wilbursmith_warlock-第68章
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Taita led Hilto and the bearers through the doorway and they solemnly laid the basket on the floor beside the black diorite slab in the centre of the Hall of Sorrow。 Taita glanced at Hilto； and the grizzled old mander marched to the doors with great dignity and shut them in the faces of the assembled priests。 Then he hurried back to Taita's side。 Between them they opened the basket and lifted out Nefer's wrapped body。 They laid it on the black slab。
Taita turned back the fold of cloth that covered Nefer's face。 He looked pale and lovely as an ivory carving of the young god Horus。 Gently Taita turned his head to one side； and nodded at Bay who placed the leather instrument bag close to his right hand and opened it。 Taita selected the ivory forceps； slipped the points into Nefer's ear and drew out the woollen plug。 He filled his own mouth with dark ruby…coloured liquid from a glass jar； and through a gold tube carefully sluiced the dregs of the elixir of Anubis from Nefer's eardrums。 When he looked deep into the ear passages he was relieved to see that there was no inflammation。 Next he introduced a soothing ointment into the ear orifices and replugged them。 Bay had the antidote to the elixir ready in another phial。 When he opened the stopper it released a sharp odour of camphor and sulphur。 Hilto helped them to lift Nefer into a sitting position and Taita administered the entire contents of the phial。
Meren and the others had been watching this with blank inprehension。 Suddenly Nefer coughed harshly and； with superstitious dread； they sprang back from the slab and made the sign against evil。 Taita massaged Nefer's bare back and he coughed again； vomiting a little yellow bile。 While Taita kept working steadily at reviving him； Hilto ordered his men to their knees and made them swear a dreadful oath of secrecy as to all that they were witnessing。 Shaken and pale they swore their lives into jeopardy。
Taita placed his ear to Nefer's back； listened for a while then nodded。 He massaged him again； and listened once more。 He signed to Bay； who took a twist of dried herbs from the bag and lit the end at one of the temple lamps。 He held it under Nefer's nose。 The boy sneezed and tried to turn his head away。 Satisfied at last Taita rewrapped him in the linen sheet； and made another sign to Bay and Hilto。
The three turned back to the basket。 The others gaped as Taita lifted out the false bottom and revealed another corpse laid in the partment beneath。 This body also was wrapped in a white linen winding…sheet。
'e！' Hilto ordered。 'Lift it out！'
Under Taita's sharp eye and Hike's stern instruction they exchanged the two bodies。 They laid Nefer in the hidden partment in the bottom of the basket； but did not yet replace the false bottom。 Bay squatted beside the basket to watch Nefer and to check his condition。 The others laid the strange corpse on the diorite slab。
Taita swept away the winding sheet and revealed the body of a youth of about the same age and bodily shape of Nefer。 He had the same thick dark hair。 It had been Hilto's responsibility to procure this corpse。 In the present climate in the land this had not been difficult。 The plague was still flourishing in the poorer outlying areas of the nome。 In addition； there were the nightly gleanings from the streets and alleys of the city； the victims of brawling； outright murder； or footpads。
Hilto had considered all these sources。 However； in the end he had found； in circumstances so perfect to the quest that they could not have been coincidental； the ideal substitute for the young Pharaoh。 The city bailiffs had arrested this lad in the very act of slitting the purse of one of the most influential millet merchants in Thebes； and the magistrates had not hesitated to sentence him to death by strangulation。 The condemned lad was so like in body and general plexion to Nefer as to be able to pass as his brother。 In addition he was well set…up and healthy； not like the starvelings and plague victims。 Hilto had spoken to the mander of the city guards who had been charged with carrying out the execution； and during this friendly exchange three heavy gold rings had found their way into that worthy's purse。 It was agreed that the strangulation be delayed until Hilto gave him the word； and that it would be carried out with as little apparent damage to the victim as the executioner's skill could enpass。 The prisoner had been given justice that very morning and his body was not yet cold。
The canopic jars were arranged in the small shrine at the end of the hall。 Taita ordered Meren to fetch them and open the stoppers ready for filling。 While he was doing this； Taita rolled the corpse over and made a sweeping incision down his left side。 There was little time for surgical finesse。 He thrust his hand into the opening and drew forth the viscera then； using both hands； he worked the scalpel deep into the interior of the corpse。 First he cut through the diaphragm to gain access to the chest cavity； then reached deeper； past the lungs； liver and spleen； until he could sever the windpipe above its juncture with the lungs。 Finally he rolled the corpse over； ordered Meren to hold the buttocks apart and with sure strokes freed the sphincter muscles of the anus。 Now all the contents of the interior of the chest and abdomen were unanchored。
He brought them out on to the diorite slab in a single mass。 Meren blanched； swayed on his feet and clapped his hand over his mouth。
'Not on the floor； in the sink；' Taita ordered brusquely。 Meren had fought against Apepi's regiments in the north。 He had killed a man and been unaffected by the carnage of the battlefield； but now he fled to the stone basin in the corner and puked noisily into it。
Bloodied to the elbows； Taita began to separate the liver； lungs； stomach and entrails into piles。 As soon as this was done he took the entrails and stomach to the sink； wherein already reposed Meren's contribution。 He flushed out the contents of the dismembered stomach and entrails and packed them into their jars。 He filled every jar with the pickling natron salts； and sealed the stoppers。 Then he washed his hands and arms in the bronze basins filled with water expressly for that purpose。 He glanced enquiringly at Bay； and the Nubian nodded his bald； scarified head； reassuring Taita as to Nefer's condition。 Working with controlled haste Taita stitched the abdominal incision closed。 Then he bandaged the head until its features were hidden。 When that was done； he and Hilto carried the corpse to the large natron bath and lowered it into the harsh alkali mixture； until only the bandaged head was not immersed。 It would remain in the bath； with the head covered； for the next sixty days。 At the end of that time the priests would remove the bandage； and discover the substitution。 By that time； however； Taita and Nefer would be far away。
It took only a little longer to sluice down the slab with leather buckets of water； and to pack Taita's instruments； before they were ready to leave。 Taita knelt beside the basket in which Nefer lay； and laid a hand on his naked chest to feel the warmth of his skin and to check his breathing。 It was slow and even。 He drew down one eyelid and watched the pupil react to the light。 Satisfied； he stood up and gestured for Hilto and Bay to cover the hidden partment。 When this was done and they began to replace the basket lid； Taita stopped them。 'Leave it open；' he ordered。 'Let the priests see that it is empty。'
The bearers lifted the basket by its handles and Taita led them to the doors。 As they approached Hilto threw them open； and the assembly of priests craned forward。 They gave the empty basket only a cursory glance as it was carried out； then rushed into the Hall of Sorrow with almost indecent haste to take over the duties that had been usurped from them。 Ignored by the crowds that had gathered outside the temple； Taita's men loaded the basket on to the leading chariot and drove in column back to the city。
When they entered the main gates they found the narrow streets almost deserted。 The populac
