anner.themummy-第67部分
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her mind as such e from？ God； he had to reach Ramsey！
〃I'll get more of the medicine；〃 he said in English； translating it immediately into Latin。〃 I'll bring it here to you； but you must rest now。 You must lie here in die sun。〃 He pointed to the window。 Using both languages； he explained that the sun was making the medicine work。
Drowsily she looked at him。 She repeated his English phrases； mimicking his accent perfectly。 But her eyes had a glazed and utterly mad look now。 She murmured something in Latin about not being able to remember and then she began to weep again。
He could not bear the sight of it。 But what more could he do？ As quickly as he could； he went into the other room and brought back a bottle of liqueur for her； a thick spicy brandy； and at once she took it from him and drank it down。
Her eyes went dim for a moment。 And then she moaned aloud in pure distress again。
The gramophone。 Ramsey loved music。 Ramsey was spellbound by it。 Elliott went to the little machine； and examined the few records beside it in a pile。 Lots of the English…language foolishness。 Ah； here was what he wanted： Aida。 Caruso singing Radames。
He wound the box； and set the needle on the record。 At the first thin sound of the orchestra； she sat up in the bed； she stared in horror。 But he went to her and touched her shoulder gently。
〃Opera； Aida；〃 he said。 He groped for words in Latin to explain it was a music box； it worked by parts fitted together。〃 The song was from a man to his Egyptian love。〃
She climbed out of the bed and stumbled past him。 She was now almost entirely naked； and her form was quite beautiful； her hips narrow and her legs beautifully proportioned。 He tried not to stare at her； not to stare at her breasts。 Approaching slowly； he lifted the gramophone needle。 She screamed at him。 A volley of curses broke from her in Latin。〃 Make the music go on。〃
〃Yes； but I want to show you how；〃 he told her。 He cranked the handle of the machine again。 He set the needle on the record again。 Only then did the utter savagery go out of her expression。 She began to moan in time with the music； and then she put her hands on her head； and shut her eyes very tight。
She began to dance； rocking frantically from side to side。 It terrified him to watch her； but he knew he'd seen this very kind of dancing before。 He had seen it among severely damaged children…an atavistic response to the rhythm and sound。
She didn't notice as he slipped away to bring her food。
Ramses bought the newspaper from the British newsstand and walked on； slowly； through the crowded bazaar。
MURDER IN THE MUSEUM MUMMY STOLEN； MAID KILLED
Beneath the headline was the column heading：
MYSTERIOUS EGYPTIAN SOUGHT IN GRISLY DEATH
He scanned the details； then crumpled up the newspaper and threw it away。 He walked on with his head bowed； arms folded under the Arab robe。 Had she slain this serving woman？ And why had she done it？ 'And how had she managed to escape？
Of course the officials might be lying； but that seemed unlikely。 Not enough time had elapsed for such cleverness。 And she had had the opportunity； for die guards had been busy taking him away。
He tried to see again what he had seen in that shadowy hallway…the horrid monstrosity which he had resurrected from the case。 He saw the thing trudging towards him； he heard the hoarse； almost gurgling voice。 He saw the attitude of suffering stamped on the half…eaten…away face！
What was he to do？ This morning for the first time since he had been a mortal man； he had thought of his gods。 In the museum as he had stood over her remains； ancient chants had e back to him； ancient words he'd spoken before the populace and in the darkened temple surrounded by priests。
And now in the hot teeming street； he found himself whispering under his breath old prayers again。
Julie sat on the small white chintz sofa in the sitting room of her cluttered hotel suite。 She was glad that Alex was holding her hand。 Samir stood quietly beside the only empty chair。 Two British officials sat opposite。 Miles Winthrop； standing near the door； hands clasped behind his back； looked miserable。 The elder of the two officials； a man named Peterson； held a telegram in his hand。
〃But you see； Miss Stratford；〃 he said with a condescending smile；〃 with a death in London and now a death here in Cairo 。。。〃
〃How do you know they are connected？〃 Samir asked。〃 This man in London。 You say he was a maker of illegal loans！〃
〃Ah； Tommy Sharpies； yes； that was his profession。〃
〃Well； what would Mr。 Ramsey have to do with him？〃 Julie asked。 How remarkable that I sound so calm； she thought； when I am going mad inside。
〃Miss Stratford； the Cleopatra coin found in the dead man's pocket connects these murders。 Surely it came from your collection。 It is identical with the five coins cataloged。〃
〃But it is not one of the five coins。 You've told me that。〃
〃Yes； but you see； we found several others； here at Shepheard's。〃
〃I don't follow you。〃
〃In Mr。 Ramsey's room。〃
Silence。 Samir cleared his throat。〃 You searched his room？〃
It was Miles who answered：
〃Julie； I know this is a very dear friend of yours； and the whole situation is painful。 But you see； these killings…they're extraordinarily vicious。 And you must tell us anything that can help us to apprehend this man。〃
〃He did not kill anyone in London！〃
Miles went on as if he hadn't heard this outburst； with maddening civility。
〃Now； the Earl； we must talk to the Earl also； and at the moment we can't find him。〃 He looked to Alex。
〃I don't know where my father is；〃 Alex said helplessly。
〃And Henry Stratford； where can we find him？〃
The two Egyptians hurried through the narrow streets of old Cairo； with the blanket over their shoulders； the bulging body quite a weight in the noon heat。
But it was well worth the sweat and time taken； for the body would bring them plenty。 As the winter months approached； tourists would descend in droves upon Egypt。 They had found a good and handsome corpse just in time。
Finally they reached Zaki's house； or〃 the factory；〃 as it was known to them in their own tongue。 Through the courtyard gate they entered； hurrying with their trophy into the first of a series of dimly lighted rooms。 They had taken no notice of the mummies propped against the stone wall as they passed； or of the numerous dark； leathery bodies on tables in the room。
Only the stench of the chemicals bothered them。 And they waited impatiently for Zaki to e。
〃Good body；〃 said one of the men to the workman who stirred a giant pot of bitumen in the centre of the room。 A great
bed of coals beneath it kept it bubbling； and it was from this pot that the foul smell came。
〃Good bones？〃 asked the man。
〃Ah； yes； beautiful English bones。〃
The disguise was a good one。 Thousands of such Bedouins roamed Cairo。 He might as well have been invisible； that is； when he took off the sunglasses which did occasionally bring
stares。
He pocketed them now beneath the striped robe as he entered the rear yard of Shepheard's Hotel。 The brown…skinned Egyptian boys； lathering a motor car； did not even look up from their labor as he passed。
Moving along the wall； behind the fruit trees； he approached a small nondescript door。 An uncarpeted rear stairs lay within。 Mops； brooms； a wash pail in the alcove。
He took the broom and made his way slowly up the stairs。 He dreaded the inevitable moment when Julie would ask what he had done。
She sat on the side of the bed； eating from the tray he'd put before her on the small wicker table from the yard。 She wore a thin chemise now； the only undergarment he'd found in Malenka's closet。 He had helped her put it on。
Malenka had prepared the food for him…fruit； bread； cheese and wine…but she would not e near the room。
The creature's appetite was fierce and she ate almost savagely。 The bottles of wine she'd drunk as if they were water。 And though she had remained in the sun ste
