Agatha Christie - Death Comes as the End

"That is not so," said Hori mildly. "His health has always been good."

Ipy said assertively:

"Health depends upon the spirit of a man. Yahmose never had any spirit. He was afraid, even, to give orders."

"That is not so lately," said Imhotep. "Yahmose has shown himself to be full of authority in these last months. I have been surprised. But this weakness in the limbs worries me. Mersu assured me that once the effects of the poison had worn off, recovery should be swift."

Hori moved some of the papyrus aside.

"There are other poisons," he said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Imhotep wheeled round.

Hori spoke in a gentle, speculative voice.

"There are poisons known which do not act at once, with violence. They are insidious. A little taken every day accumulates in the system. Only after long months of weakness, does death come... There is a knowledge of such things among women - they use them sometimes to remove a husband and to make it seem as though his death were natural."

Imhotep grew pale.

"Do you suggest that - that - that - is what is the matter with Yahmose?"

"I am suggesting that it is a possibility. Though his food is now tasted by a slave before he gets it, such a precaution means nothing, since the amount in any one dish on any one day would cause no ill effect."

"Folly," cried Ipy loudly. "Absolute folly! I do nor believe there are such poisons. I have never heard of them."

Hori raised his eyes.

"You are very young, Ipy. There are still things you do not know."

Imhotep exclaimed, "But what can we do! We have appealed to Ashayet. We have sent offerings to the Temple - not that I have ever had much belief in temples. It is women who are credulous about such things. What more can be done?"

Hori said thoughtfully:

"Let Yahmose's food be prepared by one trustworthy slave, and let that slave be watched all the time."

"But that means - that here in this house -"

"Rubbish," shouted Ipy. "Absolute rubbish."

Hori raised his eyebrows.

"Let it be tried," he said. "We shall soon see if it is rubbish."

Ipy went angrily out of the room. Hori stared thoughtfully after him with a perplexed frown on his face.

IV

Ipy went out of the house in such a rage that he almost knocked over Henet.

"Get out of my way, Henet. You are always creeping about and getting in the way."

"How rough you are, Ipy. You have bruised my arm."

"A good thing. I am tired of you and your sniveling ways. The sooner you are out of this house for good the better - and I shall see that you do go."

Henet's eyes flashed maliciously.

"So you would turn me out, would you? After all the care and love I have bestowed on you all. Devoted, I've been, to the whole family. Your father knows it well enough."

"He's heard about it enough, I'm sure! And so have we! In my opinion you're just an evil-tongued old mischief-maker. You helped Nofret with her schemes - that I know well enough. Then she died and you came fawning round us again. But you'll see - in the end my father will listen to me and not to your lying tales."

"You're very angry, Ipy. What has made you angry?"

"Never mind."

"You're not afraid of something, are you, Ipy? There are odd things going on here."

"You can't frighten me, you old cat."

He flung himself past her and out of the house.

Henet turned slowly inwards. A groan from Yahmose attracted her attention. He had raised himself from the couch and was trying to walk. But his legs failed him almost at once and but for Henet's rapid assistance he would have fallen to the ground.

"There, Yahmose, there. Lie back again."

"How strong you are, Henet. One would not think it to look at you." He settled back again with his head on the wooden headrest. "Thank you. But what is the matter with me? Why this feeling as though my muscles were turned to water?"

"The matter is that this house is bewitched. The work of a she-devil who came to us from the north. No good ever came out of the north."

Yahmose murmured with sudden despondency:

"I am dying. Yes, I am dying..."

"Others will die before you," said Henet grimly.

"What? What do you mean?" He raised himself on an elbow and stared at her.

"I know what I am saying." Henet nodded her head several times. "It is not you who will die next. Wait and see."

V

"Why do you avoid me, Renisenb?"

Kameni planted himself directly in Renisenb's way. She flushed and found it difficult to give a suitable answer. It was true that she had deliberately turned aside when she saw Kameni coming.

"Why, Renisenb, tell me why?"

But she had no answer ready - could only shake her head dumbly.

Then she glanced up at him as he stood facing her. She had had a faint dread that Kameni's face too might seem different. It was with a curious gladness that she saw it unchanged, his eyes looking at her gravely and for once no smile upon his lips.

Before the look in his eyes her own fell. Kameni could always disturb her. His nearness affected her physically. Her heart beat a shade faster.

"I know why you avoid me. Renisenb."

She found her voice.

"I - was not avoiding you. I did not see you coming."

"That is a lie." He was smiling now; she could hear it in his voice.

"Renisenb, beautiful Renisenb."

She felt his warm, strong hand round her arm and immediately she shook herself free.

"Do not touch me! I do not like to be touched."

"Why do you fight against me, Renisenb? You know well enough the thing that is between us. You are young and strong and beautiful. It is against nature that you should go on grieving for a husband all your life. I will take you away from this house. It is full of deaths and evil spells. You shall come away with me and be safe."

"And suppose I do not want to come?" said Renisenb with spirit.

Kameni laughed. His teeth gleamed white and strong.

"But you do want to come, only you will not admit it! Life is good, Renisenb, when a sister and brother are together. I will love you and make you happy and you shall be a glorious field to me, your lord. See, I shall no longer sing to Ptah, 'Give me my sister tonight' but I shall go to Imhotep and say, 'Give me my sister Renisenb.' But I think it is not safe for you here, so I shall take you away. I am a good scribe and I can enter the household of one of the great nobles of Thebes if I wish, though actually I like the country life here - the cultivation and the cattle and the songs of the men who reap, and the little pleasure craft on the River. I would like to sail with you on the River, Renisenb. And we will take Teti with us. She is a beautiful, strong child and I will love her and be a good father to her. Come, Renisenb, what do you say?"

Renisenb stood silent. She was conscious of her heart beating fast and she felt a kind of languor stealing over her senses. Yet with this feeling of softness, this yielding, went something else - a feeling of antagonism.

"The touch of his hand on my arm and I am all weakness..." she thought. "Because of his strength... of his square shoulders... his laughing mouth... But I know nothing of his mind, of his thoughts, of his heart. There is no peace between us and no sweetness... What do I want? I do not know... But not this... No, not this..."

She heard herself saying, and even to her own ears the words sounded weak and uncertain:

"I do not want another husband... I want to be alone... to be myself..."

"No, Renisenb, you are wrong. You were not meant to live alone. Your hand says so when it trembles within mine... See?"

With an effort Renisenb drew her hand away.

"I do not love you, Kameni. I think I hate you."

He smiled.

"I do not mind your hating me, Renisenb. Your hate is very close to love. We will speak of this again."