elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第106部分

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　He　accepted　a　cup　of　tea　and　mopped　his　face　again。　〃By　the　by；　I　meant　to　ask　how　it　is　that　M。　Vandergelt　is　involved。　I　was　under　the　impression　that　he　had　the　firman　for　Medinet　Habu。〃
　〃You　are　familiar　with　how　it　is；　monsieur；〃　Emerson　said　glibly　and　ungrammatically。　〃Thanks　to　the　bedamned　war；　we　are　all　short　of　hands。　We　help　one　another；　as　professional　goodness　demands。　It　was　the　young　M。　Vandergelt　who　in　fact　discovered　the　hiding　place。〃
　〃Ah；　je　prends　bien；〃　said　Daressy；　amused。　〃C'est　admirable；　messieurs。　Proceed；　then。　I　will　return　from　time　to　time；　if　I　may；　not　to　interfere　with　your　work；　but　to　admire　the　wonders　you　will　find。〃
　〃I　told　you　he　wouldn't　object；〃　Emerson　said　to　his　wife；　after　they　had　got　Daressy　off。
　〃You　left　him　no　choice　in　the　matter；〃　said　that　lady。
　Every　tourist　in　Luxor　wanted　to　see　the　tomb。　Most　of　them　left　in　a　hurry；　driven　off　by　Emerson's　curses　and　by　the　fact　that　there　was　not　much　to　see　as　yet。　Cyrus　was　determined　nothing　should　be　removed　from　the　chamber　until　he　had　arranged　for　proper　lighting　and　had　made　certain　that　objects　like　the　coffins　could　be　moved　without　damage。
　One　group　of　visitors　was　more　persistent。　The　Albions　arrived；　en　masse；　the　day　after　the　discovery。　Jumana　retreated　as　soon　as　she　saw　them；　drawing　Bertie　away　with　her；　and　nobody　offered　them　a　chair　or　a　glass　of　tea。　The　coolness　of　their　reception　would　have　disconcerted　sensitive　persons；　but　that　adjective　did　not　apply　to　any　of　the　Albions。
　〃So　that's　how　you're　going　to　get　in　and　out　of　the　place；〃　Mr。　Albion　remarked；　eyeing　the　scaffolding。　〃Too　much　for　me；　but　Sebastian　would　like　to　have　a　look。〃
　〃Sebastian　will　have　to　do　without　a　look；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Good　Gad；　I　have　not　the　time　for　this。〃
　He　stalked　off　to　join　Jumana　and　Bertie　at　the　foot　of　the　scaffold。　Ramses　lingered；　marveling　at　the　Albions'　thick　skins。　Cyrus　was　unable　to　resist　the　temptation　to　gloat；　boasting　extravagantly　about　Bertie　and　describing　the　contents　of　the　tomb　in　loving　detail。　Mr。　Albion's　fixed　grin　remained　in　place。
　〃Sounds　like　a　big　job；〃　he　said。　〃How　long　do　you　think　it　will　take？〃
　〃Hard　to　tell；〃　Cyrus　said。　〃We'll　have　to　see　what's　there　and　what　needs　to　be　done。〃
　〃Fascinating；〃　Sebastian　declared。　He　looked　around　with　a　placent　smile。　〃I've　never　observed　an　excavation　in　process。　Hope　you　don't　mind　if　we　drop　by　now　and　then　to　watch。〃
　Ramses　had　had　enough。　〃Apparently　it　has　escaped　your　attention　that　you　are　not　wele　here；〃　he　said。　〃After　what　happened　the　other　night　…〃
　〃Oh；　that。　An　unfortunate　misunderstanding。〃
　〃Quite；〃　said　Mrs。　Albion；　speaking　for　the　first　time。　〃I　do　think；　Mr。　Emerson；　that　you　owe　my　son　Sebastian　an　apology。〃
　Ramses　caught　his　mother's　eye。　He　took　a　deep　breath。　〃I　am　indeed　sorry。　Sorry　that　I　didn't　catch　up　with　him。〃
　〃Well；　really！〃　Mrs。　Albion　took　her　husband's　arm。　〃Evil　is　in　the　mind　of　the　beholder；　isn't　that　so；　Mrs。　Emerson？　Let　us　go；　Mr。　Albion。〃
　Cyrus　couldn't　resist　one　final　dig。
　〃No　use　making　arrangements　with　the　dealers　on　this　one；　Joe。　At　the　final　division；　most　of　the　objects　will　go　to　the　Cairo　Museum；　and　the　rest；　supposing　they　are　generous　enough　to　leave　us　a　percentage；　will　not　be　for　sale。〃
　The　Albions　left；　and　Ramses　said；　〃You　did　rather　rub　it　in；　Cyrus。〃
　〃Enjoyed　every　minute　of　it；〃　Cyrus　declared；　stroking　his　goatee。　〃I　hoped　Joe　would　slip　and　make　some　dumb　remark　about　how　he'd　already　paid　for　his　share；　but　he's　too　smart　for　that。　I　wonder　who　else　is　going　to　turn　up？〃
　The　next　to　turn　up　was　Howard　Carter；　who　had　to　listen　to　a　tirade　from　Emerson　about　his　exploration　of　the　western　wadis。　〃I've　been　trying　to　track　you　down　for　weeks；〃　Emerson　declared　indignantly。　〃Where　have　you　been？　What　were　you　doing　in　the　Gabbanat　el…Qirud？　Why　the　devil　haven't　you　made　your　notes　accessible？〃
　Carter　was　too　much　in　awe　of　Emerson　to　protest　the　injustice　of　the　plaint。　〃My　notes　are　at　your　disposal；　sir；　as　always；〃　he　said　meekly。　〃I　apologize　if　I　offended　you。〃
