elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第19部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　after　Daoud　had　untied　it；　Ramses　pulled　it　down　and　busied　himself　doing　something　I　could　not　see　…　fastening　it　again；　I　assumed；　since　in　a　short　while　it　uncoiled；　the　lower　end　touching　the　ground　not　far　from　where　we　stood。　It　had　been　knotted　at　regular　intervals　…　a　primitive　but　effective　method　of　preventing　the　climber　from　losing　his　grip。
　Ramses　swung　himself　out　of　the　cleft　and　descended。　Even　before　he　turned　to　face　us　I　knew　something　was　amiss。
　〃It　isn't　an　animal；〃　he　said。　〃It's　a　man。　Was　a　man。〃
　Nefret　reached　for　the　rope。　Ramses　pulled　her　back　and　turned　her　to　face　him；　holding　her　by　the　shoulders。
　〃He's　dead；　Nefret。　You　can't　do　anything　for　him。〃
　〃I　can　tell　how　he　died。〃　She　tried　to　twist　away　from　him　but　he　tightened　his　grasp。
　〃Nefret；　will　you　listen　to　me？　I'm　not　talking　about　a　nice　dry　mummy。　There's　still　water　in　the　chamber；　and　he's　been　there　for　days；　possibly　weeks。〃
　Her　face　was　flushed　with　heat　and　rising　temper。　〃Damnation；　Ramses；　I've　examined　more　cadavers　than　you　have！〃
　〃You　aren't　going　to　examine　this　one。〃
　〃Who's　going　to　stop　me？〃
　〃Er；〃　said　Emerson。
　I　poked　him　with　my　parasol。　〃Not　you；　Emerson。　Nefret；　stop　and　think。　I　am　in　full　sympathy　with　your　interest　in　corpses；　but　I　do　not　see　that　anything　is　to　be　gained　by　your　inspecting　this　one　at　this　time。〃
　The　smell　seemed　to　have　intensified　since　Ramses's　announcement。　I　pressed　my　handkerchief　to　my　nose；　and　Emerson　gaped　at　me。
　〃You　mean　you　don't　insist　on　inspecting　it；　and　the　tomb；　too？　Good　Gad；　Peabody；　do　you　feel　well？〃
　〃Quite　well；　my　dear；　thank　you；　and　I　intend　to　remain　so。〃
　The　children；　still　facing　each　other　in　somewhat　belligerent　attitudes；　turned　their　heads　to　look　at　us。　I　was　happy　to　observe　that　my　reasonable　remarks　had　lowered　the　emotional　temperature。　The　corners　of　Nefret's　mouth　quivered；　and　the　angry　color　faded　from　Ramses's　face。　His　hands　moved　from　her　shoulders　down　her　arms　in　a　quick；　caressing　gesture。　〃Please；〃　he　said。
　Nefret　tilted　her　head　back　and　looked　up　into　his　eyes。　〃Since　you　put　it　that　way　。　。　。〃
　Emerson　let　out　a　gusty　breath。　〃Very　good。　We'll　have　to　have　him　out；　though；　if　we　want　to　examine　the　tomb。〃
　〃mon　decency　requires　that　we　have　him　out；〃　I　said。　〃And　give　him　a　proper　burial。　I　suppose　he　met　with　an　accident　while　looking　for　another　tomb　to　rob。〃
　〃It　was　no　accident。　He'd　been　arranged；　propped　up　in　a　sitting　position　against　the　side　of　the　passage；　and　held　upright　by　。　。　。〃　Ramses　hesitated　for　a　moment　before　he　went　on。　〃。　。　。　By　a　metal　spike　driven　through　his　throat　and　into　a　crack　in　the　rock。〃
　4
　　
　We　retreated　some　distance　down　the　wadi　before　opening　the　baskets　of　food。　There　was　not　a　breath　of　air　stirring　and　very　little　shade；　we　all　removed　as　many　garments　as　propriety　allowed。　I　looked　enviously　from　Ramses　and　Emerson；　shirtless　as　well　as　coatless；　to　Selim　and　Daoud；　who　appeared　perfectly　fortable　in　their　enveloping　but　loose　garments。
