elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第15部分

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m。
　I　invited　Fatima　to　acpany　me　on　my　tour　of　inspection。　Selim；　who　had　been　awaiting　us；　came　along；　not　because　he　wanted　to；　but　because　I　insisted。　Like　his　father；　he　was　never　quite　sure　how　I　would　respond　to　his　efforts　along　domestic　lines。　Abdullah　had　been　inclined　to　wax　sarcastic　about　what　he　considered　my　unreasonable　demands　for　cleanliness。　〃The　men　are　sweeping　the　desert；　Sitt；〃　he　had　once　remarked。　〃How　far　from　the　house　must　they　go？〃
　Dear　Abdullah。　I　missed　him　still。　At　least　he　had　tried；　which　was　more　than　Emerson　ever　did。
　In　fact；　I　found　very　little　to　disapprove；　and　Selim's　wary　expression　turned　to　a　smile　as　I　piled　pliment　upon　pliment。　The　new　wing；　which　I　intended　for　Sennia　and　her　entourage　…　Basima；　Gargery；　and　the　cat　…　had　a　number　of　rooms　surrounding　a　small　courtyard；　with　a　shaded　arcade　along　one　side　and　a　charming　little　fountain　in　the　center。　The　new　furniture　I　had　ordered　had　been　delivered；　and　while　we　were　there；　one　of　the　maids　hurried　in　with　an　armful　of　linens　and　began　to　make　up　the　beds。
　〃Excellent；〃　I　exclaimed。　〃All　it　needs　is　…　er　…　um　…　well；　nothing　really；　except　for　some　plants　in　the　courtyard。〃
　〃We　thought　we　should　leave　that　to　you；　Sitt；〃　said　Selim。
　〃Yes；　quite。　I　enjoy　my　gardening。〃
　I　meant　to　make　a　few　other　changes　as　well；　but　they　could　wait。
　The　others　were　still　in　the　sitting　room；　with　several　other　members　of　the　family　who　had　turned　up；　including　Kadija；　Daoud's　wife；　all　talking　at　once　and　doing　absolutely　nothing　useful。　I　made　a　few　pointed　remarks　about　unpacking；　to　which　no　one　listened；　dismissed　Selim；　and　asked　Nefret　to　join　me　and　Fatima　for　the　rest　of　the　tour。
　She　had　seen　only　the　unfinished　shell　of　the　second　house；　which　was　situated　a　few　hundred　yards　away。　The　intervening　space　would　be　filled　in　with　flowering　plants；　shrubs；　and　trees　as　soon　as　I　could　supervise　their　planting　and　cultivation。　Just　now　it　was　desert…bare；　but　the　structure　itself　looked　very　nice；　I　thought；　its　mud…brick　walls　plastered　in　a　pretty　shade　of　pale　ocher。　My　orders　had　been　carried　out；　the　interior　was　as　modern　and　fortable　as　anyone　could　wish；　including　an　elegant　bath　chamber　and　a　small　courtyard；　enclosed　for　privacy。　As　we　went　from　room　to　room　I　found　myself　chattering　away　with　scarcely　a　pause　for　breath；　pointing　out　the　amenities　and　explaining　at　unnecessary　length　that　any　desired　alterations　could　be　acplished　quickly　and　easily。　Nefret　listened　in　silence；　nodding　from　time　to　time；　her　face　unsmiling。　Finally　she　said　quietly；　〃It's　all　right；　Mother；〃　and　I　got　hold　（figuratively　speaking）　of　my　wagging　tongue。
　〃Dear　me；〃　I　said　somewhat　sheepishly。　〃I　sound　like　a　tradesperson　hoping　to　sell　a　house。　I　beg　your　pardon；　my　dear。〃
　〃Don't　apologize。　You　mean　this　for　us；　don't　you　…　for　Ramses　and　me。　You　didn't　tell　me　last　year　that　was　what　you　intended。〃
　〃My　intentions　are　not　relevant；　Nefret。　It　is　entirely　up　to　you。　If　you　prefer　to　stay　on　the　dahabeeyah；　as　you　used　to　do；　that　is　perfectly　all　right。　But　I　thought　。　。　。　It　is　some　distance　from　our　house；　you　see；　and　once　I　have　the　plantings　in　place　they　will　provide　additional　privacy；　and　we　would　not　dream；　any　of　us；　of　intruding　without　an　invitation；　and　…〃
　〃Can　you　imagine　Father　waiting　for　an　invitation？〃　Nefret　inquired　seriously。　〃Or　Sennia？〃
　〃I　will　make　certain　they　do；〃　I　said。
　〃It　is　a　beautiful　house。　But　a　trifle　large　for　two　people；　perhaps？〃
　〃D'you　really　think　so？　In　my　opinion　…〃
　〃Oh；　Mother！〃　Laughter　transformed　her　face；　from　shining　blue　eyes　to　curving　lips。　She　put　her　arm　round　me；　and　Fatima；　who　had　listened　anxiously　to　the　exchange；　broke　into　a　broad　smile。　Nefret　gave　her　a　hug　too。
　〃It　is　a　beautiful　house；〃　she　repeated。　〃Thank　you　…　both　of　you　…　for　working　so　hard　to　make　it　perfect。〃
　　
　FROM　MANUSCRIPT　H
　　
