elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第49部分

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de　himself　fortable。
　〃He　has　eluded　us　again；〃　I　said　angrily。　〃How　could　she　have　warned　him？〃
　〃Obviously　he　was　not　in　residence；〃　Emerson　replied。　〃That's　all　to　the　good；　Peabody；　if　he　wasn't　here　he　can't　have　seen　us。　He　will　e　back　eventually　…　it's　a　cozy　little　den；　isn't　it？　We'll　go　for　the　others　and　stake　the　place　out。　Once　I　get　my　hands　on　that　girl　I　will　make　certain　she　cannot　warn　him。〃　His　large　square　teeth；　bared　in　a　snarl；　shone　white　in　the　torchlight。
　〃Let　us　go；〃　I　said　uneasily。　〃I　am　not　at　all　fortable　here；　Emerson。〃
　〃One　of　your　famous　premonitions？〃　He　chuckled；　but　perhaps　he　had　one；　too；　for　he　added；　〃I'll　go　first。〃
　He　waited　in　the　shaft　while　I　crawled　through　the　passage。
　The　ladder　was　no　longer　there。
　Before　I　could　stop　him；　Emerson　reached　up　and　gripped　the　rim　of　the　shaft　with　both　hands。　The　muscles　on　his　bare　forearms　tightened　as　he　prepared　to　pull　himself　up。
　〃Watch　out！〃　I　shrieked；　an　instant　too　late。　The　heavy　stick　struck　Emerson's　arm；　causing　him　to　loosen　his　grip　and　fall　down。　I　had　heard　the　bone　crack。
　A　trifle　unnerved；　I　took　out　my　pistol　and　fired　twice。　The　bullets　went　ricocheting　round　the　walls。　The　only　response　was　a　laugh。　I　had　heard　that　laugh　before；　in　the　Gabbanat　el…Qirud。
　〃A　waste　of　ammunition；〃　remarked　Emerson；　who　was　sitting　on　the　floor　with　his　back　against　the　wall；　cradling　his　left　arm　with　his　right。　His　face　shone　with　perspiration。
　〃Don't　move　your　arm；〃　I　ordered；　fumbling　with　the　implements　hanging　from　my　belt。　〃Confound　it！　From　now　on　I　will　carry　some　bits　of　wood　with　me。　Why　did　we　clear　the　place　so　thoroughly？　There　is　nothing　to　serve　as　a　splint。　I　will　go　and　…〃
　〃Don't　even　think　of　it；　Peabody。　I　might　be　able　to　lift　you　up　with　one　arm；　but　as　soon　as　your　head　is　within　range；　he'll　strike。　He's　got　us　in　a　pretty　pickle；　my　dear。〃
　〃He　cannot　stay　there　all　day；〃　I　said；　and　ducked　my　head　as　a　rain　of　small　stones　descended。
　〃He　appears　to　have　another　plan　in　mind；〃　Emerson　said　coolly。　More　rocks　fell；　including　a　fist…sized　boulder。　It　landed　on　my　head；　which　was　quite　painful；　since　I　was　not　wearing　my　pith　helmet。　〃We　had　better　get　back　into　the　tunnel；〃　Emerson　continued。
　I　rigged　up　a　rough　sling　with　my　shirt；　fastening　it　in　place　with　safety　pins　from　my　sewing　kit。　It　was　the　best　I　could　do　in　a　hurry。　If　we　stayed　where　we　were；　one　of　us　would　be　brained　by　a　boulder　eventually。　It　took　Jamil　a　little　while　to　get　his　next　load　of　rocks　collected；　we　made　it　into　the　passage　before　another　shower　descended。
　〃Well！〃　I　said；　drawing　a　deep　breath。　〃Now　we　have　time　to　think　of　a　plan。〃
　〃Go　right　ahead；〃　said　Emerson　through　tightly　set　lips。　〃At　the　moment　my　mind　is　a　blank。〃
　〃And　no　wonder；　my　dear。　I　am　sure　you　are　in　considerable　pain。　Have　a　little　brandy。〃
　〃My　disfort　is　more　mental　than　physical；〃　Emerson　muttered；　but　he　accepted　the　brandy　and　took　a　long　swallow。　〃Peabody；　this　is　ridiculous。　We've　been　in　uglier　places　before；　with　opponents　far　more　dangerous　than　that　miserable　boy；　and　yet　he's　managed　to　get　us　in　an　exceedingly　tight　spot。　No　one　knows　where　we　are　。　。　。　except　Jumana。　Have　we　been　so　mistaken　in　her　character？　I　can't　believe　she　would　connive　in　murder。〃
　〃No；〃　I　said。　〃She　wouldn't。〃　The　strained　voice；　the　odd；　bent　walk　。　。　。　〃That　wasn't　Jumana；　Emerson。　It　was　Jamil。〃
　
　　
　
　7
　　
　FROM　MANUSCRIPT　H
　　
　When　the　citizens　of　Deir　el　Medina　abandoned　their　houses　they　took　their　most　valued　possessions　with　them　…　except　for　the　most　valuable　of　all；　the　goods　devoutly　deposited　with　the　dead。　Looking　for　tombs　was　a　gamble；　with　approximately　the　same　odds　as　any　game　of　chance。　The　great　majority　of　them　were　empty　and　vandalized；　but　every　now　and　then　a　lucky　winner　would　find　a　prize；　with　some　of　the　grave　goods　still　intact；　and　the　grand　prize；　the　unrobbed　tomb　of　a　king　or　king's　wife；　was　a　will…o'…the…wisp　that　tantalized　the　imagination　of　every　excavator；　whether　he　admitted　it　or　not。　However　slim　the　odds；　the　temptation　to　search　for　treasure　was　hard　to　resist；　especially　when　the　alternative　was　a　clutter　of　unimpressive　mud…brick　walls；　or　the　tedious　tasks　of　measuring　and　recording。
