elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第50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！


　〃He　probably　cut　the　toes　out　or　slit　the　heels；〃　I　said　absently。　〃Some　people　must　be　told　some　part　of　the　truth；　but　it　is　the　girl's　dishonor；　as　men　call　it；　that　we　must　hide。　We　may　have　to　buy　a　husband　for　her；〃　I　added　in　disgust。　〃That　seems　to　be　all　she　cares　about。〃
　〃She　and　a　good　many　other　women　of　all　nationalities；〃　said　Nefret。　〃Do　you　think　she　knows　more　than　she　told　us？〃
　〃Jamil　is　too　wily　to　give　away　useful　information。　He　even　lied　to　his　sister。　What　worries　me；〃　I　continued；　as　we　strolled　slowly　back　toward　the　kitchen；　〃is　how　many　others　he　may　have　seduced　from　their　duty　…　literally　and　figuratively。　I　fear；　Nefret；　that　the　wretched　boy　has　caused　a　rift　in　his　family　that　may　never　be　mended。〃
　　
　Emerson　took　a　brighter　view。　I　told　him　the　whole　sad　story　later；　when　we　were　alone；　knowing　his　chivalrous　heart　would　respond　sympathetically　to　the　girl's　plight。　After　cursing　Jamil　with　admirable　eloquence；　he　calmed　down　and　said；　〃We've　eliminated　two　of　the　boy's　allies。　How　many　more　can　he　have？〃
　〃Some　of　the　younger　men；　perhaps。　There　are　a　few　who　would　see　nothing　wrong　in　a　spot　of　tomb　robbing。　And　he　seems　to　have　a　way　with　women。〃
　〃He　selected　a　victim　who　would　be　particularly　susceptible　to　flattery；〃　said　Emerson　with　a　curl　of　his　lips。　〃Grrr！　As　for　the　men；　yesterday's　events　must　end　any　influence　he　might　have　had　with　them。　None　of　the　Gurnawis　would　dare　bee　involved　with　a　murderous　attack　on　us。〃
　〃That　is　probably　true；〃　I　agreed。
　〃There's　another　angle　we　haven't　considered　fully；〃　Emerson　went　on。　〃He　had　made　himself　very　fortable。　I　cannot　see　our　lad　abandoning　his　cozy　little　den　unless　he　had　another　hiding　place　prepared。〃
　〃That　is　also　true；　and　no　help　whatever；〃　I　said。
　〃I　thought　you　were　the　one　who　insists　we　must　look　on　the　bright　side；　Peabody。　We　are　whittling　away　his　assets；　one　by　one；　and　his　repeated　failures　to　damage　us　will　lead　him；　sooner　or　later；　into　a　false　move。〃
　〃Such　as　trying　to　murder　us　again？〃
　Emerson　let　out　a　shout　of　laughter　and　threw　his　arm　round　me。　〃Precisely。　It　is　time　for　tea。　Let　us　go　down。　Are　the　children　joining　us？〃
　〃If　you　mean　Nefret　and　Ramses；　the　answer　is　no。　I　suggested　they　might　like　to　have　tea　alone　for　a　change。〃
　〃Why　should　they？〃　Emerson　asked　in　surprise。
　〃Really；　Emerson；　you　of　all　people　should　not　have　to　ask　that　question。〃
　〃Oh；〃　said　Emerson。
　〃Jumana　and　Sennia　will　be　with　us。　That　should　be　entertainment　enough　for　you。〃
　They　were　on　the　veranda；　sitting　side　by　side　and　looking　very　pleased　with　themselves。
　〃Only　see　what　Jumana　has　given　me；〃　Sennia　shouted。
　〃Unless　the　Museum　takes　it；〃　Jumana　warned。
　〃Yes；　you　said　that；　but　I　know　Mr。　Quibell　will　let　me　have　it；　he　is　a　very　kind　man。〃
