wilbursmith_warlock-第29部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　know。　However；　what　I　have　for　Apepi　is　of　such　moment　。。。'
　　
　　'You　underestimate　me；　Warlock。　I　have　the　plete　confidence　of　your　regent。'　Trok's　voice　was　rough　with　exasperation。　'I　know　full　well　that　you　have　e　to　offer　Apepi　a　truce；　and　to　negotiate　a　lasting　peace　with　him。'
　　
　　'I　can　tell　you　nothing　more；　my　lord。'　This　Trok　might　be　a　warrior；　but　he　is　no　conspirator；　Taita　thought；　but　his　voice　and　manner　did　not　change　as　he　said；　'I　can　give　my　message　only　to　the　Shepherd　Chieftain；　Apepi。'　This　was　how　the　Hyksosian　ruler　was　referred　to　in　Upper　Egypt。　'Can　you　take　me　to　him？'
　　
　　'As　you　wish；　Warlock。　Keep　your　mouth　shut；　if　you　will；　though　there　is　no　purpose　in　it。'　Trok　stood　up　angrily。　'King　Apepi　is　at　Bubasti。　We　will　go　there　immediately。'
　　
　　In　stilted　silence　they　returned　to　the　subterranean　temple；　where　Taita　called　Gil　and　the　sergeant　of　the　bodyguard　to　him。　'You　have　done　your　work　well；'　he　told　them；　'but　now　you　must　return　to　Thebes　as　secretly　as　you　have　e。'
　　
　　'You　will　return　with　us？'　Gil　asked　anxiously。　Clearly　he　felt　responsible　for　the　old　man。
　　
　　'No。'　Taita　shook　his　head。　'I　will　remain　here。　When　you　report　to　the　Regent　tell　him　that　I　am　on　my　way　to　meet　Apepi。'
　　
　　By　the　dim　light　of　the　oil　lamps　the　horses　were　harnessed　to　the　chariots；　and　within　a　short　time　they　were　ready　to　leave。　Gil　brought　Taita's　leather　saddlebag　from　the　chariot　and　handed　it　to　him。　Then　he　saluted　respectfully。　'It　has　been　a　great　honour　to　ride　with　you；　my　lord。　When　I　was　a　child　my　father　told　me　many　tales　of　your　adventures。　He　rode　with　your　regiment　at　Asyut。　He　was　captain　of　the　left　wing。'
　　
　　'What　was　his　name？'　Taita　asked。
　　
　　'Lasro；　my　lord。'
　　
　　'Yes。'　Taita　nodded。　'I　remember　him　well。　He　lost　his　left　eye　in　the　battle。'
　　
　　Gil　gazed　at　him　with　awe　and　wonder。　'That　was　forty　years　ago；　and　still　you　remember。'
　　
　　'Thirty…seven；'　Taita　corrected　him。　'Go　well；　young　Gil。　I　cast　your　horoscope　last　night。　You　will　have　a　long　life；　and　attain　much　distinction。'
　　
　　The　lance…bearer　took　up　the　reins　and　rode　out　into　the　night；　speechless　with　pride　and　gratification。
　　
　　By　this　time　Lord　Trok's　troop　was　also　mounted　and　ready　to　leave。　They　had　given　Taita　the　horse　on　which　Gil　had　returned　to　the　temple。　Taita　threw　the　saddlebags　over　its　withers　then　swung　up　behind　them。　The　Hyksos　did　not　have　the　same　scruples　about　riding　astride　as　the　Egyptians；　and　they　clattered　out　of　the　cave　entrance　and　turned　west；　in　the　opposite　direction　to　that　taken　by　the　column　of　chariots。
　　
　　Taita　rode　in　the　centre　of　the　party　of　heavily　armed　Hyksos。　Trok　led　them　and　he　did　not　invite　Taita　to　ride　alongside　him。　He　had　been　distant　and　aloof　since　Taita　had　refused　to　give　Naja's　message　to　him　directly。　Taita　was　content　to　be　ignored；　for　he　had　much　to　think　about。　In　particular　the　revelation　of　Naja's　confused　blood…lines　opened　a　host　of　fascinating　possibilities。
