elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第47部分

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　attitude。〃
　〃We　can　guess　what　it　is；〃　Emerson　grunted。　〃He's　with　intelligence　now；　and　someone　has　told　him　about　you。　Secret　Service！　Good　Gad；　they　might　as　well　shout　their　business　from　the　rooftops。〃
　I　said；　〃The　news　of　your　heroism　…〃　Ramses　made　a　wry　face；　and　I　went　on　firmly；　〃That　is　what　it　was；　and　I　will　call　it　what　it　was。　But　perhaps　the　information　has　not　spread　as　widely　as　we　suppose。〃
　〃I　hope　it　has　spread；〃　Nefret　said。　She　raised　her　chin　defiantly。　〃I　hope　everyone　knows。〃
　None　of　us　had　to　request　elucidation　of　this　statement。　Nefret　lived　in　constant　fear　of　his　being　again　involved　in　a　mission　like　the　one　that　had　almost　cost　him　his　life　two　years　ago。　Accepting　another　assignment　would　have　been　dangerous　enough　even　when　his　former　activities　were　known　only　to　a　few　…　particularly　when　one　of　those　few　was　the　head　of　the　Turkish　Secret　Service。　It　would　have　been　suicidal　if　every　intelligence　officer　in　Cairo　knew。　As　Ramses　had　once　remarked；　there　is　no　point　in　being　a　spy　if　everybody　knows　you　are　one。
　〃I've　told　you　before；〃　Ramses　said；　addressing　his　wife　in　a　voice　that　brought　a　flush　to　her　cheeks；　〃that　the　subject　is　closed。　May　we　drop　it；　please？〃
　〃Quite；〃　said　Emerson　quickly。　Though　he　is；　as　his　conduct　proves；　a　firm　believer　in　thrashing　out　differences　of　opinion　on　the　spot　and　with　vigor；　disharmony　between　his　beloved　children　upsets　him。　〃We've　wasted　enough　time　on　this　nonsense。　Back　to　work；　eh？〃
　I　had　myself　been　a　trifle　surprised　at　the　harshness　of　Ramses's　tone。　However；　I　did　not　suppose　that　his　ill　humor　would　last　or　that　she　would　be　unreceptive　to　an　attempt　at　apology；　and　so　it　proved。　Sometime　later　I　happened　to　observe　that　neither　was　in　sight；　and　since　it　was　almost　time　for　luncheon　I　entered　the　vestibule　of　the　temple；　where　I　had　set　up　my　little　shelter。　They　were　not　there；　but　I　heard　a　murmur　of　voices　from　behind　one　of　the　columns　that　separated　the　vestibule　from　the　pronaos。　It　was　a　very　nice　column；　with　the　head　of　the　goddess　Hathor　instead　of　a　capital。　I　moved　forward　to　examine　it　more　closely。
　I　did　not　tiptoe　or　try　to　walk　silently；　but　neither　of　them　was　aware　of　my　presence　until　they　saw　me。　〃Damnation！〃　said　Ramses；　releasing　her　and　turning　rather　red。　〃Er　…　I　beg　your　pardon；　Mother。〃
　〃I　should　rather　beg　yours；　my　dear。　I　didn't　realize　you　were　here。　It　is　almost　time　for　lunch。〃
　〃I'll　get　Father；〃　said　Ramses；　retreating　in　haste。　Nefret；　who　was　trying　to　twist　her　loosened　hair　into　a　knot；　let　out　one　of　her　musical　chuckles。　〃Were　you　afraid　we　had　gone　off　to　quarrel　in　private？〃
　〃Not　really。　I　presume　you　were　admiring　those　nice　heads　of　Hathor。　I　believe　I　heard　Ramses　repeat　one　of　her　charming　epithets　…　'Golden　One。'　〃
　〃If　you　heard；〃　said　Nefret；　amused　and　not　at　all　embarrassed；　〃you　know　he　was　addressing　me。〃
　〃Very　appropriate；〃　I　said。　A　ray　of　sunlight　haloed　the　red　gold　of　her　locks。　〃Hathor　was　the　goddess　of　love　and　beauty　and　…　er　…〃
　〃Happiness。〃　She　looked　up　at　the　carved　face。　It　might　not　have　struck　some　people　as　the　epitome　of　beauty；　for　the　ears　were　those　of　a　cow；　one　of　the　goddess's　sacred　animals。　After　so　many　years　of　viewing　ancient　Egyptian　art；　such　elements　had　e　to　seem　quite　natural　to　us；　however；　and　the　other　features　were　delicately　rendered；　the　long　hair　curling　over　the　shoulders。　〃Praising　the　Great　Goddess；　Lady　of　Turquoise；　Mistress　of　the　West；〃　Nefret　recited。　She　bowed　gravely　and　deferentially。
　I　couldn't　help　myself。　〃What　are　you　asking　for？〃
　〃Happiness；〃　Nefret　repeated。
　〃Then　…　it　is　all　right；　isn't　it？　Between　you　two？〃
　〃Of　course。〃　She　took　my　arm。　〃Let's　eat。〃
　Emerson　kept　us　so　busy　that　it　was　not　until　later　in　the　week　that　I　was　able　to　make　my　annual　pilgrimage　to　Abdullah's　grave。　I　never　felt　any　particular　urgency　about　doing　it；　since　I　did　not　think　of　him　as　being　there。　I　only　went　because　。　。　。　In　fact；　I　do　not　know　why。　Le　coeur　a　ses　raisons　que　la　raison　ne　conna？t　point。
