uncle’s fingers forever, but at last one of the smaller doors was pushed fully open and the door opener came towards them, another man beside him. The latter was smiling, his hand outstretched. The door opener vanished back to the outer court, closing the door behind him.
“You have arrived at a most opportune time, my friend,” the stranger said as Ker returned his grasp. “Morning lessons are over and the pupils are eating their noon meal. So this is Huy.” He bent and peered into Huy’s face. “What a handsome boy. I can see the resemblance between you, Ker. Huy, I am Overseer Harmose. Are you hungry?” The question startled Huy. The man’s dark eyes were crinkled affably and he smelled of oil of jasmine. Huy nodded. “Good. I won’t make you eat with the other boys today. We will go to my cell.”
He led them through the door from which he had appeared into a narrow corridor. Huy soon realized that it ran beside and then to the rear of the Holiest of Holiest, where another door opened onto a large grassy area surrounded by blocks of living quarters and dominated by a fish pond in the centre. “This is where you will live,” Harmose told Huy. “Your classmates are still in the dining hall. The teachers live here also. They have duties in the temple. I also.”
They followed him across the lawn, past the pond, and through a gap in the farthest block to yet another square of greenery, this one bordered by herb and flower beds. Several little houses flanked the area, and Harmose made for the nearest, ushering them inside. A man who had been sweeping the tiled floor paused and bowed. “Go to the kitchen and bring us whatever the little locusts have left, Amunmose,” the Overseer ordered, “and a jug of wine. Come through to my reception room, Ker. I keep the front room as an office.” Beyond the reception room Huy could see another tiny space taken up with a sheeted cot, a table, and the edge of what had to be the man’s tiring chest.
“You may sit down, Huy,” Harmose offered, and Huy gratefully obeyed, sinking onto one of the cushions strewn about the floor. It had not escaped his attention, though his knees were trembling from anxiety, that he might very well have been rebuked if he had simply flung himself down without permission, as he would have done at home. His uncle and the Overseer took chairs and began to talk of Ker’s journey, the satisfying depth of the Inundation, the state of the perfume trade, and other adult subjects. Huy dully listened to the sound of their voices. As well as being hungry, he was becoming sleepy. He thought of the cabin of Ker’s barge with longing.
The food, when it came, was good, although much of it was strange to Huy. There was a hot, tangy soup with poppy petals floating in it, and a kind of bread full of poppy seeds. A pickled cabbage salad chopped up with dried dill and specks of black pepper preceded grilled beef, a meat Huy’s father could seldom afford, with a side dish of chickpeas in a garlic and ginger sauce. Finally Harmose held out a dish of nuts Huy did not recognize. “They are almonds,” Harmose said. “A great treat for us. The High Priest has managed to cultivate one precious almond tree in the garden of his home and occasionally he shares the nuts with the temple staff. He sends a large sackful up to Weset.” Huy took one and crunched down on it. He decided that he liked almonds very much. The Overseer got up and, going to the door, called, “Amunmose, fetch me young Harnakht.” Coming back, he waved Huy to his feet. “You must say goodbye to your uncle now,” he ordered the boy kindly. “Harnakht will look after you. Ker and I have a few things to discuss before he leaves.”
For the last time, Ker opened his arms. Huy flew into them, burying his face in Ker’s neck, but he was determined not to give way to the panic threatening to engulf him. His uncle’s eyes, when he set Huy back on his feet, were moist. “I shall miss you,
“You have arrived at a most opportune time, my friend,” the stranger said as Ker returned his grasp. “Morning lessons are over and the pupils are eating their noon meal. So this is Huy.” He bent and peered into Huy’s face. “What a handsome boy. I can see the resemblance between you, Ker. Huy, I am Overseer Harmose. Are you hungry?” The question startled Huy. The man’s dark eyes were crinkled affably and he smelled of oil of jasmine. Huy nodded. “Good. I won’t make you eat with the other boys today. We will go to my cell.”
He led them through the door from which he had appeared into a narrow corridor. Huy soon realized that it ran beside and then to the rear of the Holiest of Holiest, where another door opened onto a large grassy area surrounded by blocks of living quarters and dominated by a fish pond in the centre. “This is where you will live,” Harmose told Huy. “Your classmates are still in the dining hall. The teachers live here also. They have duties in the temple. I also.”
They followed him across the lawn, past the pond, and through a gap in the farthest block to yet another square of greenery, this one bordered by herb and flower beds. Several little houses flanked the area, and Harmose made for the nearest, ushering them inside. A man who had been sweeping the tiled floor paused and bowed. “Go to the kitchen and bring us whatever the little locusts have left, Amunmose,” the Overseer ordered, “and a jug of wine. Come through to my reception room, Ker. I keep the front room as an office.” Beyond the reception room Huy could see another tiny space taken up with a sheeted cot, a table, and the edge of what had to be the man’s tiring chest.
“You may sit down, Huy,” Harmose offered, and Huy gratefully obeyed, sinking onto one of the cushions strewn about the floor. It had not escaped his attention, though his knees were trembling from anxiety, that he might very well have been rebuked if he had simply flung himself down without permission, as he would have done at home. His uncle and the Overseer took chairs and began to talk of Ker’s journey, the satisfying depth of the Inundation, the state of the perfume trade, and other adult subjects. Huy dully listened to the sound of their voices. As well as being hungry, he was becoming sleepy. He thought of the cabin of Ker’s barge with longing.
The food, when it came, was good, although much of it was strange to Huy. There was a hot, tangy soup with poppy petals floating in it, and a kind of bread full of poppy seeds. A pickled cabbage salad chopped up with dried dill and specks of black pepper preceded grilled beef, a meat Huy’s father could seldom afford, with a side dish of chickpeas in a garlic and ginger sauce. Finally Harmose held out a dish of nuts Huy did not recognize. “They are almonds,” Harmose said. “A great treat for us. The High Priest has managed to cultivate one precious almond tree in the garden of his home and occasionally he shares the nuts with the temple staff. He sends a large sackful up to Weset.” Huy took one and crunched down on it. He decided that he liked almonds very much. The Overseer got up and, going to the door, called, “Amunmose, fetch me young Harnakht.” Coming back, he waved Huy to his feet. “You must say goodbye to your uncle now,” he ordered the boy kindly. “Harnakht will look after you. Ker and I have a few things to discuss before he leaves.”
For the last time, Ker opened his arms. Huy flew into them, burying his face in Ker’s neck, but he was determined not to give way to the panic threatening to engulf him. His uncle’s eyes, when he set Huy back on his feet, were moist. “I shall miss you,
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