elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第76部分

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　〃Quite　right；〃　Emerson　exclaimed。　〃I　am　the　one　who　should　apologize；　my　boy；　for　badgering　you。　Go　and　get　some　rest。〃
　Ramses　sat　up；　propping　his　heavy　head　with　his　hands。　〃It　might　have　been　him。　There　wasn't　time　to　get　a　good　look。　I　couldn't　determine　whether　the　soldiers　were　guarding　a　prisoner　or　protecting　a　holy　man。　But　the　mere　fact　that　I　am　here；　and　not　in　Sahin's　cell；　is　a　strong　indication　that　Sethos　is　in　Gaza。　Unless　that　is　what　we　are　meant　to　believe　。　。　。　Sorry。　I　seem　to　be　adding　to　the　deadwood　instead　of　clearing　it　away。〃
　〃You　didn't　have　time　to　question　the　girl；　I　suppose；〃　I　said。　〃And　don't　say　you're　sorry　again！〃
　Ramses　summoned　up　a　feeble　grin。　〃Yes；　Mother。　I　did　ask　who　had　helped　her。　She　claimed　no　one　had；　that　it　was　all　her　doing。〃
　〃She　lied；〃　I　said。　〃Quite　understandable；　she　wanted　the　credit　and　your　…　er　…　gratitude。〃
　Ramses　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　think　so。　Her　fear　was　genuine。　You　know　how　Sethos　operates。　If　it　was　he　who　arranged　my　escape；　he'd　have　found　a　way　of　supplying　her　with　everything　she　needed　while　leaving　her　with　the　impression　that　the　whole　thing　had　been　her　idea。〃
　〃But　how　did　he　manage　it？〃　I　demanded。　〃He　had　less　than　twelve　hours　to　e　up　with　a　plan　and　carry　it　out。　He　must　have　known　the　identity　of　Sahin's　prisoner；　for　surely　he　would　not　have　taken　such　a　risk　for　a　stranger。　How　did　he　find　out　it　was　you？〃
　〃That　question　hadn't　occurred　to　me。〃　Ramses　sat　up　straighter。　〃And　it　may　be　significant。　Could　that　have　been　why　Sahin　didn't　pop　me　into　his　little　cell　straightaway？　Damn　it；　yes！　He　put　me　on　display　…　beardless　and　bareheaded；　easily　recognizable　…　and　when　they　did　take　me　downstairs　they　paraded　me　through　most　of　the　house　first。　If　Sethos　was　staying　in　the　same　house　。　。　。〃　His　brief　animation　faded。　〃It　still　doesn't　answer　the　most　important　questions。〃
　〃Yes；　yes；〃　Emerson　said　gruffly。　〃We'll　talk　about　it　later。　Take　him　away；　Nefret。〃
　Ramses　got　slowly　to　his　feet。　〃Take　me　where？〃
　〃To　my　little　private　cubicle；〃　Nefret　said；　drawing　his　arm　over　her　shoulders。
　〃Are　there　any　peepholes　in　the　walls？〃
　〃Probably。　Does　it　matter？〃
　〃That　depends。〃　He　smiled　down　into　her　upturned　face　and　brushed　her　cheek　with　his　fingertips。
　〃I　don't　suppose　it　does　matter；〃　I　admitted。　〃By　this　time　everyone　in　town　will　know　we　have　dealings　with　British　officers；　and　that　we　may　not　be　what　we　seem。　I　do　strongly　urge；　however；　that　you　rest　instead　of　…　er　…〃
　〃Of　course；　Mother。〃　Nefret　turned　her　head　and　gave　me　a　bewitching　smile。
　〃That　was　an　extremely　impertinent　and　unsolicited　bit　of　advice；〃　Emerson　said；　after　they　had　left　the　room。　〃She'll　look　after　him。　And　…　er　…　cheer　him　up。　The　boy　is　too　hard　on　himself。〃
　〃He　always　has　been；〃　I　said；　taking　no　notice　of　the　criticism。　〃It　wasn't　his　fault；　it　was　the　fault　of　the　confounded　War　Office。　Shall　I　begin　packing？〃
　〃No；　my　dear。　What's　your　hurry？〃
　〃I　would　have　supposed；〃　I　said；　with　a　certain　amount　of　sarcasm；　〃that　you　would　want　to　go　in　pursuit　of　the　conscienceless　villain　who　sent　your　son　to　risk　torture　and　death。〃
　〃All　in　due　course；　Peabody。　We　went　to　considerable　trouble　to　get　this　close　to　Gaza；　and　I'm　damned　if　I　am　going　to　leave　before　I've　learned　what　we　came　here　to　learn。〃
　〃And　how　do　you　propose　to　do　that？〃
　〃We　could　wait　for　him　to　e　to　us。　That　is　your　favorite　method　of　investigation；　I　believe。〃
　〃You　mean　Sethos；　I　suppose。〃
　〃Sethos　or　anyone　else　who　decides　we　are　a　threat　to　his　plans。〃　He　settled　himself　on　the　divan　and　beckoned　to　me。　〃e　and　sit　by　me；　my　love。　We've　had　little　enough　privacy　these　past　few　days。〃
　I　acceded　at　once；　but　as　his　strong　arm　wrapped　round　me　and　drew　me　close　to　his　side；　I　felt　obliged　to　remind　him　of　the　peepholes。　Emerson　only　chuckled。　〃It　is　time　I　paid　a　few　attentions　to　my　elder　wife。　Give　me　a　kiss。〃
　〃In　English？〃　I　exclaimed。
　〃Kisses　are　a　universal　language；〃　said　Emerson。
