elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第16部分

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　〃What　was　so　funny？〃　he　asked。
　Nefret　slipped　her　arm　through　his。　〃Never　mind。　It　loses　something　in　the　translation。〃
　〃But　I　understand　Arabic。〃
　〃Not　that　sort　of　translation。〃　She　laughed　up　at　him　and　he　thought　again；　as　he　did　several　dozen　times　a　day；　how　beautiful　she　was　and　how　much　he　loved　her。　That　lost　something　in　the　translation；　too。
　〃Yusuf　isn't　here；〃　she　said；　a　look　of　puzzlement　replacing　her　smile。　〃That's　rather　odd。　As　the　head　of　the　family；　courtesy　would　demand　he　wele　us　back。〃
　〃Selim　says　he　isn't　well。〃
　〃Perhaps　I　ought　to　go　to　him　and　see　if　there　is　anything　I　can　do。〃
　〃I　don't　think　your　medical　skills　would　help；　darling。〃　Poor　Yusuf's　world　had　been　overturned　the　past　year　when　he　had　lost　his　two　favorite　children。　Jamil；　the　handsome；　spoiled　youngest　son；　had　fled　after　being　involved　with　a　gang　of　professional　thieves。　He　had　not　been　seen　since。　Jumana；　his　sister；　had　found　a　happier　ending；　fiercely　ambitious　and　intelligent；　her　hopes　of　being　an　Egyptologist　were　being　fostered　by　the　Vandergelts　and　Ramses's　parents。
　Nefret　understood。　〃I　didn't　realize　it　had　hit　the　poor　old　chap　so　hard。〃
　〃Neither　did　I；　but　it　isn't　surprising。　Having　his　daughter　flout　his　authority；　refuse　the　fine　marriage　he　arranged　for　her；　and　go　off　to　bee　a　new　woman　…　educated；　independent；　and　Westernized　…　must　have　been　almost　as　great　a　blow　as　discovering　that　his　best…beloved　son　was　in　trouble　with　the　law。〃
　〃Greater；　perhaps；　to　a　man　of　his　traditional　beliefs；〃　Nefret　said。　〃Is　it　true　that　he　disowned　her　and　refuses　to　see　her？〃
　〃Who　told　you　that？〃
　〃Kadija。　She　tried　to　reason　with　him；　but　he　wouldn't　listen。〃
　〃Selim　said　the　same。　It's　a　pity。　Well；　we'll　send　Mother　round　to　talk　to　him。　If　she　can't　set　him　straight；　no　one　can。〃
　〃What　about　Jamil？〃
　〃According　to　Selim；　there's　been　no　sign　of　him。　Don't　get　any　ideas　about　trying　to　track　him　down。　There's　a　trite　old　proverb　about　sleeping　dogs。〃
　〃All　right；　don't　lose　your　temper。〃
　〃I　thought　you　liked　me　to　lose　my　temper。〃
　〃Only　when　we're　alone　and　I　can　deal　with　you　as　you　deserve。〃
　Before　he　could　respond　to　that；　his　mother　came　back　and　began　organizing　everyone。　The　women　of　the　family　carried　Sennia　and　her　luggage　off　to　her　new　quarters。　His　father　refused　to　budge；　he　was　having　too　fine　a　time　making　plans　for　the　season's　work。　He　insisted　that　Ramses　and　Selim　join　him；　but　he　lost　Nefret　to　his　wife。　The　two　of　them　went　off　with　Fatima。
　〃So；　Selim；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Have　you　got　a　crew　together？　I　hope　you　didn't　let　Vandergelt　take　our　best　men。〃
　〃He　has　hired　my　father's　cousin's　son　Abu　as　his　reis；　but　we　will　have　a　full　crew；　Emerson。　There　is　not　much　work　here　now。〃
　Emerson　did　not　ask　about　Yusuf。　He　was　too　busy　making　plans　for　work　to　begin　the　following　day。
　A　series　of　high…pitched　shouts　from　the　children　who　were　playing　on　the　veranda　heralded　a　new　arrival。
　〃I　might　have　known　you　couldn't　leave　us　in　peace　for　a　few　hours；〃　Emerson　grumbled；　but　he　went　quickly　to　meet　the　newer　with　an　outstretched　hand。
　Cyrus　Vandergelt's　leathery　face　creased　into　smiling　wrinkles。　The　American　was　dressed　with　his　usual　elegance；　in　a　white　linen　suit　and　polished　boots。　〃Yes；　you　might；〃　he　said　with　a　grin。　〃No　use　trying　to　sneak　into　town　unnoticed　…　just　got　your　telegram　a　while　ago；　but　I'd　already　heard　you　were　here。　Good　to　see　you。　Here's　somebody　else　who　couldn't　wait　to　say　hello。〃
　He　had　stood　back　for　her　to　precede　him　through　the　door。　Once　inside；　she　put　her　back　against　the　wall　and　watched　them；　wide…eyed　and　unsmiling；　like　a　wary　animal。　Emerson；　always　the　gentleman　with　women；　took　her　small　hand　in　his　and　gave　it　a　hearty　squeeze。
　〃Jumana！　Good　of　you　to　e；　my　dear。　Er　…　how　you've　grown　the　past　few　months！〃
