elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第33部分

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on　became　evident。　We　found　a　number　of　interesting　objects；　including　a　basket　of　papyri。　They　were　in　wretched　condition；　but　Ramses's　eyes　lit　up　at　the　sight　of　them；　and　for　several　evenings　he　worked　late　in　the　little　laboratory　he　had　set　up　at　the　house；　carefully　repairing　and　restoring　them。
　Sennia　had　been　out　with　us　twice；　and　had　enjoyed　herself　a　great　deal　running　from　one　person　to　another　and　〃helping〃　them。　Gargery　took　to　his　bed　as　soon　as　we　returned　from　these　excursions。　I　pointed　out　to　him　that　there　was　no　need　for　him　to　follow　so　close　on　her　heels；　the　site　was　enclosed；　dozens　of　people　were　there；　and　I　had　strictly　forbidden　her　to　climb　the　hills　on　either　side。
　He　shook　his　head。　〃You　know　how　she　is；　madam；　she　can　disappear　in　a　twinkling　when　she　wants；　and　she　is　all　over　the　place；　here　one　minute　and　there　the　next。　What　if　that　young　villain　Jamil　lured　her　away；　or　she　fell　into　one　of　those　holes　the　men　are　digging？〃
　I　thought　it　much　more　likely　that　Gargery　would　fall　in；　but　he　could　not　be　dissuaded。　His　self…appointed　duties　were　plicated　even　more　by　his　suspicion　of　Jumana；　he　considered　us　hopelessly　naive　for　believing　in　her　reformation；　and　tried　to　keep　an　eye　on　her　as　well　as　on　Sennia。　The　days　Sennia　spent　with　us　were　extremely　lively；　what　with　one　thing　and　another。　Horus　was　one　of　the　things。　We　could　not　leave　him　at　the　house；　since　he　bullied　the　maids　and　went　raging　about；　breaking　bric…a…brac　and　furniture。　His　determination　to　follow　Sennia　wherever　she　went　led　to　several　unpleasant　scenes　between　him　and　Gargery。
　The　other　cat　was　far　less　trouble。　It　had　made　a　remarkable　recovery；　and　once　we　had　got　it　cleaned　up　it　turned　out　to　be　quite　a　pretty　creature；　with　an　interesting　pattern　of　black　spots　and　a　ringed　tail；　but　it　didn't　want　to　stay　at　the　house　either。　It　trotted　after　Ramses；　shrieking　pitifully　when　he　tried　to　leave　for　the　dig；　and　it　managed　to　escape　from　any　confinement　we　arranged。　Ramses　would　not　allow　it　to　be　caged；　and　closed　doors　and　shutters　proved　no　impediment。　I　could　not　imagine　how　it　got　out；　but　Sennia　felt　certain　she　knew。　〃It　is　the　Great　Cat　of　Re；〃　she　announced。　〃It　has　magical　powers。〃
　Ramses's　eyebrows　tilted　up　in　silent　skepticism　as　he　looked　at　the　miniature　creature　sitting　on　his　knee；　and　Sennia　elaborated。　〃I　know　it　is　not　very　large　just　now；　but　it　will　grow。〃
　Nefret　had　planned　to　name　the　creature　Osiris；　since　it　had　virtually　e　back　from　the　dead；　but　from　then　on　it　was　the　Great　Cat　of　Re；　and　soon　learned　to　answer　to　its　name。　Emerson；　who　is　fond　of　cats　and　whose　sense　of　humor　is　somewhat　childish；　found　it　very　amusing　to　bellow　out　those　sonorous　syllables　and　have　his　summons　promptly　answered　by　a　very　small；　very　fuzzy　kitten。　At　first　Horus　was　fascinated　by　the　creature。　Seized　by　what　appeared　to　be　a　misplaced　maternal　instinct；　he　would　wash　it　till　it　squealed　and　carry　it　around　in　his　mouth。　He　became　bored　with　this　eventually。　Such　is　often　the　case；　even　with　human　parents。
　Toward　the　end　of　the　week　Emerson　proposed　that　we　stop　work　early　and　go　to　Medinet　Habu　to　see　how　Cyrus　was　getting　on。　We　took　the　cat　with　us；　since　it　would　not　be　left　behind。　It　was　still　small　enough　to　fit　into　one　of　Ramses's　pockets；　and　I　must　say　it　looked　very　peculiar　with　its　paws　hooked　over　the　flap　and　its　small　head　peering　interestedly　out　at　the　world。　Our　cats　had　a　considerable　reputation　in　Egypt；　being　regarded　as　possessing　supernatural　powers。　I　suspected　this　one　would　prove　to　be　no　exception。
