elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第94部分

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　〃It's　not　that　simple；　Cyrus；〃　Nefret　said　thoughtfully。　〃Her　unhappiness　is　genuine。　She　isn't　deliberately　deceiving　us；　but　I　think　…　and　Heaven　knows　I　am　no　expert　…　that　her　natural　youthful　optimism　is　engaged　in　a　mental　struggle　with　her　sense　of　guilt。　I　honestly　don't　know　whether　to　slap　her　or　coddle　her。〃
　〃Put　her　to　work；〃said　Emerson。　〃Always　the　best　medicine。　How　are　things　going　at　Deir　el　Medina；　Vandergelt？〃
　〃　'Bout　the　same。　Found　two　more　tombs。　Empty。〃
　〃You　haven't　broken　your　promise　to　me；　I　hope；〃　I　said。
　〃I　haven't　been　in　the　southwest　wadis；　if　that's　what　you　mean。　But　if　you　think　I've　forgotten　what　that　young　villain　said；　you're　wrong。　I　haven't　been　able　to　sleep；　wondering　what　he　meant。　'The　hand　of　the　god。'　What　god？　Where？〃　Cyrus　held　out　his　empty　glass。　In　silent　sympathy；　Emerson　refilled　it。　He　had　no　patience　with　psychology；　but　this　distress　he　could　understand。
　Cyrus　went　on；　in　mounting　passion；　〃I　even　went　back　into　that　darned　shrine　…　the　one　where　we　found　the　statue　of　Amon　last　year。　Well；　he's　a　god；　isn't　he？　Bertie　and　I　examined　every　inch　of　the　darned　room。　The　walls　and　floor　are　solid。〃
　〃Bah；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Stop　wasting　time　on　fantasies；　Vandergelt。〃
　〃Don't　be　a　hypocrite；　Emerson；〃　I　said。　〃We　have　all　been　speculating　and　guessing　and　theorizing。　It　is　a　pretty　little　problem。　Supposing　Jamil　was　not　trying　to　mislead　or　tantalize　us；　which　may　well　have　been　the　case；　there　are　a　good　many　gods　shown　on　a　good　many　wall　surfaces　in　Thebes。　Deir　el　Bahri；　Medinet　Habu；　every　tomb　on　the　West　Bank　…　What　is　it；　Cyrus？〃
　〃Excuse　me；　Amelia；　I　didn't　mean　to　interrupt。　You　just　reminded　me。　This　little　piece　of　news　ought　to　get　your　attention；　Emerson；〃　he　added；　with　a　grimace　at　my　husband。　〃Give　you　three　guesses　who　has　started　an　excavation　in　the　Valley　of　the　Kings。〃
　Emerson's　look　of　lofty　indifference　turned　to　a　scowl。　〃Without　official　permission？　Confound　it；　Vandergelt　…〃
　〃Not　the　Albions？〃　I　exclaimed。
　〃Might　have　known　you'd　hit　it　on　the　head　first　time；〃　said　Cyrus。　〃You're　both　right。　It's　Joe　and　his　family；　and　they　don't　have　official　permission。〃
　〃And　you　let　them？〃　Emerson　demanded。
　〃I　notified　Cairo。　That　was　all　I　could　do；　as　Joe　gleefully　pointed　out　to　me。　I　haven't　got　the　authority　to　stop　them。〃
　〃Where　in　the　Valley？〃　Ramses　asked。
　〃In　that　southern　branch　of　the　wadi　near　Number　Twenty　…　Hatshepsut's　tomb。〃
　〃Why　there；　I　wonder？〃　Ramses　said。
　〃Dunno。　It's　off　the　regular　tourist　track；　so　maybe　they　hoped　they　wouldn't　be　spotted　right　away。　Can't　think　of　any　other　reason　why　they　would　pick　that　area。〃
　〃Damnation；〃　muttered　Emerson。　〃I　had　intended　to　start　work　first　thing　tomorrow　morning。　Now　I　will　have　to　waste　several　hours　expelling　the　Albions。〃
　〃How　do　you　propose　to　do　that？〃　I　inquired。　〃You　haven't　the　authority　either；　and　if　you　lay　violent　hands　on　any　one　of　them　…　especially　Mrs。　Albion　…〃
　〃Good　Gad；　Peabody；　have　you　ever　known　me　to　lay　violent　hands　on　a　woman？　There　are　ways；〃　said　Emerson；　stroking　his　chin。　〃There　are　ways。〃
　〃Well；　I　sure　don't　want　to　miss　that；〃　Cyrus　declared。　〃I'll　be　waiting　for　you　in　the　morning。　You'll　all　dine　with　us　tomorrow　evening；　I　hope。　Katherine　is　anxious　to　see　you。〃
　Ramses　and　Nefret　decided　they　did　not　want　to　miss　it　either。　I　went　along　to　make　certain　Emerson　behaved　himself。　Jumana　went　along　because　I　insisted。　Nefret's　diagnosis　might　be　correct　…　it　was　in　keeping　with　the　principles　of　psychology　I　favored　…　but　she　had　confessed　herself　uncertain　as　to　the　appropriate　treatment。　I　had　my　own　ideas　on　that　subject。　If　my　methods　were　not　effective；　at　least　they　could　do　no　harm。
　Jumana　ate　very　little　at　breakfast；　but　I　had　checked　the　larder　before　retiring　and　again　when　I　arose；　and　was　not　surprised　to　find　that　half　a　loaf　of　bread　and　a　chicken　breast　had　disappeared　overnight。　It　was　no　wonder　Fatima　had　not　noticed　anything　amiss。　The　larder　was　open　to　everyone　in　the　house；　and　Sennia　had　an　appetite　quite　out　of　proportion　to　her　little　frame。
