elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第95部分

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g。　Mr。　Albion　had　adopted　what　he　believed　to　be　proper　archaeologist's　attire：　riding　breeches　and　boots；　a　tweed　coat；　and　a　very　large　solar　topee。　His　son　was　similarly　attired；　but　since　he　was　a　good　deal　taller　than　Mr。　Albion；　he　did　not　so　closely　resemble　a　mushroom。
　One　of　the　workmen　came　trotting　up　to　Mr。　Albion　with　a　bit　of　stone　in　his　hand。　Albion　took　it；　glanced　at　it；　and　tossed　it　away。　He　then　condescended　to　notice　us。
　〃Morning；　folks。　Out　bright　and　early；　are　you？〃
　〃Not　so　early　as　you；〃　said　Emerson；　advancing　with　shoulders　squared　and　brows　thunderous。　〃You　have　been　told；　I　believe；　that　you　are　in　violation　of　Lord　Carnarvon's　firman。　Close　down　your　excavation　at　once。〃
　〃Who's　gonna　make　us？〃　Mr。　Albion　inquired。　He　looked　even　more　cherubic；　his　eyes　twinkling　and　his　lips　pursed。　〃You？〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Oh；　yes。〃
　〃Father；　if　I　may？〃　Sebastian　Albion　had　got　to　his　feet。　〃Not　everyone　appreciates　your　sense　of　humor。　Won't　you　sit　down；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　and　discuss　the　situation？　Mrs。　Emerson；　please　take　my　chair。　I'm　afraid　the　rest　of　you　will　have　to　…　er　…〃
　〃Squat；〃　said　Nefret；　doing　so。　〃Let's　hear　what　they　have　to　say；　Father。　It　won't　cause　much　of　a　delay　and　it　might　be　amusing。〃
　〃I　agree；〃　said　Ramses；　subsiding　with　boneless　ease　onto　the　rug　beside　Nefret　and　crossing　his　legs。
　〃Amusing；〃　Mr。　Albion　repeated。　〃Yes；　sirree；　that's　our　aim　in　life；　to　amuse　people　and　be　polite。　Here；　young　lady；　take　my　chair。　We　heard　you've　been　ailing。〃
　Jumana　started；　and　so；　I　believe；　did　we　all。　Such　gallantry　was　not　only　unexpected　but　was；　in　my　opinion；　highly　suspicious。
　〃No；　thank　you；〃　she　stammered。　〃Sir。〃
　〃I　insist。〃　He　was　on　his　feet；　his　face　wreathed　in　smiles。　〃Sebastian；　you　persuade　her。〃
　〃With　pleasure。〃　The　young　man　offered　his　hand。　Jumana　blushed　and　ducked　her　head。
　〃Sit　down；　Jumana；〃　I　ordered。　〃Since　Mr。　Albion　is　kind　enough　to　offer。〃
　Mrs。　Albion　ignored　this　little　byplay。　She　was　leaning　forward　with　the　first　sign　of　amiable　interest　I　had　seen　her　display。　〃What　a　beautiful　cat。　What　is　its　name？〃
　〃The　Great　Cat　of　Re；〃　I　replied。　〃You　would　call　it　Fluffy；　I　suppose。〃
　Mr。　Albion　chuckled。　〃No；　she　gives　her　cats　names　like　Grand　Duchess　Olga　of　Albion。　Fond　of　the　creatures。　I　put　up　with　'em　because　she's　fond　of　'em。〃
　〃Now　see　here；〃　Emerson　exclaimed。　〃I　will　be　cursed　if　I　will　spend　the　morning　talking　about　cats。　What　do　you　people　think　you　are　doing？〃
　Sebastian　Albion　removed　his　eyeglasses；　wiped　them　on　a　handkerchief；　and　replaced　them。　〃As　you　have　no　doubt　observed；　sir；　we　are　clearing　the　tomb　of　Prince　Mentuherkhepshef。　It　was　found　by　Belzoni　and　reexamined　in　1905　by　…〃
　〃Don't　tell　me　facts　I　know　better　than　you；〃　Emerson　interrupted。　Curiosity　had　weakened　his　wrath；　however；　the　Albions　were　so　blandly　outrageous；　it　was　difficult　to　remain　angry　with　them。　And　Sebastian　had　pronounced　the　prince's　name　correctly。　He　knew　more　about　Egyptology　than　we　had　supposed。
　〃What　do　you　hope　to　find？〃　Emerson　went　on。　〃The　tomb　is　empty。　Ayrton；　who　was　here　in　1905；　found　only　a　few　scraps。　The　paintings　。　。　。　oh；　good　Gad！〃
　He　whirled　round　and　ran　toward　the　workmen。　A　stentorian　bellow　stopped　diggers　and　basket　men；　and　as　the　cloud　of　dust　subsided；　Emerson　vanished　into　the　dark　opening　of　the　tomb。　He　was　out　again　in　ten　seconds；　waving　his　fists。　〃Someone　has　been　hacking　at　the　walls。　There　was　a　painting　of　the　prince　offering　to　Khonsu　…〃
　〃Defaced　or　missing？〃　Ramses　asked。
　〃Missing。　pletely　cut　out；　leaving　a　great　hole。　Probably　in　pieces。　Curse　it！〃
　〃We　didn't　do　it；〃　Sebastian　hastened　to　say。　〃We　haven't　touched　the　paintings。〃
　〃You　aren't　doing　them　any　good；〃　Emerson　retorted　furiously。　〃All　that　dust　and　debris　floating　about　。　。　。　My　patience　is　at　an　end。　Stop　work　at　once。〃
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do；　carry　us　out　of　here　bodily？〃　Mr。　Albion　inquired。　〃There's　nothing　to　stop　us　from　ing　back。〃
