elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第54部分

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ng　the　faithful：　he　had　been　an　infidel；　a　high…ranking　member　of　the　British　Secret　Service；　who　had　e　over　to　the　true　religion　and　the　right　cause。　He　had　been　seen　in　public　with　German　officers　and　also　with　Enver　and　the　other　members　of　the　ruling　triumvirate；　richly　dressed　and　clanking　with　jewels。　He　had　prayed　at　the　mosques；　and　on　at　least　two　occasions　he　had　addressed　the　crowd　with　an　eloquence　that　brought　them　to　their　knees。　For　surely　no　one　could　be　so　familiar　with　the　words　of　the　Prophet　unless　he　himself　was　a　holy　man！
　Shortly　thereafter；　one　of　the　local　agents　in　British　pay　was　caught　and　executed。　It　was　pure　luck　that　the　others　in　the　group　got　away。　Sethos　was　one　of　the　few　who　knew　of　that　particular　network；　he　had　been　sent　to　Constantinople　to　meet　with　its　members。
　〃That　isn't　proof　of　anything；〃　Emerson　declared。
　〃No；〃　Smith　agreed。　〃However；　he　has　not　been　heard　from　since。　Attempts　to　contact　him　through　the　usual　channels　have　received　no　response。　His　assumed　name　is　interesting；　too；　don't　you　think？〃
　〃Ismail　is　a　very　mon　name；〃　Emerson　said。
　〃The　name　of　the　son　of　Abraham　by　his　handmaiden　Hagar；　who　was　cast　out　into　the　wilderness；　lest　he　challenge　the　position　of　Abraham's　legitimate　son；〃　Smith　said；　his　thin　lips　curving　in　a　cynical　smile。　〃　'His　hand　will　be　against　every　man　and　every　man's　hand　will　be　against　him。'　〃
　〃I　believe　I　am　better　acquainted　with　Holy　Writ　than　you；〃　Nefret's　mother…in…law　said　with　a　sniff。　〃God　saved　Ismael　and　blessed　him　and　promised　to　make　him　…　er　…　fruitful。〃
　〃Confound　it；　Peabody；　will　you　stop　talking　about　the　Bible？〃　Emerson　was　trying　not　to　shout；　the　words　squeezed　between　his　lips　like　rumbles　of　distant　thunder。　〃Prove　it；　you　say。　How？〃
　〃That　should　be　obvious。〃　Smith　knew　he　had　won。　He　leaned　back　in　his　chair。　〃Ismail　Pasha　is　now　in　Gaza。　Find　him。　You　will　know　if　he　is　the　man　we　believe　him　to　be　…　or　that　he　is　not。　If　he　is　that　man；　and　you　can　bring　back　evidence　that　he　is　a　prisoner　or　under　duress；　we　will　take　steps　to　free　him　…　unless　you　can　do　the　job　yourself。〃
　〃That's　rather　a　tall　order；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Even　for　us。〃
　〃You　mistook　my　meaning；　Professor。　That's　the　trouble　with　English；　it　is　too　imprecise　about　pronouns。〃
　〃So；〃　said　Emerson；　after　a　long　moment。　〃You　want　Ramses　to　go　after　the　fellow。　Alone。〃
　〃It's　the　only　way；　Professor。　You　surely　don't　suppose　that　the　four　of　you　could　cross　enemy　lines　in　disguise？　Individually　you　are　only　too　recognizable；　as　a　group　you　are　unmistakable。　It's　a　job　for　one　man；　and　there　is　only　one　man　who　can　maintain　a　convincing　disguise　long　enough　to　do　the　job。〃
　They　were　all　looking　at　Ramses；　waiting　for　him　to　speak；　Emerson　caught　himself　on　the　verge　of　a　heated　reply　and　remained　silent；　possibly　because　his　wife　had　administered　an　admonitory　kick　under　the　table。　Ramses　turned　his　head　and　met　Nefret's　eyes。
