elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第81部分

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horribly　convincing　theory；　in　fact；　it　was　the　only　reason　I　could　think　of　why　he　might　have　taken　that　risk。　Sahin　Pasha　was　another　unpredictable　factor。　What　would　he　do　when　he　discovered　his　daughter　was　missing？
　By　morning　I　had　formulated　my　plans。　I　explained　them　to　the　others　over　breakfast。
　〃I　am　having　serious　doubts　as　to　the　advisability　of　our　remaining　here。　Let　us　at　least　behave　as　if　our　departure　were　imminent。〃
　〃Start　packing；　you　mean？〃　Nefret　asked；　her　brow　furrowed。
　〃It　would　certainly　do　no　harm　if　each　of　us　made　up　a　little　bundle　of　basic　necessities。　What　I　meant；　however；　was　that　we　should　shop　for　items　we　would　need　on　a　journey　and　inspect　the　motorcar　to　make　certain　it　is　in　good　order。〃
　〃It　is　in　good　order；〃　Selim　declared；　in　some　indignation。
　〃I　am　sure　it　is；　Selim。　But　you　could　pretend　it　was　not；　couldn't　you　…　that　some　repairs　were　needed？　That　would　give　us　a　reasonable　excuse　to　stay　on　for　another　day。〃
　〃Yes；　I　could　do　that；〃　Selim　agreed。　His　eyes　shone　in　anticipation　of　an　interesting　vehicular　challenge。　〃These　people　know　nothing　of　motorcars。　I　could　take　off　the　…〃
　〃No；　no；　you　mustn't　take　anything　off！　I　want　to　be　ready　to　leave　at　a　moment's　notice；　if　we　have　to。〃
　〃Not　having　one　of　your　famous　premonitions；　are　you？〃　Emerson　inquired；　his　eyes　narrowing。　〃Because　if　you　are　…〃
　〃You　don't　want　me　to　tell　you　about　it。　I　am　only　trying　to　anticipate　every　contingency；　Emerson。　That　is　not　superstition；　it　is　simply　good　sense。　We　must　stay　here　until　tomorrow　at　the　earliest；　so　that　we　can　confer　with　Sethos；　and　we　don't　want　some　helpful　military　person　dropping　by　to　inquire　into　our　plans。〃
　〃How　far　do　you　want　to　go？〃　Selim　asked。　〃If　it　is　more　than　five　miles；　we　will　need　more　petrol。〃
　〃What　else　will　we　need？〃
　I　made　a　little　list。　Our　guest；　who　had　not　spoken　except　to　bid　us　good　morning；　said；　〃Am　I　to　go　with　you？〃
　I　leaned　back　and　gave　her　my　full　attention。　A　bath　and　a　change　of　clothing；　into　one　of　〃the　favorite's〃　silk　robes；　had　improved　her　appearance　considerably；　and　I　had　braided　her　hair　myself。　One　could　not　have　called　her　pretty；　her　features　were　too　strong；　but　she　was　a　handsome　girl；　in　her　way。　Selim　kept　sneaking　sidelong　glances　at　her。
　〃We　aren't　going　anywhere　just　yet；〃　I　replied。　〃As　for　taking　you　back　to　Cairo　with　us；　that　depends　on　a　number　of　factors　that　are　as　yet　unknown。〃
　〃We　can't　do　anything　else；〃　said　Emerson。　〃She　has　placed　herself　in　our　hands　and　we　owe　her　our　protection。〃
　Esin's　admiring　gaze　indicated　her　appreciation　of　this　noble　sentiment；　which　was；　I　should　add；　entirely　sincere。　It　wasn't　that　simple；　of　course；　men　fix　on　words　like　honor　and　decency　and　noblesse　oblige；　and　lose　sight　of　the　important　issues。　My　chivalrous　husband　would　never　consent　to　an　exchange；　even　if　the　life　at　stake　was　that　of　his　own　brother。　I　had　not　decided　what　I　would　do　if　the　situation　arose。　We　would　not　be　selling　the　girl　into　slavery；　only　returning　her　to　a　father　who　had　always　treated　her　indulgently　。　。　。
　Sufficient　unto　the　day　is　the　evil　thereof；　I　reminded　myself。　We　must　hope　that　the　hard　decision　did　not　arise。　The　likelihood　of　Sahin's　agreeing　to　an　exchange　of　any　kind　was　slight；　I　thought。　Pride　and　duty　…　two　more　of　those　masculine　catchwords　…　would　forbid　it；　and　he　would　not　fear　for　her　safety　if　we　were　looking　after　her。
　〃Speaking　of　that　…　I　refer　to　my　husband's　statement　that　you　placed　yourself　in　our　hands；〃　I　said。　〃Did　you？　Were　you　aware　that　you　were　being　brought　to　us？〃
　〃Oh；　yes。〃　She　transferred　her　admiring　gaze　to　Ramses。　〃Did　you　not　say　you　were　in　my　debt　…　that　you　would　protect　me　from　my　father's　wrath？〃
　〃Did　you？〃　Nefret　inquired　sweetly。
　Ramses's　beleaguered　gaze　moved　from　the　girl　to　Nefret　and　back。　〃I　…　uh　…　to　be　honest；　I　don't　remember　what　the　hell　I　said！〃
　〃If　you　did　not　say　it；　you　meant　it；〃　Esin　declared。　〃No　Englishman　would　leave　a　woman　to　suffer　for　a　service　she　had　done　him。〃
