elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第82部分

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of　the　ground　floor　toward　the　small　chamber　that　contained　the　secret　door。　Esin　had　spoken　only　once：　〃Is　it　my　father？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Be　quiet　and　hurry。〃
　The　house　was　deserted。　The　servants　who　lived　in　had　run　away　or　were　in　hiding。　One　could　hardly　blame　them　for　refusing　to　bee　involved　in　the　affairs　of　strangers。　No　doubt　the　local　authorities；　such　as　they　were；　felt　the　same。　I　hoped　the　uproar　at　the　gate　would　attract　the　attention　of　the　military　police；　but　by　the　time　they　arrived　it　might　be　too　late。
　Nefret　had　not　spoken　at　all。　We　both　had　our　torches；　she　held　the　light　steady　while　I　searched　for　the　catch　Emerson　had　shown　me。　It　was　stiff　with　disuse；　but　finally　it　yielded。　The　panel　swung　open；　and　we　all　crowded　into　the　space　beyond。　The　passage　went　through　the　thick　wall　of　the　house。　It　was　ten　feet　long　and　less　than　two　feet　wide；　we　had　to　go　single…file；　our　bundles　bumping　against　the　walls。　At　the　end　was　a　wooden　door。　It　was　not　bolted　or　locked；　one　simply　pressed　a　handle　to　release　the　latch；　which　was　presumably　less　visible　from　the　other　side。
　I　did　not　know　what　lay　beyond　that　door。　This　was　as　far　as　I　had　gone　with　Emerson。
　〃Go　ahead；〃　Nefret　whispered。　〃What　are　you　waiting　for？〃
　Her　face　gleamed　with　perspiration。　Esin's　eyes　were　wide　with　terror　and　her　breath　came　in　short　gasps。　I　was　as　anxious　as　they　to　get　out　of　that　cramped　place；　it　was　like　standing　in　an　upright　coffin；　with　dust　clogging　the　nostrils　and　a　strange；　sour　smell。　Many　generations　of　rodents　must　have　lived　and　died　in　that　passage；　their　bones　had　crunched　under　our　feet　as　we　walked。
　〃I　am　waiting　for　the　men　to　join　us；〃　I　replied。　〃We　cannot　take　the　risk　of　being　separated。　Since　I　do　not　know　whether　they　will　follow　us　through　the　bab…sirr　or　e　round　to　the　back；　we　had　better　remain　where　we　are。　Put　out　the　torch；　Nefret。　I　expect　they　will　be　along　shortly。〃
　My　confidence　was　not　assumed。　With　the　aid　of　Emerson's　strength；　they　should　be　able　to　close　and　barricade　the　gate　and　beat　a　strategic　retreat。　However；　it　is　difficult　to　estimate　time　in　the　dark；　we　waited；　breathing　with　difficulty；　for　what　seemed　like　hours；　before　hinges　creaked　and　a　square　of　paler　darkness　opened　before　me。
　〃Don't　shoot；〃　said　a　familiar　voice。
　I　tucked　my　pistol　back　into　my　pocket。　〃I　couldn't　be　sure　it　was　you；〃　I　explained。　〃Are　Ramses　and　Selim　…〃
　〃All　present　and　accounted　for；〃　said　Ramses　breathlessly。　〃We　can't　stay　here；　they'll　be　looking　for　us。　Let's　go。〃
　〃Where？〃　I　demanded；　squeezing　through　a　narrow　aperture　and　a　curtain　of　thorny　vines。
　〃We　have　an　appointment　at　midnight；　I　believe。　I　am　all　the　more　anxious　now　to　hear　what　the　。　。　。　fellow　has　to　say。　Damn　these　cactuses；〃　Emerson　added。
　They　formed　a　hedge　a　few　feet　away。　The　wall　of　the　house　rose　sheer　and　windowless　behind　us。　Nefret　and　Esin　followed　me　out　and　Emerson　closed　the　panel；　which　was　of　wood　painted　to　resemble　the　plastered　surface　of　which　it　formed　a　part。
　〃Lead　on；〃　I　said。
　The　narrow　lane　into　which　we　had　emerged　led　back　to　the　square；　but　it　was　obvious　we　could　not　go　that　way；　from　the　sounds　of　it；　a　full…scale　riot　was　in　progress。　A　tongue　of　fire　shot　up。　Someone　usually　sets　fire　to　something　during　these　affairs；　which；　once　started；　go　on　of　their　own　momentum　…　especially　when　there　are　interested　parties　fanning　the　flames。　As　we　retreated　in　the　opposite　direction；　I　heard　the　same　high…pitched　shriek　of　〃unbelievers。〃
　It　was　fortunate　that　we　had　explored　the　town　earlier。　Cactus　hedges　and　high　walls　formed　barricades　that　had　to　be　got　round；　and　twice　the　sight　of　men　waving　torches　forced　us　to　retreat　in　haste。　It　was　quite　exciting。　However；　we　found　ourselves　at　last　in　the　open　countryside。　The　moon　shone　brightly　down　on　fields　of　waving　grain　and　groves　of　orange　and　fig　trees。
