wilbursmith_warlock-第90节

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very　word。　'I　cannot　sleep；　and　I　am　going　out　to　walk　awhile。'　The　sentry　was　trying　to　restrain　her；　but　she　shook　her　head　until　her　hair　danced　on　her　shoulders。　'No；　I　will　not　let　you　escort　me。　I　want　to　be　alone。'　The　sentry　insisted　and　she　flared　at　him；　'Stand　aside；　you　insolent　creature；　or　I　will　report　your　behaviour　to　my　husband。'　Reluctantly　the　sentry　acceded　to　her　orders　and　grounded　his　spear。　He　called　after　her　anxiously；　'Please；　Your　Majesty；　be　not　too　long　nor　venture　too　far。　It　will　be　more　than　my　miserable　life　is　worth　should　Pharaoh　find　out　about　this。'
　　
　　Merykara　ignored　him；　ducked　through　the　horses'　lines；　and　came　out　through　the　gate　of　the　thornbush　fence　that　surrounded　the　camp。　She　looked　back　only　once　to　make　certain　that　she　was　not　observed　by　any　of　the　sentries。　Then　as　though　to　an　assignation；　she　came　directly　to　where　Nefer　and　Taita　lay　among　the　desert　scrub。
　　
　　Nefer　saw　that　her　green　eyes　were　rapt　and　that　there　was　an　intent　expression　on　her　lovely　face；　as　though　she　were　listening　to　music　that　she　alone　could　hear。
　　
　　When　she　was　close　enough　to　touch；　Nefer　said　softly；　'Merykara；　don't　be　afraid。　It's　Nefer。'
　　
　　She　started　like　an　awakening　sleep…walker　and　stared　down　at　him。　Then　her　face　lit　with　an　expression　of　untrammelled　joy　and　she　sprang　forward　to　embrace　him。
　　
　　'Wait！'　Nefer　ordered。　'Don't　betray　us　to　the　guards。'
　　
　　He　was　proud　of　her；　for　she　obeyed　him　and　stopped　instantly。　She　had　always　been　an　intelligent　child。　She　glanced　around　quickly　and　her　voice　trembled　when　she　said　softly；　'I　was　sound　asleep；　but　suddenly　I　woke　and　knew　that　I　had　to　e　out　into　the　desert。　It　was　almost　as　though　a　voice　in　my　head　was　calling　to　me。'　She　looked　at　Taita。　'Was　it　your　voice；　Magus？'　Then　her　eyes　went　back　to　Nefer。　'Darling　brother；　you　will　never　know　how　I　have　missed　you。　First　I　thought　you　were　dead；　and　I　mourned　in　your　funeral　procession　with　ashes　on　my　head。　Look　here　are　the　scars　where　I　cut　my　arms　to　bleed　for　you。'
　　
　　'I　am　alive；　Merykara。　Believe　me；　this　is　no　shade　you　are　looking　at。'
　　
　　'I　know；　Nefer。　All　the　world　knows　now　how　you　took　Mintaka　away　from　Avaris　into　the　desert；　and　I　knew　in　my　heart　that　you　would　e　for　me　also；　one　day。'　She　smiled　through　happy　tears。　'I　knew　you　would　e。'
　　
　　'Yes；'　Nefer　said；　'we　will　take　you　away　with　us。　But　first　there　is　something　you　must　do　to　help　us。'
　　
　　'Anything　for　you　and　Taita；'　she　agreed　readily。
　　
　　Speaking　swiftly　and　urgently；　Taita　told　her　what　she　had　to　do　and　then　he　made　her　repeat　it。　She　did　so　faultlessly。　'You　are　a　clever　girl；　my　little　one。'　Taita　said。　'That　is　exactly　what　we　want　you　to　do。'　He　handed　her　a　small　packet。　'Here　is　the　powder。　Remember；　just　enough　to　cover　your　fingernail　in　each　jar。'
　　
　　'First　you　call　me　clever；　and　then　you　treat　me　as　though　I　were　stupid；'　she　snapped。
　　
　　'Forgive　me；　Your　Majesty。'　Taita　made　a　gesture　of　penitence。
