anner.themummy-第76部分
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〃That's madness；〃 Julie interjected。〃 You can't even consider it。 You'll make the thing stronger。〃
〃Listen； both of you；〃 Ramses said；〃 to what I have to say。 Cleopatra is only part of this tragedy。 The Earl knows the secret now with certainty。 It is the elixir itself that is dangerous； more dangerous than you know。〃
〃People will want it； yes；〃 Julie said；〃 and they will do anything to get it。 But Elliott can be reasoned with； and Henry is a fool。〃
'〃There's more to it than that。 We are speaking of a chemical which changes any living substance by which it is absorbed。〃 Ramses waited a moment； glancing at both of them。 Then he went on：〃 Centuries ago； when I was still Ramses； ruler of this land； I dreamed I would use this elixir to make food and drink aplenty for my people。 We would have famine no more。 Wheat that would grow back instantly after every harvest。 Fruit trees that would bear forever。 Do you know what came to pass？〃
Fascinated； they stared at him in silence。
〃My people could not digest this immortal food。 It stayed whole in their insides。 They died in agony as if they had eaten sand。〃
〃Ye gods；〃 Julie whispered。〃 Yet it's perfectly logical。 Of course！〃
〃And when I sought to burn the fields and slaughter the immortal hens and milk cows； I saw the burnt wheat spring to life as soon as the sun shone on it。 I saw burnt and headless carcasses struggle to rise。 Finally it was all cast into the sea； weighted and sent to the very bottom； where surely it remains； whole and intact； to this day。〃
Samir shuddered； he folded his arms over his chest as if he were cold。
Julie looked steadily at Ramses。〃 So what you're saying is 。。。 if the secret fell into the wrong hands； whole regions of the earth could be rendered immortal。〃
〃Whole peoples；〃 Ramses answered soberly。〃 And we who are immortal hunger as much as the living。 We would crowd out the living to consume what has always been theirs！〃
〃The very rhythm of life and death would be endangered；〃
Samir said。
〃This secret must be destroyed utterly！〃 Julie said。〃 If you have the elixir in your possession； destroy it。 Now。〃
〃And how do I do that； dearest？ If I hurl the dry powder into the wind； the tiny particles cleave as they fall to the earth； waiting for the first rain to liquefy them and carry them down to the roots of the trees； which they will make immortal。 If I pour the liquid into the sand； it pools there until the camel es to drink。 Pour it into the sea and I give birth to immortal fishes； serpents； crocodiles。〃
〃Stop；〃 she whispered。
〃Can you consume it yourself； sire； without harm ing to you？〃
〃I don't know。 I would imagine that I could。 But who knows？〃
〃Don't do it！〃 Julie whispered。
He gave her a faint； sad smile。
〃You care still what bees of me； Julie Stratford？〃
〃Yes； I care；〃 she whispered。〃 You're only a man； with a god's secret in your possession。 I care。〃
〃That's just it； Julie；〃 he said。〃 I have the secret in here。〃 He tapped the side of his forehead。〃 I know how to make the elixir。 What happens to the few vials I possess does not ultimately matter； for I can always brew more。〃
They looked at each other。 The full horror of it was impossible to enpass steadily。 One had to view it； draw away from it and then reexamine it again。
〃Now you understand why for a thousand years I shared the elixir with no one。 I knew the danger。 And then； with the weakness of a mortal man…to use your modern phrase…I fell in love。〃
Julie's eyes again filled with tears。 Samir waited patiently。
〃Yes； I know。〃 Ramses sighed。〃 I've been a fool。 Two thousand years ago； I watched my love die rather than give the elixir to her lover…Mark Antony； a dissolute man； who would have hounded me to the ends of the earth for the formula itself。 Can you imagine those two； immortal rulers？ 'Why can we not make an immortal army？' she said to me when his influence had thoroughly corrupted her。 When she had bee his pawn。 And now； in this day and age of astonishing wonders； I overruled her last words to me and brought her back to life。〃
Julie swallowed。 The tears poured down silently。 She no longer even wiped at them with the little handkerchief。 She reached across the table and touched the back of his hand。
〃No。 Ramses； it isn't Cleopatra。 Don't you see？ You've made a terrible mistake； yes； and we must find a way to undo it。 But it isn't Cleopatra。 It cannot possibly be。〃
〃Julie； I made no mistake on that account！ And she knew me！ Don't you understand？ She called my name！〃
Soft music drifted from the Mena House。 There were twinkling yellow lights in its windows。 Tiny figures moved back and forth on its broad terrace。
Cleopatra and the American stood in a dark tunnel； high up on the pyramid； the burial shaft。
Feverishly she embraced him； slipping her silk…covered fingers into his shirt。 Ah； the nipples of men； so tender； such a key to torment and ecstasy； how he writhed as she twisted them ever so gently； her tongue darting in and out of his mouth。
All the bravado and high spirits were gone now。 He was her slave。 She ripped the linen fabric back off his chest； and plunged her hand down under his leather belt to the root of his sex。
He moaned against her。 She felt him gathering up her skirts。 Then suddenly his hand stopped。 His whole body stiffened。 Awkwardly she turned her head； he was staring down at her naked leg； her foot。
He was staring at the great strip of bloody bone exposed in her leg； at the fan of bones in her foot。
〃Jesus Christ！〃 he whispered。 He drew back from her against the wall。〃 Jesus Christ！〃
A low growl of rage and hurt broke from her。〃 Take your eyes off me！〃 she screamed in Latin。〃 Turn your eyes away from me！ You will not look at me in disgust。〃
She sobbed as she grabbed his head with both hands and banged it against the stone wall。〃 You will die for this！〃 she spit at him。 And then the twist； the simple little twist。 And he was dead； too。
That was all that was required； and now there was blessed silence and his body lying there； like the body of the other； with the money showing under his sagging coat。
Her wounds could not kill her。 The blast of heat from the one called Henry had not killed her； the blast which made the horrible； unbearable noise。 But all it took to kill them was this。
She looked out of the opening of the shaft； down over the dark ocher sands towards the soft tights of the Mena House。 Again； she heard the music； so sweet； drifting on the cool air。
Always cool at night； the desert。 And almost dark； wasn't it？ Tiny stars above in the azure sky。 She felt a strange moment of peace。 Nice to walk alone； away from them in the desert。
But Lord Rutherford。 The medicine。 Almost dark。
She bent down now； took the American's money。 She thought of the beautiful yellow motor car。 Ah； that would take her back to where she'd e from very swiftly。 And now it was hers all alone。
Suddenly she was laughing； thrilled by the prospect。 She rushed down the side of the pyramid； dropping easily from one stone block to the one below it； so much strength now； and then she ran towards the car。
Simple。 Press the electric starter button。 Then push the〃 gas pedal。〃 At once it began to roar。 Then forward on the stick； as she had seen him do it； as she depressed the other pedal； and miracle of miracles； she was racing forward； giving a mad turn to the wheel。
She drove in a great circle before the Mena House。 A few terrified Arabs scurried out of her path。 She hit the throbbing〃 horn；〃 as he had called it。 It frightened their camels。
Then she made for the road； pulling the stick back again to make it go faster； then shoving it forwards； just as she had seen him do。
When she came to the metal pathway； she stopped。 She clutched the wheel； trembling。 But no sound came from the great empty reaches of the desert to right and left。 And ahead lay the lights of Cairo； such a sweet spectacle under the paling； star…filled sky。
〃 'Celeste Aida！'〃 she sang a
