wilbursmith_warlock-第18部分

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　　The　panies　of　priests　from　every　one　of　the　fifty　temples　of　Thebes　fell　in　ahead；　strumming　the　lyre；　beating　drum　and　shaking　sistrum；　sounding　the　horns；　chanting　and　wailing　praises　and　supplications　to　the　gods。
　　
　　Then　Asmor's　bodyguard　took　up　their　positions　in　the　procession；　and　after　them　came　Hilto's　squadron　of　chariots；　all　freshly　burnished　and　decked　with　pennants　and　flowers。　The　horses　were　curried　until　their　hides　glowed　like　precious　metal；　and　ribbons　were　plaited　into　their　manes。　The　bullocks　in　the　traces　of　the　royal　carriage　were　all　of　unblemished　white；　their　massive　humps　decorated　with　bouquets　of　lilies　and　water…hyacinth。　Their　widespread　horns　and　even　their　hoofs　were　covered　with　gold　leaf。
　　
　　The　drivers　were　stark　naked　Nubian　slaves。　Every　hair　had　been　plucked　from　their　heads　and　bodies　which　greatly　emphasized　the　size　of　their　genitals。　They　had　been　anointed　from　head　to　foot　with　rich　oils　so　that　they　glistened　in　the　sunlight；　black　as　the　eye　of　Seth；　in　magnificent　contrast　to　the　snowy　hides　of　their　bullocks。　They　goaded　the　team　forward；　and　the　bullocks　plodded　through　the　dust。　A　thousand　warriors　of　the　Phat　Guards　fell　in　behind　them　and　burst　with　one　voice　into　the　anthem　of　praise。　The　populace　of　Thebes　had　opened　the　main　gates　of　the　city　in　wele　and　were　lining　the　tops　of　the　walls。　From　a　mile　outside　it　they　had　covered　the　dusty　surface　of　the　road　with　palm　fronds；　straw　and　flowers。
　　
　　The　walls；　towers　and　buildings　of　Thebes　were　all　built　of　sun…baked　mud　bricks…stone　blocks　were　reserved　for　the　construction　of　tombs　and　temples。　It　hardly　rained　in　the　Nile　valley　so　these　constructions　never　deteriorated；　they　had　all　been　freshly　whitewashed　and　hung　with　banners　in　the　sky　blue　of　the　House　of　Tamose。　The　procession　passed　through　the　gates；　with　the　crowds　dancing；　singing　and　weeping　with　joy；　filling　the　narrow　streets　so　that　the　pace　of　the　royal　carriage　was　that　of　a　giant　tortoise。　At　every　temple　along　the　way　the　royal　carriage　came　to　a　ponderous　halt；　and　Pharaoh　dismounted　in　solemn　dignity　to　sacrifice　to　the　god　who　dwelt　within。
　　
　　It　was　late　afternoon　before　they　reached　the　docks　at　the　riverside　where　the　royal　barge　waited　to　ferry　Pharaoh's　party　across　to　the　palace　of　Memnon　on　the　west　bank。　Once　they　had　gone　on　board；　two　hundred　rowers　in　massed　banks　plied　their　paddles。　To　the　beat　of　the　drum　they　rose　and　fell　in　unison；　wet　and　shining　like　the　wings　of　a　gigantic　egret。
　　
　　Surrounded　by　a　fleet　of　galleys；　feluccas　and　other　small　craft　they　made　the　crossing　in　the　late　sunlight。　Even　when　they　reached　the　west　bank　the　King's　duties　for　his　first　day　were　not　pleted。　Another　royal　carriage　bore　him　through　the　crowds　to　the　funerary　temple　of　his　father；　Pharaoh　Tamose。
　　
　　It　was　dark　before　they　rode　up　the　causeway；　lit　on　both　sides　by　bonfires；　and　the　populace　had　indulged　themselves　all　that　day　on　beer　and　wine　provided　by　the　royal　treasury。　The　uproar　was　deafening　as　Pharaoh　dismounted　at　Tamose's　temple；　and　climbed　the　stairway　between　ranks　of　granite　statues　of　his　father　and　of　his　patron　god　Horus　in　all　his　hundred　divine　guises…Horus　as　the　child　Harpocrates；　with　side…lock　and　a　finger　in　his　mouth；　suckling　at　the　breast　of　Isis；　or　squatting　on　a　lotus　blossom；　or　falcon…headed；　or　as　the　winged　sun　disc。　It　seemed　that　king　and　god　had　bee　one。
