The Yoke. Elizabeth Miller
queried Nechutes. "Where dost thou keep thyself?"
"In the garb of labor among the ink-pots and papyri of the sculptor class," the lady answered. "I warrant there are pigment marks on his fingers even now."
Kenkenes extended his long right hand to her for inspection. She received it across her pink palm and scrutinized it laughingly.
"Nay, I take it back. Here is naught but henna and a suspicion of attar. He has been idle these days."
"Hast thou forgotten the efficacy of the lemon in the removal of stains?" the sculptor asked with a smile.
The lady frowned.
"Give us thy news from Tape, then," she demanded, putting his hand away.
"The court is coming to Memphis sooner. That is all. O, aye, I had well-nigh forgot. There is also talk of a marriage between Rameses and Ta-user."
"Fie!" the lady scoffed. "Nechutes hath more to tell than that, and he hath stayed in Memphis."
"Thou wilt come to realize some day, Ta-meri, that I am fitted to the yoke of labor, when I fail thee in all the nicer walks thou wouldst have me tread. Come, out with thy gossip, Nechutes."
"I had a letter from Hotep to-day—a budget of news, included with official matters with which the king would acquaint me. Ta-user, with Amon-meses and Siptah, hath joined the court at Tape—"
"And Siptah, she brought with her—" the sculptor interrupted softly.
Nechutes cast an expressive look at Kenkenes and went on.
"And the courting hath begun."
Silence fell, and the lady looked at the two young men with wonder in her eyes.
"Nay, but that is interesting," Kenkenes admitted, recovering himself.
"Tell me more."
"The offices of cup-bearer and murket are to be bestowed in Memphis,"
Nechutes continued.
"And the one falls to Nechutes," the lady declared triumphantly.
"Of a truth thou hast a downy lot before thee, Nechutes," the young sculptor said heartily. "And never one so deserving of it. I give thee joy."
"And the other goes to the noble Mentu," Nechutes added in a meek voice.
"Sphinx!" Ta-meri cried, tapping him on the head. "You did not tell me that."
The surprised delight of Kenkenes was not so bewildering as to blind him to the reason why Nechutes had withheld this news from Ta-meri. The blunt Egyptian was not anxious to speed his rival's cause.
"Does my father know of this?" he asked.
"I doubt not. The same messenger that brought me news of mine own appointment departed for On when he learned that Mentu was there."
"Nay, but that will be wine in his veins," Kenkenes mused happily. "It will make him young again. His late inactivity hath chafed him sorely."
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