elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第36部分

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he　war　from　behind　a　desk　in　Cairo。　Another；　younger；　officer　gave　him　a　look　of　thinly　veiled　contempt。　〃Johnny　Turk　was　a　considerable　threat　at　Rafah；　and　Gaza　won't　be　easy　to　take。　The　city　is　ringed　round　with　trenches　and　they've　got　fortifications　along　the　ridges　all　the　way　from　Gaza　to　Beersheba。〃
　The　conversation　turned　to　a　discussion　of　strategy　and　I　excused　myself。　The　remote　city　of　Gaza　held　no　interest　for　me。
　　
　FROM　MANUSCRIPT　H
　　
　Cyrus's　soiree　was　like　all　his　other　parties　…　elegant；　genteel；　and　full　of　boring　people。　Ramses　always　found　Cyrus　congenial　pany　when　there　were　no　strangers　present；　he　couldn't　understand　why　a　man　would　willingly　endure；　much　less　invite；　such　a　motley　mob。　There　was　no　one　he　wanted　to　talk　to。　His　family　had　deserted　him；　his　mother　was　chatting　with　Katherine；　Nefret　was　〃mingling；〃　and　his　father；　whose　social　graces　were　the　despair　of　his　wife；　had　ignored　everyone　else　and　gone　straight　to　Bertie。　From　his　animated　gestures　and　Bertie's　deferential　pose；　Ramses　felt　certain　Emerson　was　telling　him　what　they　had　done　at　Deir　el　Medina；　and　what　he　should　do　from　here　on　in。
　Jumana　was　with　them；　looking　very　pretty　in　a　pale　yellow　frock　that　set　off　her　brown　skin　and　sleek　black　hair。　Ramses　wondered　how　she　felt　about　gatherings　like　this　one。　Even　her　superb　self…confidence　must　be　slightly　daunted　by　so　many　strangers；　many　of　whom；　uncertain　about　her　precise　status；　ignored　or　snubbed　her。　They　wouldn't　dare　be　rude　to　another　of　Cyrus's　guests；　but　she　was　obviously　Egyptian　and　they　were　not　accustomed　to　mingling　socially　with　〃natives。〃
　His　eyes　returned；　as　they　had　a　habit　of　doing；　to　his　wife。　She　saw　him；　one　eyelid　lowered　in　a　discreet　but　unmistakable　wink　before　she　returned　her　attention　to　the　woman　with　whom　she　was　conversing。　She　was　tall　and　stately　and　glittering　with　jewels；　when　she　turned　her　head；　pointing　out　something　or　someone　to　Nefret；　he　knew　he'd　seen　her　somewhere；　but　couldn't　remember　where。
　He　was　rather　enjoying　his　role　as　detached　observer　when　someone　touched　him　on　the　shoulder　and　he　turned。　The　face　beaming　up　at　him　looked　vaguely　familiar；　but　he　was　unable　to　identify　it　until　the　fellow　spoke。
　〃Albion。　Joe　Albion。　We　met　on　the　boat　ing　over。〃
　Ramses　did　not　contradict　him。　〃I　remember　you；　sir；　of　course；〃　he　said　politely。
　The　little　man　burst　out　laughing。　〃No；　you　don't；　young　fella。　Tried　to　meet　you　folks；　but　you　managed　to　avoid　us。　Did　your　ma　and　pa　tell　you　we　met　the　other　day　on　the　path　to　the　Valley　of　the　Kings？〃
　〃Er　…　no；　sir。〃
　〃I　asked　your　pa　if　he'd　introduce　me　to　a　few　tomb　robbers；〃　Albion　went　on。　〃He　said　no。　Seemed　a　little　put　out。〃
　〃Ma〃　and　〃Pa〃　had　been　bad　enough；　this　bland　statement　made　Ramses　choke　on　his　champagne。　Albion　smacked　him　on　the　back。
　〃Shouldn't　try　to　talk　and　drink　at　the　same　time；　young　fella。　Don't　need　your　advice　anyhow；　there's　plenty　of　the　rascals　hereabouts；　especially　in　that　village　…　Gurneh。　Talked　to　a　couple　of　them　the　other　day。〃
　〃Who？〃　Ramses　demanded。
　〃Fella　named　Mohammed。〃　Albion　chortled。　〃Seems　like　everybody's　named　Mohammed。〃
　Ramses　had　recovered　himself；　though　he　still　couldn't　believe　the　man　was　serious。　〃I　think　I　know　which　Mohammed　you　mean。　You　can　get　in　serious　trouble　dealing　with　him　and　his　friends；　Mr。　Albion。〃
　〃Just　let　me　worry　about　that。〃　The　smile　was　as　broad；　but　for　an　instant　there　was　a　look　in　the　deep…set　eyes　that　made　Ramses　wonder　if　Albion　was　as　naive　and　harmless　as　he　seemed。
　〃e　meet　my　son；〃　the　little　man　went　on。　His　pudgy　hand　gripped　Ramses's　arm　with　unexpected　strength；　and　Ramses　allowed　himself　to　be　towed　toward　a　young　man　who　stood　apart　from　the　rest；　slouching　a　little；　a　glass　of　champagne　in　his　hand　and　an　aloof　expression　on　his　face。　Probably　the　same　expression　that　is　on　my　face；　Ramses　thought。　Either　young　Mr。　Albion　found　the　other　people　present　not　worth　his　notice；　or　he　was　shy。
