anner.themummy-第78部分

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He　turned　around。
　
　〃Keep　walking；〃　　said　die　tall　Arab。　It　was　Ramsey！〃　There
　
　is　a　bar　around　the　corner　which　I　prefer　for　this　meeting。　It　is　quiet。　Go　in　ahead　of　me　and　sit　down。〃
　
　Elliott　was　weak　with　relief。　He　obeyed　immediately。　Whatever　happened；　he　was　no　longer　alone　in　this　nightmare。　Ramsey　would　know　what　to　do。　He　pushed　on　to　the　little　bar；　and　went　inside。
　
　Beaded　curtains；　low　flickering　oil　lamps；　wooden　tables；　the　usual　collection　of　disreputable　Europeans。　An　indifferent　serving　boy　swabbing　a　table　with　a　filthy　rag。
　
　A　tall　blue…eyed　Arab　in　handsome　robes　sat　at　the　last　table；　his　back　to　the　right　wall。　Ramsey。　He　must　have　entered　from　the　rear。
　
　Several　patrons　eyed　Elliott　arrogantly　as　he　made　his　way　to　the　back。　He　was　conspicuous　in　his　proper　clothes。　The　least　of　his　worries。
　
　He　took　the　chair　to　the　right　of　Ramsey；　with　its　back　to　the　rear　door。
　
　The　sputtering　little　lamp　on　the　table　reeked　of　scented　oil。　Ramses　already　had　a　drink　in　his　hand。　There　was　a　bottle　without　a　label　and　a　clean　glass。
　
　〃Where　is　she？〃　　Ramsey　said。
　
　〃I　have　no　intention　of　telling　you；〃　　Elliott　said。
　
　〃Oh？　What　are　the　rules　of　this　game？　Or　am　I　to　remain　at　a　major　disadvantage？〃
　
　Elliott　was　quiet　for　a　moment。　He　reflected　upon　his　decision　again。　Worth　it。　Worth　the　shame　of　the　moment。　He　cleared　his　throat。
　
　〃You　know　what　I　want；〃　　he　said　to　Ramsey。〃　You've　known　since　the　beginning。　I　didn't　make　this　journey　to　Egypt　to　protect　my　future　daughter…in…law's　chastity。　That's　absurd。〃
　
　〃I　believed　you　were　an　honorable　man。〃
　
　〃I　am；　though　today　I've　witnessed　things　that　would　sicken　a　monster。〃
　
　〃You　should　never　have　followed　me　to　the　museum。〃
　
　Elliott　nodded。　He　picked　up　the　bottle；　uncorked　it　and　filled　the　glass。　Whisky。　Ah；　yes。　He　took　a　stiff　drink。
　
　〃I　know　I　shouldn't　have　followed　you；〃　　he　said。〃　It　was　a　young　man's　folly。　And　maybe　I　would　be　young　again　。。。　forever。〃
　
　He　looked　at　Ramsey。　There　was　more　than　a　touch　of　majesty　to　the　man　in　these　white　robes。　He　looked　biblical；　larger
　
　than　Hie。　His　blue　eyes　were　rimmed　with　red；　however。　And　he　was　weary；　and　suffering。　That　was　quite　clear。
　
　〃I　want　the　elixir；〃　　Elliott　said　politely。〃　Once　You've　given　it　to　me；　once　I've　drunk　it；　then　I'll　tell　you　where　she　is。　And　she　shall　bee　your　responsibility。　And　believe　you　me；　I　don't　envy　you。　Though　I　have　done　all　that　I　could。〃
　
　〃What　state　is　she　in？　I　want　to　know　precisely。〃
　
　〃Healed；　but　not　enough。　She　is　beautiful　and　she　is　deadly。　She　killed　Henry；　and　his　Egyptian　mistress；　Malenka。〃
　
　Ramsey　said　nothing　for　a　moment；　then：
　
　〃Well；　young　Stratford　got　what　he　deserved；　to　use　your　modem　expression。　He　murdered　his　uncle。　He　tried　to　murder　his　cousin。　I　rose　from　the　grave　to　stop　him。　The　story　he　told　you　of　my　trying　to　strangle　him　was　true。〃
　
　Elliott　sighed。　Another　great　wash　of　relief　passing　through　him；　but　not　without　bitterness；　deep　bitterness。〃　I　knew　it。。。　the　part　about　Lawrence。　About　Julie　I　never　guessed。〃
　
　〃With　my　poisons；〃　　Ramses　sighed。
　
　〃I　loved　Lawrence　Stratford；〃　　Elliott　whispered。〃　He　was　my　。。。　my　lover；　once；　and　always　my　friend。〃
　
　Ramses　gave　a　small　nod　of　respect。
　
　〃This　killing；　was　it　easy　for　her？　How　did　it　e　about？〃
　
　〃She　is　incalculably　strong。　I'm　not　sure　she　fully　understands　what　death　is。　She　killed　Henry　because　he　was　firing　a　gun　at　her。　Malenka　she　killed　because　the　girl　was　frightened　and　had　begun　to　scream。　She　broke　the　necks　of　these　two　people。　The　maid　in　the　museum；　the　same。〃
　
　〃She　speaks？〃
　
　〃Clearly。　She　picks　up　English　from　me　as　if　imbibing　it。　She　told　me　who　she　was。　But　something's　wrong　with　her；　something　profound。　She　does　not　really　know　where　she　is；　or　what's　happening　to　her。　And　she　suffers。　She　suffers　unspeakably　because　of　the　great　gaping　sores　on　her　body；　through　which　the　bones　are　visible。　She　suffers　anguish　and　physical　pain。〃　　Elliott　took　another　drink　of　the　whisky。〃　The　damage　to　her　body…surely　there　is　similar　damage　to　her　brain。〃
