elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第22部分

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　〃If　you　want　to　reach　home　before　dark；　we　had　best　be　getting　on；〃　he　said。
　I　patted　my　damp　face　daintily　with　my　handkerchief。　〃There　are　still　several　hours　of　daylight　left。　Where　are　we？〃
　〃A　mile　or　so　from　Medinet　Habu。〃　He　gestured。　〃I　thought　we　might　go　home　by　way　of　Deir　el　Medina；　have　a　look　round；　see　what　…〃
　〃Not　today；　Emerson。〃　I　knew　Emerson's　little　〃look　round〃　and　〃mile　or　so。〃　The　first　could　take　up　to　three　hours；　the　second　might　be　two　miles　or　more。　I　continued　somewhat　acrimoniously；　〃Why　didn't　we　take　this　path　when　we　went　out？　We　could　have　brought　the　horses　as　far　as　Medinet　Habu　at　least。〃
　〃Faster　the　other　way。〃　Emerson　rubbed　his　chin　and　gave　me　a　puzzled　look。　〃You　aren't　tired；　are　you？〃
　〃Good　gracious；　no；〃　I　said；　with　a　hollow　laugh。
　I　must　give　Emerson　credit；　his　mile　or　so　was　in　fact　only　a　little　more　than　a　mile。　The　path　soon　widened　into　a　fairly　well　trafficked　road　and　before　long　I　saw　the　towering　pylons　of　the　temple　of　Ramses　III。　We　were　passing　the　gateway　when　a　man　emerged。　He　gave　a　start　of　surprise　and　came　toward　us。
　〃Stop；　Emerson；〃　I　ordered。　〃There　is　Cyrus。〃
　Emerson　had　seen　him；　of　course。　He　had　hoped　he　would　not；　but　he　was　fairly　caught。　As　Cyrus　came　hurrying　up；　Emerson　burst　into　speech。
　〃Still　here？　I　was　under　the　impression　you　left　off　at　midday。　I　mend　your　ambition。　I　…　er　…〃
　〃I　took　your　little　lecture　to　heart；〃　Cyrus　said。　His　voice　had　its　usual　soft　drawl；　but　his　expression　was　neither　soft　nor　weling。　〃Gol…durn　you；　Emerson；　where've　you　been？　Not　at　Deir　el　Medina；　where　you're　supposed　to　be；　you're　ing　from　the　wrong　direction。　Did　you　have　the　consarned　audacity　to　warn　me　away　from　those　queens'　tombs　and　then　go　looking　for　them　yourself；　behind　my　back？〃
　The　rest　of　the　men　had　e　straggling　out　of　the　temple；　followed　by　Abu　and　Bertie。　The　latter　immediately　hastened　toward　us。　Abu　took　one　look　at　the　flushed　countenance　of　Emerson　and　the　scowling　countenance　of　his　employer；　and　discreetly　vanished。
　〃Good　evening；〃　Bertie　said；　removing　his　pith　helmet。　In　the　heat　of　exasperation　Cyrus　had；　for　once；　neglected　to　do　this。　He　remedied　the　omission　at　once　and　gave　me　a　rather　sheepish　look。
　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Amelia；　and　yours；　Nefret。　Guess　I　shouldn't　have　got　so　riled　up。〃
　〃Riled　up？〃　Bertie　repeated。　The　Americanism　sounded　odd　in　his　diffident；　educated　English　voice。　〃What　about？　Is　something　the　matter？〃
　〃No；〃　Ramses　said；　as　Nefret　acknowledged　Cyrus's　apology　with　a　smile。　〃Two　such　old　friends　as　Cyrus　and　my　father　would　never　have　a　serious　falling…out　about　a　trivial　matter。〃
　Emerson　grinned　and　fumbled　in　his　pockets。　Any　other　man　would　have　been　searching　for　a　handkerchief；　to　wipe　the　perspiration　from　his　face；　but　Emerson　never　feels　the　heat　and　he　can　never　find　his　handkerchief　anyhow。　Taking　out　his　pipe；　he　studied　it　with　great　satisfaction　and　began　another　search　for　his　tobacco　pouch。
　〃Don't　do　that　now；　Emerson；〃　I　ordered。　〃We　must　be　getting　home。〃
　〃May　as　well　have　the　matter　out；〃　Emerson　said。　〃Vandergelt　has　some　justice　on　his　side。　Perhaps　I　should　explain　that　we　were　not　looking　for　new　tombs；　only　investigating　that　of　the　princesses。〃
　It　wasn't　much　of　an　apology；　but；　as　Cyrus　knew；　it　was　a　considerable　concession　for　Emerson。
　〃So　what　did　you　find？〃　he　demanded。
　〃You'll　never　guess；〃　said　Emerson；　his　keen　blue　eyes　twinkling。
　〃Now　stop　it　this　minute；　Emerson；〃　I　exclaimed。　〃We　will　tell　you　all　about　it；　Cyrus；　but　can't　we　converse　as　we　walk　…　or；　even　better；　wait　until　we　get　home；　where　we　can　be　fortable？〃
　Cyrus　insisted　I　ride　his　mare；　Queenie；　and　Bertie　offered　his　mount　to　Nefret。　She　declined；　but　Jumana；　who　had　had　very　little　to　say　since　the　discovery　of　the　body；　was　persuaded　to　accept。　Cyrus　and　Emerson　walked　along　beside　me；　and　Emerson　gave　Cyrus　a　condensed　version　of　our　activities。　I　regret　to　say　that　Cyrus's　first　reaction　was　one　of　amusement。
