wilbursmith_warlock-第89部分

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e　march。'
　　
　　He　continued　to　call　down　his　sightings　to　the　Magus　through　the　rest　of　that　morning；　until　the　heat　had　built　up　to　the　point　where　all　activity　around　the　city　and　upon　the　roads　fell　off　into　the　somnolent　noonday。　Then　he　climbed　down　and　went　to　find　shade；　like　the　rest　of　the　squadron；　to　wait　out　the　hot　hours。
　　
　　In　the　late　afternoon　as　the　air　cooled；　they　roused　themselves　to　feed　and　water　the　horses。　Then　Nefer　climbed　once　more　to　his　vantage…point。
　　
　　It　was　at　once　apparent　that　they　had　arrived　just　in　time。　The　road　to　the　east　was　an　artery　pulsing　with　the　life　force　of　a　mighty　army。　Squadron　after　squadron；　fifty　chariots　strong；　wound　out　through　the　gates　of　Ismailiya；　each　followed　by　wagons　carrying　their　baggage　and　fodder；　and　streamed　down　the　road　towards　their　hiding…place。　The　vanguard　passed　so　close　to　where　Nefer　sat　in　the　high　branches　of　the　cedar　tree　that　he　could　make　out　individuals　among　them。
　　
　　The　army　flowed　by　like　an　endless　river；　glinting　with　the　reflections　of　bronze　weapons；　and　the　dust　rose　in　a　dense　cloud　over　it　all　until　it　threaten　to　obscure　the　sun。
　　
　　Four　cohorts　made　up　the　vanguard；　and　then　came　a　gap。　Obviously　this　was　to　let　the　dust　settle　a　little　and　to　alleviate　the　disfort　of　the　royal　party　that　followed。
　　
　　Next　came　two　chariots　riding　abreast。　Both　vehicles　were　so　massive；　and　covered　with　gold　leaf；　that　each　needed　six　horses　to　draw　it。　Nefer's　hatred　rose　with　the　taste　of　gall　into　the　back　of　his　throat　as　he　recognized　the　drivers。
　　
　　Trok　had　the　reins　of　the　nearest　chariot。　There　was　no　mistaking　his　broad　shoulders　nor　the　dark；　beribboned　bush　of　his　beard。　He　wore　a　gold　helmet　shaped　like　a　beehive；　decorated　with　a　crest　of　foaming　white　ostrich　plumes。　On　his　shoulder　clanged　the　double　shield；　each　leaf　as　thick　as　his　thumb；　so　weighty　that　it　was　said　that　he　alone　of　all　his　army　could　wield　it；　just　like　the　great　war　bow　in　the　rack　at　his　right　hand。
　　
　　In　the　other　great　chariot　rode　Pharaoh　Naja　Kiafan。　Like　his　namesake　the　cobra；　he　cut　a　slimmer；　more　graceful　figure。　He　wore　a　pectoral　of　gold　and　precious　stones　that　sparkled　in　the　red　sunlight　that　filtered　through　the　dustclouds。　On　his　head　he　wore　the　blue　war　crown　of　Egypt；　and　at　his　side；　sheathed　in　silver　and　electrum；　studded　with　turquoise　and　lapis　lazuli；　was　the　legendary　blue　sword；　that　he　had　plundered　from　the　body　of　Nefer's　father。
　　
　　Strangely；　though　he　lacked　the　physical　stature　of　Trok；　Naja　was　the　more　threatening　of　the　two。
　　
　　The　golden　chariots　passed　and　were　hidden　by　their　own　dustclouds；　but　Nefer　remained　stretched　out　on　the　main　branch　of　the　cedar　tree　as　the　warlike　phalanxes　rolled　by　below　him。
　　
　　The　sun　had　slipped　below　the　horizon；　but　there　was　still　just　enough　light　to　make　out　the　next　section　of　the　endless　procession。　Nefer　straightened　up　with　renewed　interest　and　attention。
　　
