elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第87部分

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know　that。　I　thought　he'd　go　to　some　lengths　to　get　her　back；　but　I　didn't　realize　。　。　。　Paternal　affection　isn't　one　of　my　strong　points。　I　told　you　about　Maryam；　didn't　I？〃
　〃Who？〃　I　had　to　repeat　the　question。　He　was　half　asleep；　wandering　a　little　in　his　mind。
　〃Maryam。　Molly。　That's　the　name　you　knew　。　。　。　She's　gone。〃
　〃Dead？〃　I　gasped。　〃Your　daughter？〃
　〃No。　Gone。　Left。　Ran　away。　Hates　me。　Because　of　her　mother。　She's　living　proof　of　heredity。　Got　the　worst　of　both　parents。　Poor　little　devil　。　。　。　She　is；　you　know。　Amelia　。　。　。〃
　〃It's　all　right；〃　I　said　softly；　taking　the　hand　that　groped　for　mine。　〃Everything　will　be　all　right。　Sleep　now。〃
　I　sat　by　him　until　his　hand　relaxed　and　the　lines　on　his　face　smoothed　out。　I　had　intended　…　oh；　I　admit　it　…　to　take　advantage　of　his　drowsy　state　to　wring　information　out　of　him；　but　I　had　not　expected　revelations　so　intimate；　so　personal；　so　painful。
　His　daughter　had　been　fourteen　years　of　age　when　I　knew　her。　She　must　be　sixteen　now。　Her　mother　had　been　Sethos's　lover　and　partner　in　crime；　but　her　tigerish　affection　had　turned　to　jealous　hatred　when　she　realized　his　heart　belonged　to　another。　（Me；　in　fact；　or　so　he　claimed。）　She　tried　several　times　to　kill　me　and　succeeded　in　assassinating　one　of　my　dearest　friends　before　she　met　her　end　at　the　hands　of　those　who　had　been　an　instant　too　late　to　save　him。
　How　much　of　that　terrible　story　did　the　child　know？　If　she　blamed　her　father　for　her　mother's　death；　she　could　not　know　the　whole　truth。　He　had　not　even　been　present　when　she　died；　and　she　had　led　a　life　of　crime　and　depravity　before　she　met　Sethos。　A　moralist　might　hold　him　guilty　of　failing　to　redeem　her；　but　in　my　opinion　even　a　saint；　which　Sethos　was　not；　would　have　found　Bertha　hard　going。
　I　do　not　believe　that　the　dead　hand　of　heredity　is　the　sole　determinant　of　character。　Remembering　Molly　as　I　had　last　seen　her；　looking　even　younger　than　her　actual　age；　the　picture　of　freckled；　childish　innocence　。　。　。　But　she　hadn't　looked　so　innocent　the　day　I　found　her　in　Ramses's　room　with　her　dress　half　off　…　by　her　own　act；　I　should　add。　If　I　had　not　happened　to　be　passing　by　…　if　Ramses　had　not　had　the　good　sense　to　summon　me　at　once　…　or　if　he　had　been　another　kind　of　man；　the　kind　of　man　she　hoped　he　was　…　he　might　have　found　himself　in　an　extremely　interesting　situation。
　That　proved　nothing。　She　had　not　deliberately　set　out　to　seduce　or　shame　him；　she　had　been　young　and　foolish　and　infatuated。　My　heart　swelled　with　pity；　for　her　and　for　the　man　who　lay　sleeping　on　the　bed；　his　face　pale　and　drawn　with　fatigue。　He　had　not　known　how　much　he　loved　her　until　he　lost　her；　and　he　blamed　himself。　How　wonderful　it　would　be　if　I　could　bring　father　and　child　together　again！
　It　was　a　happy　thought；　but　not　practical　…　for　the　present；　at　any　rate。　We　had　to　get　through　the　current　difficulty　first。　With　a　sigh　I　slipped　my　hand　from　his　and　tiptoed　out　of　the　room。
　〃Well？〃　Emerson　demanded。　〃You've　been　the　devil　of　a　long　time。　How　much　were　you　able　to　get　out　of　him？〃
　〃We　were　right　about　him；　of　course；〃　I　replied；　seating　myself　next　to　him　as　his　gesture　invited。　〃He　is　no　traitor。　His　mission　was　to　remove　Sahin　Bey　…　Pasha。〃
　〃Kill　him；　you　mean？〃　Ramses　asked。
　〃He　didn't　say。　But　surely　Sethos　would　not　…〃
　〃Sahin　is　a　dangerous　enemy　and　this　is　wartime。　However；〃　Ramses　said　thoughtfully；　〃the　same　purpose　would　be　served　if　Sahin　Pasha　were　to　be　disgraced　and　removed　from　his　position。　In　the　last　week　he's　lost　me；　his　daughter；　and　now　Ismail　Pasha；　whose　flight　will　prove　to　their　satisfaction　that　he　was　a　British　spy。　Careless；　to　say　the　least！〃
　〃More　than　careless；〃　Emerson　exclaimed。　〃Highly　suspicious；　to　say　the　least！　With　that　lot；　you　are　guilty　until　proven　innocent。　By　Gad；　my　boy；　I　believe　you　are　right。　It's　like　Sethos　to　concoct　such　a　devious　scheme。　If　the　Turks　believe；　as　they　well　may；　that　Sahin　Pasha　has　been　a　double　agent　all　along；　they　will　have　to　reorganize　their　entire　intelligence　network。　It　could　take　months。〃
