Free Death Comes as the End by Agatha Christie Page A

will no longer support you.”
    Hori paused and went on:
    “The ka-servant Imhotep addresses Hori. To you who have been faithful, how are you in your life, safety and health? Salute my mother Esa for me and my daughter Renisenb, and greet Henet. Look after my affairs carefully until I reach you and see that there be prepared for me a deed whereby my concubine Nofret shall share with me in all my property as my wife. Neither Yahmose nor Sobek shall be associated with me, nor will I support them, and hereby I denounce them that they have done harm to my concubine! Keep all safe till I come. How evil it is when a man's household do evil deeds to his concubine. As for Ipy, let him take warning, and if he does a single hurt to my concubine, he too shall depart from my house.”
    There was a paralyzed silence, then Sobek rose up in a violent rage.
    “How has this come about? What has my father heard? Who has been bearing false tales to him? Shall we endure this? My father cannot disinherit us so and give all his goods to his concubine!”
    Hori said mildly:
    “It will cause unfavorable comment - and it will not be accepted as a right action - but legally it is in his power. He can make a deed of settlement in any way he wishes.”
    “She has bewitched him - that black, jeering serpent has put a spell upon him!”
    Yahmose murmured as though dumbfounded:
    “It is unbelievable - it cannot be true.”
    “My father is mad - mad!” cried Ipy. “He turns even against me at this woman's bidding!”
    Hori said gravely:
    “Imhotep will return shortly - that he says. By then his anger may have abated; he may not really mean to do as he says.” There was a short, unpleasant laugh. It was Satipy who had laughed. She stood looking at them from the doorway into the women's quarters.
    “So that is what we are to do, is it, most excellent Hori? Wait and see!”
    Yahmose said slowly:
    “What else can we do?”
    “What else?” Satipy's voice rose. She screamed out: “What have you got in your veins, all of you? Milk? Yahmose, I know, is not a man! But you, Sobek - have you no remedy for these ills? A knife in the heart and the girl could do us no more harm.”
    “Satipy,” cried Yahmose. “My father would never forgive us!”
    “So you say. But I tell you a dead concubine is not the same as a live concubine! Once she was dead, his heart would return to his sons and their children. And besides, how should he know how she died? We could say a scorpion stung her! We are all together in this, are we not?”
    Yahmose said slowly:
    “My father would know. Henet would tell him.”
    Satipy gave a hysterical laugh.
    “Most prudent Yahmose! Most gentle, cautious Yahmose! It is you who should look after the children and do woman's work in the back of the house. Sakhmet help me! Married to a man who is not a man. And you, Sobek, for all your bluster, what courage have you, what determination? I swear by Re, I am a better man than either of you.”
    She swung round and went out.
    Kait, who had been standing behind her, came a step forward.
    She said, her voice deep and shaken:
    “It is true what Satipy says! She is a better man than any of you. Yahmose, Sobek, Ipy - will you all sit here doing nothing? What of our children, Sobek? Cast out to starve! Very well, if you will do nothing. I will. You are none of you men!”
    As she in turn went out, Sobek sprang to his feet.
    “By the Nine Gods of the Ennead. Kait is right! There is a man's work to be done - and we sit here talking and shaking our heads.”
    He strode towards the door. Hori called after him:
    “Sobek, Sobek, where are you going? What are you going to do?”
    Sobek, handsome and fierce, shouted from the doorway:
    “I shall do something - that is clear. And what I do I shall enjoy doing!”

Death Comes as the End

Chapter 9
    SECOND MONTH OF WINTER, 10TH DAY
    Renisenb came out onto the porch and stood there for a moment, shielding her eyes against the sudden glare.
    She felt