anner.themummy-第59部分

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o　him。
　
　And　who　knows；　he　laughed　softly　to　himself。　Perhaps　Alex　will　find　an　American　heiress。
　
　Ah；　she　was　lovely；　and　he　so　liked　her　voice　and　the　divine　sparkle　in　her　eye；　for　that's　just　what　it　was；　and　how　she'd　push　him　lightly　with　her　finger　when　she　laughed。　And　what　a　pretty　name　she　had；　Miss　Charlotte　Whitney　Banington。
　
　〃And　then　we　thought　we'd　go　to　London；　but　they　say　it's　frightfully　cold　this　time　of　year；　and　so　gloomy；　with　the　Tower　of　London　and　all；　where　they　chopped　off　Anne　Boleyn's　head。〃
　
　〃Oh；　it　wouldn't　be　if　I　showed　it　to　you！〃　　he　said。
　
　〃Well；　when　are　you　going　home？　You're　staying　for　the　opera；　aren't　you？　Seems　everybody　in　this　place　talks　of　nothing　else。　It's　very　funny；　you　know；　to　e　all　the　way　to　Egypt　to　see　an　opera。〃
　
　〃But　it's　Aida；　my　dear。〃
　
　〃I　know；　I　know。。。〃
　
　〃And　yes；　we　are　going；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　it's　all　been　arranged。　And　you'll　be　there；　of　course。　Ah；　what　about　the　ball　afterwards？〃
　
　What　an　adorable　smile。〃　Well；　I　didn't　know　about　the　ball；　you　see。　I　didn't　really　want　to　go　with　Mummy　and　Daddy　and…〃
　
　〃Well；　perhaps　you'd　go　with　me。〃
　
　Oh；　what　lovely　white　teeth。
　
　〃Why；　Lord　Rutherford；　I'd　simply　love　it。〃
　
　〃Please　call　me　Alex；　Miss　Barrington。　Lord　Rutherford's　my　father。〃
　
　〃But　you're　a　Viscount　yourself；〃　　she　said　with　stunning　American　frankness　and　the　same　ingratiating　smile。〃　That's　what　they　told　me。〃
　
　〃Yes；　I　guess　that's　true。　Viscount　Summerfield；　actually　。。。〃
　
　〃What　is　a　Viscount？〃　　she　asked。
　
　Such　lovely　eyes；　and　the　way　she　laughed　as　she　looked　at　him。　Suddenly　he　was　no　longer　angry　with　Henry　for　being　holed　up。　with　that　dancer；　Malenka。　Better　that　Henry　should　be　altogether　out　of　sight　with　his　drinking　and　gambling；　rather　than　hanging　about　the　public　rooms　of　the　hotel。
　
　Oh；　what　would　Julie　think　of　Miss　Barrington？　Well；　he　knew　what　he　thought！
　
　High　noon。　The　dining　room。　Ramses　sat　back　laughing。
　
　〃Now；　I　insist　you　do　it。　Pick　up　the　fork　and　the　knife；〃　　Julie　said。〃　Just　try。〃
　
　〃Julie；　it's　not　that　I　can't　do　it！　It's　that　it　seems　absolutely　barbaric　to　thrust　food　in　one's　mouth　with　pieces　of　silver！〃
　
　〃Your　trouble　is；　you　know　how　perfectly　handsome　you　are；　and　how　you　charm　everyone。〃
　
　〃I　learned　a　little　tact　over　the　centuries。〃　　He　picked　up　the　fork；　deliberately　gripping　the　handle　in　his　fist。
　
　〃Stop　that；〃　　she　said　under　her　breath。
　
　He　laughed。　He　laid　down　the　fork；　and　took　a　morsel　of　chicken　with　his　fingers　again。　She　grabbed　his　hand。
　
　〃Ramses；　eat　properly。〃
　
　〃Darling　dear；〃　　he　said；〃　I'm　eating　in　the　manner　of　Adam　and　Eve；　Osiris　and　Isis；　Moses；　Aristotle　and　Alexander。〃
　
　She　dissolved　with　laughter。　He　stole　a　kiss　from　her　quickly。　Then　his　face　darkened。
　
　〃What　about　your　cousin？〃　　he　whispered。
　
　It　caught　her　pletely　off　guard。〃　Must　we　speak　of　him？〃
　
　〃Are　we　to　leave　him　here　in　Cairo？　Are　we　to　leave　the　murder　of　your　father　unavenged？〃
　
　Tears　sprang　to　her　eyes。　Angrily；　she　searched　in　her　bag　for
　
　her　handkerchief。　She　had　not　seen　Henry　since　their　return；　and　she　didn't　want　to　see　him。　In　her　letter　to　Randolph　she　had　not　mentioned　him。　And　it　was　the　thought　of　her　uncle　as　much　as　anything　else　that　made　her　cry　now。
　
　〃Pass　the　burden　to　me；〃　　Ramses　whispered。〃　I　shall　bear　it　easily。　Let　justice　be　done。〃
　
　She　put　her　hand　up　suddenly　to　his　lips。
　
　〃No　more；〃　　she　said。〃　Not　now。〃
　
　He　looked　up；　over　her　shoulder。　He　gave　a　little　sigh；　and　squeezed　her　hand。〃　The　museum　party　is　here；　it　seems；〃　　he　said。〃　And　we　mustn't　keep　Elliott　standing　about。〃
　
　Alex　swooped　down　suddenly　to　give　her　a　little　peck　on　the　cheek。　How　chaste。　She　wiped　at　her　nose　quickly；　and　turned　so　that　he　wouldn't　see　the　colour　in　her　face。
　
