wilbursmith_warlock-第108节

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　　Meren　and　Sigassa；　the　Crocodile；　were　locked　chest　to　chest。　They　rolled　across　the　ring；　first　one　on　top　then　the　other。　Nefer　saw　at　a　glance　that　Meren　was　injured。　Sigassa's　diseased　skin　was　thick　and　horny；　impervious　to　pain；　and　he　used　it　now　like　a　weapon；　rubbing　himself　against　him；　tearing　Meren's　flesh　so　the　blood　oozed　up　from　the　shallow　lacerations　across　his　chest　and　arms。　Taita　had　warned　them　of　that；　but　it　was　impossible　to　avoid　his　loathsome　embrace；　and　Meren　was　being　overpowered。　Nefer　had　arrived　only　just　in　time。
　　
　　The　rules　of　the　Red　Road　were　deliberately　stacked　against　the　novices。　However；　they　allowed　one　novice　to　e　to　the　aid　of　the　other；　but　only　after　he　had　defeated　his　own　opponent。　This　was　one　of　the　few　concessions　they　were　granted。　Nefer　took　full　advantage　of　it。
　　
　　The　moment　he　was　into　the　ring　Nefer　stooped　and　picked　up　a　white　pebble　the　size　and　shape　of　a　dove's　egg。　As　he　ran　to　Meren's　aid；　he　placed　the　stone　in　the　centre　of　his　palm；　wrapped　his　fingers　and　thumb　around　it　and　clasped　it　so　firmly　that　his　knuckles　whitened　with　the　pressure。　He　had　turned　his　fist　into　a　weapon　as　effective　as　a　carpenter's　mallet。
　　
　　The　crowd　shouted　a　warning　to　the　Crocodile；　and　he　released　Meren　and　came　to　his　feet　in　one　swift　movement。　Head　down　he　charged　at　Nefer。　Taita　had　warned　them　that　his　bald　and　knobbly　skull　was　a　deadly　battering　ram。　Sigassa　had　already　cracked　two　of　Meren's　ribs　with　his　first　charge；　and　now　he　strove　to　do　the　same　to　Nefer。
　　
　　Nefer　let　him　e　on；　judging　his　moment；　placing　his　feet　firmly　and　then　he　swung　his　clenched　right　fist　into　the　side　of　Sigassa's　jaw；　at　the　precise　point　that　Taita　had　shown　him。　The　weight　and　speed　of　Sigassa's　own　rush　met　the　full　power　of　Nefer's　shoulders　behind　the　blow。　The　great　scaly　head　snapped　back　and　Sigassa's　legs　turned　soft　as　porridge　under　him。　But　his　momentum　carried　him　on；　he　sprawled　full　length　over　the　line　of　marker　stones。
　　
　　No　one　in　the　crowd　had　ever　seen　a　bare　fist　used　as　a　weapon。　They　gaped　in　amazement。　Even　Nefer　was　startled　by　the　result；　for　Sigassa　lay　without　twitching。　Nefer　recovered　in　a　moment　and　yelled　at　the　umpire；　'Sigassa　has　left　the　ring！　He　must　forfeit！'
　　
　　The　umpire　shouted　his　agreement；　'Nefer　Seti　is　the　victor。　Sigassa　forfeits　the　bout。　You　are　through　and　clear；　Nefer　Seti！'
　　
　　Nefer　ran　to　Meren　and　hauled　him　to　his　feet。　'Are　you　hurt？'
　　
　　'My　ribs！　The　swine　butted　like　a　bull；'　he　gasped。
　　
　　'We　must　go　on。'
　　
　　'Of　course。'　Meren　straightened　and　squared　his　shoulders。　His　face　was　grey　as　ashes　with　the　pain。　'It　is　nothing。'　But　he　clutched　the　side　of　his　chest　as　they　ran　back　to　the　chariot。　Hastily　they　pulled　on　their　discarded　chitons　and　strapped　on　the　leather　armour。
　　
　　'That　took　too　long。　We　are　losing　ground　every　second。'　As　they　scrambled　up　on　to　the　footplate　of　the　chariot　they　both　looked　back　down　the　terraced　slope　of　the　hills　towards　the　javelin　butts　on　the　plain　below。