　They　had　been　over　this　subject　many　times；　with　Nefret　continuing　to　demand　promises　and　reassurances　and　Ramses　increasingly　resentful　of　her　refusal　to　accept　his　given　word。　There　was　no　need　for　speech　now；　she　knew　what　he　wanted　to　do；　what　he　felt　he　must　do；　and　she　knew　that　the　decision　was　hers。
　She　had　the　means　to　hold　him。　A　few　sentences；　a　few　words　。　。　。　She　released　her　grip　on　his　hand。　Her　fingers　had　left　white　marks。
　〃I've　always　felt　that　Ismail　was　unfairly　treated；〃　she　said；　shaping　the　words　with　care　so　her　voice　wouldn't　tremble。　〃God　won't　take　a　hand　this　time；　so　。　。　。　so　someone　else　must。〃
　
　
　　
　　
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　We　arrived　in　Cairo　on　a　misty　gray　morning。　The　city　was　swathed　in　fog　and　there　was　not　a　breath　of　air　stirring。　The　feeling　of　oppression　was　not　solely　physical。　We　had　had　to　leave　our　friends　to　cope　with　Jumana's　grief　and　Cyrus's　frustration　…　for　that　enigmatic　clue　of　Jamil's　was　driving　him　to　distraction。　I　had　made　him　promise　on　his　solemn　oath　that　he　would　not　go　wandering　round　the　wilderness　looking　for　Jamil's　tomb。　He　had　given　his　word；　but　his　hands　were　behind　his　back　and　I　suspected　he　had　his　fingers　crossed。　Although　Katherine　did　not　reproach　me；　I　knew　she　wondered　how　we　could　abandon　her　at　such　a　time。
　Emerson　had　pointed　out　that　I　need　not　abandon　her。　Not　only　was　there　no　need　for　me　to　go　to　Cairo；　my　presence　there　would　add　unnecessary　difficulties　to　an　already　difficult　situation。　The　summons　had　been　for　…　
　〃For　Ramses；〃　I　said；　cutting　into　his　tirade　with　the　skill　of　long　experience。　〃You　weren't　asked　either。〃
　〃If　you　think；〃　Emerson　announced　loudly；　〃that　I　am　going　to　let　the　boy　go　off　alone　to　face　that　pack　of　wolves　from　the　War　Office　…〃
　〃My　sentiments　exactly；〃　I　said。
　Upon　which；　Emerson　burst　out　laughing　and　pulled　me　into　a　close　embrace。　〃Peabody；　when　you　put　your　chin　out　and　give　me　that　steely　stare；　I　know　I've　lost　the　argument。〃
　〃You　wanted　me　to　e。　Admit　it。〃
　〃Mmmf；〃　said　Emerson；　his　lips　against　mine。
　We　caught　the　evening　train　and　went　straight　to　Shepheard's。　The　sufragi　on　duty　greeted　us　like　the　old　acquaintances　we　were；　and　asked　what　he　could　do　for　us。
　〃Breakfast；〃　I　said；　while　Emerson　divested　himself　of　various　articles　of　clothing　and　tossed　them　around　the　room。　Emerson　had　not　been　in　favor　of　staying　over；　but　even　he　admitted　that　we　could　not　dismiss　this　request　as　brusquely　as　we　had　done　with　the　War　Office's　other　attempts　to　bring　Ramses　back　into　the　service；　and　catch　the　first　train　back　to　Luxor。
　〃Emphatically　not；〃　said　Ramses。　〃Smith　told　us　virtually　nothing；　but　they　wouldn't　have　sent　for　me　unless　they　have　some　idea　as　to　how　to　locate　him。　We　must　try　to　find　him；　Father。　If　he　is　a　prisoner　…〃
　〃If？〃　Emerson　exclaimed。　〃Do　you　believe　he　is　a　turncoat　and　a　traitor？〃
