wilbursmith_warlock-第20部分
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ontrast to the snowy hides of their bullocks。 They goaded the team forward； and the bullocks plodded through the dust。 A thousand warriors of the Phat Guards fell in behind them and burst with one voice into the anthem of praise。 The populace of Thebes had opened the main gates of the city in wele and were lining the tops of the walls。 From a mile outside it they had covered the dusty surface of the road with palm fronds； straw and flowers。
The walls； towers and buildings of Thebes were all built of sun…baked mud bricks…stone blocks were reserved for the construction of tombs and temples。 It hardly rained in the Nile valley so these constructions never deteriorated； they had all been freshly whitewashed and hung with banners in the sky blue of the House of Tamose。 The procession passed through the gates； with the crowds dancing； singing and weeping with joy； filling the narrow streets so that the pace of the royal carriage was that of a giant tortoise。 At every temple along the way the royal carriage came to a ponderous halt； and Pharaoh dismounted in solemn dignity to sacrifice to the god who dwelt within。
It was late afternoon before they reached the docks at the riverside where the royal barge waited to ferry Pharaoh's party across to the palace of Memnon on the west bank。 Once they had gone on board； two hundred rowers in massed banks plied their paddles。 To the beat of the drum they rose and fell in unison； wet and shining like the wings of a gigantic egret。
Surrounded by a fleet of galleys； feluccas and other small craft they made the crossing in the late sunlight。 Even when they reached the west bank the King's duties for his first day were not pleted。 Another royal carriage bore him through the crowds to the funerary temple of his father； Pharaoh Tamose。
It was dark before they rode up the causeway； lit on both sides by bonfires； and the populace had indulged themselves all that day on beer and wine provided by the royal treasury。 The uproar was deafening as Pharaoh dismounted at Tamose's temple； and climbed the stairway between ranks of granite statues of his father and of his patron god Horus in all his hundred divine guises…Horus as the child Harpocrates； with side…lock and a finger in his mouth； suckling at the breast of Isis； or squatting on a lotus blossom； or falcon…headed； or as the winged sun disc。 It seemed that king and god had bee one。
Lord Naja and the priests led the boy Pharaoh through the tall wooden gates into the Hall of Sorrow； that holy place where Tamose's mummy lay on its embalming slab of black diorite。 In a separate shrine in the side wall； guarded by a black statue of Anubis； the god of cemeteries； stood the pearly alabaster canopic jars that held the king's heart； lungs and viscera。
In a second shrine against the opposite wall the gold…covered sarcophagus stood ready to receive the royal corpse。 The lid of the coffin bore a portrait of Pharaoh in gold so lifelike that Nefer's heart twisted； impaled with grief； and tears started in his eyes。 He blinked them away； and followed the priests to where his father's body lay in the centre of the hall。
Lord Naja took up his position opposite him on the far side of the diorite slab； facing Nefer； and the high priest stood at the head of the dead king。 When all was in readiness for the ceremony of Opening the Mouth of the dead king； two priests drew aside the linen sheet that covered the corpse； and Nefer recoiled involuntarily as he looked down on his father。
For all the weeks after his death； while Nefer and Taita had been in the desert； the embalmers had been at work on the King's body。 First they had probed a long…handled silver spoon up his nostril and； without marking his head； scooped out the soft custard of the brains。 They removed the eyeballs； which would putrefy swiftly； and filled the eye sockets and the cavity of the skull with natron salts and aromatic herbs。 Then they had lowered the corpse into a bath of highly concentrated salts； with the head exposed； and let it soak for thirty days； daily changing the harsh alkali fluids。 The fats were leached out of the corpse and the skin peeled away。 Only the hair and skin of the head were unaffected。