　Jumana　was　supposed　to　be　helping　Bertie　and　Cyrus　finish　the　surveying；　but　Ramses　wasn't　surprised　to　see　her　halfway　up　the　hillside；　squatting；　her　head　bent；　her　hands　busy。　He　let　out　a　shout　that　made　Nefret　jump　and　brought　Jumana　to　her　feet。　She　waved　vigorously　and　started　down。
　〃She　shouldn't　be　doing　that；〃　he　said　in　exasperation。　〃Look　at　her；　grinning　and　cavorting。　She　knows　she　is　violating　orders。〃
　〃Don't　be　too　hard　on　her；〃　Nefret　said　tolerantly。　〃Mother　would　be　up　there　too。　She's　found　something。〃
　She　was　holding　a　small　stela。　It　was　not　an　unusual　discovery；　a　good　many　of　them　had　been　found　by　earlier　excavators；　in　or　near　the　chapels　of　the　tombs。　She　offered　it　to　Ramses；　raising　shining　eyes　to　him。
　〃You　were　told　not　to　remove　objects　from　their　place；〃　Ramses　said　severely。　The　way　she　was　looking　at　him　made　him　nervous。
　〃I　tagged　the　place；〃　Jumana　protested。　〃As　you　showed　me。　I　made　the　measurements；　I　know　exactly　where　it　should　go　on　the　plan。　There　is　no　chapel　there；　Ramses；　it　must　have　fallen　from　its　place　and　tumbled　down　the　hillside。　See　…　isn't　it　pretty？〃
　Mollified；　and　regretting　his　hard　tone；　he　took　the　stone　from　her。　The　curved　top　and　straight　sides；　the　rows　of　hieroglyphs　that　praised　the　deities　worshiped　by　the　male　and　female　figures；　were　of　a　standard　type；　but　the　deities　were　somewhat　unusual　…　two　plump　cats；　facing　each　other　across　an　offering　table。
　〃I've　seen　other　stelae　from　Deir　el　Medina　that　depict　cats；〃　he　said。　〃They　were　identified　with　several　goddesses；　including　Amon's　wife　Mut。〃
　〃Not　with　the　Great　Cat　of　Re？〃　Jumana　asked。
　〃Not　these。〃　They　were　rather　charming　animals；　fatter　and　less　aloof　than　the　usual　lean　Egyptian　cat。　He　indicated　the　appropriate　hieroglyphs。　〃　'Giving　praise　to　the　good　and　peaceful　cat。'　Well；　maybe　they　are　at　that。　They　aren't　named。　But　the　Great　Cat　of　Re　wasn't　peaceful；　was　he。〃
　〃They're　delightful；〃　Nefret　said；　nodding　at　Jumana。　She　got　no　response；　Jumana　was　watching　Ramses；　breathless　and　expectant；　waiting　for　a　word　of　praise　from　him。
　〃They　are；〃　he　conceded。　〃Let's　take　it　to　Bertie。　Drawing　it　will　be　good　practice　for　him。〃
　〃I　would　like　to　give　it　to　the　Little　Bird；〃　Jumana　said；　as　they　walked　toward　the　shelter。　〃Her　cat　is　getting　fat；　like　these；　and　we　could　tell　her　one　of　them　was　the　Great　Cat　of　Re。〃
　〃We　will　have　to　wait　for　the　Antiquities　Department　to　decide　which　pieces　we　may　keep；〃　Ramses　said。　Feeling　he　had　been　a　trifle　harsh；　he　added；　〃It　was　kind　of　you　to　think　of　it；　Jumana。〃
　They　greeted　Bertie　and　handed　over　the　stela；　and　Ramses　said；　〃It's　rather　a　charming　piece。　Why　don't　you　try　your　hand　at　making　a　copy；　Bertie？　Unless　you're　busy　with　something　else。〃
　〃I　will　do　it；〃　Jumana　said。　〃I　can　…〃
　〃Yes；　I　know　you　can；　but　I　need　you　elsewhere。〃
　
　　
　Selim　had　set　the　men　to　work。　He　hailed　Ramses；　demanding　his　opinion　of　an　unusual　raised　platform　in　the　corner　of　the　house　they　were　excavating；　and　Ramses　lost　track　of　the　time。　It　wasn't　until　Cyrus　joined　them　and　suggested　they　stop　for　luncheon　that　Ramses　realized　how　late　it　was。
　〃Where're　your　ma　and　pa？〃　Cyrus　asked　with　a　grin。
　〃They　haven't　e？〃　He　knew　they　hadn't；　his　father　always　made　his　presence　known。　〃They　went　to　see　Yusuf；　he　sent　a　message　asking　for　them。　But　they　ought　to　be　here　by　now。〃
　Nefret's　expressive　face　reflected　his　own　uneasiness。　〃Were　we　right　after　all　…　about　Yusuf　and　Jamil？　I　really　didn't　believe　it；　you　know。〃
　〃Neither　did　I；〃　Ramses　admitted。　He　ran　his　fingers　through　his　hair。
　〃Where　is　your　hat？〃　Nefret　asked。
　〃I　don't　know。　Never　mind　my　damned　hat。　Confound　it；　they've　no　business　wandering　off　without　informing　us。　What　are　we　going　to　do？〃
　〃Have　lunch；〃　Nefret　said　practically。　〃And　wait　a　little　longer。〃
　Cyrus　demanded　to　know　what　was　going　on；　and　af