wilbursmith_warlock-第86部分

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　then　restrung　his　bow　and　checked　the　arrows　in　his　quiver；　before　creeping　along　the　crest　of　the　hills；　keeping　off　the　skyline　and　out　of　sight　until　he　reached　a　point　from　where　he　could　look　down　on　the　slow…moving　caravan。
　　
　　It　was　a　sorry　spectacle。　As　it　came　closer；　Nefer　saw　that　the　first　two　vehicle　were　knocked…about　fighting　chariots　drawn　by　thin；　overworked　horses。　They　were　designed　to　carry　two　men；　but　each　contained　four　or　five。　Behind　them　came　an　assortment　of　wagons　and　carts　in　no　better　case　than　the　leading　chariots。　Nefer　saw　that　they　were　laden　with　sick　or　wounded　men；　huddled　miserably　together　or　lying　on　makeshift　litters。　Behind　the　wagons　straggled　a　long　file　of　walking　men；　some　hobbling　along　on　crutches　or　leaning　on　staffs。　Others　carried　litters　on　which　lay　other　sick　or　wounded　figures。
　　
　　'In　the　name　of　Horus；　they　look　like　fugitives　from　a　battlefield；'　Nefer　muttered；　as　he　strained　his　eyes　to　make　out　the　features　of　the　men　in　the　leading　chariot。
　　
　　Suddenly　he　stood　up　from　behind　the　rock　that　had　hidden　him；　and　shouted　with　excitement。　'Meren！'　He　had　at　last　recognized　the　tall　figure　who　held　the　reins　of　the　first　chariot。　Meren　pulled　up　the　horses　and　shaded　his　eyes　to　stare　into　the　eye　of　the　rising　sun。　Then　he；　too；　shouted　and　waved　as　he　saw　Nefer　on　the　skyline。　Nefer　ran　down　the　slope；　slipping　and　sliding　in　the　loose　scree；　and　he　and　Meren　embraced；　laughing　and　both　speaking　at　once。　
　　
　　'Where　have　you　been？'
　　
　　'Where　are　Mintaka　and　Taita？'
　　
　　Then　Hilto　was　hurrying　to　Nefer；　and　making　loyal　salutations。　Behind　him　crowded　the　host　of　exhausted　and　wounded　men。　Their　faces　were　drawn　and　gaunt；　and　blood　and　pus　had　soaked　through　their　dirty　bandages　and　dried　to　a　crust。　Even　the　men　in　the　wagons　and　on　the　litters；　who　were　too　far　gone　to　stand；　lifted　themselves　to　stare　in　awe　at　Nefer。
　　
　　With　a　quick　appraisal　Nefer　could　see　that　these　were　warriors；　but　warriors　beaten　in　battle；　their　bodies　and　spirits　broken。
　　
　　After　Hilto　had　greeted　Nefer　he　turned　back　to　them；　and　shouted；　'It　is　even　as　I　promised　you！　Here　before　you　stands　your　true　Pharaoh；　Nefer　Seti。　Pharaoh　is　not　dead！　Pharaoh　lives！'
　　
　　They　were　silent　and　apathetic；　sick　and　demoralized。　They　stared　at　Nefer　uncertainly。
　　
　　'Your　Majesty；'　Hilto　whispered　to　him；　'please　stand　on　this　rock　so　that　they　may　have　a　clear　view　of　you。'
　　
　　Nefer　sprang　up　on　to　it　and　surveyed　them　with　interest。　They　stared　back　at　him　in　silence。　Most　had　never　laid　eyes　on　their　king　before。　Even　the　few　who　had　seen　him　in　formal　palace　processions　had　done　so　from　a　distance。　Then　he　had　been　a　doll…like　figure；　covered　from　throat　to　foot　in　splendid　robes　and　jewels；　his　face　a　white　mask　of　makeup；　sitting　stiffly　on　the　royal　carriage　drawn　by　the　white　bullocks。　They　could　not　reconcile　that　remote；　unnatural　figure　with　this　strapping　young　man；　virile　and　hard…looking；　his　face　tanned　by　the　sun　and　his　expression　alive　and　alert。　He　was　not　the　child…pharaoh　they　had　known　by　reputation　alone。
