elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第108部分

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　I　think。〃
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃Turn　your　back；　Nefret。〃
　　
　Cyrus　was　bitterly　disappointed　when　he　learned　of　Sethos's　departure；　though　the　arrival　of　the　steel　door；　a　day　ahead　of　schedule；　distracted　him　temporarily。　Selim　assured　him　the　men　would　bend　their　best　efforts　to　have　it　in　place　the　following　day。
　〃Then　I　can　send　out　my　invitations　to　the　fantasia；〃　Cyrus　said。　〃Shame　Ismail　had　to　leave　so　soon；　I　was　looking　forward　to　seeing　more　of　him。〃
　〃Typical；〃　Emerson　growled。　〃es　and　goes　at　his　own　convenience。〃
　〃He　has　other　duties；〃　I　said　reprovingly。　〃As　you　are　well　aware。〃
　We　did　hear　from　him　once　again；　however。　A　letter；　hand…delivered；　awaited　us　when　we　got　to　the　house　that　afternoon。　It　contained　only　two　sentences：　〃There　are　strangers　in　Luxor。　And　my　former　customer　is　still　in　the　market。〃
　〃I　can　guess　who　that's　from；　but　what　the　dickens　does　it　mean？〃　asked　Cyrus；　who　had　e　back　with　us　for　tea。
　Emerson　glanced　around　to　make　sure　Sennia　wasn't　listening。　He　lowered　his　voice。
　〃It　is　confirmation　of　my　suspicions；　Vandergelt。　Tonight　is　the　last　night　the　tomb　will　be　open。　I　had　a　feeling　Albion　wouldn't　give　up　without　a　final　attempt。　He　won't　get　help　from　the　Gurnawis；　but　strangers；　hired　criminals；　might　be　willing　to　attack　us　if　the　rewards　were　high　enough。〃
　〃Good　Lord！〃　Cyrus　ejaculated。　〃We'd　better　get　over　to　Luxor　right　away。　Have　the　fellows　rounded　up　and　put　the　fear　of　God　into　Joe　Albion。〃
　〃I　am　surprised　at　you；　Vandergelt。　One　cannot　arrest　people　without　evidence　of　a　crime。〃　Emerson　smiled。　It　was　not　a　nice　smile。　〃I　weary　of　Mr。　Albion　and　his　family。　We　will　arrange　a　little　ambush　and　catch　them　red…handed。〃
　〃Hmmmm。〃　Cyrus　stroked　his　goatee。　〃I　like　the　idea；　Emerson。　Just　so　nobody　gets　hurt。〃
　〃And　how　do　you　mean　to　guarantee　that？〃　I　demanded。　〃What　if　they　are　armed？〃
　〃We　will　have　your　pistol；　Peabody；〃　said　Emerson；　grinning。
　〃We　better　have　more　than　that；〃　Cyrus　said。　〃I've　got　a　couple　of　rifles　and　a　pistol；　latest…model　Mauser。　I　only　hope　I　can　sneak　'em　out　of　the　house　without　Katherine　seeing；〃　he　added　uneasily。
　We　had　to　get　Sennia　off　to　bed　before　we　made　the　final　arrangements。　Emerson　had　sent　word　to　Selim；　warning　him　of　our　suspicions　and　giving　him　his　instructions；　and　Cyrus　did　manage　to　get　his　weapons　smuggled　out　of　the　Castle　without　Katherine's　knowledge。　She　would　have　been　deeply　distressed　if　she　had　known　what　we　were　up　to。
　A　little　contretemps　arose　at　the　last　minute；　when　the　men　realized　that　Nefret　and　I　and　Jumana　meant　to　acpany　them。　I　put　an　end　to　their　protests　in　short　order；　however。
　〃So　long　as　you　don't　bring　that　damned　sword　parasol〃　was　Emerson's　way　of　conceding　defeat。
　The　moon　was　on　the　wane；　but　the　dazzling　desert　stars　gave　sufficient　light　for　us　to　make　our　way　over　the　ancient　path　that　crossed　the　gebel。　When　we　reached　Deir　el　Medina；　all　was　quiet。　The　coals　of　a　fire　burned　near　the　place　where　our　men　were　stationed；　there　were　only　four　of　them；　including　Selim。　They　had　been　ordered　to　look　as　if　they　had　relaxed　their　guard；　and　on　no　account　to　resist　an　attack。　One　by　one　we　descended　the　slope；　and　found　concealment　in　the　shadows　of　the　ruined　tombs。
　We　waited　for　over　an　hour　before　they　came；　from　the　south；　creeping　along　the　base　of　the　hill。　I　counted　the　dim　shapes：　twelve　in　all。　The　last　two　carried　rifles。　Like　the　others；　they　were　masked；　but　I　had　no　difficulty　in　recognizing　the　rotund　form　of　Mr。　Albion　and　the　taller　outline　of　his　son。　One　might　have　expected　they　would　lead　their　troops　from　behind！　When　Selim　sprang　to　his　feet；　Sebastian　advanced；　with　his　weapon　aimed；　while　one　of　his　hirelings　called　out　in　Arabic；　〃Do　not　move　or　we　will　shoot！〃
　For　a　moment　I　was　afraid　Daoud　would　forget　his　orders。　It　is　not　in　his　nature　to　submit　meekly　to　threats。　However；　he　remained　seated；　and　within　a　few　minutes　our　fellows　were　tightly　bound；　gagged；　and　blindfolded。
　〃Now？〃　Cyrus　whispered。
