wilbursmith_warlock-第22章
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sunlight with russet lights。 On top of them he wore the uraeus； the circlet of gold depicting Nekhbet； the vulture goddess； and Naja； the cobra。 Their images were entwined on his forehead； with eyes of red…and blue…coloured glass。 On his chin was the false beard of kingship。 His makeup was skilfully created so that his beauty was enhanced； and the packed crowds who waited before the tent sighed with admiration and awe as they sank to the ground in adoration。 His false fingernails were of beaten gold； and there were gold sandals on his feet。 On his chest was one of the most precious of the Crown Jewels of Egypt： the pectoral medallion of Tamose； a jewelled portrait of the god Horus the Falcon。 He walked with a stately tread for one so young； carrying the flail and the sceptre crossed over his heart。 He stared solemnly ahead until； from the corner of his eye； he glimpsed Taita in the front rank of the crowd： he rolled his eyes at the old man then made an impish moue of resignation。
In a cloud of perfume； Lord Naja walked a pace behind him； splendid with jewels and awesome with authority。 On his hip hung the blue sword； and on his right arm he wore the hawk seal。
Next came the princesses； with the golden feathers of the goddess Isis on their heads； and golden rings on their fingers and toes。 They were no longer in the stiff； encrusted robes of yesterday： from throat to ankles they were encased in long dresses； but the linen was so fine and transparent that the sunlight struck through it； as though through the river mist at dawn。 Merykara's limbs were slim； and her chest boyish。 The outline of Heseret's body was moulded into voluptuous curves； her breasts were rosy…tipped through the diaphanous folds； and at the base of her belly； in the fork of her thighs； nestled the shadowy triangle of womanhood。
Pharaoh mounted the processional carriage and took his seat on the elevated throne。 Lord Naja stood at his right hand； and the princesses sat at his feet。
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 u