　
　〃You　must　take　me　to　her　immediately！〃
　
　〃I　gave　her　what　was　left　in　the　vial；　the　one　you　so　carelessly　dropped　in　the　museum。　I　applied　it　to　her　face　and　her　hands。　But　much　more　is　needed。〃
　
　〃You　saw　it　work？　It　shrank　these　wounds？〃
　
　〃Yes。　But　the　sunlight　had　already　healed　her　enormously。〃
　
　Elliott　paused；　he　studied　Ramsey's　seemingly　impassive　face；　the　blue　eyes　staring　forward。〃　But　surely　this　is　no　mystery　to　you！〃
　
　〃You're　wrong。〃
　
　Mechanically　Ramses　lifted　the　glass　and　drank。
　
　〃A　quarter　of　the　vial；　that's　all　that　was　left；〃　　Elliott　said。〃　Would　it　have　been　enough　for　me；　if　I　had　drunk　it　instead　of　giving　it　to　her？〃
　
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　
　Elliott　smiled　bitterly。
　
　〃I　am　not　a　scientist。　Only　a　King。〃
　
　〃Well；　you　have　my　proposition；　Your　Royal　Highness。　You　give　me　the　elixir。　And　in　a　quantity　sufficient　to　resolve　all　doubts。　And　I　shall　give　you　Cleopatra；　Queen　of　Egypt；　to　do　with　as　you　like。〃
　
　Ramses　looked　at　him　directly。〃　And　suppose　I　told　you　I　would　kill　you　if　you　did　not　tell　me　where　she　was？〃
　
　〃Kill　me。　Without　the　elixir　I'll　die　anyway。　Those　are　the　only　two　things　I　think　of　now：　death　and　the　elixir。　I'm　not　sure　I　can　distinguish　between　the　two　any　longer。〃　　One　more　glass　of　whisky；　that　was　all　he　could　handle。　He　drank　it　down　and　made　a　faint　bitter　face。〃　Look；　I'll　be　frank　with　you。　I　have　no　stomach　for　what　I've　seen　today。　But　I　want　that　potion。　And　all　else　collapses　in　the　face　of　mat　desire。〃
　
　〃Yes；　how　well　I　remember。　Yet　it　didn't　for　her。　She　chose　death。　To　be　with　her　beloved　Mark　Antony；　though　I　held　it　out　to　her。　That　was　her　choice。〃
　
　〃Then　she　didn't　really　know　what　death　was。〃
　
　Ramses　smiled。
　
　〃In　any　case；　that；　I　am　certain；　she　doesn't　remember。　And　if　she　does；　I　doubt　she　cares。　She's　alive　now；　suffering；　struggling　with　her　wounds；　her　hungers　。。。〃　He　stopped。
　
　Ramses　leaned　forward。〃　Where　is　she！〃
　
　〃Give　it　to　me。　And　I　will　help　you　with　her。　I　will　do　anything　that　I　can。　We　won't　be　enemies；　you　and　I。　We　aren't　enemies　now；　are　we？〃
　
　〃No；　not　enemies！〃　　Ramses　whispered。　His　voice　was　soft；　but　his　eyes　were　full　of　anger。〃　But　I　can't　give　it　to　you。　It's　far　too　dangerous。　You　simply　do　not　understand。〃　
　
　〃Yet　you　raised　her　from　the　dead　like　a　bloody　alchemist！〃　　Elliott　said　heatedly。〃　And　you　will　give　it　to　Julie　Stratford；　will　you　not？　And　your　devoted　friend；　Samir？〃
　
　Ramses　didn't　answer。　He　rested　back　against　the　wall；　eyes　forward　again。
　
　Elliott　stood　up。
　
　〃I'll　be　at　Shepheard's。　When　you've　brewed　the　elixir；　call　me　there。　I'll　know　your　voice　when　you　call。　But　be　careful。　Then　we　shall　arrange　another　meeting。〃
　
　Gathering　up　his　walking　stick；　he　started　for　the　door。　He　did　not　look　back；　hard　as　that　was　for　him。　His　face　was　burning　with　shame。　But　this　was　the　only　feeble　chance　that　remained　to　him；　and　he　played　it　out；　miserable　though　he　was。
　
　There　was　a　moment　of　fear　as　he　walked　in　the　dark　alleyway　alone。　He　was　keenly　aware　not　only　of　all　the　familiar　aches　and　pains　that　plagued　him；　but　also　of　the　general　weakness　from　which　he　was　suffering；　the　premature　curse　of　old　age。　Then　it　occurred　to　him　that　Ramses　would　follow！
　
　He　stopped；　listened。　Not　a　sound　in　the　darkness。　He　went　on。
　
　She　stood　in　the　front　room；　she　had　not　made　up　her　mind　whether　or　not　she　should　kill　this　noisy　bird。　It　was　being　quiet　at　this　moment；　clucking；　dancing　on　its　perch。　And　it　was　beautiful。　If　it　did　not　scream；　she　would　not　kill　it。　That　seemed　fair　enough。
　
　The　body　of　the　dancing　girl　had　begun　to　rot。　She　had　dragged　it　into　the　farthest　corner　of　the　garden　and　there　thrown　a　great　cloth　over　it；　but　still　she　could　smell　it。
　
　Even　in　the　back　kitchen　she　could　smell　it。　But　that　had　not　stopped　her　from　consuming　all　the　food　she　could　find。　A　few　lemons；　very　s