failed in his duty.
Once, however, he had neglected it; it was that very night which you all
will remember when the wolves broke into the temple, and tore the rams,
and the sacred heart was laid in the breast of the prophet Rui. Some one,
of course, must be punished, and it fell on poor Huni, who for his
carelessness was condemned to forced labor in the mines of Mafkat. His
successor will keep a sharp look out! No one came to see him off, though
I know he had a wife and several children. He was as pale as this cloth,
and was one of the sort whose grief eats into their heart. I went up to
him, and asked him why no one came with him. He had taken leave of them
at home, he answered, that his children might not see him mixed up with
forgers and murderers. Eight poor little brats were left unprovided for
with their mother, and a little while before a fire had destroyed
everything they possessed. There was not a crumb to stop their little
squalling mouths. He did not tell me all this straight out; a word fell
from him now and then, like dates from a torn sack. I picked it up bit by
bit, and when he saw I felt for him he grew fierce and said: 'They may
send me to the gold mines or cut me to pieces, as far as I am concerned,
but that the little ones should starve that--that,' and he struck his
forehead. Then I left him to say good bye to Uarda, and on the way I kept
repeating to myself 'that-that,' and saw before me the man and his eight
brats. If I were rich, thought I, there is a man I would help. When I got
to the little one there, she told me how much money the leech Nebsecht
had given her, and offered to give it me to save Pentaur; then it passed
through my mind--that may go to Hum's children, and in return he will let
himself be shipped off to Ethiopia. I ran to the harbor, spoke to the
man, found him ready and willing, gave the money to his wife, and at
night when the prisoners were shipped I contrived the exchange Pentaur
came with me on my boat under the name of the other, and Huni went to the
south, and was called Pentaur. I had not deceived the man into thinking
he would stop at Chennu. I told him he would be taken on to Ethiopia, for
it is always impossible to play a man false when you know it is quite
easy to do it. It is very strange! It is a real pleasure to cheat a
cunning fellow or a sturdy man, but who would take in a child or a sick
person? Huni certainly would have gone into the fire-pots of hell without
comp