　The　appearance　of　Sethos　at　the　Cairo　railroad　station　had　worried　Ramses　more　than　he　admitted。　He　would　have　been　the　first　to　agree　that　his　feelings　for　his　uncle　were　ambivalent。　You　couldn't　help　admiring　the　man's　courage　and　cleverness；　you　couldn't　help　resenting　the　fact　that　he　was　always　one　or　two　steps　ahead　of　you。　Affection　…　yes；　there　was　that；　on　both　sides；　he　thought　…　a　belated　understanding　of　the　tragedies　that　had　turned　Sethos　to　a　life　of　crime；　appreciation　of　the　risks　he　had　taken　for　them　and　for　the　country　that　had　denied　him　his　birthright　。　。　。　Ramses　felt　certain　he　was　still　taking　those　risks。　Had　he　turned　up　to　greet　them　because　he　was　about　to　embark　on　another　job；　one　from　which　he　might　not　return？　It　was　a　far…fetched　notion；　perhaps；　but　Ramses　had　once　been　a　player　in　〃the　Great　Game；〃　and　he　was　only　too　familiar　with　that　fatalistic　state　of　mind。
　He　did　not　mention　this；　not　even　to　his　wife。　It　would　worry　her；　and　the　others；　including　his　father。　Emerson's　pretense　of　indifference　didn't　fool　Ramses。　〃Bastard〃　was　one　of　Emerson's　favorite　epithets。　It　was　indicative　that　he　never　used　it　to　refer　to　his　illegitimate　brother。
　However；　there　had　been　no　sign　of　Sethos　since；　and　no　indication　that　he　was　back　in　the　antiquities　business。　Ramses　was　relieved　when　his　father　decided　to　leave　Cairo。　If　Nefret　had　insisted　on　acpanying　him　on　a　tour　of　the　coffeeshops　he　could　not　have　denied　her；　she　had　demanded　a　role　as　equal　partner　in　all　his　activities；　and　God　knew　she　had　earned　it。　He　believed　he　had　put　up　a　fairly　good　show　of　willing　acquiescence；　but　the　idea　of　seeing　her　facing　thieves　and　murderers　still　made　his　hair　stand　on　end。
　Anyhow；　he　preferred　Luxor　to　Cairo　and　the　Theban　cemeteries　to　those　of　ancient　Memphis。　Emerson　had　managed　to　get　official　permission　to　excavate　the　ancient　village　at　Deir　el　Medina　and　Ramses　was　looking　forward　to　a　long；　peaceful　period　of　purely　archaeological　work。　They　wouldn't　find　any　buried　treasure　or　long…lost　tombs；　which　was　fine　with　him。　As　for　the　recent　discovery　that　had　aroused　Cyrus　Vandergelt's　interest；　he　hoped　he　could　persuade　his　father　to　stay　out　of　that　matter。　They　had　had　enough　trouble　with　tomb　robbers　the　year　before。
　His　mother's　energetic　renovations　had　altered　the　house　almost　beyond　recognition。　There　were　new　structures　all　around。　The　shaded　veranda　was　the　same；　however；　and　the　sitting　room　still　had　its　handsome　antique　rugs　and　familiar　furniture。　Nefret　went　at　once　to　the　pianoforte　and　ran　her　fingers　over　the　keys。
　〃Is　it　not　right？〃　Fatima　asked　anxiously。　〃I　will　find　someone　…〃
　〃I　can't　imagine　where；〃　Nefret　said　with　a　smile。　〃Actually　it's　in　remarkably　good　tune；　considering。〃
　〃Sounds　fine　to　me；〃　declared　Emerson；　who　was　blissfully　tone…deaf。　He　looked　round　with　an　air　of　great　satisfaction。　〃Help　me　unpack　these　books；　Nefret。　First　things　first。〃
　A　brief　and　inconclusive　argument　with　his　wife；　who　wanted　him　to　inspect　the　new　wing；　ended　with　her　marching　off　with　Fatima　and　Selim　and　Emerson　happily　wrenching　the　tops　from　cases　of　books；　which　he　proceeded　to　put　in　piles　all　over　the　floor。　He　hadn't　got　very　far　before　they　were　interrupted　by　visitors。　News　of　their　arrival　had　reached　Gurneh　before　them。　Abdullah's　extended　family　numbered　almost　fifty　people；　and　it　seemed　to　Ramses　that　most　of　them　had　e　hurrying　to　wele　them　back。　The　maids　served　coffee　and　mint　tea；　and　a　cheerful　pandemonium　ensued。　Sennia　was　in　her　element；　running　from　one　pair　of　weling　arms　to　another；　and　Emerson　was　talking　to　several　people　at　once。
　Ramses　looked　round　for　Nefret；　and　saw　she　was　deep　in　conversation　with　Daoud's　wife；　Kadija；　a　very　large；　very　dignified　woman　of　Nubian　extraction。　According　to　Nefret；　Kadija　had　a　lively　sense　of　humor；　but　the　rest　of　them　had　to　take　that　on　faith　since　she　never　told　them　any　of　her　stories。　She　was　obviously　telling　one　now；　Nefret's　cheeks　rounded　with　laughter。　Ramses　went　to　join　them。　He　was　disappointed　but　not　surprised　when　Kadija　ducked　her　head　and　slipped　away。
　〃What　was　so　funny？〃　he　asked。
　Nefret　slipped　her　arm　through　his。　〃Never　mind。　It　loses　something　in　the　translation。〃
　〃But　I　understand