elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第62部分

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weight　of　the　cast　did　not　seem　to　bother　him　in　the　slightest。　He　proceeded　to　tamp　tobacco　into　the　pipe；　making　an　even　greater　mess　than　usual。　Ramses　followed；　his　face　unreadable。　That　withdrawn；　〃stone　pharaoh〃　look　was　his　reaction　to　bad　news；　just　as　poorly　repressed　fury　was　his　father's。
　〃Well？〃　I　demanded。　〃What　happened？〃
　Ramses's　features　relaxed　into　a　smile。　〃Father　threatened　to　punch　General　Murray　on　the　jaw。〃
　〃Ah；〃　I　said。　〃Well；　that　was　only　to　be　expected　if　the　general　accused　your　…　er　…　Sethos　of　treachery。〃
　〃Bastard；〃　said　Emerson；　round　the　stem　of　his　pipe。　I　knew　he　was　not　referring　to　his　brother。
　〃Stop　swearing　and　tell　me　what　transpired。〃
　〃I　will　swear　if　I　like；〃　Emerson　said　sullenly。　〃Murray　would　drive　a　nun　to　profanity。〃
　Nefret　held　out　her　hand　to　Ramses。　He　went　at　once　to　her　and　took　her　hand　in　his。
　〃You　had　better　let　me　tell　it；　Father。　It　appears　there　was　a　problem　of　mismunication。　Murray　wasn't　expecting　us；　and　he　was　not　at　all　pleased　to　have　us　turn　up。　He　knew　about　the　matter；　but　if　we　had　asked　for　an　appointment；　in　the　usual　way；　the　request　would　have　been　passed　on　to　his　chief　of　staff；　who　would　have　passed　it　on　to　the　head　of　military　intelligence　in　Cairo；　who　is　…〃
　〃Boisdragon…Bracegirdle；〃　I　exclaimed。
　〃No；　Mother。　My　old　acquaintance；　Captain；　now　Major；　Cartright。〃
　〃How　extraordinary。　It　was　on　this　business　he　telegraphed　you　in　that　brusque　fashion？　Then　what　does　Brace　…　curse　it；　Smith　…　have　to　do　with　this？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　and　I　didn't　ask；〃　Ramses　said。　〃There　is　something　odd　about　this　business；　and　until　we　can　make　sense　of　it；　the　less　we　say　the　better。　It　may　be　only　a　question　of　interservice　jealousy。　That　has　caused　more　trouble　than　the　enemy。〃
　〃How　much　does　Murray　know？〃　I　asked。
　Emerson　was　still　muttering　curses；　so　Ramses　answered　the　question。　〃He　made　no　reference　to　our　relationship　with　Sethos。　Smith　may　have　been　telling　the　truth　there。　They　know　I've　met　him；　though；　and　that　I　have　had　ample　opportunity　to　observe　him。　It　was　Cartright　who　convinced　Murray　that　I　was　the　best　man　to　track　Sethos　down。　They've　had　trouble　getting　agents　into　and　out　of　Turkish　territory。　None　of　their　own　people　can　pass　as　an　Arab；　and　the　locals　they've　recruited　are　unreliable　and　untrained。〃
　Emerson　had　got　himself　under　control。　〃They're　a　bunch　of　bumbling　inpetents；〃　he　declared。　〃Sometimes　it　takes　weeks　for　information　about　Turkish　movements　to　reach　them；　via　the　indirect　channels　they　employ。　They　got　the　news　about　Sethos　fast　enough；　though。　I　suggested　to　Murray　that　he　might　be　a　prisoner　instead　of　a　traitor；　and　that　swine　Murray　…〃
　〃That　was　when　Father　tried　to　hit　him；〃　said　Ramses；　with　a　grin。　〃Cartright　got　us　out　of　Murray's　office　in　a　hurry。〃
　〃I　cannot　believe　Sethos　passed　on　vital　information　willingly；〃　I　exclaimed。
　From　behind　a　cloud　of　vile…smelling　smoke；　Emerson　said；　〃The　alternatives　are　almost　as　unpleasant；　my　dear。〃
　〃Alternatives？　I　can　only　think　of　one。〃　I　got　up　and　moved　to　the　window；　where　the　air　was　not　so　thick。　〃Emerson；　that　pipe　…〃
　〃It　calms　my　nerves；　Peabody。　However；　anything　to　please　you。〃　He　knocked　the　thing　out　into　a　receptacle；　sending　sparks　flying。　〃Torture　is　one　possibility；　certainly；　though　I　don't　see　how　they　could　make　a　public　spectacle　of　him　if　he　was　injured　and　under　duress。　There　are　other　ways　of　forcing　an　individual　to　speak。　Are　you　certain　Margaret　Minton　is　in　France？〃
　〃What　a　horrible　idea！〃　I　cried。　〃That　the　villains　would　use　the　threat　of　harm　to　the　woman　he　loves！〃
　〃It　is　a　well…established　technique；　not　only　in　the　service　but　in　popular　fiction；〃　said　Ramses。
　〃I　beg；　Ramses；　that　you　will　refrain　from　inappropriate　attempts　to　be　humorous。　I　will　set　about　ascertaining　Margaret's　present　whereabouts　as　soon　as　is　possible。〃
