elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第6部分

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petuous　behavior；　I　dispatched　the　sufragi　on　his　errand　and　went　on　with　my　breakfast。
　The　children　must　have　been　already　up　and　dressed；　for　they　came　almost　at　once。　〃Is　something　wrong？〃　Ramses　asked。
　〃Why　should　you　suppose　that？〃　I　replied；　over　the　cries　of　outrage　from　the　adjoining　room。　Some　of　them　had　to　do　with　his　inability　to　find　his　shirts；　whose　location　（in　the　second　drawer　of　the　bureau）　I　had　pointed　out　to　him　the　previous　night。
　〃A　summons　at　such　an　early　hour　…〃
　Emerson　came　charging　out　of　the　dressing　room；　attired　in　trousers　and　shirt。　〃Ah；　there　you　are。　Good。　Just　listen　to　this。〃
　〃Finish　your　breakfast；　Emerson；〃　I　said；　deftly　removing　the　crumpled　pages　from　his　clenched　fist　and　handing　them　to　Ramses。
　I　will　summarize　the　account；　which　Ramses；　at　my　request；　read　aloud。
　A　few　months　earlier；　rumors　had　spread　that　a　hitherto　unknown　tomb　had　been　discovered　by　the　indefatigable　thieves　of　Luxor。　It　had　contained　objects　of　rare　value　and　distinction：　royal　diadems；　vessels　of　stone　and　precious　metal；　and　jewelry　of　all　kinds。　For　once；　the　rumors　were　correct。　Cyrus；　who　had　heard　the　tales　shortly　after　he　arrived　on　the　scene　in　November；　had　gone　straight　to　the　shop　of　our　old　acquaintance　Mohammed　Mohassib；　who　had　been　dealing　in　antiquities　for　thirty　years。　The　canny　old　scoundrel；　looking　as　pious　as　only　a　Luxor　dealer　can；　had　denied　any　knowledge　of　the　reputed　treasure。　He　always　did；　though　it　was　well　known　that　he　had　handled　many　of　the　big　finds。　There　was　nothing　anybody　could　do　about　it；　since　he　never　kept　the　valuables　in　his　own　house；　but　distributed　them　among　his　various　relations；　and　when　he　was　in　the　process　of　marketing　the　goods　he　conducted　private　negotiations　with　interested　parties　who　were　not　inclined　to　turn　him　in　because　they　wanted　the　artifacts　themselves。
　Knowing　this　habit　of　dear　old　Mohassib's；　Cyrus　had　persisted　until　Mohassib　finally　remarked　that　he　had　just　happened　to　have　acquired　an　interesting　object　…　not　from　a　tomb　robber；　of　course！　It　proved　to　be　a　heavy　gold　bar　approximately　two　inches　long；　set　with　five　small　figures　of　reclining　cats；　two　of　which　were　missing；　the　surviving　three　were　of　gold　and　carnelian。　Cyrus　knew　his　antiquities　too　well　to　remain　long　in　doubt　as　to　the　meaning　of　what　he　saw。　〃The　gold　spacer　was　part　of　a　woman's　armlet；〃　he　had　written。　〃Had　to　be　a　female's　because　of　the　cats。　It　had　the　cartouches　of　Thutmose　III。　They're　saying　there　were　three　burials　in　the　tomb；　folks　…　queens　or　princesses　related　to　Thutmose　III。〃
　Attempting　（in　vain；　if　I　knew　Cyrus）　to　conceal　his　excitement；　he　had　immediately　made　Mohassib　an　offer。　The　old　gentleman　had　regretfully　declined。　Another　party　had　expressed　interest；　and　he　was　obliged　to　give　him　the　first　chance。　What　else　could　a　man　of　honor　do？
　〃That's　how　it　stands；〃　Cyrus　ended　his　letter。　〃I'm　pretty　sure　the　'other　party'　is　Howard　Carter；　acting　as　agent　for　Carnarvon　or　some　gol…durned　museum。　Mohassib　is　trying　to　raise　the　price　by　playing　the　bidders　off　against　each　other。　You　better　get　down　here　and　talk　to　Mohassib；　Emerson；　he's　a　wily　old　skunk　and　you're　the　only　one　he's　scared　of。〃
　〃We　are　leaving　Cairo　at　once；〃　Emerson　declared。
　Ramses　exchanged　glances　with　his　wife。　〃Excuse　me；　Father；　but　I　don't　see　the　need　for　such　haste。　The　tomb　has　been　cleared　and　Mohassib　isn't　going　to　admit　anything；　even　to　you。　It　would　make　better　sense　to　talk　with　Carter。　Isn't　he　working　for　the　War　Office？　He　may　be　in　Cairo　even　now。〃
　〃Hmph；〃　said　Emerson　thoughtfully。
　〃We　cannot　leave　immediately；〃　Nefret　said。　〃I　must　go　to　the　hospital。　I've　been　out　of　touch　for　months；　and　there　are　a　number　of　matters　I　must　settle　with　Sophia　before　I　go　away　again。〃
　〃Hmph；〃　said　Emerson　again。　Emerson's　grunts　are　quite　expressive；　to　those　who　have　learned　to　differentiate　them。　This　one　expressed　disagreement　and　protest。　The　hospital　Nefret　had　founded　for　the　fallen　women　of　Cairo　was　in　a　particularly　vile　part　of　the　city；　as　she　had　pointed　out；　the　unhappy　creatures　she　wanted　to　help　would　not　have　dared　venture　into　a　respectable　neighborhood。
