elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第21部分

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hastily。
　〃e　along；　then。〃
　〃Yes；　Sitt　Hakim。　I　will　e　at　once。〃
　Naturally　we　did　not　discuss　the　body　at　dinner。　Deteriorating　corpses　are　not　a　suitable　subject　for　conversation　at　the　dinner　table　in　any　case；　and　Jumana's　behavior　reinforced　my　doubts　about　her。　She　spoke　only　when　she　was　spoken　to；　and　she　kept　her　eyes　fixed　on　her　plate。　Even　if　she　had　not　eavesdropped　on　our　discussion　…　and　I　wouldn't　have　put　it　past　her　…　she　was　too　intelligent　to　miss　the　implications　of　our　discovery。　Jamil　had　more　or　less　admitted　to　her　that　he　had　been　involved　with　the　looting　of　the　princesses'　tomb；　and　he　had　accused　the　others　of　cheating　him。　I　considered　asking　her　directly　whether　she　and　Jamil　had　arranged　to　meet　again；　but　decided　to　wait　and　give　her　an　opportunity　to　confess。　Assuming；　that　is；　that　she　had　anything　to　confess。
　And；　with　any　luck；　Jamil　would　do　something　that　would　open　her　eyes　…　another　murder；　perhaps；　or　an　attack　on　one　of　us。
　The　children　excused　themselves　immediately　after　dinner；　and　I　said　I　would　go　with　them；　since　there　were　a　few　domestic　matters　with　regard　to　the　new　house　that　I　wanted　to　discuss　with　them。
　〃You　haven't　had　time　to　settle　in　or　decide　what　additional　furnishings　you　need；〃　I　pointed　out。　〃And　if　I　know　Emerson；　he　won't　give　you　a　chance。　If　I　can　help　in　any　way　…〃
　〃That　is　very　kind　of　you；　Mother；〃　Nefret　said。
　Ramses　said；　〃Thank　you；　Mother。〃
　We　went　through　the　house　room　by　room。　I　took　copious　notes　and　made　a　few　little　suggestions。　I　had　not　expected　Ramses　would　be　of　much　assistance；　nor　was　he。
　〃Now　then；〃　I　said；　referring　to　my　list。　〃What　about　household　help？　Fatima's　girls　have　been　doing　the　cleaning；　but　in　my　opinion　it　would　be　advisable　for　you　to　select　two　of　them　to　work　for　you　on　a　regular　basis。　If　you　prefer　to　take　certain　of　your　meals　alone；　a　cook　…〃
　〃We'll　worry　about　a　cook　later；　shall　we？〃　Nefret　glanced　at　her　husband；　who　was　staring　off　into　space。　〃As　for　the　maids；　I　will　leave　that　to　Fatima。　One　of　the　girls　who's　been　working　here　asked　me　yesterday　if　she　could　continue　doing　so；　she　is　very　hardworking；　if　a　little　shy；　so　I　told　her　that　would　be　fine。　Her　name　is　Najia。〃
　〃Ah；　yes；　Mohammed　Hammad's　niece。　Or　is　she　his　stepdaughter？　Never　mind。　The　poor　girl　is　somewhat　self…conscious；　it　is　that　liver　birthmark；　I　suppose。〃
　〃It　won't　bother　us；〃　Nefret　said。
　〃Of　course　not。　Now；　concerning　the　garden　。　。　。〃
　Finally　Nefret　said；　〃I　think　that's　everything；　Mother。　We　will　probably　have　to　run　up　to　Cairo　to　find　some　things；　but　I　will　talk　with　Abdul　Hadi　about　making　a　few　chairs　and　tables。　He　is　the　best　woodworker　in　Luxor。〃
　〃And　the　slowest；〃　I　said。
　Nefret　smiled。　〃I　can　hurry　him　up。〃
　I　observed　that　Ramses　was　yawning；　and　took　the　hint。　He　insisted　on　walking　back　with　me；　despite　my　objections。
　〃Nothing　can　possibly　happen　to　me　between　your　door　and　mine；〃　I　declared。
　〃Ah；　but　you　don't　have　your　parasol；〃　Ramses　said。