　　
　　They　rode　on　through　the　night；　heading　west　towards　the　river　and　the　main　enemy　base　at　Bubasti。　Even　though　it　was　still　night…time；　they　encountered　more　and　more　traffic　on　the　road。　There　were　long　lines　of　wagons　and　carts；　all　heavily　laden　with　military　supplies；　moving　in　the　same　direction　as　they　were。　Returning　towards　Avaris　and　Memphis　were　equal　numbers　of　empty　vehicles　that　had　discharged　their　cargo。
　　
　　As　they　came　closer　to　the　river；　Taita　saw　the　fires　of　the　Hyksosian　troops　encamped　around　Bubasti。　It　was　a　field　of　flickering　light　that　stretched　many　miles　in　both　directions　along　the　riverbank；　a　huge　agglomeration　of　men　and　animals　unseen　in　the　darkness。
　　
　　There　was　nothing　on　earth　like　the　smell　of　an　army　encamped。　It　grew　stronger　as　they　approached　until　it　was　almost　overpowering。　It　was　a　mixture　of　many　odours；　the　smell　of　the　cavalry　lines；　manure　and　the　smoke　of　dung　fires；　of　leather　and　mouldy　grain。　On　top　of　this　was　the　smell　of　unwashed　men　and　their　festering　wounds；　cooking　food　and　fermenting　beer；　unburied　rubbish；　and　filth；　the　ammoniacal　reek　of　the　latrine　pits　and　the　dung　heaps；　and　the　even　more　biting　stench　of　unburied　corpses。
　　
　　Underlying　this　stifling　blend　of　odours　Taita　picked　out　another　sickly　taint。　He　thought　he　recognized　it；　but　it　was　only　when　one　of　the　sufferers　staggered　drunkenly　in　front　of　his　horse；　forcing　him　to　rein　in　sharply；　that　he　saw　the　rose…coloured　blotches　on　the　pale　face　and　he　was　certain。　He　knew　now　why　Apepi　had　failed　so　far　to　follow　up　his　victory　at　Abnub；　why　he　had　not　yet　sent　his　chariots　tearing　southwards　towards　Thebes　where　the　Egyptian　army　was　in　disarray；　and　at　his　mercy。　Taita　pushed　his　horse　up　alongside　Trok's　mount；　and　asked　him　quietly；　'My　lord；　when　did　the　plague　first　strike　your　troops？'
　　
　　Trok　reined　in　so　roughly　that　his　mount　danced　and　circled　under　him；　'Who　told　you　that；　Warlock？'　he　demanded。　'Is　this　cursed　disease　one　of　your　spells？　Is　it　you　who　have　laid　this　pestilence　upon　us？'　He　spurred　away　angrily　without　waiting　for　a　denial。　Taita　followed　at　a　discreet　distance；　but　his　eyes　were　busy　taking　in　every　detail　of　what　was　happening　around　him。
　　
　　By　this　time　the　light　was　strengthening；　and　a　weak；　hazy　sun　barely　showed　through　the　heavy　bank　of　mist　and　woodsmoke　that　blanketed　the　land　and　blotted　out　the　dawn　sky。　It　gave　the　scene　a　weird；　unearthly　aspect；　like　a　vision　of　the　underworld。　Men　and　animals　were　transformed　by　it　into　dark　and　demoniacal　figures；　and　under　the　hoofs　of　their　horses　the　mud　of　the　recent　inundation　was　black　and　glutinous。
　　
　　They　passed　the　first　of　the　burial　carts；　and　the　men　around　Taita　used　their　cloaks　to　cover　their　mouths　and　noses　against　the　stink　and　the　evil　humours　that　hung　over　the　heap　of　naked；　bloated　corpses　piled　high　in　the　back　of　the　cart。　Trok　spurred　his　horse　to　overtake　it　quickly；　but　ahead　there　were　many　more　similarly　laden　vehicles　almost　blocking　the　roadway。