　　
　　While　they　still　stared　without　prehension；　or　exchanged　dubious　glances；　another　figure　seemed　to　materialize　out　of　the　air。　Like　a　djinn　he　appeared　beside　Nefer　on　the　rock。　This　one　they　knew　well；　both　by　repute　and　by　sight。
　　
　　''Tis　Taita　the　Warlock；'　they　breathed　with　awe。
　　
　　'I　know　what　you　have　suffered；'　Taita　told　them；　in　a　voice　that　carried　clearly　to　every　ear；　even　to　the　sick　and　wounded　on　the　wagons。　'I　know　what　price　you　have　paid　to　resist　the　tyranny　of　the　assassins　and　usurpers。　I　know　that　you　have　e　here　to　find　if　your　true　king　still　lives。'
　　
　　They　murmured　in　agreement；　and　suddenly　Nefer　knew　now　who　they　were。　These　were　some　of　the　survivors　from　the　rebellion　against　Naja　and　Trok。　Where　Hilto　had　found　them　was　a　mystery；　but　these　shattered　remnants　had　once　been　fighting　troopers；　elite　charioteers　and　warriors。
　　
　　'This　is　where　it　begins；'　Taita　said　softly　at　his　side。　'Hilto　has　brought　you　the　seeds　of　your　future　legions。　Speak　to　them。'
　　
　　Nefer　surveyed　them　for　a　moment　longer；　standing　proud　and　tall　before　them。　He　picked　out　a　man　in　the　ranks；　who　was　older　than　the　others；　with　the　first　snows　in　his　hair。　His　eyes　were　sharp　and　his　expression　intelligent。　Despite　his　rags　and　half…starved　body　he　had　the　air　of　authority　and　mand。　'Who　are　you；　soldier？　What　is　your　rank　and　your　regiment？'
　　
　　The　man　lifted　his　head　and　squared　his　gaunt　shoulders；　'I　am　Shabako。　Best　of　Ten　Thousand。　Adept　of　the　Red　Road。　mander　of　the　centre　of　the　Mut　regiment。'
　　
　　A　lion　of　a　man！　Nefer　thought；　but　said　only；　'I　greet　you；　Shabako。'　He　lifted　the　skirt　of　his　chiton　and　exposed　the　tattooed　cartouche　upon　his　thigh；　'I　am　Nefer　Seti；　the　true　Pharaoh　of　Upper　and　Lower　Egypt。'
　　
　　A　sigh　and　a　hum　went　through　the　scarecrow　ranks　when　they　recognized　the　royal　cartouche。　As　one　man　they　threw　themselves　to　earth　in　obeisance。
　　
　　'Bak…her；　Divine　One；　beloved　of　the　gods！'
　　
　　'We　are　your　loyal　subjects；　Pharaoh。　Intercede　for　us　with　the　gods。'
　　
　　Mintaka　had　e　with　Taita　and　now　stood　below　him。　Nefer　reached　down　and　took　her　hand。　He　lifted　her　on　to　the　rock　beside　him。　'I　give　you　the　Princess　Royal；　Mintaka　of　the　House　of　Apepi。　Mintaka；　who　will　be　my　queen　and　your　sovereign　lady。'
　　
　　They　greeted　her　with　another　shout　of　acclamation。
　　
　　'Hilto　and　Shabako　will　mand　you；'　Nefer　decreed；　'For　the　time　being　Gallala　will　be　our　base；　until　we　return　victoriously　to　Thebes　and　Avaris。'
　　
　　They　rose　to　their　feet；　even　the　gravely　wounded　attempting　to　climb　from　their　litters；　and　they　cheered　him。　Their　voices　were　thin　and　almost　lost　in　the　great　silences　of　the　desert；　but　the　sound　filled　Nefer　with　pride　and　renewed　his　determination　and　resolve。　He　climbed　up　into　the　leading　chariot；　took　the　reins　from　Meren　and　led　his　little　raggle…taggle　army　down　into　his　ruined　capital　city。
　　
