elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第41部分

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long　before　we　did　。　。　。　Father；　why　don't　you　sing　out？〃
　Emerson　obliged。　Not　even　a　bird　answered。　Jumana　was　dancing　up　and　down　with　impatience；　but　Emerson's　monumental　calm　kept　her　quiet。　After　calling　twice　more；　without　result；　he　said；　〃He'd　have　heard　that　if　he　were　within　earshot。　All　right；　we　can　go　on。〃
　〃The　Cemetery　of　the　Monkeys；〃　Ramses　muttered。　〃Yes；　that's　where　he'd　go。　I　could　kick　myself　for　making　those　clever　remarks　about　missing　queens。　Which　way？　I　can　climb　up　and　go　across；　while　you　…〃
　〃No；〃　Emerson　said　without　hesitating。　〃You　were　right；　he'd　have　gone　the　way　we　did　before。〃　He　hoisted　the　pack　onto　his　shoulders　and　started　down　the　rough　steps。　〃You　next；　Jumana。　Watch　your　footing。〃
　Once　down；　they　crossed　the　wide　mouth　of　the　wadi　and　started　up　the　path　that　led　into　the　next　narrow　finger。　Jumana　would　have　bounded　ahead　if　Emerson　had　not　kept　hold　of　her。　Every　few　minutes　he　stopped　and　shouted　Bertie's　name。　They　had　gone　some　distance；　with　the　walls　rising　higher　on　either　side；　before　there　was　a　reply；　faint　and　muffled；　but　unmistakably　the　sound　of　a　human　voice。
　〃Thank　God；〃　Ramses　said　sincerely。　He　cupped　his　hands　around　his　mouth　and　yelled；　〃Bertie；　is　that　you？　Keep　calling　out！〃
　Bertie　obeyed；　but　it　took　them　a　while　to　locate　him。　Sound　echoed　distractingly　between　the　cliffs；　and　there　wasn't　a　sign　of　him；　though　they　scanned　the　rock　surface　with　binoculars　as　well　as　the　naked　eye。
　〃He's　up　there　somewhere；〃　Emerson　said；　indicating　a　crevice　that　ran　slantwise　across　the　cliff　face。　〃Yes　…　this　is　where　he　climbed。〃　The　marks　where　booted　feet　had　slipped　and　scraped　were　fresh；　white　against　the　weathered　stone。　He　shouted　again。　The　response　was　close　now；　and　the　words　were　distinct。
　〃Foot's　caught。　I　can't　。　。　。〃
　〃All　right；　I'm　ing；〃　Ramses　called。　He　slipped　off　the　knapsack；　removed　his　coat；　and　picked　up　one　of　the　coils　of　rope。　〃No；　Jumana；　you　stay　here。　Hang　on　to　her；　Father。〃
　〃If　she　tries　to　follow　you；　I'll　tie　her　up　with　the　rest　of　the　rope；〃　Emerson　said　coolly。　〃Be　careful。〃
　Ramses　nodded。　It　was　an　easy　ascent；　with　lots　of　hand…　and　footholds；　and　a　slight　inward　slope。　The　crevice　narrowed　and　appeared　to　end　about　fifteen　feet　above　him；　he　went　on　up；　at　an　angle；　till　he　reached　a　point　where　the　opening　was　wide　enough　for　him　to　swing　himself　into　it。　The　floor　of　the　cleft　was　almost　horizontal　here；　and　several　feet　deep；　like　a　small　natural　platform。
　〃Down　here；〃　Bertie　said。
　Ramses　switched　on　his　pocket　torch　and　shone　it　down。　All　he　could　see　was　Bertie's　face。　His　body　was　jammed　into　the　narrowest　part　of　the　crevice；　like　a　cork　in　a　bottle。　〃My　God；〃　he　said。　〃How　did　you　do　that？〃
　Bertie's　face　was　smeared　with　dust　and　sweat　and　streaked　with　blood；　but　he　summoned　up　a　rueful　grin。　〃I　slipped。　It　wasn't　at　all　difficult；　I　could　do　it　again　anytime。〃
　Ramses　laughed。　It　wasn't　going　to　be　easy　getting　Bertie　out；　but　it　was　a　relief　to　find　him　alive　and　relatively　undamaged；　and　cool　as　ice。　〃If　I　lower　a　rope；　can　you　grab　hold　of　it？〃
　〃I've　got　one　arm　free；〃　Bertie　said；　raising　it　in　a　flippant　wave。　〃The　other　one's　stuck。　And　one　of　my　boots　is　caught。〃
　〃Let's　try　this。〃　Ramses　tied　a　loop　in　the　end　of　the　rope　and　let　it　down。　Bertie　slid　his　arm　through　the　noose　and　Ramses　pulled　on　the　rope　till　the　slipknot　tightened。　〃Ready？〃
　〃Slacken　the　rope　a　bit　so　I　can　get　hold　of　it。　Here；　wait　a　minute。　Are　you　hanging　on　to　something？　If　I　e　popping　out　of　here　you　may　lose　your　balance。〃
　There　was　nothing　he　could　hang　on　to；　no　protuberance　round　which　to　tie　the　rope。　He　looped　a　section　round　his　waist　and　knotted　it。　〃I'm　fine。　Here　we　go。〃
　He'd　had　to　put　the　torch　back　in　his　pocket　to　use　both　hands　for　the　rope。　He　couldn't　see　Bertie　now；　but　he　could　hear　his　hard；　difficult　breathing。　There　was　resistance　at　first；　and　a　gasp　of　pain　from　the　man　below；　but　Ramses　didn't　dare　stop；　he　could　feel　upward　movement。　He　transferred　his　grip　farther　along　the　rope　and　heaved。