　Moonlight　is　good　for　lovers　but　it　is　cursed　inconvenient　for　fugitives。　We　kept　to　the　shadows　whenever　we　could；　and　once　the　sound　of　approaching　hoofbeats　made　us　dive　for　cover　in　a　ditch。　After　the　small　troop　had　galloped　past；　I　said　to　Emerson；　〃They　were　our　fellows；　Australians　and　New　Zealanders。　Perhaps　we　ought　to　have　stopped　them。〃
　〃Do　you　want　to　explain　this　evening's　events　…　and　her　…　to　General　Chetwode？〃　Emerson　demanded。
　It　was　a　rhetorical　question；　and　he　did　not　wait　for　an　answer。
　The　distance　was　less　than　two　miles；　but　I　would　never　have　found　the　place　without　a　guide。　The　small　hamlet　had　long　been　abandoned　and　the　majority　of　the　houses　had　collapsed　into　shapeless　piles　of　stone。　One　or　two　of　them　still　retained　their　walls　and　parts　of　the　roof。　There　was　no　sign　of　life　in　the　half…ruined　structure　to　which　Ramses　led　us。
　〃We　are　a　trifle　late；〃　I　whispered。　〃Perhaps　he　has　left。〃
　〃If　he　isn't　there；　I　will　go　to　Gaza　and　drag　him　out　by　his　collar；〃　Emerson　muttered。
　He　wasn't　there。　Ramses；　who　had　insisted　on　searching　the　place　before　we　entered；　returned　to　report　this　fact。　〃It's　not　that　late；〃　he　added。　〃Give　him　time。〃
　〃I　suppose　we　can't　expect　punctuality　under　these　circumstances；〃　Emerson　admitted。　〃This　is　as　good　a　place　as　any　to　rest；　we　may　as　well　make　ourselves　fortable。　What　have　you　got　in　that　bundle；　Peabody？〃
　〃Only　the　bare　necessities；　I　fear。　Water；　of　course；　and　my　first…aid　kit。　Did　any　of　you　incur　injuries　that　require　attention？〃
　〃Nothing　to　speak　of；〃　Emerson　said。　He　let　out　a　soft　laugh。　〃Your　quotation　was　apropos。　The　damned　fools　tried　to　crowd　in　all　at　once。　'In　yon　straight　path　a　thousand　may　well　be　stopped　by　three；'　as　the　Lays　of　Ancient　Rome　so　poetically　expresses　it。　We　pushed　them　back；　got　the　gate　closed；　and　shoved　a　cart　up　against　it。　Then；　unlike　Horatius　and　his　rades；　we　retreated　in　good　order。　Selim　wanted　to　stay　and　fight　on；　but　I　dragged　him　away。〃
　〃It　was　a　good　fight；〃　Selim　said　reminiscently。
　He　reached　for　the　water　bottle；　which　was　passing　round；　and　I　said　with　a　sigh　of　exasperation；　〃All　right；　Selim；　let　me　see　your　hand。　Why　didn't　you　tell　me　you　had　been　wounded？〃
　〃It　is　nothing；〃　said　Selim。　〃It　will　heal。　I　do　not　need　anything　on　it。〃
　He　meant　antiseptics。　Men　are　strange　creatures；　he　had　taken　a　cut　on　the　side　of　his　wrist　which　had　bled　copiously　and　must　have　hurt　quite　a　lot；　but　I　had　to　speak　sternly　to　him　before　he　let　me　swab　it　with　alcohol。
　It　was　a　relief　to　rest　our　weary　limbs。　Esin　was　half　asleep　already；　stretched　out　on　a　patch　of　ground　Selim　had　gallantly　swept　clean　of　pebbles；　with　her　head　on　one　of　the　bundles。　〃Biscuit；　anyone？〃　I　inquired；　extracting　the　packet　from　my　parcel。
　Emerson　chuckled。　〃What；　no　whiskey？　My　dear　girl；　packing　those　bundles　was　a　brilliant　thought；　but　I　have　e　to　expect　no　less　of　you。〃　We　were　sitting　side　by　side　in　a　darkish　corner；　so　he　gave　me　a　quick　demonstration　of　approval。
　〃How　long　can　we　stay　here　without　being　discovered？〃　I　asked。
　〃It's　safe　enough；〃　Ramses　replied。　〃The　locals　think　the　place　is　haunted。〃
　〃By　you？〃　Nefret　asked。
　〃I　encouraged　the　idea。　I　wonder　。　。　。〃　He　went　to　the　darkest　corner　of　the　place　and　shifted　a　few　stones。　After　a　moment　he　said；　〃No；　it's　not　here　…　the　pistol　I　took　from　Chetwode。　He　must　have　collected　it　on　his　way　back。〃
　〃Pity；〃　said　Emerson。　〃We　may　want　a　weapon　before　the　night　is　over。　Ah；　well；　we　usually　manage　without　one。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Ramses　agreed。　He　went　back　to　Nefret　and　sat　down。　She　leaned　her　head　against　his　shoulder　and　he　put　his　arm　round　her。　〃Darling；　why　don't　you　stretch　out　and　sleep　for　a　while？　It's　beginning　to　look　as　if　he　…〃
　He　broke　off　with　a　hiss　of　breath；　his　head　turning　alertly；　and　raised　a　finger　to　his　lips。　Ramses's　acute　hearing　had　prompted　one　of　Daoud's　more　memorable　sayings：　〃He　can　hear　a　whisper　across　the　Nile。〃　We　froze；　holding　our　breaths。　Ramses　rose　and　drifted　toward　the　door；　silent　as　a　shadow　in　his　dark　galabeeyah。
　Someone　was　ing。　He　walked　quietly　but　not　noiselessly。　I　heard　a　twig　snap　and　then　a　form　appeared　in　the　ragged　moonlit　aperture　of　the　door。　The　silhouette　was　that　of　a　tall　man　wearing　a　turban　an