elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第50部分

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　〃Have　lunch；〃　Nefret　said　practically。　〃And　wait　a　little　longer。〃
　Cyrus　demanded　to　know　what　was　going　on；　and　after　they　had　set　out　the　food；　Ramses　told　all　of　them　about　the　message。　Cyrus　was　unconcerned。　〃They　can　take　care　of　themselves。〃　Selim　scowled。　〃If　Yusuf　knew；　and　did　not　tell　me　…〃
　〃That's　only　a　theory；　Selim。　We　can't　be　certain　what　Yusuf　wanted。　Maybe　it　was　Mother's　notorious　medical　skills。〃
　〃He　would　be　more　likely　to　ask　for　hers　than　for　mine；〃　Nefret　admitted。　〃The　older　men　and　women　don't　believe　in　my　newfangled　notions。　But　it　shouldn't　have　taken　them　this　long；　even　if　Yusuf　asked　Father　to　perform　an　exorcism。〃
　By　the　time　they　had　finished　the　meal　Ramses　had　e　to　a　decision。　〃We　had　better　try　to　find　them。　Assume　the　worst；　as　Mother　says；　and　act　on　it。〃
　〃Where　are　you　going　to　look？〃　Cyrus　asked。　〃You　don't　know　where　they　might　be　by　now。〃
　〃Yusuf；〃　Ramses　said　shortly。　〃If　he　has　any　information；　I'll　get　it　out　of　him。〃
　Selim　rose。　〃Daoud　and　I　will　e　with　you。〃
　〃Damn　this　foot！〃　Bertie　burst　out。　〃Look；　it's　almost　healed；　I　can　keep　up。〃
　〃Not　this　time。〃　Ramses's　hand　rested　briefly　on　the　other　man's　shoulder。　〃We　don't　need　additional　manpower　…〃
　〃No；〃　said　Daoud；　folding　his　massive　arms。
　〃No；〃　Ramses　repeated；　nodding　in　acknowledgment。　〃Cyrus；　you　had　better　stay　here。　Jumana；　e　with　us。〃
　She　stared　at　him；　her　eyes　wide　and　dark。　〃You　think　I　know　something　I　have　not　told　you？　It　is　not　true！〃
　〃I　haven't　accused　you　of　anything；〃　Ramses　said。
　〃Do　let's　go；〃　Nefret　exclaimed。　〃Why　are　we　wasting　time　talking？〃
　They　took　the　most　direct　route；　past　the　temple　and　across　the　foothills；　approaching　the　village　from　the　south。　Most　of　the　inhabitants　were　enjoying　their　afternoon　nap；　but　by　the　time　they　reached　Yusuf's　house　a　few　wakeful　souls　had　spotted　them　and　run　on　ahead；　so　Yusuf　was　expecting　them。
　He　was　lying　on　the　divan　in　the　main　room；　covered　with　a　blanket；　though　the　day　was　warm。　It　was　the　first　time　Ramses　had　seen　the　old　man　since　their　arrival。　The　change　in　him　was　distressing。　The　once　plump　jowls　hung　down　in　loose　folds；　and　his　thin　hands　gripped　the　edge　of　the　coverlet。　He　shrank　back　as　they　all　crowded　into　the　room。　Ramses　didn't　blame　him；　they　made　a　threatening　assemblage：　he　and　Nefret；　Daoud　looming　like　a　monolith；　Selim's　face　unyielding　as　walnut。
　Nefret　let　out　a　little　sound　of　pity　and　surprise；　pushed　past　the　others；　and　bent　over　the　old　man。　〃Salaam　aleikhum；　Uncle　Yusuf。　I　regret　we　did　not　e　before。　We　did　not　know　you　were　so　ill。〃
　Her　low　voice；　sweet　with　sympathy；　reproached　the　others　and　reassured　Yusuf。　〃I　am　better；　Nur　Misur；〃　he　croaked。
　Ramses　gestured　Selim　to　remain　silent。　He　couldn't　bully　a　pathetic　specimen　like　Yusuf。　Anyhow；　Nefret's　methods　were　more　likely　to　win　him　over。　He　looked　around　for　Jumana。　She　was　behind　Daoud；　whose　large　form　hid　all　of　her　but　her　little　boots。
　〃Was　it　the　Sitt　Hakim　who　made　you　better；　Uncle　Yusuf？〃　Nefret　asked。　〃What　did　she　give　you？〃
　〃The　Sitt　Hakim？　She　has　not　been　here。　No　one　has　been　here。〃　Self…pity　and　resentment　gave　new　life　to　his　feeble　voice。　〃None　of　you　came　to　ask　about　me。〃
　〃We　are　sorry；　Uncle；〃　Nefret　said。　〃But　the　Sitt　Hakim　did　e；　this　morning。　You　sent　her　a　message　asking　her　to　e。〃
　〃I　sent　no　message；〃　Yusuf　said　sullenly。　〃Why　should　I？　You　should　have　e　without　my　asking。〃
　Selim　moved　slightly；　and　again　Ramses　motioned　him　to　be　quiet。　Yusuf's　resentment　…　justifiable　resentment；　Ramses　had　to　admit　…　was　genuine。　There　was　no　reason　for　him　to　lie；　since　he　knew　there　were　dozens　of　witnesses　who　would　have　seen　the　elder　Emersons　had　they　been　there。
　From　the　doorway　a　harsh　voice　said；　〃He　speaks　the　truth；　Brother　of　Demons。　The　Sitt　has　not　been　here。〃
　It　was　Yusuf's　eldest　wife；　her　voice　accusatory；　her　face　crumpled　into　innumerable　wrinkles　by　age　and　indignation。　She　shoved　at　Daoud。　〃Get　out；　Daoud；　and　take　her　with　you；　the　shameless　creature。　Why　have　you　all　e；　like　accusers；　to　trouble　a　sick　old　man？〃
