elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第5部分

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undercover。〃
　〃I　don't　give　a　curse　about　that；〃　Emerson　declared　forcibly；　if　not　entirely　accurately。　〃What　I　want　to　know　is　whether　he　is　still　in　the　antiquities　game。　Ramses；　supposing　you　and　I　make　the　rounds　of　the　cafés　tonight　and　interrogate　the　dealers。　If　'the　Master'　is　back　in　business　…〃
　〃They　won't　tell　you；〃　I　said。
　〃No；〃　Nefret　agreed。　After　the　waiter　had　removed　the　plates　without　incident　（Emerson's　attention　being　otherwise　engaged）；　she　planted　her　elbows　on　the　table　and　leaned　forward；　her　blue　eyes　sparkling。　〃Your　methods　are　too　direct；　Father。　Do　you　remember　Ali　the　Rat　and　his　…　er　…　young　friend？〃
　Emerson　choked　on　a　sip　of　wine；　and　I　said　uneasily；　〃Ramses　can't　be　Ali　the　Rat　again；　Nefret。　His　masquerade　was　discovered。〃
　〃But　the　people　who　knew　of　it　are　dead；〃　Nefret　argued。　〃And　I　made　a　very　pretty　boy；　didn't　I；　Ramses？〃
　She　turned　to　look　him　squarely　in　the　eyes。　He　did　not　respond　at　once。　Then　he　said　equably；　〃Very　pretty。　I'd　prefer　not　to　risk　Ali；　in　case　some　of　the　old　crowd　are　still　hanging　about；　but　we　might　try　a　variation　of　the　same　thing。〃
　I　had　been　afraid　of　this；　though　I　had　not　expected　matters　would　e　to　a　head　quite　so　soon。　Nefret　was　as　courageous　and　capable　as　any　man；　and　utterly　devoted　to　her　husband。　He　was　equally　devoted　to　her；　and　I　could　only　imagine　what　a　struggle　it　must　have　been　for　him　to　admit　she　had　the　right　to　share　his　adventures　and　his　danger。　Naturally　I　was　in　full　agreement　with　her　demand　for　equality；　had　I　not　demanded　and　（more　or　less）　received　the　same　from　Emerson？　That　did　not　mean　I　liked　Nefret's　doing　it。　Principles　do　not　hold　up　well　when　they　are　challenged　by　personal　affection。
　To　my　relief；　Ramses　went　on；　〃Not　tonight；　though。　It　will　take　me　a　while　to　collect　the　appropriate　disguises。〃
　〃Certainly　not　tonight；〃　I　said。　〃It　has　been　a　long　day。　We　should　retire　early。〃
　〃An　excellent　suggestion；〃　said　Emerson；　cheering　up。
　〃Yes；　Mother；〃　said　Ramses。
　We　had　a　little　private　conversation；　Emerson　and　I；　sitting　cozily　side　by　side　before　the　dying　fire　in　the　sitting　room　and　sipping　a　last　whiskey　and　soda。　I　summed　it　up　by　saying；　〃So　it　is　agreed　that　we　leave　Cairo　as　soon　as　possible？〃
　Emerson　nodded　emphatic　agreement。　〃It　is　worrisome　enough　having　Ramses　prowling　the　suks　and　the　coffeeshops　looking　for　criminals；　without　her　going　with　him。〃
　〃Not　so　worrisome　as　having　him　take　on　another　filthy　job　from　the　War　Office。　Smith's　presence　this　evening　was　highly　suspicious；　Emerson。〃
　〃Nonsense；〃　said　Emerson。　〃However　。　。　。　Good　Gad；　what　with　the　intelligence　services　and　my　devious　brother；　Cairo　is　no　place　for　a　family　of　harmless　archaeologists。　But　you　are　worrying　unnecessarily；　my　love。　There　is　no　way　on　earth　Ramses　could　be　persuaded　to　take　on　another　assignment。〃
　Emerson's　tender　affection　did　not　miss　the　slight　shiver　that　ran　through　my　limbs。　〃Damnation；　Peabody；〃　he　snarled；　〃if　you　are　having　one　of　your　famous　forebodings；　I　don't　want　to　hear　about　it！　e　to　bed　at　once。〃
