elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第70部分

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ds；　a　middle…aged　man　with　only　one　eye　and　a　stump　where　his　right　hand　had　been；　had　a　few　pungent　epithets　for　the　Germans。　〃But；〃　he　added；　〃they　are　no　worse　than　the　Turks。　God　curse　this　war！　Whoever　wins　we　will　be　the　losers。　If　Gaza　is　defended；　our　homes　and　livelihoods　will　be　destroyed。〃
　It　was　a　good　opening；　and　Ramses　took　advantage　of　it。　His　questions　and　ments　brought　out　a　spate　of　information；　much　of　it　highly　inaccurate；　and　some　more　accurate　descriptions　of　various　public　figures。　Von　Kressenstein；　the　German　mander；　was　feared　but　respected；　the　governor　was　feared　and　loathed；　the　Turkish　general　was　a　fat　pig　who　did　nothing　but　sit　in　his　fine　house　and　eat。　And　so　it　went；　until　dusk　grayed　the　sky　and　the　party　dispersed。
　Ramses　and　Chetwode　spent　the　night　in　the　picturesque　ruins　of　what　was　locally　known　as　Samson's　tomb　…　actually　a　structure　dating　from　the　Middle　Ages。　Moonlight　filtering　through　the　broken　walls　and　roof　made　baroque　patterns　on　the　ground；　and　the　leaves　of　the　ancient　olive　trees　rustled　in　the　night　wind。　As　they　ate　the　food　purchased　in　the　bazaar；　Chetwode　enlivened　the　meal　with　questions。　He　hadn't　had　a　chance　to　talk　all　day；　and　it　must　be　wearing　on　him。
　〃You　didn't　ask　about　Ismail　Pasha；〃　he　said　accusingly。
　〃One　tries　to　avoid　asking　direct　questions。〃　Ramses　tossed　away　a　handful　of　orange　peel　and　stretched　out　on　the　ground。　〃In　this　case　it　wasn't　necessary。　You　were　there；　didn't　you　hear　what　they　said　about　him？〃
　〃Everybody　was　talking　too　fast；〃　Chetwode　said　sullenly。　〃Anyhow；　it's　your　job　to　locate　the　fellow。〃
　The　hero　worship　was　wearing　thin。　Ramses　couldn't　have　said　why　he　was　reluctant　to　share　this　bit　of　news；　old　habit；　perhaps；　or　one　of　the　Secret　Service's　basic　rules：　Don't　tell　anyone　more　than　he　needs　to　know。　Maybe　Chetwode　did　need　to　know　this；　if　only　to　keep　him　from　doing　something　impulsive。
　〃The　holy　infidel；　as　they　call　him；　is　going　to　pray　at　the　mosque　of　Hashim　tomorrow　at　midday；〃　Ramses　explained。　〃There　will　be　quite　a　crowd；　I　expect。　We'll　go　early　and　find　a　place　where　we　can　get　a　good　long　look　at　him。〃
　〃And　then？〃
　〃Then　we　make　a　quick　and；　let　us　hope；　unobtrusive　exit　from　Gaza。〃
　〃After　only　two　days？　Without　…　without　doing　anything？〃
　Ramses　tried　to　hold　on　to　his　temper。　Being　responsible　for　this　ingenuous　youth　was　nerve…racking　enough　without　having　to　deliver　lectures　on　espionage。　〃You　hadn't　planned　on　an　indefinite　stay；　had　you？　We　have　to　assume　that　there　are　certain　people　here　who　keep　tabs　on　newers。　One　of　our　amiable　acquaintances　at　the　coffeeshop　could　be　an　agent　of　the　governor　or　the　military。〃
　〃Really？〃
　〃That's　how　the　Turks　operate。　They　don't　trust　anyone；　and　with　good　reason。　They　aren't　well　liked　in　these　parts。　Sooner　or　later　our　presence　will　be　known；　and　some　bright　soul　may　decide　it　would　be　a　good　idea　to　question　us。　Then　there　are　the　press　gangs。　They're　always　looking　for　recruits。　One　more　day　is　all　we　can　risk。〃　He　yawned　and　wondered　why　he　was　bothering。　〃Get　some　rest。〃
　〃As　soon　as　I　finish　this。〃
　Ramses　sat　up　with　a　start。　Chetwode　squatted　by　the　ruined　arch　of　the　entrance；　scribbling　busily　by　moonlight　on　what　appeared　to　be　a　folded　piece　of　paper。　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing？〃
　〃Making　notes。　I　didn't　recognize　all　the　insignia　of　the　men　we　saw；　but　if　I　describe　them；　our　people　can　get　a　good　idea　which　units　…〃
　〃Eat　it。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Get　rid　of　the　goddamn　paper！〃　Chetwode　stared　blankly　at　him。　He　got　to　his　feet。　〃If　you　were　caught　and　they　found　that　on　you；　you'd　be　dead。　Or　wish　you　were。　What　other　incriminating　objects　are　you　carrying？〃
　He　snatched　the　paper　from　Chetwode。　Hastily；　eyes　wide；　the　boy　took　a　pouch　from　the　breast　of　his　robe。　It　contained　sheets　of　paper；　several　pencils；　a　small　pocket　torch；　and　a　tiny　bottle　containing　two　white　pills。
