elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第65部分

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d　and　the　hands　as　well　as　everything　else。
　Emerson　and　Selim　both　stared　when　Nefret　removed　the　scarf　that　had　covered　her　head；　I　had　dyed　her　hair　before　we　left　the　hotel；　and　it　made　quite　a　difference　in　her　appearance。
　〃What　did　you　do　that　for？〃　Emerson　demanded。　〃Her　hair　will　be　covered。〃
　〃Not　from　other　women　in　the　household；〃　I　replied；　applying　brown　coloring　to　Nefret's　smooth　cheeks。　〃And　one　must　always　be　prepared　for　accidents。　That　red…gold　hair　is　too　distinctive。〃
　Selim　nodded　and　grinned。　He　was　in　a　state　of　boyish　exuberance；　flattered　by　Emerson's　confidence　and　looking　forward　to　the　adventure。　He　had　not　been　told　of　Ramses's　mission；　nor　of　our　real　purpose。　That　did　not　matter。　He　had　plete　faith　in　Emerson　…　and；　I　believe　I　may　say；　in　me　…　and　rather　fancied　himself　as　a　conspirator。
　I　can　best　sum　up　that　journey　by　saying　that　camels　might　have　been　worse。　Without　Selim's　expertise　and　Emerson's　strength　we　could　never　have　got　through。　The　first　part　of　the　trip　was　not　too　bad；　for　the　Corps　of　Engineers　had　improved　the　roads　from　Cairo　to　the　Canal。　We　crossed　it　at　Kantara；　on　one　of　the　pontoon　bridges；　and　it　was　here　we　met　our　first　and　only　check　by　the　military。　Huddled　in　the　tonneau　amid　piles　of　parcels；　enveloped　in　muffling　garments　that　concealed　everything　except　our　eyes；　Nefret　and　I　waited　in　suspense　while　Emerson　produced　a　set　of　papers　and　handed　them　to　Selim；　who　passed　them　over　to　the　officer。　Staring　straight　ahead；　arms　folded　and　brow　dark；　Emerson　was　a　model　of　arrogant　indignation。　He　did　not　move　an　inch；　even　when　the　officer　handed　the　papers　back　and　saluted。
　〃How　did　you　get　those？〃　I　asked；　sotto　voce。
　〃I　will　explain　later；〃　Emerson　grunted；　as　Selim　sent　the　car　bumping　over　the　bridge。
　We　camped　that　night　in　a　little　oasis　not　far　from　the　road；　and　a　great　relief　it　was　to　stretch　our　cramped　limbs　and　remove　several　layers　of　clothing。
　〃We　are　making　excellent　time；〃　Emerson　announced；　as　Selim　got　a　fire　started　and　Nefret　and　I　sat　by　the　little　tent　he　had　set　up。　So　far　I　could　not　fault　Emerson's　arrangements；　though　I　was　inclined　to　attribute　some　of　them　to　Selim。　Emerson　would　never　have　thought　of　the　tent。　Concealed　in　its　shadow；　away　from　the　flickering　firelight；　we　allowed　ourselves　the　luxury　of　removing　not　only　the　face　veil　and　habarah　but　the　tob　and　gibbeh。　The　air　had　cooled　rapidly　after　the　sun　set；　as　it　always　does　in　the　desert。
　Selim　insisted　upon　doing　the　cooking；　and　while　he　arranged　his　pots　and　pans；　Emerson　produced　the　set　of　papers　he　had　shown　the　officer。　I　studied　them　with　a　surprise　I　was　unable　to　conceal。　They　bore　the　signature　of　none　other　than　the　high　missioner；　Sir　Reginald　Wingate；　and　testified　to　the　moral　character　and　loyalty　of　Sheikh　Ahmed　Mohammed　ibn　Aziz。
　〃Where　did　you　get　these？〃　I　demanded。　〃Not　from　Wingate？〃
　〃Good　Gad；　no。〃　Emerson　began　digging　around　in　the　luggage。　〃What　did　you　do　with　my　pipe？〃
　〃I　didn't　do　anything　with　it　since　I　didn't　know　you　had　brought　it；〃　I　retorted。　〃Isn't　a　meerschaum　out　of　character？〃
　〃The　devil　with　that；〃　said　Emerson；　extracting　pipe　and　tobacco　pouch。　〃As　for　the　papers；　you　will　never　guess　how　I　got　them。〃
　〃A　forger？〃　inquired　Nefret；　scanning　the　papers　I　had　handed　her　by　the　light　of　the　flickering　flames。　〃A　very　skilled　forger。　You　know　a　good　many　of　them；　I　expect。〃
　Emerson　went　about　filling　his　pipe。　〃The　ones　with　whom　I　am　acquainted　specialize　in　antiquities；〃　he　replied。　〃I　required　a　different　sort　of　expertise。　So　I　paid　a　visit　to　Ibrahim　el…Gharbi。〃
　〃The　procurer？〃　I　gasped。　〃But；　Emerson；　you　called　him　…〃
　〃A　vile　trafficker　in　human　flesh。　A　good　phrase；　that；〃　said　Emerson；　puffing。　〃According　to　Ramses；　el…Gharbi　can　be　useful　if　one　takes　everything　he　says　with　a　strong　seasoning　of　skepticism；　and　he　has　connections　with　every　illegal　business　in　Cairo。　At　the　moment　he　is　open　to　reason。　He　wants　to　get　out　of　that　prison　camp。〃
