anner.themummy-第32部分
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He had stared fixedly at the mummy case for over an hour； it seemed； the clock chiming twice in the hallway； an occasional pair of headlights piercing the lace curtains and sweeping this high…ceilinged large room； and firing the mummy's gold face with life for an eerie instant。
Suddenly he rose。 He could hear the creak of the floor beneath the carpet。 He walked slowly towards the case。 Lift it。 And you will know。 Lift it。 Imagine。 Could it be empty？
He reached out for the gilded wood； his hands poised； trembling。
〃I wouldn't do that； sir！〃
Ah； the girl。 The girl again in the hallway with her hands clasped； the girl very afraid； but of what？
〃Miss Julie would be so angry。〃
He could think of nothing to say。 He gave an awkward little nod； and went back to the sofa。
〃Perhaps tomorrow you should e；〃 she said。
〃No。 I must see her tonight。〃
〃But； sir； it's so very late。〃
The clop of a horse outside； the low creak of the hansom's wheels。 He heard a sudden little laugh； very feint； but he knew it was Julie。
Rita hurried to the door and drew back the both。 He stared speechless as the pair entered the room； Julie； radiant； her hair studded with sparkling droplets of rain； and a man； a tall； splendid…looking man； with dark brown hair and glittering blue eyes； beside her。
Julie spoke to him。 She said his name。 But it did not register。
He could not take his eyes off this man。 The skin was pale； flawless。 And the features exquisitely moulded。 But the spirit inhabiting the man was the overwhelming characteristic。 The man exuded strength and a sudden wanness that was almost chilling。
〃I only wanted to 。。。 to look in on you；〃 he said to Julie without so much as glancing at her。 ' To see that you were well。 I worry on your account。 。。。〃
His voice trailed off。
〃Ah； I know who you are！〃 said the man suddenly； in a faultless British accent。〃 You are Lawrence's friend； are you not？ Your name is Samir。〃
〃We have met？〃 Samir said。〃 I do not remember。〃
His eyes moved tentatively over the figure that approached him now； and suddenly he was staring fixedly at the outstretched hand； at the ruby ring； and the ring with the cartouche of Ramses the Great； and it seemed the room had bee quite unreal； that the voices speaking to him were making no sense； and that there was no necessity to answer。
The ring he had seen through the mummy's wrappings！ There was no mistake。 He could not make such a mistake。 And what was Julie saying that could possibly matter now？ Words so politely spoken； but all lies； and this being was staring back at him； knowing full well that he recognized the ring； knowing full well that words just didn't matter。
〃I hope Henry didn't run to you with that nonsense of his。。。〃 Yes； that was the meaning。
But it was not nonsense at all。 And slowly he shifted his gaze and forced himself to see for himself that she was safe and sound and sane。 Then he closed his eyes； and when he opened them again； he looked not at the ring but at the King's face； at the steady blue eyes which understood everything。
When he spoke to her again； it was a meaningless murmur：
〃Your father would not have wanted for you to be unprotected。 Your father would have wanted me to e。 。。。〃
〃Ah； but Samir； friend of Lawrence；〃 the other said；〃 there is no danger now to Julie Stratford。〃 And dropping suddenly into the ancient Egyptian with an accent Samir had never heard：〃 This woman is loved by me and shall be protected from all harm。〃
Stunning； that sound。 He backed away。 Julie was talking again。 And again he wasn't listening。 He had gone to the mantel shelf and held on to it now as if he might fall。
〃Surely you know the ancient tongue of the Pharaohs； my friend；〃 said the tall blue…eyed man。〃 You are Egyptian； are you not？ All your life you have studied it。 You can read it as well as you read Latin or Greek。〃
Such a carefully modulated voice； it was trying to dispel all fear； civilized； courteous。 What more could Samir have wanted？
〃Yes； sir； you are right；〃 Samir said。〃 But I've never heard it spoken aloud； and the accent has always been a mystery。 But you must tell me…〃 He forced himself to look at the man directly again。〃 You are an Egyptologist； 1 have been told。 Do you believe it was the curse on the tomb that killed my beloved friend； Lawrence？ Or did death take him naturally as we supposed？〃
The man appeared to weigh the question； and in the shadows some feet away； Julie Stratford paled and lowered her eyes； and turned just a little away from both of them。
〃Curses are words； my friend；〃 the man said。〃 Warnings to drive away the ignorant and meddlesome。 It requires poison or some other crude weapon to take a human life unnaturally。〃
〃Poison！〃 Samir whispered。
〃Samir； it's very late；〃 Julie said。 Her voice was raw； strained。〃 We mustn't speak of all this now； or I'll give way to tears again and feel foolish。 We must speak of these things only when we really want to examine them。〃 She came forward and took both his hands。〃 I want you to e another night； when we can all sit down together。〃
〃Yes； Julie Stratford is very tired。 Julie Stratford has been a great teacher。 And I bid you good night； my friend。 You are my friend； are you not？ There are many things perhaps that we can say to each other。 But for now； believe I shall protect Julie Stratford from anyone or anything that would hurt her。〃
Samir walked slowly to the door。
〃If you need me；〃 he said； turning back；〃 you must send for me。〃 He reached into his coat。 He took out his card and stared at it； quite baffled for a moment。 Then he gave it to the man。 He watched the ring glinting in the light as the man took it from him。
〃I am in my office at the British Museum very late every night。 I walk the corridors when everyone is gone。 e to the side door； and you will find me。〃
But why was he saying these things？ What did he mean to convey？ He wished suddenly the creature would speak the ancient tongue again； he could not understand the strange mixture of pain and joy that he felt； the strange darkening of the world； and the keen appreciation of light which had e with that darkening。
He turned and went out； hurrying down the granite steps and past the uniformed guards without so much as a glance in their direction。 He walked fast through the cold damp streets。 He ignored the cabs mat slowed。 He wanted only to be alone。 He kept seeing that ring； hearing those old Egyptian words finally denned aloud as he had never heard them。 He wanted to weep。 A miracle had been revealed； yet somehow it threatened the miraculous all around him。
〃Lawrence； give me guidance；〃 he whispered。
Julie shut the door and slipped the bolt。
She turned to Ramses。 She could hear Rita's tread on the floor above。 They were alone； quite beyond Rita's hearing。
〃You don't mean to trust him with your secret！〃 she asked。
〃The harm is done；〃 he said quietly。〃 He knows the truth。 And your cousin Henry will tell others。 And others； too； will e to believe。〃
〃No； that's impossible。 You saw yourself what happened with the police。 Samir knows because he saw the ring； he recognized it。 And because he came to see； and came to believe。 Others will not do that。 And somehow 。。。〃
〃Somehow？〃
〃You wanted him to know。 That's why you addressed him by name。 You told him who you were。〃
〃Did I？〃
〃Yes； I think that you did。〃
He pondered this。 He didn't find the idea too agreeable。 But it was true； she could have sworn so。
〃Two who believe can make three；〃 he said； as if she hadn't made the point at all。
〃They cannot prove it。 You're real； yes； and the ring is real。 But what is there really to connect you with the past！ You don't understand these times if you think it takes so little for men to believe that one has risen from the grave。 This is the age of science； not religion。〃
He was collecting his thoughts。 He bowed his head and folded his arms and moved back and forth on the carpet。 Then he stopped：
〃Oh
