wilbursmith_warlock-第28章

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　of　live　rats　waiting　to　be　fed　to　the　falcons　in　the　royal　mews。　The　wish　is　father　to　the　deed；　Taita　thought。　He　will　allow　himself　to　believe；　because　he　longs　for　it　to　be　so。
　　
　　He　watched　the　doubts　clear　in　those　yellow　eyes　and　Naja　embraced　him。　'I　believe　you。　When　I　wear　the　double　crown　you　will　have　rewards　beyond　your　expectation　or　imagination。'
　　
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　　Over　the　days　that　followed　Naja　kept　Taita　close　to　his　side；　and　the　old　man　used　this　new　position　of　trust　to　change　some　of　the　Regent's　undeclared　intentions。　At　Naja's　urging；　Taita　made　another　examination　of　the　auguries。　He　slaughtered　a　sheep　and　examined　its　entrails；　he　released　a　falcon　from　the　royal　mews　and　watched　its　flight　pattern。　From　these　he　was　able　to　determine　that　the　god　would　sanction　no　marriage　of　Naja　to　the　princesses　until　at　least　the　beginning　of　the　next　inundation　of　the　Nile　waters　or　the　flooding　would　certainly　fail。　This　would　be　a　disaster　that　even　Naja　could　not　risk。　The　life　of　this　very　Egypt　depended　upon　the　inundations　of　the　great　river。　With　this　prophecy　Taita　had　delayed　the　danger　to　Nefer；　and　the　agony　of　the　two　princesses。
　　
　　Naja　protested　and　argued；　but　since　that　terrible　night　at　Busiris　he　had　found　it　almost　impossible　to　resist　Taita's　predictions。　In　this　he　was　made　more　amenable　by　the　ominous　news　from　the　northern　war　front。　On　Naja's　orders；　and　against　Taita's　counsel；　the　Egyptians　had　launched　a　desperate　counter…attack　to　try　to　retake　Abnub。　They　had　failed；　losing　three　hundred　chariots　and　almost　a　regiment　of　foot　in　the　dreadful　fighting　around　the　city。　Now　Apepi　seemed　poised　to　deliver　a　crushing　stroke　through　the　demoralized　and　weakened　Egyptian　regiments；　and　e　storming　on　to　Thebes。　It　was　not　the　time　for　a　wedding；　which　even　Naja　conceded；　and　Nefer's　safety　was　ensured　for　a　while　longer。
　　
　　Already　a　constant　stream　of　refugees　fled　from　Thebes　by　road　and　river　towards　the　south。　The　volume　of　trade　caravans　from　the　east　fell　alarmingly；　as　the　merchants　waited　to　see　the　oute　of　the　imminent　Hyksosian　offensive。　All　modities　were　in　short　supply　and　prices　shot　up。
　　
　　'The　only　way　in　which　you　can　stave　off　an　annihilating　defeat　at　the　hands　of　Apepi　is　to　negotiate　a　truce；'　Taita　advised　the　Regent。
　　
　　He　was　about　to　qualify　this　by　adding　that　the　truce　would　in　no　circumstances　be　a　surrender；　that　they　would　merely　use　the　respite　to　strengthen　their　military　position；　but　Naja　did　not　allow　him　the　chance　to　elaborate。　'This　I　believe　also；　Magus；'　he　agreed　eagerly。　'Oft…times　I　tried　to　convince　my　beloved　panion；　Pharaoh　Tamose；　of　the　wisdom　of　this　course。　He　would　never　listen　to　me。'
　　
　　'We　need　time；'　Taita　explained；　but　Naja　waved　a　hand　to　silence　him。
　　
　　'Of　course　you　are　right。'　Naja　was　excited　by　this　unexpected　support。　He　had　tried　without　success　to　convince　the　individual　members　of　the　council　to　agree　to　a　peace　with　the　Hyksos；　but　none；　not　even　Cinka；　had　supported　him。　Even　the　loyal　Asmor　had　risked　his　wrath　by　vowing　to　fall　on　his　own　sword　rather　than　surrender　to　Apepi。　It　had　been　a　sobering　revelation　to　find　honour　flowering　in　such　unlikely　ground；　and　to　learn　that　even　as　regent　there　were　limits　to　what　he　could　force　through　the　council。
　　
　　Peace　with　the　Hyksos　was　the　cornerstone　of　Naja's　vision；　a　vision　of　the　two　kingdoms　reunited　and　a　single　pharaoh　ruling　both。　Only　a　pharaoh　who　was　part　Egyptian　and　part　Hyksosian　could　hope　to　achieve　that；　and　he　knew；　without　any　doubt；　that　this　was　what　the　gods　had　promised　him　through　the　Mazes。
　　
　　He　went　on　earnestly；　'I　should　have　known　that　you；　Taita；　were　the　one　person　who　would　not　let　yourself　be　blinded　by　prejudice。　All　the　others　cry；　〃No　surrender；〃　and　〃Death　rather　than　dishonour〃。'　He　shook　his　head。　'You　and　I　can　see　that　what　we　could　not　achieve　by　force　of　arms；　we　can　bring　about　perhaps　in　a　more　gentle　fashion。　After　sixty　years　in　the　Nile　valley；　the　Hyksos　are　being　more　Egyptian　than　Asian。　They　have　been　seduced　by　our　gods；　our　philosophy　and　our　women。　Their　savage　blood　has　been　softened　and　sweetened　by　ours。　Their　wild　ways　have　been　tempered　by　our　noble　manners。'
