elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第64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！


　Ramses　must　have　known　there　wasn't　a　hope　of　persuading　us　to　remain　in　Cairo；　but　he　tried。
　〃Mother；　too　many　people　already　know　about　this　supposedly　secret　expedition。　The　three　of　you　marching　purposefully　on　Gaza　will　be　a　dead　giveaway。　You're　too　well　known；　especially　Father。〃
　〃Ah；　but　we　will　be　in　disguise；〃　Emerson　said。
　Emerson　loves　disguises；　and　is　not　allowed　to　indulge　in　them　as　often　as　he　would　like；　he　looked　so　pleased；　his　lips　parted　in　a　broad　smile；　his　blue　eyes　shining；　that　Ramses　hadn't　the　heart　to　object。　Instead　he　gave　me　a　critical　look。　〃You've　worked　it　all　out；　haven't　you；　Mother？　Nefret；　why　didn't　you　tell　me　about　this？〃
　〃She　knew　nothing　of　it；〃　I　said　quickly。　〃I　couldn't　ask　her　to　keep　secrets　from　you；　now　could　I？〃
　〃Oh；　God。〃　Indignation　and　reluctant　amusement　mingled　on　his　face；　to　be　replaced　by　remorse。　He　went　to　Nefret　and　took　her　hands　in　his。　〃I'm　sorry；　sweetheart。〃
　〃Your　apology　is；　for　once；　appropriate。〃　She　looked　up　at　him　with　a　smile。　〃I　accept　it。　Mother　only　told　me　she　had　the　situation　well　in　hand。　I　didn't　ask　for　details。　I　trusted　her；　and　I　suggest　you　do　the　same。〃
　〃Don't　worry；　my　dear；〃　I　said　cheerfully。　〃Your　father　and　I　have　it　worked　out。　He　has　a　dear　old　friend　in　Khan　Yunus　…〃
　〃Of　course；〃　Ramses　said　resignedly。　〃Mahmud　ibn　Rafid。　Is　there　any　place　in　the　Middle　East　where　Father　doesn't　have　a　'dear　old　friend'？〃
　〃Not　many；〃　said　Emerson；　smoking。　〃Khan　Yunus　is　only　ten　miles　south　of　Gaza；　and　Mahmud　owns　a　villa　there。〃　He　chuckled。　〃When　he　told　me　'My　house　is　your　house；'　he　may　not　have　meant　it　literally；　but　he　cannot　object　if　I　take　him　up　on　the　offer。　He's　scampered　off　to　Damascus；　so　that　will　be　all　right。　It　is　quite　a　fortable　house。　Even　your　mother　will　be　pleased　with　it。〃
　I　doubted　that　very　much；　but　at　such　a　time　I　would　have　settled　into　a　cave　or　a　tent　in　order　to　be　nearby　when　Ramses　carried　out　his　hazardous　mission。　〃Quite；〃　I　murmured。　〃Emerson；　I　presume　you　have　made　the　other　arrangements　we　discussed？　I　cannot　think　of　anything　I　dislike　more　than　a　long　journey　by　camel；　but　there　seems　to　be　no　alternative。〃
　〃Ah；　but　there　is；〃　Emerson　said。　Self…satisfaction　is　too　weak　a　word　for　the　emotion　that　illumined　his　countenance　and　swelled　his　broad　chest。　〃I　will　give　you　three　guesses；　Peabody。〃
　A　hideous　sense　of　foreboding　came　over　me。　〃Oh；　no；　Emerson。　Please。　Don't　tell　me　…〃
　〃Yes；　my　dear。　I　have　acquired　a　new　motorcar。〃　Avoiding　my　stricken　expression；　he　turned　to　Ramses　and　explained。　〃It's　a　splendid　vehicle；　my　boy；　one　of　the　T　Model　Ford　Light　cars　the　military　has　been　using。　It　has　…〃
　〃How　did　you　…　uh　…　acquire　it？〃　Ramses　asked。
　〃Ah；　well；　you　know　my　methods；〃　said　Emerson　with　a　grin。
　〃You　stole　it！〃
　〃No。　Well。　Not　exactly。　It　has　…〃
　〃You　can't　drive　it　yourself；　you　know；〃　I　interrupted。　This　obvious　fact　had　occurred　to　me　once　I　got　over　my　initial　consternation；　and　it　cheered　me　quite　a　lot。　〃Think　how　absurd　you　would　look　at　the　wheel；　in　turban　and　caftan。〃
　〃I　have　considered　that；〃　said　Emerson；　with　great　dignity。　〃You　said　you　would　leave　the　problem　of　transport　to　me。〃
　〃Hmmmm。　Frankly；　I　do　not　see　how　we　can　drive　all　that　distance　without　getting　bogged　down　in　sand　dunes　and　blowing　up　tires；　but　if　all　goes　well　…〃
　〃It　won't；〃　Ramses　muttered。
　〃If　it　does；　we　should　arrive　within　a　few　days　of　one　another。　Mind　this；　Ramses；　you　are　to　report　yourself　to　us　before　you　go　to　Gaza。　You　know　where　we　will　be。　For　our　own　peace　of　mind　and　for　safety's　sake；　we　want　to　be　made　cognizant　of　your　plans。　Have　I　your　word？〃
　〃Yes。〃　He　hesitated　for　a　moment；　and　then　shrugged。　〃You'll　have　to　follow　the　road；　so　I　suppose　the　worst　that　can　happen　is　that　you'll　break　down　and　be　forced　to　accept　help　from　the　military。　Speaking　of　peace　of　mind；　I　would　like　to　be　made　cognizant　of　your　plans。　Is　Father　to　be　a　wealthy　aristocrat　…　a　wealthy；　bearded　aristocrat　…　and　Mother　his　favorite　wife？〃