　〃Bah；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Now　see　here；　Carter　…〃
　〃Father；　I'm　sure　Mr。　Carter　would　rather　hear　about　the　new　tomb；〃　Nefret　interrupted。　〃Sit　down；　Mr。　Carter；　and　have　a　cup　of　tea。〃
　〃Thank　you；　ma'am；〃　Carter　said　with　a　grateful　look　at　her。　〃I　most　certainly　would。　I　will　be　in　Luxor　for　some　time　…　my　next　project　is　to　copy　the　procession　reliefs　at　Luxor　Temple　…　but　naturally；　if　I　can　assist　in　any　way　at　all　。　。　。〃
　〃You　can　e　by　now　and　then；〃　Emerson　said　grudgingly。　〃It　will　teach　you　how　to　conduct　a　proper　clearance　of　a　tomb。〃
　However；　the　most　unexpected　news　came　in　the　form　of　a　telegram。
　〃Look　forward　to　seeing　you　all　soon。　Fondest　regards；　Cousin　Ismail。〃
　
　〃I　might　have　known　the　news　of　the　tomb　would　fetch　him；〃　Emerson　grumbled。　〃He　doesn't　say　when　he　is　ing。　Damned　inconsiderate。〃
　〃Even　more　inconsiderate　is　that　infernal　signature；〃　I　said　in　some　vexation。　〃How　are　we　to　introduce　him？　The　Vandergelts　are　bound　to　recognize　him　as　Sethos；　but　we　cannot　call　him　that。　What　is　his　real　name？〃
　〃Cursed　if　I　know；〃　Emerson　admitted。　〃Never　gave　it　much　thought。〃
　〃Well；　my　dear；　he　will　turn　up　where　and　when　he　chooses；　as　he　chooses；　and　there　isn't　a　thing　we　can　do　about　it。〃
　He　turned　up　at　Deir　el　Medina；　two　days　later。　We　had　had　several　other　visitors　that　morning；　including　the　cursed　Albions；　they　came　round　almost　every　day；　though　they　did　not　have　the　temerity　to　approach　us　again。　Emerson　stormed　about　this；　but　there　was　no　way　we　could　keep　them　away　from　the　site　as　long　as　they　did　nothing　but　sit　in　their　carriage　at　a　distance　and　look　on。　The　scaffolding　had　been　pleted　and　the　door　ordered；　since　nothing　more　could　be　done　until　we　had　acquired　a　generator　and　electric　lighting；　Emerson　had　sent　us　back　to　work　on　our　boring　village。　I　looked　up　from　my　rubbish　dump　to　see　a　man　on　horseback　approaching。
　He　came　straight　to　me　and　removed　his　hat。　〃Good　morning；　Amelia。　At　your　rubbish　again；　I　see。〃
　He　looked　well。　I　observed　that　first：　the　healthy　color　in　his　face；　the　upright　frame　and　easy　pose。　A　neatly　wound　turban　concealed　his　hair；　and　a　magnificent　coal…black　beard　hid　the　lower　part　of　his　face。　The　tweed　suit　was　not　the　one　he　had　borrowed　from　Ramses；　it　was　new　and　very　well　cut。　In　short；　he　was　the　picture　of　a　distinguished　Oriental　gentleman；　possibly　an　official　of　high　rank　who　had；　as　his　accent　indicated；　been　educated　at　an　English　university。　Cyrus　might　be　able　to　identify　him　as　the　surly；　silent　individual　who　had　been　his　guest　the　year　before；　but　I　doubted　any　of　the　others　who　had　known　him　so　briefly　would　be　able　to　do　so。
　〃A　fondness　for　beards　must　run　in　the　family；〃　I　remarked。
　〃You　could　hardly　expect　me　to　appear　in　Luxor　without　one；　my　dear。　Some　sharp…eyed　person　might　notice　I　bear　a　resemblance　to　a　certain　well…known　Egyptologist。〃
　〃How　am　I　to　introduce　you？〃
　〃Cousin　Ismail；　of　course。　I　rather　like　the　name。〃
　He　turned　and　offered　his　hand　as　Emerson　came　hurrying　toward　us。
　The　cordial　reception　he　received　seemed　to　surprise　him　a　little。　Nefret　gave　him　a　kiss；　and　Cyrus　a　hearty　handshake；　a　knowing　smile；　and　an　invitation　to　visit　the　tomb。　Sethos　had　to　hear　all　about　its　discovery　first；　he　congratulated　Bertie　and　Jumana；　who　didn't　know　quite　what　to　make　of　him；　but　who　were　flattered　by　his　interest。　After　luncheon　we　all　went　up　to　the　platform　outside　the　tomb。　Sethos　crawled　in　and　out　of　the　passage；　and　then　brushed　himself　off　and　remarked；　〃You've　quite　a　job　ahead　of　you；　Vandergelt。　I　would　be　happy　to　remend　a　good　restorer。　I　suspect　you　may　need　one；　some　of　the　organic　materials　appear　to　be　in　a　delicate　condition。〃
　〃Are　you　an　archaeologist；　sir？〃　Jumana　asked。
　〃I　have　had　a　good　deal　of　experience　in　the　field；〃　said　Sethos　smoothly。　He　glanced　casually　at　the　rock　face　above　the　entrance。　It　was　the　first　time　I　had　noticed　the　symbol　…　a　roughly　carved　circle　divided　by　a　curving　line。
　Ramses　waited　until　Bertie　and　Jumana　and　Cyrus　had　started　down　the　ladder　before　he　sp