　　
　I　took　Gargery　into　our　confidence　next　morning　at　breakfast；　while　Sennia　was　dawdling　over　her　preparations　for　departure。　He　and　Fatima　took　it　in　turn　to　serve　meals；　it　had　been　a　promise　proposed　by　me；　to　prevent　them　from　quarreling　over　which　of　them　had　that　right。　It　was　his　turn　that　morning；　and　he　followed　my　well…organized　account　with　such　interest　that　I　was　forced　several　times　to　remind　him　to　serve　the　food。　He　then　straightened　to　his　full　height　…　five　feet　six　inches　or　thereabouts　…　and　stood　at　attention。　It　would　have　required　more　than　that　to　make　him　appear　impressive；　his　frame　was　meager；　his　face　lined；　and　he　had　taken　to　bing　his　hair　across　his　forehead　in　an　unconvincing　attempt　to　conceal　a　receding　hairline。　He　looked　like　a　butler；　which　is　what　he　was；　but　he　possessed　a　number　of　qualities　that　are　not　often　found　in　persons　of　that　position。　At　the　moment　he　was　a　very　happy　butler。　As　he　had　once　observed　to　me；　〃If　there's　got　to　be　a　murder；　madam；　it　might　as　well　be　us　that　gets　the　use　of　it。〃
　〃I　depend　on　you；　Gargery；　to　keep　a　close　eye　out　when　you　take　Miss　Sennia　to　the　Castle　for　her　lessons　with　Mrs。　Vandergelt。　I　doubt　there　is　any　reason　for　concern；　but　it　would　be　foolish　to　take　chances。〃
　〃I　agree；　madam；〃　said　Gargery；　standing　stiff　as　a　wooden　soldier　and　smiling　broadly。
　〃How　good　of　you　to　say　so；　Gargery。　Where　the　devil　is　that　girl？　Gargery；　please　go　and　。　。　。　Ah；　there　you　are；　Jumana。　Sit　down　and　eat　something　and　be　quick　about　it。〃
　We　were　to　meet　Daoud　and　Selim　at　Gurneh　and　go　on　from　there　to　the　Cemetery　of　the　Monkeys；　taking　with　us　the　necessary　equipment　for　the　ghoulish　task　that　lay　ahead。　Since　no　one　was　keen　on　carrying　the　dreadful　burden　any　farther　than　they　had　to；　we　planned　to　go　the　long　way　round；　by　way　of　the　road　which　would　enable　us　to　bring　a　donkey…drawn　cart　part　of　the　distance。
　The　cart　was　ready　when　we　arrived　at　Selim's　house；　to　find　him　and　Daoud　and　Hassan；　another　of　our　fellows；　waiting。　I　could　see　by　their　faces　that　they　had　been　warned　of　what　they　were　supposed　to　do；　and　I　didn't　blame　them　for　looking　gloomy。
　〃I　have　everything　we　will　need；〃　Selim　announced。　〃But　before　we　go；　I　think　you　will　wish　to　talk　with　Mohammed　Hammad。　He　is　here。〃
　〃Ah；〃　said　Emerson。　〃The　disappointed　bridegroom。　Have　you　told　him　of　our　discovery　yesterday？〃
　〃No；　Father　of　Curses；〃　said　Selim；　looking　as　demure　as　a　husky　young　man　with　a　large　black　beard　can　look。
　Emerson　laughed　aloud　and　clapped　him　on　the　back。　〃Good。　It　will　be　an　even　greater　shock　ing　from　me。〃
　Mohammed　Hammad　was　a　wiry　little　man　with　a　face　as　wrinkled　as　a　raisin　and　a　graying　beard。　Like　most　Egyptians　of　the　fellahin　class；　he　was　probably　younger　than　he　looked。　Inadequate　diet；　insanitary　living　conditions；　and　an　absence　of　proper　medical　care　can　age　an　individual　rapidly。　Now　there；　I　thought；　is　a　cause　that　might　attract　Nefret；　and　allow　her　to　use　her　medical　skills　in　the　place　where　I　intended　she　should　be　…　a　clinic　on　the　West　Bank；　to　treat　mon　ailments　such　as　parasites　and　infections。　Not　a　stimulating　practice；　perhaps；　for　a　trained　surgeon；　but　one　thing　might　lead　to　another　。　。　。
