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。
* * *
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
