elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第102部分

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　She　accepted　the　tedious　task　of　sifting　the　fill　without　plaint　and　worked　steadily　all　morning。　When　we　stopped　for　luncheon　she　sat　to　one　side；　her　eyes　downcast；　and　Cyrus；　kindhearted　individual　that　he　was；　made　an　attempt　to　cheer　her　up。
　〃How　about　helping　me　this　afternoon？〃　he　asked。　〃You've　been　at　that　rubbish　dump　all　morning。　That　all　right　with　you；　Emerson？〃
　〃Certainly；　certainly；〃　said　my　equally　tenderhearted　husband。
　〃You　were　asking　the　other　day　about　the　theodolite；〃　Bertie　said。　〃I'll　show　you　how　to　use　it；　if　you　like。〃
　It　was　the　first　remark　he　had　addressed　to　her；　for　she　had　kept　out　of　his　way。　Her　expressive　face　brightened。
　〃Thank　you。　You　are　very　kind。〃
　By　the　end　of　the　day　she　had　recovered　her　good　spirits。　Whether　she　had　had　the　decency　to　apologize　to　Bertie　I　did　not　know；　but　she　was　painstakingly　polite　to　him　and　he　responded　like　the　nice　lad　he　was；　with　no　evidence　of　hard　feelings。
　Several　days　passed　without　our　hearing　a　word　from　the　Albions；　to　the　disappointment　of　Emerson；　who　had　rather　hoped　they　would　notice　that　the　stolen　objects　had　been　disturbed。　If　they　questioned　the　sufragi　who　had　found　him　trying　to　open　the　lock　they　would　know　the　identity　of　the　intruder。
　〃The　sufragi　wouldn't　betray　the　Father　of　Curses；〃　said　Ramses。　〃You　ought　to　have　left　your　card。〃
　Emerson　curled　his　lip　in　acknowledgment　of　this　touch　of　humor。
　〃Why　stir　them　up？〃　Nefret　asked。　〃They've　abandoned　their　plans　to　excavate。　Perhaps　they've　given　up　on　finding　the　tomb。〃
　〃No；　they　have　not；〃　Emerson　grumbled。　〃Selim　says　they　have　hired　that　rascal　Mohammed　Hammad　as　their　dragoman。　He　came　back　from　wherever　he　was　as　soon　as　he　got　the　word　that　Jamil　was　dead。　He's　no　more　a　dragoman　than　I　am　an　opera　singer。〃
　〃He's　a　thief；〃　I　agreed。　〃But　you　may　be　sure　he　doesn't　know　any　more　about　Jamil's　tomb　than　we　do。　He'd　have　been　looting　it　before　this　if　he　did。〃
　The　weather　had　turned　unusually　hot　for　that　time　of　year。　Even　the　nights　were　still　and　warm。　We　were　all　affected　by　it　to　some　extent；　except　for　Emerson；　who　never　feels　the　heat　and　who　can　sleep　through　an　earthquake。　Never　would　I　relinquish　the　fort　of　my　husband's　presence；　but　I　must　say　that　lying　next　to　him　was　rather　like　being　in　close　proximity　to　an　oven。　After　several　restless　nights；　I　had　just　got　to　sleep　…　or　so　it　felt　…　when　he　mumbled　loudly　in　my　ear。　It　was　the　too…familiar　refrain：　〃Hand　of　the　god　。　。　。　what　。　。　。　where？〃
　I　gave　him　a　rather　sharp　poke。　He　rolled　over；　shoving　me　to　the　edge　of　the　bed。
　Wide　awake　and　somewhat　vexed；　I　abandoned　any　hope　of　repose。　I　went　to　the　window　and　leaned　out。　The　room　was　still　dark　but　there　was　a　freshness　in　the　air　that　betokened　the　ing　of　dawn。　It　cooled　my　warm　cheeks；　and　my　temper。　I　had　been　standing　there　for　several　minutes　when　I　heard　the　creak　of　an　opening　door。　It　was　the　door　at　the　far　end　of　the　courtyard。　I　had　been　meaning　to　have　Ali　oil　the　hinges。
　It　was　light　enough　by　now　for　me　to　see　dim　shapes。　There　were　two　of　them　in　the　doorway；　huddled　close　together。　A　whisper　reached　my　ears；　one　form　vanished；　the　other　moved　slyly　and　quietly　toward　the　house。
　I　saw　no　need　to　wake　Emerson；　it　is　a　laborious　process　at　best；　and　I　preferred　to　deal　with　this　myself。　I　waited　until　she　had　almost　reached　her　window　before　I　climbed　out　of　mine。　She　let　out　a　stifled　shriek　and　turned　to　flee；　but　I　was　too　quick　for　her。
　〃Where　have　you　been？〃　I　demanded；　seizing　her　in　a　firm　grip。
　〃I　…　I　…〃　Invention　failed；　she　gasped；　〃Oh；　Sitt　Hakim；　you　frightened　me！〃
　〃Where　have　you　been；　Jumana？〃
　〃Only　for　a　walk。　It　was　hot。　I　could　not　sleep。〃
　〃You　were　with　a　man。　Don't　lie；　I　saw　him。〃
　〃I　did　nothing　wrong。　Please　believe　me！〃
　〃So　you　have　said　before。　What　precisely　did　you　do？〃
　〃I　…　I　promised　I　would　not　tell。　I　gave　my　word！〃