　　
　　'There　they　are；'　Meren　grunted；　and　they　saw　the　dustcloud　boiling　up　pale　and　ethereal　in　the　sunlight。　The　pursuing　vehicles　were　still　only　dark　specks　beneath　the　hovering　dust；　but　seemed　to　grow　in　size　；　even　as　they　watched　them。
　　
　　There　was　nothing　to　say。　The　pursuers　would　not　be　tested　by　the　wrestlers。　They　would　ride　straight　past　the　rings　of　stones。　Nefer　and　Meren　knew　how　meagre　was　their　lead；　and　how　swiftly　they　could　lose　even　that　small　advantage。　It　needed　only　one　more　wrong　step　or　miscalculation　on　their　part。
　　
　　Nefer　shook　out　the　reins　and　called　to　the　team。　Dov　and　Krus　had　rested　while　they　had　been　wrestling。　Now　they　were　refreshed；　they　leaned　their　full　weight　into　the　harness　and　sped　away。　Ahead；　the　line　of　flags　marking　the　course　began　the　wide　turn　back　into　the　south；　in　the　direction　from　which　they　had　e。
　　
　　'Halfway　through！'　Meren　tried　to　sound　gay；　but　his　voice　was　tight　with　the　pain　of　his　cracked　ribs；　and　each　breath　he　drew　was　agony。　They　crossed　the　plateau　and　reached　the　far　side　where　the　terraces　dropped　in　a　series　of　giant　steps　to　the　rim　of　the　chasm。　They　looked　down　towards　the　paddocks　and　pastures　of　the　irrigated　lands；　startlingly　green　against　the　ochre　and　dun　hues　of　the　surrounding　landscape；　and　the　towers　and　rooftops　of　Gallala；　so　tumbled　and　earth…coloured　that　from　this　distance　they　seemed　not　man…made　but　natural　features　of　the　desert。
　　
　　They　looked　ahead　and　the　chasm　gaped　at　them　like　the　maw　of　a　monster。　Its　sides　were　sheer　and　unscaleable；　falling　to　shaded　purple　depths。　There　were　small　groups　of　people　on　the　path　that　skirted　the　top　of　the　cliffs。　These　were　the　spectators　who　had　watched　the　trial　of　the　javelins　and　who　had　taken　the　short…cut　and　were　hurrying　to　watch　the　archery　trial。
　　
　　Nefer　drove　hard　down　the　terrace；　pushing　the　horses　to　their　best　speed；　trying　to　win　back　even　a　few　yards　from　the　pursuit。　This　was　where　Krus　made　up　in　full　measure　for　his　mistakes　at　the　javelin　butts：　his　great　strength　bore　them　on　and　gave　new　heart　to　Dov　at　his　side。　They　reached　the　lip　of　the　chasm　and　raced　along　the　edge；　so　close　to　it　that　the　small　pebbles　thrown　up　by　the　wheels　were　flung　out　over　the　void。　Though　Krus　was　on　the　side　closest　to　it　he　never　broke　his　stride　but　leaned　into　the　traces　and　ran　with　all　his　heart　and　will。　Nefer　felt　his　spirits　soar　on　high。
　　
　　'We　can　still　beat　them　to　the　bridge；'　He　shouted　in　the　wind。　'e　away；　Krus！　e　away；　Dov。'
　　
　　Nefer　looked　ahead　and　saw　the　tall；　unmistakable　figure　of　Taita　standing　on　the　lip　of　the　precipice。　He　was　staring　across　the　chasm　at　the　archery　targets　on　the　far　side；　and　he　did　not　look　round　as　they　pulled　up　behind　him　and　jumped　down　from　the　chariot。
　　
　　The　previous　evening　Taita　had　predicted；　'With　the　west　wind　blowing；　the　archery　and　the　crossing　of　the　chasm　will　determine　the　final　oute。　I　will　wait　for　you　there。'
