure of it.’

  ‘What does Kait think?’

  ‘Kait? Kait never thinks about anything.’

  All Kait had done, Renisenb was reflecting, was to take advantage of Satipy’s unusual meekness by grabbing for herself and her children the finest of the newly woven linen–a thing she would never have been allowed to do had Satipy been her usual self. The house would have resounded with passionate disputings! The fact that Satipy had given it up with hardly a murmur had impressed Renisenb more than anything else that could have happened.

  ‘Have you spoken to Esa?’ Renisenb asked. ‘Our grandmother is wise about women and their ways.’

  ‘Esa,’ said Yahmose with some slight annoyance, ‘merely bids me be thankful for the change. She says it is too much to hope that Satipy will continue to be so sweetly reasonable.’

  Renisenb said with some slight hesitation, ‘Have you asked Henet?’

  ‘Henet?’ Yahmose frowned. ‘No, indeed. I would not speak of such things to Henet. She takes far too much upon herself as it is. My father spoils her.’

  ‘Oh, I know that. She is very tiresome. But all the same–well–’ Renisenb hesitated–‘Henet usually knows things.’

  Yahmose said slowly: ‘Would you ask her, Renisenb? And tell me what she says?’

  ‘If you like.’

  Renisenb put her query at a moment when she had Henet to herself. They were on their way to the weaving sheds. Rather to her surprise the question seemed to make Henet uneasy. There was none of her usual avidity to gossip.

  She touched an amulet she was wearing and glanced over her shoulder.

  ‘It’s nothing to do with me, I’m sure…It’s not for me to notice whether any one’s themselves or not. I mind my own business. If there’s trouble I don’t want to be mixed up in it.’

  ‘Trouble? What kind of trouble?’

  Henet gave her a quick, sideways glance.

  ‘None, I hope. None that need concern us, anyway. You and I, Renisenb, we’ve nothing to reproach ourselves with. That’s a great consolation to me.’

  ‘Do you mean that Satipy–what do you mean?’

  ‘I don’t mean anything at all, Renisenb–and please don’t start making out that I do. I’m little better than a servant in this house, and it’s not my business to give my opinion about things that are nothing to do with me. If you ask me, it’s a change for the better, and if it stops at that, well, we’ll all do nicely. Now, please, Renisenb, I’ve got to see that they’re marking the date properly on the linen. So careless as they ar
e, these women, always talking and laughing and neglecting their work.’

  Unsatisfied, Renisenb watched her dart away into the weaving shed. She herself walked slowly back to the house. Her entry into Satipy’s room was unheard, and Satipy sprang round with a cry as Renisenb touched her shoulder.

  ‘Oh you startled me, I thought–’

  ‘Satipy,’ said Renisenb. ‘What is the matter? Won’t you tell me? Yahmose is worried about you and–’

  Satipy’s fingers flew to her lips. She said, stammering nervously, her eyes wide and frightened: ‘Yahmose? What–what did he say?’

  ‘He is anxious. You have been calling out in your sleep–’

  ‘Renisenb!’ Satipy caught her by the arm. ‘Did I say–What did I say?’

  Her eyes seemed dilated with terror.

  ‘Does Yahmose think–what did he tell you?’

  ‘We both think that you are ill–or–or unhappy.’

  ‘Unhappy?’ Satipy repeated the word under her breath with a peculiar intonation.

  ‘Are you unhappy, Satipy?’

  ‘Perhaps…I don’t know. It is not that.’

  ‘No. You’re frightened, aren’t you?’

  Satipy stared at her with a sudden hostility.

  ‘Why should you say that? Why should I be frightened? What is there to frighten me?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ said Renisenb. ‘But it’s true, isn’t it?’

  With an effort Satipy recovered her old arrogant pose. She tossed her head.

  ‘I’m not afraid of anything–of anyone! How dare you suggest such a thing to me, Renisenb? And I won’t have you talking me over with Yahmose. Yahmose and I understand each other.’ She paused and then said sharply, ‘Nofret is dead–and a good riddance. That’s what I say. And you can tell anyone who asks you that that’s what I feel about it.’