　Not　so　you　could　notice；　Ramses　thought。　She　was　a　tiny　creature；　barely　five　feet　tall；　with　the　exotic　coloring　and　wide　dark　eyes　of　a　lady　in　a　Persian　miniature；　but　her　clothing　was　defiantly　English　…　neat　little　boots　and　a　divided　skirt；　under　a　mannish　shirt　and　tweed　jacket。　After　spending　the　spring　and　summer　with　them　in　England；　being　tutored　in　various　subjects　and　absorbing　information　as　a　dry　sponge　soaks　up　water；　she　had　returned　to　Egypt　in　November　with　the　Vandergelts。
　What　was　wrong　with　her？　Usually　her　small　face　was　alive　with　excitement　and　she　could　outtalk　everyone　in　the　family　…　which　was　no　small　feat。　Now　she　replied　to　Emerson's　greeting　with　a　wordless　murmur　and　her　dark　eyes　moved　uneasily　around　the　room。
　〃Where　is　Nefret？〃　she　asked。
　〃She　and　Mrs。　Emerson　have　gone　off　to　look　at　the　new　house；〃　Emerson　said。
　〃I　will　go　too。　Please？　Excuse　me？〃
　She　hurried　out　of　the　room　without　waiting　for　a　reply。　She's　got　something　on　her　mind；　all　right；　Ramses　thought。　Well；　whatever　it　was；　it　was　not　his　problem。　His　mother　thought　she　could　solve　everything；　let　her　deal　with　it。
　She　came　bustling　in　a　few　minutes　later　and　went　straight　to　Cyrus；　holding　out　her　hands。　〃Jumana　told　me　you　were　here。　Didn't　Katherine　and　Bertie　e　with　you？〃
　〃Bertie　wanted　to；　but　Katherine　had　some　chore　or　other　for　him；〃　Cyrus　answered。
　Ramses　wasn't　surprised　to　hear　it。　Katherine　disapproved　of　her　son's　fascination　with　the　pretty　Egyptian　girl。
　〃She　was　hoping　you'd　e　to　us　for　dinner　tonight；〃　Cyrus　went　on。
　〃Bah；〃　said　Emerson。　Cyrus　burst　out　laughing　and　stroked　his　goatee。
　〃I　know；　old　pal；　you　don't　have　time　for　social　engagements。　This'll　just　be　us；　nothing　formal；　e　as　you　are。〃
　Emerson's　jaws　parted；　but　his　wife　got　in　first。　〃Certainly；　Cyrus；　we　accept　with　pleasure。　Ramses；　Nefret　wants　you　to　join　her。　She　is　at　the　new　house。〃
　〃Oh？　Oh；　right。〃
　A　sensation　his　mother　would　have　described　as　a　〃hideous　premonition〃　came　over　him。　Why　hadn't　he　realized？　Of　course　…　she　had　built　the　house　for　Nefret　and　him。　It　was　just　like　her　to　do　it　without　consulting　them。　And　there　was　no　way　on　earth　they　could　refuse　without　sounding　churlish　and　ungrateful　and　selfish。　Nefret　was　too　fond　of　his　mother　to　tell　her　no　to　her　face。　She　would　want　him　to　do　it！
　He　expected　to　find　his　wife　on　the　doorstep；　vibrating　with　indignation。　She　wasn't　there。　He　had　to　track　her　down；　looking　into　room　after　room　as　he　searched。　The　place　was　quite　attractive；　really　…　large；　low…ceilinged　rooms；　with　the　carved　mashrabiya　screens　he　liked　so　much　covering　the　windows；　tiled　floors；　bookshelves　on　many　of　the　walls。　Otherwise　the　house　was　almost　empty　except　for　a　few　tables　and　chairs　and　couches。　She'd　had　sense　enough　to　leave　the　choice　of　furnishings　and　decorations　to　them。　Not　at　all　bad；　on　the　whole。　If　it　had　been　up　to　him　。　。　。
　If　it　had　been　up　to　him；　he　would　rather　live　in　a　hole　in　the　rock　than　tell　his　mother　he　didn't　like　it。
　He　found　Nefret　sitting　on　the　shady　porch　that　looked　out　on　a　small　courtyard。　Jumana　was　with　her；　their　heads　close　together。
　〃I'm　sorry；　Nefret；〃　he　began。
　〃You　apologize　too　often。〃　It　was　an　old　joke　between　them；　but　when　she　looked　up　he　saw　that　her　face　was　grave。
　〃It's　not　so　bad；　is　it？〃　he　asked。　〃She　meant　well；　and　it　is　some　distance　from　the　main　house；　and　…〃
　〃It's　fine；〃　Nefret　said　impatiently。　〃Never　mind　the　house；　Ramses。　Jumana　has　something　to　tell　you。〃
　There　were　wicker　chairs　and　a　table　or　two。　He　sat　down。　〃Well？〃
　She　had　obviously　been　talking　freely　with　Nefret；　but　the　sight　of　him　froze　her　tongue。　She　twisted　her　hands　together。
　〃What　is　it？〃　Ramses　asked。　〃Something　about　Bertie？　Don't　worry　about　him；　Jumana；　you'll　be　staying　with　us　from　now　on。　That　was　the　agreement。〃
　〃Bertie？〃　She　dismissed　him　with　a　shrug。　〃He　is　not　a　worry。　No。　I　must　tell　you；　but　。　。　。〃　She　swallowed；　hard。　〃I　have　seen　Jamil。〃
　〃My　God。〃　Ramses　breathed。　〃Where？　When？〃
　〃Two　weeks　ago。〃　Now　that　she　had　got　the　worst　of　it　out；　the　words　flowed　freely。　〃I　went　to　Luxor　Temple；　while　Mrs。　Vandergelt　was　shopping　at　the　suk　and　Mr。　Vandergelt　was　at　Mohassib's。　Bertie　wanted　to　go　with　me；　but　Mrs。　Vandergelt　said　…〃
　〃I　understand；〃　Ramses