elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第38部分

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ate　of　mind　…　but　it　is　impossible　to　discuss　household　arrangements　when　men　are　present。　After　we　finished；　I　suggested　we　call　on　Mohassib。
　〃Was　that　your　real　purpose　in　ing　to　Luxor？〃　Nefret　asked；　frowning　slightly。
　〃Not　at　all；　my　dear。　It　only　just　occurred　to　me。　We　have　plenty　of　time；　and　Heaven　knows　when　we　will　get　to　Luxor　again；　and　I　promised　Cyrus　I　would　have　a　chat　with　Mohassib　about　…〃
　〃Did　you　really？〃
　〃Promise　him？　Implicitly。〃
　〃I　see。　All　right；　Mother。　But　you　aren't　fooling　me。　You　are　trying　to　track　Jamil　down。〃
　〃Someone　must；〃　I　declared。　〃Emerson　has　lost　interest　…　I　knew　he　would；　as　soon　as　he　became　involved　with　his　work　…　and　no　one　else　takes　the　wretched　boy　seriously。〃
　The　clot　of　dragomen　and　guides　that　infested　the　steps　of　the　hotel　parted　before　us　like　the　Red　Sea。　We　strolled　on；　past　the　Temple　of　Luxor。　I　could　never　pass　those　magnificent　columns　without　a　sidelong　glance；　but　for　once　Nefret　did　not　appear　to　notice　them。　Striding　along　with　her　hands　clasped　behind　her　back　and　her　head　bowed；　she　said；　〃Has　it　occurred　to　you　that　it　might　have　been　Jamil　from　whom　Aslimi　got　those　artifacts　you　bought　in　Cairo？〃
　〃Certainly　it　occurred　to　me。　The　description　fits。　He　secreted　those　particular　items　when　they　were　clearing　the　tomb　…　they　all　do　it；　you　know；　cheating　one　another　if　they　can　…　and　used　his　share　of　the　money　to　travel　to　Cairo。　Jamil　isn't　especially　intelligent；　but　he　has　sense　enough　to　know　he　could　get　better　prices　from　Cairo　dealers　than　from　Mohassib。〃
　〃Yes；　of　course；〃　Nefret　murmured。　〃You　are　terrifyingly　single…minded　when　you　go　after　something　or　someone；　Mother。〃
　〃Not　at　all；　my　dear。　I　have　no　difficulty　in　thinking　of　several　things　at　once。〃
　Her　brow　cleared　and　the　corners　of　her　mouth　turned　up。　〃So　long　as　you　aren't　having　one　of　your　famous　premonitions　about　Jamil。〃
　To　call　the　feeling　a　premonition　or　foreboding　would　not　have　been　entirely　accurate。　It　was；　rather；　based　on　expert　knowledge　of　the　criminal　mind　and　a　certain　degree　of　informed　cynicism。　Criminals；　in　my　experience；　do　not　suddenly　turn　into　honest　men。　Jamil　was　still　in　need　of　money　and　he　was　still　resentful　of　us。　Nothing　had　changed　there；　and　the　more　often　we　frustrated　his　attempts　to　get　what　he　wanted；　the　more　resentful　he　would　be。
　Mohassib　was　the　best…known　and　most　highly　respected　（by　everyone　except　Emerson）　antiquities　dealer　in　Luxor。　He　had　been　dying　for　at　least　ten　years；　and　was　dying　at　that　very　moment；　so　the　doorkeeper　informed　me。
　〃Then　he　will　wish　to　see　me　before　he　passes　on；〃　I　replied；　handing　over　the　expected　baksheesh。
　He　was　in　bed；　propped　up　on　pillows　and　looking　like　a　biblical　patriarch　with　his　snowy　beard　and　mustache；　but　he　was　not　alone。　I　stopped　short　when　I　recognized　the　Albions。
　〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　I　said。　〃The　doorkeeper　did　not　tell　me　you　had　other　visitors。〃
　〃That's　okay；〃　said　Mr。　Albion；　who　seemed　to　make　a　habit　of　answering　remarks　addressed　to　other　persons。　〃We　were　about　to　leave　anyhow。　Good　to　see　you；　Mrs。　Emerson　…　and　Mrs。　Emerson。　Hope　you　didn't　e　here　to　bid　on　any　of　Mohassib's　treasures。　I've　already　made　him　an　offer。〃
　〃Indeed？〃　I　took　a　chair；　indicating　my　intention　of　remaining。　〃I　was　under　the　impression　that　you　meant　to　find　yourself　a　tomb　robber　instead　of　buying　from　dealers。〃
　Mrs。　Albion's　lips　parted；　like　a　crack　in　a　block　of　ice。　〃Mr。　Albion　was　teasing；　Mrs。　Emerson。　He　has　a　marvelous　sense　of　humor。〃
　〃That's　right；〃　said　her　husband　merrily。　〃I'm　quite　a　tease；　Mrs。　Emerson。　Well；　see　you　folks　later。〃
　The　younger　Mr。　Albion；　mute　as　usual；　followed　his　parents　out。
　After　we　had　exchanged　pliments　and　inquired　after　one　another's　health；　and　Mohassib　had　ordered　tea　for　us；　he　said；　〃Are　they　friends　of　yours；　Sitt？〃
　〃Mere　acquaintances。〃
　〃Good。〃
　〃Why　do　you　say　that？〃　I　asked　curiously。
　〃They　are　strange　people。　I　am　a　good　judge　of　strange　people；　Sitt　Hakim；　and　I　would　not　trust　that　happy　little　man。　He　wants　too　much　for　too　little。〃
