wilbursmith_warlock-第99章

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ion　before　he　shed　all　dignity　and　jumped　in　on　top　of　Meren　and　wrestled　him　beneath　the　surface。
　　
　　Taita　stood　on　the　bank　of　the　stream　and　looked　down　on　the　mayhem　with　a　benign　expression。　Then　he　turned　to　Mintaka。　'Put　the　thought　out　of　your　mind；'　he　said。
　　
　　'What　thought？'　She　feigned　innocence。
　　
　　'It　would　be　an　outrage　to　have　a　princess　of　Egypt　cavorting　with　a　rabble　of　rough；　naked　soldiers。'　He　took　her　hand　and　led　her　away　down　the　hill；　but　she　looked　back　wistfully　at　the　revels。
　　
　　'How　did　you　do　it；　Taita？'　she　asked。　'How　did　you　make　the　fountain　appear？　What　kind　of　magic　was　it？'
　　
　　'The　magic　of　mon　sense　and　observation。　The　water　has　been　there　for　centuries；　just　waiting　for　us　to　dig　down　to　it。'
　　
　　'But　what　about　the　prayers　and　the　words　of　power？　Were　those　of　no　effect？'
　　
　　'Sometimes　men　need　encouragement。'　He　smiled　and　touched　the　side　of　his　nose。　'A　little　magic　is　a　sovereign　tonic　for　flagging　spirits。'
　　
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　　For　months　thereafter　every　man　was　employed　in　the　digging　of　a　channel　to　lead　the　sweet　flood　of　water　down　the　hillside　and　into　the　old　wells。　These　now　became　storage　cisterns　for　the　settlement。　When　they　brimmed　over；　Taita　surveyed　the　old　fields　at　the　lower　end　of　the　valley　that　were　now　a　stony　desolation。　However；　the　outlines　of　ancient　irrigation　ditches　were　still　visible。　Their　levels　had　been　set　out　by　the　old　inhabitants；　and　it　took　small　effort　to　clean　out　the　contour　lines　and　divert　the　overflowing　waters　into　them。
　　
　　The　desert　earth　was　fertile；　the　goodness　had　not　been　leached　out　of　it　by　heavy　rainfall。　The　continuous　sunshine；　and　abundant　water　had　a　miraculous　effect。　They　planted　the　millet　seed　smuggled　in　from　Egypt。　All　Egyptians　were　farmers　and　gardeners　by　nature　and　tradition；　and　they　lavished　their　skills　upon　the　land　and　the　crops。　Within　months　they　had　reaped　their　first　harvest　of　dhurra。　Then　they　planted　grass　fields　for　grazing；　which　flourished　and　provided　far　beyond　their　present　needs。　The　women　joined　in　the　cutting；　drying　and　stacking　of　fodder；　and　within　the　year　they　had　sufficient　to　sustain　an　army　of　cavalry；　though　yet　they　lacked　the　horses。
　　
　　Almost　every　day　fugitives　drifted　into　the　city；　having　braved　the　desert　crossing　to　escape　the　tyranny　of　the　false　pharaohs。　They　came　singly　or　in　small　parties；　weary　and　almost　dying　of　thirst　and　starvation。　The　guards　posted　along　the　hills　intercepted　them；　and　sent　them　in　to　Hilto。　He　made　them　swear　the　oath　of　fealty　to　Pharaoh　Nefer　Seti；　then　issued　them　with　rations　and；　depending　on　their　suitability；　sent　them　to　the　training　regiments　or　put　them　to　work　in　the　fields　or　on　restoring　the　dilapidated　buildings　of　the　old　city。　These　waifs　and　foundlings　were　not　the　only　recruits；　however。　A　cohort　of　deserters　from　the　armies　of　the　false　pharaohs　marched　in　smartly　with　their　javelins；　shouting　the　praises　of　Nefer　Seti　as　soon　as　they　were　in　sight　of　the　walls。　Then　a　squadron　of　twenty　chariots；　driven　by　crack　troopers　of　the　Ankh　regiment　with　a　colonel　named　Timus　at　their　head；　came　in　under　arms　and　joyously　swore　themselves　in　as　the　liegemen　of　Pharaoh　Nefer　Seti。　Timus　brought　the　momentous　news　that　Naja　and　Trok　were　prepared　at　last　to　march　on　their　bined　offensive　against　King　Sargon　of　Babylon　and　Assyria。
　　
　　Over　the　last　few　months　the　two　pharaohs　had　mustered　their　expeditionary　force　of　three　thousand　chariots　at　Avaris；　and　now　they　had　almost　finished　their　preparations　to　cross　the　land　bridge　that　linked　Egypt　with　the　eastern　lands　to　the　north　of　the　Great　Bitter　Lake　and　Lake　Timsah。　First　they　had　sent　a　column　to　drive　in　the　Babylonian　pickets　along　the　border　then；　once　the　road　was　cleared；　they　had　shipped　in　tens　of　thousands　of　water　jars　in　carts　and　wagons　and　placed　them　at　strategically　located　storage　stations　across　the　dry　lands。　The　country　beyond　was　fertile　and　well　watered。
　　
