wilbursmith_warlock-第28节

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　had　disappeared。
　　
　　Why　should　the　assassin　of　Pharaoh　hide　his　quiver？　After　the　fight　the　Hyksos　had　been　left　in　possession　of　the　field。　They　would　have　had　all　the　time　they　needed　to　recover　their　weapons。　This　is　a　beautiful　and　valuable　object。　No　warrior　would　abandon　it；　unless　he　were　forced　to；　Taita　thought。
　　
　　For　another　hour　he　searched　the　hillside；　but　found　no　other　item　of　interest；　nor　did　he　detect　again　the　supernatural　odour　of　putrefaction　and　evil。　When　he　went　down　to　where　the　chariots　waited　in　the　sand　of　the　wadi　he　carried　the　quiver　concealed　under　his　apron。
　　
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　　They　waited　hidden　in　the　wadi　until　after　nightfall。　Then；　the　wheel…hubs　freshly　greased　with　mutton　fat　to　stop　them　squealing；　the　horses'　hoofs　covered　with　leather　boots；　and　all　the　loose　weapons　and　tack　carefully　muffled；　they　went　on　deep　into　Hyksosian　territory；　with　Gil　guiding　them。
　　
　　The　lance…bearer　knew　the　area　well；　and　although　Taita　made　no　ment；　he　wondered　how　often　the　man　had　travelled　this　way　with　his　master；　and　what　other　rendezvous　they　had　kept　with　the　enemy。
　　
　　By　now　they　were　down　on　the　alluvial　plain　of　the　Nile。　Twice　they　had　to　turn　off　the　road　and　wait　while　parties　of　armed　men；　anonymous　in　the　darkness；　rode　past　their　hiding…place。　After　midnight　they　came　to　an　abandoned　temple　of　some　forgotten　god　that　had　been　hollowed　out　of　the　side　of　a　low　clay　hill。　The　cave　was　large　enough　to　shelter　the　entire　squadron；　vehicle；　horses　and　men。　It　was　immediately　apparent　that　it　had　been　used　before　for　this　purpose：　lamps　and　an　oil　amphora　were　hidden　behind　the　ruined　altar；　and　bales　of　horse　fodder　were　stacked　in　the　sanctum。
　　
　　As　soon　as　they　had　removed　the　horses'　harness　and　fed　them；　the　troopers　ate　their　own　meal　then　settled　down　on　mattresses　of　dried　straw　and　were　soon　snoring。　In　the　meantime　Gil　had　changed　from　his　cavalry　uniform　to　the　nondescript　attire　of　a　peasant。　'I　cannot　use　a　horse；'　he　explained　to　Taita。　'It　would　attract　too　much　interest。　On　foot　it　will　take　me　half　a　day　to　reach　the　camp　at　Bubasti。　Do　not　expect　me　back　before　tomorrow　evening。'　He　slipped　out　of　the　cave　and　disappeared　into　the　night。
　　
　　Honest　Gil　is　not　such　a　simple　bluff　soldier　as　he　seems；　Taita　thought；　as　he　settled　down　to　wait　for　Lord　Naja's　allies　to　answer　the　message　that　Gil　was　taking　to　them。
　　
　　As　soon　as　it　was　light　he　posted　a　sentry　at　the　top　of　the　hill；　where　the　air　shaft　from　the　subterranean　temple　emerged。　Just　before　noon　a　low　whistle　down　the　shaft　warned　them　of　danger　and　Taita　climbed　up　to　join　the　sentry。　From　the　east　a　caravan　of　heavily　laden　donkeys　was　heading　directly　for　the　temple　entrance；　and　Taita　guessed　that　it　was　these　merchants　who　used　the　temple　as　a　makeshift　caravanserai。　It　was　almost　certainly　they　who　had　left　the　store　of　fodder　in　the　sanctum。　He　scrambled　down　the　hillside；　keeping　out　of　sight　of　the　approaching　caravan。　In　the　middle　of　the　roadway　he　arranged　a　pattern　of　white　quartz　stones　while　he　recited　three　verses　from　the　Assyrian　Book　of　the　Evil　Mountain。　Then　he　retired　to　await　the　arrival　of　the　caravan。
