elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第60部分

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；　he　hates　to　see　the　children　exchange　hard　words；　whereas　I；　who　understand　the　human　heart　better；　knew　that　little　disagreements　are　natural　and　healthy。　On　this　occasion　his　remark　had　the　desired　effect。　The　lines　of　tension　left　Nefret's　face　and　she　smiled　affectionately　at　Emerson。
　〃Quite　right；　Father。　Let　us　drink　to　it：　The　devil　with　Mr。　Smith！〃
　He　had　at　least　enough　courtesy　to　allow　us　to　finish　our　dinner　in　peace。　The　waiter　was　hovering；　waiting　to　remove　our　plates；　when　he　approached　us。　The　lady　was　not　with　him。
　〃Will　you　allow　me　to　offer　you　a　liquor　or　a　glass　of　brandy？〃　he　asked。
　〃I　don't　want　any　damned　brandy；〃　said　Emerson；　glowering。　〃Or　a　conversation　with　you。〃
　〃I　think　you　had　better；　Professor。〃
　Emerson's　face　brightened。　〃Is　that　a　threat？〃　he　asked　hopefully。
　I　had　once　before　observed　in　Smith　the　rudiments　of　a　sense　of　humor。　Amusement　narrowed　his　eyes　and　he　shook　his　head　emphatically。　〃Good　Lord；　no。　Threatening　you；　Professor　Emerson；　is　tantamount　to　teasing　a　tiger。　However；　I　am　sure　you　will　want　to　hear　what　I　have　to　say；　and　if　I　am　mistaken；　you　will　…　er　…　take　whatever　steps　occur　to　you。　May　I　sit　down？〃
　〃Oh；　I　suppose　so；〃　Emerson　grumbled。　〃Just　be　quick　about　it。　You　want　Ramses　for　some　other　filthy　job；　I　suppose。　He　has　already　refused。　What　makes　you　suppose　that　you　can　change　his　mind？〃
　〃He　is　wanted；〃　Smith　said　quietly。　〃And　I　think　he　will　change　his　mind。〃
　Nefret　caught　hold　of　Ramses's　hand。　Ramses　gave　her　a　quick　glance　from　under　lowered　lids；　and　although　his　controlled　countenance　did　not　change；　I　knew　he　had　misunderstood；　and　resented；　the　gesture。　It　was　not　one　of　possessiveness　but　of　fear　…　the　unreasoning　panic　of　a　child　reaching　out　for　fort　in　a　dark　room。
　〃He　will；〃　Smith　went　on；　〃because　he　won't　want　to　see　a　close　friend　face　a　firing　squad。　Someone　closer　than　a　friend；　in　fact。　A　kinsman。〃
　There　was　no　doubt　as　to　whom　he　meant。　Nefret's　face　turned　pale；　Emerson's　turned　red。　〃Don't　speak；　Emerson；〃　I　exclaimed。　〃Don't　anyone　speak　until　he　has　explained　what　he　means。〃
　〃You　know　who　I　mean；〃　Smith　said；　with　that　thin；　satisfied　smirk　I　remembered　so　well。　〃He　has　turned　traitor。　Gone　over　to　the　enemy。〃
　　
　FROM　MANUSCRIPT　H
　　
　Nefret　had　told　herself　there　was　no　reason　to　be　apprehensive。　She　had　Ramses's　word；　and　he　would　not　break　it。　But　because　she　was　so　intensely　aware　of　the　emotions　he　succeeded　in　concealing　from　almost　everyone　but　her；　she　had　sensed　his　growing　restlessness　and　feelings　of　guilt　at　going　on　with　his　work　while　friends　and　kin　were　fighting　and　dying。　He　wouldn't　fight；　but　his　unique　skills　could　be　of　use　without　violating　his　pacifist　principles；　and　there　was　one　appeal　he　would　find　impossible　to　resist：　danger　to　her　or　his　parents　or　a　friend。　It　was　difficult　to　classify　the　enigmatic；　eccentric　individual　who　was　Emerson's　half　brother；　but　whether　he　was　friend　or　foe　…　over　the　years　he　had　been　both　…　they　were　indebted　to　him。
　Emerson's　sun…browned　face　was　almost　as　expressionless　as　that　of　his　son；　and　when　he　spoke；　it　was　in　a　soft　purring　voice。　〃That's　a　lie。〃
　Smith　leaned　forward。　〃Then　prove　it。〃
　〃I　thought　it　was　Ramses　you　wanted；〃　said　Emerson；　in　the　same　soft　voice。
　〃It　is。　May　I　explain？〃
　〃You　had　damned　well　better；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Peabody；　my　dear；　would　you　care　for　a　whiskey　and　soda？〃
　Nefret　had　never　been　certain　precisely　how　her　mother…in…law　felt　about　the　man　who　had　pursued　her　so　ardently　all　those　years；　obviously　she　cared　enough　about　him　to　resent　the　accusation。　Her　gray　eyes　had　a　hard；　almost　metallic　shine。
　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃Thank　you。　Mr。　Smith；　how　did　you　find　out？〃
　〃Find　out　what？〃
　She　was　too　clever　to　be　tricked　into　an　admission。　〃Whatever　it　is　you　know。〃
　Smith　gave　her　a　nod　of　grudging　admiration。　〃If　you　are　referring　to　my　knowledge　of　the　…　er　…　relationship　between　you　and　the　individual　in　question；　I　…　uh　…　Please；　Mrs。　Emerson；　won't　you　let　me　offer　you　something　to　drink？〃