　　They　planned　to　cross　the　land　bridge　in　the　full　of　the　moon；　using　its　light　and　the　cool　nights　to　sweep　past　Ismailiya　and　up　over　the　Khatmia　Pass　and　on　to　Beersheba；　gathering　up　the　forces　of　their　vassal　satraps　as　they　went。
　　
　　Nefer　and　Taita　had　been　preparing　the　defences　of　Gallala　against　an　imminent　attack　by　the　false　pharaohs。　They　knew　that　their　presence　in　the　ancient　city　must　by　now　be　mon　knowledge　throughout　the　two　kingdoms。　They　had　confidently　expected　Naja　and　Trok　to　move　against　them　first；　before　starting　on　the　Mesopotamian　adventure。　Therefore　they　were　amazed　to　have　this　reprieve。
　　
　　They　have　not　taken　seriously　the　threat　that　our　presence　so　close　to　their　borders　poses；'　Nefer　exulted。　'If　they　had　attacked　us　now　while　we　are　still　so　weak；　we　would　have　had　no　choice　but　to　fly。'
　　
　　'Perhaps　they　took　that　possibility　into　their　calculations；'　Taita　agreed。　'Perhaps　they　are　intent　on　conquering　Mesopotamia　and　cutting　off　any　support　that　we　might　have　attracted　in　the　Orient。　Then　they　would　have　us　surrounded。　I　think　they　have　miscalculated；　for　they　leave　us　to　grow　stronger　for　at　least　another　year。'
　　
　　'Can　we　be　certain　that　this　is　not　a　diversion？'　Nefer　asked　thought…fully。　'Is　the　eastern　expedition　a　pretence？　Perhaps　their　true　offensive　will　be　directed　against　us　after　they　have　lulled　us　into　a　sense　of　false　security。'
　　
　　'There　is　always　that　possibility。　Trok　is　a　bull；　but　Naja　especially　is　cunning　and　devious。　It　is　the　type　of　bluff　he　might　try。'
　　
　　'We　must　keep　the　expeditionary　army　under　observation；'　Nefer　decided。　'I　will　take　a　scouting　party　north　to　watch　the　road　through　Ismailiya；　and　make　certain　that　they　pass　that　way。'
　　
　　'I　will　go　with　you；'　Taita　agreed。
　　
　　'No；　Magus；'　Nefer　demurred。　'You　will　best　be　employed　here；　to　keep　our　defences　alert；　and　ensure　that　if　Naja　leads　three　thousand　chariots　down　upon　us；　the　populace　is　poised　for　instant　flight。　Also；　there　is　another　service　I　require　of　you　。。。'　He　hesitated。　'That　is　to　care　for　Mintaka。　I　believe　she　might　be　discontented　here　with　the　other　women；　and　may　attempt　something　unwise。'
　　
　　Taita　smiled。　'Precipitous　action　on　the　part　of　the　princess　is　always　a　distinct　possibility。　However；　I　know　well　enough　where　my　first　duty　lies。　I　will　go　with　you。'　Though　Nefer　argued　long　and　strenuously；　Taita　was　adamant；　and　in　the　end　Nefer　was　secretly　relieved　to　know　that　the　old　man　would　be　at　his　side；　as　always。
　　
　　Even　with　the　latest　arrival　of　troops　to　their　cause；　they　could　muster　only　thirty…two　battle…ready　chariots；　and　less　than　a　hundred　horses　fit　enough　to　draw　them。
　　
　　They　left　half　of　the　chariots　under　the　mand　of　Shabako　to　defend　Gallala。　Taking　Hilto　and　Meren　with　them；　they　set　out　with　sixteen　fighting　vehicles　to　drive　around　the　eastern　shore　of　the　Great　Bitter　Lake　and　intercept　the　main　route　north　of　Ismailiya。　The　new　moon　was　only　days　past　full；　the　nights　dark　but　pleasantly　cool；　so　they　made　good　progress；　and　pleted　the　journey　through　the　uncharted　wilderness　before　the　moon　was　into　its　second　quarter。
　　
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　　At　dawn　on　the　fifteenth　day　after　leaving　Gallala　they　lay　hidden　on　the　hills　to　the　east　of　Ismailiya；　from　where　they　could　overlook　the　town。　The　main　highway　ran　below　their　lookout　post　and　the　army　of　the　two　pharaohs　would　have　to　pass　this　way。　Ismailiya　was　the　Egyptian　border　fortress；　and　the　natural　starting　point　for　the　campaign。
　　
　　'It　seems　that　our　intelligence　is　good　enough；'　Nefer　called　down　to　Taita。　He　had　climbed　one　of　the　tall　cedar　trees　on　the　front　slope　of　the　hill；　and　from　there　he　had　a　fine　uninterrupted　view　over　many　leagues　of　terrain。　'The　town　is　swarming　with　activity。　There　are　horse　lines　and　a　city　of　tents　outside　the　walls　of　the　fort。'　He　shaded　his　eyes。　'There　are　clouds　of　dust　ing　up　the　road　from　the　delta。　It　looks　like　all　the　wagons　and　chariots　of　Egypt　are　on　the　march。'
　　
　　He　continued　to　call　down　his　sightings　to　the　Magus　through　the　rest　of　that　m