　　
　　The　leading　donkey　was　fifty　cubits　or　so　ahead　of　the　rest　of　the　column。　It　was　clear　that　the　animal　knew　of　the　temple　and　the　delights　it　contained；　for　he　needed　no　encouragement　from　his　driver　to　e　on　at　a　trot。　As　he　reached　the　pile　of　white　quartz　stones　in　the　path　the　little　animal　shied　so　violently　that　the　pack　slid　over　and　hung　under　his　belly。　He　started　to　buck　and　gallop　at　the　same　time；　heading　out　across　the　plain　away　from　the　temple；　hoofs　flying　in　every　direction。　His　hoarse　honking　and　braying　affected　the　rest　of　the　animals　in　the　column；　and　soon　they　were　rearing　and　throwing　their　heads　against　the　lead　reins；　kicking　out　at　their　drivers　and　running　in　circles　as　though　attacked　by　a　swarm　of　bees。
　　
　　It　took　the　caravan　drivers　half　of　the　rest　of　the　afternoon　to　catch　and　reassemble　the　runaways；　to　pacify　the　terrified　animals　and　to　set　off　again　on　the　road　towards　the　temple。　This　time　the　portly　and　richly　robed　figure　of　the　head　driver　marched　in　the　van；　dragging　the　reluctant　donkey　behind　him　on　a　long　rein。　He　saw　the　stones　in　the　middle　of　the　road　and　stopped。　The　column　crowded　up　behind　him；　and　the　other　drivers　came　forward。　They　held　an　impromptu　conference　with　raised　voices　and　arms　waving。　Their　voices　carried　to　where　Taita　sat　hidden　among　the　olive　trees　on　the　hillside。
　　
　　At　last　the　head　driver　left　the　others　and　came　on　alone。　At　first　his　step　was　bold　and　assured；　but　soon　it　slowed　and　became　timid　until　at　last　he　stood　ill…at…ease　and；　from　a　distance；　studied　the　pattern　of　quartz　stones。　Then　he　spat　towards　the　stones　and　jumped　back；　as　if　he　expected　them　to　return　the　insult。　Finally　he　made　the　sign　against　the　evil　eye；　turned　and　trotted　back　with　alacrity　to　join　his　fellows；　shouting　and　waving　them　back。　The　others　needed　little　convincing。　Soon　the　entire　caravan　was　in　full　retreat　along　the　road　it　had　e。　Taita　went　down　the　hill　and　scattered　the　stones；　allowing　the　influences　they　contained　to　disperse；　and　opening　the　way　for　the　other　visitors　he　was　expecting。
　　
　　They　came　in　the　short　summer　dusk；　twenty　armed　men　riding　hard；　Gil　leading　them　on　a　borrowed　steed。　They　swept　down　past　the　scattered　stones　and　up　to　the　entrance　of　the　temple；　where　they　dismounted　with　a　clatter　of　weapons。　The　leader　was　a　tall　man；　wide　across　the　shoulders　with　a　heavy　beetling　brow　and　a　fleshy　hooked　nose。　His　heavy　black　moustaches　were　trained　to　droop　down　on　to　his　chest；　and　coloured　ribbons　were　plaited　into　his　beard。
　　
　　'You　are　the　warlock。　Yes？'　he　said；　in　a　thick　accent。
　　
　　Taita　did　not　think　it　opportune　to　let　them　know　he　spoke　Hyksos　like　one　of　them；　so　he　replied　modestly　in　Egyptian；　neither　claiming　nor　denying　magical　powers。　'My　name　is　Taita；　a　servant　of　the　great　god　Horus。　I　call　his　blessing　down　upon　you。　I　see　that　you　are　a　man　of　might；　but　I　do　not　know　your　name。'