　I　put　the　matter　aside　for　the　moment；　so　that　I　could　concentrate　on　our　suspect。　Expecting　to　be　lectured　by　Emerson　about　the　tomb；　and　prepared　to　deny　everything；　he　greeted　us　with　a　certain　reserve。　Emerson　did　not　beat　around　the　bush。
　〃We　found　one　of　your　friends　yesterday；　in　the　tomb　you　robbed。　Dead。　Murdered。〃
　It　was　an　effective；　if　somewhat　brutal；　method　of　shocking　Mohammed　into　an　admission。　I　thought　for　a　moment　the　poor　man　would　have　a　stroke　or　a　heart　attack。　He　finally　managed　to　gasp　out　a　word。　〃Who　。　。　。〃
　〃You　would　know　better　than　we；〃　Emerson　said。　〃Selim　tells　me　that　Abdul　Hassan　has　not　been　seen　for　a　week。　He　was　one　of　your　。　。　。　Damnation；〃　he　went　on；　in　English。　〃He's　about　to　have　a　fit。　Give　him　some　brandy；　Peabody。〃
　Mohammed　accepted　the　brandy　（one　of　the　little　items　I　always　carry　attached　to　my　belt）　with　an　eagerness　unbeing　a　good　Moslem　（which　I　had　never　thought　he　was）。　He　was　ready　to　talk；　the　words　poured　out　of　him；　and　a　disturbing　story　it　was。
　Of　the　original　thieves；　two　were　now　dead。　The　other　death　had　been　attributed　to　accident；　the　body　had　been　found　at　the　base　of　the　cliffs　and　it　was　assumed　he　had　fallen。
　〃The　curse　of　the　pharaohs；〃　said　Emerson；　unable　to　resist。　〃Death　to　those　who　defile　the　tombs。〃
　The　brandy　had　restored　Mohammed's　nerve。　He　gave　Emerson　a　cynical　look。　〃It　took　the　pharaohs　a　long　time　to　act；　Father　of　Curses。　Abdul　has　been　robbing　tombs　since　he　was　a　boy。〃
　〃He　won't　rob　any　more；〃　Emerson　pointed　out。　〃Who　were　the　others？〃
　Mohammed　rattled　the　names　off　without　hesitating。　Everyone　in　the　village　knew；　including　his　rivals　in　the　business；　so　there　was　no　profit　in　reticence。　He　demanded　extralarge　baksheesh　for　his　candor；　of　course。　〃That　is　all　I　can　tell　you；　Father　of　Curses。　Can　I　go　now？〃
　〃You　have　not　told　me　everything；〃　Emerson　said。　〃You　gave　me　six　names。　There　was　a　seventh　man；　wasn't　there？〃
　〃He　was　not　one　of　us；〃　Mohammed　muttered。
　〃I　know　who　he　was。〃
　〃The　Father　of　Curses　knows　all；〃　Daoud　intoned。
　Emerson　acknowledged　this　tribute　with　a　gracious　nod；　and　went　on；　〃Was　it　Jamil　who　found　the　tomb？〃
　〃We　all　found　it！　We　shared　with　him　…　we　were　generous。〃
　Mohammed's　voice　was　shrill　with　unconvincing　indignation。　The　falsity　of　his　claim　was　obvious。　Jamil　was　not　a　regular　member　of　their　little　gang；　they　would　never　have　shared　the　treasure　with　him　unless　he　had　been　the　one　responsible　for　discovering　it。
　〃Have　you　seen　or　heard　from　him　since　you　divided　the　money？〃　Emerson　persisted。
　A　look　of　calculation；　not　unmixed　with　fear；　sharpened　Mohammed's　features。　〃No；　Father　of　Curses。〃　He　clutched　his　chest　and　rolled　his　eyes。　〃Ah！　The　pain！〃
　He　was　not　too　feeble　to　hold　out　his　hand。　Emerson　dropped　a　few　coins　into　it。　〃There　will　be　more　for　you；　Mohammed；　if　you　bring　us　news　of　Jamil。　Tell　the　others　the　same　…　and　warn　them　to　watch　out