elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第37部分

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curled。　〃You　must　be　Mr。　Sebastian　Albion；〃　she　said　lightly。　〃I've　just　been　talking　with　your　mother。　I'm　Nefret　Emerson。〃
　〃How　do　you　do。〃　Albion　hadn't　missed　Ramses's　reaction。　He　took　a　step　back。
　〃Katherine　wants　to　ask　you　something；　Ramses；〃　Nefret　went　on。　〃Will　you　excuse　us；　Mr。　Albion？〃
　〃Just　a　minute；〃　Ramses　said。　〃We　need　to　get　something　straight；　Albion。　The　lady　to　whom　you　referred　is　a　protégée　of　Mrs。　Vandergelt's　and　a　member　of　our　family。〃
　〃Your　family？　But　surely　she　is　…〃
　〃A　member　of　our　family；〃　Ramses　repeated。　〃And　a　young；　respectable　girl。　Where　the　hell　did　you　get　the　idea　that　an　Egyptian　woman　is　free　to　any　man　who　wants　her？　In　the　Cairo　brothels？〃
　〃Ramses；〃　Nefret　murmured。
　Albion　had　gone　white。　He　mumbled　something　that　might　have　been　an　apology；　nodded　at　Nefret；　and　walked　off。
　〃What　on　earth　did　he　say？〃　Nefret　asked。　〃You　were　going　to　hit　him！〃
　〃I　was；　wasn't　I？〃　His　fingers　twined　with　hers。　〃In　a　way　I'm　sorry　you　stopped　me。〃
　〃It　would　have　ruined　Cyrus's　party；〃　Nefret　said　practically。　〃I　was　watching　you；　and　I　could　see　it　building　up。　Something　about　Jumana？〃
　〃You　can　probably　guess　what。〃
　〃Yes。　Bastard；〃　she　added。
　〃What　were　you　talking　about　with　his　mother？〃
　〃Him。　And　his　father。　That's　all　she　can　talk　about！　She　refers　to　the　old　boy　as　'my　husband；　Mr。　Albion。'　I　thought　women　stopped　doing　that　fifty　years　ago。〃
　Her　amusement　reduced　the　Albions　to　the　eccentric　nuisances　they　were　and　made　Ramses　ashamed　he　had　let　Sebastian　rouse　his　temper。　〃What　does　she　call　the　bastard？〃
　Nefret　chuckled。　〃Well；　I　don't　think　he　is；　literally。　He　is　always　'my　son　Sebastian。'　The　way　she　pronounces　the　words；　they　sound　like　a　royal　title。〃
　〃When　can　we　go　home？〃
　Nefret　squeezed　his　hand。　〃Anytime；　poor　darling。　You've　been　a　very　good　boy　and　deserve　a　reward。〃
　He　smiled　and　her　heart　skipped　a　beat；　as　it　always　did　when　he　looked　at　her　in　a　certain　way。　I'm　hopeless；　she　thought。　Hopeless；　and　glad　of　it。
　Emerson　wasn't　ready　to　leave。　He　still　had　a　few　things　to　explain　to　Bertie；　and　then　he　had　to　go　over　the　whole　thing　again　with　Cyrus；　who　had　joined　the　group。
　〃Go　on；　if　you　like；〃　he　said　amiably。
　〃May　I　e　with　you？〃　Jumana　asked。
　〃Of　course；〃　Nefret　said；　reproaching　herself　for　having　neglected　the　girl。　In　pany　like　this　she　needed　all　the　support　she　could　get。
　Ramses　gallantly　offered　Jumana　his　arm；　and　didn't　even　wince　when　she　giggled　and　hung　on　to　it。　He　was　making　it　up　to　her　for　an　insult　she　didn't　know　she　had　received；　and　his　infatuated　wife　was　reminded　again　of　how　utterly　she　adored　him。
　She　took　his　other　arm；　and　they　made　their　way　to　the　door。　Then　she　felt　the　muscles　under　her　hand　harden。　He　would　have　hurried　them　on　if　Sebastian　had　not　intercepted　them。
　〃I　misunderstood；〃　he　mumbled。　〃I　beg　your　pardon。〃
　Whose　pardon？　Nefret　wondered。　He　had　addressed　Ramses；　hadn't　even　looked　at　her　or　Jumana。
　Ramses　nodded　brusquely　and　led　his　ladies　to　the　waiting　carriage。
　〃Who　was　that？〃　Jumana　asked　curiously。　〃He　was　very　polite。〃
　〃A　tourist；〃　Ramses　answered。　〃Very　boring；　as　Sennia　would　say。〃
　Jumana　laughed；　and　began　to　chatter；　repeating　what　Emerson　had　said　about　Deir　el　Medina。　She　had　an　excellent　memory。
　Nefret　leaned　back　and　let　her　talk。　Young　Albion　had　had　to　nerve　himself　for　that　encounter。　Why　had　he　taken　the　trouble？　To　ingratiate　himself　and　his　family　with　the　Emersons？　Ignoring　Jumana　was　probably　the　most　sensible　thing　he　could　have　done。　He　certainly　couldn't　request　an　introduction　to　a　girl　he　hoped　to　seduce　from　the　man　who　had　warned　him　off。
　
　At　breakfast　Emerson　droned　on　and　on　about　his　plans。　He　had　arranged　to　meet　Cyrus　and　Bertie　at　Deir　el　Medina　so　he　could　go　over　the　whole　thing　again　with　them。　Nothing　Ramses　and　I　had　said　had　had　the　slightest　effect　on　the　stubborn　man；　and　when　I　realized　he　meant　to　go　ahead　with　his　ridiculous　scheme；　I　had　to　take　a　firm　grip　on　my　temper。　I　had　no　intention　of　allowing　him　to　do　any　such　thing；　but　a　loud　argument　at　the　breakfast　table　would　have　been　ill…bred；　especially　with　Sennia　present。
