elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第32部分

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Hassan。　I　would　have　done　the　same。〃　He　added　with　a　certain　air　of　regret；　〃I　was　not　one　of　those　who　robbed　the　tomb。〃
　〃You　should　thank　Allah　for　that；〃　Emerson　said。　〃And　pay　more　heed　to　his　laws。　You　see　how　he　punishes　evildoers。〃
　〃There　is　nothing　in　the　Koran　about　robbing　tombs；　Father　of　Curses。〃
　Emerson's　forbidding　frown　was　replaced　by　a　look　of　interest。　He　does　so　enjoy　arguing　theology。　Before　he　could　get　off　onto　this　sidetrack；　I　intervened。　〃Did　Mohammed　say　who　it　was　he　feared？〃　I　inquired。
　The　fellow　hesitated；　his　eyes　on　Emerson's　hand；　which　had　gone　into　his　pocket。　He　knew　he　would　get　more　baksheesh　if　he　came　up　with　a　name；　he　also　knew　that　if　he　was　caught　in　a　lie；　he　would　arouse　the　wrath　of　the　Father　of　Curses。
　〃He　did　not　have　to　say。　One　death　may　be　an　accident；　but　two　is　a　warning。　Jamil　had　threatened　them。　They　laughed。〃　He　shrugged；　spreading　his　hands　wide。　〃They　are　not　laughing　now。〃
　〃Ah；〃　said　Emerson。　〃There　would　be　a　reward　for　the　man　who　told　us　where　the　boy　is　hiding。〃
　〃A　large　reward？〃　The　fellow　thought　it　over　and　shrugged　again。　〃Money　is　of　no　use　to　a　dead　man；　Father　of　Curses。〃
　〃Quite　a　philosopher；　isn't　he？〃　Emerson　remarked　in　English。　He　dropped　a　few　more　coins　into　the　leathery　brown　palm　and　turned　away。
　The　interview　had　taken　place　on　the　street；　if　it　could　be　called　that；　in　contrast　to　the　ancient　workmen's　village；　with　its　gridlike　plan；　the　houses　of　Sheikh　el　Gurneh　had　been　fitted　into　whatever　space　was　available　…　along　the　slopes　of　the　hill；　around　the　tombs　of　the　nobles　of　the　Empire。　Some　of　the　less　important；　uninscribed　tombs　were　occupied；　the　forecourt；　where　offerings　had　been　made　to　the　honored　dead；　now　served　the　ignominious　role　of　stables　for　the　beasts　of　the　tomb　dwellers。　In　front　of　many　of　these　tomb…caves　stood　cylindrical　mud…brick　structures　like　giant　mushrooms　with　their　edges　turned　up。　They　served　the　double　purpose　of　granaries　and　sleeping　quarters。　The　hollow　on　top　is　safe　from　scorpions；　and　there　are　even　egg…cup…shaped　projections　along　the　rim　to　hold　water　jars　…　an　interesting　and　unusual　adaptation　to　local　conditions；　which　I　mention　for　the　edification　of　the　Reader。
　After　he　had　gone　a　few　feet；　Emerson　stopped。　〃Mohammed　can't　have　got　the　note　directly　from　Jamil。〃
　I　might　have　accused　him；　as　he　often　accuses　me；　of　jumping　to　conclusions；　but　in　this　case　I　had　to　agree。　〃I　hadn't　thought　of　that；〃　I　admitted　handsomely。　〃It　does　seem　unlikely　that　Jamil　would　show　his　face　openly　in　the　village　or　risk　betrayal　by　a　man　he　had　threatened。〃
　〃But　he　might　have　e　secretly；　by　night；　to　a　house　where　at　least　one　person　was　likely　to　wele　him；〃　Emerson　said。
　A　brief；　rather　awkward　silence　followed。　Jumana　had　stuck　close　by　me；　she　was　obviously　unfortable　in　the　village　of　her　birth。　How　could　she　be　otherwise；　dressed　as　she　was；　the　object　of　curious　and　hostile　glances；　especially　from　the　older　women？
　〃Is　it　my　father　you　mean？〃　she　asked。
　〃Yes；〃　Emerson　admitted。　〃How　does　he　feel　about　Jamil？〃
　〃I　have　not　spoken　to　my　father　since　he　told　me　to　leave　his　house　and　never　e　back。〃
　There　was　not　much　anyone　could　say　to　that。　Her　hard；　cold　voice　told　me　that　even　an　expression　of　regret　would　be　unwele。
　〃I　meant　to　call　on　Yusuf　before　this；〃　I　said。　〃Shall　we　go　round　to　see　him　now？〃
　Emerson　took　out　his　watch；　looked　at　it；　groaned；　and　said；　〃We　are　already　late。〃
　〃Supposing　you　go　on；　then；〃　I　said。　〃You　and　Jumana。　Nefret　and　I　will　inquire　after　his　health　and　offer　our　medical　skills。　Ramses　will　go　with　us。　No；　Emerson；　I　really　believe　that　is　the　best　course。　You　would　go　thundering　into　the　house　and　bully　the　old　man　until　he　confessed　to　anything　and　everything。　My　methods　of　interrogation　…〃
　〃I　know　what　they　are　like；〃　said　Emerson；　eyeing　my　parasol；　which　I　had　been　using　as　a　walking　stick。　〃Oh；　very　well。〃
