wilbursmith_warlock-第91节

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given　him　as　a　gift　when　he　had　left　Thebes；　he　imprinted　the　clay　seal　with　the　royal　cartouche。　Then　he　went　on　to　the　next　chest　in　the　row　of　four。
　　
　　'We　are　not　taking　enough；'　Meren　grumbled。　'We　are　leaving　more　than　half　of　it　for　Naja　and　Trok。'
　　
　　'Greed　would　be　our　undoing；〃　Taita　grunted；　as　he　prised　up　the　lid　of　the　last　case。　'This　way　they　will　not　know　that　any　of　the　bullion　is　missing　until　the　paymaster　opens　the　cases　again　and　counts　it；　which　may　not　be　for　several　more　months。'
　　
　　From　each　case　in　the　four　carts　they　lifted　fifty　leather　bags　and　buried　them　in　the　loose　sand　of　the　wadi　bed。　Though　they　worked　as　swiftly　as　care　would　allow；　the　sun　was　low　in　the　western　sky　when　they　resealed　the　final　chest　and　locked　the　rear　doors　of　the　last　cart。　One　of　the　sleeping　guards　stirred　and　mumbled；　and　tried　to　sit　up。　Taita　went　to　him　and　laid　a　gentle　hand　on　his　brow。　The　man　sighed　and　lay　back。　Taita　pulled　open　his　mouth　and　sprinkled　a　pinch　of　white　powder　under　his　tongue；　and　he　lay　quiet。
　　
　　'We　must　hurry　now。　They　are　beginning　to　revive。'
　　
　　They　spread　sand　over　the　rows　of　bags　in　the　bottom　of　the　hole　beneath　the　last　wagon；　and　then　roughed　and　dotted　the　surface　with　footprints　so　that　the　smooth　sand　would　not　be　conspicuous。
　　
　　'How　much　do　you　estimate　we　took？'　Nefer　asked。
　　
　　'Impossible　to　tell　until　we　weigh　it；'　Taita　said；　'but　I　would　guess　we　have　at　least　three　lakhs。'
　　
　　'Enough　to　recruit　and　equip　an　army；'　Nefer　muttered；　as　he　worked。
　　
　　They　made　one　last　quick　but　thorough　inspection　of　the　carts　and　the　area　around　them；　to　make　sure　that　they　had　overlooked　nothing。　Then　leaving　the　guards　still　in　heavy　drugged　sleep；　they　slipped　away　down　the　wadi。
　　
　　They　climbed　into　the　foothills　below　the　plateau；　back　to　where　they　had　left　Hilto　with　the　chariots。　From　this　vantage…point　they　kept　watch　on　where　they　had　buried　the　plundered　gold。　They　observed　no　evidence　of　any　outcry　or　unusual　activity　in　the　wadi。　Perhaps　the　guards　felt　too　guilty　when　they　woke　to　make　any　report　on　their　dereliction　of　duty。
　　
　　Just　before　dark　they　saw　the　straining　teams　of　bullocks　heave　the　four　carts　out　of　the　sandy　riverbed；　and　trudge　away　behind　the　royal　litters　as　the　host　of　the　false　pharaohs　resumed　the　night　march。
　　
　　For　five　more　days　and　nights　the　great　army　of　Egypt　streamed　past　this　spot。　There　were　successive　squadrons　of　chariots；　regiments　of　slingers；　archers　and　spearmen。　These　were　followed　by　marching　columns　of　slaves　who　would　be　used　for　the　heavy　labour　of　building　fortifications　and　sapping　the　walls　of　besieged　cities。　Then　came　the　craftsmen；　the　chariot　builders　and　carpenters；　the　armourers　and　arrow　makers；　and　after　them　the　camp…followers；　the　wives；　sweethearts　and　whores　with　their　slaves；　servants　and　infants。　They　were　followed　by　the　merchants　with　wagonloads　of　goods　and　luxuries　of　every　possible　description　to　sell　to　the　troops　when　they　were　rich　with　loot　and　plunder。
