wilbursmith_warlock-第36部分

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　　The　dawn　sky　was　the　glowing　shade　of　a　sword…blade　fresh　from　the　coals　of　the　forge。　The　top　of　the　papyrus　formed　a　stark　black　frieze　below　it。　In　this　time　before　the　sunrise　there　was　no　breath　of　air　to　set　them　nodding；　or　any　sound　to　break　the　stillness。
　　
　　The　two　hunting　skiffs　were　moored　at　opposite　ends　of　a　small　lagoon；　hard　against　the　wall　of　reeds　that　surrounded　the　open　water。　Less　than　fifty　cubits　separated　them。　The　royal　huntsmen　had　bent　the　tall　papyrus　stems　over　to　form　a　screening　roof　over　the　hunters。
　　
　　The　surface　of　the　lagoon　was　still　and　unruffled；　reflecting　the　sky　like　a　polished　bronze　mirror。　It　was　just　light　enough　for　Nefer　to　make　out　the　graceful　form　of　Mintaka　in　the　other　boat。　She　had　her　bow　across　her　lap；　and　she　sat　as　motionless　as　a　statuette　of　the　goddess　Hathor。　Any　other　girl　he　could　think　of；　particularly　his　own　sisters　Heseret　and　Merykara；　would　have　been　hopping　around　like　a　canary　on　a　perch　and　twittering　twice　as　loudly。
　　
　　In　his　mind　he　ran　lingeringly　over　their　brief　meeting　this　morning。　It　had　been　dark；　not　the　faintest　glow　of　dawn　to　dim　the　glory　of　the　star　panoply　that　hung　over　the　world；　each　star　so　plump　and　bright　that　it　seemed　he　could　reach　up　and　pluck　them　like　ripe　figs　from　the　tree。　Mintaka　had　e　down　the　pathway　from　the　temple；　her　way　lit　for　her　by　torch…bearers；　and　her　maids　following　close　behind　her。　She　wore　a　woollen　hood　over　her　head　to　ward　off　the　river　chill；　and　no　matter　how　hard　he　stared　her　face　remained　in　darkness。
　　
　　'May　Pharaoh　live　a　thousand　years。'
　　
　　These　were　the　first　words　he　had　ever　heard　her　speak。　Her　voice　was　sweeter　than　the　music　of　any　lute。　It　was　as　though　ghostly　fingers　were　stroking　the　back　of　his　neck。　It　took　him　some　moments　to　find　his　own　voice。　'May　Hathor　love　you　through　all　eternity。'　He　had　consulted　Taita　on　the　form　of　greeting　he　should　employ；　and　he　had　rehearsed　it　until　he　had　it　off　pat。　He　thought　he　saw　the　flash　of　her　teeth　as　she　smiled　under　the　hood；　and　he　was　encouraged　to　add　something　else　that　Taita　had　not　suggested。　It　came　to　him　in　a　flash　of　inspiration。　He　pointed　up　at　the　star…bright　sky。　'Look！　There　is　your　own　star。'　She　raised　her　head　to　look　up　at　the　constellation　of　the　Hunter。　The　starlight　fell　on　her　face；　so　that　he　saw　it　for　the　first　time　since　she　had　e　down　the　pathway。　He　caught　his　breath　sharply。　Her　expression　was　solemn；　but　he　thought　that　he　had　never　seen　anything　more　enchanting。　'The　gods　placed　it　there　especially　for　you。'　The　pliment　tripped　off　his　tongue。
　　
　　Immediately　her　face　lit　up；　and　she　was　even　more　beautiful。　'Pharaoh　is　as　gallant　as　he　is　gracious。'　She　made　a　small；　slightly　mocking　obeisance。　Then　she　stepped　into　the　waiting　skiff。　She　did　not　look　back　as　the　royal　huntsmen　rowed　her　out　into　the　swamp。
　　
　　Now　he　repeated　her　words　to　himself　as　though　they　were　a　prayer：　'Pharaoh　is　as　gallant　as　he　is　gracious。'