　〃If　that　is　what　you　plan　to　do；　you　won't　need　me；〃　I　announced。　〃I　am　going　to　Luxor。　Nefret；　you　had　better　e　with　me。　Thanks　to　the　selfish　demands　of　certain　persons；　you　haven't　had　a　chance　to　purchase　anything　you　need　for　the　house。〃
　Instead　of　objecting　to　the　oblique　reference　to　him；　Emerson　looked　relieved。　He　didn't　want　to　listen　to　a　lecture　from　me　any　more　than　I　wanted　to　listen　to　one　from　him。　I　had　a　brief　discussion　with　Miss　Sennia；　who　wanted　to　join　the　shopping　expedition；　but　I　finally　got　them　all　off。　Nefret　and　I　then　went　to　her　house　so　that　I　could　make　a　few　useful　suggestions　about　necessities。
　Everything　appeared　to　be　in　order。　I　knew　it　would　be；　since　Fatima　was　in　charge；　but　there　was　no　harm　in　seeing　for　myself。　Najia　was　already　busy　in　the　parlor；　sweeping　and　dusting。　The　birthmark　was　not　really　disfiguring　…　only　a　reddish　stain　that　covered　most　of　one　cheek　…　but　she　kept　her　face　averted　while　we　conversed。　She　had　tried；　clumsily；　to　conceal　it　with　a　layer　of　whitish　paste；　which　in　my　opinion　was　more　conspicuous　than　the　birthmark。　I　reminded　myself　to　ask　Nefret　if　there　was　not　some　cosmetic　that　would　do　a　better　job。
　The　other　girl；　Ghazela；　was　her　cousin；　they　were　all　cousins　to　some　degree。　The　name　was　not　especially　appropriate；　she　was　no　slender…limbed　gazelle；　but　a　round…cheeked　sturdy　young　person　of　perhaps　fourteen。　She　was　delighted　to　have　been　chosen　to　work　for　Nefret　and　told　me　so　at　some　length。　Like　most　of　the　younger　generation；　even　the　girls；　she　had　had　some　schooling。　We　were　chatting　about　her　plans　and　aspirations　…　and　I　was　making　a　few　small；　tactful　suggestions　about　cleaning　the　stove　…　when　Nefret；　who　had　gone　to　get　her　handbag　and　a　more　suitable　hat；　came　in。
　〃I　thought　I'd　find　you　here；　Mother。　Is　everything　satisfactory？〃
　〃I　see　you　have　used　the　stove。〃
　〃Only　for　morning　coffee。　Najia　makes　it　perfectly。〃
　〃So　the　girls　suit；　do　they？〃　I　inquired；　after　we　had　left　the　house。
　〃Oh；　yes。　What　are　we　looking　for　today？〃
　〃Don't　you　have　a　list？〃　I　whipped　mine　out。
　〃It's　in　my　head；〃　Nefret　said　cheerfully。　〃Anyhow；　half　of　the　fun　of　shopping　is　to　find　something　one　didn't　know　one　wanted。〃
　We　went　first　to　the　shop　of　Abdul　Hadi；　since　the　sooner　we　got　him　started；　the　better。　Nefret　did　have　a　list　in　her　head；　she　ordered　a　number　of　things；　chairs　and　tables　and　chests；　and　made　rough　sketches　of　each；　including　the　dimensions。　Abdul　Hadi　kept　bobbing　up　and　down；　his　knees　creaking　every　time　he　bent　them；　and　assured　her　that　the　honor　of　her　patronage　would　spur　him　on　to　work　day　and　night。　We　left　him　creaking　and　bowing；　and　Nefret　said；　〃Two　weeks。〃
　〃He　said　one　week。〃
　〃That　was　just　his　usual　habit。　But　I　think　I　can　get　some　of　them　in　a　fortnight；　if　I　keep　after　him。〃
　The　merchants　all　knew　us；　and　they　brought　out　their　best；　including　some　lengths　of　beautifully　handwoven　fabric　that　Nefret　intended　to　have　made　into　cushions　for　the　parlor。　I　consider　myself　an　efficient　buyer；　but　never　had　I　been　whisked　in　and　out　of　shop　and　suk　as　quickly　as　I　was　that　day。　We　ended　up　at　a　potter's；　where　Nefret　purchased　a　quantity　of　vessels　of　all　shapes　and　sizes。
　〃Some　of　them　will　do　for　the　courtyard；〃　she　declared。　〃I　want　hibiscus　and　lemon　trees　and　roses；　and　bougainvillea。〃
　〃Then；〃　I　said；　and　stopped　to　clear　my　throat。　〃Then　。　。　。　you　do　like　the　house？　It　is　satisfactory？〃
　〃Yes；　Mother；　of　course。　Did　you　doubt　it？〃
　I　hadn't　…　not　really　…　I　had　not　given　them　much　choice！　But　with　two　such　strong…willed　individuals　one　can　never　be　certain。　I　knew　now　that　I　had　them。　A　woman　does　not　purchase　new　furnishings　for　a　house　unless　she　means　to　stay。
　We　treated　ourselves　to　luncheon　at　the　Winter　Palace；　where　we　had　a　merry　time。　No　one　is　a　better　panion　than　Emerson　…　when　he　is　in　a　friendly　state　of　mind　…　but　it　is　impossible　to　discuss　household　arrangements　when　men　are　present。　After　we