　Exasperation　had　caused　me　to　raise　my　voice；　and　defiance；　as　I　thought　it；　had　caused　her　to　raise　hers。　A　grumble　and　a　thrashing　of　bedclothes　told　me　that　we　had　wakened　Emerson。　These　sounds　were　followed　by　a　shout：　〃Peabody！〃　He　always　shouts　when　he　reaches　out　and　finds　I　am　not　beside　him。
　〃Here；〃　I　called。
　Emerson　stumbled　to　the　window　and　looked　out。　〃Is　that　。　。　。　Oh；　good　Gad！〃
　Only　the　upper　half　of　his　body　was　visible；　but　Emerson　is　a　modest　man；　he　retreated；　cursing；　and　began　looking　for　his　clothes。　I　knew　it　would　take　him　a　while；　so　I　pushed　Jumana　toward　her　window。
　〃Go　in。　You　are　to　remain　in　your　room。　If　you　leave　the　house　without　my　permission；　you　need　never　e　back。〃
　She　obeyed　without　resistance；　verbal　or　physical。　I　thought　I　heard　a　little　sob。　It　did　not　soften　my　heart。
　When　I　climbed　back　in　my　own　window；　Emerson　was　still　searching　for　his　trousers。　〃Never　mind　that；　Emerson；〃　I　said。　〃You　may　as　well　bathe　and　dress　properly；　it　is　almost　morning。　We　have　a　serious　problem　on　our　hands。　Jumana　has　been　creeping　out　at　night　…　possibly　for　several　nights　…　and　she　was　with　a　man。　I　am　afraid　it　was　Sebastian　Albion。〃
　〃Damnation；〃　Emerson　murmured。　He　ran　his　fingers　through　his　disheveled　hair；　pushing　it　back　from　his　face。　〃Are　you　sure？〃
　〃Who　else　would　it　be？　Unless；〃　I　added　bitterly；　〃she　has　a　whole　string　of　them。　How　could　I　have　been　so　deceived　in　her　character？　I　am　sadly　disappointed；　Emerson。〃
　〃Now；　Peabody；　don't　jump　to　conclusions。〃　He　sat　on　the　side　of　the　bed　and　pulled　me　down　next　to　him。　〃There　may　be　an　innocent　explanation。　Have　you　given　her　a　chance　to　explain？〃
　〃She　refused　to　answer　my　questions。　She　said　she　had　given　her　word。　Her　word！　To　a　vile　deceiver　like　that！〃
　〃Give　her　another　chance。〃　A　horrible　idea　struck　him。　In　quavering　tones　he　asked；　〃You　don't　want　me　to　question　her；　do　you？〃
　〃No；　Emerson；　you　are　hopeless　about　such　matters。　I　will　give　her　another　chance　to　confess；　naturally。　I　will　leave　her　locked　in　her　room　today　and　speak　to　her　again　this　evening；　after　she　has　had　time　to　repent。〃
　〃And　you　have　had　time　to　cool　off；〃　said　Emerson；　putting　an　arm　round　my　shoulders。　〃My　dear；　I　don't　blame　you　for　being　hurt　and　disappointed；　but　…　er　…　you　aren't　going　to　starve　her；　I　hope？〃
　〃Certainly　not。　I　will　take　her　breakfast　to　her　myself。　Later。〃
　I　felt　calmer　after　a　nice　long　bath；　but　I　was　not　ready　to　face　Jumana。　I　would　be　the　first　to　admit　that　my　maternal　instincts　are　not　well　developed　…　they　had　been　stunted；　I　believe；　by　the　raising　of　Ramses　…　but　I　had　bee　rather　attached　to　Jumana。　I　had　had　such　high　hopes　for　her。　To　find　that　she　was　a　sneak　and　a　liar　and　…　and　worse；　perhaps　…　had　left　me　not　only　disappointed；　but　hurt。　Yes；　Emerson　was　right　about　that。　I　had　believed　she　had　bee　equally　attached　to　us。
　When　I　went　to　breakfast；　the　Great　Cat　of　Re　was　sitting　on　my　chair；　its　chin　on　the　table；　its　large　green　eyes　fixed　on　the　platter　of　bacon。　〃This　is　beginning　to　be　like　the　house　of　the　Three　Bears；〃　I　said。　〃It　sits　on　our　chairs；　it　sleeps　on　our　beds；　and　now　it　is　about　to　eat　my　porridge。〃
　Sennia　found　this　very　witty；　but　nobody　else　did；　including　the　cat。　Ramses's　keen　black　eyes　detected　the　perturbation　behind　my　attempt　at　normalcy；　brow　furrowing；　he　started　to　speak；　glanced　at　Sennia；　and　remained　silent。　It　was　Sennia　who　asked　about　Jumana。　I　explained　that　she　was　not　feeling　well　and　would　spend　the　day　in　bed。　〃You　are　not　to　go　in　her　room；〃　I　added。　〃She　needs　to　rest。　Do　you　understand？〃
　〃Shall　I　take　her　a　tray？〃　Fatima　asked。
　〃I　will　see　to　that；〃　I　replied。　〃Later。　Thank　you；　Fatima。　Where　is　Gargery？　It　is　time　Sennia　left　for　her　lessons。〃
　Gargery　entered　at　that　moment　to　announce　we　had　guests。　〃Mr。　Bertie　and　Mr。　Cyrus。　You　didn't　tell　us　they　were　expected　for　breakfast；　madam。〃
　〃Stop　trying　to　put　me　in　the　wrong；　Gargery；〃　I　said　somewhat　snappishly。　〃They　were　not　expected。〃
　〃But　we　are　always　glad　to　see　them；〃　Fatima　said；　adding　plates　and　cups　and　silverware　to　the　table；　and　bustling　out　for　more　food。
　〃Sorry　to　disturb　you　folks；〃　Cyrus　said。　He　did　not　look　at　all　sorry。　Bliss　…　delight　…　happiness　。　。　。　The