wilbursmith_warlock-第134节

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　　'I　am　sure　that　Hathor　will　forgive　me　such　an　insignificant　falsehood。　It　is　in　such　a　good　cause。'
　　
　　As　the　pair　jumped　down　on　to　the　deck　of　the　dhow；　the　crew；　who　had　been　dozing　in　the　shade；　scrambled　to　their　feet　and　rushed　to　set　the　lateen　sail。　Without　waiting　for　orders；　the　captain　steered　out　into　the　main　flow　of　the　current　and　turned　the　bows　downstream；　heading　for　the　delta。　For　the　rest　of　that　day　Mintaka　and　Merykara　stayed　in　the　tiny　cabin；　taking　no　chance　that　they　might　be　recognized　from　the　shore；　or　from　a　passing　riverboat。　In　the　late　afternoon　the　dhow　moored　briefly　against　the　east　bank　and　two　armed　men　came　aboard；　carrying　heavy　sacks。　Immediately　the　dhow　captain　hoisted　the　sail　again　and　they　pressed　on　with　all　speed　downriver。　The　two　men　came　to　the　cabin　and　prostrated　themselves　before　Mintaka。
　　
　　'May　all　the　gods　love　you；　Majesty；'　said　the　bigger　of　the　two；　a　bearded　Hyksos　with　large　nose　and　strong　features。　'We　are　your　dogs。　We　came　as　soon　as　we　received　your　summons。'
　　
　　'Lok！'　Mintaka　smiled　with　pleasure　to　see　his　well…remembered　face；　and　then　turned　to　the　other　man。　'And　surely　this　is　your　son；　Lokka。'　He　seemed　as　big　and　doughty　as　his　father。　'You　are　both　well　met　and　wele。　You；　Lok；　served　my　father　well。　Will　you　and　your　son　do　the　same　for　me？'　She　spoke　in　the　Hyksosian　language。
　　
　　'With　our　lives；　mistress！'　they　told　her。
　　
　　'I　will　have　hard　employment　for　you　once　we　go　ashore；　but　until　then　rest　and　prepare　your　weapons。'
　　
　　The　dhow　captain　selected　one　of　the　many　mouths　of　the　delta　where　the　current　slowed　and　meandered　through　swamps　and　lagoons　over　which　hovered　clouds　of　waterfowl。　Darkness　fell　before　they　reached　the　open　sea；　but　the　dhow　captain　steered　his　craft　unerringly　through　the　shallows　and　the　hidden　sandbars；　until　at　last　the　miasma　of　the　swamps　was　blown　away　on　the　clean　salt　airs　of　the　Mediterranean。　The　two　girls　came　up　on　deck。
　　
　　'Just　about　now；　Zugga　will　realize　that　we　have　flown。'　Mintaka　smiled　at　Merykara。　'I　wonder　what　he　will　tell　Nefer。　That　we　are　safely　locked　up　in　the　temple　under　the　wing　of　the　high　priestess？　I　hope　so。'
　　
　　With　half　a　moon　in　the　sky　they　sailed　out　of　the　confined　waterways　and　felt　the　scend　of　the　open　sea　lift　the　deck　beneath　their　feet。　As　soon　as　he　had　made　his　offing　and　there　was　deep　water　under　his　hull；　the　captain　turned　eastwards　and　hugged　the　coast　throughout　the　night。
　　
　　In　the　dawn　Mintaka　and　Merykara　stood　in　the　bows；　huddled　in　their　shawls　for　warmth。　They　stared　south　at　the　low　bleak　desert　shore　to　their　right。
　　
　　'To　think　that　Nefer　is　only　a　few　leagues　out　there；'　Mintaka　whispered。　'I　feel　as　though　I　could　reach　out　my　hand　to　touch　him。'
　　
　　'Meren　is　there　too；　only　a　little　further　to　the　east。　What　a　surprise　they　would　have　to　know　that　we　are　so　close。'
　　
　　'My　heart　yearns　for　Nefer。　I　pray　every　hour　to　Horus　and　Hathor　to　keep　him　safe。'
