anner.themummy-第84部分

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She　gave　a　little　laugh　of　pure　amazement。　〃No；〃　　she　said。　〃You　have　been　simply　super。　Very　okay！〃
　
　He　gave　her　a　sweet　indulgent　look；　the　look　all　these　men　gave　her。　And　then　he　gestured　for　her　to　step　up　to　the〃　desk。　*'
　
　*　*　*
　
　Elliott　went　right　to　it　as　Pitfield　sat　down　across　from　him。　He　was　aware　that　he　was　talking　too　fast；　and　likely　to　say　strange　things；　but　he　could　not　break　his　momentum。　Get　Alex　out　of　here。　Get　Julie　out　if　at　all　possible。　Those　were　the　only　thoughts　in　his　mind；　and　worry　about　Randolph　later。
　
　〃None　of　us　has　the　slightest　connection　to　any　of　it；〃　　he　said。〃　They　must　all　be　allowed　to　go　home。　I　can　stay　here；　if　it's　absolutely　necessary；　but　my　son　must　be　allowed　to　leave。〃
　
　Gerald；　ten　years　his　senior；　white…haired　and　heavy　about　the　middle；　listened　keenly。　He　was　a　man　not　given　to　strong　drink；　who　tended　to　work　round　the　clock　so　that　his　family　might　enjoy　every　pleasurable　aspect　of　colonial　existence。
　
　〃Of　course　not；〃　　he　said　now；　with　plete　sympathy。〃　But　wait；　there's　Winthrop　in　the　doors。　He　has　two　men　with　him。〃
　
　〃I　can't　talk　to　him！〃　　Elliott　said。〃　Not　now；　for　the　love　of　heaven。〃
　
　〃You　leave　it　to　me　pletely。〃
　
　How　astonished　they　were　when　she　paid　them　in　advance　with　piles　and　piles　of　the　strange　money　they　called〃　pound　notes；〃　　though　they　weighed　nothing。　The　young　servants　would　take　her　many　bundles　to　her　suite；　they　said。　And　indeed；　there　were　kitchens　working　now　to　produce　whatever　food　she　desired；　there　lay　the　dining　room　to　the　right；　and　she　could　banquet　in　her　room　if　that　was　her　wish。　As　for　the　hairdresser　which　she　clearly　required　to　tie　up　her　hair；　that　lady　would　not　be　available　until　tomorrow。　Very　well。　Thank　you！
　
　She　dropped　the　key　into　her　satin　bag。　She　would　find　suite　number　201　later。　She　hurried　to　the　door　of　the　dark　room　into　which　Lord　Rutherford　had　gone；　and　spied　him　drinking　there　alone。　He　did　not　see　her。
　
　Out　on　the　broad　front　terrace；　she　could　see　his　son；　Alex；　leaning　against　the　white　pillar…such　a　ely　youth…in　fast　conversation　with　a　dark…skinned　Egyptian。　The　Egyptian　came　back　into　the　hotel。　The　young　one　seemed　at　a　loss。
　
　She　went　to　him　immediately。　She　crept　up　and　stood　beside　him　and　studied　his　delicate　face…yes；　a　beauty。　Of　course　Lord　Rutherford　was　a　man　of　considerable　charm；　but　this　one　was　so　young　that　his　skin　was　still　petal　soft；　and　yet　he　was　tall　and　his　shoulders　were　strong　and　straight；　and　he　had　a　clear；　confident　look　in　his　brown　eyes　when　he　turned　to　her。
　
　〃The　young　Viscount　Summerfield；〃　　she　said。〃　Son　of　Lord　Rutherford；　I　am　told？〃
　
　A　great　flash　of　a　smile。　〃I'm　Alex　Savarell；　yes。　Forgive　me；　I　don't　believe　I've　had　the　pleasure。〃
　
　〃I'm　hungry；　Viscount　Summerfield。　Won't　you　show　me　to　the　banquet　room　of　the　hotel？　I　should　like　to　eat　something。〃
　
　〃I'd　be　delighted！　What　an　unexpected　pleasure。〃
　
　He　hooked　his　arm　for　her　to　take　it。　Oh；　she　liked　him　very　much；　there　was　no　reticence　in　him　at　all。　He　escorted　her　back　into　the　crowded　main　room；　past　the　dark　tavern　where　his　father　drank；　and　on　towards　a　great　open　place　under　a　high　gilded　ceiling。
　
　Tables　draped　in　linen　filled　the　sides　of　the　immense　room。　In　the　centre　men　and　women　danced；　the　women's　skirts　like　great　softly　ruffled　flowers。　And　the　music；　oh；　so　lovely；　though　it　almost　hurt　her　ears。　It　was　far　more　shrill　than　that　of　the　music　box。　And　it　was　sweetly　sad！
　
　At　once　he　asked　an　imperious　old　man　to　show　them　to　a　〃table。〃　　What　an　ugly　person　was　this　imperious　man　who　appeared　as　finely　dressed　as　anyone　present。　But　he　said；〃　Yes；　Lord　Summerfield〃　　with　great　respect。　And　the　table　was　fine　indeed；　set　with　gorgeous　plate；　and　sweet…scented　flowers。
　
　〃What　is　this　music？〃　　she　asked。
　
　〃From　America；〃　　he　said。〃　From　Sigmund　Romberg。〃
　
　She　began　rocking　back　and　forth　a　little。
　
　〃Would　you　like　to　dance？〃　　he　asked。
　