　〃No；　that　is　Nefret；〃　I　explained。　〃I　am　the　older　wife。〃
　Ramses　exchanged　bemused　glances　with　Nefret。　Her　open…mouthed　astonishment　convinced　him；　had　he　doubted　it；　that　she　had　known　nothing　of　my　scheme。　He　laughed　a　little；　and　shook　his　head。
　〃Mother；　you　never　cease　to　amaze　me。　I　hope　you　enjoy　yourself。　As　the　older　wife　you　will　be　in　a　position　to　bully　Nefret　…　and　Father。〃
　〃Ha；〃　said　Emerson　meaningfully。
　　
　Ramses　was　gone　next　morning。　When　Nefret　joined　us　for　breakfast　she　was　a　trifle　hollow…eyed　and　pale；　but　that　might　have　been　a　normal　reaction　to　such　a　hard　parting。　I　did　not　feel　I　had　the　right　to　ask　what　they　had　said　to　one　another　…　my　sympathetic　imagination　supplied　a　good　deal　of　the　dialogue　…　but　I　did　venture　to　inquire　whether　Ramses　had　been　angry　about　our　following　him。
　〃Resigned；　rather；〃　Nefret　said；　toying　with　her　toast。
　〃Eat　something；〃　I　ordered。　〃We　are　leaving　in　an　hour　and　it　will　be　a　long；　hard　day。　The　first　of　many；　I　fear。〃
　〃Not　at　all；〃　said　Emerson。　〃The　T　Model　Ford　Light　car　…〃
　〃I　don't　want　to　hear　about　it；　Emerson。　Eat　your　breakfast。〃
　〃I　have；〃　said　Emerson　indignantly。　〃You　are　the　one　who　is　delaying　us。〃
　To　have　left　the　hotel　in　disguise　or　in　the　vehicle　Emerson　had　acquired　would　have　aroused　speculation。　We　went　by　cab　to　Atiyeh；　the　village　where　the　northern　branch　of　Abdullah's　family　lived；　and　there　we　found　no　other　than　Selim　awaiting　our　arrival。　He　was　disappointed　when　I　failed　to　register　surprise　at　seeing　him。
　〃It　was　logical；〃　I　explained。　〃Once　I　learned　of　the　motorcar。　I　am　pleased；　Emerson；　that　you　didn't　insist　on　driving　it　yourself。〃
　〃I　had　a　number　of　reasons　for　bringing　Selim　along；　all　of　them　excellent；　and　all　of　them；　you　will　claim；　obvious　to　you。　Let　us　not　waste　time　discussing　the　subject。　Is　the　car　ready；　Selim？〃
　〃Yes；　Father　of　Curses。　It　is；〃　Selim　said　enthusiastically；　〃a　wonderful　motorcar。　It　has　…〃
　〃What　about　supplies？〃　I　asked。
　〃Everything　is　in　order；　Sitt　Hakim；〃　Selim　said。　He　looked　doubtfully　at　the　piles　of　personal　luggage　I　had　brought。　〃I　think　there　will　be　room。〃
　There　was；　but　just　barely。　Nefret　and　I　would　have　to　sit　on　some　of　the　parcels　and　put　our　feet　on　others。　There　was　not　even　space　on　top　of　the　vehicle；　where　Selim　had　fastened　several　long　planks。
　The　whole　village　gathered　to　wave　good…bye　and　shout　blessings。　It　would　have　been　impossible　to　conceal　our　expedition；　whose　ostensible　purpose　was　to　examine　certain　ruins　in　the　Sinai。　Selim　had　asked　them　not　to　speak　of　it；　and　since　they　all　knew　about　Emerson's　frequent　disputes　with　the　Antiquities　Department；　they　assumed　we　were　planning　to　excavate　without　official　permission。　Sooner　or　later　someone　would　tell　the　story；　as　a　good　joke　on　the　authorities；　but　as　Emerson　philosophically　remarked；　it　didn't　matter　much；　by　the　time　the　gossip　reached　General　Murray；　it　would　be　too　late　to　stop　us。
　As　an　additional　precaution　we　waited　until　we　were　well　away　from　the　village　before　we　assumed　our　disguises。　Emerson's　consisted　of　shirt　and　trousers；　an　elegant　long　vest　and　flowing　robe；　and；　of　course；　a　beard。　Instead　of　a　tarboosh　or　turban；　he　covered　his　head　with　a　khafiyeh　…　the　flattering　headdress　worn　by　the　desert　people　that　frames　the　face　in　folds　of　cloth　and　is　held　in　place　by　a　twisted　cord。　It　shadowed　those　distinctive　features　more　effectively　than　a　turban　and　protected　the　back　of　his　neck　from　the　sun。
　Nefret　and　I　bundled　ourselves　up　in　the　inconvenient　and　unfortable　ensembles　worn　by　Moslem　ladies　when　they　travel　abroad。　Ramses　always　said　that　if　a　disguise　is　to　be　successful；　it　must　be　accurate　in　every　detail；　so　Nefret　and　I　were　dressed　from　the　skin　out　in　appropriate　garments：　a　shirt　and　a　pair　of　very　full　trousers；　with　a　long　vest；　called　a　yelek；　over　them；　and　over　the　yelek　a　gibbeh；　and　over　the　gibbeh　the　additional　layers　of　the　traveling　costume　…　a　large　loose　gown　called　a　tob；　a　face　veil　that　reaches　nearly　to　the　feet　…　and　on　top　of　it　all　a　voluminous　habarah　of　black　silk　which　conceals　the　head　and　the　hands