elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第28部分

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hri　on　its　way　to　the　Place　of　Truth；　as　the　Valley　of　the　Kings　was　called　in　ancient　times。　We　had　often　followed　part　of　this　route；　climbing　the　slope　behind　the　temple　and　going　on　to　the　Valley　…　or；　as　we　had　done　two　days　earlier；　striking　off　on　that　hair…raising　climb　over　the　plateau。
　It　was　not　the　easiest　way　of　getting　to　Deir　el　Medina；　but　Emerson　proposed　we　follow　it　that　first　morning。　He　wanted　to　see　what　condition　the　southern　section　of　the　path　was　in；　he　explained。　I　was　reasonably　sure　it　was　in　exactly　the　same　condition　it　had　been　the　previous　year　and　for　countless　years　before；　but　I　did　not　demur。　When　we　reached　the　top　of　the　hill　above　Deir　el　Bahri　we　stopped　for　a　moment；　as　Abdullah　and　I　had　so　often　done。
　I　knew　that　Emerson　was　also　thinking　of　Abdullah　as　we　stood　looking　out　across　the　desert　and　the　cultivation。　The　air　was　clear　that　morning；　we　could　see　the　miniature　shapes　of　the　temples　on　the　East　Bank；　with　the　eastern　cliffs　behind　them。　However；　his　only　audible　expression　of　emotion　was　a　loud　clearing　of　his　throat。
　Instead　of　turning　south　toward　Deir　el　Medina；　Emerson　set　off　along　the　trail　that　led　to　the　Valley。　He　had　not　gone　far　before　he　stopped　with　a　grunt　of　satisfaction。　I　could　not　see　what　had　occasioned　the　satisfaction；　he　was　looking　at　what　appeared　to　be　a　row　of　tumbled　stones；　half…buried　in　sand。
　〃Emerson；　what　are　you　doing？〃　I　demanded；　as　he　knelt　and　began　scraping　away　sand。　〃Stop　that　at　once。　You　aren't　even　wearing　gloves。〃
　Emerson　rose；　not　because　I　had　told　him　to；　but　because　he　had　had　second　thoughts。　〃They　will　have　to　be　properly　excavated。〃
　〃Those　rocks？　Why？〃
　〃Good　Gad；　Peabody；　what　has　bee　of　your　trained　excavator's　eye？　That's　a　wall；　or　what　is　left　of　one；　and　there　are　others　hereabouts。　I　noticed　them　some　time　ago；　but　saw　no　reason　to　investigate　them。〃
　〃I　don't　see　any　reason　to　do　it　now。〃
　〃Think　about　it。　It's　quite　a　distance　from　the　Valley　to　Deir　el　Medina。　Wouldn't　it　be　logical　for　a　gang　of　workmen　to　camp　here；　close　to　the　job；　part　of　the　time？　A　few　smallish　huts；　such　as　these　appear　to　be；　would　not　be　difficult　to　construct。〃
　His　eyes　sparkled。　Emerson　is　one　of　the　few　excavators　in　the　business　who　derives　as　much　pleasure　from　the　humble　minutiae　of　archaeology　as　from　impressive　temples　and　rich　tombs。　If　he　was　correct；　a　small　bit　of　the　puzzle　of　the　past　would　be　filled　in　…　and　he　usually　was　correct　about　such　things。
　〃Well；　my　dear；　that　is　very　interesting；〃　I　said。　〃But　hadn't　we　better　be　getting　on？　Nobody　is　going　to　bother　your　…　er　…　huts。〃
　Emerson　tore　himself　away。　The　path　was　well　traveled；　we　met　goats　and　a　few　Egyptians　afoot　or　on　donkey…back。　Emerson　greeted　them　by　name　（except　for　the　goats）　but　did　not　stop；　though　it　was　clear　to　me　that　one　or　two　of　the　men　would　have　liked　to　have　gossiped　a　bit。　The　news　of　what　had　happened　the　day　before　must　be　all　over　the　West　Bank　by　now。　We　had　not　gone　far；　however；　before　we　came　upon　persons　of　quite　a　different　sort。　There　were　nine　of　them；　six　donkey　drivers　and　three　people　in　European　dress；　and　when　they　hailed　us　it　was　impossible　to　push　on　past。　I　recognized　the　American　party　we　had　encountered　on　board　ship　and　later　in　Cairo。
　Mrs。　Albion's　tall；　spare　frame　was　clad　in　garments　that　were；　I　supposed；　the　latest　in　American　notions　of　sporting　attire　for　ladies。　Her　linen　coat　had　the　fashionable　military　cut　and　her　skirts　were　calf…length。　Her　head　was　so　wrapped　in　veiling　that　her　features　were　only　a　blur。　She　was　sitting　sideways　on　the　donkey；　her　neat　boots　dangling。　A　true　lady；　of　course；　would　rather　fall　off　than　ride　astride。　It　probably　required　two　drivers　to　keep　her　in　the　saddle；　and　the　same　was　true　of　Mr。　Albion；　who　rolled　first　from　one　side　and　then　to　the　other；　with　his　drivers　shoving　him　back　and　forth。　The　process　seemed　to　entertain　him　quite　a　lot；　he　was　red…faced　with　heat　and　laughter　when　the　little　cavalcade　halted。　The　younger　man　was　red；　too；　but　with　sunburn；　not　amusement。　He　removed　his　hat　and　inspected　me　with　cool　curiosity。