　〃That　would　be　super！〃
　
　Oh；　such　a　warm　hand　he　had　as　he　clasped　hers　and　led　her　out　on　the　floor。　How　peculiar　that　each　couple　should　be　dancing　as　if　entirely　alone　and　engaged　in　a　private　ritual。　At　once　the　melancholy　rhythm　swept　her　up。　And　this　adorable　young　man；　how　lovingly　he　looked　at　her。　This　really　was　a　lovely　young　man；　this　Alex；　Lord　Summerfield。
　
　〃How　enchanting　it　is　here；〃　　she　said。〃　A　true　palace。　And　the　music；　so　piercing；　but　beautiful。　It　hurts　my　ears；　but　then　I　do　not　like　loud　noises…screeching　birds；　guns！〃
　
　〃Of　course　you　don't；〃　　he　said　with　surprise。〃　You're　such　a　fragile　creature。　And　your　hair；　may　I　tell　that　your　hair　is　lovely？　It's　a　rare　thing　to　see　a　woman　who　wears　her　hair　free；　and　natural。　It　makes　you　look　like　a　goddess。〃
　
　〃Yes；　that　is　very　okay。　Thank　you。〃
　
　He　had　a　sweet　laugh。　So　honest。　No　fear　in　his　eyes；　no　shrinking。　He　was　like　a　prince　who　had　been　reared　with　kind　nurses　in　a　palace。　Altogether　too　gentle　for　the　real　world。
　
　〃Would　you　mind　terribly　telling　me　your　name？〃　　he　asked。〃　I　know　we've　not　been　properly　introduced；　so　we　must　introduce　ourselves；　it　seems。〃
　
　〃My　name　is　Cleopatra；　Queen　of　Egypt。〃　　How　she　loved　this　dancing；　being　carried　along；　turned　about；　the　floor　shimmered　like　water　beneath　her。
　
　〃Oh；　I　could　almost　believe　you；〃　　he　said。〃　You　look　like　a　Queen。　May　I　call　you　Your　Highness？〃
　
　She　laughed。〃　Your　High…ness。　Is　that　the　proper　address　for　a　Queen！　Yes；　you　may　call　me　Your　High…ness。　And　I　shall　call　you　Lord　Summerfield。　These　men　here；　are　they　all。。。lords？〃
　
　Through　the　dark　mirror　on　the　panelled　wall；　Elliott　saw　Winthrop　and　his　cohorts　withdraw。　Pitfield　came　directly　back　and　took　his　chair　opposite。　He　signaled　for　another　drink。
　
　〃More　mayhem；〃　　he　said。〃　What　in　God's　name　has　happened　to　young　Stratford！〃　〃Tell　me。〃
　
　〃Astonishing！　Some　belly　dancer；　Henry　Stratford's　mistress。　They　found　her　dead；　neck　broken；　in　the　garden　of　the　house　she　was　sharing　with　Henry。　All　Henry's　things　were　there。　Passport；　money；　everything。〃
　
　Elliott　swallowed。　He　needed　another　drink　badly。　It　occurred　to　him　that　he　ought　to　take　some　supper　just　so　that　he　could　go　on　drinking　without　passing　out。
　
　〃Same　thing　that　happened　to　the　Oxford　student　this　afternoon；　neck　broken；　and　the　American　kid　out　at　the　pyramids；　and　the　maid　at　the　museum。　Wonder　why　he　bothered　to　use　a　knife　on　Sharpies！　You'd　better　tell　me　everything　you　know　about　this。〃
　
　The　waiter　set　down　the　fresh　glasses　of　Scotch　and　gin。　Elliott　took　his　drink　and　sipped　it　thoughtfully。
　
　〃Just　what　I　was　afraid　of；　the　whole　thing。　He　was　going　out　of　his　mind　with　guilt。〃
　
　〃Over　the　gambling。〃
　
　〃No。　Over　Lawrence。　It　was　Henry；　you　see；　and　the　poisons　in　the　tomb。〃
　
　〃Good　Lord；　man；　are　you　serious？〃
　
　〃Gerald；　that's　how　it　all　started。　He　had　papers　for　Lawrence　to　sign。　He　probably　forged　them。　But　that's　not　the　point。　He　admitted　the　killing。〃
　
　〃To　you。〃
　
　〃No；　to　someone　else。〃　　He　broke　off；　had　to　think　this　through；　but　there　was　no　time。〃　To　Ramsey。〃
　
　〃Ramsey；　the　one　they're　searching　for。〃
　
　〃Yes；　Ramsey　tried　to　talk　to　him；　early　this　morning；　before　Henry　went　on　the　rampage　and　broke　into　the　museum。　By　the　way　。　。　？　you　said　they'd　been　to　the　belly　dancer's　house。　Did　they　find　any　evidence　of　a　mummy　there；　any　wrappings？　That　would　certainly　tie　it　up　and　then　they'd　stop　persecuting　poor　Ramsey。　Ramsey　is　entirely　innocent；　you　see。　He　went　to　the　museum　to　reason　with　Henry。〃
　
　〃You　know　this　for　a　fact？〃
　
　〃It　was　all　my　fault。　I　can't　sleep　of　late；　pain　in　my　joints　is　too　severe。　Five　o'clock　this　morning　I　was　just　ing　in　from　my　walk。　I'd　seen　Henry；　roaring　drunk；　near　the　museum；　as　I　told　you。　I　thought　he　was　pub　crawling。　And　I　made　the　mistake　of　telling　Ramsey；　who　had　just　e　down　for　his　morning　coffee。　Ramsey　had　tried　to　reason　with　Henry　earlier。　And　off　he　went　to　find　him　again；　for　Julie's　sake。〃
　
　〃Julie　and　this　Ramsey；　they're　。。。〃
　
　〃Yes。　The　engagemen