elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第42部分

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re？　Do　you　know　what　underhanded；　contemptible　stunt　this　bunch　of　crooks　played　on　us？〃
　〃I　am　beginning　to　get　an　idea。　Sit　down　and　stop　shouting；　Cyrus。　Fatima；　will　you　please　bring　the　tea　tray？　Thank　you。　Let　us　now　have　a　coherent　narrative；　from　。　。　。〃　Jumana　was　waving　her　hand　in　the　air　and　bobbing　up　and　down；　like　an　eager　student　volunteering　to　recite。　I　observed　that　the　jangling　noise　acpanying　her　movements　came　from　several　articles　attached　to　her　belt。　I　was　somewhat　flattered　but　not　inclined　to　encourage　her；　she　looked　a　little　too　pleased　with　herself。
　〃Emerson；〃　I　said。　Jumana　subsided；　pouting。
　I　had　to　shush　Cyrus　more　than　once　during　the　course　of　Emerson's　tale；　but　the　genial　beverage；　which　I　forced　upon　everyone　present；　had　its　usual　soothing　effect　…　even　on　me。　I　was　extremely　put　out　by　Emerson's　duplicity。　However；　I　confined　my　expressions　of　chagrin　to　a　few　reproachful　looks；　which　Emerson　pretended　not　to　see。
　〃All's　well　that　ends　well；　eh；　Peabody？〃　he　inquired。
　〃Hmmm；〃　I　said。　〃Nefret？〃
　She　was　conferring　with　Kadija。　〃No　broken　bones；〃　she　announced。　〃He　was　lucky。　But　he'll　have　to　stay　off　that　foot　for　a　few　days。〃
　〃Lucky！〃　Cyrus　burst　out。　〃He　had　no　business　going　off　like　that。　He　…〃
　〃Is　not　the　only　person　present　who　has　ever　been　guilty　of　reckless　behavior；〃　I　interrupted。
　Ramses　gave　me　a　wide；　unself…conscious　grin；　and　then　sobered。　〃We'd　have　found　him　eventually；　Cyrus；　even　without　Jumana。〃
　The　girl　must　have　been　even　more　annoying　than　usual　that　day；　or　he　would　not　have　minimized　her　effort。　We　would　certainly　have　looked　for　Bertie；　but　we　might　not　have　found　him　in　time。　It　might　well　be　said　that　the　young　man　owed　her　his　life。
　〃Who　bandaged　his　hand？〃　Nefret　asked。
　〃I　wish　everyone　would　stop　talking　about　me　in　the　third　person；〃　Bertie　said　stiffly。　〃Jumana　…〃
　〃Yes；　I　did　it！〃　She　jumped　up；　jangling。　〃You　see；　I　have　my　belt　of　tools；　too；　like　the　Sitt　Hakim！　I　washed　his　hand　and　bandaged　it　and　I　took　care　of　him。　He　was　very　stupid　to　go　there　alone。〃
　Bertie　turned　red；　but　he　didn't　have　a　chance　to　defend　himself；　he　had　not　yet　learned　that　in　our　circle　it　is　necessary　to　shout　in　order　to　be　heard。　Emerson　did　it　for　him。　Men　always　close　ranks　when　women　criticize　one　of　them。
　〃And　so　were　you；　Jumana。〃　Emerson　slammed　his　cup　down　in　the　saucer。　〃Any　man　or　woman；　even　the　most　experienced；　could　suffer　an　accident　in　that　terrain；　and　die　of　exposure　before　he　was　found。　No；　young　lady；　don't　talk　back　to　me！　Why　didn't　you　tell　Vandergelt　where　you　were　going？〃
　Jumana　bowed　her　head。　〃I　wanted　to　find　him　myself；〃　she　murmured。