　He　stalked　off。　Jumana　shot　me　a　grateful　look　and　trotted　after　Emerson。　The　rest　of　us　went　on　up　the　hillside　toward　Yusuf's　house；　which　was　one　of　the　finest　in　the　village；　and　as　we　wended　a　tortuous　path　round　granaries；　walls；　and　rubbish　heaps；　I　could　not　help　thinking　what　an　admirable　place　this　would　be　for　hide…and…go…seek　…　or　for　a　fugitive　who　knew　every　turn　of　the　path　and　every　concealed　tomb　entrance。
　Our　arrival　was　not　unheralded；　we　were　trailed　by　a　number　of　the　curious；　some　of　whom　ran　on　ahead　to　announce　we　were　ing；　so　that　when　we　reached　the　courtyard　in　front　of　the　house　the　entire　household　was　waiting　to　greet　us。　Most　of　them　were　women　and　children；　the　men；　skilled　workers　like　the　majority　of　Abdullah's　kinsmen；　had　been　employed　by　us　or　by　Cyrus。
　Courtesy　demanded　that　we　accept　refreshments；　and　it　was　necessary　to　go　through　the　formal　rituals　of　greeting　before　I　could　get　round　to　my　inquiries。　When　I　asked　after　Yusuf；　there　was　no　reply　at　first。　Then　Yusuf's　chief　wife；　Mahira　…　a　wrinkled　little　old　lady　who　looked　as　if　a　strong　wind　would　blow　her　over；　but　whom　I　had　seen　carrying　loads　that　would　have　strained　my　back　…　replied；　〃He　is　at　the　mosque；　Sitt　Hakim。　He　will　be　sorry　to　have　missed　you。〃
　〃It　is　not　the　hour　for　prayer；〃　said　Ramses。
　〃He　is　always　at　prayer〃　was　the　reply。　〃At　the　mosque；　here；　or　elsewhere。　Will　you　have　more　tea；　Sitt？〃
　I　made　our　excuses　and　we　took　our　departure。
　〃I　thought　you　were　going　to　question　them　about　Jamil；〃　Nefret　said；　as　we　made　our　way　down　the　hill。
　〃It　is　unlikely　that　they　know　any　more　than　we　do；〃　I　replied。　〃Jamil's　mother　is　long　dead；　and　I　fancy　that　the　mothers　of　Yusuf's　other　sons　were　secretly　delighted　at　seeing　the　old　man's　favorite　fall　from　grace。　He　wouldn't　ask　any　of　them　for　help。〃
　〃I　wonder　what　Yusuf　is　praying　for；〃　Nefret　mused。
　〃One　could　hazard　a　guess；〃　Ramses　said　dryly。　〃We　may　be　on　the　wrong　track　here；　Mother。　Has　it　struck　you　that　neither　Jamil　nor　Yusuf　can　read　or　write？〃
　〃Are　you　sure？〃
　〃I'm　sure　about　Yusuf。　Jamil　gave　no　evidence　of　literacy　when　he　was　working　for　us。　But；〃　Ramses　admitted；　〃he　might　have　had　limited　skills；　which　he　was　embarrassed　to　display　because　they　were　limited；　or　acquired　them　since。〃
　He　cupped　his　hands　and　helped　me　into　my　saddle。
　〃Ah　well；〃　I　said；　〃we　have　done　all　we　can　for　the　moment；　and　speculation　can　get　us　no　further。　Perhaps　this　latest　incident　has　finally　convinced　Jamil　to　leave　Luxor。〃
　The　more　I　thought　about　it；　the　less　likely　it　seemed　that　Jamil　was　capable　of　cold…blooded　murder。　The　attack　on　Nefret　had　not　been　deliberate；　he　had　responded　in　sheer　panic；　like　a　cornered　animal。　As　for　the　body　in　the　tomb；　there　was　no　evidence　that　Jamil　had　been　responsible；　nor　did　we　know　precisely　how　the　man　had　died。　He　might　have　been　struck　on　the　head　or　pushed　over　a　precipice；　or　fallen　by　accident。　（Though　that　last　possibility　was；　in　my　opinion；　the　least　likely。）
　The　most　worrisome　part　of　the　business　was　Jamil's　claim　that　he　had　found　another　tomb　…　not　because　I　believed　he　had；　but　because　I　feared　Emerson　did　believe　it。　Jamil　was　a　braggart　and　a　liar；　and　I　could　think　of　several　reasons　why　he　might　have　wished　to　mislead　us　and　his　sister。　In　my　opinion　it　would　be　the　better　part　of　wisdom　to　ignore　his　capering　about　the　cliffs　of　the　western　wadis。　He　might　be　stupid　enough　to　suppose　he　could　frighten　us　off；　but　it　was　more　likely　that　he　was　trying　to　entice　us　to　follow　him。　But　if　he'd　got　in　the　habit　of　pushing　people　off　cliffs　。　。　。
　As　soon　as　we　reached　Deir　el　Medina　I　took　Emerson　aside　and　explained　my　conclusions。　He　listened　in　frowning　silence；　and　when　I　went　on　to　inform　him　of　our　failure　to　speak　with　Yusuf；　he　cut　me　off　with　a　wave　of　his　hand。　〃I　didn't　suppose　you　would　learn　anything　from　him　anyhow；　Peabody。　The　devil　with　him　and　Jamil。〃
　By　the　end　of　the　week　we　had　surveyed　the　site　and　laid　it　out　in　regular　grids。　Emerson　had　of　course　decided　to　re…excavate　the　area　our　predecessor　had　examined；　and　the　wisdom　of　his　decision　soon　became　evident。　We　found　a　number　of　interesting　objects；　including　a　basket　of　papyri。　They　were