　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Mother；〃　Ramses　said。　He　was　still　holding　Nefret's　hand；　running　his　fingers　lightly　over　her　wrist。　〃Such　inquiries　would　take　too　long　and　would　probably　be　inconclusive。　There　is　one　sure　way　of　learning　the　truth。　Ismail　Pasha　is　now　in　Gaza。　I'm　going　there　to　try　and　find　him。〃
　I　was　conscious　of　a　sinking　feeling　at　the　pit　of　my　stomach。　〃I　thoroughly　disapprove；　Ramses。　You　are　too　well　known　to　the　enemy。　Let　them　find　someone　else。〃
　〃I　must　go；　Mother。　I　can't　leave　it　to　someone　else。　You　don't　understand。〃　He　looked　from　me　to　Nefret；　and　on　her　face　I　saw　the　same　dawning　horror　that　I　felt　on　my　own。
　〃They　ordered　you　to　kill　him；〃　she　whispered。　〃Is　that　it？〃
　〃That　is　how　the　Great　Game　is　played。〃　Ramses's　voice　was　hard；　his　expression　withdrawn。　〃Assassination；　deception；　corruption　…　nothing　is　too　vile　if　it　can　be　labeled　patriotism。　Whether　he　is　guilty　or　under　duress；　he　can　give　away　vital　information。　Cartright　wouldn't　tell　me　what　that　information　is；　but　it　is　obviously　enough　to　make　him　extremely　dangerous。〃
　I　cleared　my　throat。　〃You　agreed；　of　course。〃
　Ramses　came　to　me　with　his　long　strides　and　bent　to　kiss　my　cheek。　It　was　a　rare　gesture　for　him；　and　I　took　it　as　the　pliment　he　intended。　〃I　would　have　done；　Mother；　if　I　had　supposed　they'd　believe　me。　Murray　would　have；　he　hasn't　imagination　enough　to　suppose　anyone　would　dare　disregard　his　orders；　and　he　doesn't　know　the　man　he　wants　me　to　assassinate　is　my　uncle。　Not　that　that　little　matter　would　bother　him。〃
　〃　'If　thy　hand　offend　thee；　cut　it　off；'　〃　I　murmured。
　I　ought　to　have　known　better　than　to　quote　Scripture　when　Emerson　was　already　in　a　vile　humor。　His　heavy　brows　drew　together；　but　before　he　could　bellow；　Ramses　spoke　again。　〃Cartright　knows　me　well　enough　to　suspect　I　would　balk　at　assassination；　so　we　arrived　at　a　promise。　I　will　get　a　look　at　Ismail　Pasha　and　ascertain　whether　he　is　Sethos；　and　whether　he　is　being　used　by　the　Turks　against　his　will。〃
　〃Rather　a　tall　order；　that；〃　I　remarked。
　〃The　first　part　shouldn't　be　difficult。　He'll　be　showing　himself　in　public；　as　he　did　in　Constantinople。　I　only　hope　he　hasn't　altered　his　appearance　so　much　I　can't　recognize　him。〃
　〃And　then　what？〃　Nefret　demanded。
　Ramses　shrugged。　〃One　can't　plan　very　far　ahead　when　there　are　so　many　unknowns　in　the　equation。　I'm　not　counting　on　anything　except　making　a　preliminary　reconnaissance。　Depending　on　what　I　learn；　if　anything；　we'll　decide　what　to　do　next。〃
　〃Can　you　get　in　and　out　of　the　city　undetected？〃　I　asked；　endeavoring　to　conceal　my　concern。
　〃Oh；　I　think　so。　The　trouble　is；　Cartright　insisted　I　take　someone　else　with　me。〃
　〃It's　safer　for　two　than　for　one；〃　Nefret　said　hopefully。
　〃Not　when　one　of　the　two　is　fresh　out　of　the　nursery；〃　Emerson　growled。　〃Fair；　young；　speaks　Arabic　like　a　textbook；　stammering　with　excitement　at　the　prospect　of　playing　spy　。　。　。〃　Emerson　summed　it　up　with　an　emphatic　〃Damnation！〃　and　went　back　to　filling　his　pipe。
　〃He　can't　be　that　bad；〃　Nefret　protested。
　〃Ha！　D'you　remember　Lieutenant　Chetwode？〃
　〃Oh　dear；〃　I　said。　〃Not　that　ingenuous　baby…faced　young　man　who　came　to　Deir　el　Medina　with　Cartright？〃
　〃Cartright　claims　he　is　his　best　man；〃　Ramses　said。　〃He　must　be　older　and　less　ingenuous　than　he　looks；　since　he　has　been　in　intelligence　for　over　two　years。〃
　〃Doing　what？〃　Nefret　demanded。　〃Sitting　behind　a　desk　filing　reports？〃
　〃What　does　it　matter？〃　Emerson　said。　〃His　assignment　is　not　to　assist　Ramses　but　to　make　sure　he　does　what　he　has　said　he　will　do。　That　bastard　Cartright　doesn't　trust　him。〃
　Nefret　let　out　an　indignant　expletive。　I　said　judiciously；　〃He　does　have　a　nasty　suspicious　mind。　To　be　sure；　a　sensible　individual；　which　Ramses　is　not；　would　go　into　hiding　for　a　few　days　and　then　report　that　he　had　determined　that　Ismail　Pasha　was　not　the　man　they　are　after。　Perhaps　if　I　were　to　have　a　little　chat　with　General　Murray　…〃
　〃No；　Mother；〃　Ramses　said；　politely　but　emphatically。　〃He　wouldn't　have　approved　the　scheme　if　I　had　not　agreed　to　take　Chetwode　with　me。　He's　a　likable　boy；　and　not　as　hopeless　as　Father　makes　him　sound。　It'll　be　all　right。〃
　〃Every　time　you　say　that；　something　disastrous　occurs；〃　I　exclaimed。
　〃Now；　Mother；　don't　exaggerate。　It　doe