　It　was　the　little　stela　with　the　two　cats　which　I　had　seen　Bertie　copying。　I　admired　it　all　over　again；　while　Emerson　smiled　sentimentally　at　the　two。　Sennia　had　not　been　an　admirer　of　Jumana's；　perhaps　because　she　was　aware　of　Jumana's　admiration　of　Ramses。　I　gave　Jumana　credit　for　wanting　to　win　Sennia's　friendship。　A　present　is　a　sure　way　of　influencing　a　young　child　in　one's　favor。
　Fatima　brought　the　tea　and　Emerson　settled　down　with　his　pipe；　and　I　began　looking　through　the　post。　There　was　a　several　days'　accumulation　of　letters　and　messages；　which　I　sorted；　putting　aside　the　ones　directed　to　Nefret　or　Ramses；　and　opening　the　envelopes　addressed　to　Emerson　before　I　handed　them　to　him。
　〃Howard　Carter；　by　G　…　…　by　heaven；〃　Emerson　exclaimed；　extracting　one　of　the　letters。　〃High　time　we　heard　from　him。　Listen　to　this；　Peabody；　he　says　he　won't　be　ing　to　Luxor　for　…〃
　He　looked　up　and　stopped　speaking　in　mid…syllable。　〃Peabody？　What　is　it？〃
　〃Nothing；〃　I　said；　forcing　a　smile。　Sennia；　quick　to　catch　every　nuance；　especially　the　ones　one　hoped　she　would　miss；　demanded；　〃Is　something　the　matter；　Aunt　Amelia？〃
　〃Nothing；〃　I　repeated。　〃Have　another　biscuit；　my　dear。〃
　I　handed　Emerson　the　missive　that　had　occasioned　my　lapse。　It　was　a　telegram；　addressed　to　Ramses　and　bearing　the　stamp　of　the　C…in…C　of　the　Egypt　Expeditionary　Force。
　　
　We　had　to　wait　until　dinnertime　to　find　out　what　was　in　the　cursed　thing。　I　think　that　if　I　had　not　been　watching　him；　Emerson　would　have　ripped　it　open　…　and　if　he　had　not　been　watching　me；　I　might　have　done　the　same。　Delivering　it　immediately　to　the　addressee　was　also　out　of　the　question；　if　we　had　rushed　off；　Sennia　would　have　been　alarmed　by　our　urgency。　As　Emerson　later　confessed；　the　telegram　felt　as　if　it　were　burning　a　hole　in　the　pocket　where　he　had　placed　it。　Fortunately　for　his　nerves　and　mine；　the　children　came　early　in　order　to　say　good　night　to　Sennia　before　she　went　to　bed。
　〃Whiskey　and　soda；　my　boy？〃　Emerson　asked；　his　manly　voice　gruff　with　the　effort　it　cost　him　to　keep　from　shouting　and/or　swearing。
　〃Thank　you；　sir。〃　Emerson's　perturbation　would　have　been　obvious　even　to　an　individual　less　perceptive　than　his　son。　〃I　see　you　and　Mother　are　already　one　ahead　of　me。〃
　〃Two；〃　I　said。　〃Yes；　yes；　Sennia；　you　have　already　kissed　everybody；　now　run　along。〃
　Darkness　had　fallen；　the　night　breeze　rustled　the　leaves。　The　lamps；　enclosed　in　glass；　burned　with　a　steady　flame。　〃What's　wrong；　Mother？〃　Nefret　asked。　〃Has　something　happened　to　Katherine　or　Cyrus　or　…〃
　〃No；　my　dear；　and　your　question　is　a　salutary　reminder　of　one　of　my　favorite　aphorisms　…〃
　〃Don't　say　it；　Peabody！〃　Emerson　exclaimed。
　〃If　you　insist；　Emerson。　This　is　such　a　minor　difficulty；　pared　with　others；　that　we　ought　to　be　humbly　grateful　for　…〃
　〃And　don't　paraphrase；　either。　Here。〃　Emerson　handed　the　telegram　to　his　son。
　〃Hmmm；〃　said　Ramses；　inspecting　the　envelope。
　〃Open　it　this　instant！〃　I　exclaimed。
　He　put　the　glass　down　before　he　did　so；　remarking　in　his　usual　cool　voice；　〃Have　you　two　been　hoarding　this　all　afternoon？　I　am　surprised　you　should　get　yourself　worked　up　over　。　。　。　〃　His　voice　checked　briefly；　and　then　he　read　the　message　aloud。　〃　'Your　assistance　required　in　important　matter。　Please　report　soonest。'　Good　of　him　to　say　'please。'　〃