　　
　　They　took　down　the　bows　and　arrow　quivers　from　the　racks；　and　left　the　horse　in　the　care　of　the　waiting　grooms　as　they　hurried　to　join　Taita　at　the　edge　of　the　cliff。
　　
　　'We　lost　time　at　the　javelin　butts；'　Nefer　told　him　grimly；　as　he　strung　the　great　war　bow；　one　end　anchored　on　the　ground　between　his　feet　as　he　exerted　all　his　strength　and　weight　on　the　other　end　to　flex　the　stock。
　　
　　'Krus　was　too　eager；'　Taita　said；　'and　so　were　you。　But　there　is　no　profit　in　looking　back。　Look　ahead！'　He　pointed　across　the　deep　void　to　where　the　targets　were　suspended　on　a　light　bamboo　scaffolding。
　　
　　As　at　the　javelin　butts；　there　were　five　targets。　They　were　inflated　pigs'　bladders；　each　suspended　on　the　crosspiece　of　the　scaffold　by　a　length　of　flax　twine。　They　were　well　separated　so　that　an　arrow　intended　for　one　would　not　strike　another　by　chance。　The　twine　that　held　them　was　two　cubits　long；　so　that　they　had　freedom　of　movement。　Light　as　air　they　danced　on　the　west　wind；　bobbing　and　ducking　unpredictably。
　　
　　The　great　open　void　between　them　made　it　almost　impossible　to　judge　the　range　accurately；　and　the　west　wind　swirled　and　eddied　along　the　cliffs。　The　force　and　direction　of　the　wind　that　they　felt　on　this　side　of　the　chasm　would　be　different　from　that　on　the　far　bank。　However；　it　would　affect　the　arrows　almost　as　much　as　the　targets。
　　
　　'What　is　the　range；　Old　Father？'　Nefer　asked；　as　he　chose　a　long　arrow　from　the　quiver。　Earlier　that　morning　Taita　had　paced　out　one　side　of　a　right…angled　triangle　along　this　lip　of　the　chasm。　Then　he　had　gauged　the　angle　subtended　by　the　targets　on　the　far　side　with　a　weird　arrangement　of　pegs　and　strings　on　a　board。　He　had　used　these　measurements；　in　a　manner　that　was　unfathomable　to　Nefer；　to　calculate　the　range　across　the　chasm。
　　
　　'One　hundred　and　twenty…seven　cubits；'　Taita　told　him　now。　Nefer　added　this　information　to　his　own　calculations　of　wind　speed　and　direction；　as　he　took　his　stance　on　the　crumbling　edge　of　the　cliff。　Meren　stepped　up　beside　him　with　the　lighter　cavalry　bow　in　his　hand。
　　
　　'In　the　name　of　Horus　and　the　goddess；'　Nefer　prayed；　'let　us　begin！'　They　shot　at　the　same　time。
　　
　　Nefer's　arrow　dropped　over　the　crosspiece　of　the　scaffold；　too　long　and　high。　Meren's　arrow　rose　at　a　steeper　angle　aimed　wide　into　the　wind。　As　it　slowed　at　the　top　of　its　trajectory　the　wind　took　hold　of　it；　and　it　veered　to　the　left；　almost　at　the　limit　of　its　range　it　dropped　towards　the　dangling　bobbing　line　of　pigs'　bladders。　It　struck　the　middle　target　cleanly　and　they　heard　the　pop　as　it　burst；　and　disappeared　like　a　stroke　of　magic。
　　
　　A　joyous　shout　went　up　from　the　watchers；　and　the　umpire　called　the　hit　in　a　loud　voice；　but　Meren　muttered　as　he　nocked　another　arrow；　'That　was　a　fluke。'
　　
　　'I'll　take　any　more　flukes　that　you　have　in　your　quiver；'　Nefer　told　him；　'Bak…her；　brother；　Bak…her。'
　　
　　They　drew　and　fired　again；　this　time　Meren's　arrow　fell　short；　rattling　against　the　rocks　of　the　cliff。　Nefer　missed　the　bladder　on　the　right…hand　end