　Emerson　shook　his　head。
　Sebastian　put　his　rifle　down　and　began　to　climb　the　ladder。　Obeying　his　gesture；　five　of　the　others　followed。　Neither　he　nor　his　father　had　spoken；　our　people　could　hear；　if　they　could　not　see；　and　the　use　of　English　would　have　been　a　dead　giveaway。　Mr。　Albion　sat　down　with　a　grunt；　and　the　other　men　stood　close　by　him。
　Emerson　waited　until　Sebastian　had　reached　the　platform　outside　the　tomb。　His　stentorian　voice　echoed　between　the　cliffs。　〃Stop　where　you　are；　all　of　you。　You　are　surrounded　by　armed　men。〃　He　added　in　English；　〃Drop　the　rifle；　Albion。〃
　〃Better　fire　a　warning　shot；〃　Cyrus　advised。　〃In　case　they　haven't　noticed　our　weapons。〃
　We　were　all　on　our　feet；　except　for　Nefret；　who　had　given　me　her　word　she　would　not　expose　herself　to　gunfire。　Emerson　pointed　his　rifle　toward　the　temple　and　pulled　the　trigger。
　The　men　with　Albion　broke　like　a　drop　of　quicksilver；　scattering　in　all　directions。　〃Let　them　go；〃　said　Emerson；　plunging　down　the　slope。　〃It's　Albion　I　want。〃
　However；　he　was　too　late。　I　would　never　have　supposed　such　a　round；　elderly　man　could　move　so　fast。　The　bullet　Emerson　aimed　at　his　heels　only　made　him　run　faster。
　〃Emerson；〃　I　said；　tugging　at　his　arm。　〃We　had　better　do　something　about　Sebastian；　don't　you　think？〃
　Emerson　looked　up　and　let　out　an　exclamation。
　The　men　who　had　started　to　follow　Sebastian　up　to　the　platform　were　dropping　to　the　ground；　but　Sebastian　himself　was　still　there　…　hanging　by　his　hands　from　the　edge　of　the　platform　and　screaming　at　the　top　of　his　lungs。　Quite　a　number　of　people　were　shouting；　so　his　cries　had　been　lost　in　the　uproar。　He　must　have　lost　his　balance　when　the　gun　went　off。
　〃I'll　get　him；〃　Ramses　said。
　〃Give　him　a　hand；　Bertie；〃　Emerson　ordered。　〃You'll　need　to　get　a　rope　round　the　bloody　idiot。　There's　plenty　in　the　supply　shed。　I　wonder　how　much　longer　he　can　hold　on；〃　he　added　with　mild　interest。
　Nefret　and　I　set　about　freeing　our　men；　who　set　about　collecting　fallen　tomb　robbers。　Some　of　them　had　dropped　quite　a　distance；　so　there　were　sprains　and　a　broken　bone　or　two；　which　Nefret　treated　in　her　usual　efficient　fashion。
　〃Have　they　got　him？〃　she　asked；　referring　to　Sebastian。　He　was　still　screaming。　〃I　can't　see　from　here。〃
　〃Bertie　got　a　rope　around　him；〃　Cyrus　said。　〃They　don't　seem　to　be　in　any　hurry　to　pull　him　up；　though。〃
　　
　Leaving　the　robbers　in　Selim's　charge；　we　took　a　silent；　shivering　Sebastian　back　to　his　ma　and　pa。　As　Emerson　declared；　he　had　not　finished　with　Mr。　Albion；　not　by　a　damned　sight。　We　all　went　along；　naturally。　No　one　wanted　to　miss　the　denouement。
　There　was　no　response　to　Emerson's　emphatic　knocks　on　the　door　of　the　Albions's　sitting　room。　Fearing　that　he　would　wake　the　poor　convalescent　officers；　I　announced　in　low　but　penetrating　tones；　〃We　have　your　son。　If　you　want　him　back　you　must　let　us　in。〃
　The　door　was　flung　open　by　Mrs。　Albion。　Despite　the　lateness　of　the　hour　she　was　fully　dressed　and　bejeweled。　〃What　have　you　done　to　him？〃　she　cried；　seizing　hold　of　the　young　man。
　〃He　did　it　to　himself；〃　I　replied；　pushing　mother　and　son　out　of　the　way。　Mr。　Albion　was　sitting　on　the　sofa。　He　must　have　arrived　just　before　we　did；　since　he　was　breathless；　disheveled；　and　very　red　in　the　face。
　〃Now　you've　brought　him　back；　get　out；〃　he　said。
　〃This　is　not　a　presentation；　it　is　an　exchange；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Peabody；　my　dear；　may　I　invite　you　to　take　a　chair；　since　no　one　else　has　had　the　courtesy　to　do　so？　Albion；　I　want　the　artifacts　you　got　from　Jamil。〃
　〃Be　damned　to　you！〃　Albion　growled。
　Having　determined　that　her　son　was　intact；　Mrs。　Albion　turned　indignantly　on　Emerson。　〃Mr。　Albion　paid　for　those　objects；　sir。　Are　you　a　mon　thief？〃
　〃Not　at　all　mon；　madam；〃　said　Emerson；　with　a　smile　that　reminded　me　of　his　brother。　〃I　propose　not　to　press　charges　for　armed　assault　and　purchasing　illegal　antiquities；　in　return　for　the　objects　that　were　stolen　…　and　for　your　promise　to　leave　Luxor　immediately。　Your　husband　and　your　son　are　extremely　inept　criminals；　but　I　cannot　have　this　sort　of　thing。　It　interferes　with　my　work。　e　now；　Albion；　you　are　a　practical　man。　Admit　y