elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第68部分

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hoes；　and　my　…〃
　〃God　curse　them；〃　said　Emerson；　recovering　himself。　〃e　in；　then；　and　tell　me。〃
　Ramses　straightened；　smirking　like　a　favored　servant　who　has　talked　his　way　out　of　a　beating；　but　the　old　man　who　had　escorted　him　there　croaked；　〃Into　the　harem；　Effendi？〃
　Emerson　drew　himself　up　and　skewered　the　presumptuous　fellow　with　a　fierce　stare。　〃Did　not　the　Prophet　say；　when　he　brought　to　his　daughter　the　gift　of　a　male　slave；　that　she　need　not　veil　herself；　for　there　was　none　present　save　her　father　and　a　slave？〃
　This　interesting　theological　reference　may　have　been　too　abstruse　for　the　servant；　but　Emerson's　stare　got　the　point　across。　〃e；〃　he　added　to　Ramses。
　Nefret　and　I　quickly　retreated　from　the　door　and　Emerson　propelled　Ramses　through　it　with　a　hard　shove。　〃Now；〃　he　said　loudly；　in　Arabic；　〃make　your　excuses　to　your　mistress。〃
　He　slammed　the　door　and　Ramses　looked　quizzically　from　me　to　Nefret。　〃Which？〃
　〃Me；〃　Nefret　said　breathlessly。　〃I'm　the　new　favorite；　aren't　I？〃
　〃Speak　French；〃　I　said　warningly。
　Neither　of　them　heard　me；　I　believe。　Nefret　was　staring　at　him　as　if　she　had　never　seen　him　before　…　which；　in　a　way；　she　had　not；　for　to　the　best　of　my　knowledge　this　was　a　new　role　for　Ramses；　and　when　Ramses　played　a　part　he　did　it　thoroughly。　He　was　wearing　only　a　pair　of　dirty　cotton　drawers　and　he　had　stained　his　body　a　rich　dark　brown。　I　observed　several　raw　marks　across　his　bare　back；　and　remembered　that　I　had　heard　one　of　the　officers　explain　that　〃a　few　cuts　of　the　whip〃　were　advisable　when　dealing　with　recalcitrant　members　of　the　Labour　Corps。
　Nefret　had　seen　them　too。　She　let　out　a　little　cry　and　threw　herself　into　his　arms。
　They　made　a　picturesque　tableau　as　they　clung　to　one　another；　framed　by　the　pointed　arch　of　the　alcove　…　his　dark；　muscular　body　and　her　slender；　yielding　form　in　its　gold…embroidered　blue　velvet　gibbeh。　〃Story　pictures〃　were　popular　with　a　certain　school　of　painting；　and　it　was　not　difficult　to　think　of　a　title　for　this　one。　〃The　Slave　and　the　Sultan's　Favorite；〃　or　〃A　Tryst　with　Death；〃　or　…　
　Emerson　let　out　a　sound　rather　like　one　the　sultan　might　have　made　if　he　had　e　upon　such　a　scene；　and　the　two　drew　apart。
　〃Careless；〃　I　said　softly。　〃I　stopped　up　several　peepholes　in　the　walls；　but　I　doubt　I　found　them　all。〃
　Ramses　dropped　to　his　knees　in　front　of　me　and　clasped　his　hands。　〃Your　forgiveness；　honored　lady。〃
　〃Yes；　all　right；　just　don't　do　it　again。〃　I　added；　just　as　softly；　〃I；　too；　am　relieved　to　see　you；　my　dear。　What　next？〃
　〃I　can't　stay。　You　had　better　send　me　on　an　errand　…　and　find　me　some　clothes；〃　he　added；　looking　up　at　me　with　a　smile。　His　thin　dark　face　and　cheerful　grin　and　the　curls　clustering　untidily　round　his　forehead　filled　me　with　a　strong　desire　to　shake　him。　Men　actually　enjoy　this　sort　of　thing！　So　do　I；　if　truth　be　told；　but　only　when　I　am　allowed　to　take　an　active　part。　It　is　the　waiting　I　find　so　difficult；　particularly　when　one　waits　for　news　of　a　loved　one。
　〃When　will　we　see　you　again？〃　I　asked。
　〃I　don't　know。　I　am　to　rendezvous　with　Chetwode　this　evening　and　go　on　to　Gaza　with　him。　Two　days；　perhaps　three。　I'll　e　here　as　soon　as　we've　finished　the　job；　I　promise。〃
　He　kissed　my　hands　and　my　feet　and　rose。　〃Is　there　a　bab…sirr？〃　he　asked　Emerson。　〃I　may　want　to　use　it　next　time。〃
　〃A　secret　door？　Oh；　yes。　Mahmud　has　too　many　enemies　to　do　without　that　little　convenience。　I'll　show　you；　and　get　you　some　clothes。〃
　Ramses　nodded。　He　turned　to　his　wife。　She　stood　as　still　as　a　prettily　dressed　doll；　lips　parted　and　braceleted　arms　folded　over　her　breast。　Ramses　knelt　and　bowed　his　head。
　〃Don't　worry；〃　he　whispered。　〃It　will　be　all　right。〃
　She　put　out　her　hand；　as　if　to　touch　his　hair；　but　stopped　herself　in　time。　〃e　straight　here　after　。　。　。〃
　〃As　soon　as　I　can。〃　He　took　her　hands　and　raised　them　to　his　lips。
　　
　FROM　MANUSCRIPT　H
　　
　Ramses　hadn't　told　her　the　part　that　worried　him　most。　He　shared　that　information　with　his　father；　as　they　tried　to　find　him　something　to　wear。
