elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第36部分

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　〃You　shouldn't　hold　it　against　him　just　because　he　got　here　before　you；〃　Ramses　said。
　〃I　was　here　thirty　years　ago；〃　Emerson　retorted。　〃But　I　didn't　scratch　my　name　all　over　the　scenery。〃
　〃It　is　a　courtesy；　Father；　telling　any　who　may　follow　that　he　has　copied　these　inscriptions。　I　presume　he　did？〃
　〃I　would　ask　him　if　I　could　lay　hands　on　him；〃　Emerson　snarled。　〃He　wasn't　in　Cairo；　he　isn't　in　Luxor。　Where　the　devil　is　he？〃
　〃Off　on　some　errand　for　the　War　Office；　I　presume。　He　said　he　was　working　for　the　intelligence　department。〃
　〃Bah；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Ramses；　I　want　copies　of　these　graffiti。　Carter　doesn't　understand　the　language。　Yours　are　bound　to　be　more　accurate。〃
　〃You　want　me　to　do　it　now？〃　Ramses　demanded。
　〃No；　there　won't　be　time。　Another　day。〃
　Another　day；　another　distraction；　Ramses　thought；　concealing　his　annoyance。　There　was　no　man　alive　…　or　dead；　for　that　matter　…　whom　he　admired　more　than　his　father；　but　sometimes　Emerson's　obstinacy　rasped　on　his　nerves。　I'll　try　again　to　explain　about　Deir　el　Medina；　he　thought。　Perhaps　I　didn't　try　hard　enough。　Perhaps　if　I　tell　him　。　。　。　He　was　thinking　how　to　put　it　when　he　heard　a　strange　sound。　Clear　and　high；　it　might　have　been　a　bird's　trill；　but　it　was　unusual　to　find　a　songbird　this　far　from　the　cultivation。
　He　got　to　his　feet　and　turned　slowly；　raking　the　cliffs　with　narrowed　eyes。　The　sun　was　high；　reflecting　off　the　barren　rocks；　dazzling　the　vision。
　〃What　…〃　Emerson　began。
　〃Listen。〃
　This　time　Emerson　heard　it　too。　He　jumped　up。
　〃There；〃　Ramses　said；　pointing。
　The　figure　was　too　far　away　and　too　high　up　to　be　distinct。　Without　taking　his　eyes　off　it；　he　knelt　and　got　the　binoculars　out　of　his　pack。
　〃Jamil？〃　Emerson　asked　hopefully。
　〃No。〃　The　small　figure　jumped　into　focus。　〃Goddamn　it！　It's　Jumana。　What　the　hell　…〃
　Emerson　cupped　his　hands　round　his　mouth　and　let　out　a　bellow　whose　reverberations　brought　down　a　shower　of　rock　from　the　cliff。
　〃Did　she　hear　me？〃　He　picked　up　his　coat　and　waved　it　like　a　flag。
　〃The　entire　Western　Desert　heard　you；〃　Ramses　said。　〃She's　seen　us。　She's　ing。　Good　God；　she'll　break　her　neck　if　she　doesn't　slow　down。　Let's　go　and　meet　her。〃
　Leaving　their　belongings；　they　hurried　up　the　path　they　had　recently　descended。　She　descended　even　faster；　slipping　and　sliding；　waving　her　arms　to　maintain　her　balance。　When　she　was　ten　feet　above　them　she　glissaded　down　the　last　slope；　straight　into　Emerson's　outstretched　arms。
　〃Hurry；〃　she　gasped。　〃Quick。　We　must　find　him。〃
　Her　face　glowed　with　heat　and　exertion。　Scowling　blackly；　Emerson　held　her　off　at　arm's　length；　and　Ramses　saw　that　she　was　wearing　a　belt　like　that　of　his　mother；　hung　all　round　with　various　hard；　lumpy　objects。　The　only　one　he　could　identify　was　a　canteen。
　〃Who？〃　he　asked；　since　his　father　seemed　incapable　of　speech。　〃Jamil？〃
　〃No。〃　She　pushed　her　hair　out　of　her　eyes。　〃I　followed　。　。　。　I　didn't　know　。　。　。　you　were　here　。　。　。〃　Her　breath　gave　out。
