elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第101部分

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　〃Very　well；〃　said　Nefret；　her　tight　lips　relaxing。　〃I　gave　her　the　same　lecture　less　than　an　hour　ago。　Evidently　it　didn't　make　an　impression。〃
　She　went　to　Jumana　and　lifted　her　out　of　her　chair　by　her　shoulders。　〃Have　I　your　full　attention　now；　Jumana？　Bertie　behaved　tonight　as　any　decent　man　would；　ing　to　the　assistance　of　an　inexperienced　young　girl　who　is　about　to　be　。　。　。〃　She　glanced　at　me；　and　went　on；　〃。　。　。　taken　advantage　of　by　an　unscrupulous　scoundrel。　He'd　have　done　it　for　any　girl；　Jumana；　so　don't　preen　yourself！　The　only　mistake　he　made　was　in　playing　by　the　rules　and　expecting　Sebastian　to　do　the　same。　Now　go　to　your　room　and　think　about　what　I've　said；　unless　you　want　to　apologize　to　Bertie　and　thank　him。〃
　Red…faced　and　stuttering；　Bertie　exclaimed；　〃Oh；　I　say；　she　doesn't　owe　me　an　apology。　It　was　…　well；　it　was　…　what　one　does；　you　know。　Only　I　didn't　do　it　awfully　well。　I　mean　…〃
　Jumana　burst　into　tears　and　ran　out　of　the　room。　Bertie　smiled　apologetically。　〃I　seem　to　have　mucked　it　up；　as　usual。　Shouldn't　have　lost　my　temper。〃
　〃You　weren't　the　only　one；〃　Ramses　said。　He　had　also　divested　himself　of　his　extraneous　garments　and　was　sitting　on　the　floor　by　Nefret's　chair。　〃I　made　an　even　greater　fool　of　myself；　crashing　through　the　shrubbery　after　him。　I'll　probably　get　a　bill　from　the　hotel　tomorrow　for　damaged　plants。〃
　〃One　good　thing　has　e　of　it；〃　I　declared。　〃We　now　understand　the　reason　for　the　Albions'　politeness　to　Jumana。　That　disgusting　young　man　still　had　…　er　…　designs　on　her。　Your　warning　to　him；　Ramses；　only　spurred　him　on。　Some　men；　I　believe；　would　consider　an　innocent　girl　a　challenge。〃
　〃And　safer　than　the　brothels；〃　Ramses　murmured。
　〃Please；　Ramses。〃
　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Mother。　I　wouldn't　deny　that　one　of　Sebastian's　motives　was　seduction；　but　isn't　it　somewhat　strange　that　his　father　and　mother　would　conspire　with　him？　Especially　his　mother。〃
　〃Bah；〃　Emerson　declared。　〃She　thinks　the　Albions；　father　and　son；　are　entitled　to　use　any　means　possible　to　get　anything　they　want。　They　want　Jamil's　tomb。　They　believe　Jumana　can　help　them　find　it。　It　isn't　difficult　to　understand　why　they　are　so　keen。　Jamil　gave　them　enough　to　whet　their　appetites。〃
　He　smiled　provocatively　at　me。
　〃So　that　is　where　you　were　tonight；〃　I　said。　〃I　suspected　as　much。〃
　〃No；　Peabody；　you　didn't　suspect　a　cursed　thing；　or　you　would　have　insisted　on　going　with　me；　and　you'd　have　been　caught　in　the　act；　as　I　almost　was。〃
　〃Tell　us　all　about　it；〃　said　Nefret；　her　dimples　showing。
　〃I　have　every　intention　of　doing　so；　if　the　rest　of　you　have　finished　chattering。　It　wasn't　my　fault　that　I　was　almost　caught；〃　Emerson　went　on。　〃One　of　the　cursed　sufragis　turned　up　while　I　was　trying　my　skeleton　keys　in　the　lock。　He　recognized　me；　of　course；　so　I　sent　him　on　his　way　with　a　fistful　of　money　and　a　few　small　curses。　Once　inside；　I　assumed　my　disguise。〃
　He　paused　…　ostensibly　to　sip　his　whiskey。　I　didn't　ask　why　he　had　bothered　with　a　disguise。　A　disguise　is　its　own　excuse　as　far　as　Emerson　is　concerned。
　〃You　may　well　ask；〃　Emerson　continued；　smirking　at　me；　〃why　I　bothered　with　a　disguise。　It　was　a　necessary　precaution。　If　I　had　been　found　inside　the　room；　by　one　of　the　Albions　or　a　servant；　the　individual　would　only　have　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　bearded　Egyptian　before　I　made　my　getaway；　through　the　window　or　out　the　door。　In　fact；　I　was　not　disturbed。　I　had　ample　time　to　search　all　the　rooms；　which　were　interconnected。　The　loot；　if　I　may　so　express　it；　was　in　Albion's　room。　He　and　his　wife　occupy　separate　bedchambers。〃
　〃That　is　an　extraneous　fact；　Emerson；〃　I　said。　〃And　none　of　our　business。〃
