elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第85部分

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the　adoring　mob　that　presses　round　the　holy　man　asking　for　his　blessing。〃
　〃So　he　can　pass　messages　to　you；　and　you　to　him；〃　I　prompted。
　〃Something　like　that；〃　Sir　Edward　said　evasively。　〃I　knew　he　planned　to　get　Sahin's　daughter　away。　I'd　have　talked　him　out　of　it　if　I　could；　or　at　least　tried　to　persuade　him　not　to　go　back　to　Gaza。　Sahin　was　bound　to　suspect　he'd　had　a　hand　in　the　business　and　clamp　down　on　him　even　more　closely。　I　think　that　is　what　has　happened。〃
　〃Can　you　send　someone　to　find　out？〃　I　asked。
　Emerson　cleared　his　throat。　〃My　papers　…〃
　〃No；〃　Ramses　and　I　said　in　the　same　breath。
　〃What　papers？〃　Sir　Edward　demanded；　his　eyes　widening。
　Proudly　Emerson　drew　them　forth　and　handed　them　to　Sir　Edward。　The　sun　was　well　up　now；　the　gilt　sparkled　impressively　in　the　light。
　〃I　can't　read　Turkish；〃　Sir　Edward　said　blankly。
　〃Ramses　can。〃　Emerson's　pipe　had　gone　out。　He　struck　a　match。　〃He　says　they　are　perfectly　in　order。〃
　〃Yes；　very　well；　but　you　can't　…　you　can't　just　walk　up　to　the　trenches　and　…〃
　〃No；　it　will　take　some　preparation；〃　Emerson　admitted。
　〃That　is　quite　right；〃　I　said；　seeing　in　my　mind's　eye　the　preparations　Emerson　was　planning。　Camels；　servants；　gold…trimmed　robes；　and　a　huge　scimitar　。　。　。　He　would　so　enjoy　it；　and　sheer　effrontery　might　allow　him　to　carry　it　off。　For　a　while。
　〃Admirable；〃　Sir　Edward　murmured。　He　sounded　more　horrified　than　admiring。　〃Sir；　give　me　a　chance　to　use　our　regular　channels　first。〃
　〃An　excellent　idea；〃　I　said；　before　Emerson　could　object。　〃Sir　Edward；　I　am　curious　to　know　how　…〃
　〃I　beg　you　will　excuse　the　interruption；　Mrs。　Emerson；　but　could　we　postpone　the　interrogation　for　a　few　hours？〃　Sir　Edward　rubbed　his　eyes。　〃I　need　to　rest；　even　if　you　don't；　and　there　are　a　few　domestic　matters　I　must　attend　to。〃
　〃Certainly。　Just　show　me　where　you　keep　the　clean　sheets。〃
　It　was　the　final　straw　for　poor　Sir　Edward。　〃I　…　Oh；　Lord。　I　don't　know　that　there　are　any；　Mrs。　Emerson。〃
　〃If　there　were；　where　would　they　be？　e；〃　I　said　in　a　kindly　manner；　〃let's　just　have　a　look。　It　won't　take　long。〃
　The　others　declared　they　would　stretch　out　on　the　divans；　and　Sir　Edward　and　I　went　off　on　what　he　clearly　believed　was　a　hopeless　quest。　Eventually　we　found　a　cupboard　that　contained　linens　of　various　kinds。　I　selected　a　few。　Sir　Edward；　always　the　gentleman；　took　the　pile　from　me。　I　allowed　him　to　do　so；　though　he　had　a　little　difficulty　getting　hold　of　it。
　〃I　was　sorry　to　see　that；〃　I　said；　with　the　lightest　possible　touch　of　his　arm。　〃It　was　in　France　that　it　happened；　I　suppose。〃
　〃Ypres。〃　He　spoke　curtly；　avoiding　my　eyes。　Pity　he　would　not　accept；　acknowledgment　of　his　sacrifice　was　owed　him；　and　I　felt　obliged　to　make　it。
　〃It　must　have　been　dreadful。　I　am　so　sorry。〃
　〃What；　womanly　sympathy　from　you；　Mrs。　Emerson？　A　touch　out　of　character；　isn't　it？〃
　〃It　is　sincere。〃
　〃I　know。〃　His　rigid　features　relaxed。　〃I　am　sorry　too；　for　speaking　rudely。　It's　not　so　bad；　you　know。　It　got　me　out　of　the　army；　which　was　all　to　the　good。　I　had　bee　somewhat　disenchanted。〃
　〃Can　nothing　be　done　about　an　artificial　limb？〃
　〃Oh；　yes。　I've　got　quite　a　good　one。　It　broadens　my　repertoire　of　disguises　to　a　remarkable　extent。　I'm　thinking　of　attaching　a　bayonet；　or　perhaps　a　hook。〃
　I　patted　him　on　the　shoulder。　〃Splendid；〃　I　said　heartily。
　〃Or　a　parasol；〃　said　Sir　Edward。　His　smile　was　that　of　the　charming　debonair　gentleman　I　had　known。
　I　was　to　remember　that　smile　for　a　long　time。　When　I　woke　from　a　brief　but　refreshing　nap；　he　was　gone　…　from　the　house　and　from　the　grounds　and；　I　feared；　back　into　the　powder　keg　that　was　Gaza。
　It　took　me　a　while　to　discover　this。　I　had　decided　to　sleep　on　one　of　the　divans　rather　than　go　to　the　trouble　of　making　up　a　bed　which；　if　events　continued　to　unfold；　I　might　never　occupy。　When　I　went　to　look　in　at　Esin；　I　almost　fell　over　Selim；　who　was　stretched　out　across　her　threshold。　I　left　him　there；　since　that　was　where　he　had　chosen　to　be；　and　went　back　to　the　saloon。　Ramses　and　Nefret　lay　side　by　side；　his　arm　round　her　and　her　head　on　his　shoulder。　I　stood　for　a　moment　watching　them。　One　of　Ramses's　eyes　opened　and　regarded　me　quizzically。
