elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第20部分

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ath。　I　dreamed　of　him　from　time　to　time；　and　it　was　always　in　this　setting　that　I　saw　him。
　Difficult　as　it　is　to　believe　of　such　a　barren；　rocky　region；　the　wadis　of　the　Western　Desert　were　cut　by　water　pouring　down　the　cliffs　of　the　high　plateau　to　the　plain　below。　I　believe　I　can　best　make　the　Reader　e　to　an　understanding　of　this　particular　terrain；　which　is　nothing　at　all　like　the　sand　deserts　of　the　Sahara；　by　paring　the　plateau　to　a　plum　cake　which　has　been　set　down　on　a　flattish　platter　（the　Nile　Valley）。　Imagine　that　some　monstrous　being　has　thrust　taloned　claws　into　the　soft　top　and　sides　of　this　confection　and　withdrawn　them；　leaving　ragged　fissures　and　tumbled　lumps。
　（When　Emerson　happened　to　read　this　particular　section　of　my　narrative；　he　remarked　that　in　his　opinion　no　rational　person　could　make　such　an　absurd　parison。　In　my　opinion；　it　is　a　valid　figure　of　speech；　and　very　descriptive。）
　Paths　wind　to　and　fro　across　the　slopes　and　over　the　gebel；　some　are　fairly　easy；　others　are　more　suitable　for　goats。　These　latter　were　the　ones　we　followed；　for　whenever　there　was　a　choice　between　an　easier；　roundabout　route；　or　a　steeper；　direct　path；　Emerson　chose　the　second。　I　had　to　trust　to　his　leadership；　since　I　had　never　e　this　way；　but　various　landmarks　gave　me　a　general　sense　of　where　we　were。　Above　rose　the　great　pyramid…shaped　peak　known　as　the　Qurn；　beyond；　below；　and　behind　it　were　ravines　of　all　sizes；　including　the　great　Valleys　of　the　Kings　and　the　Queens。　As　we　went　on；　scrambling　up　stony　slopes　and　over　projecting　ridges；　the　scenery　became　wilder　and　more　spectacular；　but　even　in　that　remote　region　there　were　signs　of　the　presence　of　man；　both　ancient　and　modern：　a　scrap　of　newspaper　that　might　have　wrapped　someone's　lunch；　the　tumbled　stones　of　crude　huts；　scraps　of　broken　pottery　and　animal　bones。
　After　an　hour　of　strenuous　walking　I　persuaded　Emerson　to　stop　for　a　brief　rest　and　a　sip　of　water。　The　view　was　breathtaking　but　monotonous　…　tumbled　stone　and　bare　ground；　with　the　blue　of　the　sky　above　the　only　color。
　〃Emerson；　are　you　sure　you　know　where　you　are　going？〃　I　inquired；　mopping　my　perspiring　face。
　〃Certainly；〃　said　Emerson；　looking　surprised。　He　pointed。　〃We　are　only　eight　thousand　feet　from　Medinet　Habu。　Cheer　up；　Peabody；　we'll　be　going　down　from　here；　there　is　a　perfectly　good　path　to　the　next　wadi　and　from　there　it's　only　a　hop；　skip；　and　a　jump　to　the　Cemetery　of　the　Monkeys。〃
　By　the　time　we　reached　the　end　of　his　〃perfectly　good　path；〃　which　was　nothing　of　the　sort；　the　sun　was　high　overhead。　A　long；　relatively　low　ridge　of　rock　separated　the　first　wadi　from　the　second；　though　I　certainly　would　not　have　described　its　traverse　as　a　hop；　skip；　and　a　jump。　A　scramble；　a　slip；　and　a　stretch　would　be　more　like　it。　Once　over　the　ridge　we　saw　a　narrow；　irregular　canyon；　stretching　out　to　the　north。　The　ground　was　extremely　uneven；　littered　with　fallen　rock　and　archaeological　debris　…　fragments　of　red　pottery；　flints；　and　so　on。
　Hot；　out　of　breath；　and　faced　with　this　unpromising　view；　I　allowed　myself　to　speak　candidly。　〃That；　I　take　it；　is　the　wadi　where　the　princesses'　tomb　is　located。　Would　you　now　care　to　explain　what　the　devil　we　are　doing　here？　You　told　Cyrus　he　would　be　wasting　his　time　looking　for　tombs　here。〃
　〃Hmph；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Modesty　forbids　me　to　mention　that　I　am　perhaps　a　trifle　more　qualified　than　Vandergelt。　However；　that　is　not　my　primary　aim。　I　just　…　er　…　want　to　have　a　look　at　the　princesses'　tomb。　The　bastards　can't　have　made　a　plete　clearance。〃
　〃Oh；　yes；　they　could　have。　I　tell　you；　Emerson；　you　won't　find　anything　of　interest　…　and　how　are　we　to　locate　the　exact　spot？　The　tomb　was　well　hidden；　and　there　are　dozens　of　clefts　and　rifts　in　those　walls。〃
　〃There　may　be　signs；〃　Emerson　insisted。　〃Watermarks；　fresh　stone　chips；　possibly　even　scraps　of　the　burial　equipment。　Do　you　see　anything；　Ramses？〃
　〃No；　sir。〃　Ramses　bent　and　picked　up　a　piece　of　worked　stone；　covered　with　a　thick　patina。　He　tossed　it　away。　〃Paleolithic。〃