　　
　　'My　name　is　Trok；　Paramount　Chief　of　the　Clan　of　the　Leopard；　and　mander　of　the　north　in　the　army　of　King　Apepi。　You　have　a　token　for　me；　Warlock？'
　　
　　Taita　opened　his　right　hand　and　showed　him　the　broken　shard　of　blue　glazed　porcelain；　the　upper　half　of　a　tiny　votive　statue　of　the　god　Seueth。　Trok　examined　it　briefly；　then　took　another　fragment　of　porcelain　from　the　pouch　on　his　sword…belt　and　fitted　the　two　pieces　together。　The　broken　edges　matched　perfectly；　and　he　grunted　with　satisfaction。　'e　with　me；　Warlock。'
　　
　　Trok　strode　out　into　the　gathering　night　with　Taita　beside　him。　They　climbed　the　hill　in　silence；　and　squatted　down　facing　each　other　in　the　starlight。　Trok　kept　his　scabbard　between　his　knees　and　his　hand　on　the　hilt　of　his　heavy　sickle　sword。　From　habit　more　than　distrust；　Taita　thought；　but　nevertheless　the　war　chief　was　a　man　to　reckon　with。
　　
　　'You　bring　me　news　of　the　south；'　Trok　said；　in　a　statement；　not　a　question。
　　
　　'My　lord；　you　have　heard　of　the　death　of　Pharaoh　Tamose？'
　　
　　'We　know　of　the　death　of　the　Theban　pretender　from　prisoners　captured　when　we　took　the　city　of　Abnub。'　Trok　was　careful　not　to　acknowledge　by　word　or　inference　the　authority　of　the　Egyptian　Pharaoh。　To　the　Hyksos；　the　only　ruler　in　either　of　the　two　kingdoms　was　Apepi。　'We　heard　also　that　a　child　now　pretends　to　the　throne　of　Upper　Egypt。'
　　
　　'Pharaoh　Nefer　Seti　is　only　fourteen　years　of　age；'　Taita　confirmed；　equally　careful　to　insist　on　the　title　of　Pharaoh　when　he　spoke　of　him。　'He　will　not　attain　his　majority　for　some　years。　Until　then　Lord　Naja　acts　as　his　regent。'
　　
　　Trok　leaned　forward　with　sudden　intense　interest。　Taita　smiled　inwardly。　The　Hyksosian　intelligence　was　poor　indeed　if　they　did　not　know　at　least　that　much　about　the　affairs　of　the　Upper　Kingdom。　Then　he　recalled　the　campaign　that；　just　before　the　King's　death；　he　and　Pharaoh　Tamose　had　waged　against　Hyksosian　spies　and　informers　in　Thebes。　They　had　winkled　out　and　arrested　over　fifty。　After　interrogation　by　torture；　they　had　executed　every　one。　Taita　felt　a　smug　satisfaction　at　this　confirmation　that　they　had　cut　off　the　flow　of　information　to　the　enemy。
　　
　　'So；　then；　you　e　to　us　with　the　authority　of　the　Regent　of　the　south。'　Taita　detected　a　strange　air　of　triumph　about　Trok；　as　he　demanded；　'What　message　do　you　bring　from　Naja？'
　　
　　'Lord　Naja　wants　me　to　carry　his　proposal　directly　to　Apepi；'　Taita　hedged。　He　did　not　want　to　give　Trok　any　more　information　than　was　strictly　necessary。
　　
　　Trok　took　immediate　umbrage　at　this。　'Naja　is　my　cousin；'　he　said　coldly。　'He　would　wish　me　to　hear　every　word　he　has　sent。'　Taita　had　such　control　over　his　emotions　that　he　showed　no　surprise；　although　it　was　a　grave　indiscretion　on　Trok's　part。　His　suspicions　as　to　the　Regent's　antecedents　were　confirmed；　but　his　voice　was　measured　as　he　answered；　'Yes；　my　lord；　this　much　I　know。　However；　what　I　have　for　Apepi　is　of　such　moment　。。。'
　　
　　'You　underestimate　me；　Warlo