　I　knew　I　was　going　to　have　another　argument　with　Emerson　about　how　to　proceed。　He　was　bound　and　determined　to　get　into　the　confounded　tomb。
　〃We　have　not　the　proper　equipment　for　dealing　with　a　deposing　corpse；〃　I　declared；　peeling　an　orange。　〃And　how　would　we　get　it　back？　You　aren't　proposing　we　take　it　in　turn　to　carry　it　over　those　hills；　I　hope？〃
　Emerson　is　the　most　stubborn　individual　of　my　acquaintance；　but　even　he　was　temporarily　silenced。　He　bit　into　a　chicken　leg　and　masticated　vigorously。　His　blue　eyes　took　on　a　dreamy；　pensive　look；　and　his　noble　brow　was　untroubled；　but　I　knew　he　was　only　biding　his　time　till　he　could　think　of　a　way　of　getting　round　the　logic　of　my　statement。
　〃Decidedly　unpleasant；　if　not　actually　impossible；〃　said　Ramses；　who　knew　his　father　as　well　as　I　did。　〃I　propose　we　go　to　Gurneh　and　try　to　locate　his　friends　or　his　family。　Someone　may　have　reported　him　missing。〃
　〃To　the　police？〃　Emerson　snorted。　〃Not　likely；　with　that　lot。〃
　〃They　will　admit　the　truth　to　us；　or　to　Selim；〃　Ramses　argued。　〃We　will　have　to　e　back　in　any　case。　Mother　is　right　about　that。〃
　〃Oh；　very　well。〃　Emerson　finished　his　chicken　leg　and　jumped　up。　〃I　will　just　have　a　quick　look　before　…〃
　〃No；　you　will　not！　You　see　what　es　of　your　schemes；　Emerson。　We　ought　to　have　made　inquiries　before　ever　we　came　here。　If　you　would　listen　to　me　…〃
　〃Bah；〃　said　Emerson。
　Selim　had　tried　several　times　to　get　a　word　in。　Now　he　said；　〃I　think　I　know　who　the　man　might　be；　Father　of　Curses。　If　you　had　asked　me　…〃
　〃Not　you　too；　Selim；〃　Emerson　shouted。　〃I　will　not　be　criticized　by　my　wife　and　my　reis。　One　of　you　at　a　time；　but　not　simultaneously。〃
　However；　the　bined　arguments　of　Ramses；　Selim；　and　myself　carried　the　day。　Emerson　is　stubborn；　but　he　is　not　pletely　unreasonable　…　and　he　counted　on　getting　into　the　wretched　tomb　another　time。
　Emerson　chose　another　path　this　time；　straight　down　to　the　end　of　the　wadi　and　through　another；　narrower　canyon；　descending　all　the　while。　It　was　certainly　easier　than　the　way　we　had　e；　but　it　was　necessary　to　watch　where　one　stepped　for　fear　of　twisting　an　ankle；　and　Emerson　set　such　a　rapid　pace　that　conversation　was　impossible。　Neither　of　these　considerations　prevented　me　from　ratiocination。
　There　was　no　doubt　in　my　mind　that　the　unfortunate　individual　whose　remains　Ramses　had　found　had　been　murdered。　Was　it　only　a　coincidence　that　Jamil　was　still　in　the　vicinity；　resentful　of　the　men　who　had；　as　he　claimed；　robbed　him　of　his　fair　share？　Remembering　the　lazy；　surly　youth　I　had　known；　I　found　it　hard　to　believe　that　Jamil　was　a　killer。　Someone　was　certainly　guilty　of　something；　however；　and　it　behooved　us　to　take　all　possible　precautions。
　The　last　of　the　foothills　dwindled　and　I　saw　before　me　the　Theban　plain；　stretching　out　across　desert　and　cultivation　to　the　river。　I　made　Emerson　stop　while　we　drank　thirstily；　finishing　the　last　of　the　water。　He　gave　us　no　time　to　rest　or　converse；　however。
　〃If　you　want　to　reach　home　before　dark；　we　had　best　be　getting　on；〃　he　said。