When at last the corpse was removed from the natron bath it was laid on the diorite slab and wiped down with oils and herbal tinctures。 The empty stomach cavity was stuffed with linen pads soaked in resins and waxes。 The arrow wound in the chest was sewn closed； and amulets of gold and precious stones placed over it。 The barbed and broken shaft that had killed the king had been removed from Pharaoh's body by the embalmers。 After it had been examined by the council of state； the missile had been sealed in a golden casket and would go into his tomb with him； a powerful charm against any further evil that might befall him on his journey through the netherworld。
Then； during the remaining forty days of the embalming； the corpse was allowed to dry thoroughly with the hot desert wind through the open doorways streaming over it。
Once it was as desiccated as firewood； it could be bound up。 The linen bandages were laid on it in an intricate design； as incantations to the gods were chanted by choirs of priests。 Under them were placed more precious talismans and amulets； and each layer was painted with resins that dried to a metallic hardness and sheen。 Only the head was left uncovered； and then for the week before Opening the Mouth； four of the most skilful makeup artists of the guild of embalmers； using wax and cosmetics； had restored the King's features to lifelike beauty。
They replaced the missing eyes with perfect replicas of rock…crystal and obsidian。 The whites were translucent； the iris and pupils an exact match of the king's natural colour。 The glass orbs seemed endowed with life and intelligence； so that now Nefer gazed into them with awe； expecting to see the lids blink and his father's pupils widen in recognition。 The lips were shaped and rouged so that at any moment they might smile； and his painted skin looked silken and warm； as though bright blood still ran beneath it。 His hair had been washed and set in the familiar dark ringlets that Nefer remembered so well。
Lord Naja； the high priest and the choir began to chant the incantation against dying for the second time； but Nefer could not tear his gaze away from his father's face。
'He is the reflection and not the mirror；
He is the music and not the lyre；
He is the stone and not the chisel；
He will live for ever。'
The high priest came to Nefer's side and placed the golden spoon in his hand。 Nefer had been coached in the ritual； but his hand trembled as he placed the spoon on his father's lips and recited； 'I open thy lips that thou might have the power of speech once more。' He touched his father's nose with the spoon。 'I open thy nostrils that thou might breathe once more。' He touched each of the magnificent eyes。 'I open thine eyes that thou might behold the glory of this world once more； and the glory of the world to e。'
When at last it was done； the royal party waited as the embalmers wrapped the head and painted it with aromatic resins。 Then they laid the golden mask over the blind face； and once more it glowed with splendid life。 Contrary to custom and usage； there was only one death mask and one golden sarcophagus for Pharaoh Tamose。 His father had gone before him to his tomb covered by seven masks and seven sarcophagi； one within the other； each larger and more ornate than the next。
For the rest of that night Nefer stayed beside the golden sarcophagus； praying and burning incense； entreating the gods to take his father among them and seat him in the midst of the pantheon。 In the dawn he went out with the priests on to the terrace of the temple where his father's head falconer waited。 He carried a royal falcon on his gloved fist。
'Nefertem！' Nefer whispered the bird's name。 'Lotus Flower。' He took the magnificent bird from the falconer and held it high upon his own fist； so that the populace gathered below the terrace might see it clearly。 Around its right leg the falcon wore a tiny goldtag on a golden chain。 On it was engraved his father's royal cartouche。 'This is the godbird of Pharaoh Tamose Mamose。 It is the spirit of my father。' He paused to regain his posure； for he was near to tears。 Then he went on； 'I set my father's godbird free。' He slipped the leather rufterhood from the falcon's head。 Fierce eyes blinked at the light of the dawn and the bird ruffled its feathers。 Nefer unknotted the jesses from its leg； and the bird spread its wings。 'Fly； divine spirit！' Nefer cried。 'Fly high for me and my father！'
He threw the bird up； it caught the dawn wind and soared on high。 Twice it circled overhead； and then； with a wild and haunting cry； it sped away across the Nile。
'The godbird flies to the west！' the high priest called out。 Every member of the congregation upon the steps of the temple knew that that was a most unpropitious omen。
Nefer was so physically and emotionally exhausted that as he watched the bird