　〃I　see。〃　Emerson's　voice　softened；　and　Bertie's　face　went　even　redder。　Men　are　such　innocents；　they　had　taken　her　statement　as　a　declaration　of　affectionate　interest。　I；　who　had　once　pointed　out　to　Jumana　that　wealthy　and　powerful　Cyrus　Vandergelt　would　think　well　of　anyone　who　looked　after　his　adopted　son；　suspected　that　self…interest　had　been　her　primary　motive。
　〃Enough　of　recriminations；〃　I　said。　〃We　must　…〃
　〃I'm　not　finished　recriminating；〃　Cyrus　declared。　〃Not　by　a　damned　sight。　Excuse　my　language；　ladies；　but　I've　got　a　few　words　to　say　to　my　old　pal　here。　Emerson；　you　deliberately　and　with　malice　aforethought　pawned　Deir　el　Medina　off　on　me　so　you　could　do　what　I　would　have　done　if　you　hadn't　told　me　not　to　do　it！　And　by　the　Almighty；　there　is　a　tomb　out　there！　We've　got　proof　now。〃
　Emerson　looked　sheepish　and　drank　out　of　his　cracked　cup。　Tea　dribbled　down　the　front　of　his　shirt；　but　I　cannot　say　its　condition　was　appreciably　worsened　thereby。
　〃If　we　had　found　anything　of　interest；　I　would　have　let　you　in　on　it；　Vandergelt；〃　he　mumbled。　〃I　only　wanted　to　…　er　…　save　you　time　and　effort。〃
　〃Oh。　All　right；　then；〃　Cyrus　said；　mollified。　〃But　now　we　know　there　is　a　tomb　…〃
　〃I'm　afraid　not；　Cyrus；〃　Ramses　said。　〃Jamil　may　not　be　the　most　intelligent　opponent　we've　ever　faced；　but　he　isn't　stupid　enough　to　give　away　the　location　of　the　tomb　…　if　there　is　one。〃
　〃The　gold　Bertie　saw　…〃　Cyrus　began。
　〃He　said　it　glittered　like　gold；〃　Ramses　interrupted　impatiently。　〃Hasn't　it　occurred　to　you　that　the　boy　has　been　deliberately　leading　us　astray？〃
　〃It　had　occurred　to　me；　of　course；〃　I　said。
　Ramses's　sober　face　relaxed　into　a　grin　and　Emerson　snarled　wordlessly。　〃Where　is　the　tomb；　then？〃　Cyrus　demanded。
　〃Like　Ramses；　I　am　not　convinced　there　is　one；〃　I　replied。　〃I　can　think　of　a　number　of　reasons　why　Jamil　might　want　to　lead　us　on　a　wild…goose　chase。　'He　only　does　it　to　annoy；　because　he　knows　it　teases。'　Or　he　may　want　to　lure　us　into　a　trap。　It　is　wild　country；　and　Bertie's　accident　today　is　a　grim　reminder　of　what　can　happen　if　he　catches　one　of　us　alone。〃
　Jumana　lifted　her　chin　and　stared　defiantly　at　me。　The　rather　pathetic　collection　of　tools　on　her　belt　jingled　as　she　shifted　position。　I　wondered　if　she　had　also　acquired　a　parasol。
　〃He　didn't　mean　to　hurt　Bertie；〃　she　declared。　〃It　was　an　accident。〃
　〃That's　right；〃　Bertie　said　quickly。
　〃Perhaps　he　didn't　intend　to；〃　I　said。　〃But　the　result　might　have　been　disastrous。　He's　been　watching　us　…　spying　on　us。〃
　〃Damnation！〃　Emerson　exclaimed。　〃Jumana　…　Bertie　…　all　of　you　…　don't　take　any　more　chances；　do　you　hear？　Even　if　Jamil　appears　decked　out　in　the　Double　Crown　and　the　full　regalia　of　a　pharaoh；　blowing　kisses；　don't　follow　him。〃
