elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第25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！


es　。　。　。
　〃You　are　not　a　good　climber；〃　said　Jumana；　arms　folded。　〃Ramses　is　much　better。〃
　I　could　have　shaken　the　girl。　Bertie　flushed　painfully；　and　I　believe　Cyrus　was　about　to　express　his　fatherly　concern　when　Ramses　cut　him　off。
　〃Right；　then。　Here　you　go。〃　He　handed　Bertie　the　rope　and　gave　Daoud　an　almost　imperceptible　nod。　They　started　off；　Daoud　sticking　close　to　Bertie；　Hassan　trailing　at　a　slight　distance。
　〃Ramses；〃　I　said。　〃Was　that　wise？〃
　〃He'll　be　all　right；　Mother。〃　Hands　on　hips；　he　watched　the　men　climb　up　out　of　sight。
　〃He's　got　that　bad　leg；〃　Cyrus　said　anxiously。
　〃What's　needed　for　this　job　is　strength　in　the　arms　and　shoulders；〃　Ramses　said。　〃And　nerve。　He's　got　them。　Daoud　knows　what　to　do。〃
　We　went　on　to　the　end　of　the　valley　and　the　cliff　in　which　the　tomb　lay　hidden。　The　rope　Ramses　had　descended　the　previous　day　was　still　there；　but　we　had　concluded　it　would　be　safer　for　the　men　to　approach　from　above　rather　than　climb　the　sheer　face。　They　would　then　lower　the　remains　down；　and　descend　themselves。
　The　first　part　of　the　procedure　went　as　planned。　His　white　handkerchief　pressed　to　his　face；　Cyrus　watched　every　move　made　by　the　small　forms　atop　the　cliff　with　a　concern　he　was　not　unwilling　to　express。　He　had　taken　Katherine's　children　for　his　own；　and　Bertie　had　repaid　his　affection；　even　adopting　Cyrus's　name。　〃Have　they　got　something　to　cover　their　faces？〃　he　demanded；　his　voice　muffled　by　the　linen。　〃And　gloves？　And　…〃
　〃Daoud　knows　what　to　do；〃　Ramses　said　again。　He　was　watching；　too；　his　brow　furrowed。　Jumana　was　the　least　concerned；　having　found　a　rock　on　which　to　sit；　she　was　refreshing　herself　from　a　water　bottle　and　humming　under　her　breath。
　Bertie　was　the　first　to　descend；　and　I　was　relieved　to　observe　that　he　was　being　lowered　by　Daoud　instead　of　going　down　hand　over　hand　as　Ramses　had　done。　He　disappeared　into　the　cleft　and　was　followed　by　Hassan；　who　was　carrying　a　folded　piece　of　canvas　and　a　length　of　rope。
　I　suppose　it　did　not　take　more　than　ten　minutes　for　them　to　finish　what　they　had　e　to　do；　but　it　seemed　longer。　The　first　thing　I　saw　was　the　neat　white　turban　of　Hassan。　Emerging　with　some　haste；　he　caught　hold　of　the　rope　and　slid　to　the　ground。
　〃Hell　and　damnation；〃　Emerson　remarked；　in　a　voice　that　echoed　between　the　cliffs。　〃Did　you　leave　him　alone　up　there？〃
　〃It's　all　right；〃　Bertie　called。　〃Look　out　below。〃
　The　canvas…wrapped　bundle　swung　as　he　lowered　it；　and　kept　banging　against　the　rock　face　in　a　grisly　fashion。　The　stench　was　really　quite　horrid；　but　not　even　Cyrus　backed　away。　He　was　watching　Bertie；　who　stood　with　feet　braced；　paying　out　the　rope。　Ramses's　assessment　had　been　correct；　he　had　strength　enough　for　this。　The　bundle　was　not　very　large。
　It　settled　onto　the　rock…strewn　ground　with　a　flexibility　I　prefer　not　to　describe；　and　Bertie　immediately　began　to　descend。　Drawing　his　knife；　Ramses　cut　the　rope　and　would　have　lifted　the　body　out　of　Bertie's　way　had　not　Selim　intervened。　Hassan　hastened　to　help　him　lift　it　onto　a　rough　litter　and　carry　it　away。
　〃Well！〃　I　said；　drawing　the　first　deep　breath　I　had　taken　for　several　minutes。　〃Thank　goodness　that　is　safely　acplished。　Now　let　us　。　。　。　Nefret？　Nefret；　where　are　you　going？〃
　She　had　followed　after　Selim　and　Hassan　and　stopped　them；　far　enough　away　so　that　the　horrible　smell　did　not　reach　us。
　〃Hell　and　damnation；〃　Emerson　ejaculated。　〃She　isn't　。　。　。　She　surely　won't　。　。　。〃
　The　men　lowered　the　litter　to　the　ground。　Emerson　emitted　an　even　more　blistering　oath　and　started　toward　them。
　〃No；　Father；〃　Ramses　said。
　〃But　…　did　she　tell　you　she　…　aren't　you　going　to　stop　her？〃
　Ramses　shook　his　head。　〃She　didn't　tell　me；　but　I　suspected　she　would；　and　no；　I　am　not　going　to　stop　her。　I　played　the　masterful　husband　before。　I　ought　not　have　done　so。　It　is　her　decision　and　her　right。　Please　don't　interfere。〃
　He　went　to　join　Nefret　and　stood　watching；　his　hands　in　his　pockets。　She　looked　up　at　him　and　spoke；　briefly；　before　returning　to　her　grisly　task。　〃What　is　he　doing？〃　Emerson　demanded。
