elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第115部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Holmes　hat；　stick；　and　huge　calabash　pipe。　Everybody　entered　into　it　with　great　good　spirits；　but　we　didn't　solve　the　mystery。　We　were　having　such　a　good　time　we　failed　to　notice　the　suspects　sneaking　out　of　the　room　at　important　moments。　There　are　a　few　other　groups　on　the　boat　…　French　and　Spanish；　I　think　…　who　must　think　we　are　mad。　We　take　over　the　saloon　every　night　and　carry　on　outrageously。　There　is　a　lot　of　talent　in　this　bunch。　They　sing；　they　dance；　they　write　skits　and　perform　them；　all　with　an　engaging　lack　of　inhibition。
　　
　Some　of　these　nice　people　have　brought　books　all　the　way　from　the　states　for　me　to　sign。　Others　packed　voluminous　fancy　garments　…　Victorian　gowns　and　Edwardian　blouses　and　extravagant　hats　…　so　they　could　participate　in　the　various　entertainments。　People　get　confidential　in　such　surroundings　and　I've　heard　more　than　once　that　a　particular　book　〃helped　me　through　a　bad　time。〃　I'm　so　pleased　if　that　is　true。　I　just　wrote　the　way　I　felt；　not　with　any　aim　in　mind　except　entertainment；　but　it　makes　me　feel　great　to　hear　such　ments。　
　　
　Several　of　them　have　done　Amelia　tributes　during　our　amateur　talent　hours；　one；　a　Gilbert　and　Sullivan　takeoff；　got　huge　cheers　（esp。　from　me）　and　I　hope　I　get　a　copy　of　it；　as　I　requested。　Another　time　a　bunch　of　them　got　together　and　did　a　〃sound　and　light〃　performance；　with　friends　in　the　audience　shining　flashlights；　and　deep　voices　intoning　〃Emerson！　Peabody！〃　from　the　shadows。　It　was　marvelous。　I　laughed　till　I　cried。　The　gang　is　divided　into　three　groups　for　purposes　of　site…visits；　each　under　the　supervision　of　Bill　or　a　cohort。　Leaders　of　all　such　groups　carry　signs　or　umbrellas　or　something；　as　a　rallying　point；　Bill's　people　carried　signs　reading　〃Ramses；〃　〃Amelia；〃　or　〃Emerson。〃　I　love　it。
　　
　Last　day　of　cruise。　I　think　I've　managed　to　chat　privately　with　everybody；　including　the　very　shy　ones。　Also　gave　two　talks　…　〃conversations；〃　rather。　The　second　one　had　to　be　postponed；　for　a　rather　interesting　reason：　I　was　preceded　by　a　talk　by　the　four　guides；　two　handsome；　intelligent　guys　and　their　pretty；　intelligent　wives；　discussing　Islam。　The　group　was　immensely　responsive；　curious；　and　open…minded；　and　it　was　going　so　well　that　when　Bill　interrupted　to　introduce　me；　I　stood　up　and　said　I　thought　it　would　be　a　pity　to　stop　the　discussion。　I　would　talk　another　time；　whenever　they　wanted。　So　it　went　on　for　over　an　hour；　and　was　continued　next　morning；　on　deck。　One　would　like　to　think；　wistfully；　that　a　few　lines　of　sympathy　and　munication　have　been　opened。　My　talks　were　the　usual　…　all　about　the　books。
　　
　The　locks　at　Esna　are　the　big　sticking　point　for　boats　traveling　between　Aswan　and　Luxor。　Low　water　levels　and　congestion　make　it　impossible　to　schedule　arrivals　at　Luxor。　We　got　through　late　at　night；　and　were　in　Luxor　next　a。m。　After　some　strolling　and　（guess　what）　shopping；　we　left　for　the　airport　to　catch　the　ten　p。m。　flight。　Arrived　in　Cairo　about　eleven　but　didn't　get　out　of　the　airport　for　a　long　time；　they　are　very　touchy　about　security；　esp。　for　large　groups　on　buses。　We　had　to　sit　while　they　collected　an　escort；　or　swept　the　surrounding　streets；　or　something。　Nice　room　at　the　Nile　Hilton　…　my　usual　…　balcony　on　two　sides；　overlooking　the　river。　