　〃One　never　knows　what　may　be　relevant；　Peabody。　It　is　possible；　though　not　probable；　that　she　is　unaware　of　Albion's　dealings　with　Jamil。　He　had　a　boxful　of　artifacts；　including　some　fragments　of　the　painting　of　Khonsu。　Jamil　must　have　sold　him　those　and　hinted　that　they　were　a　meaningful　clue。　The　lad　had　quite　a　sense　of　humor。　As　for　the　rest　。　。　。　Here's　the　list；　as　nearly　as　I　can　remember。　First；　another　cosmetic　jar　like　the　one　you　purchased；　with　the　cartouche　intact。　It　was；　as　Ramses　deduced；　that　of　the　God's　Wife　Shepenwepet。　Second　and　third；　two　ushebtis　inscribed　for　the　same　woman；　approximately　eight　inches　high；　of　blue…green　faience。　Fourth；　and　most　remarkable；　a　sistrum　of　bronze　inlaid　with　gold。〃　He　took　a　sheet　of　paper　from　the　table　beside　him。　〃I　did　this　while　you　were　all　fussing　over　Bertie；〃　he　explained。　〃My　artistic　skills　are　not　as　good　as　David's；　but　I　wanted　to　capture　the　details　while　I　remembered　them。〃
　We　gathered　round　to　inspect　the　drawing。　The　sistrum　was　a　musical　instrument；　rather　like　a　rattle；　played　before　various　gods。　It　was　dedicated　to　Hathor；　goddess　of　music；　whose　image　appeared　here　as　the　head　of　a　woman　with　long　curling　locks　and　the　characteristic　cow's　ears。　From　this　sculptured　head　rose　a　long　loop　of　copper　wire　threaded　with　rods　which　were　strung　with　beads；　so　that　when　the　sistrum　was　held　by　its　handle　…　this　one　in　the　shape　of　a　lotus　column　…　and　shaken；　it　produced　a　pleasing　if　somewhat　monotonous　sound。　All　the　elements　I　have　described　were　present　in　Emerson's　sketch；　which　meant　that　this　object　was　truly　unusual；　undamaged；　and　intact。
　〃Couldn't　get　the　face　right；〃　Emerson　admitted。　〃It's　very　beautiful。　Obviously　from　a　royal　workshop。〃
　〃And　made　for　a　royal　woman；〃　Ramses　said。　〃I　admire　your　forbearance；　Father；　I'd　have　been　strongly　tempted　to　take　this。　It　ought　to　be　in　a　museum。〃
　〃It　will　be；〃　Emerson　assured　him；　with　a　snap　of　his　teeth。　〃We'll　give　the　Albions　plenty　of　rope；　before　we　pull　the　noose　tight。　There　can　be　no　doubt；　Jamil's　tomb　is　that　of　one　of　the　Divine　Wives　of　Amon；　and　if　these　small　objects　are　representative　of　the　contents；　Heaven　only　knows　what　else　may　be　there。〃
　Cyrus　let　out　a　low　moan。　〃I'd　sell　my　soul　for　a　find　like　that。　And　if　Joe　Albion　gets　to　it　first；　I'll　strangle　him　with　my　bare　hands。〃
　　
　Next　day　I　penned　a　courteous　note　to　Mrs。　Albion　thanking　her　for　her　delightful　party。　It　was　somewhat　hypocritical；　as　Emerson　was　quick　to　point　out；　but　in　my　opinion　a　certain　amount　of　hypocrisy　is　necessary　in　maintaining　the　social　amenities。　If　everyone　said　exactly　what　he　or　she　thought　of　everyone　else；　there　would　be　no　social　amenities。
　〃Anyhow；〃　I　added；　folding　the　note；　〃breaking　off　relations　with　the　Albions　would　be　a　serious　error　until　we　get　the　goods　on　them。〃
　We　went　to　work　as　usual；　but　did　not　acplish　a　great　deal。　Emerson's　discovery　of　the　artifacts　had　whetted　his　appetite　and　stimulated　his　imagination。　He　tried　to　concentrate　on　the　work　at　hand；　but　he　would　stop　from　time　to　time　and　stare　off　into　space；　mumbling　to　himself。　How　well　I　understood！　The　broken　mud…brick　walls　of　Deir　el　Medina　were　so　pitiful　in　parison　to　golden　dreams　of　a　royal　tomb。
　Jumana　had　e　late　to　breakfast；　looking　so　woebegone　and　red　around　the　eyes　that　Sennia　demanded　to　know　where　it　hurt　and　what　she　could　do　to　make　it　better。　Nefret　distracted　the　child　by　describing　the　decorations　of　the　ballroom　and　the　lavish　menu；　and　the　Great　Cat　of　Re　provided　an　additional　diversion　by　appearing　with　an　agitated　mouse　in　its　mouth。　With　Sennia's　assistance　Ramses　managed　to　pry　the　cat's　jaws　apart　and　remove　the　mouse；　which　he　carried　outside　and　released；　to　the　utter　disgust　of　Horus。　I　hoped　that　the　presentation　of　unharmed；　living　prey　was　not　being　a　habit　with　the　confounded　cat。　Horus　at　least　had　the　decency　to　dispose　of　his　in　private。
　I　decided　to　say　no　more　to　Jumana。　She　had　been　punished　by　our　bined　disapproval　and　Nefret's　tongue…lashing；　and　after　all；　she　had　not　mitted　a　serious　misdemeanor；　only　an　error　in　judgment　understandable　in　a　young　girl。　After　having　been　raised　in　one　society　she　had　had　to　learn　the　ways　of　another；　and　since　she　had　only　been　acquainted　with　men　whose　moral　sensibilities　were　irreproachable；　it　was　not　surprising　that　she　should　have　misunderstood　the　despicable　intentions　of　Sebastian　Albion。
　She　accepted　the　tedious　task　of　sifting　the　fill　without　plaint　and　worked　steadily　all　m