[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Trying to defend its mistress, the little cat scratched the
Hittite. He grabbed it by the scruff of the neck and slit its
throat with his iron dagger.
Blood-spattered, horrified, Tanit ran to her room.
Fifty
hmeni was relieved; Serramanna brooded.
A With Ramses back from Phoenicia safe and sound, I
can breathe easier, admitted the king s private secretary.
Why are you so glum, Serramanna?
294 Christian Jacq
Because Narish turned out to be a dead end.
What were you hoping for?
To find proof that he had suspicious dealings with
Dame Tanit. I could have threatened her with charges if she
didn t tell me the truth about Uri-Teshoop.
You re obsessed with that Hittite! Don t let it warp your
mind.
Are you forgetting that he murdered Ahsha?
We have no proof.
Too true, Ahmeni.
The Sard could feel himself aging. Serramanna, stymied
by the law! He might as well resign himself to admitting
failure: Uri-Teshoop had been shrewd enough to get around
the Egyptian police.
I m going home.
To anyone special?
No, Ahmeni. I m tired and I m going to sleep.
A lady is waiting for you, Serramanna s steward
announced.
I didn t send for a girl!
This one s no girl. A lady, I told you. I asked her to wait
in the front room.
Intrigued, Serramanna hurried to meet his guest.
Dame Tanit!
The comely Phoenician rose and rushed into the giant s
arms. Her hair was undone and bruises showed on her
cheeks.
Protect me, I beg of you!
I d be glad to, but from what . . . or whom?
Ramses: UNDER THE WESTERN ACACIA 295
From the monster who s made me his slave!
Serramanna was careful not to gloat. If you want me to
act in my official capacity, Dame Tanit, you ll have to press
charges.
Uri-Teshoop killed my cat, he chopped down my beau-
tiful sycamore, and he beats me all the time now.
Those are misdemeanors. He could get a fine, even
forced labor. But that wouldn t put him out of commis-
sion.
Will your men protect me?
My mercenaries are part of the king s royal bodyguard
and can t intervene in private matters . . . unless they become
affairs of state.
Drying her tears, Tanit pulled back and looked the
hulking Sard straight in the eye.
Uri-Teshoop wants to assassinate Ramses. He s in
league with the Libyan Malfi; they formed their alliance
under my roof. Uri-Teshoop brags about killing Ahsha with
an iron dagger that never leaves his side. He plans to use it
to kill the king. Would you call that an affair of state?
A hundred men fanned out around Dame Tanit s villa.
Archers climbed trees overlooking her garden; others stood
by on neighboring rooftops.
Was Uri-Teshoop alone or with his Libyans? Would he
take the household servants hostage if he noticed the
stakeout? Serramanna had demanded total silence in the
approach, knowing that the slightest incident would alert
the Hittite.
And, inevitably, there was one.
296 Christian Jacq
Scaling the villa s outer wall, a mercenary lost his footing
and fell into the shrubbery.
A barn owl hooted. Serramanna s men froze. After a few
minutes of stillness, the Sard gave the order to advance.
It was too late for Uri-Teshoop to run, but he wouldn t
surrender without a fight. Serramanna hoped to take him
alive and bring him to justice before the vizier.
A glint of light came from Tanit s bedchamber.
Serramanna and a dozen mercenaries flung themselves
onto the dew-soaked ground, crawled to the paving that
surrounded the villa, and rushed inside.
The servant girl cried out in fright and dropped her oil
lamp. It shattered on the floor. For a few seconds, confu-
sion reigned; the mercenaries fought with the shadows and
hacked at furniture with their swords.
Calm down! shouted Serramanna. Give us some
light!
Other lamps were lit. Trembling, the servant girl was
pinned between two soldiers pointing their swords at her.
Where is Uri-Teshoop? inquired Serramanna.
When he realized the mistress had left him, he jumped
on the back of his best horse and galloped off.
In frustration, the Sard slammed his fist into a Cretan
jar. The Hittite s warrior instincts had taken over. Sensing
danger, he had taken flight.