　〃It's　all　right；　Father；〃　Ramses　said。　〃You　don't　suppose　I　would　allow　my　helpless；　timid　little　wife　to　go　alone　to　el…Wasa？〃
　Nefret　put　out　her　tongue　at　Ramses。　She　had　never　entirely　abandoned　such　childish　gestures。　This　one　appeared　to　amuse　Ramses　a　great　deal。
　〃Ah；〃　said　Emerson；　brightening。　〃Good。　What　about　you；　Peabody？　Are　you　going　with　them？〃
　〃I　have　other　plans；〃　I　said；　folding　my　napkin。
　Emerson's　eyes　narrowed　into　sapphirine　slits。　〃Oh；　no；　you　don't；　Peabody。　You　are　ing　with　me。　Or；〃　he　added；　〃to　put　it　another　way；　I　am　going　with　you。〃
　The　children　left　us　and　I　sent　Emerson　off　to　finish　dressing。　I　knew　the　process　would　take　him　some　time；　so　I　went　to　see　how　Sennia　and　her　entourage　were　getting　on。　She　and　Basima　and　Gargery　…　and　the　cat　…　were　still　at　breakfast。　Sennia　had　a　perfectly　astonishing　appetite　for　so　small　a　person。　When　she　saw　me；　she　dropped　her　slice　of　toast　…　jelly…side　down　…　and　ran　to　throw　her　arms　round　me；　demanding　to　know　where　we　were　going　that　day。
　〃You　and　Gargery　and　Basima　will　have　to　amuse　yourselves　today；〃　I　replied；　in　the　tone　that　brooked　no　argument。　〃The　rest　of　us　have　errands。　I　suggest　a　visit　to　the　Museum；　or　perhaps　you　would　like　to　hire　a　carriage　and　go　out　to　Giza。〃
　〃I　do　not　believe　that　is　a　good　plan；　madam；〃　said　Gargery；　winking　furiously　and　wrinkling　up　his　face　in　a　most　alarming　manner。　〃After　what　happened　last　year　…〃
　〃That　was　last　year；　Gargery。　The　people　responsible　for　that　incident　are　no　longer　a　threat　to　us。〃
　〃But；　madam！　She　will　want　to　take　the　da　…　…　the　cat　with　us。〃
　He　scowled　at　Horus；　who　was　sitting　by　Sennia's　chair　cleaning　his　whiskers。　Horus　left　off　long　enough　to　sneer　at　Gargery。　All　cats　can　sneer；　but　Horus　did　it　better　than　most。　He　had　a　very　large　head　and　the　dark　stripes　on　his　face　reminded　one　of　a　gargoyle。
　〃Shall　we　go　to　Atiyeh？〃　Basima　asked。　〃Others　of　the　family　will　want　to　see　the　Little　Bird。〃
　〃And　you　will　want　to　see　them；〃　I　said；　realizing　I　ought　to　have　thought　of　it。　Basima　was　a　devoted　and　dedicated　woman　who　seldom　asked　anything　for　herself。　In　fact；　it　was　an　admirable　idea；　the　village　near　Cairo　where　the　northern　branch　of　Abdullah's　family　lived　was　not　far　off；　and　Sennia　would　be　under　the　close　supervision　of　dozens　of　affectionate　friends　who　would　prevent　her　from　getting　into　mischief。　I　expressed　my　approval；　and　Gargery　was　pleased　to　agree。　Nobody　asked　Horus　for　his　opinion。
　〃Where　is　Ramses　going？〃　demanded　Sennia；　who　was　nothing　if　not　persistent。
　〃Somewhere　you　cannot　go。　We　will　be　back　in　time　for　tea。〃
　I　left　her　pouting　and　Gargery　fingering　some　object　in　his　pocket　which　I　hoped　was　not　a　pistol；　though　I　feared　it　was。　He　took　his　duties　as　Sennia's　guard　very　seriously。
　After　I　had　collected　Emerson　and　made　him　put　on　a　waistcoat　and　tie；　and　had　changed　my　blouse；　which　bore　several　sticky　handprints；　we　left　the　hotel　and　strolled　along　the　Muski；　waving　away　offers　from　cabdrivers。
　〃Where　are　we　going？〃　I　asked。
　〃Don't　be　coy　with　me；　Peabody；〃　said　Emerson　amiably。　〃You　are　going　to　the　suk；　aren't　you；　to　bully；　harass；　and　interrogate　antiquities　dealers　about　Sethos。〃
　〃I　thought　I　might　ask　a　few　questions　of　a　few　people；　yes。　Wouldn't　that　be　preferable　to　having　the　children　prowling　about　the　city　after　nightfall；　with　Nefret　decked　out　as　Ramses's　…　er　…　his　…　um　…〃
　Emerson　shuddered。　〃Good　Gad；　yes。　But　…　but　she　didn't　mean　it；　did　she？〃
　〃She　meant　it。〃
　It　is　a　nice　healthy　stroll　from　Shepheard's　to　the　Khan　el　Khalili；　along　the　Muski　and　through　the　old　Fatimite　city　with　its　mosques　and　gateways。　Yet　how　the　character　of　the　city　had　changed！　Motorcars　and　motorbicycles　wove　hazardous　paths　among　horse…drawn　cabs　and　donkey…drawn　carts　and　caravans　of　camels。　Uniforms　were　everywhere；　the　men　who　wore　them　as　diverse　as　their　insignia：　tall　rangy　Australians　and　bearded　Sikhs；　dark…skinned　Nubians　and