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itudes never thinned。 Not only a dozen varieties of duck and geese； but ibis and herons； egrets； spoonbills and openbills were in flight。 At every level； from high overhead to low down over the waving tops of the papyrus； they wheeled in dark cohorts or raced low in V…formations with rapid wingbeats。 They squawked and honked and quacked and bleated and wailed。
At intervals through the avian cacophony sounded a peal of sweet laughter and squeals of girlish glee as Mintaka's slave girls urged her to greater efforts。
Her light bow was well suited to the task。 It was quick to align and draw without taxing her strength unduly。 She was not firing the traditional blunt…tipped arrows but using instead sharp metal heads that had been especially forged for her by Grippa； the famous armourer。 The needle…points drove through the dense layer of plumage and went straight to the bone。 She had realized； without a word being exchanged； that Nefer intended to make a contest of the hunt； and she was proving that her petitive instincts were every bit as fierce as his。
Nefer had been badly rattled both by his first failure and by Mintaka's unexpected skill with the bow。 Instead of concentrating on his own task； he was distracted by what was happening in the other skiff。 Every time he glanced in that direction it seemed to him that dead birds were falling from the sky。 This flustered him further。 His sense of judgement deserted him； and he began to hurl the sticks too soon or too late。 To try to pensate he strained and started to jerk his arm into the stroke 〃 instead of using his whole body to launch the club。 His right arm tired quickly； so instinctively he shortened the arc of his throwing arm and bent his elbow； almost spraining his wrist as a result。
Usually he could count on hitting with six out of ten throws； now he was missing more than half。 His frustration increased。 Many of these birds he brought down were only stunned or crippled； and eluded his slave boys by diving under the surface and swimming into the thick papyrus beds； staying submerged beneath the mat of roots and stems。 The number of dead birds piled on the floorboards of the skiff grew pitifully slowly。 In contrast the happy cries from the other skiff continued almost without a break。
In desperation Nefer discarded his curved sticks and snatched up the heavy war bow； but it was too late。 His right arm was almost exhausted by his efforts with the sticks。 His draw was laboured and he shot behind the faster birds and in front of the slower ones。 Taita watched him flounder ever deeper into the trap he had set for himself。 A little humiliation will do him no real harm； he told himself。
With a few words of advice he could have corrected Nefer's mistakes： almost fifty years ago Taita had written the standard texts； not only on chariot handling and tactics but also on archery。 For once his sympathy was not wholeheartedly with the boy； and he smiled secretly as he watched Nefer miss again and Mintaka take down two birds from the same flight as they passed over her head。
However； he felt pity for his king when one of Mintaka's slaves swam across the lagoon； and hung on to the side of Nefer's skiff。 'Her Royal Highness Princess Mintaka hopes that mighty Pharaoh might enjoy jasmine…scented days and starry nights filled with the song of the nightingale。 However； her boat begins to sink under the weight of her bag； and she is hungry for her breakfast； which she says was promised her these hours past。'
An untimely sally！ Taita thought； as Nefer scowled furiously at this impertinence。
'You can give thanks to whatever god of apes and cur…dogs you worship； slave； that I am a man of passion。 Otherwise I would myself hack off your ugly head and send it back to your mistress to answer that jest。'
It was time for Taita to intervene smoothly： 'Pharaoh apologizes for his thoughtlessness； but he was enjoying the sport so much that he forgot the passage of time。 Please tell your mistress that we shall all go in to breakfast immediately。'
Nefer glowered at him but put up his bow and made no effort to revoke Taita's decision。 The two small boats paddled back towards the island in close formation； so that the piles of duck on the floorboards of each could be readily pared。 Not a word was said by the crew of either skiff； but everyone was conscious of the results of the morning's hunt。
'Your Majesty；' Mintaka called across to Nefer； 'I must thank you for a truly diverting morning。 I cannot remember when last I enjoyed myself so much。' Her voice was lilting and her smile angelic。
'You are too kind and forgiving。' Unsmilingly Nefer made a regal gesture of dismissal。 'I thought it was rather poor sport。'
He turned half away from her and stared broodingly out at the horizon of reeds and water。 Mintaka showed not the least distress at the pointed snub； but turned to her slave girls。 'e； let us give Pharaoh a few verses of 〃The Monkey and the Donkey〃。' One of her maids handed her the lute； and she strummed the opening bar then launched into the first verse of the silly children's song。 The maids joined in with the chorus； which involved raucous animal imitations and uncontrolled hilarity。
Nefer's lips twitched with amusement but he had taken up a position of frosty dignity from which he could not retreat。 Taita could see that he longed to join in the fun； but once again he had trapped himself。
First love is such unmitigated joy； Taita thought； with sympathetic irony； and to the delight of all the girls in the other boat he improvised a new version of what the monkey said to the donkey； which was much funnier than any that had preceded it。 They squealed anew and clapped their hands with delight。 Nefer felt himself further excluded and sulked ostentatiously。
They came in to the landing on the island still singing。 The bank was cut away steeply； and the mud below it black and glutinous。 The boatmen jumped over the side into the knee…deep ooze and held the first skiff steady while the slaves handed the princess and her maids across the gap onto the firm dry ground at the top of the bank。
As soon as they were safely ashore the royal skiff came in and the slaves made ready to hand Nefer across to join Mintaka on the high bank。 He waved them aside imperiously。 He had suffered enough humiliation for one morning； and he was not about to lower his dignity further by clinging to a pair of half…naked wet slaves for support。 He balanced easily on the transom and the entire pany watched respectfully for he was a splendid sight。 Mintaka tried not to let her emotions show； but she thought he was the most beautiful creature she had ever seen； slim and sleek with his boyish body just starting to take on the hard contours of manhood。 Even his haughty； sullen expression enthralled her。
He is of the stuff from which heroes and great pharaohs are moulded； she thought； in a surfeit of romantic ardour。 I wish I had not angered him so。 It was unkind； and before this day is ended I shall make him laugh again； as Hathor is my witness。