　We　made　our　way　slowly　along　the　uneven　floor　of　the　wadi；　scanning　the　rocky　walls　on　either　side。　There　was　a　good　deal　more　debris；　in　the　form　of　pottery　shards　and　scraps　of　stone。　I　came　to　a　halt　next　to　a　gaping　hole　and　let　out　a　cry　of　excitement。　〃Emerson！　A　pit　tomb；　is　it　not？　And　here　…〃　I　reached　for　an　object　half　hidden　in　dusty　chips　…　something　that　was　surely　metallic；　for　a　glint　of　sunlight　had　shone　off　it。　〃Here　is　…　oh。〃
　It　was　a　crumpled　cigarette　tin。
　〃Carter；〃　said　Emerson；　making　the　name　sound　like　an　expletive。
　〃How　do　you　know？〃
　〃None　of　the　local　men　can　afford　European　cigarettes；〃　Emerson　said。　〃It's　the　brand　he　smokes；　isn't　it？〃
　As　we　went　on；　the　ground　underfoot　became　even　more　uneven；　it　appeared　as　if　someone　had　conducted　a　random　but　extensive　excavation。　Emerson　growled。　〃Either　Carter　has　lost　all　remnants　of　archaeological　conscience；　or　the　locals　have　been　digging；　looking　for　tombs。〃
　〃The　latter；　surely；〃　said　Ramses。　〃Carter　had　every　right　to　be　here；　Father；　he　has　done　nothing　wrong。〃
　〃Hmph；〃　said　Emerson；　who　could　not　deny　this；　but　who；　in　his　heart　of　hearts；　regarded　the　entire　country　of　Egypt　as　his　personal　property；　archaeologically　speaking。
　We　had　almost　reached　the　end　of　the　canyon　when　I　became　aware　of　a　faint；　unpleasant　smell。　I　looked　up；　expecting　to　see　floating　overhead　the　winged　predators　that　feed　on　carrion；　but　the　sky　was　empty　of　all　but　light。
　Jumana　was　the　first　to　see　the　signs　for　which　we　had　been　searching。　She　ran　on　ahead；　quick　and　sure…footed　over　the　uneven　ground；　and　came　to　a　stop。　〃See！〃
　The　object　she　held　up　was　a　small　gold　bead。
　〃Ha；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Well　done；　Jumana。　Yes；　just　as　I　expected。　The　tomb　must　have　been　partially　filled　with　rock　fallen　from　the　walls　and　ceiling。　The　villains　were　careful　not　to　remove　any　more　of　it　than　they　had　to；　but　they　were　bound　to　lose　a　few　items。　By　Gad；　that　looks　like　a　bone。〃
　It　fell　to　pieces　in　a　shower　of　dust　when　he　picked　it　up。　〃Water…rotted；〃　Emerson　muttered；　and　began　rooting　around　in　the　debris。
　〃The　tomb　must　be　up　there；〃　Ramses　said；　shading　his　eyes　with　his　hand。　〃Directly　above；　in　that　rift。〃
　Emerson　got　to　his　feet。　Only　then　did　something　odd　seem　to　strike　him。　He　threw　his　shoulders　back；　raised　his　head；　and　sniffed。　〃Have　the　local　lads　been　up　to　their　old　tricks　…　throwing　the　carcass　of　a　dead　animal　into　the　shaft　to　deter　other　explorers？　You　remember　the　Abd　er　Rassuls；　and　the　Royal　Cache。〃
　〃Why　would　they　bother　to　do　that；　if　there　is　nothing　left　in　the　tomb？〃　I　asked。　I　pinched　my　nose　with　my　fingers。
　〃Precisely；〃　said　Emerson；　looking　pleased。　〃I　will　just　have　a　look。〃
　We　were　at　the　far　end　of　the　valley；　facing　a　steep　cliff　that　I　judged　to　be　over　a　hundred　feet　high。　Some　thirty　feet　above　us　I　made　out　a　cleft　running　deep　into　the　rock。
　〃Emerson；〃　I　said；　choosing　my　words　with　care；　〃it　is　a　sheer　drop　from　the　cleft　down　to　the　base　of　the　cliff。　If　you　are　bent　on　breaking　your　arm　or　your　leg　or　your　neck　or　all　three；　find　a　place　closer　to　home　so　we　won't　have　to　carry　you　such　a　distance。〃
　Emerson　grinned　at　me。　〃You　do　enjoy　your　little　touches　of　sarcasm；　Peabody。　I　can　make　it。〃
　〃No；　sir；　I　don't　believe　you　can；〃　Ramses　said；　quietly　but　firmly。　〃I　wouldn't　care　to　try　it　either。　I'll　go　round　and　up；　with　the　rope；　and　lower　myself　from　the　top　as　the　thieves　did。〃
　I　let　out　a　sigh　of　relief。　Ramses　seldom　contradicted　his　father；　but　when　he　did；　Emerson　heeded　his　advice　…　a　pliment　he　paid　few　people；　including　me。
　〃Oh；〃　he　said；　stroking　his　chin。　〃Hmph。　Very　well；　my　boy。　Be　careful。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃I　will　go　too；〃　Daoud　volunteered。　〃To　hold　the　rope。〃
　He　slung　a　coil　of　rope　over　his　shoulder　and　the　two　of　them　set　out　toward　the　mouth　of　the　wadi；　where　the　enclosing　cliffs　were　lower　and　easier　to　climb。　They　would　have　quite　a　scramble　to　get　to　the　top；　but　I　was　not　concerned　about　them；　Ramses　was　the　best　rock　climber　in　the　family　and　Daoud　had　been　up　and　down　cliffs　like　these　since　childhood。　He　would　make　certain　Ramses　took　sensible