　　
　　'Don't　call　me　that　either。　I　hate　being　married　to　that　slimy　serpent；　and　now　I　know　what　he　is　going　to　do　to　me；　I　hate　it　even　more。'
　　
　　'You　are　not　easy　to　please；　Merykara。　Now；　go　back　to　the　camp　before　the　guards　e　looking　for　you。'
　　
　　She　stooped　quickly　and　kissed　Nefer　on　the　lips。　'Until　tomorrow　then；　my　beloved　brother。'
　　
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　　The　following　noon　the　mighty　army　of　Egypt　camped　below　the　high　plateau　where　the　sandy　desert　and　the　dry　lands　ended。　They　had　almost　pleted　the　crossing　and　tomorrow　they　would　go　up　through　the　pass　into　the　cooler　lands　where　the　oases　were　only　a　day's　journey　apart；　where　forests　and　fields　and　vineyards　grew　and　mountain　streams　flowed　all　year　round。
　　
　　When　the　escort　of　the　royal　wives　began　to　set　up　camp　for　the　day；　they　found　that　the　young　Queen　Merykara　was　fractious　and　overbearing；　not　at　all　her　usual　sweet　and　gracious　self。　She　wanted　her　own　tent　set　further　apart　from　that　of　her　sister；　Queen　Heseret；　and　when　this　was　done　she　insisted　that　they　move　the　carts　that　carried　the　army　war　chests　down　into　a　narrow　wadi　two　hundred　paces　from　the　main　encampment。　In　vain　the　mander　of　the　guard　pointed　out　that　the　bed　of　the　wadi　was　soft　and　sandy　and　the　wheels　of　the　heavy　vehicles　would　sink　in　deeply。
　　
　　'I　don't　care　if　they　disappear　into　the　sand　pletely；'　she　told　him。　'I　am　sick　of　looking　at　those　ugly　carts　and　listening　to　the　mooing　of　the　bullocks。　Get　them　out　of　my　sight。'
　　
　　The　mander　thought　of　appealing　to　Pharaoh　Naja　Kiafan　to　ratify　this　unreasonable　order　from　his　youngest　wife。　Then　he　contemplated　the　fact　that　the　column　was　spread　out　over　almost　four　leagues　of　desert。　It　would　take　an　hour　of　hard　riding　to　reach　Pharaoh　at　it's　head；　and　the　return　ride　would　be　just　as　arduous。　The　day　was　even　hotter　than　those　that　had　preceded　it　and；　besides；　he　had　a　tryst　with　one　of　Merykara's　slave　girls；　an　enchanting　little　black　Nubian　who　knew　more　tricks　than　a　performing　monkey。　He　moved　the　carts　into　the　wadi　bottom　and；　as　a　sop　to　his　conscience；　doubled　the　guard　upon　them。
　　
　　Having　got　her　own　way；　Merykara　became　once　again　the　endearing　girl　they　all　loved　so　well。
　　
　　'I　am　so　sorry　I　was　hard　on　you；　Moram。　It　must　be　this　awful　heat　that　affects　us　all；'　she　told　the　mander　of　the　guard　sweetly　in　front　of　his　men。　'I　am　going　to　have　Misha　bring　you　five　jars　of　the　finest　beer　from　my　private　stores　to　make　it　up　to　you。　But　be　certain　that　you　share　it　equally　with　all　your　men　for　I　have　given　them　extra　work　and　trouble　too。'
　　
　　Misha；　the　statuesque　Nubian　maid　with　an　imperious　carriage　and　a　legendary　pair　of　buttocks；　brought　the　beer　jars　to　Moram's　tent；　and　the　men　lined　up　to　receive　their　share；　calling　down　the　gods'　blessings　on　Queen　Merykara　and　toasting　her　health　as　they　swigged　down　the　first　draught　of　the　frothing　liquor。
　　
