elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第23部分
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〃Thank you;〃 Cyrus muttered; eyeing his sandwich with distaste。
〃There were a number of broken bones;〃 Nefret went on。 〃I looked for a bullet or knife wound; but it wasn't easy to 。 。 。 Well; I won't go into that either。 The head injury was enough to have killed him。〃
〃Fall or blunt instrument?〃 I inquired。
Nefret shrugged。 〃Impossible to determine。 I did the best I could; but without the proper instruments …〃
〃Yes; quite;〃 said Emerson。
Selim returned to announce that Hassan had gone on with the cart and its burden; and we continued with our lunch。 Daoud soon joined us。 He had e round the long way; since he was not fond of climbing ropes; up or down。
〃Are there more tombs in these cliffs?〃 Bertie asked; accepting another sandwich。
〃Unquestionably;〃 Ramses replied。 〃If this area was used for the burials of royal females during the Eighteenth Dynasty; which seems likely; there are a number of known queens whose mummies have never been found; and Heaven knows how many unknown princesses and kings' lesser wives。〃
〃Not to mention princes;〃 Nefret added; her eyes shining with archaeological fervor。 〃And royal mothers and sisters and …〃
〃Cousins and aunts;〃 I said; with a chuckle; reminded of one of my favorite Gilbert and Sullivan arias。
The others acknowledged my little joke with smiles and nods; except for Emerson; who sat like a boulder; staring off into space; and Selim; who was growing restless。
〃The horses will not run away;〃 he said。 〃Not our horses。 But we should not leave them there too long。〃
Emerson jumped up。 〃Quite right; quite right。 I will … er … this will only take a minute。〃
I had expected Emerson would want to get into the cursed tomb。 I was not the only one who attempted to make him see reason; but he waved all objections aside。 〃I only want to have a look。〃
〃Put on your pith helmet; Emerson;〃 I called after him。
〃Yes; yes;〃 said Emerson; not doing so。
He started to climb the rope; moving with an agility remarkable in so heavy a man。 He had not got very far when the quiet air was rent by a prolonged; high…pitched scream。 It was not an animal。 No creature in Egypt made a sound like that。 Emerson lost his grip on the rope and dropped down; staggering a bit before he got his balance。
〃What the devil …〃 he began。
〃He's up there。〃 Ramses handed his father the binoculars he had snatched up。 I saw the figure now; atop the cliff。 It was too far away for me to make out details; but it was capering and prancing; waving its arms and kicking up its heels; as if in a grotesque dance。 Small bits of rock rattled down the sheer face。
I took the binoculars from Emerson and when I raised them to my eyes the bizarre figure took on form and substance。 Its only garment was a short skirt or kilt。 The body was human。 The head was not。 Pricked ears and protruding muzzle were covered with coarse brown hair; and fanged teeth fringed the jaws。
Ramses ran toward the cliff。 I knew what he intended; and I felt reasonably certain that Emerson would follow after him。 Handing Nefret the binoculars; I drew my little pistol from its holster; aimed; and fired。
I did not expect I would hit the creature。 Obviously I did not; for a long mocking laugh; almost as unpleasant as the animal scream; followed; and the monstrous figure vanished from sight。
〃e back here this instant; Ramses;〃 I shouted。 〃Emerson; if you attempt to climb that rope I will … I will shoot you in the leg。〃
〃Don't fire that damned pistol again;〃 Emerson exclaimed; hurrying toward me。 〃Give it to me。〃
〃I wouldn't really have shot you;〃 I said; as he carefully removed the weapon from my hand。 〃But really; Emerson; haven't you better sense than to climb a cliff when there is someone up above who could knock you off the rope with a few well…placed rocks?〃
〃That's reasonable;〃 Emerson conceded。
〃Right;〃 said Ramses; who had obviously had second thoughts。 〃We'll go up and around。 No; not you; Bertie; you've done your bit for today。〃
〃Nor you; Peabody;〃 my husband added。 〃Stay here and … and head him off if he es down。〃
〃Give me back my pistol; then;〃 I shouted; as he and Ramses went trotting off; acpanied by Selim。 Emerson did not pause but his reply was clearly audible。 〃Hit him with your parasol。〃
I patted Nefret on the shoulder。 〃Don't be concerned; my dear。 He will have taken himself off by the time they get to the top。〃
〃Then what is the point of their going?〃 Nefret demanded。 〃Oh; I know; it's Father; of course。 He is determined to get into that bloody damned tomb one way or another。〃