　〃And　in　the　meantime　they　would　be　without　their　best　and　cleverest　man；〃　I　added。　〃Sethos　said　that　once　Sahin　was　out　of　the　way；　they　could　proceed　with　。　。　。　something。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃He　didn't　say。〃
　〃And　who　is　'they'？〃　Nefret　asked。　〃Who　is　he　working　for？　Not　Cartright　and　'that　lot'？〃
　〃He　…　er　…　didn't　say。〃
　Emerson　brought　his　fist　down　on　the　table；　rattling　the　crockery。　〃What　did　he　say？　Good　Gad；　you　were　with　him　for　almost　three　quarters　of　an　hour。〃
　〃How　do　you　know　that？〃　I　demanded。　〃You　haven't　a　watch。〃
　This　time　my　attempt　to　distract　him　and　put　him　on　the　defensive　did　not　succeed。　〃Just　answer　the　question；　Peabody。　What　were　you　talking　about　all　that　while？〃
　〃Personal　matters。　Oh；　Emerson；　for　pity's　sake；　don't　grind　your　teeth。　I　wanted　to　make　certain　he　was　asleep　before　I　left　him。　The　man　is　on　the　edge　of　nervous　collapse。　He　has　been　living　for　months　under　conditions　of　intolerable　strain。　He　must　not　be　allowed　to　return　to　Gaza。〃
　〃He　wouldn't　be　such　a　fool；〃　Emerson　muttered。
　〃He　would　if　he　believed　Sir　Edward　had　gone　there　to　look　for　him。〃
　〃He　wouldn't　be　such　a　fool；〃　Emerson　declared。
　〃He　would　if　he　believed　his　leader　was　in　danger。　They　have　been　friends　for　a　long　time。　I　am　going　to　talk　to　Mustafa；　perhaps　Sir　Edward　said　something　to　him。　And　I　promised　to　treat　his　sore　。　。　。　Ah；　there　you　are；　Esin。　You　had　a　good　long　rest。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Rubbing　sleepy　eyes；　she　took　a　seat　on　the　divan　next　to　Ramses。　〃What　has　happened？　Has　my　father　…〃
　〃Nothing　has　happened。　You　are　perfectly　safe。　Are　you　hungry？　There　must　be　something　left　on　that　tray。　Excuse　me。　I　won't　be　long。〃
　Ramses　acpanied　me。　I　had　expected　he　or　his　father　would　do　so；　and　on　the　whole　I　preferred　Ramses　to　Emerson。　His　questions　were　not　likely　to　be　so　provocative。
　〃I　thought　I'd　better　e　along　in　case　Mustafa's　sore　is　located　in　a　place　Father　would　prefer　you　didn't　examine；〃　he　explained。
　〃That　is　highly　unlikely。〃
　〃I　was　joking；　Mother。〃
　〃I　know；　my　dear。〃
　The　skies　were　still　overcast　but　the　rain　had　stopped。　It　dripped　in　mournful　cadence　from　the　eaves　of　the　arcades　around　the　courtyard。　I　allowed　Ramses　to　take　my　arm。
　〃I　am　of　the　opinion　that　you　are　right　about　Sethos's　intentions；〃　I　said。　〃It　was　clever　of　you　to　reason　it　out。〃
　〃Too　clever；　perhaps？　I'd　hate　to　think　my　mind　works　along　the　same　lines　as　his。〃
　〃Whatever　his　original　intentions；　they　have　almost　certainly　had　the　effect　you　described。　Goodness；　but　this　is　a　dreary　place。　There　doesn't　seem　to　be　a　soul　about。　Mustafa？〃
　〃He's　probably　with　the　horses；〃　Ramses　said。
　Mustafa　heard　our　voices　and　emerged　from　the　shed。　〃I　was　talking　to　the　horses；〃　he　said。　〃They　are　fine　animals。　Is　there　something　you　lack；　Sitt　Hakim？〃
　〃Not　at　the　moment。　I　want　to　talk　to　you；　Mustafa。　And　treat　your　sore　。　。　。　Where　is　it？〃
　Mustafa　sat　down　on　a　bench　and　held　out　his　foot。　It　was　bare　and　callused　and　very　dirty。
　〃You　will　have　to　wash　it　first；〃　I　said。
　〃Wash？〃　Mustafa　repeated　in　astonishment。
　Ramses；　who　appeared　to　be　enjoying　himself　very　much；　fetched　a　bucket　of　water　and　we　persuaded　Mustafa　to　put　his　foot　into　it。　I　had　brought　a　bar　of　Pear's　soap　with　me；　since　I　knew　that　modity　is　not　mon　in　houses　of　the　region。　After　a　vigorous　scrubbing　the　sore　was　apparent　…　an　infected　big　toe；　which　he　must　have　stubbed　and　then　neglected。　The　alcohol　made　Mustafa's　eyes　pop。
　〃I　am　going　to　bandage　your　foot；〃　I　said；　applying　gauze　and　sticking　plaster　liberally。　〃But　you　must　keep　it　clean。　Change　the　bandage　every　day　and　wash　it。〃
　〃Is　that　all？〃　Mustafa　asked。
　〃That　should　…〃
　Ramses　coughed　loudly。　〃Will　you　say　the　proper　words；　Mother；　or　shall　I？〃
　〃Incantations　are　more　in　your　line　than　mine；〃　I　replied　in　English。　〃Proceed。〃
　Once　that　essential　part　of　the　treatment　was　pleted；　Mustafa　was　satisfied；　and　I　got　down　to　business。
　〃Did　Sir　Edward　tell　you　where　he　was　going？〃
　〃No。〃　Mustafa　held　up　his　foot　and　studied　the　bandage。　〃He　took　the　mule。〃
　〃You　have　a　mule？〃
　〃Two。　He　took　one。