　　
　　Yet　out　of　all　this　multitude　the　watchers　on　the　hills　saw　nobody　enter　the　dried　wadi　where　the　gold　was　buried；　and　though　each　day　panies　and　regiments　camped　nearby　no　one　approached　the　wadi　to　use　it　as　a　latrine　or　a　camping　site。
　　
　　When　the　last　vehicle　in　that　mighty　host　had　trundled　past　and　climbed　up　through　the　rocky　Khatmia　Pass；　and　the　last　straggler　had　limped　by；　Nefer　and　Taita　were　certain　that　the　short…weight　of　bullion　in　the　treasure　carts　had　not　been　discovered　by　the　army　paymasters；　and　they　were　almost　certain　that　the　cache　in　the　riverbed　had　not　been　stumbled　upon　by　chance。
　　
　　When　at　last　the　eastern　highway　was　deserted　they　came　down　from　the　hills　during　the　night　and　left　the　chariots　on　the　high　bank　of　the　wadi　with　the　horses　still　in　the　traces；　ready　for　instant　flight。　Nefer　and　Meren　went　down　into　the　sandy　bed；　and　in　the　moonlight　the　tracks　left　by　the　treasure　carts　and　the　oxen　were　still　plain　to　see。　After　only　a　few　thrusts　with　the　wooden　spade　Meren　whistled　with　glee　and　turned　up　the　first　pouch　of　gold。　As　they　lifted　each　bag　from　the　hole　they　counted　them；　making　certain　that　they　overlooked　not　a　single　one。　Then　they　carried　them　up　the　wadi　bank；　staggering　under　their　weight；　and　stacked　them　beside　the　waiting　chariots。　Eight　hundred　leather　bags　filled　with　fine　gold　made　an　impressive　pile。
　　
　　Too　much！　We　will　not　be　able　to　carry　away　all　of　it；'　Nefer　said　doubtfully。
　　
　　'It　is　one　of　the　natural　laws　of　this　wicked　world。'　Taita　shook　his　head。　'Of　gold　there　can　never　be　too　much。'
　　
　　The　light　fighting　chariots　had　not　been　designed　as　transport　carts；　but　they　loaded　them　until　the　axles　sagged　and　the　coachwork　groaned。　Still　they　had　not　taken　half　of　it　on　board。　Nursing　the　horses；　leading　them　by　the　reins；　they　took　the　overloaded　chariots　up　into　the　hills　then　came　back　for　the　next　load。　It　required　two　more　trips　to　carry　it　all　away。
　　
　　They　divided　the　treasure　into　five　equal　parts　and　buried　four　in　separate　caches；　well　dispersed；　taking　great　care　to　conceal　them　and　leave　no　sign。　Thus；　if　one　hoard　was　discovered　they　would　not　lose　all。　The　fifth　part　they　loaded　on　to　thirteen　of　the　chariots　and　Nefer　sent　them　back　to　Gallala　under　the　mand　of　Hilto。　Once　he　reached　the　city　Hilto　would　return　with　a　convoy　of　heavy　wagons　to　fetch　in　the　remainder。
　　
　　Nefer　kept　back　the　remaining　three　chariots。　They　would　be　driven　by　himself；　Taita　and　Meren。　The　two　squadrons　parted　pany；　Hilto　taking　his　laden　vehicles　south　again；　and　Nefer　leading　his　smaller　group　eastwards；　shadowing　the　army　of　the　two　pharaohs。
　　
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　　Nefer　travelled　by　day；　knowing　that　the　army　they　were　following　would　be　resting　in　camp；　and　with　a　daylight　view　ahead　they　were　unlikely　to　run　into　any　surprises。
　　