　He　straightened　to　his　full　height；　a　little　under　six　feet；　when　his　father　came　up　with　Ramses。　His　thin　reserved　face　and　eyeglasses　were　those　of　a　scholar；　but　he　looked　to　be　in　good　physical　trim；　except　for　being　a　bit　thick　around　the　middle。　His　sharply　chiseled　features　warmed　a　trifle　when　his　father　introduced　Ramses。
　〃Figure　you　two　young　fellas　have　a　lot　in　mon；〃　the　older　man　went　on　breezily。　〃Get　to　know　each　other；　right？　Don't　stand　on　ceremony。　Folks　call　you　Ramses；　don't　they？　Some　sort　of　private　joke；　I　guess。　Ramses　…　Sebastian。　Sebastian　…　Ramses。〃　He　chortled。　〃Never　could　understand　the　British　sense　of　humor。〃
　He　trotted　off；　and　Sebastian　said；　〃Glad　to　meet　you。　I　glanced　at　your　book　on　Egyptian　grammar；　seemed　quite　adequate；　but　I　don't　pretend　to　be　an　expert　on　the　language。　Egyptian　art　is　my　specialty。〃
　Not　shy。　〃Where　did　you　study？〃　Ramses　asked。
　〃Harvard。〃
　Of　course；　Ramses　thought。　The　accent　was　unmistakable；　and　pletely　different　from　his　father's。　Albion　was　what　his　mother　would　call　a　〃mon　little　man。〃　Ramses　rather　liked　〃mon〃　people；　but　he　wondered　how　the　jolly；　uninhibited　Albion　had　produced　such　a　supercilious；　self…consciously　intellectual　prig。　Sebastian　didn't　seem　to　be　embarrassed　by　his　father's　manners；　which　was　one　point　in　his　favor。
　Just　about　the　only　one。　Young　Albion　went　on。　And　on。　He　was　not　inclined　to　give　America's　oldest　university　any　credit　for　his　present　state　of　admitted　erudition。　〃There's　not　much　being　done　with　Egyptian　art　qua　art；〃　he　stated。　〃I　had　to　work　it　out　myself。　I've　pretty　well　exhausted　what　the　Metropolitan　Museum　and　the　Boston　Museum　of　Fine　Arts　have　to　offer。　A　winter　in　Egypt　seemed　the　logical　next　step。〃
　〃And　a　spot　of　tomb　robbing？〃　Ramses　finally　managed　to　get　a　word　in。　〃I　trust　your　father　was　joking　about　that。　A　number　of　people；　including　my　father；　wouldn't　be　amused。〃
　〃It　goes　on　all　the　time；　doesn't　it？〃
　〃To　some　extent；　but　…〃
　〃Yes；　yes；〃　Sebastian　said　condescendingly。　〃I　understand　how　people　like　you　feel　about　it。　Now　my　book　…〃
　Ramses　caught　Nefret's　eye　again　and　grimaced。　It　was　a　distress　signal；　and　she　responded　with　a　grin　and　a　slight　nod。
　Sebastian　rambled　on。　He　would　be　writing　a　book；　Ramses　thought。　One　of　those　books　…　the　kind　that　will　never　be　finished；　because　the　author　keeps　finding　additional　material。　Ramses　had　known　a　few　scholars　like　that；　he　had　always　suspected　their　real　reason　for　procrastinating　was　a　reluctance　to　risk　criticism。　Sebastian　declared　that　it　was　his　intention　to　view　every　piece　of　Egyptian　art　in　the　world。　It　would　be　the　definitive　book　on　Egyptian　art　…　when　he　finished　it。
　〃What　are　you　doing　in　Luxor；　then？〃　Ramses　asked。　〃The　Cairo　Museum　…〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　I　know。　I　will　get　to　the　Museum　in　due　course；　but　I　wanted　to　see　the　tomb　painting　in　situ；　as　it　were　…　take　photographs；　make　sketches；　and　so　on。　I'm　a　collector　in　a　small　way；　and　hoped　to　pick　up　a　few　good　pieces　here。〃
　Ramses　realized　that　if　he　went　on　talking　to　Sebastian　he　would　say　something　rude。　〃If　you'll　excuse　me；〃　he　began。　〃My　wife　…〃
　〃That's　she；　isn't　it？〃　Sebastian's　head　turned。　〃Lovely　woman。　Hope　you　don't　mind　my　saying　so。〃
　Ramses　did　mind；　but　though　Sebastian's　tone　was　mildly　offensive；　he　could　not　take　exception　to　the　words　themselves。　Sebastian　went　on；　〃There's　a　delicious　little　creature。　Is　she　available　to　anyone；　or　is　Vandergelt　keeping　her　for　himself　and　Bertie？〃
　For　one　incredulous　moment；　Ramses　thought　the　fellow　was　referring　to　Nefret。　Then　he　realized　that　Sebastian　was　looking　at　Jumana。
　Nefret　had　been　on　her　way　to　join　them　when　she　saw　Ramses's　face　freeze。　It　wasn't　the　old　〃stone　pharaoh〃　face　that　concealed　his　thoughts；　but　a　sign　of　fury　so　consuming　it　canceled　thought　and　reason　and　everything　else　except　a　primitive　need　to　act。　She　crossed　the　remaining　distance　in　two　long　steps；　slipped　her　arm　through　that　of　her　husband；　and　caught　hold　of　his　hand。　Under　the　pressure　of　her　fingers　his　own　fingers　slowly　uncurled。　〃You　must　be　Mr。　Sebastian　Albion；〃　she　said　lightly。　〃I've　just　been　talking　with　your　moth