下载辰思小说免费APP
“’Tisblood，“hecried。“Blood!Osirishasbeenslainafresh，andhisholybloodfillsthebanksofNile。“
Somuchweretheyafraid，indeed，thathadInotforcedthemtoholdtotheircoursetheywouldhaveturnedandrowedupstream，orbeachedtheboatandfledintothedesert。ButIcriedtothemtosteeronnorthwards，forthusperhapsweshouldsoonerbedonewiththishorror，andtheyobeyedme。Everaswewentthehueofthewatergrewmorered，almosttoblackness，tillatlastitseemedasthoughweweretravellingthroughaseaofgoreinwhichdeadfishfloatedbythethousand，orstruggleddyingonthesurface。Alsothestenchwassodreadfulthatwemustbindlinenaboutournostrilstostrainthef？tidair。
Wecameabreastofatown，andfromitsstreetsonegreatwailofterrorrosetoheaven。Menstoodstaringasthoughtheyweredrunken，lookingattheirredarmswhichtheyhaddippedinthestream，andwomenrantoandfrouponthebank，tearingtheirhairandrobes，andcryingoutsuchwordsas——
“Wizard’swork!Bewitched!Accursed!Thegodshaveslaineachother，andmentoomustdie!“andsoforth。
Alsowesawpeasantsdiggingholesatadistancefromtheshoretoseeperchanceiftheymightcometowaterthatwassweetandwholesome。
Alldaylongwetravelledthusthroughthishorribleflood，whilethespraydrivenbythestrongnorthwindspottedourfleshandgarments，tillwewerelikebutchersreekingfromtheshambles。Norcouldweeatanyfoodbecauseofthestenchfromthisspray，whichmadeittotastesaltasdoesfreshblood，onlywedrankofthewaterwhichIhadprovided，andtherowerswhohadheldmetobemadnownamedmethewisestofmen；onewhoknewwhatwouldbefallinthefuture。
Atlengthtowardseveningwenotedthatthewaterwasgrowingmuchlessredwitheveryhourthatpassed，whichwasanothermarvel，seeingthataboveus，upstream，itwasthecolourofjasper，whereonwepausedfromourrowingand，alldefiledaswewere，sangahymnandgavethankstoHapi，godofNile，theGreat，theSecret，theHidden。
Beforesunset，indeed，theriverwascleanagain，savethatonthebankwherewemadefastforthenightthestonesandrusheswereallstained，andthedeadfishlayinthousandspollutingtheair。ToescapethestenchweclimbedacliffthathererosequiteclosetoNile，inwhichwesawthemouthsofancienttombsthatlongagohadbeenrobbedandleftempty，purposingtosleepinoneofthem。
Apathwornbythefeetofmenrantothelargestofthesetombs，whence，aswedrewnear，weheardthesoundofwailing。Lookingin，I
sawawomanandsomechildrencroucheduponthefloorofthetomb，theirheadscoveredwithdustwho，whentheyperceivedus，criedmoreloudlythanbefore，thoughwithharshdryvoices，thinkingnodoubtthatwewererobbersorperhapsghostsbecauseofourbloodstainedgarments。Alsotherewasanotherchild，alittleone，thatdidnotcry，becauseitwasdead。Iaskedthewomanwhatpassed，butevenwhensheunderstoodthatwewereonlymenwhomeanthernoharm，shecouldnotspeakordomorethangasp“Water!Water!“Wegaveherandthechildrentodrinkfromthejarswhichwehadbroughtwithus，whichtheydidgreedily，afterwhichIdrewherstoryfromher。
Shewasthewifeofafishermanwhomadehishomeinthiscave，andsaidthatsevendaysbeforetheNilehadturnedtoblood，sothattheycouldnotdrinkofit，andhadnowatersavealittleinapot。Norcouldtheydigtofindit，sinceherethegroundwasallrock。
