wilbursmith_warlock-第9部分

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ning　and　instruction　Taita　had　lavished　upon　him　from　as　far　back　as　Nefer's　young　memory　stretched。　Even　the　long　hours　of　waiting　beside　the　decoys　was　a　lesson　in　itself。　Taita　was　teaching　him　control　over　his　body　and　being；　teaching　him　to　open　doors　within　his　mind；　teaching　him　to　look　inward；　to　listen　to　the　silence　and　hear　whispers　to　which　others　were　deaf。
　　
　　Once　he　had　been　conditioned　to　the　silence；　Nefer　was　more　amenable　to　the　deeper　wisdom　and　learning　that　Taita　had　to　impart。　They　sat　together　in　the　desert　night；　under　the　swirling　patterns　of　the　stars　that　were　eternal　but　ephemeral　as　the　winds　and　the　currents　of　the　oceans；　and　Taita　described　to　him　wonders　that　seemed　to　have　no　explanation　but　could　only　be　perceived　by　an　opening　and　extension　of　the　mind。　He　sensed　that　he　stood　merely　on　the　shadowy　periphery　of　this　mystical　knowledge；　but　he　felt　growing　inside　him　a　great　hunger　for　more。
　　
　　One　morning　when　Nefer　left　the　cave　in　the　grey　light　before　dawn；　he　saw　a　huddle　of　dark；　silent　figures　sitting　out　in　the　desert　beyond　the　spring　of　Gebel　Nagara。　He　went　to　tell　Taita；　and　the　old　man　nodded。　'They　have　been　waiting　all　night。'　He　spread　a　woollen　cloak　over　his　shoulders　and　went　out　to　them。
　　
　　When　they　recognized　Taita's　gaunt　figure　in　the　half…light　they　burst　into　wails　of　supplication。　They　were　people　of　the　desert　tribes　and　they　had　brought　children　to　him；　children　stricken　by　the　Yellow　Flowers；　hot　with　fever　and　covered　with　the　terrible　sores　of　the　disease。
　　
　　Taita　ministered　to　them；　while　they　remained　camped　beyond　the　spring。　None　of　the　children　died；　and　after　ten　days　the　tribe　brought　gifts　of　millet；　salt　and　tanned　hides；　which　they　left　at　the　entrance　to　the　cave。　Then　they　were　gone　into　the　wilderness。　After　that　there　came　others；　suffering　from　disease　and　wounds　inflicted　by　men　and　beasts。　Taita　went　out　to　all　of　them；　and　turned　none　away。　Nefer　worked　beside　him　and　learned　much　from　what　he　saw　and　heard。
　　
　　No　matter　if　there　were　the　sick　and　ailing　Bedouin　to　care　for；　or　food　to　be　gathered；　or　instruction　or　learning　to　be　imparted；　each　morning　they　set　out　the　decoys　under　the　silken　net　and　waited　beside　them。
　　
　　Perhaps　they　had　fallen　under　the　calming　influence　of　Taita；　for　the　once…wild　pigeons　became　docile　and　quiescent　as　chickens。　They　allowed　themselves　to　be　handled　without　any　sign　of　fear；　and　uttered　soft　throaty　coos　as　their　legs　were　secured　to　the　pegs。　Then　they　settled　and　fluffed　up　their　feathers。
　　
