elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第23部分

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　〃Good　Gad；〃　said　Emerson；　his　brow　furrowing。　〃You　don't　suppose　there　is　any　danger　to　Sennia；　do　you？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　Emerson；　but　I　propose　to　take　no　chances。　Fatima　and　Basima　must　be　warned　as　well。〃
　It　was　agreed　that　we　would　return　to　the　Valley　of　the　Monkeys　next　day；　after　stopping　at　Gurneh　to　interrogate　the　family　of　the　missing　man　and　the　other　thieves。　There　was　no　time　for　further　discussion；　Sennia　bounced　in　and　took　mand　of　the　proceedings。　She　directed　Ramses　to　take　a　seat　on　the　settee　so　that　she　could　sit　beside　him。　Horus；　who　had　followed　close　on　her　heels；　proceeded　to　spread　his　considerable　bulk　across　the　rest　of　the　space；　and　Nefret　had　to　find　another　chair；　which　she　did　without　resentment。　As　she　had　once　said　to　me；　〃She　had　planned　to　marry　him　herself　when　she　was　older。　A　less　amiable　child　wouldn't　tolerate　me　at　all。〃
　Cyrus　and　Bertie　did　not　linger　long。　Selim　soon　followed　them；　his　grim　expression　indicated　that　he　meant　to　make　up　for　his　failure；　as　he　considered　it；　as　soon　as　possible。
　The　sight　of　Sennia　had　reminded　me　that　arrangements　for　her　continuing　education　should　not　be　long　delayed。　There　was　in　Luxor　an　excellent　girls'　school　run　by　the　American　mission；　but　to　send　her　there　presented　insurmountable　difficulties；　in　the　shape　of　Emerson。　The　American　ladies　were　worthy　individuals；　he　did　not　deny　that；　however；　religious　instruction　was　part　of　the　curriculum；　and　Emerson　does　not　hold　with　religion　in　any　form。　At　my　request　he　attempted　to　keep　his　heretical　opinions　to　himself　when　Sennia　was　present；　but　if　Sennia　came　home　quoting　the　Bible　at　us；　sooner　or　later　Emerson　would　crack　under　the　strain。
　There　was　now　an　additional　reason　for　keeping　her　closer　to　home。　Jamil's　threat　had　been　directed　against　Ramses；　but　who　could　tell　what　form　his　malice　would　take？
　So　I　interrupted　Miss　Sennia　in　the　middle　of　a　long　peroration　with　the　announcement　that　she　would　begin　her　schooling　next　day。　She　turned　an　indignant　look　on　me　and　tossed　her　black　curls。　〃But；　Aunt　Amelia；　I　have　a　great　deal　to　do！〃
　〃You　just　now　plained　that　you　hadn't　enough　to　do；〃　I　retorted。　〃I　have　it　all　worked　out。　Mrs。　Vandergelt　has　kindly　offered　to　tutor　you　in　the　basic　subjects　…　history　（of　England；　that　is）；　English　grammar　and　position；　mathematics；　and　botany。〃
　〃Flowers？〃　Sennia's　pretty　little　mouth　drew　up　in　a　good　imitation　of　Emerson's　sneer。　〃I　don't　want　to　learn　about　boring　flowers；　Aunt　Amelia；　I　want　to　learn　about　animals　and　mummies　and　bones。〃
　〃Biology；〃　I　said。　〃Hmmm。　Well；　that　will　have　to　wait。　Mrs。　Vandergelt　prefers　not　to　discuss　mummies　and　bones。〃
　〃What　about　Aunt　Nefret？　She　knows　all　about　them。〃　She　fluttered　her　long　lashes　at　Nefret；　who　grinned　at　this　transparent　flattery。
　〃I　don't　know　how　good　a　teacher　I　might　be；　Sennia；　but　I　could　try。　Two　or　three　lessons　a　week；　perhaps。〃
　〃And　when　shall　I　take　my　lessons　in　hieroglyphs　with　Ramses？〃　was　the　next　question。　The　little　witch　had　the　entire　curriculum　worked　out　in　her　head　and　knew　exactly　how　to　get　her　way。　Emerson　cravenly　agreed　to　tutor　her　in　ancient　Egyptian　history；　and　having　settled　the　essentials　to　her　satisfaction；　Sennia　kindly　agreed　to　go　to　Katherine　three　days　a　week　for　the　less　important　subjects。　She　then　settled　down　to　make　serious　inroads　on　the　tea　cakes。
　　
　Jumana　did　not　return。　After　Fatima　announced　that　dinner　was　ready；　I　went　looking　for　the　girl。　I　found　her　in　her　room；　her　sleek　black　head　bent　over　a　book。
　〃I　am　glad　to　see　you　applying　yourself　to　your　studies；〃　I　said；　for　I　had　observed　that　the　book　was　the　fourth　volume　of　Emerson's　History　of　Egypt。　〃But　you　must　not　be　late　to　meals。　Dinner　will　be　served　in　a　few　minutes。〃
　Her　long　lashes　veiled　her　eyes。　〃If　you　don't　mind；　I　would　rather　eat　with　Fatima　and　the　others。〃
　〃I　do　mind；　though；〃　I　said　pleasantly　but　firmly。　〃You　are　a　member　of　our　archaeological　staff。　Do　you　wish　to　resign　from　that　position？〃