　　
　　Lord　Naja　and　the　priests　led　the　boy　Pharaoh　through　the　tall　wooden　gates　into　the　Hall　of　Sorrow；　that　holy　place　where　Tamose's　mummy　lay　on　its　embalming　slab　of　black　diorite。　In　a　separate　shrine　in　the　side　wall；　guarded　by　a　black　statue　of　Anubis；　the　god　of　cemeteries；　stood　the　pearly　alabaster　canopic　jars　that　held　the　king's　heart；　lungs　and　viscera。
　　
　　In　a　second　shrine　against　the　opposite　wall　the　gold…covered　sarcophagus　stood　ready　to　receive　the　royal　corpse。　The　lid　of　the　coffin　bore　a　portrait　of　Pharaoh　in　gold　so　lifelike　that　Nefer's　heart　twisted；　impaled　with　grief；　and　tears　started　in　his　eyes。　He　blinked　them　away；　and　followed　the　priests　to　where　his　father's　body　lay　in　the　centre　of　the　hall。
　　
　　Lord　Naja　took　up　his　position　opposite　him　on　the　far　side　of　the　diorite　slab；　facing　Nefer；　and　the　high　priest　stood　at　the　head　of　the　dead　king。　When　all　was　in　readiness　for　the　ceremony　of　Opening　the　Mouth　of　the　dead　king；　two　priests　drew　aside　the　linen　sheet　that　covered　the　corpse；　and　Nefer　recoiled　involuntarily　as　he　looked　down　on　his　father。
　　
　　For　all　the　weeks　after　his　death；　while　Nefer　and　Taita　had　been　in　the　desert；　the　embalmers　had　been　at　work　on　the　King's　body。　First　they　had　probed　a　long…handled　silver　spoon　up　his　nostril　and；　without　marking　his　head；　scooped　out　the　soft　custard　of　the　brains。　They　removed　the　eyeballs；　which　would　putrefy　swiftly；　and　filled　the　eye　sockets　and　the　cavity　of　the　skull　with　natron　salts　and　aromatic　herbs。　Then　they　had　lowered　the　corpse　into　a　bath　of　highly　concentrated　salts；　with　the　head　exposed；　and　let　it　soak　for　thirty　days；　daily　changing　the　harsh　alkali　fluids。　The　fats　were　leached　out　of　the　corpse　and　the　skin　peeled　away。　Only　the　hair　and　skin　of　the　head　were　unaffected。
　　
　　When　at　last　the　corpse　was　removed　from　the　natron　bath　it　was　laid　on　the　diorite　slab　and　wiped　down　with　oils　and　herbal　tinctures。　The　empty　stomach　cavity　was　stuffed　with　linen　pads　soaked　in　resins　and　waxes。　The　arrow　wound　in　the　chest　was　sewn　closed；　and　amulets　of　gold　and　precious　stones　placed　over　it。　The　barbed　and　broken　shaft　that　had　killed　the　king　had　been　removed　from　Pharaoh's　body　by　the　embalmers。　After　it　had　been　examined　by　the　council　of　state；　the　missile　had　been　sealed　in　a　golden　casket　and　would　go　into　his　tomb　with　him；　a　powerful　charm　against　any　further　evil　that　might　befall　him　on　his　journey　through　the　netherworld。
　　
　　Then；　during　the　remaining　forty　days　of　the　embalming；　the　corpse　was　allowed　to　dry　thoroughly　with　the　hot　desert　wind　through　the　open　doorways　streaming　over　it。
　　
　　Once　it　was　as　desiccated　as　firewood；　it　could　be　bound　up。　The　linen　bandages　were　laid　on　it　in　an　intricate　design；　as　incantations　to　the　gods　were　chanted　by　choirs　of　priests。　Under　them　were　placed　more　precious　talismans　and　amulets；　and　each　layer　was　painted　with　resins　that　dried　to　a　metallic　hardness　and　sheen。　Only　the　head　was　left　uncovered；　and　then　for　the　week　before　Opening　the　Mouth；　four　of　the　most　skilful　makeup　artists　of　the　guild　of　embalmers；　using　wax　and　cosmetics；　had　restored　the　King's　features　to　lifelike　beauty。
　　