　〃I　hope　you　didn't　promise　you　would　arrange　his　release　in　exchange　for　these　papers；〃　I　said　severely。　〃The　end　does　not　justify　the　means。〃
　〃I　made　no　promises〃　was　the　evasive　reply。　〃But　we　owe　the　rascal；　Peabody。　It　was　through　el…Gharbi；　or　rather　one　of　his　sources；　that　I　was　able　to　…　er　…　acquire　the　motorcar。　He　also　gave　me　the　name　of　the　man　who　forges　official　papers　for　him；　and　a　chit　telling　him　to　ply　with　my　request。　Good；　aren't　they？〃
　〃Let　us　hope　all　our　difficulties　will　be　so　easily　solved；〃　I　said。
　〃Don't　be　such　a　pessimist；　Peabody；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Aren't　you　the　one　who　keeps　telling　me　to　enjoy　the　moment；　without　worrying　about　what　the　future　may　bring？　What　could　be　more　enjoyable　than　this？〃
　I　could　have　mentioned　quite　a　number　of　things；　but　it　was　pleasant　to　sit　round　the　fire　with　the　fresh　breeze　of　the　desert　cooling　our　faces　and　the　blazing　stars　of　the　desert　shining　down。　The　infinite　eyes　of　God　…　and　nowhere　in　that　vast　wasteland　to　hide　from　them。
　Fortunately　my　conscience　was　perfectly　clear。
　It　was　to　be　our　last　peaceful　hour　for　several　days。　From　Romani　on；　the　road　surface　worsened；　and　we　encountered　a　great　deal　of　traffic。　Heavy　lorries　lumbered　past；　loaded　with　supplies；　troops　of　soldiers　plodded　through　the　sand。　They　gave　us　curious　glances；　but　no　one　ventured　to　address　us。　The　magnificent　presence　of　Emerson；　his　nose　jutting　out　from　the　spreading　blackness　of　his　beard；　was　imposing　enough　to　win　respect；　and　the　presence　of　two　veiled　females　forbade　interference。　The　men　had　been　warned　to　leave　Moslem　women　strictly　alone。　Squeezed　unfortably　in　our　nest　of　baggage；　Nefret　and　I　looked　enviously　at　the　troops　of　cavalry　that　occasionally　contested　our　right　of　way。　Most　of　them　were　Australians　or　New　Zealanders；　and　a　splendid…looking　lot　of　men　they　were。
　It　was　after　we　passed　el…Arish；　the　farthest　advance　of　the　railroad；　that　the　real　trouble　began。　Men　were　working　on　the　tracks　and　our　unusual　group　had　begun　to　attract　undesirable　attention。　Emerson；　who　thinks　he　knows　everything　…　and　usually　does　…　declared　he　knew　of　another　path　that　would　lead　us　through　the　Wadi　el…Arish　and　into　Palestine　from　the　southwest。
　There　had　been　fighting　at　Maghdaba；　some　twenty　miles　west　of　el…Arish；　and　the　ground　was　strewn　with　the　debris　of　battle；　including　the　pathetic　remains　of　horses　and　camels。　After　the　second　tire　blew　I　began　to　worry　about　supplies。　We　were　down　to　our　last　three　cans　of　petrol；　and　the　water　was　running　low。　The　bed　of　the　wadi　was　rough　but　not　impassable；　Selim　kept　turning　and　swerving；　trying；　as　I　supposed；　to　avoid　the　worst　bumps。　He　could　not　avoid　all　of　them；　holding　Nefret　in　a　firm　embrace；　I　began　to　wonder　how　the　devil　we　were　to　get　out　of　the　cursed　canyon。　It　was　one　of　the　longest　wadis　in　the　region；　stretching　all　the　way　down　into　the　desert。　Suddenly　there　was　a　shout　from　Emerson。
　〃There！〃　he　cried；　pointing。　〃Left；　Selim。〃
　I　took　one　appalled　look　at　the　slope；　littered　with　boulders；　and　shrieked；　〃Stop！〃
　Selim　did；　of　course。　When　faced　with　conflicting　orders　from　Emerson　and　me；　he　knew　whose　mand　to　obey。　Emerson　turned　and　shot　me　an　outraged　glare。　〃What's　the　matter　with　you；　Peabody？　There　is　no　easier　way　out　of　the　wadi　for　another　five　miles；　and　…〃
　〃Easier？　Well；　Emerson；　I　will　take　your　word　for　it；　but　I　am　not　going　to　be　bounced　up　that　incline。　Nefret　and　I　will　ascend　on　foot。　Get　out　of　those　clothes；　Nefret。〃
　I　began　stripping　off　my　own　garments　as　I　spoke。　Flushed　with　heat　but　perfectly　posed；　Nefret　said　meekly；　〃Yes；　Mother；〃　and　followed　my　example。
　The　men　raised　all　sorts　of　objections。　Emerson　declared；　〃You　can't　climb　in　those　clothes！〃　and　Selim；　deeply　offended；　assured　us　that　he　was　perfectly　capable　of　getting　the　confounded　motorcar　up　the　slope　without　difficulty。　Naturally　I　ignored　these　plaints。　After　fumbling　about；　I　located　one　of　the　bundles　I　had　brought　and　took　out　two　pairs　of　boots。
　〃What　the　devil；〃　Emerson　began。
　〃I　believe　in　being　prepared　for　all　possible　contingencies；〃　I　replied。　〃And　as　you　see；　it　is　as　well　I　was