　〃Christ；　I　should　have　searched　you　before　we　left；〃　Ramses　muttered；　as　he　shredded　the　papers　and　stamped　on　the　neatly　sharpened　pencils。　〃What's　in　the　bottle？　Cyanide；　no　doubt。　The　Secret　Service　loves　cyanide。〃
　〃But　if　we're　caught　…〃
　〃We　had　better　be　able　to　talk　our　way　out　of　it；　which　we　could　not　do　if　we　were　carrying　British…made　writing　materials。　As　for　these　。　。　。〃　He　ground　the　innocent…looking　pills　under　his　heel。　〃Were　you　planning　to　ask　the　governor's　head　torturer　to　hang　on　a　minute　while　you　fished　round　in　your　pouch　for　the　bottle；　opened　it；　and　popped　the　pills　into　your　mouth？〃
　Chetwode's　head　drooped。　〃It　does　sound　ridiculous；　when　you　put　it　that　way。　They　told　me　…〃
　〃Yes；　all　right。　Look　here；　there　are　a　number　of　ways　we　could　have　gone　about　this；　including　your　uncle's　idiotic　suggestion　that　we　wear　captured　Turkish　uniforms　and　march　into　their　headquarters　demanding　information。〃
　〃I　don't　see　why　…〃
　〃Then　I'll　tell　you　why。〃　Ramses　lost　the　remains　of　his　temper。　〃It's　a　miracle　you　haven't　already　been　spotted。　If　I　were　picked　up　and　questioned；　they　would　probably　do　nothing　worse　than　send　me　to　the　trenches；　from　which　I　would　soon　remove　myself。　If　they　caught　you；　it　wouldn't　take　a　trained　officer　more　than　ten　seconds　to　identify　you　as　an　Englishman。　It's　not　just　your　accent；　it's　the　way　you　stand；　and　sit；　and　move　and　。　。　。　everything　about　you！〃
　Chetwode　bowed　his　head。　〃I　didn't　know　I　was　that　bad。〃
　〃All　of　you　are。　It's　not　your　fault；〃　he　added；　more　kindly。　〃To　pass　convincingly　as　a　native　of　the　area；　you　have　to　live　there　and　think　in　the　language　for　years。　This　is　the　safest　way；　and　I'm　trying　to　minimize　the　risks。　You've　done　fine　so　far；　but　you'll　have　to　follow　my　orders　and　keep　your　notes　in　your　head。〃
　〃Like　you？　All　that〃　…　he　gestured　at　the　scattered　bits　of　paper　…　〃was　a　waste　of　time；　wasn't　it？　You've　got　it　memorized。〃
　He　was　back　to　the　hero　worship。　It　was　almost　worse　than　his　brief　attempts　at　independent　thinking。　But　not　as　dangerous。　Ramses　shrugged。　〃It's　a　matter　of　practice。〃
　〃A　little　late　for　me　to　start　now；　I　guess。〃　He　looked　up　with　a　rueful　smile。　〃Sorry。　I'll　do　everything　you　say　from　now　on。〃
　〃Then　get　some　sleep。〃
　Chetwode　couldn't　keep　quiet　even　when　he　slept。　He　snored。　Lying　awake；　his　hands　under　his　head；　Ramses　was　tempted　to　kick　him；　but　his　better　nature　prevailed。　Let　the　fellow　sleep。　He　wished　he　could。　The　night　noises　here　weren't　the　same　as　the　ones　at　home；　his　nerves　twitched　at　every　rustle　in　the　weeds。　Since　sleep　was　impossible；　he　went　over　and　over　the　conversations　he　had　held　that　day；　picking　them　apart；　looking　for　hints　he　might　have　missed。
　He　got　a　little　sleep；　but　not　much；　what　with　Chetwode's　snores　and　the　need　to　listen　for　suspicious　sounds。　At　daybreak　he　roused　his　panion。　Chetwode　was　uncharacteristically　silent　…　sulking　or　brooding；　or　maybe　fighting　an　attack　of　cold　feet；　for　which　Ramses　wouldn't　have　blamed　him。
　Suddenly　Chetwode　said；　〃What　if　something　goes　wrong？〃
　〃I　told　you。　Run。〃
　〃That's　not　much　of　a　plan；〃　Chetwode　said。　His　mouth　twitched。　Perhaps　he　was　trying　to　smile。
　Ramses　came　to　a　decision。　One　of　the　many　worries　that　had　prevented　him　from　sleeping　was　the　thought　of　his　anxious　family；　waiting　in　Khan　Yunus。
　〃If　you　make　it　out　and　I'm　caught　or　killed；〃　he　said；　〃go　to　the　house　of　Ibn　Rafid　in　Khan　Yunus。　It's　on　the　main　square；　the　largest　house　in　town　…　anyone　can　show　you　which　it　is。　Leave　a　written　message　for　。　。　。〃　He　realized　he　didn't　know　the　name　Emerson　was　currently　using。　〃For　the　present　master　of　the　house；　telling　him　what　happened　to　me。〃
　〃Is　he　one　of　us？〃　Chetwode　asked。
　〃No。〃　The　boy's　curiosity　made　him　wonder　if　he'd　done　the　right　thing。　The　alternative　would　have　been　worse；　though　…　leaving　them　in　ignorance　of　his　fate；　possibly　for　days。　They　might　even　decide　to　invade　Gaza　looking　for　him。　None　of　them　was　noted　for　patience；　and　if　the　worst　happened；　certain　knowledge　was　better　than　false　hope。
　Chetwode　asked　no　further　questions。
　After　they　had　finished　the　bread　and　fruit　left　over　from　the　previous　night；　Ramses　led　the　other　man　on　a　circuitous　route　back　towa