按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
r the influence of the elixir。 At last he went to the door and removed the locking bar。
'Send word to the Regent of the Upper Kingdom。 He should e immediately to hear terrible tidings of Pharaoh。'
Lord Naja arrived with surprising alacrity。 Princess Heseret was with him； and they were followed by a crowd of their intimates； which included Lord Asmor； the Assyrian doctor Noom； and most of the members of the council。
Naja ordered the others to watt in the corridor outside the royal apartments； while he and Heseret came into the chamber。 Taita rose from beside the bed to greet them。
Heseret was weeping ostentatiously and covering her eyes with an embroidered linen shawl。 Naja glanced at the bandaged body laid out stiffly on the couch； then glanced at Taita with a question in his eyes。 In reply Taita nodded slightly。 Naja masked the gleam of triumph in his eyes； then knelt beside the bed。 He laid one hand on Nefer's chest and felt the warmth slowly ebbing to be replaced by a spreading coolness。 Naja prayed aloud to Horus； who was the patron god of the dead pharaoh。 When he rose to his feet again he took Taita's upper arm in a firm grip。
'Console yourself； Magus； you did all that we could require of you。 You will not lack reward。' He clapped his hands； and when the guard hurried through the door he ordered； 'Summon the members of the council to assemble。'
They filed into the room in solemn procession and formed up around the bed three deep。
'Let the good doctor Noom e forward；' Naja ordered。 'Let him confirm the Magus' pronouncement of Pharaoh's death。'
The ranks opened for the Assyrian to reach the couch。 His long locks had been curled with hot tongs and dangled to his shoulders。 His beard had also been curled in the fashion of Babylon。 His robe swept the floor and was decorated with embroidered symbols of strange gods and magical patterns。 He knelt beside the deathbed and began an examination of the corpse。 He sniffed at Nefer's lips with a huge hooked nose from whose nostrils protruded clumps of black hair。 Then he placed his ear against Nefer's chest and listened； during a hundred beats of Taita's anxious heart。 He had placed much store in the Assyrian's ineptitude。
Then Noom took a long silver pin from the hem of his robe and opened Nefer's limp hand。 He pricked the point deeply up under the fingernail and watched for a muscular reaction or for a drop of blood to form。
At last he stood up slowly； and Taita thought that there was evidence of deep disappointment in his curled lip and lugubrious expression as he shook his head。 Taita reflected that he had certainly been offered untold rewards to use the silver pin to other effect。 'Pharaoh is dead；' he announced； and those around the bed made the sign against the evil eye and the wrath of the gods。
Lord Naja threw back his head and gave the first cry of lamentation； and Heseret； standing behind him； took up the wailing cry in her lovely soaring voice。
Taita hid his impatience while he waited for the mourners to file past the couch； and one by one to leave the chamber。 When only Naja and Heseret； Noom and the viziers of the nomes of the Upper Kingdom remained； Taita stepped forward again。 'Lord Naja； I beg your indulgence。 You are aware that I have been Pharaoh Nefer Seti's tutor and servant since his birth。 I owe him respect and duty； even now in death。 I beg you to grant me a boon。 Will you allow me to be the one to convey his corpse to the Hall of Sorrow； and there to make the incision to remove his heart and viscera？ I would take that as the greatest honour you could bestow on me。'
Lord Naja thought for a while； then nodded。 'You have earned that honour。 I charge you with the duty of conveying Pharaoh's sacred body to the funeral temple； and of beginning the process of embalming by making the incision。'
* * *
The old warrior； Hilto； came swiftly to Taita's summons。 He had been waiting in the guardroom at the palace gates。 With him he brought the Nubian shaman； Bay； and four of his most trusted men。 One of these was Meren； the friend and panion of Nefer's childhood。 He was now a handsome ensign of the guards； tall of stature and clear of eye。 Taita had asked for him particularly to take part in these duties。
Between them they carried the long woven basket that the embalmers used to transport their cadavers to the funerary temple。 The empty basket appeared heavier than one might have expected。
Taita let them into the death chamber and whispered to Hilto； 'Swiftly now！ Every second is precious。'
He had already wrapped Nefer in a long white winding sheet； with a loose fold of linen covering his face。 The pall…bearers laid the basket beside the couch and lifted Nefer reverently into it。 Taita packed bolsters around the body to cushion it during the move； then closed the lid； and nodded。 To the temple；' he said。 'All is in readiness。'
Taita trusted his bag to Meren； and they moved quickly through the passages and courtyards of the palace。 The sounds of mourning and lamentation followed them。 The guards lowered the points of their weapons and knelt as the dead Pharaoh passed。 The women covered their faces； and wailed。 All the lamps had been extinguished； and the fires in the kitchens had been drawn so that no smoke rose from the chimneys。
In the entrance courtyard a squadron of Hilto's chariots was drawn up with the horses in the traces。 The bearers laid the long basket on the footplate of the leading chariot and secured it with leather straps。 Meren placed Taita's leather instrument bag in the cockpit； and Taita mounted and took the reins。 The ram's horns of the regiment sounded a dirge； and the column moved out through the gates at a walk。
The news of Pharaoh's death had spread through the city like the plague。 The citizens crowded around the gates； wailing and ululating as the column passed。 Crowds lined the route along the river。 Women； howling their grief； ran forward and threw the sacred lotus blossoms on to the basket。
Taita pushed the horses into a trot； then into a canter。 He was desperate to get the basket into the sanctuary of the funerary temple。 The temple of Nefer's father had not yet been demolished even though Pharaoh Tamose had been taken months ago to his tomb in the bleak hills to the west。 No temple had yet been built for Nefer： he was so young that the expectation of his life stretched far ahead of him。 His death now was untimely and left them no alternative but to use the building prepared for his father。
The tall； rose…coloured granite walls and portico of the temple were set upon a low prominence overlooking the green river。 The priests； hastily assembled； were waiting to greet the column。 Their heads were freshly shaven and anointed with oil。 The drums and sistrum beat a slow tempo as Taita drove up the wide causeway and halted the chariot at the foot of the staircase that mounted to the Hall of Sorrow。
Hilto and his warriors lifted the basket and climbed the staircase with it balanced on their shoulders。 The priests fell in behind them； singing mournfully。 Before the open wooden doors of the Hall of Sorrow the pall…bearers paused； and Taita looked back at the priests；
'By the grace and authority of the Regent of Egypt； I； Taita； have been charged with lifting Pharaoh's viscera。〃 He fixed the high priest with a mesmeric gaze。 'All others will wait without while I perform this sacred charge。'
There was a hum of consternation among the brotherhood of Anubis。 This was a solecism； against tradition and their own authority。 But Taita held the priest's eye sternly； then slowly lifted his right hand holding the Periapt of Lostris。 The priest knew； by fearful repute； the power of that relic。 'As the Regent of Egypt has decreed；' he capitulated。 'We will pray without while the Magus performs his duty。'
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