elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第59部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


n　the　hand　of　the　god！'　〃
　　
　Yusuf's　funeral　took　place　next　day；　as　Moslem　custom　decreed。　Naturally　we　all　attended。　When　we　saw　the　second　shrouded　body；　Emerson　muttered；　〃They　wouldn't　have　the　audacity　to　put　him　in　Abdullah's　tomb；　would　they？　By　Gad；　the　old　fellow　would　rise　up　and　forbid　it。〃
　I　didn't　doubt　that　he　would。　Had　he　not　said；　〃Leave　him　to　me〃？　Call　it　fate；　call　it　accident；　yet　vicious　as　the　boy　had　been；　I　was　glad　he　had　not　met　his　death　at　our　hands。
　Selim　had　seen　to　the　arrangements；　as　he　told　us　later。　Father　and　son　were　interred　in　another　of　the　family　sepulchres　…　an　underground　chamber　where　they　could　sit　upright；　awaiting　the　call　of　the　angels　of　death。　We　took　our　departure　before　the　opening　was　closed。
　Cyrus　got　all　fired　up；　as　he　admitted　in　his　quaint　American　slang；　by　Jamil's　last　words。　〃It　was　there；　before　our　eyes？　In　the　Cemetery　of　the　Monkeys？　What　hand　of　what　god？〃
　〃One　cannot　place　much　credence　in　the　words　of　a　dying　man；〃　I　informed　him。　〃Especially　a　man　who　spent　his　entire　life　trying　to　deceive。〃
　So　we　went　back　to　work　at　Deir　el　Medina　…　all　of　us　except　Jumana。　The　horrors　of　that　night　had　been　too　much。　She　took　to　her　bed；　and　refused　to　eat　or　respond　to　my　attempts　to　reason　with　her。　The　only　person　who　could　rouse　her　was　Sennia。　She　knew　that　Jumana　had　lost　both　brother　and　father；　though　of　course　we　had　spared　her　the　dreadful　details；　and　the　good　little　creature　spent　hours　reading　to　her　and　talking　with　her。
　　
　It　was　on　the　Tuesday；　if　memory　serves；　that　we　received　a　message　from　Howard　Carter；　asking　us　to　join　him　for　dinner　that　evening　at　the　Winter　Palace。
　〃So　he's　back　in　Luxor；〃　Emerson　said。　〃We'll　go。　I　have　a　number　of　questions　for　him。〃
　It　was　a　diversion　we　all　needed；　and　I　must　confess　that　my　spirits　lifted　as　I　assumed　my　favorite　crimson　evening　frock　and　fastened　on　my　diamond　earrings。　The　pleasure　derived　from　dressing　in　one's　best　may　be　a　weakness　of　women；　in　my　opinion　men　would　be　better　off　if　they　could　indulge　in　it。
　No　shadow　of　foreboding　darkened　my　thoughts　as　the　boat　bore　us　smoothly　across　the　shimmering　water。　It　ought　to　have　done。　The　first　person　we　saw　when　we　entered　the　elegant　lobby　of　the　hotel　was　the　man　we　had　known　as　〃Smith〃　…　the　Honorable　Bracegirdle…Boisdragon；　who　had　tried　on　several　occasions　to　get　Ramses　back　into　the　intelligence　services。
　There　was　no　way　of　avoiding　him　without　downright　rudeness。　This　consideration　might　not　have　deterred　Emerson　but　for　the　fact　that　〃Smith〃　was　acpanied　by　an　attractive　lady　of　a　certain　age；　wearing　elegant　mourning。　Smith　introduced　her　as　his　sister；　Mrs。　Bayes；　who　was　visiting　Egypt　for　the　first　time；　and　she　immediately　burst　into　raptures　about　the　country；　the　antiquities；　and　the　great　honor　of　making　our　acquaintance。　She　had　heard　so　much　about　us。
　〃Have　you　indeed？〃　I　said；　giving　Smith　a　sharp　look。
　〃She　is　reading　the　Professor's　History　and　has　reached　Volume　Three；〃　said　Smith　blandly。
　〃It　was　Algie's　excitement　about　Egypt　that　induced　me　to　e；〃　Mrs。　Bayes　explained。　She　gave　her　brother　a　sickeningly　fond　look。　She　is　putting　it　on；　I　thought　to　myself；　that　cold　fish　of　a　man　is　incapable　of　inspiring　such　adoration。
　〃It　was　courageous　of　you　to　risk　the　sea　voyage　at　this　time；〃　I　said。
　The　lady's　face　took　on　an　expression　of　gentle　melancholy。　〃When　one　has　lost　that　being　who　is　all　the　world　to　one；　one　bees　resigned　to　whatever　fate　may　offer。〃
　Emerson　let　out　a　loud　〃Hmph；〃　turned　it　into　a　cough；　and　glanced　at　me。　He　objects　to　my　〃pompous　aphorisms；〃　as　he　terms　them；　and　this　was　certainly　in　the　same　category。　I　could　have　put　it　better；　though。
　〃I　am　very　sorry；〃　I　said。　〃Was　it　a　recent　loss？〃
　〃Fairly　recent。　But；〃　said　Mrs。　Bayes；　smiling　at　her　〃brother；〃　who　was　patting　her　hand　with　a　look　of　concern；　〃I　promised　Algie　not　to　dwell　on　that。　I　am　determined　to　enjoy　these　new　experiences　to　the　full；　and　they　have　been　delightful。　Algie　has　been　a　splendid　guide。　He　knows　the　antiquities　so　well！〃
