Free Alexander (Vol. 2) by Valerio Massimo Manfredi Page A

the women’s quarters. If you fail to respect my wishes I will make sure your King is informed. I hear he is a man who cannot bear any abuse of power.’
    ‘Did you hear that?’ Philotas asked as he turned to face his men, covered in wounds and dirt from the dogs.
    ‘I am sorry,’ Barsine then added, as she realized exactly what a state they were in. ‘If you had had yourselves announced, you could have avoided meeting the dogs. Unfortunately the area is rife with brigands and we have to take measures to protect ourselves. As for the physician, I will lead you to him immediately.’
    Together with Philotas she entered the atrium and then started off along a long corridor, behind a handmaid who held a burning lamp.
    They entered a room where a youth lay on a bed. Snefru-en-Kaptah was examining him.
    ‘How is he?’ asked Barsine.
    ‘It is only indigestion. Have him drink this infusion three times a day and have him fast all day tomorrow. He will soon be fighting fit.’
    ‘I must speak to the doctor alone,’ said Philotas, ‘with only my interpreter present.’
    ‘As you wish,’ Barsine agreed, and showed them both into a nearby room.
    ‘We know that this is Memnon’s home,’ Philotas began as soon as the door was closed.
    ‘Indeed, it is,’ the Egyptian confirmed.
    ‘We are looking for him.’
    ‘In that case you must look elsewhere, because he is not here.’
    ‘And where is he?’
    ‘I do not know.’
    ‘Have you treated him?’
    ‘Yes. I treat all those who require my services.’
    ‘You are of course aware that I can . . . oblige you to speak if I so choose.’
    ‘Of course, but I will not be able to tell you any more than I already have. Do you think that a man like Memnon would ever tell his doctor where he was planning on going?’
    ‘Was he wounded?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘Seriously?’
    ‘Any wound can be a serious one. It depends on how it progresses.’
    ‘I have no need of a medical lesson. I want to know what state Memnon was in the last time you saw him.’
    ‘He was on the mend.’
    ‘Thanks to your treatment.’
    ‘And those of some Greek doctors, including a certain Ariston of Adramyttion, if I remember correctly.’
    ‘Was he in any condition to ride?’
    ‘I really have no idea. I know nothing of horses. And now, if you will excuse me, I have other patients who are waiting for me.’
    Philotas could not think of anything else to ask the doctor and let him go. Back in the atrium he met up with his men, who in the meantime had searched the house.
    ‘Well?’
    ‘Nothing. There’s no sign of him. If he has been here, he certainly left some time ago, or he is hidden somewhere we can’t think of, unless . . .’
    ‘Unless what?’
    ‘Unless we set this place alight – if there are any rats hidden away they would have to come out at that stage, don’t you think?’
    Barsine bit her lip, but she said nothing. She simply lowered her eyes so as not to meet the gaze of her enemies.
    Philotas shook his head in disappointment. ‘Let’s just leave it and clear off – there’s nothing here of any interest to us.’ They left, and shortly afterwards the galloping of their horses faded into the distance, followed by the barking of the dogs. When they were three stadia away, Philotas pulled on the reins of his mount.
    ‘Blast! I bet right now as I speak he’s crawling out of some hole and he’ll be speaking peacefully with his wife. A beautiful woman . . . beautiful, by Zeus!’
    ‘I don’t understand why we didn’t grab her and . . .’ said one of his men, a Thracian from Salmydessus.
    ‘Because she’s too rich for your palate and if Alexander were ever to find out he’d cut your balls off and give them to his dog for supper. Indulge yourself with the camp whores if you really don’t know where to put it. Let’s go now, we’ve been riding around for too long.’
    At that very moment, over on the other side of the valley, Memnon was being transported towards another refuge