wilbursmith_warlock-第131部分
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t by sprinkling the road with Nile water； and had spread palm fronds and flowers in his way。
When they reached the city the gates stood wide open and the populace lined the walls。 They had hung banners and bunches of sweet flowers and fruits from the ramparts。 They sang anthems of loyalty； praise and wele as Nefer； with Mintaka beside him； drove under the arch of the gateway。
Beautiful as a young god and goddess； they drove first to the magnificent temple on the riverbank that Trok Uruk had built to celebrate his own divinity。 Nefer had sent instructions ahead of him； and the stonemasons had already been at work for weeks。 They had chiselled away every portrait of the false pharaoh and expunged his name from the walls and tall hypostyle columns。 They were still busy engraving the portraits and titles of the winged Horus； and of Pharaoh Nefer Seti； together with descriptions of his victory at the battle of Gallala。
Nefer drove there as his first duty to give thanks to the god and to sacrifice a pair of perfect black bulls before the stone altar。 After the religious service he declared a week of holiday； festivity and feasting； with free millet bread； beef； wine and beer for every citizen； and games and theatre to amuse them。
'You are a sly one； my heart；' Mintaka told him admiringly。 'They loved you before； but now they will adore you。'
For how long？ Nefer wondered。 As soon as the news of our ascension to the throne reaches Naja； in far off Babylon； he will be on the march； if he is not already。 The mon people will love me until he knocks upon the gates。
* * *
Pharaoh Naja Kiafan anointed his trusted general Asmor as King of Babylon； a satrap of his own throne。 He left him five hundred chariots； two thousand archers and infantry to hold and secure his conquests。 Then； with the bulk of his army； he began the march on Egypt to recover his crown and throne from the man who had seized it。 Like a snowball rolling down a mountainside； the army of Pharaoh Naja Kiafan gathered weight and impetus as it advanced westwards over plain and mountain pass towards the frontier of Egypt。 As he went； the vassal kings flocked to his standard； and by the time he stood on the heights of the Khatmia Pass his army had almost trebled in size。
Naja looked westwards； across the wide sand desert towards the city of Ismailiya at the head of the Great Bitter Lake； and to the borders of his homeland。 He had known all along that at this point on the march he would be hampered by the size of his host； embarrassed by multitudes。
Ahead of him lay a great expanse of desert； with neither a single spring nor an oasis to sustain his army until he reached Ismailiya。 Once again he was reduced to laying down water points along the route ahead。 When he strained his eyes against the glare he could make out the lines of water carts； loaded with clay pots； strung out along the rutted road below the escarpment； like dark worms wriggling through the dun and ochre landscape。 For months they had been at work building up water dumps in the desert； burying the filled pots in the sand； then leaving detachments of infantry to guard them while they returned for the next load。
It would take his army almost ten days and nights to make the crossing。 During that time they would be strictly rationed； allowed just enough water to sustain the long night marches； and to eke out the burning days when they lay up to rest； enduring the heat in any scrap of shade afforded by linen tents or shelters made from thorn branches and grass。
'I will ride with you in the vanguard。' Heseret spoke at his elbow； breaking into his train of thought。
He glanced at her。 'We have discussed this before。' He frowned。 After years of marriage her charms and beauty had begun to pall； overshadowed by her petulance； jealousy and demanding tempers。 These days； Naja spent more and more time among his concubines； enduring her jealous tirades when he returned to her bed。
'You will e up with the other women in the baggage train； under the wing of Prenn； the centurion of the rearguard。'
Heseret pouted。 Once； that had been appealing but now it was merely irritating。 'So that you can put Lassa with child； just as you have her sister；' she plained。 She was referring to the two princesses given to Naja as hostages by the satrap of Sumeria as evidence of his loyalty to the crown of Egypt。 The princesses were both young； slim and nubile； with large breasts。 They painted their nipples and； in the shameless Sumerian fashion； walked abroad with them naked and uncovered。
