elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第42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！
int in being a spy if everybody knows you are one。
〃I've told you before；〃 Ramses said； addressing his wife in a voice that brought a flush to her cheeks； 〃that the subject is closed。 May we drop it； please？〃
〃Quite；〃 said Emerson quickly。 Though he is； as his conduct proves； a firm believer in thrashing out differences of opinion on the spot and with vigor； disharmony between his beloved children upsets him。 〃We've wasted enough time on this nonsense。 Back to work； eh？〃
I had myself been a trifle surprised at the harshness of Ramses's tone。 However； I did not suppose that his ill humor would last or that she would be unreceptive to an attempt at apology； and so it proved。 Sometime later I happened to observe that neither was in sight； and since it was almost time for luncheon I entered the vestibule of the temple； where I had set up my little shelter。 They were not there； but I heard a murmur of voices from behind one of the columns that separated the vestibule from the pronaos。 It was a very nice column； with the head of the goddess Hathor instead of a capital。 I moved forward to examine it more closely。
I did not tiptoe or try to walk silently； but neither of them was aware of my presence until they saw me。 〃Damnation！〃 said Ramses； releasing her and turning rather red。 〃Er … I beg your pardon； Mother。〃
〃I should rather beg yours； my dear。 I didn't realize you were here。 It is almost time for lunch。〃
〃I'll get Father；〃 said Ramses； retreating in haste。 Nefret； who was trying to twist her loosened hair into a knot； let out one of her musical chuckles。 〃Were you afraid we had gone off to quarrel in private？〃
〃Not really。 I presume you were admiring those nice heads of Hathor。 I believe I heard Ramses repeat one of her charming epithets … 'Golden One。' 〃
〃If you heard；〃 said Nefret； amused and not at all embarrassed； 〃you know he was addressing me。〃
〃Very appropriate；〃 I said。 A ray of sunlight haloed the red gold of her locks。 〃Hathor was the goddess of love and beauty and … er …〃
〃Happiness。〃 She looked up at the carved face。 It might not have struck some people as the epitome of beauty； for the ears were those of a cow； one of the goddess's sacred animals。 After so many years of viewing ancient Egyptian art； such elements had e to seem quite natural to us； however； and the other features were delicately rendered； the long hair curling over the shoulders。 〃Praising the Great Goddess； Lady of Turquoise； Mistress of the West；〃 Nefret recited。 She bowed gravely and deferentially。
I couldn't help myself。 〃What are you asking for？〃
〃Happiness；〃 Nefret repeated。
〃Then … it is all right； isn't it？ Between you two？〃
〃Of course。〃 She took my arm。 〃Let's eat。〃
Emerson kept us so busy that it was not until later in the week that I was able to make my annual pilgrimage to Abdullah's grave。 I never felt any particular urgency about doing it； since I did not think of him as being there。 I only went because 。 。 。 In fact； I do not know why。 Le coeur a ses raisons que la raison ne conna？t point。
On this occasion my primary purpose was to look at his new monument。 I had not seen it before； since Abdullah had not got round to mentioning that he would like one until just before we left Egypt the previous spring。 The request had taken me by surprise； one would not have supposed that an immortal spirit … or； according to Emerson； a sentimental fantasy of my sleeping brain … would care about such things。 Emerson raised no objection； however； and I had sent David's sketch and plan to Selim； asking him to proceed。
I meant to go alone； but Ramses saw me slipping out of the house and intercepted me。 〃I thought we agreed none of us would go off by ourselves； Mother。〃
〃If I see Jamil wearing the Double Crown and blowing kisses I assure you I will not follow him。〃
Ramses was not amused or convinced。 〃Where are you going？〃
〃Only to the cemetery。 I have not seen Abdullah's tomb。〃
〃Oh。 I haven't seen it either。 May I e with you？〃
Recognizing the uselessness of a refusal； I agreed。 In point of fact； he was the only person to whose pany I had no objection。 He had been with me the day after Abdullah's funeral； and had helped me to bury over the grave the little amulets of Horus and Sekhmet； Anubis and Sobek … symbols of the ancient gods who guard the soul on the road to the West … in flagrant defiance of Abdullah's faith and my own。 However； I had always suspected Abdullah had a secret； half…shamed belief in the old gods。 Ramses's silent understanding had given me fort； which I needed badly that day。