　　
　　'You　no　longer　hate　him；　then？'　Merykara　asked。
　　
　　'I　never　did；'　Mintaka　denied　hotly；　then　hesitated。　'Well；　perhaps　for　a　moment　and　only　a　very　little。'
　　
　　'I　know　just　how　you　feel；'　Merykara　assured　her。　'At　times；　they　can　be　so　stubborn　and　bull…headed　and　。。。'　she　sought　for　a　word　to　describe　it　'。。。　and　so　male。'
　　
　　'Yes！'　Mintaka　agreed；　'That's　it　exactly。　Like　children。　I　suppose　we　must　forgive　them；　for　they　cannot　help　themselves。'
　　
　　During　the　rest　of　that　day　and　the　following　night　they　sailed　eastwards　along　the　coast；　through　the　Khalig　el　Tina　and　along　the　string　of　islands　and　sandbars　that　enclosed　the　vast　lagoon　of　the　Sabkhet　el　Bardawill。　The　next　morning　the　dhow　edged　in　towards　the　beach　at　El　Arish；　and　as　soon　as　the　water　was　waist　deep　the　two　bodyguards；　Lok　and　Lokka；　carried　the　women　ashore　then　waded　back　to　the　boat　to　fetch　the　baggage。　The　small　party　stood　and　watched　the　crew　of　the　dhow　row　off；　then　set　the　sail　and　head　back　out　to　sea　for　the　return　to　Egypt　and　the　delta。
　　
　　'Well；　we　have　done　it；'　said　Merykara　uncertainly。　Despite　Mintaka's　pany；　she　was　feeling　vulnerable　and　alone。　'But　what　do　we　do　now？'　She　sounded　close　to　tears。
　　
　　'I　will　send　Lok　to　find　transport　for　us；'　said　Mintaka；　and　then　to　give　her　fort　and　a　little　more　confidence　she　went　on　to　explain　to　Merykara；　'Nefer　might　have　stopped　us　going　southwards　through　the　desert　to　find　my　uncle　Tonka；　but　we　have　outwitted　him。'　She　smiled　more　gaily　than　her　spirits　dictated；　for　she　was　even　more　aware　than　Merykara　of　their　invidious　position。　'Just　think　how　furious　Nefer　and　Meren　would　be　if　they　only　knew！'　They　laughed　together；　and　Mintaka　went　on；　'Here　we　are　in　the　rear　of　Naja's　advancing　army；　and　the　road　between　Beersheba　and　Ismailiya　lies　a　very　few　leagues　south　of　us。　When　Lok　finds　a　cart　or　wagon　for　us　we　can　lose　ourselves　in　the　baggage　train　of　Naja's　army；　hide　among　the　camp…followers　until　we　can　reach　the　headquarters　of　Uncle　Tonka。'
　　
　　It　was　not　quite　as　easy　to　find　transport　as　Mintaka　had　made　it　sound。　The　quartermasters　of　Naja's　army　had　been　ahead　of　them；　and　had　seized　wagons　and　horses；　as　well　as　food　and　provisions　from　the　local　populace。　In　the　end　they　had　to　settle　for　a　string　of　five　decrepit　donkeys；　and　they　had　to　pay　dearly　for　these；　with　two　heavy　gold　rings　and　two　of　silver。　The　animals　were　barely　able　to　support　the　weight　of　even　the　two　women；　let　alone　their　bodyguards；　so　they　walked　most　of　the　rugged　path　southwards；　until　on　the　third　day　after　landing　they　topped　a　rise　and　saw　in　the　valley　below　them　the　tail　of　the　army　of　Pharaoh　Naja。　This　great　host　filled　the　main　east…to…west　road　in　both　directions　as　far　as　the　eye　could　see；　and　the　dust　it　raised　sullied　the　sky　like　the　smoke　from　a　forest　fire。
　　