　　Swaying　and　rolling　over　the　surface　of　the　highway；　which　was　already　rutted　by　the　passage　of　the　hundreds　of　chariots　and　wagons　that　had　preceded　them；　came　two　litters　drawn　by　teams　of　bullocks。　They　were　so　capacious；　the　silk　curtains　decorated　with　golden　stars　and　rosettes；　that　Nefer　knew　the　passengers　within　must　be　women　of　the　royal　harem。　Nefer　could　not　imagine　Trok　taking　his　wives　or　concubines　on　campaign　with　him…he　had　heard　that　Trok　relied　for　his　pleasure　on　the　prisoners　he　took　from　the　captured　enemy　towns　and　that　he　enjoyed　boys　or　girls　with　equal　gusto。　So　if　they　did　not　belong　to　Trok；　they　must　be　Naja's　women。　Nefer　wondered　if　Naja　had　tired　of　Heseret　and　taken　other　wives。
　　
　　Then　the　curtain　of　the　second　litter　jerked　open；　a　girl　jumped　down　into　the　dusty　roadway　and　skipped　along　beside　the　bullocks。　Though　she　had　changed　markedly　since　he　had　last　seen　her；　he　could　not　doubt　that　this　lovely　creature　was　Merykara；　his　younger　sister。　She　no　longer　wore　the　side…lock　of　childhood；　her　hair　was　bobbed　upon　her　shoulders　and　cut　in　a　thick　straight　fringe　at　the　level　of　her　eyebrows。　The　loss　of　her　side…lock　was　the　token　that　she　had　seen　her　first　red　moon。　Nefer　felt　a　pang　that　his　funny　little　monkey　was　a　child　no　more。　Then　it　occurred　to　him　that　there　was　no　longer　any　impediment　to　Naja　taking　Merykara　to　the　connubial　bed。　He　had　heard　that　Naja　was　a　voluptuous　satyr　and　the　idea　of　him　ravishing　his　little　sister　revolted　Nefer　so　much　that　he　could　taste　it　in　the　back　of　his　throat；　like　rotten　fish。
　　
　　He　felt　an　overwhelming　desire　to　speak　to　Merykara；　to　learn　if　she　was　happy；　if　there　was　aught　he　could　do　to　make　her　lot　easier。　Then　it　occurred　to　him　to　rescue　her　and　take　her　back　to　Gallala。　He　knew　that　such　thoughts　were　dangerous；　and　that　his　rades　would　try　to　dissuade　him　from　such　suicidal　fantasy。
　　
　　Following　close　behind　the　litters　he　saw　the　carts　carrying　the　war　chests　of　the　false　pharaohs。　Here　was　a　motive　that　the　others　would　understand。　They　were　unornamented　carts　painted　a　dull；　sombre　blue；　but　sturdily　built　and　with　the　trucks　reinforced　to　withstand　the　great　weight　of　their　cargo。　The　metal…shod　wheels　cut　deeply　into　the　road　surface。　The　doors　at　the　rear　of　the　truck　bed　were　chained　and　locked；　and　armed　men　marched　beside　them。　These　were　the　standard　conveyances　of　the　treasures　without　which　no　army　marched。　Nefer　knew　that　they　contained　gold　bullion　cast　into　bars　and　fingers；　rings　and　beads。　These　would　be　used　to　pay　the　troops；　and　to　buy　the　allegiance　of　minor　kings　and　satraps；　to　subvert　the　allies　of　Babylon　and　Assyria；　and　to　bribe　spies　and　informers　in　the　ranks　of　the　enemy。
　　
　　Nefer　slid　down　the　trunk　of　the　cedar　to　the　ground。　Taita　was　dozing　quietly　there；　but　he　opened　his　eyes　before　Nefer　could　touch　his　arm。　'The　war　chests　of　the　false　pharaohs；'　Nefer　whispered　in　his　ear。　'Enough　to　pay　an　army　or　buy　a　throne。'
　　
