(Cont.)
Then, in private, the Vice Pharaoh Joseph instructed the steward of his palace as follows: “Fill the men’s luggage with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s money back in his suitcase, just like last time. But in the suitcase of the youngest brother, put there also my lucky grail, which the royal bartender gave me – the one that he fashioned after the image from his dream vision – whose brim remains always full, and whose wine is the blood of life. Put that grail in the case of the youngest, along with his corn money.” And the steward did exactly as Joseph instructed.
Then, in the morning, the men were sent away. And once they were outside the city, but not yet far off, Joseph said to his steward: “Go chase after the men; and when you overtake them, say to them: ‘Why have you rewarded evil for good? For you stole the grail from which my lord drinks, and which he uses for divining!’”
So the steward overtook the brothers, and he delivered unto them this same speech.
But they answered: “Why do you say this, O reverend Sir? Aton forbid that your servants should do as you have accused us. Lo, the caesars that we found in our suitcases we brought back: how then should we turn again and steal silver or gold from the lord of the land? If you find such a thing as an holy grail upon any of us, let that man die; then let the rest of us become your slaves for life.”
Yet the steward answered: “Though what you say is right, only he on whom the stolen grail is found shall be enslaved: the rest of you shall go free.”
Then they speedily opened every man his luggage, displaying its contents. And the steward searched, beginning at the eldest, and proceeding toward the youngest: and the grail was found in suitcase of Benjamin Franklin.
Then the brothers all tore their tunics and went right back to Egypt.
Judas and his brothers now re-entered into Vice Pharaoh Joseph’s palace; and he was still there: and they fell down before him on the ground.
Now Joseph said to them: “What scheme were you trying to pull off, here? Surely you were not unaware that I am a master of divination: Behold, I’m privy to every move you make. You can’t sneak off with my magic grail as if it’s a common piece of silverware, using the standard techniques of pickpocketing and burglary.”
And Judas answered: “What can we say to you, O Lord? You seem to know all. What argument could we put forth to persuade you of our innocence? Aton has unveiled the iniquity of your guests: behold, we are now your majesty’s slaves; both we, and he also with whom the grail was found.”
Yet Joseph said: “Aton forbid that I should act so unjustly: only the man in whose possession the grail was found, he alone shall be my slave. As for the rest of you, get you up in peace and return to your father.”
Then Judas drew close to the Vice Pharaoh and said: “O Lord, let me say a little word in your ear, about our family’s situation, and please listen to our story with patience: try not to break forth in your wrath. Recall that you asked us ‘Have you a father or another brother?’ And we told you of our elderly father, and our youngest brother, whose own brother is dead, so that he alone is left of his mother, who also died; and he is the darling of our father. Then you commanded us: ‘Bring this young one down unto me, that I may see him.’ And we told you how the lad cannot leave his father, for if he should leave, his father would die. But you said ‘Do not show your faces here again, unless you bring your youngest with you.’ And it came to pass, when we returned to our father, we told him your words; but our father answered: ‘Ye know that my wife bare me two sons: one left my home and was devoured by some rough beast; so if ye take this last son also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow unto the grave.’ Now therefore, when I return home to our father this second time, if he sees that the lad is not with us, he will die, for his life is bound up with the lad’s life. And, lo, I myself became surety for the lad unto our father, saying: ‘If I return him not back to you in safety, then I shall bear the blame for ever.’ Now therefore, I pray you, take me for vengeance instead of the lad, and I will gladly enter slavery or death; but let the lad go back with his brethren.”
§
Then Joseph could no longer hold in check his emotions before all his attendants; and he commanded: “Send all the palace staff away.” So there was no one else with him, when he made himself known unto his brethren. And he wept so loud that the Egyptians could hear him, all the way to the house of Pharaoh.
And Joseph the Vice Pharaoh said to his brethren: “I am Joseph; is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, they were so troubled by his presence. Yet Joseph said to his brethren: “Come near to me, I pray you.” And they came near. And he said: “I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold to those merchants. They took me here and sold me to Egypt. But do not feel grief and anger at yourselves because of this: for Aton sent me out from you to preserve life. Everything worked out, in accord with his divine plan. We are two years in to a seven-year famine, and Aton sent me here to secure posterity in the earth, and to save all lives by a great deliverance. So it was not you that determined my fate, but Aton: and he has made me a patriarch to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. Now hurry and go tell my father: ‘Thus saith your son Joseph: Aton has made me lord of all Egypt: come down and see me; tarry not! And you shall dwell in the land, and be rich. And I will nourish you, during the next five years of famine, so that your household does not come to poverty.’ Now, behold, your own eyes see that it is me, Joseph; it is my mouth speaking unto you. Go tell my father about my glory here in Egypt, and make haste to bring him back with you to see me.”
Then Joseph fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon Joseph’s neck. Moreover Joseph kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brothers all talked with him.
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