| |||||
|
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
FIRST MONTH OF SUMMER 30 TH DAY
The finding of the necklace frightened Renisenb badly.
On the impulse of the minute she replaced it quickly in the jewel box,
slid home the lid and tied the string round the buttons again. Her instinct
was to conceal her discovery. She even glanced fearfully behind her to
make sure that no one had watched what she had been doing.
She passed a sleepless night, twisting to and fro uneasily and settling
and resettling her head on the curved wooden headrest of her bed.
By the morning she had decided that she must confide in someone. She
could not bear the weight of that disturbing discovery alone. Twice in the
night she had started up, wondering if, perhaps, she might perceive No-
fret’s figure standing menacingly by her side. But there was nothing to be
seen.
Taking the lion necklace from the jewel box, Renisenb hid it in the folds
of her linen dress. She had only just done so when Henet came bustling in.
Her eyes were bright and sharp with the pleasure of having fresh news to
impart.
‘Just imagine, Renisenb, isn’t it terrible? That boy– the herd boy, you
know–fast asleep this morning out by the cornbins and everyone shaking
him and yelling in his ear–and now it seems that he’ll never wake again.
It’s as though he’d drunk the poppy juice–and maybe he did–but if so who
gave it to him? Nobody here, that I’ll be bound. And it’s not likely he’d take
it himself. Oh, we might have known how it would be yesterday.’ Henet’s
hand went to one of the many amulets she wore. ‘Amūn protect us against
the evil spirits of the dead! The boy told what he saw. He told how he saw
Her. And so She came back and gave him poppy juice to close his eyes for
ever. Oh, She’s very powerful, that Nofret! She’s been abroad, you know,
out of Egypt. I dare swear she got to know all sorts of outlandish primitive
magic. We’re not safe in this house–none of us are safe. Your father should
give several bulls to Amūn–a whole herd if necessary–this isn’t a time for
economy. We’ve got to protect ourselves. We must appeal to your mother–
that’s what Imhotep is planning to do. The Priest Mersu says so. A solemn
Letter to the Dead. Hori is busy now drawing up the terms of it. Your
father was for addressing it to Nofret–appealing to her. You know: ‘Most
excellent Nofret, what evil thing have I ever done to you–’ etc. But as the
Divine Father Mersu pointed out, it needs stronger measures than that.
Now your mother, Ashayet, was a great lady. Her mother’s brother was
the Nomarch and her brother was Chief Butler to the Vizier of Thebes. If
it’s once brought to her knowledge, she’ll see to it that a mere concubine
isn’t allowed to destroy her own children! Oh yes, we’ll get justice done. As
I say, Hori is drawing up the plea to her now.’
It had been Renisenb’s intention to seek out Hori and tell him about her
finding of the lion necklace. But if Hori were busy with the priests at the
Temple of Isis it was hopeless to think of trying to get hold of him alone.
Should she go to her father? Dissatisfied, Renisenb shook her head. Her
old childish belief in her father’s omnipotence had quite passed away. She
realized now how quickly in times of crisis he went to pieces–a fussy pom-
posity replacing any real strength. If Yahmose were not ill, she could have
told him, though she doubted if he would have any very practical counsels
to offer. He would probably insist on the matter being laid before Im-
hotep.
And that, Renisenb felt with increasing urgency, was at all costs to be
avoided. The first thing Imhotep would do would be to blazon the whole
thing abroad, and Renisenb had a strong instinct for keeping it secret–
though for what reason she would have been hard put to it to say.
No, it was Hori’s advice she wanted. Hori would, as always, know the
right thing to do. He would take the necklace from her and at the same
time take her worry and perplexity away. He would look at her with those
kind grave eyes and instantly she would feel that now all was well…
For a moment Renisenb was tempted to confide in Kait–but Kait was un-
satisfactory, she never listened properly. Perhaps if one got her away from
her children–no, it wouldn’t do. Kait was nice, but stupid.
Renisenb thought: ‘There is Kameni…and there is my grandmother.’
Kameni…? There was something pleasurable in the thought of telling
Kameni. She could see his face quite clearly in her thoughts–its expression
changing from a merry challenge to interest–to apprehension on her be-
half…Or would it not be on her behalf?
Why this insidious lurking suspicion that Nofret and Kameni had been
closer friends than had appeared on the surface? Because Kameni had
helped Nofret in her campaign of detaching Imhotep from his family? He
had protested that he could not help himself. But was that true? It was an
easy thing to say. Everything Kameni said sounded easy and natural and
right. His laugh was so gay that you wanted to laugh too. The swing of his
body was so graceful as he walked–the turn of his head on those smooth
bronze shoulders–his eyes that looked at you–that looked at you–Renis-
enb’s thoughts broke off confusedly. Kameni’s eyes were not like Hori’s
eyes, safe and kind. They demanded, they challenged.
Renisenb’s thoughts had brought blood into her cheeks and a sparkle
into her eye. But she decided that she would not tell Kameni about the
finding of Nofret’s necklace. No, she would go to Esa. Esa had impressed
her yesterday. Old as she was, the old woman had a grasp of things and a
shrewd practical sense that was unshared by anyone else in the family.
Renisenb thought: ‘She is old. But she will know.’
|
|||||
上一篇：死亡终局31 下一篇：没有了 |
- 发表评论
-
- 最新评论 进入详细评论页>>
