elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第14部分

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　She　used　the　English　words；　possibly　because　the　Arabic　terms　of　farewell　invoked　a　blessing　or　an　expression　of　goodwill。　El…Gharbi　didn't　miss　the　implications。　He　chuckled　richly。
　〃Maassalameh；　honored　lady。　And　to　you；　my　beautiful　young　friend。　Remember　what　I　have　said。　The　time　may　e　。　。　。〃
　〃I　hope　to　God　it　won't　e；〃　Ramses　muttered；　as　they　left　the　room。　〃Nefret；　are　you　all　right？〃
　〃Musa　was　very　polite。　No　damage；　darling；　except　。　。　。〃　She　scratched　her　arm。　〃Let's　hurry。　I　expect　Father　is　frantic　by　this　time；　and　I'm　being　devoured　by　fleas。〃
　〃That　makes　two　of　us。〃
　〃My　poor　darling。　What　you　suffer　for　me！〃
　The　narrow　back　door　was　still　unbarred。　Ramses　did　not　bother　replacing　the　boards。
　Taking　the　coward's　way　out；　he　sent　a　servant　to　the　dining　saloon　to　announce　their　return；　and　they　went　straight　to　their　room　and　the　adjoining　bath　chamber。　When　he　emerged；　wearing　only　a　towel；　his　father　was　sitting　in　an　armchair；　pipe　in　hand。
　〃Where　is　she？〃　he　demanded。
　〃Still　bathing。　I'll　tell　her　you're　here。〃
　〃Oh；〃　said　Emerson；　belatedly　aware　of　his　intrusion　on　their　privacy。　〃Oh。　Er　…〃
　Ramses　opened　the　door　to　the　bath　chamber　and　announced　his　father's　presence。　Water　splashed　and　Nefret　called　out；　〃I'll　be　with　you　in　a　few　minutes；　Father。〃
　It　wasn't　often　that　Ramses　could　embarrass　his　father　and　he　was　rather　inclined　to　enjoy　those　moments。　Emerson　was　blushing。　〃You've　been　the　devil　of　a　long　time；〃　he　plained。　〃We　are　due　to　leave　in　a　few　hours；　you　know。〃
　〃It　couldn't　be　helped。〃　Ramses　dressed　as　he　told　Emerson　what　had　happened。　He　expected　an　outburst；　Emerson　had　nothing　but　contempt　for　procurers　in　general　and　el…Gharbi　in　particular。　Instead　of　shouting；　Emerson　looked　thoughtful。
　〃I　wonder　if　he　knows　anything　about　…　um　…　Sethos。〃
　〃I　didn't　ask。　I　don't　want　to　be　in　his　debt；　and　I　was　in　a　hurry　to　get　away。　It's　highly　unlikely；　Father。　The　illegal　antiquities　trade　was　only　a　sideline；　and　he's　been　shut　up　in　Hilmiya　for　weeks。〃
　〃Hmm；　yes。〃　Emerson　brooded。
　The　door　of　the　bath　chamber　opened　and　Nefret　appeared；　wreathed　in　steam。　She　was　wrapped　in　a　long　robe　that　covered　her　from　chin　to　bare　feet；　but　Emerson　fled；　mumbling　apologies。
　Getting　my　family　onto　the　train　…　any　train　…　is　a　task　that　tries　even　my　well…known　patience。　Emerson　had　sent　Selim　and　Daoud　on　to　Luxor　a　few　days　earlier；　to　survey　the　site　and　determine　what　needed　to　be　done。　That　left　seven　of　us；　not　counting　the　cat；　who　was　more　trouble　than　anyone。　The　railroad　station　is　always　a　scene　of　pure　pandemonium；　people　and　luggage　and　parcels　and　an　occasional　goat　mill　about；　voices　are　raised；　and　arms　wave　wildly。　What　with　Horus　shrieking　and　thrashing　around　in　his　basket；　and　Sennia　trying　to　get　away　from　Gargery　and　Basima　so　she　could　dash　up　and　down　the　platform　looking　for　acquaintances；　and　Emerson　darting　suspicious　glances　at　every　man；　woman；　and　child　who　came　anywhere　near　him；　my　attention　was　fully　engaged。
　The　train　was　late；　of　course。　After　I　had　got　everyone　on　board　and　in　the　proper　partment；　I　was　more　than　ready　for　a　refreshing　sip　of　whiskey　and　soda。　Removing　the　bottle；　the　gasogene；　and　the　glasses　from　the　hamper；　I　invited　Emerson　to　join　me。
　As　I　could　have　told　him　…　and　indeed；　did　tell　him　…　it　had　been　a　waste　of　time　to　look　for　Sethos。　He　never　did　the　same　thing　twice；　and　he　had　had　ample　time　to　municate　with　us　had　he　chosen　to　do　so。
　Emerson　said；　〃Bah；〃　and　poured　more　whiskey。
