elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第57部分

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　several　in　their　original　wooden　coffins。　To　Cyrus's　annoyance　we　found　them；　not　in　a　tomb　but　in　the　cellar　of　one　of　the　houses。
　The　rock…cut　space；　which　had　served　for　storage；　had　been　enlarged　just　enough　to　contain　the　remains。　They　were　arranged　neatly　but　so　tightly　that　it　was　impossible　to　enter　the　small　chamber。　Squatting　on　the　steps；　Emerson　moved　his　torch　slowly　over　the　assemblage。　One　detail　after　another　emerged　from　the　darkness：　the　calm　face　of　a　woman；　crowned　with　a　painted　diadem；　the　brightly　colored　form　of　a　hawk…headed　god；　a　still　form　uncoffined　and　wrapped　in　intricate　patterns　of　bandages。
　〃Roman；〃　said　Emerson。
　〃How　do　you　know？〃　Cyrus　demanded；　from　the　top　of　the　stairs。　〃Let　me　have　a　look。〃
　Emerson　and　I　went　up　and　gave　Cyrus　the　torch。　〃The　cartonnage　masks　are　unquestionably　first　century；〃　Emerson　said。　His　enthusiasm　had　faded　as　soon　as　he　realized　this；　for　he　is　not　interested　in　Greek　and　Roman　Egypt。　〃Can't　be　more　precise　about　the　date　until　we　have　a　closer　look。　e　up　from　there；　Vandergelt；　and　let's　get　them　out。　The　local　thieves　will　tear　the　coffins　and　mummies　to　pieces　if　we　leave　them　unguarded。〃
　Cyrus　scrambled　up　the　rough　steps　and　passed　the　torch　on　to　Ramses。　〃Pretty　fancy　coffins；〃　he　said　enviously。　〃In　good　condition；　too。　Maybe　there's　more　stuff　at　the　back　。　。　。〃
　〃I　couldn't　see　anything；〃　said　Ramses；　returning　to　us。　〃They　are　definitely　Roman　or　very　late　Ptolemaic。　The　most　important　question　is　what　they　are　doing　here。　The　settlement　was　abandoned　after　the　Twenty…first　Dynasty；　when　conditions　became　unsettled；　and　the　inhabitants　moved　to　the　greater　security　of　Medinet　Habu；　with　its　stout　walls。　This　discovery　may　force　us　to　reexamine　our　assumptions　about　…〃
　〃Quite；〃　said　his　father。　Ramses　had　almost　given　up　his　old　verbosity；　but　archaeological　enthusiasm　sometimes　inspired　him　to　lecture。　〃Er　…　we　will　discuss　the　historical　implications　at　another　time；　my　boy。　Just　now　we　need　to　concentrate　on　a　somewhat　tricky　problem　of　excavation。　How　do　you　suggest　we　proceed？〃
　I　left　them　to　it；　and　joined　Cyrus。　〃They　are　only　Roman　mummies；　Cyrus；〃　I　said；　in　an　effort　to　console　him。　〃And　moners；　too。〃
　〃A　Roman　mummy　is　better　than　nothing；〃　Cyrus　grumbled。　〃I　swear　to　goodness；　Amelia；　I　feel　as　if　I'm　under　some　kind　of　curse。　You　folks　were　good　enough　to　let　me　have　the　tombs　here；　and　where　do　we　find　the　first　burials？　In　the　town！　Unless　Emerson　needs　me；　I'm　going　back　up　the　hill。〃
　I　watched　with　some　uneasiness　as　he　stalked　off；　kicking　at　pebbles。　One　could　only　hope　temper　would　not　lead　him　into　carelessness。　Another　accident　was　the　last　thing　we　needed。
　Thanks　to　Emerson's　meticulous　methodology；　we　were　all　day　clearing　the　cellar。　Nefret　and　Jumana　took　photographs　at　every　stage　of　the　way　and　Ramses　found　an　inscription　that　gave　an　exact　date　for　at　least　one　of　the　interments：　the　seventh　year　of　the　emperor　Claudius。　There　was　not　much　for　me　to　do　and　I　was　tempted　to　join　Cyrus　in　his　search　for　tombs；　but　since　I　knew　Emerson　would　take　a　poor　view　of　that；　I　remained；　watching　and　thinking。
　I　had　not　given　up　my　intention　of　speaking　with　Yusuf。　He　had　been　doing　his　best　to　avoid　us；　which　was　suspicious　in　itself；　his　frequent　visits　to　the　mosque　were　also　suspicious；　though　not　necessarily　for　the　reason　Emerson　had　mentioned。　Repetition　of　the　daily　prayers　is　one　of　the　Five　Pillars　of　Islam；　but　a　man　may　pray　wherever　he　chances　to　be。　Jamil　would　not　dare　e　to　the　house。　They　would　have　to　meet　elsewhere。
　I　decided　to　wait　until　evening；　after　the　sunset　time　for　prayer；　before　paying　my　visit。　If　Jamil　had　been　reluctant　to　show　his　face　near　the　village　before　this；　he　would　be　even　more　wary　now。　He　would　wait　until　after　dark　before　meeting　his　father。
　I　did　not　explain　my　intentions　to　Emerson　until　later　that　day。　Bertie　and　Cyrus；　who　was　still　sulking　a　bit；　had　set　off　for　home；　and　Emerson　was　down　in　the　cellar　with　the　last　of　the　mummies。　He　did　not　want　to　e　up；　but　I　insisted。