　〃I　met　Chetwode　in　Rafah；　as　we　had　arranged。　He's　not　awfully　good　at　this　sort　of　thing；　his　jaw　dropped　down　to　his　chest　when　a　filthy　'Gyppie'　edged　up　to　him　and　gave　him　the　word　we'd　agreed　upon。〃
　〃Curse　it；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Can't　you　go　off　on　your　own　…　leave　him　behind？〃
　〃They'd　stop　me　before　I　got　out　of　Khan　Yunus。　You　haven't　heard　the　worst　of　it。　General　Chetwode；　the　mander　of　the　Desert　Column；　is　our　lad's　uncle。　I　was　dragged　off　to　his　office；　where　I　was　required　to　report　to　him　and　his　chief　of　field　intelligence。〃
　〃Hell　and　damnation！　Who　else　knows　about　your　'secret'　mission？〃
　〃God　knows。〃　Ramses　picked　up　a　shirt；　grinned；　and　put　it　aside。　〃Mother　would　say　He　does。　If　the　word　has　e　down　the　chain　of　mand；　Chetwode's　superior　Dobell　must　also　have　been　informed。　There's　nothing　here　I　can　use；　Father。〃
　〃What　about　that　parcel　you　asked　me　to　bring　along？〃
　〃I'll　take　it　with　me；　but　I　don't　want　to　wear　those　things　in　Khan　Yunus。　Selim　must　have　a　change　of　clothing　he'll　lend　me。〃
　〃You　mean　to　let　him　in　on　this？〃　Emerson　asked。
　〃How　much　does　he　know？〃
　〃Only　that　we　are　obviously　bent　on　mischief　of　some　sort。　Selim　doesn't　ask　questions。〃
　〃He　deserves　to　be　told　…　some　of　it；　at　any　rate。　It's　a　poor　return　for　his　friendship　and　loyalty　to　be　treated　as　if　he　were　not　pletely　trustworthy。　Especially；〃　Ramses　added　bitterly；　〃when　every　idiot　and　his　bloody　uncle　knows。　I　think　Selim　may　have　spotted　me　when　I　arrived；　he　gave　me　a　very　fishy　look　when　I　was　arguing　with　the　doorman。〃
　Selim　had　spotted　him；　but　not；　as　he　was　careful　to　explain；　because　of　any　inadequacy　in　Ramses's　disguise。　〃Who　else　could　it　be；　though？〃　he　demanded。　〃I　do　not　ask　questions　of　the　Father　of　Curses；　but　I　expected　you　would　join　the　others　sooner　or　later。〃
　〃You　must　have　wondered　what　this　is　all　about；　though。〃　The　clothes　Selim　had　given　him　would　suit　well　enough；　Arab　garments　were　not　designed　to　be　form…fitting。
　Selim　folded　his　arms　and　said　stiffly；　〃It　is　not　my　place　to　wonder。〃
　Ramses　grinned　and　slapped　him　on　the　back。　〃You　sound　exactly　like　your　father。　I　and　another　man　are　going　into　Gaza；　Selim。　There　have　been　rumors　about　a　certain　Ismail　Pasha　…　that　he's　a　British　agent　who　has　gone　over　to　the　enemy。　Since　I　am；　er；　acquainted　with　the　gentleman　in　question；　they　are　sending　me　to　get　a　look　at　Ismail　and　find　out　whether　the　rumors　are　true。〃
　〃Acquainted；〃　Selim　repeated。　〃Ah。　Is　it　possible；　Ramses；　that　I　am　also；　er；　acquainted　with　him？〃
　〃You　can't　go　with　me；〃　Ramses　said。　He　hadn't　answered　the　question。　Selim　accepted　this　with　a　shrug　and　a　nod；　and　Ramses　went　on；　〃Thank　you　for　the　clothes。　I'll　try　to　return　them　in　good　condition。〃
　〃Tonight's　the　night；　then；〃　Emerson　said。
　〃Yes。　Chetwode　…　our　Chetwode　…　and　I　are　meeting　after　nightfall　in　an　abandoned　house　in　Dir　el　Balah；　just　north　of　here。　I　hope　to　God　he　can　find　it。　It　will　take　me　a　while　to　get　there　by　roundabout　ways；　since　I　don't　want　to　be　recruited　by　some　lad　looking　for　laborers。　I　had　better　go。　Do　you　want　to　send　me　on　my　way　with　a　few　curses　and　kicks；　Selim？〃
　Selim　did　not　return　his　smile。　〃If　you　say　I　should。　Be　careful。　Do　not　take　foolish　chances。〃
　〃As　your　father　would　have　said。　I'll　try　not　to。　Watch　over　them；　Selim。〃
　　
　Chetwode　was　late。　He　stood　squinting　into　the　darkness　of　the　half…ruined　building；　his　form　outlined　against　the　starry　sky。　Ramses　waited　only　long　enough　to　make　sure　the　other　man　was　alone　before　he　moved　out　of　the　shadows。
　〃Didn't　they　teach　you　not　to　make　a　target　of　yourself　in　an　open　doorway？〃　he　asked　caustically。
　〃Since　it　was　you　…〃
　〃You　hoped　it　was　me。　Get　out　of　that　uniform　and　put　these　on。〃
　He　made　certain　he　had　covered　Chetwode's　face；　neck；　hands；　and　forearms　with　the　dark　dye；　and　got　all　his　hair　concealed　under　the　turban。　There　wasn't　anything　he　could　do　about　the　blue　eyes　that　looked　trustingly　into　his；　but　when　the　boy　grinned；　cheerful　as　a　hound　pup；　the　expanse　of　healthy　white　teeth　was　another　reason　to　remind　him　to　keep　his　mouth　shut。　Patiently