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！
She sent for the scribes that same day and had them draw up a charter of manumission； freeing all the slaves who were owned by the estate； and a second deed transferring the entire estate to the priestesses of the temple of Hathor in Memphis。
When Mintaka tried to throw off her sorrow and mourning by relaxing with her girls on the after…deck； dancing and singing； playing bao and setting riddles； Trok tried to join in the sport。 He made two of the girls dance the Flight of the Three Swallows with him； then turned to Mintaka。 'Set me a riddle； Princess；' he pleaded。
'What smells like a buffalo bull； looks like a buffalo bull； and when it cavorts with the gazelles does so with all the grace of a buffalo bull？' she asked sweetly。 The girls giggled while Trok scowled and flushed。 'Forgive me； Your Highness； that is too obscure for me；' he replied； and stalked away to join his officers。
The next day he had forgiven； but not forgotten； the insult。 When they anchored at the village of Samalut； he ordered a troupe of itinerant entertainers； acrobats and musicians to e aboard the galley to entertain Mintaka。 One of the magicians was a handsome fellow； with an amusing patter。 However； his repertoire of tricks was stale and his execution lacking in finesse。 Yet as soon as Mintaka learned that the troupe was taking advantage of the peace that had e with the treaty of Hathor and was on its way upriver to Thebes； where they hoped to play before the court of the southern Pharaoh； Mintaka became enthralled with their performances； particularly that of the magician whose name was Laso。 After the performance she invited them to join her for refreshments of sherbet and honeyed dates。 She gestured at the magician to sit on the cushions at her feet。 He soon overcame his awe of her and regaled her with a few stories at which she laughed merrily。
Under the cover of the chatter and giggling of her girls she asked Laso to deliver a message to the famous Magus； Taita； when he reached Thebes。 Almost overe with her condescension Laso agreed readily。 First she impressed upon him the secrecy and the delicacy of the task； then slipped into his hand a small roll of parchment； which he hid under his chiton。
She felt a great lift of relief as she watched the troubadours go ashore。 She had been desperately seeking some means to convey a warning to Taita and Nefer。 The parchment contained protestations of her love for Nefer as well as a warning of Naja's murderous intentions； and that his sister Heseret could no longer be trusted as she had joined their enemies。 She went on to tell of the true circumstances surrounding the death of her father and brothers。 Finally she told of how Trok planned to take her to wife； despite her betrothal to Nefer； and asked Nefer to intervene with all his authority to prevent this happening。
She estimated that it might take the troupe ten days or more to reach Thebes and prostrated herself on the deck to pray to Hathor that her warning would not arrive too late。 That night she slept better than she had since the terrible events at Balasfura。 In the morning she was almost gay； and her girls remarked on how beautiful she looked。
Trok insisted that she joined him for breakfast on the foredeck。 His cooks had provided a lavish banquet。 There were twenty other guests and Trok seated himself next to Mintaka。 She determined that she would not allow even this imposition to dampen her spirits。 Pointedly she ignored Trok and directed all her charm and wit to the officers of his army who made up most of the rest of the pany。
At the end of the meal Trok clapped his hands for attention； and was rewarded with an obsequious silence。 'I have a gift for the Princess Mintaka。'
'Oh； no！' Mintaka shrugged。 'And what shall I do with this one？'
'I believe Your Highness will find it more to her taste than my other poor offerings。' Trok was looking so pleaseed with himself that she began to feel uneasy。
'Your generosity is misplaced； my lord。' She would not address him by any of his numerous new royal titles。 'Thousands of your subjects； victims of war and plague； are starving and stand in greater need than I。'
'This is something special； which will have value to you alone；' he assured her。
She threw up her hands in resignation。 'I am only one of your loyal subjects。' She made no effort to hide her sarcasm。 'If you insist； far be it from me to deny you anything。'
Trok clapped his hands again and two of his guardsmen came down the deck from the bows； carrying between them a large bag of untanned leather。 The smell it gave off was strong and unpleasant。 Some of the girls exclaimed with disgust； but Mintaka remained expressionless as the two soldiers stopped in front of her。
Trok nodded at them and they loosened the drawstring at the mouth of the bag； then tipped out the contents on to the deck。 The girls shrieked with horror； and even some of the men started and exclaimed with disgust。
The severed human head rolled across the planking to Mintaka's feet； and lay there； staring up at her with a wide and startled gaze。 The long dark locks were stiff with dried black blood。
'Laso！' Mintaka whispered the name of the inept magician whom she had entrusted with her message to Thebes。
'Ah！ You recall his name。' Trok smiled。 'His tricks must have impressed you as much as they did me。'
In the summer heat the head had begun to depose； and the smell was strong。 The flies came swiftly and crawled on the open eyeballs。 Mintaka's gorge rose； and she swallowed hard。 She saw that a scrap of papyrus parchment protruded from between Laso's purple lips。
'Alas； it seems that his last trick was his most amusing。' Trok leaned over and retrieved the blood…smeared parchment。 He held it so that Mintaka could be certain it was her own cartouche that sealed the message； then dropped the papyrus into the charcoal brazier on which the lamb kebabs were roasting。 It burned quickly and the ashes curled into grey powder。
Trok gestured for the head to be removed。 One of the soldiers picked it up by the hair； dropped it back into the bag and took it away。 The pany sat for a long minute in shocked silence； except that one of the girls was sobbing softly。
'Your Royal Highness； your divine father of illustrious memory must have had some premonition of the fate that awaited him；' Trok addressed her gravely。 Mintaka was too disturbed to reply。 'Before his tragic death he spoke to me。 He placed you under my protection。 I gave him my oath； and I accepted this as a sacred charge。 You need never appeal to any other for protection。 I； Pharaoh Trok Uruk； am your oath man。' He placed his right hand upon her bowed head； and in the other hand he raised another scroll of parchment。
'This is my royal proclamation setting aside the betrothal of Princess Mintaka of the House of Apepi to Pharaoh Nefer Seti of the House of Tamose。 Furthermore； it contains a proclamation of the marriage of the Princess Mintaka to Pharaoh Trok Uruk。 The proclamation has been rati