　　On　the　twentieth　morning　of　their　stay；　Nefer　took　up　his　position　over　the　decoys。　As　always；　even　without　looking　directly　at　Taita；　Nefer　was　deeply　aware　of　his　presence。　The　old　man's　eyes　were　closed　and　he；　like　the　pigeons；　seemed　to　be　dozing　in　the　sunlight。　His　skin　was　criss…crossed　with　innumerable　fine　wrinkles　and　dappled　with　age　spots。　It　seemed　so　delicate　that　it　might　tear　as　easily　as　the　finest　papyrus　parchment。　His　face　was　hairless；　no　trace　of　beard　or　eyebrows；　only　fine　lashes；　colourless　as　glass；　surrounded　his　eyes。　Nefer　had　heard　his　father　say　that　neutering　had　left　Taita's　face　beardless　and　little　marked　by　the　passage　of　time；　but　he　was　certain　that　there　were　more　esoteric　reasons　for　his　longevity　and　the　persistence　of　his　strength　and　life…force。　In　vivid　contrast　to　his　other　features；　Taita's　hair　was　dense　and　strong　as　that　of　a　healthy　young　woman；　but　bright　burnished　silver　in　colour。　Taita　was　proud　of　it　and　kept　it　washed　and　groomed　in　a　thick　plait　down　his　back。　Despite　his　learning　and　age；　the　old　Magus　was　not　inured　to　vanity。
　　
　　This　little　touch　of　humanity　heightened　Nefer's　love　for　him　to　the　point　where　it　stabbed　his　chest　with　a　strength　that　was　almost　painful。　He　wished　that　there　was　some　way　in　which　he　could　express　it；　but　he　knew　that　Taita　already　understood；　for　Taita　knew　everything。
　　
　　He　reached　out　surreptitiously　to　touch　the　old　man's　arm　as　he　slept；　but　suddenly　Taita's　eyes　opened；　focused　and　aware。　Nefer　knew　that　he　had　not　been　asleep　at　all；　but　that　all　his　powers　had　been　concentrated　on　bringing　in　the　godbird　to　the　decoys。　He　knew　that；　in　some　way；　his　wandering　thoughts　and　his　movement　had　affected　the　oute　of　the　old　man's　efforts；　for　he　sensed　Taita's　disapproval　as　clearly　as　if　it　had　been　spoken。
　　
　　Chastened；　he　posed　himself；　and　brought　his　mind　and　body　under　control　again　in　the　manner　that　Taita　had　taught　him。　It　was　like　passing　through　a　secret　doorway　into　the　place　of　power。　The　time　passed　swiftly；　without　being　counted　or　grudged。　The　sun　climbed　to　its　zenith　and　seemed　to　hang　there　for　a　long　while。　Suddenly　Nefer　was　blessed　with　a　marvellous　sense　of　prescience。　It　was　almost　as　if　he；　too；　hung　above　the　world　and　saw　everything　happening　below　him。　He　saw　Taita　and　himself　sitting　beside　the　well　of　Gebel　Nagara；　and　the　desert　stretching　away　around　them。　He　saw　the　river　that　contained　the　desert　like　a　mighty　barrier　and　marked　out　the　boundaries　of　this　very　Egypt。　He　saw　the　cities　and　the　kingdoms；　the　lands　divided　under　the　double　crown；　great　armies　in　array；　the　machinations　of　evil　men；　and　the　striving　and　sacrifice　of　the　just　and　good。　In　that　moment　he　was　aware　of　his　destiny　with　an　intensity　that　almost　overwhelmed　and　crushed　his　courage。
　　
　　In　that　same　moment　he　knew　that　his　godbird　would　e　on　this　day；　for　he　was　ready　to　receive　it　at　last。　'The　bird　is　here！'
　　
　　The　words　were　so　clear　that；　for　an　instant；　Nefer　thought　Taita　had　spoken；　but　then　he　realized　his　lips　had　not　moved。　Taita　had　placed　the　thought　in　Nefer's　mind　in　the　mysterious　manner　that　Nefer　could　neither　fathom　nor　explain。　He　did　not　doubt　that　it　was　so；　but　in　the　next　instant　it　was　confirmed　by　the　wild　fluttering　of　the　decoy　pigeons　who　had　sensed　the　menace　in　the　air　above　them。
　　
　　Nefer　made　no　move　to　show　that　he　had　heard　and　understood。　He　did　not　turn　his　head　or　lift　his　eyes　to　the　sky。　He　dared　not　look　upwards　lest　he　alarm　the　bird；　or　incur　the　wrath　of　Taita。　But　he　was　aware　with　every　fibre　of　his　being。
