wilbursmith_warlock-第71章

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　　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。　Where　then　will　we　flee？'
　　
　　They　looked　at　Nefer；　who　turned　expectantly　to　Taita。　'When　the　water　dries　up；　where　do　we　go；　Magus？'　he　asked。
　　
　　Taita　opened　his　eyes。　He　had　sat　in　silence　through　the　long　debate　and　they　had　thought　he　was　dozing。　Tomorrow；　at　first　light；　I　want　every　man　who　can　walk　and　wield　a　spade　assembled　before　the　gates　of　the　city。'
　　
　　'To　what　end？'　Nefer　asked；　but　Taita　smiled　enigmatically。
　　
　　In　the　cool　of　the　dawn　fifty…six　men　were　waiting　before　the　ancient　gates　when　Taita　stepped　through。　He　was　wearing　all　his　regalia；　the　Periapt　and　the　gift　of　Bay；　and　his　other　necklaces；　bracelets　and　amulets。　He　had　washed　his　hair　until　it　shone；　and　Mintaka　had　braided　it　for　him。　He　carried　his　staff　with　the　carved　serpent's　head。　Nefer　was　beside　him；　a　solemn　expression　covering　his　mystification。　Taita　looked　over　the　assembled　men。　As　he　had　ordered；　they　all　carried　digging　tools…wooden　spades　and　shovels；　metal…tipped　digging　staves。　He　nodded　with　satisfaction　then　descended　the　steps　and　set　off　up　the　valley。
　　
　　At　a　word　from　Nefer　the　men　shouldered　their　tools　and　followed　the　old　man；　falling　naturally　into　a　military　marching　formation。　However；　they　had　not　far　to　go；　for　Taita　stopped　at　the　foot　of　the　hills　and　stared　up　at　the　heights。
　　
　　Nefer　recalled　that　this　was　the　area　where　Taita　had　spent　so　much　time　over　the　last　few　months。　Often　he　and　Mintaka　had　seen　him　sitting　here；　drowsing　in　the　sun　with　hooded　eyes　like　a　blue…headed　lizard；　or　prodding　and　tapping　among　the　rocks　with　his　staff。
　　
　　For　the　first　time　Nefer　studied　the　rock　formation　of　this　section　of　the　hills　and　realized　that　they　were　different。　The　rock　was　friable　and　veins　of　grey　limestone　had　intruded　into　the　schist。　A　profound　fault　ran　diagonally　through　the　face　on　the　bare；　burned　hills；　edged　with　strata　of　different　colours。　Then　he　noticed　something　else。　Recently　someone　had　placed　marks　on　some　of　the　stones；　esoteric　hieroglyphs　painted　with　a　white　paste；　probably　made　from　crushed　limestone　mixed　with　well　water。　There　were　also　cairns　of　stones　placed　in　a　pattern　on　the　earth。
　　
　　'Nefer；　the　men　must　be　divided　into　the　five　teams；'　Taita　told　him；　and　Nefer　gave　the　orders。　When　they　were　ready；　Taita　ordered　the　first　forward。　'Start　driving　an　adit　into　the　hillside　here。'　He　pointed　out　the　hieroglyphs　that　marked　the　opening　to　the　horizontal　shaft　where　he　wanted　them　to　begin　digging。
　　
　　The　men　looked　at　each　other；　puzzled　and　uncertain；　but　when　Taita　glared　at　them　wordlessly；　Shabako　took　over　quite　naturally。　'You　heard　the　Magus。　Get　on　with　it；　now；　and　handsomely！'
　　
　　It　was　hard　work；　even　though　the　underlying　rock　was　shattered　along　the　line　Taita　had　chosen。　They　had　to　prise　out　each　lump；　then　dig　out　the　loose　earth　that　lay　behind　it。　Clouds　of　dust　rose　around　them；　and　soon　their　bodies　were　powdered　with　it。　Even　though　their　hands　were　toughened　by　use　of　club　and　sword；　their　palms　blistered；　tore　and　bled。　They　wrapped　them　with　linen　strips　and　worked　on　without　plaint。　The　heat　came　up　swiftly　with　the　rising　sun；　and　Shabako　pulled　the　first　team　out　of　the　excavation　and　sent　in　the　next。
　　