　Cyrus　and　Bertie　had　been　looking　out　for　us　and　joined　us　at　the　end　of　the　track　that　led　up　to　the　Castle。　It　was　a　bright；　beautiful　morning　with　clear　skies；　after　the　fog　of　Cairo　and　the　rainy　weather　of　Palestine；　I　appreciated　Luxor　even　more。
　〃How　well　you　look；　Bertie；〃　I　said。　〃The　foot　is　pletely　healed？〃
　〃Yes；　ma'am；　thank　you。　I　need　not　ask　if　you　are　in　good　health；　you　are　blooming；　as　usual。　We　had　heard　that　Ramses　…〃
　〃The　reports　were　exaggerated；〃　Ramses　said　with　a　smile。　〃As　you　can　see。〃
　〃And　your　arm；　Professor？〃　Bertie　asked。
　〃A　confounded　nuisance；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Can　we　get　on　now？　I　want　to　finish　this　little　job；　so　I　can　start　work。〃
　Bertie　was　not　given　the　opportunity　to　ask　after　the　person　who　interested　him　most。　Jumana　had　not　spoken　to　him　or　to　Cyrus。　She　sat　slumped　in　the　saddle；　her　head　bowed　and　her　pretty　mouth　twisted。　The　taste　of　the　medicine　I　had　insisted　she　take　lingered　on　the　tongue。
　We　left　the　horses　in　the　donkey　park　and　proceeded　on　foot；　along　paths　long　familiar　to　us。　I　should　explain　that　the　Valley　of　the　Kings　is　not　a　single　long　canyon。　From　above　it　resembles　a　lobed　leaf；　like　that　of　an　oak　or　maple；　with　side　wadis　branching　off　to　left　and　right。　The　tomb　of　Hatshepsut　was　at　the　far　end　of　one　of　these　branches。　We　had　worked　in　that　area　before　and　knew　it　well。
　The　tourists　had　e　early　to　the　Valley　in　order　to　avoid　the　heat　of　midday。　We　were　not　so　early　as　Emerson　would　have　liked；　but　in　part　it　was　his　own　fault；　he　had　wasted　some　time　playing　with　the　Great　Cat　of　Re；　who　had　e　to　breakfast　with　Ramses　and　Nefret。　It　had　grown　quite　fat；　through　overfeeding　（by　Sennia　…　she　claimed　to　have　been　training　it；　to　do　what　I　could　not　imagine）。　She　had　also　bed　and　brushed　it　every　day；　so　that　its　fur　had　bee　long　and　silky。　Emerson　was　highly　entertained　by　its　antics。　As　it　leaped　at　the　bit　of　chicken　he　dangled　above　it；　it　looked　like　a　bouncing　ball　of　fluff。　（Horus's　look　of　contempt　as　he　watched　this　degrading　performance　was　equally　entertaining。）　However；　when　we　left　the　house　it　declined　to　ride　on　his　shoulder　and　climbed　onto　that　of　Ramses。
　〃Must　we　take　it？〃　he　asked。　〃You　rather　overdid　the　grooming；　Sennia；　its　fur　is　all　over　my　face。〃
　〃His；〃　said　Sennia。　〃Yes；　you　must　take　him。　What　if　you　were　attacked　by　a　snake？　I　am　ing　too。〃
　So　that　caused　another　delay。　I　did　not　want　her　to　see　…　or　hear　…　Emerson　evicting　the　Albions。　He　was　bound　to　lose　his　temper　and　employ　bad　language。　We　pacified　her　by　promising　to　stop　back　at　the　house　and　take　her　to　Deir　el　Medina；　and　distracted　her　by　asking　her　to　help　Fatima　prepare　a　very　elaborate　picnic　basket。
　Draped　over　Ramses's　shoulder；　with　his　tail　hanging　down　behind；　the　Great　Cat　of　Re　resembled　a　luxuriant　fur　piece。　Several　ladies　wanted　to　stroke　him；　several　gentlemen　stared　and　laughed。　Among　the　latter　was　Mr。　Lubancic；　whom　I　had　met　at　Cyrus's　soiree。　〃Still　here；　are　you？〃　I　called；　as　we　passed。
　〃Yes；　ma'am。　What　on　earth　…〃
　〃Another　time。〃　I　waved。　Emerson　had　not　slowed　his　pace。
　The　signs　of　energetic　activity　were　visible　some　distance　off；　a　cloud　of　dust　blurred　the　brilliant　blue　of　the　sky；　and　voices　rose　in　one　of　the　chants　with　which　Egyptians　lighten　their　work。　The　sight　we　beheld　when　we　reached　the　spot　was　unusual　enough　to　bring　us　all　to　a　halt。
　In　the　background　a　group　of　men　were　digging　and　hauling　away　debris。　In　the　foreground；　some　distance　from　the　dust　and　racket；　was　a　little　kiosk；　a　sturdy　wooden　frame　with　a　roof　and　sides　of　canvas。　Two　of　the　canvas　side　pieces　had　been　rolled　up；　and　under　the　canopy；　fortably　seated　in　armchairs；　were　the　three　Albions。　Oriental　rugs　covered　the　ground；　a　table　was　spread　with　various　articles　of　food　and　drink；　over　which　a　turbaned　servant　stood　guard　with　a　fly　whisk。　Another　servant　waved　a　fan　over　Mrs。　Albion。　She　wore　a　frock　that　would　have　been　suitable　for　tea　at　Buckingham　Palace；　and　a　hat　wreathed　with　chiffon　veiling。　Mr。　Albion　had　adopted　what　he　bel