　〃Every　year　another　dead　body；　as　Abdullah　used　to　say；〃　he　remarked　with　a　chuckle。
　〃Your　frivolous　attitude　does　not　bee　you；　Cyrus；〃　I　chided。　〃A　man　is　dead　…　horribly　murdered。〃
　〃You　don't　know　that；〃　Emerson　growled。　〃And　even　if　he　was；　he　probably　had　it　ing　to　him。　Let　us　have　no　more　of　your　imaginative　speculations；　Amelia。　Wait　until　the　others　can　join　in　before　we　discuss　the　matter　further。〃
　Since　I　had　been　forbidden　to　talk；　I　proceeded　to　speculate。
　By　the　time　we　reached　the　house；　I　had　my　conclusions　well　organized　and　was　ready　to　express　them；　but　Sennia　was　on　the　veranda；　vocally　annoyed　because　she　had　been　left　〃alone〃　all　day　with　〃nothing　to　do。〃　Clearly　we　could　not　discuss　a　grisly　corpse；　or　the　unpleasant　speculations　it　aroused；　in　her　presence。
　〃Why　don't　you　wash　your　face　and　hands　and　put　on　one　of　your　good　frocks？〃　I　suggested。　〃You　see　Bertie　and　Mr。　Vandergelt　are　here；　we　will　have　a　little　party。　Jumana；　please　tell　Fatima　we　have　guests　and　…　er　…　tidy　yourself　a　bit。〃
　I　knew　it　would　take　Sennia　at　least　a　quarter　of　an　hour　to　primp；　she　was　a　vain　little　creature　and　loved　parties。　My　excuse　for　dismissing　Jumana　was　less　convincing。　The　rest　of　us　were　as　much　in　need　of　tidying　as　she；　but　my　inventiveness　had　given　out；　and　I　did　not　want　her　present　when　we　discussed　the　possibility　of　her　brother's　being　a　murderer。
　Selim　was　no　fool。　His　eyes　followed　the　girl's　slim　form　as　she　retreated　into　the　house。　Then　he　looked　at　me。　〃Why　did　you　send　her　away？〃
　〃Her　brother　is　in　Luxor；〃　I　said。　〃Jamil。〃
　〃Is　it　so？〃　Selim's　eyes　widened。
　I　repeated　what　Jumana　had　told　us。　〃We　intended　to　inform　you　…　all　of　you　…　in　due　course；　but　in　my　opinion　there　was　no　reason　to　take　his　threats　seriously。　Our　discovery　today　casts　a　different　light　on　the　matter。　Selim；　you　said　you　know　who　the　corpse　might　be　…　er　…　might　have　been？〃
　Selim　was　slow　to　answer。　He　appeared　to　be　brooding　about　something。　〃The　wife　of　Abdul　Hassan　has　been　looking　for　him。　He　was　one　of　the　men　who　found　the　princesses'　tomb。〃　Then　he　burst　out；　〃Why　did　you　not　tell　me　that　Jumana　had　seen　Jamil　and　spoken　with　him？〃
　〃We　didn't　find　out　until　yesterday。〃　Emerson　does　not　like　to　be　put　on　the　defensive。　He　came　back　with　a　question　of　his　own。　〃How　is　it　that　you　had　not　heard　of　his　return；　you；　who　are　respected　by　all　in　Gurneh？〃
　〃Not　by　tomb　robbers　and　thieves。　There　were　rumors　。　。　。〃　Selim　looked　up；　his　jaw　set。　〃I　thought　they　were　lies；　or　not　important。　I　was　wrong。　I　ask　your　pardon。〃
　〃Now；　now；　Selim；　no　one　is　blaming　you；〃　I　said　soothingly。　〃Let　us　return　to　the　point。　I　sent　Jumana　away　because　in　my　opinion　she　is　not　yet　ready　to　accept　the　possibility　that　her　brother　is　a　thoroughgoing　villain　and　possibly　a　murderer。　If　he　were　directly　accused　by　one　of　us；　she　might　try　to　steal　out　of　the　house　in　order　to　warn　him。〃
　〃I　say；〃　Bertie　interrupted。　〃Here；　I　say　。　。　。〃　But　he　didn't；　indignation　had　rendered　him　incapable　of　reasoned　speech。
　〃No　one　is　accusing　her　of　anything　except　misplaced　loyalty；〃　I　informed　him。　〃Our　principal　concern　is　for　her；　Bertie；　but　we　cannot　dismiss　the　possibility　that　Jamil　is　capable　of　violence　against　others　…　including　us。〃
　〃That's　right。〃　Cyrus；　who　had　listened　interestedly；　lit　one　of　his　cheroots。　〃But；　Amelia；　I　think　you've　gone　a　little　overboard。　Jamil　never　amounted　to　much。　I　feel　sorry　for　him　if　he's　fool　enough　to　face　the　whole　lot　of　us；　not　to　mention　Daoud。〃
　We　were　indeed　an　impressive　group。　My　eyes　followed　those　of　Cyrus；　from　Emerson's　stalwart　form　to　that　of　Ramses；　who　was　leaning　on　the　back　of　Nefret's　chair；　lean　and　lithe　as　a　panther。　Either　of　them　would　have　been　more　than　a　match　for　Jamil。　And　so　would　I。
　〃I　believe　we　have　covered　the　main　points；〃　I　said。　〃Selim；　you　will　speak　with　your　kin　and　your　friends　in　Gurneh；　perhaps　some　of　them　will　respond　to　direct　threats　…　questions；　I　mean　to　say。　It　only　remains　to　inform　Gargery　of　what　is　going　on。〃
　〃Good　Gad；〃　said　Emerson；　his　brow　furrowing。　〃You　don't　suppose　there　is　any　danger　to　Sennia；　do　you？〃
　〃I　don't　know；