　　They　rested　for　an　hour　at　noon　when　the　heat　was　at　its　height。　Taita　went　into　the　shallow　cave　and　inspected　the　rock　face　intently。　He　emerged　into　the　sunlight　without　ment；　and　Shabako　ordered　the　work　to　continue。　It　went　on　until　it　was　too　dark　to　see　what　they　were　doing；　then　Shabako　released　them　and　sent　them　down　the　hill　to　their　frugal　dinner。　The　supplies　of　dhurra　millet　were　dwindling　almost　as　swiftly　as　the　well　waters。
　　
　　Taking　advantage　of　the　coolness；　they　started　again　before　dawn。　By　nightfall　they　had　driven　the　adit　only　twenty　cubits　into　the　hillside。　There　they　struck　a　solid　stratum　of　blue；　crystalline　rock。　The　bronze…tipped　staves　made　no　mark　upon　it；　and　the　men　began　to　mutter。
　　
　　'Are　we　warriors　or　miners？'　mumbled　one　old　veteran；　as　he　inspected　his　bruised　and　blistered　palms。
　　
　　'What　are　we　supposed　to　be　digging？　Our　own　tombs？'　asked　another；　as　he　bound　up　the　deep　cut　in　his　shin　inflicted　by　a　carelessly　wielded　stave。
　　
　　'How　can　we　dig　through　solid　rock？'　Yet　another　wiped　the　running　sweat　and　mingled　dust　from　his　bloodshot　eyes。
　　
　　Taita　sent　them　down　the　valley　to　where　a　thick　grove　of　dead　acacia　trees　stood　as　a　silent　monument　to　the　water　that　had　long　ago　dried。　They　cut　cords　of　the　dried　branches　and　carried　the　bundles　back　to　the　diggings。　Under　Taita's　instructions　they　stacked　the　firewood　on　the　adamantine　rock；　and　lit　it。　They　let　the　fire　burn　through　the　night；　stoking　it　at　intervals；　and　the　next　morning；　when　the　rock　glowed　with　the　heat；　they　quenched　it　with　skins　filled　from　the　failing　wells。　In　clouds　of　hissing　steam；　the　rock　crackled；　burst　and　exploded。
　　
　　One　man　was　hit　by　a　sharp　flying　fragment；　and　lost　his　right　eye。　Taita　removed　its　remains；　and　stitched　the　lids　closed。
　　
　　'The　gods　gave　us　two　eyes　for　just　such　a　mishap；'　he　assured　his　patient。　'You　will　see　just　as　well　with　one　as　you　did　with　two。'
　　
　　They　let　the　shattered　rock　cool　then　prised　out　great　blackened　chunks　of　it。　Behind　these　the　rock　was　still　solid　and　impenetrable。　They　stacked　fresh　cords　of　firewood　upon　it　and　repeated　the　arduous；　dangerous　process；　with　the　same　result。　They　had　gained　a　few　cubits　for　the　expenditure　of　days　of　heartbreaking　labour。
　　
　　Even　Nefer　was　discouraged；　and　told　Mintaka　so　when　they　lay　together　in　the　darkness　that　night。
　　
　　'There　are　many　things　that　we　do　not　understand；　my　heart；'　she　cradled　his　head　and　whispered。
　　
　　'We　don't　even　know　why　he　is　making　us　dig　this　hole；　and　when　I　ask　him　he　gives　me　that　infuriating　look　of　his；　like　an　ancient　tortoise。　The　men　have　almost　had　enough　of　it；　and　so　have　I。'
　　
　　She　giggled。　'Ancient　tortoise！　You　had　better　make　sure　he　doesn't　hear　that。　He　might　turn　you　into　a　toad；　and　I　should　not　like　that　at　all。'
　　
　　Early　the　following　morning；　the　teams　of　weary；　disgruntled　men　traipsed　up　the　valley　and　assembled　around　the　mouth　of　the　tunnel　to　await　the　arrival　of　the　Magus。
　　
　　With　his　usual　sense　of　the　dramatic；　Taita　came　up　the　slope　with　the　first　rays　of　the　rising　sun　behind　him；　suffusing　his　silver　bush　of　hair　with　light。　He　carried　a　roll　of　linen　cloth　over　one　shoulder。　Nefer　and　the　other　officers　stood　to　wele　him；　but　he　ignored　their　salutations　and　gave　instructions　to　Shabako　to　hang　the　linen　over　the　mouth　of　the　shaft　like　a　curtain。　When　it　was　in　place　he　entered　the　screened　shaft　alone；　and　a　silence　fell　over　the　men　gathered　outside。
　　
　　It　seemed　like　a　long　wait　but　was　in　reality　less　than　an　hour；　for　the　sun　had　risen　only　a　hand's　breadth　above　the　horizon；　when　the　lin