　〃But　you　said　your　father　didn't　suspect　you；〃　Ramses　protested。
　〃He　was　beginning　to。　That　is　what　Ismail　Pasha　told　me。〃
　〃Ah；〃　I　said。　〃So　he　offered　to　help　you。〃
　Her　forehead　wrinkled。　〃I　think　that　is　how　it　was。　But　I　did　most　of　it　myself。　I　had　to　find　my　own　way　out　of　the　house。　That　was　not　so　hard；　I　know　all　the　secret　passages　and　cellars；　but　then　I　had　to　go　to　the　place　he　told　me　about；　the　tomb　of　a　saint　that　is　outside　the　wall　of　the　Serai。　It　is　not　far；　but　I　was　very　frightened；　and　I　had　to　wait　a　long　time　before　the　rug　merchant　came　with　his　cart；　and　then　he　was　stopped　at　the　guard　post　and　I　could　hear　them　talking　and　laughing　and　I　was　afraid　they　would　search　the　cart。　But　they　did　not。　It　was　a　long　bumpy　ride　and　I　could　not　breathe　very　well；　and　…〃
　〃You　were　very　courageous；〃　I　interrupted；　for　I　had　heard　enough。　The　essentials　of　the　story　had　been　told。　It　sounded　as　if　Ramses　had　been　correct　about　Sethos's　devious　methods。
　The　various　schemes　I　had　proposed　kept　us　busy　all　day。　Selim　spent　a　good　deal　of　the　time　underneath　the　motorcar；　surrounded　by　a　fascinated　audience；　including　the　babies　and　the　goats。　From　time　to　time　he　emerged；　sweating　and　oil…stained；　to　report　progress　and　bask　in　the　admiration　of　the　beholders。　We　could　have　got　the　petrol　from　an　independent　businessman　…　there　was　a　thriving　black　market　on　all　military　items　…　but　Emerson　decided　that　we　might　just　as　well　ask　the　authorities　for　it。　It　required　only　four　hours　for　his　request　to　be　approved。　Clearly；　they　were　anxious　to　be　rid　of　us。
　By　evening　our　plans　had　been　pleted。　I　had　whiled　away　the　hours　exploring　the　rest　of　the　house。　It　was　like　many　others　I　had　visited；　with　nothing　of　particular　interest　except　for　even　more　secret　passages　and　hidden　chambers　than　usual。　Mahmud　or　one　of　his　ancestors　appeared　to　have　had　little　faith　in　his　government；　his　associates；　and　his　wives。
　According　to　Ramses；　we　should　allow　at　least　an　hour　to　reach　the　spot　Sethos　had　indicated。　When　we　gathered　in　the　ka'ah　for　a　light　evening　repast；　we　discussed　who　should　go。　Naturally　I　intended　to　make　one　of　the　party；　and　Emerson　was　set　on　confronting　his　infuriating　brother。　Someone　had　to　stay　with　the　girl；　we　all　agreed　to　that　…　Nefret　with　a　caustic　〃I'm　always　the　one〃　…　but　Selim　and　Ramses　could　not　decide　which　of　them　should　go　and　which　should　remain　with　the　two　young　women。　It　lacked　half　an　hour　till　the　time　we　were　to　leave；　and　we　were　still　discussing　the　matter；　when　a　horrible；　ululating　howl　broke　the　silence　of　the　quiet　night。　The　mashrabiya　screen　was　ajar　and　I　heard　the　words　quite　clearly：
　〃O　unbelievers；　prepare　for　death！　O　ye　unrighteous；　who　walk　in　darkness　pursued　by　afrits　and　。　。　。〃　The　speech　ended　in　an　anticlimactic　squawk。
　In　a　body　we　rushed　to　the　window　and　flung　the　screen　open。　In　the　moonlight　I　saw　a　dark　mass　huddled　outside　the　gate；　and　Selim；　his　shoulder　braced　against　it。　Realizing　they　had　been　discovered；　the　invaders　began　battering　at　the　gate。
　I　tried；　too　late；　to　catch　hold　of　Ramses；　who　had　climbed　over　the　sill。　He　dropped　to　the　ground　and　reached　Selim　as　the　gate　gave　way。　Selim's　knife　flashed。　Ramses　had　snatched　up　a　lever　or　spanner　as　he　ran　past　the　motorcar；　he　swung　his　arm；　and　a　scream　from　one　of　the　attackers　wavered　into　silence。
　〃Quick！〃　Emerson　exclaimed。　〃Out　the　bab…sirr；　all　of　you。〃
　〃Be　damned　to　that！〃　I　shrieked；　for　my　blood　was　up。　〃　'Now　who　will　stand　on　either　hand；　And　keep　the　bridge　with　…　'　〃
　〃Me；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Curse　it；　Peabody；　get　the　girls　out　of　here。　You　know　what　to　do。〃
　He　was　already　halfway　out　the　window；　lowering　himself　by　one　hand。
　The　fighting　instincts　of　the　Peabodys　were　not　easily　controlled；　but　the　confidence　he　had　placed　in　me　enabled　me　to　master　them。　I　expected　some　objection　from　Nefret；　but　she　made　none。　Pausing　only　long　enough　to　collect　the　bundles　we　had　packed　earlier；　we　fled　down　the　stairs　and　through　the　rooms　of　the　ground　floor　toward　the　small　chamber　that　contained　the　secret　door。　Esin　had　spoken　only　on