　I　patted　my　damp　face　daintily　with　my　handkerchief。　〃There　are　still　several　hours　of　daylight　left。　Where　are　we？〃
　〃A　mile　or　so　from　Medinet　Habu。〃　He　gestured。　〃I　thought　we　might　go　home　by　way　of　Deir　el　Medina；　have　a　look　round；　see　what　…〃
　〃Not　today；　Emerson。〃　I　knew　Emerson's　little　〃look　round〃　and　〃mile　or　so。〃　The　first　could　take　up　to　three　hours；　the　second　might　be　two　miles　or　more。　I　continued　somewhat　acrimoniously；　〃Why　didn't　we　take　this　path　when　we　went　out？　We　could　have　brought　the　horses　as　far　as　Medinet　Habu　at　least。〃
　〃Faster　the　other　way。〃　Emerson　rubbed　his　chin　and　gave　me　a　puzzled　look。　〃You　aren't　tired；　are　you？〃
　〃Good　gracious；　no；〃　I　said；　with　a　hollow　laugh。
　I　must　give　Emerson　credit；　his　mile　or　so　was　in　fact　only　a　little　more　than　a　mile。　The　path　soon　widened　into　a　fairly　well　trafficked　road　and　before　long　I　saw　the　towering　pylons　of　the　temple　of　Ramses　III。　We　were　passing　the　gateway　when　a　man　emerged。　He　gave　a　start　of　surprise　and　came　toward　us。
　〃Stop；　Emerson；〃　I　ordered。　〃There　is　Cyrus。〃
　Emerson　had　seen　him；　of　course。　He　had　hoped　he　would　not；　but　he　was　fairly　caught。　As　Cyrus　came　hurrying　up；　Emerson　burst　into　speech。
　〃Still　here？　I　was　under　the　impression　you　left　off　at　midday。　I　mend　your　ambition。　I　…　er　…〃
　〃I　took　your　little　lecture　to　heart；〃　Cyrus　said。　His　voice　had　its　usual　soft　drawl；　but　his　expression　was　neither　soft　nor　weling。　〃Gol…durn　you；　Emerson；　where've　you　been？　Not　at　Deir　el　Medina；　where　you're　supposed　to　be；　you're　ing　from　the　wrong　direction。　Did　you　have　the　consarned　audacity　to　warn　me　away　from　those　queens'　tombs　and　then　go　looking　for　them　yourself；　behind　my　back？〃
　The　rest　of　the　men　had　e　straggling　out　of　the　temple；　followed　by　Abu　and　Bertie。　The　latter　immediately　hastened　toward　us。　Abu　took　one　look　at　the　flushed　countenance　of　Emerson　and　the　scowling　countenance　of　his　employer；　and　discreetly　vanished。
　〃Good　evening；〃　Bertie　said；　removing　his　pith　helmet。　In　the　heat　of　exasperation　Cyrus　had；　for　once；　neglected　to　do　this。　He　remedied　the　omission　at　once　and　gave　me　a　rather　sheepish　look。
　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Amelia；　and　yours；　Nefret。　Guess　I　shouldn't　have　got　so　riled　up。〃
　〃Riled　up？〃　Bertie　repeated。　The　Americanism　sounded　odd　in　his　diffident；　educated　English　voice。　〃What　about？　Is　something　the　matter？〃
　〃No；〃　Ramses　said；　as　Nefret　acknowledged　Cyrus's　apology　with　a　smile。　〃Two　such　old　friends　as　Cyrus　and　my　father　would　never　have　a　serious　falling…out　about　a　trivial　matter。〃
　Emerson　grinned　and　fumbled　in　his　pockets。　Any　other　man　would　have　been　searching　for　a　handkerchief；　to　wipe　the　perspiration　from　his　face；　but　Emerson　never　feels　the　heat　and　he　can　never　find　his　handkerchief　anyhow。　Taking　out　his　pipe；　he　studied　it　with　great　satisfaction　and　began　another　search　for　his　tobacco　pouch。
　〃Don't　do　that　now；　Emerson；〃　I　ordered。　〃We　must　be　getting　home。〃
　〃May　as　well　have　the　matter　out；〃　Emerson　said。　〃Vandergelt　has　some　justice　on　his　side。　Perhaps　I　should　explain　that　we　were　not　looking