　Emerson；　being　Emerson；　greeted　the　Egyptians　first。　〃Salaam　aleikhum；　Ali；　Mahmud；　Hassan　。　。　。　Good　morning；　er　…　um　…〃
　〃Albion；〃　the　gentleman　in　question　supplied；　while　his　son　stared　curiously　at　us。　〃We　met　on　the　boat。〃
　〃No；　we　didn't；〃　said　Emerson。
　Albion　chortled。　His　face　turned　even　redder。　〃Not　for　want　of　effort　on　my　part。　Tried　to　track　you　down　in　Cairo；　too；　but　didn't　succeed。　Figured　we'd　run　into　you　sooner　or　later。　How's　the　rest　of　the　family？〃
　〃Very　well；〃　I　said。　〃Thank　you。　Where　are　you　on　your　way　to　this　morning？〃
　〃Just　out　for　a　little　ride；〃　said　Mr。　Albion。　He　took　out　a　large　white　handkerchief　and　mopped　his　face。　〃Say；　you　folks　couldn't　introduce　me　to　a　few　tomb　robbers；　could　you？〃
　Emerson　had　begun　backing　away。　This　remarkable　request　stopped　him　dead。　〃What　did　you　say？〃
　〃Well；　we're　collectors；〃　Albion　said　calmly。　〃Especially　Sebastian　here。　He's　just　crazy　about　ancient　Egypt。〃
　If　I　understood　the　meaning　of　that　slang　word；　it　did　not　suit　young　Mr。　Albion。　He　did　not　look　like　a　man　who　would　go　〃crazy〃　over　anything。　His　eyes　were　wide…set　and　somewhat　protuberant；　and　as　cool　as　ice…clouded　water；　whose　color　they　matched。
　〃Yessir；〃　his　father　went　on　cheerfully。　〃We've　been　collecting　for　quite　a　while。　That's　why　we　came　out　this　winter；　looking　for　more　good　stuff。〃
　Emerson　was　staring；　his　astonishment　now　mitigated　by　amusement。　I　feared　annoyance　would　soon　mitigate　the　amusement；　when　he　realized；　as　had　I；　that　Albion　was　absolutely　serious。
　〃The　usual　method　of　collecting　antiquities；〃　I　said　somewhat　sarcastically；　〃is　to　buy　from　dealers。　Mohassib　in　Luxor　…〃
　〃Been　to　see　him　already；〃　said　Albion。　〃　'Scuse　me　for　interrupting；　ma'am；　but　I　didn't　want　to　waste　your　time。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　I　said；　taken　aback。
　〃You're　wele；　ma'am。　Now　Mohassib　has　some　fine　things；　but　he's　playing　the　dealer　on　me；　trying　to　raise　the　price。　I　figure　the　best　way　is　to　go　straight　to　the　people　he　gets　his　stuff　from。　Cut　out　the　middleman；　eh？〃
　I　looked　at　Mrs。　Albion；　wondering　if　she　would　display　embarrassment　at　her　husband's　outrageous　speech。　She　had　loosened　her　veils。　There　was　no　doubt　which　side　of　the　family　her　son　favored。　She　had　the　same　long　face　and　thin　lips　and　pale　gray　eyes。　They　were　fixed　on　Mr。　Albion　with　a　look　of　fatuous　admiration。
　〃Well？〃　said　Mr。　Albion　hopefully。　〃You'd　get　your　cut；　of　course。〃
　〃We　are　not　dealers；〃　Emerson　said。　〃And　I　must　warn　you；　Mr。　Albion；　that　what　you　have　proposed　…　in　all　innocence；　I　trust　…　is　not　only　illegal　but　dangerous。〃
　〃Dangerous？〃　Mrs。　Albion　transferred　her　stare　to　Emerson。　Her　lips　straightened　out　and　her　eyes　lost　their　warmth。　〃What　possible　danger　could　there　be　for　us？　We　are　American　citizens。〃
　〃The　danger；〃　said　Emerson；　〃is　me。　If　you　have　not　heard　enough　about　me　to　understand　my　meaning；　ask　your　guides。　Let　us　go；　Peabody。〃
　I　thought　it　best　to　take　his　advice。　Emerson　had　kept　his　temper　remarkably　well　…　though　I　was　unable　to　say　the　same　about　his　grammar　…　but　he　was　bound　to　lose　it　if　the　Albions　went　on　in　the　same　way。　We　went　on；　leaving　three　people　gaping　at　us　and　six　others　concealing　their　grins　behind　rather　dirty　hands。
　〃Very　good；　Emerson！〃　I　exclaimed。　〃You　did　not　use　bad　language　…　and　under　considerable　provocation；　too。〃
　〃Don't　talk　to　me　as　if　I　were　Sennia；〃　Emerson　grumbled。　His　well…shaped　lips　twitched；　and　after　a　moment　he　began　to　laugh。　〃One　can't　bee　angry　with　people　like　that。　Introduce　him　to　a　few　tomb　robbers！　I　would　be　tempted　to　cultivate　him　for　ic　relief；　if　we　didn't　already　have　enough　of　it　in　this　family。〃
　〃The　boy　didn't　utter　a　word；〃　I　said。
　Emerson　was　still　in　an　amazingly　good　humor。　〃He　isn't　a　boy。　He　appears　to　be　about　the　same　age　as　Ramses。　I　suppose　you　find　his　reticence　suspicious？〃
　He　began　to　chuckle　again；　and　I　joined　in；　not　for　worlds　would　I　have　taken　umbrage　at　his　little　joke。　I　did　find　the　younger　Mr。　Albion　suspicious；　however。　Either　he　was　plete