　　Despite　his　promise　to　Merykara；　the　beer　was　of　such　surpassing　excellence　that　Moram　drank　more　than　his　share。　As　soon　as　they　were　alone　in　his　tent　he　pounced　on　Misha　who；　squealing　and　resisting　playfully；　finally　allowed　him　to　lift　her　clothing　and　unveil　her　prodigious　buttocks。　They　sprang　out　from　under　her　short　linen　skirts；　shining　black　as　new　mined　anthracite；　great　quivering　rounds；　dark　full　moons　that　overflowed　his　clutching　hands。
　　
　　In　a　transport　of　lust　he　mounted　her；　but　after　less　than　a　dozen　mighty　thrusts；　he　keeled　over　slowly；　fast　asleep　before　he　reached　the　floor。　Misha　stared　at　him　in　astonishment。　Nothing　like　this　had　ever　happened　to　her　in　all　her　short　but　busy　lifetime。　Moram　let　out　a　snore　that　reverberated　like　distant　thunder；　and　she　sprang　to　her　feet；　pulled　on　her　skirt；　delivered　one　furious　kick　to　his　sleeping　form　and　stormed　out　of　the　tent　back　to　her　mistress。　The　guard　at　the　entrance　to　the　royal　tent　was　also　sleeping　like　a　dead　man。
　　
　　'All　men　are　pigs；'　Misha　said；　in　her　savage　native　tongue；　and　kicked　him　with　all　the　strength　of　her　long　and　shapely　right　leg。
　　
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　　Nefer　led　a　small　party　of　his　men　down　the　dry　riverbed。　They　kept　close　under　the　bank；　and　the　soft　sand　muffled　their　footsteps。
　　
　　The　four　treasure　carts　were　drawn　up　side　by　side；　and　their　wheels　were　chained　together　so　that　they　could　not　be　driven　off　in　haste　by　bandits　or　robbers。
　　
　　Eight　armed　men　were　posted　around　them　as　sentries；　and　every　one　was　laid　out　on　the　soft　sand　like　a　corpse　awaiting　the　embalmers。　Taita　went　to　each　in　turn；　felt　for　the　pulse　in　the　throat　then　drew　back　a　lid　to　examine　the　eye　of　the　unconscious　man。　Finally　he　nodded　to　Nefer；　and　went　to　the　rear　door　of　the　first　cart。
　　
　　He　took　a　long　bronze　probe　from　his　pouch　and　worked　intently　on　the　massive　bronze　lock。　It　fell　open　and　the　hasp　snapped　back。　Taita　swung　open　the　heavy　metal　door　to　reveal　the　four　small　cases　that　were　tied　down　to　ringbolts　in　the　wagon　bed。　The　lids　of　the　treasure　chests　were　sealed　with　a　clay　tablet　that　carried　the　cartouche　of　Pharaoh　Naja　Kiafan。
　　
　　Taita　used　his　dagger　blade　to　lift　the　seals；　and　dropped　them　into　his　pouch　so　that　they　would　not　be　evidence　of　tampering　when　next　the　cart　doors　were　opened。　He　used　the　point　of　the　dagger　to　unscrew　the　fastenings　that　held　down　the　lid；　then　lifted　it。　The　chest　was　filled　with　small　leather　pouches。　Taita　weighed　one　in　his　hand；　and　smiled。　He　opened　the　mouth　of　the　pouch　to　see　the　unmistakable　glint　of　the　precious　metal　within。
　　
　　While　he　had　been　busy；　Nefer　and　Meren　had　dug　a　shallow　hole　in　the　soft　sand　under　the　wagon　truck。　Taita　passed　down　the　leather　pouch　to　Nefer；　who　laid　it　in　the　bottom　of　the　hole。　In　all　Taita　selected　fifty　of　the　heaviest　leather　bags　from　the　first　chest。　Then　he　screwed　back　the　lid。　Using　a　lump　of　fresh　damp　clay　that　he　had　brought　with　him　he　resealed　the　lid。　With　the　engraved　ruby　ring　that　Naja　had　given　him　as　a　gift　when　he　had　left　Thebes；　he　imprinted　the　clay　seal　with　the　royal　cartouche。　Th