　　
　　The　royal　falcon　was　such　a　rare　creature　that　few　men　had　ever　seen　it　in　the　wild。　For　the　previous　thousand　years　the　huntsmen　of　every　pharaoh　had　sought　out　the　birds；　had　trapped　and　netted　them；　and　to　fill　the　royal　mews　had　even　lifted　their　young　from　the　nest　before　they　were　fledged。　Possession　of　the　birds　was　proof　that　Pharaoh　had　the　divine　approval　of　the　god　Horus　to　reign　in　this　very　Egypt。
　　
　　The　falcon　was　the　alter　ego　of　the　god：　statues　and　depictions　of　him　showed　him　with　the　falcon　head。　Pharaoh　was　a　god　himself　so　might　capture；　own　and　hunt　the　bird；　but　any　other　man　did　so　on　pain　of　death。
　　
　　Now　the　bird　was　here。　His　very　own　bird。　Taita　seemed　to　have　conjured　it　out　of　heaven　itself。　Nefer　felt　his　heart　held　in　a　suffocating　grip　of　excitement　and　the　breath　in　his　lungs　seized　up　so　that　he　thought　his　chest　might　burst。　But　still　he　dared　not　turn　his　head　to　the　sky。
　　
　　Then　he　heard　the　falcon。　Its　cry　was　a　faint　lament；　almost　lost　in　the　immensity　of　sky　and　desert；　but　it　thrilled　Nefer　to　the　core；　as　though　the　god　had　spoken　directly　to　him。　Seconds　later　the　falcon　called　again；　directly　overhead；　its　voice　shriller　and　more　savage。
　　
　　Now　the　pigeons　were　wild　with　terror；　leaping　against　the　thongs　that　secured　them　to　the　pegs；　beating　their　wings　with　such　violence　that　they　shed　feathers；　and　the　downdraught　of　air　raised　a　pale　cloud　of　dust　around　them。
　　
　　High　overhead　Nefer　heard　the　falcon　begin　its　stoop　on　the　decoys；　with　the　wind　singing　over　its　wings　in　a　rising　note。　He　knew　that　at　last　it　was　safe　to　raise　his　head；　for　all　the　falcon's　attention　would　be　focused　on　its　prey。
　　
　　He　looked　up　and　saw　the　bird　drop　against　the　aching　blue　of　the　desert　sky。　It　was　a　thing　of　divine　beauty。　Its　wings　were　folded　back；　like　half…sheathed　blades；　and　its　head　was　thrust　forward。　The　strength　and　power　of　the　creature　made　Nefer　gasp　aloud。　He　had　seen　other　falcons　of　this　breed　in　his　father's　mews；　but　never　before　like　this　in　all…　its　wild　grace　and　majesty。　Miraculously　the　falcon　seemed　to　swell　in　size；　and　its　colours　grew　more　intense　as　it　fell　towards　where　he　sat。　The　curved　beak　was　a　lovely　deep　yellow　with　a　tip　sharp　and　black　as　obsidian。　The　eyes　were　fiercest　gold　with　tear…like　markings　in　the　inner　corners；　the　throat　was　creamy　and　dappled　like　ermine；　the　wings　were　russet　and　black；　and　the　whole　creature　was　so　exquisite　in　every　detail　that　he　never　doubted　it　was　an　incarnation　of　the　god。　He　wanted　to　possess　it　with　a　longing　he　had　never　imagined　possible。
　　
　　He　braced　himself　for　the　moment　of　impact　when　the　falcon　would　strike　the　silken　net　and　ensnare　itself　in　the　voluminous　folds。　Beside　him　he　felt　Taita　do　the　same。　They　would　rush　forward　together。
　　
　　Then　something　happened　that　he　could　not　believe　was　possible。　The　falcon　was　fully　mitted　to　its　stoop；　the　velocity　of　its　dive　was　such　that　nothing　co