For Serramanna, being admitted into Ramses stark
office was the equivalent of entering the country s most
secret inner sanctum.
Also present were Ahmeni and Merenptah.
Ramses: UNDER THE WESTERN ACACIA 297
Dame Tanit has returned to Phoenicia after giving the
vizier a deposition, Serramanna told them. Several wit-
nesses place Uri-Teshoop on the way to Libya. He s gone to
join up with Malfi.
That s guesswork, judged Ahmeni.
No, it s for certain. Uri-Teshoop has nowhere else to
go, and he won t give up the fight against Egypt.
Unfortunately, reported Merenptah, we haven t been
able to locate the Libyans camp. Malfi keeps moving
around in the desert. All things considered, that may be a
good sign: it proves that Malfi hasn t been able to form a
real fighting force.
We have to catch up with them, ordered Ramses. An
alliance between two evil and violent leaders constitutes a
danger we can t ignore.
Serramanna drew himself up to his full height.
Your Majesty, I have a request to make of you.
Go ahead.
I m convinced that we haven t seen the last of this Hit-
tite monster. I beg the privilege of fighting Uri-Teshoop
and killing him by my own hand.
Granted.
Thank you, Your Majesty. No matter what the future
holds, you ve made my life a good one.
The Sard withdrew.
Is something bothering you? Ramses asked his son.
It s Moses and the Hebrews. They re finally closing in
on Canaan, which they consider their Promised Land.
How happy Moses must be . . .
Yes, but the local tribesmen aren t. They fear their
aggressive visitors. That s why I d like to ask you once more
for permission to take my troops and nip the problem in the
bud.
298 Christian Jacq
Moses will go as far as he must to create a country in
which his faithful can live as they please. That s his right, my
son, and we will not interfere. One day we ll open talks with
his new nation; perhaps they ll even become our ally.
What if they become our enemy instead?
Moses holds no grudge against his native land. You
ought to be worrying about the Libyans, Merenptah, not
the Hebrews. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl rafalstec.xlx.pl
Trying to defend its mistress, the little cat scratched the
Hittite. He grabbed it by the scruff of the neck and slit its
throat with his iron dagger.
Blood-spattered, horrified, Tanit ran to her room.
Fifty
hmeni was relieved; Serramanna brooded.
A With Ramses back from Phoenicia safe and sound, I
can breathe easier, admitted the king s private secretary.
Why are you so glum, Serramanna?
294 Christian Jacq
Because Narish turned out to be a dead end.
What were you hoping for?
To find proof that he had suspicious dealings with
Dame Tanit. I could have threatened her with charges if she
didn t tell me the truth about Uri-Teshoop.
You re obsessed with that Hittite! Don t let it warp your
mind.
Are you forgetting that he murdered Ahsha?
We have no proof.
Too true, Ahmeni.
The Sard could feel himself aging. Serramanna, stymied
by the law! He might as well resign himself to admitting
failure: Uri-Teshoop had been shrewd enough to get around
the Egyptian police.
I m going home.
To anyone special?
No, Ahmeni. I m tired and I m going to sleep.
A lady is waiting for you, Serramanna s steward
announced.
I didn t send for a girl!
This one s no girl. A lady, I told you. I asked her to wait
in the front room.
Intrigued, Serramanna hurried to meet his guest.
Dame Tanit!
The comely Phoenician rose and rushed into the giant s
arms. Her hair was undone and bruises showed on her
cheeks.
Protect me, I beg of you!
I d be glad to, but from what . . . or whom?
Ramses: UNDER THE WESTERN ACACIA 295
From the monster who s made me his slave!
Serramanna was careful not to gloat. If you want me to
act in my official capacity, Dame Tanit, you ll have to press
charges.
Uri-Teshoop killed my cat, he chopped down my beau-
tiful sycamore, and he beats me all the time now.
Those are misdemeanors. He could get a fine, even
forced labor. But that wouldn t put him out of commis-
sion.
Will your men protect me?