　〃That's　done　it；〃　Bertie　gasped。　〃Both　hands　out　。　。　。〃
　〃Good；〃　Ramses　said；　recovering　his　balance。　He'd　almost　fallen　over；　the　release　of　resistance　had　been　so　sudden。　Bertie's　hands　came　into　view。　He　was　trying　to　pull　himself　up。　His　knuckles　and　the　back　of　one　hand　were　scraped　raw。
　Ramses　helped　him　up　onto　the　relatively　level　section　and　then　leaned　out。　His　father's　requests　for　information　and　reassurance　were　reaching　an　ear…splitting　pitch。　They　harmonized　with　Jumana's　piercing　soprano。
　〃It's　all　right。　We're　ing　down；〃　Ramses　called。
　〃Thanks；〃　Bertie　said。
　〃What　for？〃
　Bertie　had　unfastened　the　slipknot。　He　dug　in　his　pocket　for　a　handkerchief　and　passed　it　over　his　filthy　face。　〃Well；　for　pulling　me　out。　And　for　not　saying　something　like　'I'm　about　to　lower　the　poor　idiot　down。'　〃
　〃You　aren't　that。　But　I　am　going　to　lower　you；　unless　you　have　violent　objections。〃
　〃No。　I've　played　the　bloody　fool　once　today；　I　won't　do　it　again。　How　did　you　know　I　was　here？〃
　He　wanted　a　little　more　time。　Holding　the　end　of　the　rope；　Ramses　decided　he　had　better　break　it　to　him　at　once。　〃Jumana。　She　noticed　you　were　missing　and　figured　you'd　e　this　way。　Father　and　I　heard　her　calling　you；　and　we　joined　forces。〃
　〃Oh。〃　He　added　bitterly；　〃Kind　of　her　to　rush　to　my　rescue。〃
　〃This　could　have　happened　to　anyone；〃　Ramses　said。　〃All　right；　let's　get　it　over。〃
　〃Wait　a　minute。　I　don't　want　you　to　think　I'm　a　plete　fool。　I　wouldn't　have　risked　climbing　alone　…　I　know　I'm　not　much　good　at　it　…　if　I　hadn't　seen　him。　Just　about　here；　leaning　out　and　looking　down　at　me。　He　didn't　push　me；〃　Bertie　added　quickly；　reading　Ramses's　expression。　〃I　wouldn't　want　her　to　think　that。〃
　〃The　hell　with　what　she　thinks；〃　Ramses　said　angrily。　〃Damn　it；　Bertie；　you　don't　climb　a　rock　face　when　there's　someone　up　above　who　doesn't　like　you。　I　wouldn't　have　risked　it。〃
　〃Yes；　you　would　…　if　you'd　seen　what　I　saw。　He　was　laughing；　Ramses；　and　waving　some　object。　I　couldn't　see　it　clearly；　but　it　glittered。　Like　gold。〃
　
　
　　
　
　6
　　
　I　cannot　recall　ever　seeing　Cyrus　Vandergelt　so　angry。　Even　Emerson　sat　in　silence；　without　attempting　to　interrupt；　while　our　old　friend　paced　up　and　down　uttering　incoherent　American　ejaculations。
　Nefret　and　I　arrived　at　the　house　shortly　after　the　others。　From　what　I　could　make　out；　amid　his　cries　of　fury；　Cyrus　had　met　the　other　four　on　the　homeward　path。　He　had　been　searching　for　Bertie　and　Jumana　for　hours；　after　discovering　that　both　had　left　Deir　el　Medina；　and　was　at　Medinet　Habu；　still　in　quest　of　them；　when　they　appeared；　with　Ramses　and　Emerson　supporting　Bertie。　Whether　Cyrus　had　harbored　the　same　suspicions　that　would　have　occurred　to　his　wife　upon　finding　two　young　persons　of　opposite　genders　unaccountably　missing　from　their　designated　places；　he　never　said。
　Relief　was　immediately　succeeded　by　outrage；　as　is　usually　the　case。　When　Cyrus　found　out　where　they　had　been；　a　good　deal　of　the　outrage　was　directed　at　Emerson。　At　the　latter's　suggestion　they　had　brought　Bertie　straight　to　our　house；　and　it　was　obvious　from　their　appearance　that　none　of　them　had　had　the　time；　or　perhaps　the　inclination；　to　make　themselves　tidy。　Their　dusty；　sweat…stained　garments　were　sufficient　proof　of　a　somewhat　arduous　day；　but　a　quick　yet　prehensive　survey　assured　me　that　Bertie　appeared　to　be　the　only　casualty。　He　had　his　foot　up　on　a　hassock　and　Kadija　was　smearing　it　with　her　famous　green　ointment。　Fatima　ran　in　and　out　with　plates　of　food　…　her　invariable　solution　for　all　disasters；　Gargery　demanded　to　know　what　had　happened　…　Jumana　tried　to　tell　him；　and　Cyrus　raved。　It　was　very　busy　and　loud。
　Nefret　went　to　Ramses。　He　shook　his　head；　smiling；　in　response　to　her　unvoiced　concern。　I　removed　my　hat；　put　it　neatly　on　a　table；　and　proceeded　to　bring　order　out　of　chaos。
　〃Cyrus！〃　I　said；　rather　emphatically。
　〃Of　all　the　consarned；　low…down　。　。　。〃　He　stopped　and　stared　at　me。　〃Amelia。　Where've　you　been？　Why　weren't　you　here？　Do　you　know　what　underhanded；　contemptible　stunt　this　bunch　of　crooks　played　on　us？〃
　〃I　am　be