　〃No。　There　were　a　good　many　people　present　the　evening　we　ourselves　learned　of　that　relationship；〃　she　went　on　thoughtfully。　〃Military　persons。　One　of　them　overheard　our　conversation　and　reported　it　to　you？〃
　〃Only　a　few　words　of　the　conversation；　but　they　were　enough　to　arouse　his　curiosity。　Eventually　the　word　got　back　to　me；　and　aroused　my　curiosity。　It　took　my　associate　in　England　a　while　to　find　the　proof　…　birth　and　death　certificates；　records　of　certain　financial　transactions　…　you　know　the　procedure。　I　haven't　told　anyone　else；　Mrs。　Emerson。〃
　〃No；　you　hoard　information　like　coins；　paying　it　out　only　when　you　can　gain　something〃　was　the　furious　response。　〃Do　not　expect　thanks　for　your　discretion　from　us。〃
　〃Never　mind；　Mother；〃　Ramses　said。　〃That　isn't　the　issue　now。　He's　won　the　first　round。　Perhaps　we　should　let　him　explain　further。〃
　It　was　a　damning　story。　A　few　weeks　earlier；　a　man　calling　himself　Ismail　Pasha　had　appeared　in　Constantinople。　The　word　soon　spread　among　the　faithful：　he　had　been　an　infidel；　a　high…ranking　member　of　the　British　Secret　Service；　who　had　e　over　to　the　true　religion　and　the　right　cause。　He　had　been　seen　in　public　with　German　officers　and　also　with　Enver　and　the　other　members　of　the　ruling　triumvirate；　richly　dressed　and　clanking　with　jewels。　He　had　prayed　at　the　mosques；　and　on　at　least　two　occasions　he　had　addressed　the　crowd　with　an　eloquence　that　brought　them　to　their　knees。　For　surely　no　one　could　be　so　familiar　with　the　words　of　the　Prophet　unless　he　himself　was　a　holy　man！
　Shortly　thereafter；　one　of　the　local　agents　in　British　pay　was　caught　and　executed。　It　was　pure　luck　that　the　others　in　the　group　got　away。　Sethos　was　one　of　the　few　who　knew　of　that　particular　network；　he　had　been　sent　to　Constantinople　to　meet　with　its　members。
　〃That　isn't　proof　of　anything；〃　Emerson　declared。
　〃No；〃　Smith　agreed。　〃However；　he　has　not　been　heard　from　since。　Attempts　to　contact　him　through　the　usual　channels　have　received　no　response。　His　assumed　name　is　interesting；　too；　don't　you　think？〃
　〃Ismail　is　a　very　mon　name；〃　Emerson　said。
　〃The　name　of　the　son　of　Abraham　by　his　handmaiden　Hagar；　who　was　cast　out　into　the　wilderness；　lest　he　challenge　the　position　of　Abraham's　legitimate　son；〃　Smith　said；　his　thin　lips　curving　in　a　cynical　smile。　〃　'His　hand　will　be　against　every　man　and　every　man's　hand　will　be　against　him。'　〃
　〃I　believe　I　am　better　acquainted　with　Holy　Writ　than　you；〃　Nefret's　mother…in…law　said　with　a　sniff。　〃God　saved　Ismael　and　blessed　him　and　promised　to　make　him　…　er　…　fruitful。〃
　〃Confound　it；　Peabody；　will　you　stop　talking　about　the　Bible？〃　Emerson　was　trying　not　to　shout；　the　words　squeezed　between　his　lips　like　rumbles　of　distant　thunder。　〃Prove　it；　you　say。　How？〃
　〃That　should　be　obvious。〃　Smith　knew　he　had　won。　He　leaned　back　in　his　chair。　〃Ismail　Pasha　is　now　in　Gaza。　Find　him。　You　will　know　if　he　is　the　man　we　believe　him　to　be　…　or　that　he　is　not。　If　he　is　that　man；　and　you　can　bring　back　evidence　that　he　is　a　prisoner　or　under　duress；　we　will　take　steps　to　free　him　…　unless　you　can　do　the　job　yourself。〃
　〃That's　rather　a　tall　order；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Even　for　us。〃
　〃You　mistook　my　meaning；　Professor。　That's　the　trouble　with　English；　it　is　too　imprecise　about　pronouns。〃
　〃So；〃　said　Emerson；　after　a　long　moment。　〃You　want　Ramses　to　go　after　the　fellow。　Alone。〃
　〃It's　the　only　way；　Professor。　You　surely　don't　suppose　that　the　four　of　you　could　cross　enemy　lines　in　disguise？　Individually　you　are　only　too　recognizable；　as　a　group　you　are　unmistakable。　It's　a　job　for　one　man；　and　there　is　only　one　man　who　can　maintain　a　convincing　disguise　long　enough　to　do　the　job。〃
　They　were　all　looking　at　Ramses；　waiting　for　him　to　speak；　Emerson　caught　himself　on　the　verge　of　a　heated　reply　and　remained　silent；　possibly　because　his　wife　had　administered　an　admonitory　kick　under　the　table。　Ramses　turned　his　head　and　met　Nefret's　eyes。
　They　had　been　over　this　subject　many　times；　with　Nefret　continuing　to　demand　promises　and　reassurances　and　Ramses　increasingly　resentful　of　her　refusal　to　accept　his　given　word。　There　was