  ‘Nofret?’ Renisenb uttered the name questioningly.

  Satipy flew into a passion that made her seem quite like her old self.

  ‘Nofret–Nofret–Nofret! I’m sick of the sound of that name. We don’t need to hear it any more in this house–and thank goodness for that.’

  Her voice, which had been raised to its old shrill pitch, dropped suddenly as Yahmose entered. He said, with unusual sternness:

  ‘Be quiet, Satipy. If my father heard you, there would be fresh trouble. How can you behave so foolishly?’

  If Yahmose’s stern and displeased tone was unusual, so too was Satipy’s meek collapse. She murmured: ‘I am sorry, Yahmose…I did not think.’

  ‘Well, be more careful in future! You and Kait made most of the trouble before. You women have no sense!’

  Satipy murmured again: ‘I am sorry…’

  Yahmose went out, his shoulders squared, and his walk far more resolute than usual as though the fact of having asserted his authority for once had done him good.

  Renisenb went slowly along to old Esa’s room. Her grandmother, she felt, might have some helpful counsel.

  Esa, however, who was eating grapes with a good deal of relish, refused to take the matter seriously.

  ‘Satipy? Satipy? Why all this fuss about Satipy? Do you all like being bullied and ordered about by her that you make such a to do because she behaves herself properly for once?’

  She spat out the pips of the grape and remarked:

  ‘In any case, it’s too good to last–unless Yahmose can keep it up.’

  ‘Yahmose?’

  ‘Yes. I hoped Yahmose had come to his senses at last and given his wife a good beating. It’s what she needs–and she’s the kind of woman who would probably enjoy it. Yahmose, with his meek, cringing ways, must have been a great trial to her.’

  ‘Yahmose is a dear,’ cried Renisenb, indignantly. ‘He is kind to everybody–and as gentle as a woman–if women are gentle,’ she added, doubtfully.

  Esa cackled.

  ‘A good afterthought, granddaughter. No, there’s nothing gentle about women–or if there is, Isis help them! And there are few women who care for a kind, gentle husband. They’d sooner have a handsome, blustering brute like Sobek–he’s the one to take a girl’s fancy. Or a smart young fellow like Kameni–hey, Renisenb? The flies in the courtyard don’t settle on him for long! He’s got a pretty taste in love songs, too. Eh? Hee, hee, hee.’

  Renisenb felt her cheeks going red.

  ‘I don’t know what you mean,’ she said with dignity.

  ‘You all think old Esa doesn’t know what’s going on! I know all right.’ She peered at Renisenb with her semi-blind eyes. ‘I know, perhaps, before you do, child. Don’t be angry. It’s the way of life, Renisenb. Khay was a good brother to you–but he sails his boat now in the Field of Offerings. The sister will find a new brother who spears his fish in our own River–not that Kameni would be much good. A reed pen and a papyrus roll are his fancy. A personable young man, though–with a pretty taste in songs. But for all that I’m not sure he’s the man for you. We don’t know much about him–he’s a Northerner. Imhotep approves of him–but then I’ve always thought Imhotep was a fool. Anyone can get round him by flattery. Look at Henet!’

  ‘You are quite wrong,’ said Renisenb with dignity.

  ‘Very well, then, I’m wrong. You father is not a fool.’

  ‘I didn’t mean that. I meant–’

  ‘I know what you meant, child.’ Esa grinned. ‘But you don’t know the real joke. You don’t know how good it is to sit at ease like I do, and to be done with all this business of brothers and sisters, and loving and hating. To eat a well-cooked fat quail or a reed bird, and then a cake with honey, and some well-cooked leeks and celery and wash it down with wine from Syria–and have never a care in the world. And look on at all the turmoil and heartaches and know that none of that can affect you any more. To see your son make a fool of himself over a handsome girl, and to see her set the whole place by the ears–it made me laugh, I can tell you! In a way, you know, I liked that girl! She had the devil in her all right–the way she touched them all on the raw. Sobek like a pricked bladder–Ipy made to look a child–Yahmose shamed as a bullied husband. It’s like the way you see your face in a pool of water–she made them see just how they looked to the world at large. But why did she hate you, Renisenb? Answer me that.’