　〃Just　being　with　her；〃　I　said。　〃Sharing　the　unpleasantness　in　the　only　way　he　can。　It　is　really　very　sweet；　Emerson。〃
　〃A　sweet　experience　to　share；〃　Emerson　growled。　〃Well；　curse　it；　I　can　do　no　less。　I　will　just　go　and　…〃
　〃No；　Emerson。　What　about　a　spot　of　lunch　while　we　are　waiting？　Bertie；　I　neglected　to　mend　you　on　a　task　well　done。　Would　you　care　for　a　cheese　sandwich？〃
　Bertie　had　removed　the　cloth　that　had　covered　his　mouth　and　nose。　〃Good　Lord；　Mrs。　Emerson；　I　。　。　。　Well；　yes；　thank　you；　if　it　isn't　too　much　trouble；　but　she　…　Nefret　…　it　is　quite　a　horrible　object；　you　know；　and　the　sight　of　food　…〃
　〃Don't　worry　about　her；〃　I　said。
　Cyrus　only　shook　his　head。　He　had　known　Nefret　longer　than　Bertie　had。
　Though　I　am　accustomed　to　corpses　in　all　stages；　from　newly　slain　to　long　mummified；　I　was　not　particularly　anxious　to　examine　this　one；　or　even　to　watch　from　a　distance。　I　kept　my　eyes　averted　until　Selim　and　Hassan　rewrapped　the　bundle　and　replaced　it　on　the　litter。　When　Nefret　and　Ramses　came　back　I　observed　that　her　hands　and　forearms　were　red；　not　with　blood；　but　from　the　gritty　sand　with　which　she　had　cleaned　them。　She　was　perfectly　posed　…　more　so　than　Ramses；　whose　features　were　not　so　controlled　as　they　usually　were。　At　my　suggestion　he　got　out　the　bottle　of　alcohol　and　poured　it　over　her　hands。　She　then　seated　herself　and　asked　for　a　sandwich。
　The　others　watched　her　with　varying　degrees　of　admiration　and　consternation。　Jumana's　eyes　were　enormous　in　a　face　that　had　lost　its　healthy　color。　〃How　could　you？〃　she　quavered。
　〃It's　my　profession；〃　Nefret　said　calmly。　〃Not　an　enjoyable　profession　at　times　like　this　one；　but　I'm　used　to　it。　I　knew　the　family　wouldn't　allow　a　proper　autopsy；　so　this　was　my　only　chance　to　determine　how　the　poor　man　died。〃
　〃Well？〃　Emerson　demanded。　〃Did　you？〃
　Nefret　drank　deeply　from　the　water　bottle　before　replying。　〃Fractured　skull。　The　back　of　his　head　was　。　。　。　I　won't　go　into　detail。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　Cyrus　muttered；　eyeing　his　sandwich　with　distaste。
　〃There　were　a　number　of　broken　bones；〃　Nefret　went　on。　〃I　looked　for　a　bullet　or　knife　wound；　but　it　wasn't　easy　to　。　。　。　Well；　I　won't　go　into　that　either。　The　head　injury　was　enough　to　have　killed　him。〃
　〃Fall　or　blunt　instrument？〃　I　inquired。
　Nefret　shrugged。　〃Impossible　to　determine。　I　did　the　best　I　could；　but　without　the　proper　instruments　…〃
　〃Yes；　quite；〃　said　Emerson。
　Selim　returned　to　announce　that　Hassan　had　gone　on　with　the　cart　and　its　burden；　and　we　continued　with　our　lunch。　Daoud　soon　joined　us。　He　had　e　round　the　long　way；　since　he　was　not　fond　of　climbing　ropes；　up　or　down。
　〃Are　there　more　tombs　in　these　cliffs？〃　Bertie　asked；　accepting　another　sandwich。
　〃Unquestionably；〃　Ramses　replied。　〃If　this　area　was　used　for　the　burials　of　royal　females　during　the　Eighteenth　Dynasty；　which　seems　likely；　there　are　a　number　of　known　queens　whose　mummies　have　never　been　found；　and　Heaven　knows　how　many　unknown　princesses　and　kings'　lesser　wives。〃
　〃Not　to　mention　princes；〃　Nefret　added；　her　eyes　shining　with　archaeological　fervor。　〃And　royal　mothers　and　sisters　and　…〃
　〃Cousins　and　aunts；〃　I　said；　with　a　chuckle；　reminded　of　one　of　my　favorite　Gilbert　and　Sullivan　arias。
　The　others　acknowledged　my　little　joke　with　smiles　and　nods；　except　for　Emerson；　who　sat　like　a　boulder；　staring　off　into　space；　and　Selim；　who　was　growing　restless。
　〃The　horses　will　not　run　away；〃　he　said。　〃Not　our　horses。　But　we　should　not　leave　them　there　too　long。〃
　Emerson　jumped　up。　〃Quite　right；　quite　right。　I　will　…　er　…　this　will　only　take　a　minute。〃
　I　had　expected　Emerson　would　want　to　get　into　the　cursed　tomb。　I　was　not　the　only　one　who　attempted　to　make　him　see　reason；　but　he　waved　all　objections　aside。　〃I　only　want　to　have　a　look。〃
　〃Put　on　your　pith　helmet；　Emerson；〃　I　called　after　him。
　〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Emerson；　not　doing　so。
　He　started　to　climb　the　rope；　moving　with　an　agility　remarkable　in　so　heavy　a　man。　He　had　not　got　very　far　when　the　quiet　air　was　rent　by　a　prolonged；　high…pitched　scream。　It　was　not　an　animal。　No　creature　in　Egypt　made