　
　While　we　breakfasted　in　our　rooms；　Emerson　looked　through　the　post　（distractions　of　various　kinds　having　prevented　him　from　doing　so　earlier）　and　came　upon　a　letter　from　Cyrus　Vandergelt　that　aroused　such　indignation　he　leaped　to　his　feet；　rushed　to　the　door；　and　would　have　bolted　out　in　his　dressing　gown　had　I　not　caught　hold　of　him。
　〃For　pity's　sake；　Emerson；　where　are　you　going？〃
　Emerson　waved　the　close…written　pages　at　me。　〃They're　at　it　again。　Another　tomb。　Looted。　The　artifacts　already　at　the　Luxor　dealers。　Damnation！　Ramses　…〃
　〃If　you　want　to　share　this　with　Ramses；〃　I　said；　interpreting　his　incoherent　ments　with　the　skill　of　long　experience；　〃I　will　send　the　sufragi　to　invite　him　and　Nefret　to　join　us。　Sit　down；　Emerson；　or；　if　you　prefer；　put　on　your　clothes。　A　few　more　minutes'　delay　cannot　worsen　a　situation　which　…〃
　〃Curse　it；〃　said　Emerson；　heading　for　the　dressing　room。　He　took　the　letter　with　him。　Being　accustomed　to　my　husband's　impetuous　behavior；　I　dispatched　the　sufragi　on　his　errand　and　went　on　with　my　breakfast。
　The　children　must　have　been　already　up　and　dressed；　for　they　came　almost　at　once。　〃Is　something　wrong？〃　Ramses　asked。
　〃Why　should　you　suppose　that？〃　I　replied；　over　the　cries　of　outrage　from　the　adjoining　room。　Some　of　them　had　to　do　with　his　inability　to　find　his　shirts；　whose　location　（in　the　second　drawer　of　the　bureau）　I　had　pointed　out　to　him　the　previous　night。
　〃A　summons　at　such　an　early　hour　…〃
　Emerson　came　charging　out　of　the　dressing　room；　attired　in　trousers　and　shirt。　〃Ah；　there　you　are。　Good。　Just　listen　to　this。〃
　〃Finish　your　breakfast；　Emerson；〃　I　said；　deftly　removing　the　crumpled　pages　from　his　clenched　fist　and　handing　them　to　Ramses。
　I　will　summarize　the　account；　which　Ramses；　at　my　request；　read　aloud。
　A　few　months　earlier；　rumors　had　spread　that　a　hitherto　unknown　tomb　had　been　discovered　by　the　indefatigable　thieves　of　Luxor。　It　had　contained　objects　of　rare　value　and　distinction：　royal　diadems；　vessels　of　stone　and　precious　metal；　and　jewelry　of　all　kinds。　For　once；　the　rumors　were　correct。　Cyrus；　who　had　heard　the　tales　shortly　after　he　arrived　on　the　scene　in　November；　had　gone　straight　to　the　shop　of　our　old　acquaintance　Mohammed　Mohassib；　who　had　been　dealing　in　antiquities　for　thirty　years。　The　canny　old　scoundrel；　looking　as　pious　as　only　a　Luxor　dealer　can；　had　denied　any　knowledge　of　the　reputed　treasure。　He　always　did；　though　it　was　well　known　that　he　had　handled　many　of　the　big　finds。　There　was　nothing　anybody　could　do　about　it；　since　he　never　kept　the　valuables　in　his　own　house；　but　distributed　them　among　his　various　relations；　and　when　he　was　in　the　process　of　marketing　the　goods　he　conducted　private　negotiations　with　interested　parties　who　were　not　inclined　to　turn　him　in　because　they　wanted　the　artifacts　themselves。