　　They　replaced　the　missing　eyes　with　perfect　replicas　of　rock…crystal　and　obsidian。　The　whites　were　translucent；　the　iris　and　pupils　an　exact　match　of　the　king's　natural　colour。　The　glass　orbs　seemed　endowed　with　life　and　intelligence；　so　that　now　Nefer　gazed　into　them　with　awe；　expecting　to　see　the　lids　blink　and　his　father's　pupils　widen　in　recognition。　The　lips　were　shaped　and　rouged　so　that　at　any　moment　they　might　smile；　and　his　painted　skin　looked　silken　and　warm；　as　though　bright　blood　still　ran　beneath　it。　His　hair　had　been　washed　and　set　in　the　familiar　dark　ringlets　that　Nefer　remembered　so　well。
　　
　　Lord　Naja；　the　high　priest　and　the　choir　began　to　chant　the　incantation　against　dying　for　the　second　time；　but　Nefer　could　not　tear　his　gaze　away　from　his　father's　face。
　　
　　'He　is　the　reflection　and　not　the　mirror；
　　He　is　the　music　and　not　the　lyre；
　　He　is　the　stone　and　not　the　chisel；
　　He　will　live　for　ever。'
　　
　　The　high　priest　came　to　Nefer's　side　and　placed　the　golden　spoon　in　his　hand。　Nefer　had　been　coached　in　the　ritual；　but　his　hand　trembled　as　he　placed　the　spoon　on　his　father's　lips　and　recited；　'I　open　thy　lips　that　thou　might　have　the　power　of　speech　once　more。'　He　touched　his　father's　nose　with　the　spoon。　'I　open　thy　nostrils　that　thou　might　breathe　once　more。'　He　touched　each　of　the　magnificent　eyes。　'I　open　thine　eyes　that　thou　might　behold　the　glory　of　this　world　once　more；　and　the　glory　of　the　world　to　e。'
　　
　　When　at　last　it　was　done；　the　royal　party　waited　as　the　embalmers　wrapped　the　head　and　painted　it　with　aromatic　resins。　Then　they　laid　the　golden　mask　over　the　blind　face；　and　once　more　it　glowed　with　splendid　life。　Contrary　to　custom　and　usage；　there　was　only　one　death　mask　and　one　golden　sarcophagus　for　Pharaoh　Tamose。　His　father　had　gone　before　him　to　his　tomb　covered　by　seven　masks　and　seven　sarcophagi；　one　within　the　other；　each　larger　and　more　ornate　than　the　next。
　　
　　For　the　rest　of　that　night　Nefer　stayed　beside　the　golden　sarcophagus；　praying　and　burning　incense；　entreating　the　gods　to　take　his　father　among　them　and　seat　him　in　the　midst　of　the　pantheon。　In　the　dawn　he　went　out　with　the　priests　on　to　the　terrace　of　the　temple　where　his　father's　head　falconer　waited。　He　carried　a　royal　falcon　on　his　gloved　fist。
　　
　　'Nefertem！'　Nefer　whispered　the　bird's　name。　'Lotus　Flower。'　He　took　the　magnificent　bird　from　the　falconer　and　held　it　high　upon　his　own　fist；　so　that　the　populace　gathered　below　the　terrace　might　see　it　clearly。　Around　its　right　leg　the　falcon　wore　a　tiny　goldtag　on　a　golden　chain。　On　it　was　engraved　his　father's　royal　cartouche。　'This　is　the　godbird　of　Pharaoh　Tamose　Mamose。　It　is　the　spirit　of　my　father。'　He　paused　to　regain　his　posure；　for　he　was　near　to　tears。　Then　he　went　on；　'I　set　my　father's　godbird　free。'　He　slipped　the　leather　rufterhood　from　the　falcon's　head。　Fierce　eyes　blinked　at　the　light　of　the　dawn　and　the　bird　ruffled　its　feathers。　Nefer　unknotted　the　jesses　from　its　leg；　and　the　bird　spread　its　wings。　'Fly；　divine　spirit！'　Nefer　cried。　'Fly　high　for　me　and　my　father！'
　　
　　He　threw　the　bird　up；　it　caught　the　dawn　wind　and　soared　on　high。　Twice　it　circled　overhead；　and　then；　with　a　wild　and　haunting　cry；　it　sped　away　across　the　Nile。
　　
　　'The　godbird　flies　to　the　west！'　the　high　priest　called　out。　Every　member　of　the　congregation　upon　the　steps　of　the　temple　knew　that　that　was　a　most　unpropitious　omen。
　　
　　Nefer　was　so　physically　and　emotionally　exhau