elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第48部分

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　〃We　certainly　are　not　going　off　on　a　series　of　random　searches；〃　Emerson　replied；　extracting　his　pipe　and　tobacco　pouch　from　his　shirt　pocket。　〃Damnation；〃　he　added；　acknowledging　the　difficulty　of　proceeding　with　the　process。
　〃Let　me　do　that　for　you；　my　dear。〃　I　took　them　from　him。
　Bertie　coughed　deprecatingly。　〃I　may　be　on　the　wrong　track　altogether；　but　if　I　were　trying　to　conceal　something　I　wouldn't　hang　about　the　place　howling　like　a　banshee　and　making　a　spectacle　of　myself。〃
　〃I　agree；〃　Ramses　said。　〃That's　the　one　area　we　can　forget　about。　If　he　wants　us　to　go　there；　it's　because　there's　nothing　to　find。〃
　The　men　all　nodded。　I　hoped　they　were　right；　since　I　had　not　much　enjoyed　our　excursions　to　that　remote　region；　but　I　was　not　entirely　convinced。　Jamil　obviously　enjoyed　taunting　people；　and　youth　suffers；　among　other　weaknesses；　from　overconfidence。　It　might　amuse　the　wretched　boy　to　lead　us　to　the　general　area　and　watch　us　wear　ourselves　out　looking　for　a　well…concealed　entrance。
　I　had　to　admit　that　thus　far　his　confidence　had　been　justified；　he　had　outwitted　us　on　every　occasion。
　Emerson　announced　that　we　would　return　to　Deir　el　Medina　next　morning。　〃We　will　finish　that　plan　of　yours；　Bertie；〃　he　said。　〃Fine　job；　my　boy。　There　are　only　a　few　more　details　to　be　added。〃
　〃Tomorrow's　Friday；〃　Cyrus　objected。　〃My　men　have　the　day　off；　and　you　ought　to　rest；　Emerson。〃
　〃We　can　finish　the　surveying　without　the　men；〃　Emerson　said　dogmatically。　〃And　I　have　no　intention　of　allowing　a　minor　injury　to　keep　me　from　my　usual　activities　…　all　my　usual　activities。〃
　Nor　did　it。　I　wished　Nefret　had　not　made　the　cast　quite　so　heavy。
　We　managed　to　get　off　next　morning　without　Sennia　or　the　Great　Cat　of　Re。　Nefret　did　not　acpany　us　either。　I　had　suggested　…　tactfully；　as　is　my　habit　…　that　she　might　want　to　give　a　little　luncheon　party；　since　she　had　not　had　the　opportunity　to　entertain　our　friends　in　her　new　abode。　Under　threat　of　losing　our　custom；　Abdul　Hadi　had　actually　finished　a　dining　table　and　several　chairs。　She　readily　consented；　but　added　with　a　knowing　smile；　〃I　won't　ask　what　you　are　up　to；　Mother；　since　I　know　you　enjoy　your　little　surprises。〃
　Early　morning　in　Luxor；　particularly　at　that　season　of　the　year；　is　always　beautifully　cool　and　stimulating。　I　was　even　more　keenly　aware　of　it　that　day；　after　those　long　hours　in　the　stifling　darkness　of　the　buried　chamber。　Truth　pels　me　to　admit　that　I　had　wondered　at　times　whether　I　would　ever　again　behold　the　shining　cliffs　of　western　Thebes　and　feel　the　morning　breeze　against　my　face。　Logic　had　informed　me　that　Jamil　could　not　continue　pouring　stones　into　the　shaft　indefinitely；　but　the　space　in　the　passage　and　the　chamber　itself　was　limited；　and　so　was　the　air。
　I　had　not；　and　would　not；　confess　this　weakness　to　any　other。　After　all；　it　had　turned　out　right　in　the　end。
　When　we　arrived　at　Deir　el　Medina；　Bertie　was　working　on　his　plan；　and　Selim　had　also　turned　up。　He　was　not　as　devout　as　his　Uncle　Daoud；　who　always　attended　Friday　services　when　he　could。