　〃Well；　are　we　all　set？〃　　Alex　said。〃　We　have　our　private　guide　meeting　us　at　the　museum　in　fifteen　minutes。　Oh；　and　before　I　forget；　the　opera　has　been　pletely　arranged。　Box　seats　and　of　course　tickets　to　the　ball　afterwards。　And　Ramsey；　old　man；　if　you'll　allow　me　to　say　so；　I　shan't　pete　with　you　that　night　for　Julie's　attentions。〃
　
　Julie　nodded。〃　Fallen　in　love　already；〃　　she　said　with　a　mock　whisper。　She　allowed　Alex　to　help　her　to　her　feet。〃　A　Miss　Barrington。〃
　
　〃Please；　darling；　do　give　me　your　opinion。　She's　ing　to　the　museum　with　us。〃
　
　〃Let's　hurry；〃　　Ramses　said。〃　Your　father　is　not　well。　I'm　surprised　he　doesn't　remain　behind。〃
　
　〃Good　Lord；　do　you　know　what　the　Cairo　Museum　means　to　people？〃　　said　Alex。〃　And　it's　the　dirtiest；　dustiest　place　I've　ever…〃
　
　〃Alex；　please；　we　are　about　to　see　the　greatest　collection　of　Egyptian　treasures　in　existence。〃
　
　〃The　last　ordeal；〃　　Ramses　said；　taking　Julie's　arm。〃　And　all　the　Kings　are　in　one　room？　This　is　what　you　have　been　telling　me？〃
　
　〃My　word；　I　should　think　you'd　been　there　before；〃　　Alex　said。〃　You　are　such　a　puzzle；　old　man。。。〃
　
　〃Give　up　on　it；〃　　Ramses　whispered。
　
　But　Alex　scarcely　heard。　He　was　whispering　to　Julie　that　she　must　give　him　a　candid　opinion　of　Miss　Barrington。　And　Miss　Barrington　was　the　rosy…cheeked　blond　woman　standing　in　the　lobby　with　Elliott　and　Samir。　A　pretty　thing；　obviously。
　
　〃To　think；〃　　said　Julie；〃　you　need　my　approval！〃　〃Shhhh；　there　she　is。　With　Father。　They're　getting　along　famously。〃
　
　〃Alex；　she's　perfectly　lovely。〃
　
　Through　the　broad　dusty　rooms　of　the　first　floor　they　trekked；　listening　to　the　guide；　who　spoke　rapidly　despite　his　thick　Egyptian　accent。　Ah；　treasures　galore；　there　was　no　doubt　of　it。　All　the　loot　of　the　tombs；　things　he　had　never　even　dreamed　of　in　his　time。　And　here　it　was　for　all　the　world　to　see；　under　soiled　glass　and　weak　lights；　yet　nevertheless　preserved　from　time　and　ruin。
　
　He　stared　at　the　statue　of　the　happy　scribe…the　little　cross…legged　figure　with　his　papyrus　on　his　lap；　looking　up　eagerly。　It　should　have　moved　him　to　tears。　But　all　he　felt　was　a　vague　joy　that　he　had　e；　he　had　visited　it　all　as　he　should；　and　now　he　would　be　leaving。
　
　At　last　they　proceeded　up　the　grand　stairway。　The　room　of　the　Kings；　the　ordeal　he　was　dreading。　He　felt　Samir　at　his　side。
　
　〃Why　not　forgo　this　gruesome　pleasure；　sire？　For　they　are　all　horrors。〃
　
　〃No；　Samir；　let　me　see　it　through　to　the　finish。〃
　
　He　almost　laughed　when　he　understood　what　it　was…a　great　chamber　of　glass　cases　like　the　cases　in　the　department　stores　where　goods　were　displayed　safe　from　prying　fingers。
　
　Nevertheless　the　blackened　grinning　bodies　gave　him　a　dull　shock。　It　seemed　he　could　scarcely　hear　the　guide；　and　yet　the　words　were　ing　clear：
　
　〃The　Ramses　the　Damned　mummy　in　England　is　still　a　controversial　discovery。　Very　controversial。　This　is　the　true　Ramses　the　Second；　right　before　you；　known　as　Ramses　the　Great。〃
　
　Edging　closer；　he　stared　down　at　the　gaunt　horrid　thing　that　bore　his　name。
　
　〃。。。　Ramses　the　Second；　greatest　of　all　Egypt's　Pharaohs。〃
　
　He　almost　smiled　as　he　studied　the　dried　limbs；　and　then　the　obvious　truth　hit　him；　like　something　physical　pressing　on　his　chest；　that　if　he　had　not　gone　into　that　cave　with　the　wicked　old　priestess；　he　would　indeed　be　lying　in　this　case。　Or　what　was　left　of　him。　And　all　the　world　since　faded；　it　was　no　more　suddenly　than　those　years。　And　to　think　he　would　have　died　without　knowing　so　much；　without　ever　realizing。。。
　
　Noise。　Julie　had　said　something；　but　he　couldn't　hear　her。
　
　There　was　a　dull　roaring　in　his　head。　Suddenly　he　saw　them　all；　these　ghastly　corpses；　like　burnt　things　out　of　the　oven。　He　saw　the　filthy　glass；　he　saw　the　tourists　pushing　this　way　and　that。
　
　He　heard　Cleopatra's　voice。　When　you　let　him　die；　you　let　me　die！　I　want　to　be　with　him　now。　Take　it　away；　I　won't　drink　it。
　
　Were　they　moving　again？　Had　Samir　said　it　was　time　to　go？　He　looked　up　slowly　from　the　awful　sunken　face　and　saw　Elliott　gazing　at　him；　with　the　strangest　expression。　What　was　it？　Understanding。
　
　Oh；　but　how　can　you　understand？　I　myself　can　scarcely　understand。