　　
　　Out　in　the　swamp　a　heron　boomed。　As　though　this　was　a　signal；　the　air　was　filled　suddenly　with　the　sound　of　wings。　Nefer　had　almost　forgotten　the　reason　they　were　out　on　the　water；　which　was　a　measure　of　his　distraction　for　he　loved　the　hunt　with　a　singular　passion。　He　tore　his　eyes　off　the　dainty　figure　in　the　boat　across　the　water；　and　reached　for　his　throwing　sticks。
　　
　　He　had　decided　to　use　the　sticks　rather　than　the　bow；　because　he　was　certain　that　she　did　not　have　the　brawn　or　skill　to　handle　the　heavier　weapons。　This　would　give　him　a　distinct　advantage。　When　skilfully　thrown　the　spinning　stick　cut　a　wider　swathe　than　the　arrow。　Its　bludgeoning　weight　was　more　likely　to　knock　down　a　bird　than　the　blunt…tipped　arrow；　which　might　be　deflected　by　the　dense　plumage　of　the　waterfowl。　Nefer　was　determined　to　impress　Mintaka　with　his　hunting　skills。
　　
　　The　first　flight　of　ducks　came　sweeping　in　low　out　of　the　dawn。　They　were　glossy　black　and　white；　and　each　had　a　distinctive　knob　on　top　of　its　beak。　The　lead　bird　shied　away；　leading　the　others　out　of　range。　At　that　moment　the　traitor　ducks　began　to　call　seductively。　They　were　captured　and　tamed　birds　that　the　huntsmen　had　placed　out　on　the　open　waters　of　the　lagoon；　held　there　by　a　line　around　the　leg　that　was　anchored　to　a　stone　on　the　muddy　bottom。
　　
　　The　wild　ducks　turned　back　in　a　wide　circle　then　started　to　drop　and　line　up　to　settle　on　the　open　water　alongside　the　traitors。　They　set　their　wings　and　streamed　in；　losing　height　swiftly；　passing　directly　over　Nefer's　skiff。　Pharaoh　judged　his　moment　neatly；　and　rose　to　his　feet　with　the　stick　cocked　and　ready　to　throw。　He　waited　for　the　lead　bird　to　flare　out　and　then　let　fly；　sending　the　stick　cartwheeling　up。　The　duck　saw　the　missile　ing　and　dropped　a　wing　to　avoid　it。　For　an　instant　it　seemed　it　might　have　succeeded；　but　then　there　was　a　thud；　a　burst　of　feathers　and　the　duck　dropped　into　an　uncontrolled　dive；　trailing　a　broken　wing。　It　hit　the　water　with　a　heavy　splash　but　almost　instantly　recovered　and　dived　under　the　surface。
　　
　　'Quickly！　Go　after　him！'　Nefer　shouted。　Four　naked　slave　boys　were　hanging　in　the　water　alongside；　only　their　heads　showing。　They　clutched　at　the　side　of　the　skiff　with　numb　fingers。　Already　their　teeth　were　chattering　with　cold。
　　
　　Two　swam　to　retrieve　the　fallen　bird；　but　Nefer　knew　that　it　would　be　in　vain。　With　no　injury　other　than　a　broken　wing　the　duck　could　outdive　and　outswim　the　retrievers　indefinitely。
　　
　　Lost　bird；　he　thought　bitterly；　and　before　he　could　throw　the　second　stick　the　flight　of　duck　had　angled　across　the　lagoon；　directly　towards　Mintaka's　boat。　They　were　still　keeping　low；　unlike　teal　who　would　have　rocketed　almost　straight　up。　However；　they　were　going　very　fast；　their　blade…shaped　wings　whistling　through　the　air。
　　
