elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第18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！


；　where　Cyrus　stood　waiting　to　greet　us。
　He　had；　as　promised；　invited　no　other　guests。　I　asked　after　William　Amherst；　who　had　worked　for　Cyrus　the　previous　year；　and　was　told　that　he　had　left。
　〃Finally　wangled　his　way　into　the　army；〃　Cyrus　said　rather　enviously。　〃Some　kind　of　office　job。　Leaves　me　confounded　shorthanded；〃　he　added。　〃But　Abu　is　a　good　reis；　and　Bertie's　filling　in　real　well。〃
　Katherine　gave　her　son　a　fond　look。　She　had　grown　a　touch　stouter；　but　the　additional　weight　was；　in　my　opinion；　quite　being。　She　wore　a　long　loose　gown　in　the　Egyptian　style　and　an　emerald　necklace　that　matched　her　eyes。　Now　that　she　was　freed　from　worry　about　her　son；　who　had　been　severely　wounded　in　action　the　past　year；　her　face　had　lost　its　haggard　look　and　once　again　she　resembled　the　pleasant；　plump…cheeked　tabby　cat　of　which　she　had　reminded　me　at　our　first　meeting。
　Bertie　was　looking　well　too。　He　had　taken　up　the　study　of　Egyptology；　partly　to　please　his　stepfather；　but　primarily　to　win　favor　with　Jumana；　and　there　is　nothing　like　the　vigorous　pursuit　of　archaeology　to　give　an　individual　healthy　color　and　a　sturdy　frame。　I　did　notice；　when　he　advanced　to　greet　me；　that　one　leg　still　dragged　a　little。　I　had　hoped　that　time　would　bring　about　a　plete　cure。　Evidently　it　had　not。　Ah　well；　I　thought；　it　will　keep　him　from　going　back　into　the　military。
　The　only　other　person　present　was　Jumana；　who　sat　as　still　as　a　little　mouse　until　Emerson　went　to　her。　Everyone　was　talking　and　laughing；　I　believe　I　was　the　only　one　who　heard　what　he　said　to　her。
　〃You　did　the　right　thing；　child。　The　matter　is　in　my　hands　now；　and　there　is　nothing　to　worry　about。〃
　I　could　only　hope　he　was　right。
　It　wasn't　long　before　Cyrus　turned　the　conversation　to　the　subject　that　had　obviously　bee　an　idée　fixe。　〃I　want　a　crack　at　that　treasure；〃　he　declared。　〃Emerson；　you're　gonna　have　to　help　me　with　Mohassib。〃
　Ramses　glanced　at　me。　His　dark　brows　tilted　in　an　expression　of　amused　skepticism；　and　I　intervened　before　Emerson　could　answer。
　〃Now；　Cyrus；　you　know　perfectly　well　that　Emerson　is　the　last　person　in　whom　Mohassib　would　confide。　Emerson　has　told　him　only　too　often　and　only　too　profanely　what　he　thinks　of　dealers　in　antiquities。　I　would　like　to　hear　more　about　the　business。　How　was　the　tomb　found；　has　it　been　investigated；　why　hasn't　the　Service　des　Antiquités　taken　steps？〃
　That　ought　to　keep　Emerson　quiet　for　a　while；　I　thought　placently。
　Nothing　loath；　Cyrus　launched　into　a　tale　that　was　even　more　bizarre　than　the　usual　stories　of　such　discoveries　…　and　that；　I　assure　you；　Reader；　is　saying　a　good　deal。
　It　does　not　often　rain　in　Luxor；　but　when　it　does；　the　storms　are　severe。　One　such　storm　had　struck　the　previous　summer；　washing　away　houses　and　cutting　deep　channels　through　the　land。　The　canny　thieves　of　Luxor　knew　that　such　downpours　were　more　effective　than　excavation　in　removing　accumulated　debris　and；　perhaps；　exposing　tomb　entrances。　Scrambling　around　the　cliffs；　they　had　found　a　place　where　a　stream　of　falling　water　disappeared　into　a　crevice　and　then　came　out　again；　forty　feet　away。
　What　they　saw　when　they　squirmed　through　the　choked　passageway　into　the　tomb　chamber　must　have　left　even　those　hardened　thieves　speechless。　Unrobbed　tombs　aren't　found　every　day；　and　this　one　was　spectacularly　rich。　Astonishment　did　not　render　them　less　efficient；　within　a　few　hours　the　treasure　had　been　removed　and　deposited　with　Mohassib；　who　paid　them　in　gold　coins。　The　money　was　divided　among　the　miscreants；　who　immediately　began　to　spend　it。
　〃That　old　fool　Mohammed　Hammad　bought　himself　a　young　wife；〃　Cyrus　said。　〃It　turned　out　to　be　a　mistake。　The　news　of　the　tomb　got　around；　as　it　always　does；　and　a　few　weeks　later　the　local　mamur　and　his　lads　descended　on　the　village。　Mohammed　had　time　to　hide　the　rest　of　his　money　in　a　basket　of　grain；　and　sent　the　girl　off　with　it；　but　she　hung　around　flirting　with　the　guards；　and　one　of　them　knocked　the　basket　off　her　head。　Well；　folks；　you　can　imagine　what　happened　after　that。　There　was　a　free…for…all；　villagers　and　police　rolling　around　the　ground　fighting　each　other　for　the　gold　pieces。　Mohammed　ended　up　with　nothing；　not　even　the　girl。　She　went　off　with　the　mamur。〃