　〃No。　It　is　a　privilege；　an　honor；　to　work　with　Ramses　and　the　Father　of　Curses　。　。　。　and　you；〃　she　added　hastily。
　〃e　along；　then。〃
　〃Yes；　Sitt　Hakim。　I　will　e　at　once。〃
　Naturally　we　did　not　discuss　the　body　at　dinner。　Deteriorating　corpses　are　not　a　suitable　subject　for　conversation　at　the　dinner　table　in　any　case；　and　Jumana's　behavior　reinforced　my　doubts　about　her。　She　spoke　only　when　she　was　spoken　to；　and　she　kept　her　eyes　fixed　on　her　plate。　Even　if　she　had　not　eavesdropped　on　our　discussion　…　and　I　wouldn't　have　put　it　past　her　…　she　was　too　intelligent　to　miss　the　implications　of　our　discovery。　Jamil　had　more　or　less　admitted　to　her　that　he　had　been　involved　with　the　looting　of　the　princesses'　tomb；　and　he　had　accused　the　others　of　cheating　him。　I　considered　asking　her　directly　whether　she　and　Jamil　had　arranged　to　meet　again；　but　decided　to　wait　and　give　her　an　opportunity　to　confess。　Assuming；　that　is；　that　she　had　anything　to　confess。
　And；　with　any　luck；　Jamil　would　do　something　that　would　open　her　eyes　…　another　murder；　perhaps；　or　an　attack　on　one　of　us。
　The　children　excused　themselves　immediately　after　dinner；　and　I　said　I　would　go　with　them；　since　there　were　a　few　domestic　matters　with　regard　to　the　new　house　that　I　wanted　to　discuss　with　them。
　〃You　haven't　had　time　to　settle　in　or　decide　what　additional　furnishings　you　need；〃　I　pointed　out。　〃And　if　I　know　Emerson；　he　won't　give　you　a　chance。　If　I　can　help　in　any　way　…〃
　〃That　is　very　kind　of　you；　Mother；〃　Nefret　said。
　Ramses　said；　〃Thank　you；　Mother。〃
　We　went　through　the　house　room　by　room。　I　took　copious　notes　and　made　a　few　little　suggestions。　I　had　not　expected　Ramses　would　be　of　much　assistance；　nor　was　he。
　〃Now　then；〃　I　said；　referring　to　my　list。　〃What　about　household　help？　Fatima's　girls　have　been　doing　the　cleaning；　but　in　my　opinion　it　would　be　advisable　for　you　to　select　two　of　them　to　work　for　you　on　a　regular　basis。　If　you　prefer　to　take　certain　of　your　meals　alone；　a　cook　…〃
　〃We'll　worry　about　a　cook　later；　shall　we？〃　Nefret　glanced　at　her　husband；　who　was　staring　off　into　space。　〃As　for　the　maids；　I　will　leave　that　to　Fatima。　One　of　the　girls　who's　been　working　here　asked　me　yesterday　if　she　could　continue　doing　so；　she　is　very　hardworking；　if　a　little　shy；　so　I　told　her　that　would　be　fine。　Her　name　is　Najia。〃
　〃Ah；　yes；　Mohammed　Hammad's　niece。　Or　is　she　his　stepdaughter？　Never　mind。　The　poor　girl　is　somewhat　self…conscious；　it　is　that　liver　birthmark；　I　suppose。〃
　〃It　won't　bother　us；〃　Nefret　said。
　〃Of　course　not。　Now；　concerning　the　garden　。　。　。〃
　Finally　Nefret　said；　〃I　think　that's　everything；　Mother。　We　will　probably　have　to　run　up　to　Cairo　to　find　some　things；　but　I　will　talk　with　Abdul　Hadi　about　making　a　few　chairs　and　tables。　He　is　the　best　woodworker　in　Luxor。〃
　〃And　the　slowest；〃　I　said。
　Nefret　smiled。　〃I　can　hurry　him　up。〃
　I　observed　that　Ramses　was　yawning；　and　took　the　hint。　He　insisted　on　walking　back　with　me；　despite　my　objections。
　〃Nothing　can　possibly　happen　to　me　between　your　door　and　mine；〃　I　declared。
　〃Ah；　but　you　don't　have　your　parasol；〃　Ramses　said。
　　
　I　took　Gargery　into　our　confidence　next　morning　at　breakfast；　while　Sennia　was　dawdling　over　her　preparations　for　departure。　He　and　Fatima　took　it　in　turn　to　serve　meals；　it　had　been　a　promise　proposed　by　me；　to　prevent　them　from　quarreling　over　which　of　them　had　that　right。　It　was　his　turn　that　morning；　and　he　followed　my　well…organized　account　with　such　interest　that　I　was　forced　several　times　to　remind　him　to　serve　the　food。　He　then　straightened　to　his　full　height　…　five　feet　six　inches　or　thereabouts　…　and　stood　at　attention。　It　would　have　required　more　than　that　to　make　him　appear　impressive；　his　frame　was　meager；　his　face　lined；　and　he　had　taken　to　bing　his　hair　across　his　forehead　in　an　unconvincing　attempt　to　conceal　a　receding　hairline。　He　looked　like　a　butler；　which　is　what　he　was；　but　he　possessed　a　number　of　qualities　that　are　not　often　found　in　persons　of　that　position。　At　the　moment　he　was　a　very　happy　butler。　As　he　had　once　observed　to　me；　〃If　there's　got　to　be　a　murder；　madam；　it　might　as　well　be　us　that　gets　the