wilbursmith_warlock-第79部分

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ad　enough　of　it；　and　so　have　I。'
　　
　　She　giggled。　'Ancient　tortoise！　You　had　better　make　sure　he　doesn't　hear　that。　He　might　turn　you　into　a　toad；　and　I　should　not　like　that　at　all。'
　　
　　Early　the　following　morning；　the　teams　of　weary；　disgruntled　men　traipsed　up　the　valley　and　assembled　around　the　mouth　of　the　tunnel　to　await　the　arrival　of　the　Magus。
　　
　　With　his　usual　sense　of　the　dramatic；　Taita　came　up　the　slope　with　the　first　rays　of　the　rising　sun　behind　him；　suffusing　his　silver　bush　of　hair　with　light。　He　carried　a　roll　of　linen　cloth　over　one　shoulder。　Nefer　and　the　other　officers　stood　to　wele　him；　but　he　ignored　their　salutations　and　gave　instructions　to　Shabako　to　hang　the　linen　over　the　mouth　of　the　shaft　like　a　curtain。　When　it　was　in　place　he　entered　the　screened　shaft　alone；　and　a　silence　fell　over　the　men　gathered　outside。
　　
　　It　seemed　like　a　long　wait　but　was　in　reality　less　than　an　hour；　for　the　sun　had　risen　only　a　hand's　breadth　above　the　horizon；　when　the　linen　curtain　was　jerked　aside　and　Taita　stood　in　the　entrance　of　the　cave。　Either　by　chance　or　the　Magus'　design；　the　sunlight　shone　directly　into　the　shaft。　The　blank　face　of　the　adit　was　brilliantly　lit；　and　the　ranks　of　men　crowded　forward　expectantly。　They　saw　that　now　a　representation　of　the　wounded　eye　of　the　great　god　Horus　was　painted　on　the　blue　rock。
　　
　　Taita's　expression　was　rapt　as　he　began　to　chant　the　invocation　to　the　Horus　of　Gold。　The　waiting　congregation　fell　to　their　knees　and　came　in　with　the　chorus：
　　
　　'Horus　of　Gold；　mighty　butt！
　　Invincible　in　strength！
　　Master　of　his　foes！
　　Holy　in　His　rising！
　　Wounded　eye　of　the　universe！
　　Attend　our　endeavours。'
　　
　　After　the　last　verse　Taita　turned　and；　with　every　eye　fixed　avidly　upon　him；　strode　back　down　the　adit　until　he　stood　before　the　blue…grey　wall　of　newly　exposed　rock　at　the　end。　Tiny　crystals　of　feldspar　were　embedded　in　it　and　sparkled　as　the　sun　played　on　them。
　　
　　'Kydash！'　Taita　cried；　and　struck　the　wall　with　his　staff。　The　men　at　the　entrance　shrank　back；　for　this　was　one　of　the　words　of　power。
　　
　　'Mensoar！'
　　
　　They　gasped　with　awe；　and　he　struck　again。
　　
　　'Ncube！'　He　struck　for　the　third　and　last　time；　then　stepped　back。
　　
　　Nothing　happened；　and　Nefer　felt　a　sinking　disappointment　and　anticlimax。　Taita　stood　unmoving；　and　slowly　the　sun　climbed　higher　and　the　shadow　spread　across　the　rock　wall。
　　
　　Abruptly　Nefer　felt　a　tingle　of　excitement；　and　the　men　around　him　stirred　and　whispered。　In　the　centre　of　the　rock　face；　under　the　painted　eye；　a　dark　damp　spot　appeared。　It　spread　gradually；　and　a　single　drop　of　moisture　oozed　out；　sparkling　like　a　tiny　gem　in　the　sunlight。　Then　it　trickled　slowly　down　the　wall　and　balled　in　the　dust　of　the　floor。
　　
　　Taita　turned　and　walked　out　of　the　shaft。　Behind　him　there　was　a　sharp　sound；　like　the　breaking　of　a　dry　branch；　and　a　fine　crack　split　the　rock　from　top　to　bottom。　Water　dripped　to　the　floor；　drop　after　drop；　the　tempo　accelerating　into　a　rapid　patter。　Another　sound；　like　a　shard　of　pottery　snapping　in　flames；　and　a　chunk　of　rock　fell　out　of　the　wall。　A　sluggish　trickle　of　yellow　mud　oozed　out　of　the　opening　it　left。　Then；　with　a　roar；　the　entire　rock　face　collapsed；　there　was　a　rush　of　mud　and　a　gushing　fountain　of　crystal…bright　water。　Knee…deep；　it　swept　the　length　of　the　shaft；　burst　from　the　mouth　and　spilled　down　the　hillside；　bounding　and　rippling　over　the　rocks。