　I　was　so　touched　by　this　poetic　sentiment；　I　suffered　the　prickles　of　the　beard　without　objection。　When　I　had　got　my　breath　back；　I　said　suspiciously；　〃You　are　in　a　very　cheerful　mood；　I　must　say。　What　are　you　concealing　from　me？〃
　〃I　have　no　intention　of　concealing　anything　from　you；　my　dear。　I　didn't　want　to　keep　Ramses　from　his　bed　…　er　…　his　rest　any　longer；　but　he　made　an　interesting　point。　If　Sethos　was　staying　in　the　same　house　。　。　。　He　must　have　been；　mustn't　he？　Not　only　did　he　know　Ramses's　identity；　but　he　had　access　to　the　girl。　Now　listen　closely；　Peabody　。　。　。〃
　〃Yes；　my　dear。〃　I　rubbed　my　stinging　cheek。
　〃He　wouldn't　have　approached　her　as　Ismail　Pasha。　It　would　have　been　an　unnecessary　risk。　He　disguised　himself　as　someone　else　。　。　。　and　I　know　who。〃
　〃Well；　so　do　I。〃
　〃Confound　it；〃　Emerson　shouted；　removing　his　arm　and　fixing　me　with　an　evil　glare。　〃You're　doing　it　again！　You　always　claim　you　…〃
　〃But；　my　dear；　it　is　obvious。〃
　〃Oh？　Then　you　tell　me。　Or　shall　we　play　our　old　game；　each　of　us　writing　the　answer　and　sealing　it　in　an　envelope？〃
　We　had　played　this　little　game　often；　and　I　will　admit；　in　the　pages　of　my　private　journal；　that　I　had　maneuvered　Emerson　into　mitting　himself　first　on　certain　occasions　when　I　was　not　entirely　certain　of　my　conclusions。　On　this　occasion　I　did　not　hesitate。
　〃Why；　my　dear；　I　think　we　are　past　that　childish　sort　of　petition。　I　will　be　happy　to　tell　you。　He　disguised　himself　as　Sahin　Pasha。〃
　Emerson　let　out　a　whoop　of　laughter。　He　sobered　almost　at　once；　however；　and　began　stroking　his　beard。　〃Really；　Peabody；　that　is　deuced　ingenious。　But　。　。　。　No；　it　is　impossible。　What　led　you　to　that　remarkable　deduction？〃
　〃Your　turn　next；〃　I　said　playfully。　〃Whom　did　you　suspect？〃
　〃I　need　my　pipe；〃　Emerson　muttered。　〃What　did　you　do　with　it？〃
　I　hadn't　done　anything　with　it。　Muttering　to　himself；　Emerson　rummaged　through　his　voluminous　garments　until　he　located　the　thing　and　his　tobacco　pouch。　I　helped　him　to　light　the　pipe；　keeping　a　wary　eye　out　for　sparks　in　his　beard。
　〃Well；〃　said　Emerson；　settling　back　onto　the　divan　and　puffing　away　with　enjoyment。　〃Where　were　we？〃
　〃You　were　about　to　tell　me　whom　you　suspected　of　being　Sethos。〃
　The　fort　of　his　beloved　pipe　had　given　Emerson　new　courage。　〃The　servant；〃　he　said　decidedly。
　〃The　fellow　who　brought　the　tea？　It　was　drugged；　Emerson。〃
　〃Well；　of　course。　It　would　have　been　a　dead　giveaway　for　him　to　ignore　his　master's　orders。　People　don't　look　at　servants；〃　Emerson　went　on。　〃And　Sahin　had　borrowed　the　house　and；　one　must　suppose；　the　staff　from　someone　else。〃
　〃It　isn't　like　Sethos　to　choose　such　an　inconspicuous　role。〃
　〃No；　he　much　prefers　to　make　a　spectacle　of　himself。　It　would　be　a　coup　much　to　his　taste　to　take　over　the　role　of　someone　as　well　known　as　Sahin。〃
　He　looked　so　chagrined　that　I　felt　obliged　to　offer　his　vanity　a　little　encouragement。　Husbands　appreciate　these　gestures。
　〃There　are　some　things　I　don't　understand；　though；〃　I　said。　〃How　could　Sethos　deceive　Sahin's　men　and　his　household　and　even　his　daughter？〃
　〃Oh；　that；〃　said　Emerson；　with　a　dismissive　wave　of　his　hand。　〃Sethos　has　fooled　more　observant　individuals　than　a　handful　of　dull…witted　guards。　The　girl　may　have　seen　very　little　of　her　father；　I　don't　suppose　Sahin　was　the　sort　of　papa　who　plays　games　with　his　children。〃
　〃Well；　perhaps　I　am　wrong；〃　I　said　handsomely。　〃Without　knowing　more　about　the　household　than　we　do；　it　is　impossible　to　know　for　certain　how　he　managed　it。〃
　〃I　don't　know　how　he　managed　it；〃　Emerson　admitted。　〃Or　what　is　behind　all　this　maneuvering。　But　I　have　a　feeling　…　yes；　my　dear；　call　it　a　premonition　if　you　like　…　I　have　a　feeling　we　will　hear　from　my　eccentric　…　er　…　acquaintance　before　too　long。　And　since　it　appears　that　far　too　many　people　know　our　identities　already；　we　may　as　well　leave　off　pretending　to　be　respectable　Moslems。　What　do　you　say　I　borrow　a　bottle　of　whiskey　from　one　of　our　chaps？〃
　〃I　have　considered　the　advantages　and　disadvantages　of　abandoning　our　masquerade；　and　in　my　opinion　the　advantages　outweigh　the　disadvantages。　The　people　we　were　trying　to　keep　in　the　dark　already　k