　〃Curse　it；〃　Emerson　said。　He　swung　her　up　into　his　arms　and　swore　again　as　something　…　possibly　the　canteen　…　jabbed　him　in　the　ribs。　He　carried　her　back　to　the　place　where　they　had　left　their　knapsacks；　put　her　down　on　his　coat；　and　offered　her　the　water　bottle。
　〃I　have　this；〃　she　said　proudly；　unhooking　the　canteen。　〃And　other　useful　things。　Like　the　Sitt　Hakim。〃
　〃Wonderful；〃　said　Emerson；　rubbing　his　side。　〃Now　tell　us　who　you　followed。　Cyrus？〃
　〃Bertie。〃　She　wiped　her　chin　and　hung　the　canteen　back　on　her　belt。　〃I　don't　know　how　long　he　was　gone　before　I　realized。　I　asked　one　of　the　men；　he　said　he　saw　Bertie　walking　very　fast　down　the　road　away　from　Deir　el　Medina　and　…〃
　〃How　do　you　know　he　wasn't　going　home？〃　Emerson　asked。
　〃Without　telling　his　father　or　Reis　Abu？　He　stole　away；　like　a　thief！〃
　〃But　why　here？〃
　〃He　had　been　talking　of　how　he　wished　he　could　find　something　wonderful　for　Mr。　Vandergelt。　When　you　did　not　e；　we　were　wondering　why；　and　Mr。　Vandergelt　said　。　。　。〃　She　stopped　and　thought；　and　when　she　went　on；　it　was　in　Cyrus's　very　words　and　in　a　fairly　good　imitation　of　his　accent。　〃　'　。　。　。　he'd　durned　well　better　not　find　out　you　had　snuck　off　looking　for　queens'　tombs　behind　his　back。'　He　was　joking；　but　…〃
　〃Hmph；　yes；〃　Emerson　said　guiltily。　〃The　damned　young　fool！　You've　seen　no　sign　of　him？〃
　〃No。　I　looked　and　I　called　him；　over　and　over。〃　She　stood　up　and　straightened　her　skirt。　〃We　must　find　him。　He　may　have　fallen。　Hurry！〃
　〃Hold　on　a　minute；〃　said　Emerson　abstractedly。　〃No　sense　in　rushing　off　in　all　directions。　What　do　you　think；　Ramses？〃
　He　didn't　have　to　tell　them　what　he　thought；　they　were　as　familiar　with　the　terrain　as　he　was。　There　were　hundreds　of　square　meters　of　broken　country；　around　and　above　and　below；　split　by　crevices　of　all　sizes　and　shapes。　Locating　one　man　in　that　wilderness　would　be　hellishly　difficult；　especially　if　he　had　fallen　and　injured　himself。
　〃I　don't　think　he'd　have　gone　over　the　gebel　as　Jumana　did；〃　Ramses　answered。　〃He'd　have　e　the　way　we　came　the　other　day；　it's　the　only　route　he　knows。　He　didn't　enter　this　arm　of　the　wadi　or　we'd　have　seen　him。　Unless　he　arrived　long　before　we　did　。　。　。　Father；　why　don't　you　sing　out？〃
　Emerson　obliged。　Not　even　a　bird　answered。　Jumana　was　dancing　up　and　down　with　impatience；　but　Emerson's　monumental　calm　kept　her　quiet。　After　calling　twice　more；　without　result；　he　said；　〃He'd　have　heard　that　if　he　were　within　earshot。　All　right；　we　can　go　on。〃
　〃The　Cemetery　of　the　Monkeys；〃　Ramses　muttered。　〃Yes；　that's　where　he'd　go。　I　could　kick　myself　for　making　those　clever　remarks　about　missing　queens。　Which　way？　I　can　climb　up　and　go　across；　while　you　…〃
　〃No；〃　Emerson　said　without　hesitating。　〃You　were　right；　he'd　have　gone　the　way　we　did　before。〃　He　hoisted　the　pack　onto　his　shoulders　and　started　down　the　rough　steps。　〃You　next；　Jumana。　Watch　your　footing。〃
　Once　down；　they　crossed　the　wide　mouth　of　the　wadi　and　started　up　the　path　that　led　into　the　next　narrow　finger。　Jumana　would　have　bounded　ahead　if　Emerson　had　not　kept　hold　of　her。　Every　few　minutes　he　stopped　and　shouted　Bertie's　name。　They　had　gone　some　distance；　with　the　walls　rising　higher　on　either　side；　before　there　was　a　reply；　faint　and　muffled；　but　unmistakably　the　sound　of　a　human　voice。