　　They　went　down　to　join　it；　and　found　themselves　in　the　baggage　train。　They　fell　in　with　the　long　caravan　of　wagons　and　pack　animals。　Mintaka　and　Merykara　kept　their　heads　and　faces　covered；　and　in　their　dusty；　bedraggled　clothing　excited　little　notice。　Lok　and　Lokka　chaperoned　them　closely；　and　discouraged　the　attentions　of　any　other　travellers。　The　rate　of　march　was　of　the　slowest；　so　even　on　the　poor　donkeys　they　were　moving　a　little　faster　than　the　rest　of　the　cavalcade　and；　like　a　scrap　of　flotsam　in　the　mighty　river；　they　drifted　forward　towards　the　head。　As　they　went　they　passed　every　type　and　condition　of　humanity；　beggars　and　bawds；　merchants　and　water…carriers；　barbers；　coppersmiths　and　carpenters；　troubadours　and　jugglers。　There　were　captains　splendid　in　the　Gold　of　Valour；　driving　their　chariots　furiously　through　the　throng；　lashing　out　of　their　path　the　limping　cripples　on　their　crutches；　and　the　army　women　with　their　bastards　at　the　breast；　feeding　on　the　march；　toddlers　whining　at　their　skirts。
　　
　　Mintaka　and　Merykara　kept　up　the　best　speed　the　wretched　donkeys　could　manage；　and　they　camped　that　first　night　under　the　stars；　surrounded　by　the　campfires；　the　hubbub　and　stench　of　this　immense　agglomeration　of　humanity。
　　
　　In　the　dawn；　as　soon　as　it　was　light　enough　to　see　the　road　underfoot；　they　set　off　again。　Before　noon　they　had　caught　up　with　the　rearguard　of　the　main　army：　the　marching　panies　of　spearmen；　and　the　ranks　of　archers　with　bows　unstrung；　the　battalions　of　slingers　singing　their　marching　songs　in　the　barbaric　language　of　the　western　islands。　Next　they　passed　the　long　lines　of　the　horses　of　the　remount　division；　twenty　to　a　string；　being　led　behind　the　fodder　wagons　and　the　water　carts。　Mintaka　marvelled　at　the　numbers：　it　did　not　seem　possible　that　there　were　so　many　animals　in　all　Egypt。
　　
　　The　soldiers　looked　at　the　two　women；　and　not　even　their　shoddy　dress　or　the　voluminous　shawls　wound　around　their　heads　could　hide　their　youth　and　grace　from　such　discerning　eyes。　They　called　suggestive　pliments　and　lewd　invitations　as　they　passed；　but　the　discipline　of　their　officers　and　the　stern　presence　of　Lok　and　Lokka　kept　them　from　any　further　advances。
　　
　　That　evening　they　kept　on　travelling　after　the　main　army　had　encamped　and　after　sunset　they　came　upon　a　large　zareba　of　poles　and　thornbushes　just　off　the　road。　This　had　been　set　up　in　an　easily　defended　defile　of　low　hills。　The　entrance　was　heavily　guarded；　and　there　was　much　activity　around　it；　the　marching　and　counter…marching　of　the　sentries；　the　scurrying　of　servants　and　orderlies；　and　the　ing　and　going　of　chariots　driven　by　officers　of　the　Red。　Above　the　gate　of　the　stockade　flew　the　gonfalon　that　Mintaka　recognized　at　once：　on　it　was　depicted　the　severed　head　of　a　wild　boar　with　its　tongue　lolling　from　the　corner　of　its　tusked　jaws。
　　
　　'This　is　the　man　we　are　looking　for；'　Mintaka　whispered　to　Merykara。
　　
　　'But　how　do　we　get　in　to　see　him？'　Merykara　asked　doubtfully；　eyeing　the　sentries。
　　
　　They　made　their　own　rudimentary　camp　a　little　further　down　the　road；　but　within　sight　of　the　gates　of　the　regimental　headquarters　of　General　Prenn；　centurion　of　the　Red；　and　the　mander　of　the　rearguard　of　the　pharaonic