　　
　　There　were　shouts　of　amazement；　praise　and　disbelief　from　the　dusty　ranks。　Suddenly　Meren　ran　forward　and　plunged　headlong　into　the　rushing　torrent。　He　came　up　spluttering　with　his　wet　hair　slicked　down　over　his　face。　He　scooped　up　a　double　handful　and　gulped　it　down。　'Sweet！'　he　shouted。　'It　tastes　sweet　as　honey。'
　　
　　Men　threw　off　their　clothing　and　rushed　naked　into　the　stream；　splashing　sheets　of　spray；　throwing　handfuls　of　mud；　ducking　each　other　and　shouting　with　laughter。　Nefer　could　not　long　resist　the　temptation　before　he　shed　all　dignity　and　jumped　in　on　top　of　Meren　and　wrestled　him　beneath　the　surface。
　　
　　Taita　stood　on　the　bank　of　the　stream　and　looked　down　on　the　mayhem　with　a　benign　expression。　Then　he　turned　to　Mintaka。　'Put　the　thought　out　of　your　mind；'　he　said。
　　
　　'What　thought？'　She　feigned　innocence。
　　
　　'It　would　be　an　outrage　to　have　a　princess　of　Egypt　cavorting　with　a　rabble　of　rough；　naked　soldiers。'　He　took　her　hand　and　led　her　away　down　the　hill；　but　she　looked　back　wistfully　at　the　revels。
　　
　　'How　did　you　do　it；　Taita？'　she　asked。　'How　did　you　make　the　fountain　appear？　What　kind　of　magic　was　it？'
　　
　　'The　magic　of　mon　sense　and　observation。　The　water　has　been　there　for　centuries；　just　waiting　for　us　to　dig　down　to　it。'
　　
　　'But　what　about　the　prayers　and　the　words　of　power？　Were　those　of　no　effect？'
　　
　　'Sometimes　men　need　encouragement。'　He　smiled　and　touched　the　side　of　his　nose。　'A　little　magic　is　a　sovereign　tonic　for　flagging　spirits。'
　　
　　*　　*　　*
　　
　　For　months　thereafter　every　man　was　employed　in　the　digging　of　a　channel　to　lead　the　sweet　flood　of　water　down　the　hillside　and　into　the　old　wells。　These　now　became　storage　cisterns　for　the　settlement。　When　they　brimmed　over；　Taita　surveyed　the　old　fields　at　the　lower　end　of　the　valley　that　were　now　a　stony　desolation。　However；　the　outlines　of　ancient　irrigation　ditches　were　still　visible。　Their　levels　had　been　set　out　by　the　old　inhabitants；　and　it　took　small　effort　to　clean　out　the　contour　lines　and　divert　the　overflowing　waters　into　them。
　　
　　The　desert　earth　was　fertile；　the　goodness　had　not　been　leached　out　of　it　by　heavy　rainfall。　The　continuous　sunshine；　and　abundant　water　had　a　miraculous　effect。　They　planted　the　millet　seed　smuggled　in　from　Egypt。　All　Egyptians　were　farmers　and　gardeners　by　nature　and　tradition；　and　they　lavished　their　skills　upon　the　land　and　the　crops。　Within　months　they　had　reaped　their　first　harvest　of　dhurra。　Then　they　planted　grass　fields　for　grazing；　which　flourished　and　provided　far　beyond　their　present　needs。　The　women　joined　in　the　cutting；　drying　and　stacking　of　fodder；　and　within　the　year　they　had　sufficient　to　sustain　an　army　of　cavalry；　though　yet　they　lacked　the　horses。
　　