　　
　　The　Regent's　response　to　his　tentative　suggestion　was　so　overpowering　that　Taita　was　taken　aback。　There　was　much　more　here　than　he　had　suspected。　To　gain　time　to　think　it　out；　and　garner　some　inkling　of　Naja's　true　intentions；　he　murmured；　Those　are　words　of　wisdom。　How　could　we　hope　to　bring　about　this　truce；　Lord　Regent？'
　　
　　Naja　was　eager　to　explain。　'I　know　there　are　many　among　the　Hyksos　who　agree　with　these　sentiments。　It　would　take　little　for　them　to　join　us。　Then　we　can　bring　peace　and　unity　to　the　two　kingdoms。'
　　
　　The　veils　began　to　part。　Taita　was　reminded　suddenly　of　a　suspicion　he　had　once　heard　expressed　but　had　rejected　at　the　time。
　　
　　'Who　are　these　Hyksos　sympathizers？'　he　asked。　'Are　they　highly　placed？　Close　to　Apepi？'
　　
　　'Noblemen；　indeed。　One　sits　on　Apepi's　war　council。'　Naja　seemed　about　to　enlarge　on　this；　but　he　stopped　himself　with　an　obvious　effort。　It　was　enough　for　Taita。　That　faint　rumour　of　Hyksosian　connections　in　Naja's　background　must　have　had　substance；　and　if　it　was　true　the　rest　fell　neatly　into　place。　Once　again；　he　was　amazed　at　the　width　and　breadth　of　Naja's　ambitions。
　　
　　'Would　it　be　possible　to　meet　these　noblemen　and　speak　to　them？'
　　
　　Taita　asked　carefully。
　　
　　'Yes；'　Naja　confirmed。　'We　could　reach　them　within　days。'
　　
　　For　Taita　the　implications　of　that　simple　statement　were　enormous。　The　Regent　of　Egypt　had　covert　allies　in　the　ranks　of　the　traditional　enemy。　What　else　about　him　was　hidden？　Where　else　had　his　avaricious　fingers　reached？　A　chill　ran　down　Taita's　spine；　and　the　silver　hairs　on　the　back　of　his　neck　came　erect。
　　
　　This　is　the　loving　friend　who　was　at　Pharaoh's　side　when　he　was　struck　down。　Here　is　the　only　witness　to　the　manner　of　Pharaoh's　death。　This　creature　of　boundless　ambition　and　cruel　purpose　admits　to　being　an　intimate　and　confidant　of　Hyksosian　noblemen；　and　it　was　a　Hyksosian　arrow　that　killed　Pharaoh。　How　deep　does　the　plot　run？
　　
　　He　let　nothing　of　this　show　on　his　face；　but　nodded　thoughtfully；　and　Naja　went　on　quickly；　'I　am　certain　that　we　can　reach　agreement　with　the　Hyksos；　and　I　envisage　a　co…regency　between　Apepi　and　myself　with　a　joint　council　of　state。　Then　your　influence　would　be　needed　to　persuade　our　own　councillors　to　ratify　it。　Perhaps　you　could　consult　the　Mazes　again；　and　make　the　wishes　of　the　gods　known。'
　　
　　Naja　was　suggesting　that　he　make　a　fraudulent　divination。　Did　he　suspect　that　that　was　what　had　happened　at　Busiris？　Taita　did　not　think　so；　but　he　must　quash　the　idea　at　once。　His　expression　became　stern。　'In　any　matter　to　do　with　the　Mazes；　to　take　the　word　or　name　of　the　god　Ammon　Ra　in　vain　or　to　misrepresent　his　oracle　would　be　to　court　terrible　retribution。'
　　
　　Quickly　Naja　retracted。　'I　suggested　no　such　impiety；　but　through　the　Mazes　the　gods　have　already　given　sanction　to　me。'
　　
　　Taita　grunted。　'First　we　must　determine　if　this　treaty　is　feasible。　Apepi　might　believe　his　military　position　is　unassailable　and　refuse　to　meet　us。　Despite　any　approaches　from　us　for　peace；　he　might　decide　to　prosecute　this　war　to　the　bitter　end。'
　　
　　'I　do　not　think　that　will　happen。　I　will　give　you　the　names　of　our　allies　on　the　other　side。　You　must　go　to　them　secretly；　Taita。　You　are　well　known　and　respected　even　among　the　Hyksos；　and　I　will　give　you　a　talisman　that　will　prove　you　e　from　me。　You　are　the　best　emissary　for　our　cause。　They　will　listen　to　you。'
　　
　　Taita　sat　a　while　longer　in　thought。　He　tried　to　see　if　he　could　wring　any　further　advantage　to　Nefer　and　the　princesses　from　the　situation；　but　at　this　stage　he　could　find　none。　Whatever　happened；　Nefer　would　still　be　in　mortal　danger。
　　
　　There　was　only　one　certain　course　open　to　Taita　if　he　were　to　ensure　Nefer's　survival　and　that　was　to　get　him　out　of　Egypt　while　Naja　was　still　in　power。　Was　there　an　opportuni