Cat of Bubastes #8

Chapter 9, Part A:

Amuba and Chebron went for another walk in the moonlight.  They were walking by the temple when Amuba said, "What does that door lead to?" because there was an open door in front of them.  They looked at it.

"Shall we go?" Amuba asked.  Chebron hesitated.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Chebron asked.

"We'll only be there for a little bit.  Don't be so silly as to think it's dangerous," said Amuba.

"Oh, alright," said Chebron somewhat reluctantly, following Amuba into the passage.

They walked along the passage for quite a ways.  The passage got slowly narrower and narrower until they reached a point where it was only 3 feet high and just wide enough for a man to pass through it.  Amuba went through and looked around

"There's enough room for us to be in here," he called out.  "Come on!"

There was a ledge about a foot wide and beyond that, a stone floor.

Chebron said, "I wonder what strange place this is.  Look, yonder is a little hole!"

Amuba went over and stuck his hand down.  He said, "It's strange.  It might be something for someone to see through, but it would be hard with just this little slit at the end."

And then he said, "Chebron?  This must be one of the great figures and this must be it's head that we are on.  This slit must lead to the lips.  Am I not right?"

Chebron nodded.

"Then listen!  This might be the answer to how the gods answered the worshipers.  So, I have heard that the god answers the worshipers.  This is how the trick must be done - the priest speaks to them from here."

Chebron was silent, for it was painful to him that this trickery was practised and exercised.

"I can hear voices below," said Amuba.  Removing his hand, he went over and looked.  Then he called back and whispered, "Come here, Chebron.  There is something important going on."

The two went and looked over the edge.

"I am mad!" said one of the men who seemed to be the ringleader.  "For he is an insult to the gods.  We should get rid of him!"  A cheer went up from the men.

"This is how it will be done.  First, I will make up some excuse.  Second, we will call on him with this excuse and I will bring him to the temple.  Next, we will bring him to one of the inner rooms where none but we and he are allowed to enter.  And there, we will slaughter him."

Chebron whispered, "The people are planning a murder in the very temple."

Applying his lips to the whole, Chebron said, "Beware sacrilegious beings!  Your plans will fail and ruin will fall upon you."

"Come on Chebron" said Amuba, pulling on his tunic. "One of those people may know the secret of the image and come up here to see who is speaking.  If so, they will slaughter us without mercy.  We must leave."

The two slipped down the stairs and ran through a couple rooms.  As they went, they quickly made plans.

"How will we get out?  There will be guards posted at the entrance!  Are there any places with ladders?"  Amuba asked.

"Yes, at the third court!  They were painting the figures up there yesterday.  I watched them," Chebron replied.