　During　the　Pyramid　Age；　the　temples　serving　the　dead　monarch's　funerary　cult　were　built　close　by　the　monuments。　When　the　pharaohs　of　the　Eighteenth　Dynasty　decided　to　hide　their　tombs　in　the　depths　of　the　western　mountains；　the　temples　had　to　be　located　elsewhere。　At　one　time　a　long　row　of　them　ran　along　the　edge　of　the　cultivation。　Most　were　now　in　a　sad　state　of　ruination；　but　Medinet　Habu；　the　temple　of　Ramses　III　（not　to　be　confused　with　Ramses　II）；　was　still　well　preserved；　and　full　of　interest。　The　fortified　towers　through　which　one　entered　the　area　were　decorated　in　the　conventional　style；　with　reliefs　of　the　king　smiting　various　enemies；　but　the　interior　contained　some　charming　scenes　of　his　majesty　dallying　with　ladies　of　the　court。　（Let　me　hasten　to　add　that　there　were　no　vulgarities　depicted。）　The　first　great　pylon　stood　almost　intact；　its　walls　and　the　walls　of　the　courts　and　colonnades　covered　with　reliefs　and　inscriptions。　The　place　had　been　a　residence　as　well　as　a　religious　edifice；　a　tumble　of　mud…brick　walls　indicated　the　site　of　what　had　once　been　a　palace。　In　addition　to　the　monuments　of　Ramses　III；　there　were　two　other　structures；　one　of　which；　begun　in　the　early　Eighteenth　Dynasty；　had　been　added　on　to　by　successive　rulers　clear　down　to　the　Roman　period。　Another；　smaller；　plex　belonged　to　the　God's　Wives　of　Amon；　who　had　held　almost　royal　status　in　Thebes　during　the　late　dynasties。　It　was　this　area　Cyrus　was　excavating。
　We　passed　through　the　towers　of　the　gateway　into　the　great　open　court。　Emerson's　keen　gaze　swept　the　surroundings；　from　the　smaller　temple　on　our　right；　past　the　great　pylons　of　Ramses　III；　and　on　to　the　left；　where　the　chapels　of　the　God's　Wives　stood。　His　handsome　countenance　proclaimed　his　emotion：　greed；　pure　and　simple。　If　Emerson　has　a　particular　Egyptological　passion；　it　is　for　temples；　as　mine　is　for　pyramids；　and　he　had　wanted　for　years　to　tackle　Medinet　Habu。　However；　as　he　had　admitted　to　me　only　this　past　year；　it　would　be　the　work　of　a　lifetime。　He　said　it　again　as　he　stared　wistfully　about　…　a　man　trying　to　convince　himself　of　something　he　knows　is　true　and　does　not　want　to　believe。
　〃We　haven't　a　large…enough　staff；〃　I　said；　as　I　had　said　before。　〃And　there　is　no　hope　of　hiring　skilled　persons　at　the　present　time。　Many　of　our　younger　colleagues　are　in　the　army。〃
　〃Damned　war；〃　Emerson　muttered。　〃But　with　Lia　and　David；　and　Walter　and　Evelyn　…〃
　〃Yes；　my　dear；　that　would　be　very　nice；　and　I　hope　with　all　my　heart　that　one　day　they　will　join　us。　Until　then　we　must　make　the　best　of　what　fate　has　to　offer；　and　accept　the　good　with　gratitude　and　the　bad　with　fortitude。〃
　〃Good　Gad；〃　said　Emerson；　and　went　stamping　off　toward　the　rope…enclosed　area　where　Cyrus's　men　were　working。
　Cyrus　hailed　us　with　pleasure　and　offered　tea；　which　Emerson　refused；　without　consulting　anyone　else。　〃I　want　to　have　a　look　round　first；　Vandergelt。〃
　〃You　wasted　your　time　ing　here　if　you　expected　I'd　have　anything　new　to　show　you；〃　Cyrus　said　grumpily；　but　he　led　the　way　toward　the　small　building。　On　the　lintel　of　the　doorway　were　several　rows　of　hieroglyphs；　which　Ramses　scanned　with　an　expert　eye。　The　cat；　which　had　climbed　up　onto　his　shoulder；　leaned　forward　and　stared　as　intently　as　he。　I　caught　myself　on　the　verge　of　asking　it　for　a　translation。
　〃What　does　it　say？〃　I　inquired；　addressing　Ramses。
　〃It's　an　invocation　to　visitors；　asking　them　to　pray　for　the　Adorer　of　the　God　Amenirdis　and　her　successor；　who　built　the　chapel　for　her。　'O　you　living　ones　who　are　on　earth　。　。　。　if　you　love　your　children　and　would　leave　to　them　your　positions；　your　hopes；　your　lakes；　and　your　canals　。　。　。　please　say　。　。　。　'　The　usual　prayer；　asking　for　bread　and　beer　and　every　good　thing　for　the　lady's　spirit。〃
　〃How　sweet！〃　I　exclaimed。
　Ramses　gave　me　an　amused　look。　〃Not　really。　The　lady　asks　very　nicely；　but　the　inscription　ends　with　what　can　only　be　described　as　a　threat。　If　a　visitor　doesn't　speak　the　proper　words；　he　and　his　wife　will　be　afflicted　with　illness。〃
　The　open　forecourt；　with　columns　on　either　side；　led　to　an　enclosed　sanctuary。　On　the　right　of　this　building；　which　was　both　tomb　and　mortuary　temple；　were　three　smaller　chapels；　dedicated　to　a　queen　and　two　more　of　the　God's　Wives。　I　had　always　been　intrigued　by　these　ladies；　for　their　status　was　unusual。　Kings'　daughters　all；　they　were　not　kings'　wives；　but　wives　of　the　god　Amon；　who　had　apparently　lost　the　ability　to　procreate　as　he　had　done　in　the　Eighteenth　Dynasty；　when　he　visited　the　queen　in　the　shape　of　her　husband　and　fathered　the　royal　heir。　These　God'