　〃That　is　very　well　done；　Bertie；〃　I　exclaimed。　〃Obviously　you　didn't　spend　all　the　time　staring　at　the　cliffs！　But　where　is　Cyrus？　Didn't　he　e　with　you？〃
　〃Up　there。〃　Bertie　gestured。　〃I　offered　to　go　with　him；　but　he　said　…〃
　〃Damnation！〃　Emerson　exclaimed　loudly。　Cyrus　was　high　on　the　hillside；　north　of　the　area　where　most　of　the　tombs　were　located。　Hearing　Emerson's　shout；　he　straightened　and　waved。
　〃What's　he　doing　up　there？〃　Ramses　asked。
　〃He　wanted　to　have　a　look　at　the　tombs　of　the　Saite　princesses；〃　Bertie　explained。
　〃Why；　for　Heaven's　sake？〃　I　demanded。　〃They　aren't　the　original　tombs　of　the　princesses　…　the　God's　Wives；　to　be　more　precise　…　or　even　their　reburials。　Two　of　their　sarcophagi　were　…〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　Peabody；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Damned　old　fool　climbing　around　up　there　。　。　。〃　He　set　off　toward　the　slope　with　his　usual　brisk　stride。
　Ramses　caught　my　eye；　nodded；　and　went　trotting　after　him。　The　rest　of　us　followed　more　slowly。　Bertie　was　determined　to　acpany　us；　so　I　walked　with　him；　giving　him　little　suggestions　as　to　where　to　place　his　feet。
　The　shafts　…　tombs；　I　should　say　…　were　not　in　the　main　cemetery　on　the　western　hill；　but　on　the　northern　slope；　closer　to　the　temple；　so　we　did　not　have　far　to　go。　We　found　Emerson　on　his　hands　and　knees　…　one　hand　and　both　knees；　that　is　…　peering　down　into　a　dark　opening　while　Ramses　directed　his　torch　into　it。　It　did　not　look　much　like　a　tomb　entrance；　the　edges　were　broken　and　irregular。
　〃Are　you　sure　this　is　it？〃　I　inquired。　〃It　doesn't　look　like　a　tomb　entrance。〃
　〃Of　course　I'm　sure〃　was　the　querulous　reply。　A　chunk　of　rock　broke　off　from　under　his　hand。　〃Curse　it；〃　said　Emerson；　recovering　his　balance　without　difficulty。　〃The　whole　place　is　falling　in。　Nobody　has　been　down　there　for　a　while。〃
　〃Which　one　of　the　princesses'　tombs　is　it？〃　Cyrus　asked　eagerly。
　Emerson　got　to　his　feet。　〃None；　as　a　matter　of　fact。　This　is　the　tomb　where　they　found　the　reused　sarcophagus　of　Ankhnesneferibre。　Another　sarcophagus　was　found　nearby。〃
　〃Here；〃　said　Ramses；　a　little　distance　away。
　We　must　have　looked　somewhat　absurd　clustered　round　that　hole　in　the　ground　peering　intently　at　nothing。　There　was　nothing　to　be　seen；　not　even　rubble。　The　shaft　was　fairly　clear；　but　so　deep；　the　light　of　our　torches　did　not　reach　the　bottom。
　〃Nobody　has　been　down　there　either；〃　Ramses　said。　〃Not　since　…　1885；　wasn't　it；　that　the　sarcophagus　was　removed？〃
　Emerson　grunted　agreement。　〃I　cannot　imagine　what　prompted　this　performance；　Vandergelt；〃　he　said　severely。　〃You　might　have　done　yourself　an　injury。〃
　〃Idle　curiosity；〃　said　Cyrus　with　a　sheepish　grin。
　〃The　view　is　worth　the　climb；〃　Bertie　said；　shading　his　eyes　with　his　hand。
　We　were　about　halfway　up　the　sloping　ground　that　ended　at　the　base　of　a　precipitous　cliff。　It　dropped　abruptly　to　the　level；　opposite　lay　another　high　range　of　hills；　and　in　the　cleft　between　them　we　could　see　the　Theban　plain；　misty　green　in　the　morning　light；　stretching　down　toward　the　distant　sparkle　of　the　river。