　〃All's　well；〃　I　reported；　and　tiptoed　toward　the　divan　where　Emerson　lay。
　I　did　not　mean　to　sleep　for　more　than　an　hour；　but　even　as　I　reclined　the　skies　were　darkening；　and　the　gentle　murmur　of　rain　must　have　lulled　me。　It　was　the　sound　of　heavy　footsteps　that　woke　me　…　the　running　steps　of　a　person　in　haste。　I　sat　up　with　a　start　and　reached　into　my　nearest　pocket。　It　was　the　wrong　pocket。　I　was　fumbling　in　another；　trying　to　locate　my　little　pistol；　when　a　man　burst　into　the　room　and　came　to　a　stop。　He　was　breathing　heavily　and　water　poured　from　his　soaked　garments。
　Emerson　was　thrashing　around　and　muttering；　as　he　always　does　when　he　is　suddenly　aroused；　but　Ramses　was　on　his　feet；　alert　and　ready。　The　newer；　too　breathless　to　speak；　held　out　empty　hands　in　the　universal　gesture　of　conciliation。　I　could　not　see　him　clearly；　the　room　was　rather　dark。　I　knew　him；　though。
　〃Ah；〃　I　said。　〃So　here　you　are　at　last。　It　is　all　right；　Ramses。〃
　〃No　…　it　…　isn't。〃　Sethos　got　it　out　one　word　at　a　time。　〃Where's　…　Edward？〃
　〃He　isn't　here？〃　I　asked。
　〃No。〃
　Emerson　had　finally　got　his　wits　together。　〃It's　you；　is　it？〃　he　demanded；　squinting　through　the　gloom。　〃High　bloody　time。〃
　〃Bloody　too　late；〃　said　Sethos；　beginning　to　control　his　breath。　〃Did　Edward　tell　you　where　…〃
　〃We　were　not　even　aware　of　his　departure；〃　I　replied。　〃Please　pose　yourself　so　that　we　can　converse　rationally。〃
　〃And　get　out　of　those　wet　clothes；〃　Nefret　said。
　〃What；　here　and　now？〃
　Ramses　had　lighted　several　of　the　lamps。　Sethos　threw　his　shoulders　back　and　tried　to　look　as　if　he　were　in　mand　of　the　situation；　but　he　was　a　wretched　figure；　every　garment　saturated　and　even　his　beard　dripping。
　〃A　chill　can　bring　on　malaria；〃　Nefret　said　calmly。　〃Get　them　off　at　once。　I'll　ask　Mustafa　to　make　tea。〃
　〃And　something　to　eat；〃　I　called　after　her；　as　she　hastened　from　the　room。
　〃And　something　to　wear；〃　said　my　brother…in…law　resignedly。　He　pulled　off　the　sodden　lump　of　his　turban　and　the　fez　round　which　it　had　been　wrapped。　〃This　is　as　far　as　I　am　prepared　to　go；　Amelia；　while　you　remain　in　the　room。〃
　Anxious　as　I　was　to　hold　the　long…delayed　discussion　…　urgent　as　were　the　questions　to　be　asked　and　answered　…　physical　needs　took　precedence。　Sethos　had　had　malaria　before。　It　would　be　extremely　inconvenient　if　he　came　down　with　it　again。
　〃e　with　me；〃　I　ordered；　and　led　the　way　out　of　the　room。
　Selim；　still　lying　romantically　across　the　girl's　threshold；　woke　instantly　when　we　approached　…　and　no　wonder；　on　that　hard　floor。　He　sprang　up；　reaching　for　his　knife。
　〃He　is　a　friend；　Selim；〃　I　said。　〃Perhaps　you　would　be　good　enough　to　help　him　change　his　wet　clothing。〃
　〃I　do　not　require　a　damned　valet；〃　Sethos　snarled。
　〃Selim　isn't　a　valet。　You　require　assistance；　and　that　is　what　you　are　about　to　get。　Follow　me；　both　of　you。〃
　A　large　cupboard　in　the　other　bedroom　contained　an　extensive　wardrobe；　ranging　from　abas　and　galabeeyahs　to　a　nice　tweed　suit　that　Sethos　had　borrowed　from　Ramses　the　year　before。　I　left　them　to　it；　and　returned　to　the　saloon。　Mustafa　had　scraped　together　a　rather　extraordinary　meal　…　tinned　tongue　and　bread　and　fruit；　and；　of　course；　tea。　Before　long；　Selim　and　Sethos　joined　us；　the　latter　in　dry　garments；　his　unruly　hair　still　damp。
　〃Well；　this　is　cozy；〃　said　Sethos；　with　a　decidedly　sardonic　inflection。　〃A　jolly　little　family　gathering。　I've　been　chasing　you　across　the　countryside　all　night。〃
　〃Were　you　at　the　rendezvous？〃　I　asked。
　〃Not　until　after　you'd　left。　Would　you　like　to　know　what　happened？〃
　〃Very　much　so；〃　said　Emerson；　with　a　snap　of　his　teeth。
　〃I　had　to　make　a　run　for　it；〃　Sethos　explained。　〃I　…　er　…　miscalculated　a　trifle；　you　see。　I　didn't　expect　Sahin　would　move　so　quickly　or　so　decisively。　He's　a　very　efficient　man；　with　a　well…organized　network　of　supporters　hereabouts。　It　didn't　take　him　long　to　find　out　you　were　in　Khan　Yunus。　You　weren't　exactly　discreet；　were　you？〃
　〃The　disclosure　of　our　true　i