　On　this　occasion　my　primary　purpose　was　to　look　at　his　new　monument。　I　had　not　seen　it　before；　since　Abdullah　had　not　got　round　to　mentioning　that　he　would　like　one　until　just　before　we　left　Egypt　the　previous　spring。　The　request　had　taken　me　by　surprise；　one　would　not　have　supposed　that　an　immortal　spirit　…　or；　according　to　Emerson；　a　sentimental　fantasy　of　my　sleeping　brain　…　would　care　about　such　things。　Emerson　raised　no　objection；　however；　and　I　had　sent　David's　sketch　and　plan　to　Selim；　asking　him　to　proceed。
　I　meant　to　go　alone；　but　Ramses　saw　me　slipping　out　of　the　house　and　intercepted　me。　〃I　thought　we　agreed　none　of　us　would　go　off　by　ourselves；　Mother。〃
　〃If　I　see　Jamil　wearing　the　Double　Crown　and　blowing　kisses　I　assure　you　I　will　not　follow　him。〃
　Ramses　was　not　amused　or　convinced。　〃Where　are　you　going？〃
　〃Only　to　the　cemetery。　I　have　not　seen　Abdullah's　tomb。〃
　〃Oh。　I　haven't　seen　it　either。　May　I　e　with　you？〃
　Recognizing　the　uselessness　of　a　refusal；　I　agreed。　In　point　of　fact；　he　was　the　only　person　to　whose　pany　I　had　no　objection。　He　had　been　with　me　the　day　after　Abdullah's　funeral；　and　had　helped　me　to　bury　over　the　grave　the　little　amulets　of　Horus　and　Sekhmet；　Anubis　and　Sobek　…　symbols　of　the　ancient　gods　who　guard　the　soul　on　the　road　to　the　West　…　in　flagrant　defiance　of　Abdullah's　faith　and　my　own。　However；　I　had　always　suspected　Abdullah　had　a　secret；　half…shamed　belief　in　the　old　gods。　Ramses's　silent　understanding　had　given　me　fort；　which　I　needed　badly　that　day。
　We　went　on　foot；　over　the　rocky　ridges　and　across　the　stony　expanse　of　the　desert　plain；　Ramses　slowing　his　long　strides　to　match　mine。　The　cemetery　was　on　the　north　side　of　the　village；　not　far　from　the　mosque。　It　was　all　desert　here；　all　baked　earth　and　stony　ground；　neither　tree　nor　flowering　plant　softened　the　starkness　of　the　lonely　graves。　The　tombs　themselves　were　underground；　their　location　indicated　by　low　rectangular　monuments　of　stone　or　brick；　with　upright　stones　at　head　and　foot。　The　grave　of　a　saint　or　sheikh　of　eminence　might　be　marked　by　a　simple　structure　crowned　with　a　small　cupola。　There　were　only　a　few　of　such　monuments　in　this　humble　cemetery；　Abdullah's　was　conspicuous　not　only　by　the　freshness　of　the　stones　that　had　been　used　in　its　construction　but　by　the　somewhat　unusual　design。　It　was　the　conventional　four…sided　building；　but　there　was　a　subtle　grace　in　its　proportions；　and　the　dome　seemed　to　float；　light　as　a　bubble。
　The　sun　was　about　to　set。　The　rosy　light　warmed　the　white　limestone　of　the　walls；　and　from　a　mosque　in　a　neighboring　village　came　the　first　musical　notes　of　the　evening　call　to　prayer。
　〃It　will　be　dark　shortly。〃　Ramses　spoke　for　the　first　time　since　we　had　left　the　house。　〃We　mustn't　stay　long。〃
　〃No。　I　only　want　…〃
　I　broke　off　with　a　catch　of　breath。　It　was　somewhat　uncanny　to　see　any　movement　in　that　deserted　place；　and　this　figure；　emerging　from　the　dimness　under　the　cupola；　was　human。　We　were　still　some　distance　away；　I　could　not　make　out　details；　only　the　long　galabeeyah　and　white　turban；　before　it　scuttled　into　concealment　behind　the　walls　of　the　mosque。
　〃Who　was　that？〃　I　asked。
　〃I　don't　know。　Did　you　bring　a　torch？〃
　〃Certainly。　I　have　all　my　accoutrements。　Shall　we　follow　him？〃
　〃That　wasn't　Jamil。　I　don't　see　any　point　in　chasing　after　the　fellow。　Let's　just　make　certain　he　hasn't　done　any　damage。〃
　The　disturbance　of　the　sandy　dust　was　the　only　sign　that　anyone　other　than　we　had　e　there。　〃There　are　a　number　of　footprints；〃　Ramses　muttered；　shining　the　torch　around。　〃Overlapping。　That's　odd。〃
　〃Perhaps　members　of　the　family　have　e　to　pay　their　respects；　or　to　pray；〃　I　suggested。
　〃Perhaps。　Are　you　ready　to　go？〃
　I　had　intended　to　say　a　few　words　…　think　them；　rather　…　but　he　was　obviously　uneasy；　and　really；　what　more　was　there　to　say　when　I　had　just　had　a　long　conversation　with　Abdullah？　I　acquiesced　and　let　Ramses　take　my　arm；　since　the　dusk　had　thickened。
　〃I　like　the　design；〃　Ramses　said　as；　with　the　aid　of　the　torch；　we　picked　a　path　around　the　standing　monuments。　〃I　hope　Abdullah　is　pleased　with　it。〃
　〃Oh；　yes。　H