　　Almost　every　day　fugitives　drifted　into　the　city；　having　braved　the　desert　crossing　to　escape　the　tyranny　of　the　false　pharaohs。　They　came　singly　or　in　small　parties；　weary　and　almost　dying　of　thirst　and　starvation。　The　guards　posted　along　the　hills　intercepted　them；　and　sent　them　in　to　Hilto。　He　made　them　swear　the　oath　of　fealty　to　Pharaoh　Nefer　Seti；　then　issued　them　with　rations　and；　depending　on　their　suitability；　sent　them　to　the　training　regiments　or　put　them　to　work　in　the　fields　or　on　restoring　the　dilapidated　buildings　of　the　old　city。　These　waifs　and　foundlings　were　not　the　only　recruits；　however。　A　cohort　of　deserters　from　the　armies　of　the　false　pharaohs　marched　in　smartly　with　their　javelins；　shouting　the　praises　of　Nefer　Seti　as　soon　as　they　were　in　sight　of　the　walls。　Then　a　squadron　of　twenty　chariots；　driven　by　crack　troopers　of　the　Ankh　regiment　with　a　colonel　named　Timus　at　their　head；　came　in　under　arms　and　joyously　swore　themselves　in　as　the　liegemen　of　Pharaoh　Nefer　Seti。　Timus　brought　the　momentous　news　that　Naja　and　Trok　were　prepared　at　last　to　march　on　their　bined　offensive　against　King　Sargon　of　Babylon　and　Assyria。
　　
　　Over　the　last　few　months　the　two　pharaohs　had　mustered　their　expeditionary　force　of　three　thousand　chariots　at　Avaris；　and　now　they　had　almost　finished　their　preparations　to　cross　the　land　bridge　that　linked　Egypt　with　the　eastern　lands　to　the　north　of　the　Great　Bitter　Lake　and　Lake　Timsah。　First　they　had　sent　a　column　to　drive　in　the　Babylonian　pickets　along　the　border　then；　once　the　road　was　cleared；　they　had　shipped　in　tens　of　thousands　of　water　jars　in　carts　and　wagons　and　placed　them　at　strategically　located　storage　stations　across　the　dry　lands。　The　country　beyond　was　fertile　and　well　watered。
　　
　　They　planned　to　cross　the　land　bridge　in　the　full　of　the　moon；　using　its　light　and　the　cool　nights　to　sweep　past　Ismailiya　and　up　over　the　Khatmia　Pass　and　on　to　Beersheba；　gathering　up　the　forces　of　their　vassal　satraps　as　they　went。
　　
　　Nefer　and　Taita　had　been　preparing　the　defences　of　Gallala　against　an　imminent　attack　by　the　false　pharaohs。　They　knew　that　their　presence　in　the　ancient　city　must　by　now　be　mon　knowledge　throughout　the　two　kingdoms。　They　had　confidently　expected　Naja　and　Trok　to　move　against　them　first；　before　starting　on　the　Mesopotamian　adventure。　Therefore　they　were　amazed　to　have　this　reprieve。
　　
　　They　have　not　taken　seriously　the　threat　that　our　presence　so　close　to　their　borders　poses；'　Nefer　exulted。　'If　they　had　attacked　us　now　while　we　are　still　so　weak；　we　would　have　had　no　choice　but　to　fly。'
　　
　　'Perhaps　they　took　that　possibility　into　their　calculations；'　Taita　agreed。　'Perhaps　they　are　intent　on　conquering　Mesopotamia　and　cutting　off　any　support　that　we　might　have　attracted　in　the　Orient。　Then　they　would　have　us　surrounded。　I　think　they　have　miscalculated；　for　they　leave　us　to　grow　stronger　for　at　least　another　year。'
　　
　　'Can　we　be　certain　that　this　is　not　a　diversion？'　Nefer　asked　thought…fully。　'Is　the　eastern　expedition　a　pretence？　Perhaps　their　true　offensive　will　be　directed　against　us　after　they　have　lulled　us　into　a　sense　of　false　security。'
　　
　　'There　is　always　that　possibility。　Trok　is　a　bull；　but　Naja　especially　is　cunning　and　devious。　It　is　the　type　of　bluff　he　might　try。'
　　
　　'We　must　keep　the　expeditionary　army　under　observation；'　Nefer　decided。　'I　will　take　a　scouting　party　north　to　watch　the　road　through　Ismailiya；　and　make　certain　that　they　pass　that　way。'
　　
　　'I　will　go　with　you；'　Taita　agreed。
　　
　　'No；　Magus；'　Nefer　demurred。　'You　will　best　be　employed　here；　to　keep　our　defences　alert；　and　ensure　that　if　Naja　leads　three　thousand　chariots　down　upon　us；　the　populace　is　poised　for　instant　flight。　Also；　there　is　another　service　I　require　of　you　。。。'　He　hesitated。　'That　is　to　care　for　Mintaka。　I　believe　she　migh