We went on foot； over the rocky ridges and across the stony expanse of the desert plain； Ramses slowing his long strides to match mine。 The cemetery was on the north side of the village； not far from the mosque。 It was all desert here； all baked earth and stony ground； neither tree nor flowering plant softened the starkness of the lonely graves。 The tombs themselves were underground； their location indicated by low rectangular monuments of stone or brick； with upright stones at head and foot。 The grave of a saint or sheikh of eminence might be marked by a simple structure crowned with a small cupola。 There were only a few of such monuments in this humble cemetery； Abdullah's was conspicuous not only by the freshness of the stones that had been used in its construction but by the somewhat unusual design。 It was the conventional four…sided building； but there was a subtle grace in its proportions； and the dome seemed to float； light as a bubble。
The sun was about to set。 The rosy light warmed the white limestone of the walls； and from a mosque in a neighboring village came the first musical notes of the evening call to prayer。
〃It will be dark shortly。〃 Ramses spoke for the first time since we had left the house。 〃We mustn't stay long。〃
〃No。 I only want …〃
I broke off with a catch of breath。 It was somewhat uncanny to see any movement in that deserted place； and this figure； emerging from the dimness under the cupola； was human。 We were still some distance away； I could not make out details； only the long galabeeyah and white turban； before it scuttled into concealment behind the walls of the mosque。
〃Who was that？〃 I asked。
〃I don't know。 Did you bring a torch？〃
〃Certainly。 I have all my accoutrements。 Shall we follow him？〃
〃That wasn't Jamil。 I don't see any point in chasing after the fellow。 Let's just make certain he hasn't done any damage。〃
The disturbance of the sandy dust was the only sign that anyone other than we had e there。 〃There are a number of footprints；〃 Ramses muttered； shining the torch around。 〃Overlapping。 That's odd。〃
〃Perhaps members of the family have e to pay their respects； or to pray；〃 I suggested。
〃Perhaps。 Are you ready to go？〃
I had intended to say a few words … think them； rather … but he was obviously uneasy； and really； what more was there to say when I had just had a long conversation with Abdullah？ I acquiesced and let Ramses take my arm； since the dusk had thickened。
〃I like the design；〃 Ramses said as； with the aid of the torch； we picked a path around the standing monuments。 〃I hope Abdullah is pleased with it。〃
〃Oh； yes。 He was only annoyed because he had to ask。 He implied that I ought to have thought of it myself。〃
〃Ah；〃 said Ramses nonmittally。
On the Thursday we were in the midst of our preparations for departure … plicated these days by Sennia and the Great Cat of Re … when a messenger arrived。 Jumana had left for Deir el Medina； Ramses was explaining to the cat that he would prefer it did not acpany him； I was dealing with the customary delaying tactics from Sennia； and Emerson was stamping up and down demanding that we hurry。 He took the note from Fatima。
〃Well； what do you think of this？〃 he inquired。 〃Yusuf wants to see us。〃
〃Us？〃 I echoed。 〃Who？ Sennia； get your books together and go。〃
〃You and me。 He says it's urgent。 I wonder who wrote it for him？〃
Ramses finished his conversation with the cat and put it down。 〃A public letter writer； perhaps。 Shall Nefret and I e？〃
Emerson stroked the cleft in his chin。 〃No； he said for us to e alone。 Run along； we'll join you shortly。〃
〃Unless something interesting develops；〃 I amended。
〃Something about Jamil； perhaps；〃 Nefret said。 〃Do you suppose Yusuf knows where he's been hiding？〃
〃Let us hope so。 It would be a relief to have that business over and done with。 I ought to have made more of an effort to question Yusuf；〃 I admitted。
〃Don't be unkind to the poor old fellow；〃 Nefret said。 〃He must have been suffering horribly； torn between his love for his son and his loyalty to you。〃
〃It could be another trick；〃 said Ramses。 〃Remember your warning； Father； not to go after the boy alone； even if he is wearing …〃
〃I won't be alone；〃 Emerson said。 〃Your mother will be with me。〃
Ramses's heavy dark eyebrows tilted。 〃Don't forget your parasol； Mother。〃
〃Certainly not。 However； I expect Yusuf only wants sympathy and some medicine。 It is the least I can do； and I ought to have done it before this。〃
I put together a little parcel for Yusuf； some of his favorite tobacco and a freshly baked assortment of Fatima's honey cakes； of which he was