　〃Here！〃　Cyrus　exclaimed；　his　eyes　brightening。　〃Do　you　think　it's　a　royal　tomb　he's　found？〃
　〃Good　Gad；　Vandergelt；　is　that　all　you　can　think　of？〃　Emerson　gave　him　a　rueful　smile。　〃I　thought　of　it；　too；　I　admit。　But　there　won't　be　a　king's　tomb　in　that　area。　My　point　is　that　none　of　us　must　go　into　a　remote　area　alone。　It　is　too　dangerous；　as　Bertie　discovered　today。〃
　〃Oh。〃　Cyrus　glanced　apologetically　at　Bertie。　〃Sorry；　son；　I　was　forgetting　about　your　foot。　Guess　I'd　better　get　you　home。　I'll　go　to　the　Castle　and　send　the　carriage。〃
　〃I　can　ride；〃　Bertie　said；　trying　to　push　himself　to　his　feet。
　〃Take　Risha；〃　Ramses　said；　before　any　of　us　could　voice　an　objection。　〃Jamad　can　go　with　you　and　bring　him　back。　Here；　let　me　give　you　a　hand。〃
　〃Don't　put　your　weight　on　that　foot；〃　Nefret　called；　as　they　left　the　room；　Bertie　hopping　and　leaning　on　Ramses's　arm。　Neither　of　them　replied。　Closing　ranks；　I　thought。　Closing　ranks！
　〃A　word　of　advice；　if　I　may；　Cyrus；〃　I　said。
　He　had　been　about　to　go　after　them。　He　stopped　and　turned　to　me。　From　his　expression　and　that　of　my　husband　I　suspected　one　of　them　was　about　to　make　a　sarcastic　ment；　so　I　went　on　before　either　could　do　so。　〃Don't　treat　him　like　a　child。　He　is　a　grown　man　and　must　make　his　own　decisions。　He　did　it　for　you；　you　know。〃
　〃I　know。〃　Cyrus　tugged　at　his　goatee。　He　turned　a　challenging　look　on　Emerson。　〃So；　old　buddy；　where　are　we　going　tomorrow？〃
　Emerson　mumbled　something。
　〃Hey？〃　said　Cyrus；　cupping　his　hand　round　his　ear。
　〃Not；〃　I　said；　〃to　the　Cemetery　of　the　Monkeys。　We　will　meet　you　at　Deir　el　Medina　tomorrow；　Cyrus。　All　of　us。〃
　　
　As　soon　as　Cyrus　had　taken　his　departure；　Emerson　fled　to　the　bath　chamber。　He　was　well　aware　that　this　was　only　a　temporary　refuge；　after　arranging　a　few　domestic　matters；　I　followed　him。　I　had　intended　to　sit　on　the　edge　of　the　bath　but　he　was　splashing　the　water　all　about；　so　I　leaned　against　the　wall　instead。　Emerson　gave　me　a　cheerful　smile。
　〃Did　you　have　a　pleasant　day；　my　love？〃　he　inquired。
　〃Quite　pleasant。　Emerson；　why　do　you　do　this　sort　of　thing？　You　know　I　will　find　out　in　the　end。〃
　〃Certainly　I　know。　I　enjoy　stirring　you　up；　Peabody。　And　you　enjoy　ferreting　out　my　evil　schemes　and　scolding　me。〃　He　got　to　his　feet。
　I　always　say　there　is　nothing　like　a　vigorous　out…of…door　life　to　keep　a　person　in　excellent　physical　condition。　Emerson　had　changed　very　little　since　the　days　when　I　had　first　known　him　…　except　of　course　for　the　absence　of　the　beard　that　had　hidden　his　firm　chin　and　strong　jaw。　His　stalwart　form　was　as　trim；　the　pull　of　muscle　across　his　broad　shoulders　just　as　distracting。
　〃I　will　not　be　distracted；　Emerson；〃　I　informed　him。
　〃No？〃　He　stepped　out　of　the　bath　and　reached　for　me。　He　h