　I　had　dispatched　telegrams　to　the　Vandergelts　and　to　Fatima；　our　housekeeper；　informing　them　of　the　change　in　schedule；　but　being　only　too　familiar　with　the　leisurely　habits　of　the　telegraph　office　in　Luxor；　I　was　not　surprised　to　find　that　no　one　was　waiting　to　meet　us　at　the　station。　No　doubt　the　telegrams　would　be　delivered　later　that　day；　after　the　unofficial　telegraph；　gossip；　had　already　announced　our　arrival。　It　did　not　go　unremarked。　There　were　always　people　hanging　about　the　station；　meeting　arrivals　and　bidding　farewell　to　departing　travelers；　or　simply　wasting　time。　A　great　shout　went　up　when　the　loungers　recognized　the　unmistakable　form　of　Emerson；　who　was　…　I　believe　I　may　say　this　without　fear　of　contradiction　…　the　most　famous；　feared；　and　respected　archaeologist　in　Egypt。　Some　crowded　round　and　others　dashed　off；　hoping　to　be　the　first　to　spread　the　news。　〃The　Father　of　Curses　has　returned！　Yes；　yes；　I　saw　him　with　my　own　eyes；　and　the　Sitt　Hakim　his　wife；　and　his　son　the　Brother　of　Demons；　and　Nur　Misur；　the　Light　of　Egypt；　and　the　Little　Bird！〃
　It　took　some　little　time　to　unload　our　〃traps；〃　as　Emerson　called　them；　and　get　them　from　the　station　to　the　riverbank　and　onto　the　boats　which　would　take　us　across。　I　managed　to　arrange　matters　so　that　Sennia　was　in　one　boat；　with　Basima　and　Gargery　in　close　attendance　…　it　required　at　least　two　people　to　hang　on　to　her　and　keep　her　from　falling　overboard　…　and　Emerson　and　I　in　another。　On　this　occasion　I　wanted　to　be　alone　with　my　dear　husband。
　〃Ah；〃　I　exclaimed。　〃How　good　it　is　to　be　back　in　Luxor。〃
　〃You　always　say　that；〃　Emerson　grunted。
　〃I　always　feel　it。　And　so　do　you；　Emerson。　Breathe　in　the　clear　clean　air；〃　I　urged。　〃Observe　the　play　of　sunlight　on　the　rippling　water。　Enjoy　once　again　the　vista　before　us　…　the　ramparts　of　the　Theban　mountains　enclosing　the　sepulchres　of　the　long…dead　monarchs　of　…〃
　〃I　suggest　you　write　a　travel　book；　Peabody；　and　get　it　out　of　your　system。〃　But　his　arm　went　round　my　waist　and　his　broad　breast　expanded　as　he　drew　a　long　satisfied　breath。
　After　all；　there　is　no　place　like　Thebes。　I　did　not　say　this；　since　it　would　only　have　provoked　another　rude　ment　from　Emerson；　but　I　knew　he　shared　my　sentiments。　The　modern　city　of　Luxor　is　on　the　east　bank；　together　with　the　magnificent　temples　of　Karnak　and　Luxor。　On　the　west　bank　is　the　enormous　city　of　the　dead　…　the　sepulchres　of　the　long…dead　monarchs　of　imperial　Egypt　（as　I　had　been　about　to　say　when　Emerson　interrupted　me）；　their　funerary　temples；　and　the　tombs　of　nobles　and　moners；　in　a　setting　unparalleled　for　its　austere　beauty。　The　stretch　of　land　bordering　the　river；　fertilized　by　the　annual　inundation　and　watered　by　irrigation；　was　green　with　growing　crops。　Beyond　it　lay　the　desert；　extending　to　the　foot　of　the　Libyan　mountains　…　a　high；　barren　plateau　cut　by　innumerable　canyons　or　wadis。　For　many　years　we　had　lived　and　worked　in　western　Thebes；　and　the　house　we　had　built　was　waiting　for　us。　I　moved　closer　to　Emerson　and　his　arm　tightened　around　me。　He　was　looking　straight　ahead；　his　clean…cut　features　softened　by　a　smile；　his　black　hair　wildly　windblown。
　〃Where　is　your　hat；　Emerson？〃　I　asked。
　〃Don't　know；〃　said　Emerson。
　He　never　does　know。　By　the　time　I　had　located　it　and　persuaded　him　to　put　it　on；　we　were　landing。
　Fatima　had　not　received　our　telegram。　Not　that　it　mattered；　she　had　been　eagerly　awaiting　us　for　days；　and　the　house　was　in　its　usual　impeccable　order。　I　must　say　that　our　relations　with　Fatima　and　the　other　members　of　Abdullah's　family　who　worked　for　us　was　somewhat　unusual；　they　were　friends　as　well　as　servants；　and　that　latter　word　carried　no　loss　of　dignity　or　implication　of　inferiority。　Indeed；　I　believe　Fatima　thought　of　us　as　sadly　lacking　in　mon　sense　and　of　herself　as　in　charge　of　the　entire　lot　of　us。
　My　first　act；　after　we　had　exchanged　affectionate　greetings　with　Fatima；　was　to　inspect　our　new　quarters。　The　previous　winter　a　remarkable　archaeological　discovery　had　necessitated　our　spending　some　months　in　Luxor。　Our　old　house　was　then　occupied　by　Yusuf；　the　head　of　the　Luxor　branch　of　Abdullah's　family；　but　he　had　amiably　agreed　to　move　himself　and　his　wives　and　children　to　an　abode　in　Gurneh　village。　It　had　not　taken　me　long　to　realize　that　the　house　was　no　longer　modious　enough　for　all　of　us　to　live　in　fort　and　amity。　I　had　therefore　ordered　several　subsidiary　structures　to　be　added。　In　spite　of　Emerson's　indifference　and　total　lack　of　cooperation；　I　had　seen　the　work　well　under　way　before　our　departure；　but　I　had　been　obliged　to　leave　the　final　details　to　Fatima　and　Selim。
　I　invited　Fatima　to　acpany　me　on　m