　〃What　did　he　want？〃　Nefret　inquired。　〃Part　of　the　princesses'　treasure？　Or　all　of　it？〃
　〃Treasure？〃　Mohassib　repeated；　widening　his　eyes。　No　saint　could　have　looked　more　innocent。　〃Ah　…　you　are　referring　to　the　rumors　about　a　rich　find　in　the　Gabbanat　el…Qirud。　The　men　of　Luxor　are　great　liars；　Nur　Misur。　Perhaps　there　was　no　treasure。〃
　〃e　now；　Mohammed；〃　I　said。　〃You　know　there　was　such　a　find　and　I　know　the　thieves　sold　it　to　you；　and　you　know　I　cannot　prove　that；　and　I　know　that　even　if　I　could　there　is　little　likelihood　of　your　being　charged　with　a　crime。　Why　not　speak　freely　to　me；　your　old　friend？　Vandergelt　Effendi　would　pay　well　for　such　objects；　if　they　are　as　described。〃
　We　settled　down；　with　mutual　enjoyment；　to　the　customary　exchange　of　hints　and　innuendos；　winks　and　nods　and　pursed　lips　and　raised　eyebrows。　I　rather　prided　myself　on　my　ability　to　carry　on　this　form　of　munication；　which　Emerson　could　not　or　would　not　do。　Mohassib　eventually　remarked　pensively　that　if　he　should　hear　of　such　objects　he　would　be　happy　to　do　his　friends　a　service。
　〃Excellent；〃　I　said；　knowing　that　was　as　much　as　I　could　expect。　Mohassib　always　played　his　little　game　of　innocence　and　ignorance；　but　in　this　case　the　business　had　caused　quite　a　stir；　and　I　suspected　he　would　not　make　any　move　to　market　the　objects　until　things　had　died　down。
　We　parted　in　the　friendliest　manner。　Eyes　twinkling；　Mohassib　sent　his　respectful　regards　to　Emerson；　whose　opinion　of　him　he　knew　quite　well。　At　the　door；　I　stopped　and　turned；　as　if　a　new　idea　had　struck　me。　In　fact；　the　question　I　asked　was　the　one　I　had　had　in　mind　all　along。
　〃Has　Jamil　been　here？〃
　Caught　off…guard；　believing　the　interview　to　be　over；　Mohassib　burst　into　a　fit　of　violent　coughing。　I　knew　the　paroxysm　was　only　a　device　to　give　him　time　to　think；　so　I　pressed　on。
　〃Don't　pretend　you　don't　know　who　I　mean。　Jamil；　Yusuf's　youngest　son。　Did　he　try　to　sell　you　artifacts　from　the　princesses'　tomb？〃
　Mohassib　shook　his　head　vigorously。　〃No；〃　he　gasped。　〃No；　Sitt　Hakim。　I　thought　he　had　left　Luxor。〃
　〃I　hope　you　are　telling　the　truth；　Mohassib。　Two　of　the　other　men　who　robbed　the　tomb　are　dead；　under　suspicious　circumstances；　and　Jamil　holds　a　grudge　against　everyone　involved　in　that　business。〃
　Mohassib　abruptly　stopped　coughing。　〃Are　you　saying　that　Jamil　killed　them？〃
　〃I　only　repeat　the　latest　gossip；　old　friend；〃　I　replied。　〃Since　you　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　disposal　of　the　artifacts；　there　is　no　reason　for　you　to　be　alarmed；　is　there？〃
　Mohassib　grunted。　He　thought　for　a　minute；　and　then　he　said；　〃Jamil　brought　me　nothing　from　the　tomb　of　the　princesses。　That　is　true；　Sitt　Hakim。〃
　His　lips　closed　so　tightly　they　almost　disappeared　in　the　beard　and　mustache。　Knowing　that　was　all　I　was　going　to　get　out　of　the　wily　old　fellow；　I　repeated　my　assurances　of　goodwill；　and　we　left　the　house。
　〃Do　you　think　he　was　telling　the　truth？〃　Nefret　asked；　waving　aside　a　carriage　that　had　stopped。
　〃About　Jamil？　The　literal　truth；　yes。　He　did　not　deny　he　had　seen　the　boy。　My　warning　…　for　so　it　was　meant；　and　so　Mohassib　took　it　…　caught　him　by　surprise；　but　it　did　not；　as　I　had　hoped；　startle　him　into　an　indiscretion　or　worry　him　much。　He　is　safe　in　his　house；　behind　those　stout　walls；　and　well　guarded。　Ah；　well；　it　was　worth　a　try。〃　We　strolled　on；　acknowledging　the　greetings　of　passersby；　and　I　continued；　〃What　I　found　interesting　was　his　opinion　of　Mr。　Albion。　We　keep　running　into　them；　don't　we？　Do　you　think　they　are　following　us　because　they　are　up　to　no　good？〃
　Nefret　laughed　and　slipped　her　arm　through　mine。　〃Don't　sound　so　hopeful；　Mother。　They　are　an　oddly　matched　couple；　though。〃
　〃What　do　you　think　of　young　Mr。　Albion？〃
　She　answered　with　another　question。　〃Did　Ramses　tell　you　what　he　said　at　Cyrus's　soiree　…　about　Jumana？〃
　〃No。〃
　She　repeated　the　young　man's　remark。　I　shook　my　head。　〃Disgusting；　but　not　surprising。　I　trust　Ramses　put　the　young　man　in　his　place？〃
　〃Ramses　almost　put　him　on　the　carpet；〃　Nefret　said。　〃You　know　that　look　of　his　…　white　around　the　mouth；　and　eye