　〃A　sister's　fondness　exaggerates；〃　said　Smith　with　a　modest　cough。　〃I　may　claim；　however；　to　be　exceedingly　keen。　My　interest　was　aroused　during　my　first　visit　to　Luxor　…　perhaps　you　do　me　the　honor　of　remembering　our　meeting　at　that　time　。　。　。〃
　He　transferred　his　gaze　to　Ramses　and　Nefret。
　〃Very　well；〃　said　Ramses。　Nefret；　her　lips　forming　a　line　almost　as　thin　as　Smith's；　said　nothing。
　〃We　must　not　keep　you　from　your　dinner；〃　I　said。　〃It　has　been　a　pleasure　to　meet　you；　Mrs。　Bayes。　Enjoy　the　rest　of　your　stay。〃
　〃Aren't　you　dining　here？〃　the　lady　asked　innocently。
　〃No；〃　I　said；　and　took　Emerson's　arm。　〃Good　night。〃
　I　led　our　little　party　out　of　the　hotel。
　〃What　about　Carter？〃　Ramses　asked。
　〃I　would　be　very　much　surprised　to　find　that　Howard　is　here。　Smith　sent　the　message。〃
　〃I　wonder　what　he　wants；〃　Nefret　muttered。　She　had　very　tight　hold　of　Ramses's　arm。　〃If　he　thinks　he　can　…〃
　〃Not　now；　Nefret；〃　I　said　firmly。
　〃Where　are　we　going？〃　Emerson　asked。　〃I　want　my　dinner。〃
　〃The　Luxor　will　suit；　I　believe。　We　must　have　a　little　chat　before　he　tracks　us　down　again。〃
　Emerson　waved　away　the　carriages　that　sought　our　custom。　It　is　only　a　short　walk　from　the　Winter　Palace　to　the　Luxor；　and　it　was　a　lovely　evening；　the　dark　sky　star…strewn　and　the　air　fresh。　The　scent　of　night…blooming　jasmine　tried　（in　vain）　to　counter　the　other　scents　of　Luxor；　but　even　these　had　a　certain　charm　…　the　smell　of　cooking　fires　and　camel　dung；　of　unwashed　donkeys；　camels；　and　humans。
　We　were　greeted　with　pleasure　and　seated　at　one　of　the　best　tables　in　the　dining　saloon。　After　consulting　with　Ramses；　Emerson　ordered　a　bottle　of　wine　and　then　shoved　his　plate　aside　and　planted　both　elbows　on　the　table；　a　habit　of　which　I　have　given　up　trying　to　break　him。
　〃You　think　he　will　follow　us　here；　do　you？〃　he　inquired。
　〃Yes。　What　other　reason　could　he　have　for　being　in　Luxor？〃
　〃It　may　be　a　perfectly　innocent　reason；〃　Ramses　said。　〃Do　you　suppose　the　lady　is　really　his　sister？〃
　〃Possibly；〃　I　replied；　studying　the　menu。　〃Men　of　his　sort　are　not　above　using　personal　relationships　for　their　own　purposes。　It　was　only　her　presence　that　prevented　your　father　from　being　rude。　I　believe　I　will　start　with　lentil　soup。　They　make　it　very　well　here。　Nefret？〃
　〃I　don't　care。　Mother；　how　can　you　think　about　food；　when　you　know　that　bas　…　…　that　man　is　after　Ramses　again？〃
　〃He　can't　make　me　do　anything　I　don't　want　to　do；〃　Ramses　said；　somewhat　sharply。　〃You　are　getting　yourself　into　a　rage　about　nothing；　Nefret。　There　is　no　inducement　they　could　offer　that　would　make　me　change　my　mind。〃
　〃Damn　right；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Who's　he　working　for　anyhow？　I　can't　get　all　these　departments　and　bureaus　and　agencies　straight　in　my　mind。　Not　that　I　care　to；〃　he　added。
　〃Nobody's　got　them　straight；〃　Ramses　said　with　a　wry　smile。　〃At　one　time　there　were　four　separate　intelligence　groups；　and　the　police。　I　believe　they've　been　reorganized；　but　there　is　still　a　certain　amount　of　infighting　between　the　civilian　branch；　which　reports　to　the　high　missioner　and　the　Foreign　Office；　and　the　military　branches；　who　are　under　the　C…in…C　…　that's　General　Murray　…　in　Cairo。　The　Admiralty　has；　or　had；　its　own　group。　God　knows　where　Smith　fits　in。〃
　〃I　don't　give　a　damn　where　he　fits　in；〃　Nefret　declared。　〃So　long　as　you　aren't　in　it　with　him。〃
　I　was　tempted　to　intervene；　for　her　voice　had　risen　and　Ramses's　eyes　had　narrowed　…　sure　signs；　in　both　cases；　of　rising　temper。　Considering　the　scrapes　we　often　got　into　…　Nefret　included　…　her　almost　hysterical　fear　of　this　particular　danger　might　have　seemed　exaggerated；　but　I　understood。　In　our　other　adventures　we　worked　as　a　family。　Well　。　。　。　most　of　the　time。　In　these　he　was　alone；　with　every　man's　hand　against　him。　I　told　myself　to　leave　it　to　them。　It　was　not　my　role　to　interfere　…　unless　it　became　necessary。
　〃The　devil　with　Smith；　eh？〃　said　Emerson；　whose　fond　paternal　brow　had　furrowed。　He　is　such　a　hopeless　sentimentalist；　he　hates　to　see　the　children　exchange　hard　words；　whereas　I；　who　understand　the　human　heart　better