〃Well now; you can't blame him;〃 Cyrus said。 〃There must be something in there the fellow doesn't want us to find or he wouldn't have tried to scare us off。〃
〃It was an afrit; a demon;〃 Jumana muttered; twisting her slim brown hands together。
It was not one of her better performances; but Daoud; utterly without guile himself; patted her reassuringly。 〃Where the Father of Curses walks; no afrit dares approach。〃
〃That was no afrit; it was a man; wearing some sort of mask;〃 Bertie said coolly。 〃How could he have supposed such a silly stunt would frighten us away?〃
I had wondered myself。
Knowing it would be some time before Emerson finished rooting around in the disgusting tomb; I found a (paratively) fortable seat and invited the others to do the same。 We were able to observe some of their activities; rather like spectators in the pit of a theater or opera house; but after they had descended into the cleft; all three were out of sight。 We saw no one else。 I had not expected we would。
When they finally rejoined us; descending by means of the rope; they were all three in an appalling state of filth。 Emerson; naturally; was the worst。 He had removed his coat early in the day; he was now without his shirt。 I recognized this garment in the bundle he carried under one arm。 The bronzed skin of his chest and back was smeared with a disgusting paste pounded of dust; perspiration; bat guano; and blood from a network of scratches and scrapes; and his hands were even nastier。 He did not smell very nice。
〃Good Gad; Peabody; you won't believe what a mess they made of the place;〃 he exclaimed。 〃The floor of the burial chamber looks like a rubbish heap; with chunks of rotted wood and soggy bones mixed with bits of stone。〃
He squatted and began unwrapping his bundle。 Selim; who was far more fastidious in his habits than my husband; set about scrubbing his hands and arms with sand。
〃If there was nothing left; what were you doing all that time?〃 Nefret asked; handing Ramses a dampened handkerchief。
〃Taking measurements and notes。〃 He wiped his mouth before he went on。 〃Father managed to salvage a few odds and ends。〃
Still squatting; Emerson studied the motley objects he had collected。 They included a rim fragment from a stone vessel; scraps of gold foil; and a number of jewelry elements; beads and inlays and spacers。 Rapt in contemplation of these uninspiring artifacts; he did not so much as twitch when I uncorked my bottle of alcohol and trickled the liquid down his scraped back。 I honestly believe I could amputate one of Emerson's limbs without his taking notice if he had found something of archaeological interest。
〃We had some trouble getting into the descending passage;〃 Ramses explained。 〃It had been blocked with stones; and the thieves removed only enough for them to wriggle through。 It was rather a tight squeeze for Father。〃
〃And you;〃 said Nefret。 〃At least you had sense enough to wear your coat。〃
〃I had writing materials and a torch in my pockets;〃 Ramses said。 He fished a wad of crumpled paper from inside his coat。
〃You can work up your notes into a detailed plan tonight;〃 said Emerson; without looking up。 〃Curse it; Peabody; what are you doing?〃
〃You have scratches all over your chest too;〃 I said。 〃Lean back。〃
〃Not a scrap of organic material survived;〃 Emerson grumbled。 〃Wood; mummy wrappings; bones … Ouch。〃
〃I doubt that even we could have preserved the coffins or the mummies;〃 Ramses said。
〃We could have tried;〃 Emerson muttered。 〃Damn the bastards! Who knows how much historical data was lost through their carelessness?〃
〃The damage is done; and regret is the most futile of all emotions;〃 I said。
〃No; it damned well is not;〃 Emerson snarled。 〃Don't quote aphorisms at me。〃
〃What; in your opinion …〃
〃Mother;〃 said Nefret; gently but firmly; 〃you and Father can argue about aphorisms all the way home if you like。 I think we should start back。〃
〃A very sensible suggestion; my dear;〃 I replied。 I could see she was itching to get Ramses home so she could clean him up and disinfect the abrasions that marked his hands and face。 〃Emerson; give me my pistol back。〃
〃Not on your life; Peabody。 If any shooting is required; I will do it。〃
None was required; though we kept a sharp lookout along the way。 As the sun sank lower; the shadows lengthened; affording some relief from the heat but; as I was uneasily aware; offering greater possibilities of concealment for a following foe。 We reached the place where the horses were waiting without incident; however; and started on the homeward path。 Daoud walked beside Jumana; talking nonstop in an effort to cheer her up。 Like