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　　For　many　nights　that　followed　Nefer　and　the　Magus　stalked　the　column　from　the　moonlit　shadows；　moving　parallel　to　the　carts　that　carried　the　treasure；　observing　the　routine　and　behaviour　of　the　guards。　From　the　first　they　realized　that　it　would　be　impossible　to　seize　the　carts　and　carry　away　that　mass　of　bullion　without　the　entire　army　ing　down　upon　them。
　　
　　'At　the　speed　those　oxen　are　capable　of　maintaining；　Naja's　chariots　would　catch　us　before　we　had　gone　a　league　with　them；'　Nefer　observed　ruefully。
　　
　　'We　will　need　to　be　a　little　more　subtle　than　that；'　Taita　agreed。　The　only　time　when　we　might　be　able　to　tamper　with　the　chests　would　be　when　they　go　into　laager　during　the　day。'
　　
　　'What　about　the　guards？'
　　
　　'Ah！'　said　Taita。　'The　guards　will　present　some　small　problem。'
　　
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　　Each　day　when　the　sun　rose　high　and　the　heat　became　oppressive　the　entire　army　went　into　laager。　The　litters　bearing　the　royal　wives；　and　treasure　carts　were　usually　placed　in　a　separate　encampment　a　short　distance　from　the　main　army。　At　first　there　was　a　great　bustle　as　the　animals　were　loosed　from　their　harness；　fed　and　watered；　the　sentries　posted　and　the　tents　of　the　wives　erected。　Then　the　fires　were　lit　and　the　midday　meal　was　cooked　and　eaten；　washed　down　with　beer。　After　that　Heseret；　Merykara　and　their　maids　retired　to　their　tents。　The　men　who　were　not　on　sentry　duty　lay　down　under　makeshift　shelters　to　rest　after　the　long　night's　journey。　Gradually　a　languid　silence　fell　over　the　huge　muster　of　men　and　animals；　and　the　camp　slept。
　　
　　Nefer　and　Taita　left　the　rest　of　their　party　lying　in　a　patch　of　dense　thornbush　up　in　the　valley　and　crept　to　the　camp。　They　were　able　to　get　within　a　few　hundred　paces　of　the　sentries　and　lie　there　unobserved　for　an　hour；　whispering　together；　trying　to　find　some　manner　of　reaching　the　war　chests　without　being　discovered　by　the　sentries。
　　
　　'Is　there　no　way　we　can　distract　them？'　Nefer　asked。
　　
　　'For　that　we　will　need　help　from　inside　the　camp；'　Taita　said。
　　
　　'Merykara？'　Nefer　looked　at　him　sharply。
　　
　　'Merykara；'　Taita　agreed。
　　
　　'How　can　we　get　a　message　to　her？'　Nefer　looked　puzzled；　but　Taita　smiled；　touched　the　Periapt　of　Lostris　that　hung　on　his　necklace　and　closed　his　eyes。　After　a　while　Nefer　thought　he　had　fallen　asleep。　The　old　man　knew　exactly　how　to　infuriate　him。
　　
　　His　age　is　catching　up　with　him　at　last；　he　thought　irritably；　and　was　about　to　shake　him　awake；　when　he　heard　voices　from　the　camp；　and　looked　up。
　　
　　Merykara　had　e　out　of　her　tent。　She　had　obviously　been　sleeping　for　her　face　was　flushed　and　marked　by　the　pillow。　She　stretched　and　yawned。　She　wore　only　a　blue　linen　skirt；　whose　pleats　hung　below　her　knees。　Her　upper　body　was　bare。　Despite　himself　Nefer　was　astonished　at　the　way　her　breasts　had　bloomed：　they　were　pear…shaped　and　the　nipples　stood　proud　and　rosy。　Merykara　was　arguing　with　the　guard　at　the　entrance　to　her　tent　and　her　voice　rose　imperiously　so　that　Nefer　could　hear　every　word。　'I　cannot　sleep；　and　I　am　going　out　to　walk　awhile。'　The　sentry　was　trying　to　restrain　he