　Daoud　turned；　in　his　ponderous　fashion；　and　Jumana　let　out　a　little　squeak。　Her　father's　eyes　rested　briefly　on　her　and　shifted　away。
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　Ramses　said。　〃We　are　looking　for　my　father　and　mother；　who　may　be　in　trouble。　It　is　true　that　Yusuf　sent　no　message　…　that　they　did　not　e　here？〃
　〃It　is　true；〃　the　old　woman　snapped。　〃Ask　anyone。〃
　〃Shall　we　go　now？〃　Daoud　asked　nervously。　According　to　Selim；　his　giant　uncle　feared　only　two　things：　the　displeasure　of　the　Father　of　Curses；　and　an　angry　old　woman。
　〃We　may　as　well；〃　Ramses　said。
　Daoud　was　the　first　to　go。　Jumana　followed；　so　closely　she　was　treading　on　his　heels。　Ramses　hesitated。　He　had　meant　to　ask　Yusuf　about　Jamil；　but　this　disclosure　had　altered　everything。　His　parents　must　have　been　intercepted　or　distracted　before　they　reached　Yusuf；　lured　away　by　a　false　message。　There　was　no　time　to　waste；　the　afternoon　was　passing。
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　said　again。
　〃I'll　e　back；〃　Nefret　promised　the　old　man。　〃As　soon　as　I　can。〃
　Yusuf　did　not　reply。　His　eyes　were　closed。
　The　usual　crowd　had　gathered　outside。　Selim；　who　had　been　talking　with　several　of　the　men；　turned　to　Ramses。　〃It　is　true；　they　did　not　e　to　this　house。　But　Ahmed　says　Mahmud　says　his　cousin　Mohammed　saw　them　this　morning。　They　left　their　horses　with　him　and　gave　him　money。〃
　〃Which　Mohammed？〃　Ramses　demanded。
　〃His　house　is　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill；　near　the　tomb　of　Ramose。〃
　〃Oh；　that　Mohammed。　All　right；　let's　find　him。〃
　They　led　the　horses；　the　slope　on　this　side　was　steep。　Mohammed；　who　was　stretched　out　in　the　shade　peacefully　sleeping；　did　not　wake　until　Ramses　shook　him。　〃Ah；〃　he　said；　rubbing　his　eyes；　〃you　have　e　for　the　horses。　I　took　good　care　of　them；　you　see。〃
　They　were　in　the　courtyard　of　an　ancient　tomb；　shaded　and　well　supplied　with　water。　Ramses　handed　over　baksheesh。　〃Yes；　you　did。　When　did　the　Father　of　Curses　and　the　Sitt　Hakim　leave　the　horses？〃
　〃Many　hours　ago。〃　Mohammed　yawned。
　〃They'd　have　e　straight　here；〃　Nefret　interposed；　knowing；　as　did　Ramses；　that　Mohammed's　notions　of　time　were　vague。
　〃Probably。　It's　been　at　least　six　hours；　then。　Where　did　they　go；　Mohammed？〃
　〃That　way。〃　A　gesture　indicated　the　direction　…　not　up　the　hill；　toward　Yusuf's　house；　but　northward。
　〃On　foot？〃
　〃How　could　they　ride　when　they　left　the　horses　with　me？〃
　Selim　lost　patience。　〃Don't　try　to　be　clever；　Mohammed；　because　you　are　not。　Why　did　they　leave　the　horses　and　go　on　foot？　What　did　they　say　to　each　other？〃
　〃How　should　I　know？　They　spoke　in　English；　very　fast。〃　Another　gigantic　yawn　concluded　the　speech。
　A　younger　man；　his　beard　just　beginning　to　show；　plucked　at　Selim's　sleeve。　〃My　father　only　thinks　of　baksheesh　and　sleep；　Selim；　but　I　can　tell　you　what　happened。　The　Father　of　Curses　took　his　galabeeyah；　and　the　Sitt　took　mine。　It　was　because　they　saw　someone。　She　said　'Look　there；'　and　he　looked　and　swore　and　then　they　took　our　clothes　and　went　hurrying　away；　behind　the　tombs　and　around　the　hill。〃
　〃Your　clothes？〃　Nefret　repeated。
　〃Our　galabeeyahs；　my　father's　and　mine。　The　Father　of　Curses　paid　well；　but　when　the　Sitt　Hakim　has　finished　with　mine；　I　would　like　to　have　it　back。　I　have　only　…〃
　〃Did　you　see　the　person　they　were　following？〃　Ramses　interrupted。
　〃Oh；　yes。〃　The　boy　pointed。　〃It　was　she。〃
　Jumana　froze；　her　eyes　focusing　on　the　pointing　finger。　〃He　lies；〃　she　gasped。
　〃I　do　not　lie。　She　wore　the　same　clothing；　boots　and　coat　and　a　skirt；　that　blew　out　as　she　ran。　Not　trousers；　as　men　wear。　What　other　woman　would　wear　such　garments？〃
　〃Several　of　us；〃　Nefret　said；　catching　hold　of　Jumana；　who　appeared　ready　to　fly　at　her　accuser。　〃We　know　it　wasn't　you；　Jumana；　you　couldn't　have　got　from　here　to　Deir　el　Medina　before　we　arrived。〃
　Ramses　rewarded　the　observant　youth　extravagantly　and　went　after　Selim；　who　was　already　running　along　the　path　the　boy　had　indicated。　It　turned　and　rose；　and　there　before　them　lay　the　length　of　the　desert　plain；　covered　with　hillocks　and　hills；　houses　and　villages　and　ruins　…　almost　two　miles　long　from　Medinet　Habu　to　th