　　Nefer　had　almost　discounted　the　hunter　in　the　other　boat。　At　that　height　and　speed　the　targets　were　too　difficult　for　all　but　the　most　expert　archer。　In　quick　succession　two　arrows　rose　to　meet　the　straggle　of　ducks。　The　sound　of　the　double　impact　carried　clearly　across　the　lagoon。　Then　two　birds　were　falling　with　that　peculiar　inert　look；　wings　loose　and　head　flopping；　killed　cleanly；　stone　dead　in　the　air　at　the　same　time。　They　plopped　on　to　the　water　and　floated　there；　motionless。　The　swimmers　picked　them　up　easily　and　swam　back　to　Mintaka's　skiff；　carrying　the　carcasses　gripped　in　their　teeth。
　　
　　Two　lucky　arrows；'　Nefer　voiced　his　opinion。
　　
　　In　the　bows　of　the　skiff；　Taita　added；　without　a　smile；　'Two　unlucky　ducks。'
　　
　　Now　the　sky　was　filled　with　birds；　which　rose　in　dark　clouds　as　the　first　rays　of　the　sun　struck　the　waters。　So　dense　were　the　flocks　that　from　a　distance　it　looked　as　though　the　reed　beds　were　smouldering　and　spewing　up　clouds　of　dark　smoke。
　　
　　Nefer　had　ordered　twenty　light　galleys　and　as　many　smaller　boats　to　patrol　all　the　open　waters　within　three　miles　of　the　temple　of　Hathor；　and　to　chase　up　any　waterbirds　that　settled。　The　winged　multitudes　never　thinned。　Not　only　a　dozen　varieties　of　duck　and　geese；　but　ibis　and　herons；　egrets；　spoonbills　and　openbills　were　in　flight。　At　every　level；　from　high　overhead　to　low　down　over　the　waving　tops　of　the　papyrus；　they　wheeled　in　dark　cohorts　or　raced　low　in　V…formations　with　rapid　wingbeats。　They　squawked　and　honked　and　quacked　and　bleated　and　wailed。
　　
　　At　intervals　through　the　avian　cacophony　sounded　a　peal　of　sweet　laughter　and　squeals　of　girlish　glee　as　Mintaka's　slave　girls　urged　her　to　greater　efforts。
　　
　　Her　light　bow　was　well　suited　to　the　task。　It　was　quick　to　align　and　draw　without　taxing　her　strength　unduly。　She　was　not　firing　the　traditional　blunt…tipped　arrows　but　using　instead　sharp　metal　heads　that　had　been　especially　forged　for　her　by　Grippa；　the　famous　armourer。　The　needle…points　drove　through　the　dense　layer　of　plumage　and　went　straight　to　the　bone。　She　had　realized；　without　a　word　being　exchanged；　that　Nefer　intended　to　make　a　contest　of　the　hunt；　and　she　was　proving　that　her　petitive　instincts　were　every　bit　as　fierce　as　his。
　　
　　Nefer　had　been　badly　rattled　both　by　his　first　failure　and　by　Mintaka's　unexpected　skill　with　the　bow。　Instead　of　concentrating　on　his　own　task；　he　was　distracted　by　what　was　happening　in　the　other　skiff。　Every　time　he　glanced　in　that　direction　it　seemed　to　him　that　dead　birds　were　falling　from　the　sky。　This　flustered　him　further。　His　sense　of　judgement　deserted　him；　and　he　began　to　hurl　the　sticks　too　soon　or　too　late。　To　try　to　pensate　he　strained　and　started　to　jerk　his　arm　into　the　stroke　〃　instead　of　using　his　whole　body　to　launch　the　club。　His　right　arm　tired　quickly；　so　instinctively　he　shortened　the　arc　of　his　throwing　arm　and　bent　his　elbow；　almost　spraining　his　wrist　as　a　result。
　　
　　Usually　he　could　count　on　hitting　with　six　out　of　ten　throws；　now　he　was　missing　more　than　half。　His　frustration　increased。　Many　of　these　birds　he　brought　down　were　only　stunned　or　crippled；　and　eluded　his　slave　boys　by　diving　under　the　surface　and　swimming　into　the　thick　papyrus　beds；　staying　submerged　beneath　the　mat　of