　〃Smith；〃　Emerson　said　through　his　teeth。
　〃No。　It　is　signed　by　Cartright。　You　remember　he　…〃
　〃That　visit　was　a　reconnaissance；〃　I　said。　〃Though　I　cannot　explain　what　he　learned　from　it。〃
　〃Are　you　going　to　answer　it？〃　Nefret　demanded。
　〃Courtesy　requires　an　answer；　surely。〃　He　took　up　a　sheet　of　paper　and　a　pencil。　Nefret；　looking　over　his　shoulder；　read　the　message　as　he　wrote　it。　〃Sorry　cannot　ply。　Needed　here。〃
　〃Ah；〃　said　Emerson。
　〃Thank　you；　darling；〃　Nefret　murmured。
　〃What　for？　Can't　leave　Luxor；　can　I；　with　Jamil　on　the　loose？〃　His　voice　changed；　he　sounded　exactly　like　his　father　when　he　went　on。　〃And　I　don't　jump　when　someone　like　Cartright　cracks　the　whip。〃
　〃I'll　send　Ali　to　the　telegraph　office　at　once；〃　Nefret　said。　She　picked　up　the　paper；　hesitated　for　a　moment；　then　took　the　pencil　and　crossed　out　a　word。
　Ramses　laughed。　〃Quite　right。　I'm　not　at　all　sorry。〃
　　
　The　following　day　brought　a　discovery　that　kept　us　fully　occupied　for　a　time　…　a　cache　of　mummies；　several　in　their　original　wooden　coffins。　To　Cyrus's　annoyance　we　found　them；　not　in　a　tomb　but　in　the　cellar　of　one　of　the　houses。
　The　rock…cut　space；　which　had　served　for　storage；　had　been　enlarged　just　enough　to　contain　the　remains。　They　were　arranged　neatly　but　so　tightly　that　it　was　impossible　to　enter　the　small　chamber。　Squatting　on　the　steps；　Emerson　moved　his　torch　slowly　over　the　assemblage。　One　detail　after　another　emerged　from　the　darkness：　the　calm　face　of　a　woman；　crowned　with　a　painted　diadem；　the　brightly　colored　form　of　a　hawk…headed　god；　a　still　form　uncoffined　and　wrapped　in　intricate　patterns　of　bandages。
　〃Roman；〃　said　Emerson。
　〃How　do　you　know？〃　Cyrus　demanded；　from　the　top　of　the　stairs。　〃Let　me　have　a　look。〃
　Emerson　and　I　went　up　and　gave　Cyrus　the　torch。　〃The　cartonnage　masks　are　unquestionably　first　century；〃　Emerson　said。　His　enthusiasm　had　faded　as　soon　as　he　realized　this；　for　he　is　not　interested　in　Greek　and　Roman　Egypt。　〃Can't　be　more　precise　about　the　date　until　we　have　a　closer　look。　e　up　from　there；　Vandergelt；　and　let's　get　them　out。　The　local　thieves　will　tear　the　coffins　and　mummies　to　pieces　if　we　leave　them　unguarded。〃
　Cyrus　scrambled　up　the　rough　steps　and　passed　the　torch　on　to　Ramses。　〃Pretty　fancy　coffins；〃　he　said　enviously。　〃In　good　condition；　too。　Maybe　there's　more　stuff　at　the　back　。　。　。〃
　〃I　couldn't　see　anything；〃　said　Ramses；　returning　to　us。　〃They　are　definitely　Roman　or　very　late　Ptolemaic。　The　most　important　question　is　what　they　are　doing　here。　The　settlement　was　abandoned　after　the　Twenty…first　Dynasty；　when　conditions　became　unsettled；　and　the　inhabitants　moved　to　the　greater　security　of　Medinet　Habu；　with　its　stout　walls。　This　discovery　may　force　us　to　reexamine　our　assumptions　about　…〃
　〃Quite；〃　said　his　father。　Ramses　had　almost　given　up　his　old　verbosity；　but　archaeological　enthusiasm　sometimes　inspired　him　to　lecture。　〃Er　…　we　will　discuss　the　historical　implications　at　another　time；　my　boy。　Just　now　we　need　to　concentrate　on　a　somewhat　tricky　problem　of　excavation。　How　do