　　
　I　was　wakened　next　a。m。　at　nine…thirty　by　a　call　from　Salima　and　made　a　date　to　meet　her　at　the　Museum　after　noon。　Acpanied　by　a　few　chosen　souls；　I　inspected　the　animal　mummies　room；　which　is　Salima's　specialty；　and　then　started　looking　for　her　office　…　where　I　had　been　a　number　of　times。　Could　I　find　the　damned　place？　Of　course　not。　A　knowledgeable　guard　finally　set　me　straight；　and　we　spent　a　few　minutes　looking　at　some　fun　things；　including　several　of　the　royal　mummies　that　are　awaiting　their　fancy　new　cases；　and　then　wandered　the　museum　for　a　while　looking　at　some　of　my　favorites。　The　back　entrance　of　the　hotel　is　just　across　the　street　from　the　Museum　…　very　handy。
　　
　Later。　Salima　came　by　for　a　final　drink　and　put　me　together　…　repacking　bags；　collecting　scattered　objects　…　and　then　I　got　on　the　bus　with　the　gang　for　dinner　and　a　visit　to　the　Khan　el　Khalili　before　we　caught　the　plane　at；　oh；　god；　one　thirty　a。m。　I　love　the　Khan　el　Khalili。　It　may　not　look　exactly　as　it　did　when　Amelia　went　there；　but　It's　close　enough　for　me。　I　almost　always　get　lost；　but　that's　part　of　the　fun；　one　is　never　in　the　slightest　danger　and　there's　always　some　amiable　soul　around　who　will　respond　to　pleas　for　directions。　Elia；　Mahmud's　pretty　wife；　went　with　me　this　time。　Maybe　she　was　taking　no　chances　on　losing　me　at　the　last　minute！　We　found　a　shop。　。　。　Enough　about　my　extravagance。　
　　
　One　of　the　gals　had　brought　a　whole　suitcase　full　of　cat　food；　which　she　distributed；　the　Khan　is　full　of　cats；　all　hungry；　all　lean。　There　was　one　touching　moment　when　someone　offered　food　to　a　kitten　curled　up　on　a　cushion　outside　one　shop。　The　owner　began　chirping　…　〃kitty；　kitty〃　is　not　how　one　calls　cats　in　Egypt　…　and　〃his〃　cats　came　running。　We　fed　them　all。　He　thanked　us　with　enormous　grace。　〃I　must　feed　my　children　first；〃　he　said。　Went　straight　to　the　heart。　Unlike　dogs；　which　are　unclean；　cats　are　favored　…　did　not　the　Prophet　allow　his　cat　to　sleep　on　his　sleeve？　…　but　they　just　can't　afford　to　feed　them　all；　much　less　neuter　them。　So　far　as　I　know　there　is　no　spay…neuter　clinic　in　Cairo；　but　I　wouldn't　be　surprised　if　one　got　started。　Our　group　was　discussing　it　later　and　they　include　some　determined　folk。
　　
　After　an　excellent　dinner　at　a　hotel　in　the　Khan；　and　a　lot　of　sentimental　speeches；　we　were　off　to　the　airport　and　an　interminable　wait；　plane　left　on　time；　though；　and　I　collapsed　and　dozed　till　NY。　The　usual　delay　getting　bags；　no　problem　with　customs　…　and　the　first　sight　I　saw　when　I　emerged　was　Kristen's　beaming　face；　the　second　Tim's　beaming　face。　They　put　me　in　the　car；　which　they　had　driven　up　early　that　morning；　and　took　me　home。　
　　
　Epilogue。　I　wish　I　could　describe　in　detail　just　how　enjoyable　this　trip　was　for　me。　I've　never　met　a　nicer　group　of　people　…　unfailingly　courteous；　thoughtful；　intelligent；　interested；　and　full　of　gusto。　I　hope　to　keep　in　touch　with　all　of　them。
　　
　…　Elizabeth　Peters
　
　　



1