　〃Disgusting；〃　Katherine　murmured。
　〃Poetic　justice；〃　said　Emerson　with　an　evil　grin。　〃Mohammed　must　be　feeling　hard　done　by。　He　may　be　persuaded　to　show　me　the　location　of　the　tomb。　They　can't　have　done　a　plete　clearance。〃
　〃Oh；　it's　been　located；〃　Cyrus　said。　〃In　the　Wadi　Gabbanat　el…Qirud　…　the　Cemetery　of　the　Monkeys。　I've　been　thinking　I　might　spend　a　little　time　out　there　looking　for　more　tombs。〃
　〃You　are　supposed　to　be　working　at　Medinet　Habu；〃　Emerson　said　with　a　severe　look　at　his　friend。　〃Not　going　off　on　wild…goose　chases。〃
　〃It's　all　very　well　for　you　to　talk；〃　Cyrus　said　indignantly。　〃You've　had　your　big　finds；　but　how　about　me？　All　those　years　in　the　Valley　of　the　Kings　and　not　a　durned　tomb　for　my　trouble！　There's　got　to　be　more　of　them　in　the　southwest　wadis。　With　Carter's　find　that　makes　two　tombs　of　royal　females　in　those　wadis。　What　I　figure　is　that　that　area　could　have　been　a　kind　of　early　queens'　cemetery。〃
　〃It　is　a　strong　possibility；〃　Ramses　agreed。
　Cyrus's　eye　brightened；　but　Emerson　said　firmly；　〃You'd　be　wasting　your　time；　Vandergelt。　Carter　didn't　find　that　tomb　of　Hatshepsut's；　he　trailed　a　group　of　the　locals　who　had　discovered　it。　You　had　better　stop　chasing　rainbows　and　get　to　work；　as　I　intend　to　do。　You　have　the　firman　for　Medinet　Habu；　and　you　were　damned　lucky　to　get　it。　It　is　one　of　the　best…preserved　temples　on　the　West　Bank。〃
　〃At　least　there　are　some　tombs　at　Deir　el　Medina；〃　Cyrus　muttered。
　〃Private　tombs；〃　Emerson　pointed　out。　〃And　I　will　not　be　searching　for　more。　I　mean　to　finish　excavating　that　settlement　in　its　entirety。　In　archaeological　terms　it　is　far　more　important　than　any　cursed　royal　tomb。　Town　sites　are　rare；　and　we　will　gain　valuable　information　about　the　daily　life；　occupations；　and　amusements　of　the　working　classes　。　。　。〃
　There　are　few　aspects　of　Egyptology　that　do　not　interest　Emerson；　but　in　this　case　he　was　bravely　disguising　a　certain　degree　of　disappointment　and　envy。　He　had　always　wanted　to　work　at　one　of　the　great　temples　like　Medinet　Habu。　To　be　honest；　I　was　not　especially　excited　about　the　village　either；　but　we　would　not　have　got　even　that　site　if　the　individual　who　had　held　the　firman　the　previous　year　had　not　been　taken　into　police　custody。　According　to　Emerson；　his　excavation　methods　had　been　careless　in　the　extreme；　so　there　was　a　good　chance　we　might　e　upon　artifacts　he　had　overlooked　or　discarded　as　worthless。
　And　I　just　might　have　a　look　round　for　more　of　the　private　tombs。　Some　of　them　were　beautifully　decorated；　and　two　had　contained　their　original　grave　goods　…　not　as　rich　as　those　of　the　princesses；　but　full　of　interest。
　Emerson　concluded　his　speech　by　remarking；　〃I　trust；　Vandergelt；　that　you　will　concentrate　on　Medinet　Habu。　You　cannot　expect　the　Department　of　Antiquities　to　think　well　of　you　if　you　keep　wandering　off　on　fanciful　quests。〃
　When　we　took　our　departure；　we　were　loaded　down。　There　was　room　for　Jumana　on　the　seat　with　Ramses　and　Nefret；　but　her　boxes　and　bundles　took　up　quite　a　lot　of　space。　Upon　our　arrival　I　showed　the　girl　her　room。　I　had　the　distinct　impression　that　she　was　not　impressed　by　its　amenities。　They　were　certainly　inferior　to　the　ones　she　had　enjoyed　as　Cyrus's　guest。
　However；　she　expressed　her　appreciation　very　prettily。　I　then　informed　her　that　Emerson　wanted　a　word　with　her。
　〃What　about？〃　she　asked。
　〃I　think　you　know　what　about；　Jumana。　For　goodness'　sake；　child；　you　look　like　a　cornered　rabbit。　You　aren't　afraid　of　him；　surely。〃
　〃Not　of　him；〃　Jumana　murmured。　〃I　have　done　nothing　to　be　ashamed　of；　Sitt　Hakim。〃
　〃I　didn't　say　you　had。　e　along。〃
　We　had　agreed　in　advance　that　Emerson　and　I　would　have　a　private　chat　with　Jumana；　so　I　was　somewhat　surprised　to　find　the　children　with　him　in　the　sitting　room。
　〃We　only　waited　to　say　good　night；〃　Nefret　said；　ing　to　give　me　a　kiss。
　〃I　hope　the　house　is　satisfactory；〃　I　said；　addressing　Ramses；　who　had　not　yet　given　me　h