　His　initial　reaction　was　skeptical。　〃There　are　a　good　many　ifs　in　your　theory；　Peabody。　It　may　be　a　plete　waste　of　time。〃
　〃If　we　succeed　in　proving　Yusuf　innocent　of　plicity；　it　will　not　be　a　waste　of　time；〃　I　retorted。　〃What　was　it　you　said　about　whittling　away　Jamil's　supports？〃
　〃Oh；　bah；〃　said　Emerson。　He　cast　a　longing　look　at　his　mummies；　which　Selim　was　loading　onto　a　cart。　〃Careful　with　that；　Selim。〃
　〃Emerson；　please　pay　attention。〃
　〃What？　Oh。　It　can't　do　any　harm；　I　suppose。　Tomorrow。〃
　〃Today。　We　must　strike　while　the　iron　is　hot。〃　Eyes　fixed　on　Selim；　Emerson　tried　to　pull　away　from　my　grasp　of　his　sleeve。　〃If　you　won't　go　with　me；　I　will　go　alone；〃　I　added。
　As　I　had　expected；　this　drew　his　attention　back　to　me。　His　brows　drew　together。　〃No；　you　will　not。　What's　this　about　irons？　Another　of　your　confounded　aphorisms？〃
　〃A　very　apt　one；　my　dear。　Yusuf　must　have　learned　of　Jamil's　latest　and　most　serious　crime。　We　must　talk　with　him；　and　reinforce　the　gravity　of　the　matter；　before　the　boy　has　a　chance　to　tell　his　version；　which　will　be　a　pack　of　lies　but　which　a　doting　father　might　believe。〃
　〃Hmph。〃　Emerson　fingered　the　cleft　in　his　chin。　〃Oh；　very　well。　But　not　until　I　have　seen　our　find　safely　back　at　the　house。〃
　〃Selim　and　Daoud　could　manage　it　perfectly　well；　as　you　know。　However；　there　is　no　hurry。　It　won't　be　dark　for　another　hour。〃
　With　a　little　encouragement　from　me；　the　carts　were　loaded　in　good　time　and　we　set　off　for　home；　where　the　men　carried　our　new　acquisitions　into　the　storeroom。　The　shelves　were　filling　with　a　variety　of　objects；　none　as　impressive　as　the　new　coffins；　but；　Ramses　assured　me；　of　much　greater　interest。　Emerson　studied　them　with　satisfaction。
　〃Time　for　tea；　eh？〃
　〃No；　Emerson；　we　must　go　at　once。　As　I　told　you　…〃
　〃You've　told　all　of　us；　so　don't　do　it　again。　e　on　then。'
　〃Do　you　mean　us　to　e；　Mother？〃　Nefret　asked。
　〃Yes。　We　will　employ　a　bination　of　intimidation　…　Emerson　and　Ramses　…　and　gentle　persuasion　…　you　and　I　and　Jumana。〃
　Emerson　snorted　in　derision　…　presumably　at　the　idea　of　me　employing　gentle　persuasion。　Jumana　gave　me　an　apprehensive　look。
　〃But；　Sitt　Hakim　…〃
　〃No　objections；　if　you　please。〃　I　added；　in　a　kindlier　tone；　〃You　were　of　great　assistance　yesterday。　If　your　father　does　possess　information　about　Jamil；　you　may　be　able　to　add　something。　If　he　does　not　…　well；　in　my　opinion　it　is　high　time　he　got　over　his　annoyance　with　you。　We　may　not　be　able　to　effect　a　plete　reconciliation　today；　but　it　will　be　a　beginning。　You　would　like　to　be　reconciled　with　him；　wouldn't　you？〃
　〃He　is　my　father；〃　the　girl　said　in　a　low　voice。　〃I　did　not　leave　him；　it　was　he　who　told　me　to　leave。〃
　〃I　am　sure　he　has　regretted　that；　Jumana。　Words　spoken　in　anger　…〃
　〃Damnation；　Peabody！〃　Emerson　shouted。　〃This　is　no　time　for　more　of　your　meddling　in　other　people's　feelings。　Let's　get　it　over。〃
　The　luminous　dusk　of　Upper　Egypt　had　fallen　when　we　climbed　the　hill　toward　Yusuf's　house。　The　first　stars　shone　in　the　eastern　sky　and　the　afterglow　flushed　the　cliffs；　pale　gray　ghosts　of　smoke；　swaying　in　the　evening　breeze；　rose　from　the　cooking　fires。
　We　were　met　at　the　door　by　Mahira；　whose　scowl　made　her　look　even　more　like　a　medieval　witch。
　〃It　is　high　time　you　came。　What　did　you　do　to　my　husband？〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　I　asked。
　She　hurried　us　through　the　house；　talking　all　the　while。　〃It　was　the　medicine　you　gave　him。　At　first　he　was　better；　but　this　morning　。　。　。〃　She　flung　open　the　door　of　the　old　man's　room。　〃See　for　yourself。　He　has　been　like　this　all　day。〃
　The　lamp　she　carried　showed　the　form　on　the　bed。　Yusuf　was　twisting　and　twitching　and　talking　to　himself　…　or　rather；　to　Someone　else　…　repeating　the　same　words　over　and　over。　〃Lead　us　in　the　right　way　of　those　to　whom　you　have　shown　mercy　。　。　。〃
　〃He's　delirious；〃　Nefret　whispered；　her　eyes　shining　with　pity。　〃What　did　you　give　him；　Mother？〃
　〃Sugar　water。　It　is　not　delirium；　but　nervous　excitability。　Speak　to　him；　Emerson。〃
　Emerson　hesitated　for　only　a　moment。　Like　another；　he　is　not　above　quoting　Scripture　for　his　own　pu