My mercenaries are part of the king s royal bodyguard
and can t intervene in private matters . . . unless they become
affairs of state.
Drying her tears, Tanit pulled back and looked the
hulking Sard straight in the eye.
Uri-Teshoop wants to assassinate Ramses. He s in
league with the Libyan Malfi; they formed their alliance
under my roof. Uri-Teshoop brags about killing Ahsha with
an iron dagger that never leaves his side. He plans to use it
to kill the king. Would you call that an affair of state?
A hundred men fanned out around Dame Tanit s villa.
Archers climbed trees overlooking her garden; others stood
by on neighboring rooftops.
Was Uri-Teshoop alone or with his Libyans? Would he
take the household servants hostage if he noticed the
stakeout? Serramanna had demanded total silence in the
approach, knowing that the slightest incident would alert
the Hittite.
And, inevitably, there was one.
296 Christian Jacq
Scaling the villa s outer wall, a mercenary lost his footing
and fell into the shrubbery.
A barn owl hooted. Serramanna s men froze. After a few
minutes of stillness, the Sard gave the order to advance.
It was too late for Uri-Teshoop to run, but he wouldn t
surrender without a fight. Serramanna hoped to take him
alive and bring him to justice before the vizier.
A glint of light came from Tanit s bedchamber.
Serramanna and a dozen mercenaries flung themselves
onto the dew-soaked ground, crawled to the paving that
surrounded the villa, and rushed inside.
The servant girl cried out in fright and dropped her oil
lamp. It shattered on the floor. For a few seconds, confu-
sion reigned; the mercenaries fought with the shadows and
hacked at furniture with their swords.
Calm down! shouted Serramanna. Give us some
light!
Other lamps were lit. Trembling, the servant girl was
pinned between two soldiers pointing their swords at her.
Where is Uri-Teshoop? inquired Serramanna.
When he realized the mistress had left him, he jumped
on the back of his best horse and galloped off.
In frustration, the Sard slammed his fist into a Cretan
jar. The Hittite s warrior instincts had taken over. Sensing
danger, he had taken flight.
For Serramanna, being admitted into Ramses stark
office was the equivalent of entering the country s most
secret inner sanctum.
Also present were Ahmeni and Merenptah.
Ramses: UNDER THE WESTERN ACACIA 297
Dame Tanit has returned to Phoenicia after giving the
vizier a deposition, Serramanna told them. Several wit-
nesses place Uri-Teshoop on the way to Libya. He s gone to
join up with Malfi.
That s guesswork, judged Ahmeni.
No, it s for certain. Uri-Teshoop has nowhere else to
go, and he won t give up the fight against Egypt.
Unfortunately, reported Merenptah, we haven t been
able to locate the Libyans camp. Malfi keeps moving
around in the desert. All things considered, that may be a
good sign: it proves that Malfi hasn t been able to form a
real fighting force.
We have to catch up with them, ordered Ramses. An
alliance between two evil and violent leaders constitutes a
danger we can t ignore.
Serramanna drew himself up to his full height.
Your Majesty, I have a request to make of you.
Go ahead.
I m convinced that we haven t seen the last of this Hit-
tite monster. I beg the privilege of fighting Uri-Teshoop
and killing him by my own hand.
Granted.
Thank you, Your Majesty. No matter what the future
holds, you ve made my life a good one.
The Sard withdrew.
Is something bothering you? Ramses asked his son.
It s Moses and the Hebrews. They re finally closing in
on Canaan, which they consider their Promised Land.
How happy Moses must be . . .
Yes, but the local tribesmen aren t. They fear their
aggressive visitors. That s why I d like to ask you once more
for permission to take my troops and nip the problem in the
bud.
298 Christian Jacq
Moses will go as far as he must to create a country in
which his faithful can live as they please. That s his right, my
son, and we will not interfere. One day we ll open talks with
his new nation; perhaps they ll even become our ally.
What if they become our enemy instead?
Moses holds no grudge against his native land. You
ought to be worrying about the Libyans, Merenptah, not
the Hebrews. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]