  ‘Did she hate me?’ Renisenb spoke doubtfully. ‘I–tried once to be friends.’

  ‘And she’d have none of it? She hated you all right, Renisenb.’

  Esa paused and then asked sharply:

  ‘Would it be because of Kameni?’

  The colour rose in Renisenb’s face: ‘Kameni? I do not know what you mean.’

  Esa thoughtfully: ‘She and Kameni both came from the North, but it was you Kameni watched across the courtyard.’

  Renisenb said abruptly:

  ‘I must go and see to Teti.’

  Esa’s shrill, amused cackle followed her. Her cheeks hot, Renisenb sped across the courtyard towards the lake.

  Kameni called to her from the porch:

  ‘I have made a new song, Renisenb. Stay and hear it.’

  She shook her head and hurried on. Her heart was beating angrily. Kameni and Nofret. Nofret and Kameni. Why let old Esa, with her malicious love of mischief, put these ideas into her head? And why should she care?

  Anyway what did it matter? She cared nothing for Kameni, nothing at all. An impertinent young man with a laughing voice and shoulders that reminded her of Khay.

  Khay…Khay.

  She repeated his name insistently–but for once no image came before her eyes. Khay was in another world. He was in the Field of Offerings…

  On the porch Kameni was singing softly:

  ‘I will say to Ptah: Give me my sister tonight…’

  III

  ‘Renisenb!’

  Hori had repeated her name twice before she heard him and turned from her contemplation of the Nile.

  ‘You were lost in thought, Renisenb, what were you thinking about?’

  Renisenb said with defiance:


  ‘I was thinking of Khay.’

  Hori looked at her for a minute or two–then he smiled:

  ‘I see,’ he said.

  Renisenb had an uncomfortable feeling that he did see!

  She said with a sudden rush:

  ‘What happens when you are dead? Does anyone really know? All these texts–all these things that are written on coffins–some of them are so obscure they seem to mean nothing at all. We know that Osiris was killed and that his body was joined together again, and that he wears the white crown, and because of him we need not die–but sometimes, Hori, none of it seems real–and it is all so confused…’

  Hori nodded gently.

  ‘But what really happens after you are dead–that is what I want to know?’

  ‘I cannot tell you, Renisenb. You should ask a priest these questions.’

  ‘He would just give me the usual answers. I want to know.’

  Hori said gently, ‘We shall none of us know until we are dead ourselves…’

  Renisenb shivered.

  ‘Don’t–don’t say that!’

  ‘Something has upset you, Renisenb?’

  ‘It was Esa.’ She paused and then said, ‘Tell me, Hori, did–did Kameni and Nofret know each other well before–they came here?’

  Hori stood quite still for a moment, then as he walked by Renisenb’s side, back towards the house, he said, ‘I see. So that is how it is…’

  ‘What do you mean–“that is how it is”? I only asked you a question.’

  ‘To which I do not know the answer. Nofret and Kameni knew each other in the North–how well, I do not know.’

  He added gently: ‘Does it matter?’

  ‘No, of course not,’ said Renisenb. ‘It is of no importance at all.’

  ‘Nofret is dead.’

  ‘Dead and embalmed and sealed up in her tomb! And that is that!’

  Hori continued calmly:

  ‘And Kameni–does not seem to grieve…’

  ‘No,’ said Renisenb, struck by this aspect of the question.

  ‘That is true.’ She turned to him impulsively. ‘Oh Hori, how–how comforting a person you are!’

  He smiled.

  ‘I mended little Renisenb’s lion for her. Now–she has other toys.’

  Renisenb skirted the house as they came to it.

  ‘I don’t want to go in yet. I feel I hate them all. Oh, not really, you understand. But just because I am cross–and impatient and everyone is so odd. Can we not go up to your Tomb? It is so nice up there–one is–oh, above everything.’