'You bee tiresome； wife。' Naja lifted his upper lip in a smile that was more a snarl。 'You know that it is political expediency。 I needed a son from at least one of the wenches to place upon the throne when the old man dies。'
'Swear on the breath and heart of Seueth that you are not taking Lassa with you in the vanguard；' Heseret insisted。
'I swear it readily。' Naja smiled that deadly smile again。 'I am taking Sinnal of Hurria。' She was another hostage； younger even than the Sumerians； barely fourteen years of age but with bright copper…coloured hair and green eyes。 Her buttocks were large and rounded。 Heseret knew from experience that Naja would enter through the back gate to the citadel； as readily as through the front。
'I need a son from her as well；' Naja explained； reasonably； 'to place on the throne of Assyria。' He laughed then； a soft； mocking snigger。 'The duties of royalty are onerous indeed。'
She gave him a furious glare； and called for her litter with its screens and cushions of silk to take her back down the column； to where Prenn was bringing up the rearguard。
* * *
On Taita's advice； Nefer had established a screen of scouts along the shores of the Red Sea to report any invasion by dhows； yet Taita was certain that Naja's main invasion force must e through the Great Sand Desert。 Naja and Trok had passed this way on their Mesopotamian adventure。 Naja knew the route well； and his army was too large to bring across the Red Sea in boats as Trok had done with his much smaller force。
Thanks to a marvellous innovation by the Magus； Nefer and his staff knew the exact numbers and position of Naja's muster。 One of the centurions； high in the chain of Naja's mand； who was an old associate of Taita and who owed him a debt of gratitude； had sent a message to Taita declaring his loyalty to the Pharaoh Nefer Seti and his intention of defecting and ing to join Nefer's army。 Through another of his minions； a trader in fine carpets； who was leading a caravan to Beersheba； Taita had sent the centurion a reply； instructing him to remain at the head of his division。 'You are more valuable to us as a source of intelligence than as a warrior；' he had told him； and through the carpet trader had sent him two unusual gifts： a basket of live pigeons and a papyrus scroll on which was set out a secret code。
When the pigeons were released by the centurion； they returned immediately to the coop in Avaris in which they had been hatched； and they carried with them； tied to one leg with a silken thread； a coded message written on a tiny roll of the finest and lightest papyrus sheet。 Through these messages； Nefer had in his possession the precise numbers and disposition of the troops Naja manded。 He knew the exact day on which Naja had marched from Babylon； and how many troops he had left there under Asmor。 Nefer was able to follow his advance westward； through Damascus and Beersheba and all the other towns and garrisons along his line of march。
Very soon it became apparent that Taita had assessed the situation correctly； and that Naja would not attempt a surprise crossing of the Red Sea。 He was indeed intent on a frontal assault through the Great Sand Desert。
Nefer pulled in his pickets from along the Red Sea coast； and immediately moved his headquarters and most of his army forward to the frontier garrison of Ismailiya on the edge of the desert。 Here there were bountiful sweet…water wells； and ample grazing for the horses。
While they waited in Ismailiya； reports continued to be carried in by the returning pigeons。 Not only did Nefer know Naja's strength； he knew also who manded each of his divisions。
Mintaka sat on his war council in the fort of Ismailiya。 Her contributions were invaluable： she was Hyksos bom； and she knew well those officers on Naja's staff who had once been on her own father's staff。 As a child she had listened to her father's assessment of each of them； and she had a formidable memory； trained and sharpened over the bao board。 She was able to advise Nefer on the strengths； weaknesses and personal peculiarities of each of these men。 She went over the lists they had received。
'Now this one； Centurion Prenn who mands Naja's rearguard； is related to me； for he was one of my father's cousins。 I know him well。 He taught me to ride。 I used to call him Uncle Tonka； which means 〃Bear〃 in my language。' She smiled at the memory。 'My father said of him that he was loyal as a hound；