　Knowing　this　habit　of　dear　old　Mohassib's；　Cyrus　had　persisted　until　Mohassib　finally　remarked　that　he　had　just　happened　to　have　acquired　an　interesting　object　…　not　from　a　tomb　robber；　of　course！　It　proved　to　be　a　heavy　gold　bar　approximately　two　inches　long；　set　with　five　small　figures　of　reclining　cats；　two　of　which　were　missing；　the　surviving　three　were　of　gold　and　carnelian。　Cyrus　knew　his　antiquities　too　well　to　remain　long　in　doubt　as　to　the　meaning　of　what　he　saw。　〃The　gold　spacer　was　part　of　a　woman's　armlet；〃　he　had　written。　〃Had　to　be　a　female's　because　of　the　cats。　It　had　the　cartouches　of　Thutmose　III。　They're　saying　there　were　three　burials　in　the　tomb；　folks　…　queens　or　princesses　related　to　Thutmose　III。〃
　Attempting　（in　vain；　if　I　knew　Cyrus）　to　conceal　his　excitement；　he　had　immediately　made　Mohassib　an　offer。　The　old　gentleman　had　regretfully　declined。　Another　party　had　expressed　interest；　and　he　was　obliged　to　give　him　the　first　chance。　What　else　could　a　man　of　honor　do？
　〃That's　how　it　stands；〃　Cyrus　ended　his　letter。　〃I'm　pretty　sure　the　'other　party'　is　Howard　Carter；　acting　as　agent　for　Carnarvon　or　some　gol…durned　museum。　Mohassib　is　trying　to　raise　the　price　by　playing　the　bidders　off　against　each　other。　You　better　get　down　here　and　talk　to　Mohassib；　Emerson；　he's　a　wily　old　skunk　and　you're　the　only　one　he's　scared　of。〃
　〃We　are　leaving　Cairo　at　once；〃　Emerson　declared。
　Ramses　exchanged　glances　with　his　wife。　〃Excuse　me；　Father；　but　I　don't　see　the　need　for　such　haste。　The　tomb　has　been　cleared　and　Mohassib　isn't　going　to　admit　anything；　even　to　you。　It　would　make　better　sense　to　talk　with　Carter。　Isn't　he　working　for　the　War　Office？　He　may　be　in　Cairo　even　now。〃
　〃Hmph；〃　said　Emerson　thoughtfully。
　〃We　cannot　leave　immediately；〃　Nefret　said。　〃I　must　go　to　the　hospital。　I've　been　out　of　touch　for　months；　and　there　are　a　number　of　matters　I　must　settle　with　Sophia　before　I　go　away　again。〃
　〃Hmph；〃　said　Emerson　again。　Emerson's　grunts　are　quite　expressive；　to　those　who　have　learned　to　differentiate　them。　This　one　expressed　disagreement　and　protest。　The　hospital　Nefret　had　founded　for　the　fallen　women　of　Cairo　was　in　a　particularly　vile　part　of　the　city；　as　she　had　pointed　out；　the　unhappy　creatures　she　wanted　to　help　would　not　have　dared　venture　into　a　respectable　neighborhood。
　〃It's　all　right；　Father；〃　Ramses　said。　〃You　don't　suppose　I　would　allow　my　helpless；　timid　little　wife　to　go　alone　to　el…Wasa？〃
　Nefret　put　out　her　tongue　at　Ramses。　She　had　never　entirely　abandoned　such　childish　gestures。　This　one　appeared　to　amuse　Ramses　a　great　deal。
　〃Ah；〃　said　Emerson；　brightening。　〃Good。　What　about　you；　Peabody？　Are　you　going　with　them？〃
　〃I　have　other　plans；〃　I　said；　folding　my　napkin。
　Emerson's　eyes　narrowed　into　sapphirine　slits。　〃Oh；　no；　you　don't；　Peabody。　You　are　ing　with　me。　Or；〃　he　added；　〃to　put　it　another　way；　I　am　going　with　you。〃
　The　children　left　us　and　I　sent　Emerson　off　to　finish　dressing。　I　knew　the　process　would　take　him　some　time；　so　I　went　to　see　how　Sennia　and　her　entourage　were　getting　on。　She　and　Basima　and　Gargery　…　and　the　cat　…　were　still　at　breakfast。　Sennia　had　a　perfectly　astonishing　appetite　for　so　small　a　person。　When　she　saw　me；　she　dropped　her　slice　of　toast　…　jelly…side　down　…　and　r