　〃Quite　beautiful；〃　I　agreed。　〃Now　that　we　have　seen　it；　shall　we　go？　Nefret　is　expecting　us　for　luncheon；　and　I　want　to　call　on　Yusuf　sometime　today。〃
　We　retraced　our　steps；　down　the　hill　toward　the　temple。　Emerson；　who　had　disdained　assistance　from　Ramses；　allowed　me　to　take　his　arm；　under　the　impression　that　he　was　assisting　me。　〃Are　you　planning　to　question　Yusuf？〃　he　inquired。　〃I　suppose　we　ought　to。〃
　〃I　will　interrogate　him；　yes　…　subtly　and　indirectly　…　but　my　primary　motive　is　to　be　of　help　to　the　poor　old　fellow。　I　ought　to　have　gone　before。〃
　〃Hmph；〃　said　Emerson。　It　was　an　expression　of　doubt　or　derision；　but　I　did　not　know　whether　he　was　being　sarcastic　about　my　motives　or　my　ability　to　carry　out　a　subtle　interrogation。　I　did　not　ask。
　〃I　will　e　with　you　to　see　Yusuf；〃　Selim　announced。
　〃I　would　rather　you　did　not；　Selim。　In　fact；〃　I　added；　inspecting　my　escort；　〃I　don't　want　any　of　you　to　e　with　me。　Goodness　gracious；　the　five　of　you　looming　over　him　would　frighten　the　poor　old　man　into　a　fit。〃
　〃I　guess　you　don't　need　Bertie　and　me；〃　Cyrus　conceded。　〃We　may　as　well　go　home　and　get　spiffed　up　for　the　party。〃
　〃Nefret　will　not　expect　you　to　dress；　Cyrus；〃　I　assured　him。　〃Emerson　won't　bother。〃
　〃Selim　will；〃　said　Cyrus；　directing　a　grin　at　the　young　man。　〃Can't　let　him　outshine　the　rest　of　us。〃
　Selim　remained　grave。　〃I　will　only　do　what　is　right。　The　Father　of　Curses　does　what　is　right　in　his　eyes。〃
　〃Well　said。〃　Cyrus　gave　him　a　friendly　slap　on　the　back。　〃Don't　let　Amelia　go　by　herself；　Emerson。　Lord　only　knows　what　she　might　get　up　to。〃
　〃What　nonsense！〃　I　exclaimed。　〃I　am　only　going　to　examine　Yusuf　and　prescribe　…〃
　〃My　house　is　not　far　from　Yusuf's；〃　Selim　said。　〃We　will　sit　in　the　courtyard；　Ramses　and　the　Father　of　Curses　and　I；　and　keep　watch。〃
　However；　Yusuf　was　not　at　home。　That　elderly　harridan　his　wife　informed　me　that　he　had　gone　to　the　mosque。　She　did　not　know　when　he　would　be　back。
　〃He　cannot　be　as　feeble　as　I　feared；　then；〃　I　remarked。　〃He　is　able　to　be　up　and　about？〃
　〃Yes。〃　No　thanks　to　you；　her　hostile　stare　added。
　〃Give　him　this。〃　I　extracted　a　bottle　from　my　medical　bag。　It　was　a　harmless　concoction　of　sugar　water　with　a　few　herbs　added　to　give　it　piquancy。　Such　placebos　can　be　as　effective　as　medicine　in　certain　cases；　if　the　sufferer　believes　in　them。　〃He　is　not　to　take　it　all　at　once；〃　I　added。　〃This　much　。　。　。〃　I　measured　with　my　fingers　on　the　bottle。　〃Morning　and　night。　I　will　e　round　tomorrow　or　the　next　day　to　see　how　he　is　getting　on。〃
　Her　wrinkled　face　softened　a　trifle。　〃Thank　you；　Sitt　Hakim。　I　will　do　as　you　say。〃
　My　reception　by　Selim's　wives　was　much　more　enthusiastic。　They　were　both　young　and　pretty　and　I　must　confess　…　though　I　do　not　approve　of　polygamy　…　that　they　seemed　to　get　on　more　like　affectionate　sisters　than　rivals。　Selim　was　an　indulgent　husband；　who　had　bee　a　convert　to　certain　Western　ways；　with　his　encouragement；　both　had　attended　school。　They　offered　me　a　seat　and　brought　tea　and　coffee；　with　which　they　had　already　supplied　Ramses　and　Emerson。
　〃You　may　as　well　have　somethin