　〃Thank　God；〃　Ramses　said　sincerely。　He　cupped　his　hands　around　his　mouth　and　yelled；　〃Bertie；　is　that　you？　Keep　calling　out！〃
　Bertie　obeyed；　but　it　took　them　a　while　to　locate　him。　Sound　echoed　distractingly　between　the　cliffs；　and　there　wasn't　a　sign　of　him；　though　they　scanned　the　rock　surface　with　binoculars　as　well　as　the　naked　eye。
　〃He's　up　there　somewhere；〃　Emerson　said；　indicating　a　crevice　that　ran　slantwise　across　the　cliff　face。　〃Yes　…　this　is　where　he　climbed。〃　The　marks　where　booted　feet　had　slipped　and　scraped　were　fresh；　white　against　the　weathered　stone。　He　shouted　again。　The　response　was　close　now；　and　the　words　were　distinct。
　〃Foot's　caught。　I　can't　。　。　。〃
　〃All　right；　I'm　ing；〃　Ramses　called。　He　slipped　off　the　knapsack；　removed　his　coat；　and　picked　up　one　of　the　coils　of　rope。　〃No；　Jumana；　you　stay　here。　Hang　on　to　her；　Father。〃
　〃If　she　tries　to　follow　you；　I'll　tie　her　up　with　the　rest　of　the　rope；〃　Emerson　said　coolly。　〃Be　careful。〃
　Ramses　nodded。　It　was　an　easy　ascent；　with　lots　of　hand…　and　footholds；　and　a　slight　inward　slope。　The　crevice　narrowed　and　appeared　to　end　about　fifteen　feet　above　him；　he　went　on　up；　at　an　angle；　till　he　reached　a　point　where　the　opening　was　wide　enough　for　him　to　swing　himself　into　it。　The　floor　of　the　cleft　was　almost　horizontal　here；　and　several　feet　deep；　like　a　small　natural　platform。
　〃Down　here；〃　Bertie　said。
　Ramses　switched　on　his　pocket　torch　and　shone　it　down。　All　he　could　see　was　Bertie's　face。　His　body　was　jammed　into　the　narrowest　part　of　the　crevice；　like　a　cork　in　a　bottle。　〃My　God；〃　he　said。　〃How　did　you　do　that？〃
　Bertie's　face　was　smeared　with　dust　and　sweat　and　streaked　with　blood；　but　he　summoned　up　a　rueful　grin。　〃I　slipped。　It　wasn't　at　all　difficult；　I　could　do　it　again　anytime。〃
　Ramses　laughed。　It　wasn't　going　to　be　easy　getting　Bertie　out；　but　it　was　a　relief　to　find　him　alive　and　relatively　undamaged；　and　cool　as　ice。　〃If　I　lower　a　rope；　can　you　grab　hold　of　it？〃
　〃I've　got　one　arm　free；〃　Bertie　said；　raising　it　in　a　flippant　wave。　〃The　other　one's　stuck。　And　one　of　my　boots　is　caught。〃
　〃Let's　try　this。〃　Ramses　tied　a　loop　in　the　end　of　the　rope　and　let　it　down。　Bertie　slid　his　arm　through　the　noose　and　Ramses　pulled　on　the　rope　till　the　slipknot　tightened。　〃Ready？〃
　〃Slacken　the　rope　a　bit　so　I　can　get　hold　of　it。　Here；　wait　a　minute。　Are　you　hanging　on　to　something？　If　I　e　popping　out　of　here　you　may　lose　your　balance。〃
　There　was　nothing　he　could　hang　on　to；　no　protuberance　round　which　to　tie　the　rope。　He　looped　a　section　round　his　waist　and　knotted　it。　〃I'm　fine。　Here　we　go。〃
　He'd　had　to　put　the　torch　back　in　his　pocket　to　use　both　hands　for　the　rope。　He　couldn't　see　Bertie　now；　but　he　could　hear　his　hard；　difficult　breathing。　There　was　resistance　at　first；　and　a　gasp　of　pain　from　the　man　below；　but　Ramses　didn't　dare　stop；　he　could　feel　upward　movement。　He　transferred　his　grip　f