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　　When　they　had　set　up　their　barracks　among　the　ruins；　Nefer　sent　for　Shabako　and　Hilto　and　the　other　officers　among　them。　Late　into　that　first　night；　and　for　many　nights　that　followed；　he　sat　with　them　and　listened　to　their　accounts　of　the　rebel…lion；　the　fighting；　and　their　ultimate　defeat　by　the　bined　forces　of　the　two　pharaohs。　They　told　him　of　the　terrible　retribution　that　Trok　and　Naja　had　visited　on　those　rebels　who　had　fallen　into　their　clutches。
　　
　　At　Nefer's　orders　they　detailed　the　order　of　battle　of　the　new　Egyptian　army；　the　names　of　the　manders；　the　numbers　and　names　of　their　regiments　and　the　total　of　men；　chariots　and　horses　that　Naja　and　Trok　had　at　their　disposal。　There　were　three　army　scribes　among　the　fugitives　and　Nefer　set　them　to　work；　writing　down　all　these　details　and　the　lists　of　the　enemy　garrisons　and　fortifications　on　clay　tablets。
　　
　　In　the　meantime　Taita；　with　Mintaka　assisting　him；　set　up　an　infirmary　where　all　the　wounded　and　the　sick　were　housed。　Hilto　had　brought　a　dozen　or　so　women　with　him；　wives　of　some　of　the　fugitives；　or　merely　camp…followers。　Taita　brought　them　in　to　act　as　nurses　and　cooks。　Taita　worked　during　all　the　daylight　hours；　setting　broken　bones；　drawing　barbed　arrowheads　from　the　flesh　with　his　golden　spoons；　stitching　sword…cuts　and　in　one　case　even　trepanning　a　cracked；　depressed　skull　that　had　received　a　blow　from　a　hardwood　war　club。
　　
　　When　the　light　faded　and　he　could　no　longer　work　with　the　sick；　he　joined　Nefer　and　his　manders　as　they　pored　over　the　maps　drawn　on　tanned　lambskins；　planning　and　scheming　by　the　light　of　the　oil　lamps。　Although　Nefer　was　nominally　their　supreme　mander；　in　reality　he　was　a　student　of　the　art　of　war　and　these　experienced　old　soldiers　were　his　instructors；　the　lessons　he　learned　from　them　invaluable。
　　
　　It　was　after　midnight　usually　before　Nefer　could　adjourn　these　grave　councils；　and　sneak　away　to　join　Mintaka　on　the　sheepskin　mat　where　she　patiently　waited　for　him。　Then　they　made　love　and　whispered　together。　Although　they　were　both　exhausted　by　their　labours；　the　dawn　was　often　creeping　over　the　silent　desert　before　they　fell　asleep　in　each　other's　arms。
　　
　　In　total　there　were　less　than　a　hundred　and　fifty　souls　and　fifty　horses　in　Gallala；　but　within　the　first　few　days　it　became　evident　that　the　bitter　wells　of　the　city　could　not　support　even　these　meagre　numbers。　Each　day　they　emptied　them　and　each　night　it　took　longer　for　them　to　refill。　Even　the　quality　of　the　water　began　to　deteriorate：　it　became　more　bitter　and　brackish　every　day；　until　it　was　only　barely　potable　unless　mixed　with　mare's　milk。
　　
　　They　were　forced　to　ration　the　water。　The　horses　were　distressed　and　the　mares　lost　their　milk。　Still　the　trickle　of　underground　water　shrivelled。
　　
　　At　last　Nefer　called　an　emergency　council　of　his　manders。　At　the　end　of　an　hour　of　solemn　talk；　Hilto　summed　up　gloomily；　'Unless　Horus　works　a　miracle　for　us；　the　wells　will　dry　pletely；　and　we　will　be　forced　to　abandon　the　city。　Wh