　　
　　Further　on　they　passed　one　of　the　cremation　fields；　on　which　more　carts　were　unloading　their　grisly　burden。　Firewood　was　a　scarce　modity　in　this　land；　and　the　flames　were　not　fierce　enough　to　consume　the　heaps　of　corpses。　They　spluttered　and　flickered　as　the　fats　oozed　out　of　the　decaying　flesh；　and　sent　up　clouds　of　oily　black　smoke　that　coated　the　mouths　and　throats　of　the　living　men　who　breathed　it。
　　
　　How　many　of　the　dead　are　victims　of　the　plague？　Taita　wondered。　And　how　many　from　the　fighting　with　our　army？
　　
　　The　plague　was　like　some　grim　spectre　that　marched　in　step　with　any　army。　Apepi　had　been　here　at　Bubasti　for　many　years　in　camps　that　swarmed　with　rats；　vultures　and　the　carrion…eating　marabou　storks。　His　men　were　crowded　together　in　their　own　filth；　their　bodies　crawling　with　fleas　and　lice；　eating　rotten　food　and　drinking　the　water　from　the　irrigation　canals　into　which　the　effluent　from　the　graves　and　dung　heaps　drained。　These　were　the　conditions　in　which　the　plague　flourished。
　　
　　Closer　to　Bubasti　the　encampments　became　more　numerous；　tents；　huts　and　hovels　crowded　right　up　to　the　walls　and　ditches　that　surrounded　the　garrison　town。　The　more　fortunate　among　the　plague　victims　lay　under　tattered　roofs　of　palm　fronds；　scant　protection　from　the　hot　morning　sunlight。　Others　lay　out　in　the　trampled　mud　of　the　fields；　abandoned　to　thirst　and　the　elements。　The　dead　were　mixed　with　the　dying；　those　wounded　in　the　fighting　lying　side　by　side　with　those　ravaged　by　streaming　dysentery。
　　
　　Although　his　instincts　were　those　of　a　healer；　Taita　would　do　nothing　to　succour　them。　They　were　condemned　by　their　own　multitudes；　for　what　could　one　man　do　to　help　so　many？　What　was　more；　they　were　the　enemies　of　this　very　Egypt；　and　it　was　clear　to　him　that　the　pestilence　was　a　visitation　from　the　gods。　Should　he　heal　a　single　Hyksos；　it　would　mean　that　there　was　one　more　to　march　on　Thebes　and　put　his　beloved　city　to　flame　and　rapine。
　　
　　They　entered　the　fortress　and　found　that　conditions　were　not　much　better　within　its　walls。　Plague　victims　lay　where　they　had　been　struck　down　by　the　disease；　and　the　rats　and　pariah　dogs　gnawed　at　their　corpses；　and　even　at　those　still　alive　but　too　far　gone　to　defend　themselves。
　　
　　Apepi's　headquarters　was　the　principal　building　in　Bubasti；　a。　massive　sprawling　mud…brick　and　thatch　palace　in　the　centre　of　the　town。　Grooms　took　their　horses　at　the　gates；　but　one　carried　Taita's　saddlebags。　Lord　Trok　led　Taita　through　courtyards　and　the　dark　shuttered　halls　where　incense　and　sandalwood　burned　in　bronze　braziers　to　cloak　the　plague　stench　that　wafted　up　from　the　town　and　the　surrounding　encampments；　but　whose　guttering　flames　made　the　heated　air　scarcely　bearable。　Even　here　in　the　main　headquarters　the　groans　of　plague　victims　rang　eerily　through　the　rooms；　and　huddled　figures　lay　in　dark　corners。
　　
　　Sentries　stopped　them　outside　a　barred　bronze　door　in　the　deepest　recesses　of　the　building；　but　as　soon　as　they　recognized　Trok's　hulking　figure　they　stood　aside　and　allowed