　〃Your　workmen　won't　e　back。　I　am　about　to　put　a　curse　on　the　place。　They　won't　dare　go　near　it　after　that；　and　neither　will　any　of　the　other　men　on　the　West　Bank。〃
　〃You　better　listen；　Joe；〃　Cyrus　advised。　〃The　Professor's　curses　are　famous　around　here。〃
　〃That　so？〃　Mr。　Albion's　eyes　narrowed　until　they　virtually　disappeared。　Then　they　resumed　their　normal　appearance　and　a　smile　fattened　his　cheeks。　〃Well；　I　guess　we　know　how　to　give　in　gracefully；　eh；　Sebastian？　It's　a　shame　about　those　fellows；　they　really　need　the　work。〃
　That　aspect　of　the　matter　had　not　occurred　to　Emerson。　It　did　not　affect　his　decision；　but　I　could　see　he　was　moved　by　it。　He　stood　for　a　moment　in　thought；　fingering　the　cleft　in　his　chin。　〃It's　a　new　tomb　you're　after；　I　presume？　That's　what　every　dilettante　wants。　There　are　one　or　two　areas　I've　been　meaning　to　explore　for　some　time。　Very　promising　sites。〃
　Mrs。　Albion　had　been　stroking　the　Great　Cat　of　Re；　who　politely　permitted　the　liberty。　（I　had　hoped　it　would　hiss　or　scratch。）　She　looked　up　at　Emerson。　〃Where　are　these　sites；　Professor？〃
　We　delayed　long　enough　to　see　the　men　begin　to　dismantle　the　fortable　little　tent；　and　Mrs。　Albion　lifted；　armchair　and　all；　onto　the　shoulders　of　the　servants。　She　was　extremely　gracious；　though　not　to　me；　she　thanked　Emerson　for　his　advice；　spared　a　frosty　smile　for　Jumana；　and　shook　a　playful　finger　at　Ramses　when　he　rose　and　settled　the　Great　Cat　of　Re　more　securely　onto　his　shoulder。　〃You　really　ought　to　select　a　more　appropriate　name　for　that　charming　creature；　Mr。　Emerson。　The　name　of　a　lovely　Egyptian　goddess；　perhaps？　Hathor　or　Isis。〃
　〃I　fear　that　would　not　be　appropriate；　ma'am；〃　Ramses　replied。　〃The　cat　is　not　of　the　female　sex　…　uh　…　gender。〃
　〃I　may　have　been　mistaken　about　Mrs。　Albion；〃　I　admitted；　as　we　walked　away。　〃Cats　are　generally　good　judges　of　character。　Playfulness　does　not　bee　her；　however。　What　on　earth　were　you　thinking　of；　Emerson；　proposing　other　sites　for　them？　You　have　no　right　to　do　anything　of　the　sort。〃
　〃Good　Gad；　Peabody；　I　expected　you　would　approve　of　my　mild　methods。〃　Striding　along；　hands　in　his　pockets；　Emerson　glanced　at　me　in　feigned　surprise。　〃I　am　familiar　with　men　of　Albion's　character；　if　I　had　not　offered　them　alternatives；　they　would　simply　have　moved　to　some　other　forbidden　area。　I　can't　put　curses　on　every　site　on　the　West　Bank。〃
　〃But　the　southwest　wadis？　The　Valley　of　the　Queens？〃
　〃The　entrance　to　the　Valley　of　the　Queens；〃　Emerson　corrected。　〃There's　nothing　of　interest　there。　If　they　mount　an　expedition　to　the　southwest　wadis　I　will　be　surprised；　it's　too　far　and　too　unfortable。　Besides；　you　heard　my　condition。　They　will　hire　Soleiman　Hassan　as　their　reis。　I　will　make　sure　he　reports　to　me　the　instant　they　find　anything　…　which　is；　in　my　opinion；　unlikely。　Why　are　you　looking　so　glum；　Vandergelt？〃
　〃I　kinda　hoped　for　more　fireworks；〃　Cyrus　admitted。　〃Don't　count　on　Joe　doing　what　you　told　him；　Emerson。　He　holds　a　grudge　against　people　who　try　to　order　him　around。〃
　〃Bah；〃　said　Emerson。
　〃They　were　very　polite；〃　Jumana　murmured。
　〃Yes；〃　I　said　thoughtfully。
　We　collected　Sennia　and　the　picnic　basket　…　and　a　reluctant　but　dogged　Gargery　…　and　went　on　to　Deir　el　Medina；　where　we　were　forced　to　listen　to　another　lecture；　this　one　from　Daoud。　Selim　had　regaled　him　and　a　select　audience　with　an　edited　version　of　our　recent　adventures；　and　Daoud　was　vibrating　with　indignation。
　We　had　to　apologize　for　leaving　him　behind　and　promise　never　to　do　it　again。
　〃So　Daoud　knows　all　about　it；〃　Cyrus　remarked。　His　voice　was　mild　but　his　expression　was　severe。　The　same　look　of　reproach　marked　Bertie's　features。
　〃You　promised　me；　ma'am；〃　he　began。
　〃My　dear　boy；　you　must　not　take　it　personally。　We　don't　plan　these　things；　you　know；　most　of　them　just　…　well；　they　just　happen。〃
　〃This　one　didn't；〃　Cyrus　said。　〃You　were　in　the　war　zone；　I　got　that　much　from　what　Daoud　said。　Do　you　have　less　confidence　in　us　than　you　do　in　him？〃
　〃My　sentiments　exactly；　ma'am；〃　said　Bertie。
　〃Of　course　not；〃　I　said　heartily。　〃We　will　tell　you　all　about　it　this　evening；　how's　that？〃
　〃Precisely　what　are　we　going　to　tell　them？〃