　　They　went　up　through　the　pass　on　to　the　plateau　where　they　found　ample　water；　although　much　of　it　had　been　fouled　by　the　thousands　of　animals　and　men　who　had　been　there　ahead　of　them。　The　horses　were　well　rested；　and　they　travelled　fast　in　the　lightly　laden　chariots。　They　passed　hundreds　of　abandoned　campsites；　marked　by　dead　fires　and　sagging　lean…to　shelters；　litter　and　scattered　filth。　There　were　also　hastily　dug　graves；　for　an　army　on　the　march　suffers　constant　attrition。　Some　had　already　been　dug　open　by　the　hyena　and　the　jackal；　the　corpses　dragged　out　and　partially　consumed。
　　
　　'We　will　need　her；'　Nefer　said；　as　he　dismounted　and　stood　over　the　body　of　a　young　woman；　probably　one　of　the　army　whores。　There　was　no　way　of　telling　how　she　had　died　for　the　vultures　had　almost　pleted　what　the　hyena　had　begun。　Her　eyes　and　lips　were　missing　and　her　skull　grinned　at　them　through　blood　blackened　teeth。
　　
　　'In　all　love　of　the　gods；'　Meren　cried；　'have　you　lost　your　senses？　That　thing　stinks　to　the　skies。'
　　
　　'Help　me　wrap　her。'　Nefer　ignored　his　protest。　He　had　found　a　length　of　discarded　linen；　so　torn　and　dirty　that　even　the　Bedouin　who　scavenged　behind　the　army　had　found　no　use　for　it。　Between　them　they　lifted　the　remains　of　the　dead　woman　on　to　it　and　wrapped　her　neatly。　Then；　to　his　loudly　expressed　disgust；　they　tied　the　bundle　to　the　back　of　Meren's　chariot。
　　
　　Though　they　had　been　travelling　under　the　dust　pall　since　dawn；　it　was　mid…morning　before　they　caught　up　with　the　rearguard　of　the　army。　The　entire　expeditionary　force　had　already　gone　into　laager　for　the　day；　and　the　smoke　from　the　cooking　fires　marked　the　position　of　hundreds　of　separate　encampments　along　the　road　ahead。
　　
　　Nefer　led　them　off　the　road；　and　they　circled　out　to　avoid　the　baggage　train；　keeping　out　of　sight　of　the　road。　Scouting　the　terrain　ahead；　they　went　forward　cautiously。　Eventually　they　caught　up　with　the　convoy　of　treasure　carts　and　the　tall　litters　of　the　royal　wives　halted　in　a　grove　of　olive　trees。　It　was　well　past　noon　when　Nefer　crept　up　close　to　them；　and　climbed　a　tamarind　tree　from　which　he　could　spy　over　the　thornbush　zareba　that　surrounded　the　camp。
　　
　　Queen　Merykara's　pavilion　was　set　up　at　some　distance　from　that　of　Heseret；　but　the　two　sisters　were　sitting　under　a　linen　awning；　protected　from　the　sun　and　picking　at　the　lavish　meal　their　serving　maids　had　brought　from　the　cooking　fires。
　　
　　Nefer　was　not　close　enough　to　overhear　their　conversation。　Heseret　sat　facing　him；　chattering　and　laughing　gaily。　She　was　even　more　beautiful　than　Nefer　remembered　her。　Even　in　these　informal　circumstances　she　was　wearing　carefully　applied　makeup；　which　was　intended　to　make　her　resemble　the　statue　of　Hathor　in　Memphis。　She　was　decked　out　in　a　suite　of　magnificent　jewels；　and　her　thick　dark　hair　had　been　freshly　oiled　and　crimped。　Misha；　the　tall　black　slave　girl　with　the　legendary　posterior；　leaned　over　her　shoulder　to　refill　her　golden　bowl。　A　splash　of　the　red　wine　spilled　down　the　front　of　Heseret's　dress。　She　sprang　to　her　feet　and　thrashed　Misha　over　the　head　with　a　heavy　fan　of　silver　and　ostrich　feathers。　The　girl　fell　to　her　knees　and　covered　it　with　both　han