　Once　upon　a　time　Emerson's　intimidating　scowl　would　have　reduced　Ramses　to　silence。　Now　he　met　those　narrowed　blue　orbs　squarely　and　smiled　a　little。　〃It's　odd　to　hear　you　defend　him；　Father。　Good　God；　I　don't　want　to　believe　it　either！　But　the　man　is　an　enigma　…　embittered；　cynical；　and　unpredictable。〃
　〃Hmph；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Well。　The　sooner　we　find　out　what　Murray　has　to　say；　the　better。　Shall　we　go？〃
　〃General　Murray？〃　I　repeated。　〃What　has　he　to　do　with　this？　You　haven't　even　made　an　appointment。〃
　〃You　know　my　policy；　Peabody　…　go　straight　to　the　top　and　avoid　underlings。　He　will　see　me　whenever　I　damn　well　decide　to　see　him；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Are　you　ready；　Ramses？〃
　I　would　have　insisted　upon　acpanying　them　if　I　had　believed　there　was　the　slightest　chance　the　general　would　allow　me　or　Nefret　to　take　part　in　the　discussion。　Men　are　singularly　limited　in　their　views　about　women；　and　military　men　are　even　worse。
　I　handed　Emerson　his　coat　…　he　would　have　walked　out　of　the　room　in　his　shirtsleeves　if　I　had　not　…　and　helped　him　into　it。　〃e　straight　back　here；〃　I　ordered。
　〃Mph；〃　said　Emerson。
　〃Yes；　of　course；〃　said　Ramses；　smiling　at　Nefret。
　　
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　Murray　kept　them　waiting　for　half　an　hour。　It　wasn't　long；　considering　his　busy　schedule　and　the　fact　that　he　had　not　expected　them；　but　Emerson　took　it　as　a　personal　affront。　He　was　in　an　extreme　state　of　annoyance　by　the　time　they　were　ushered　into　the　General's　office；　and　he　expressed　his　feelings　with　his　usual　candor。
　〃What　the　devil　do　you　mean　by　letting　us　cool　our　heels　all　that　time？　It　was　damned　inconvenient　for　us　to　e　just　now。　You　had　better　have　a　good　reason　for　interrupting　my　work。〃
　Murray　was　losing　his　hair。　The　high　forehead　added　to　the　length　of　his　face；　which　was　set　in　stern　lines；　but　the　mouth　under　the　neatly　trimmed　graying　mustache　twitched　as　Emerson　spoke。　Ramses　had　heard　that　Murray　had　had　a　nervous　breakdown　in　1915；　after　serving　as　chief　of　staff　to　the　British　Expeditionary　Force。　An　encounter　with　Emerson　wasn't　going　to　do　his　nerves　much　good。
　〃I　did　not　ask　you　here；　Professor　Emerson；〃　he　said　stiffly。
　The　office　was　fortably；　almost　luxuriously；　furnished；　with　deep　leather　chairs　and　Oriental　rugs。　The　wide　windows　behind　the　desk　offered　a　view　of　palm　trees　and　gardens。　The　fog　had　cleared；　it　was　going　to　be　a　fine　day。
　〃No？〃　Emerson　sat　down　and　took　out　his　pipe。　〃Well；　if　it　wasn't　you；　it　was　one　of　your　flunkies；　and　you　ought　to　know　about　it。　What　sort　of　administrator　are　you？〃
　Murray　began　fumbling　through　the　papers　on　his　desk。　Emerson's　tactics　were　brutal　but　effective；　the　general's　hands　were　shaking　with　rage。　He　couldn't　bully　a　civilian；　especially　one　of　Emerson's　eminence；　as　he　would　have　done　a　military　subordinate　…　but　how　he　wanted　to！　After　a　moment　of　hard　breathing；　he　selected　one　paper　from　among　the　rest；　stared　at　it；　and　rang　for　an　aide。　A　whispered　conversation　took　place。　Ramses；　whose　hearing　was　excellent；　caught　only　a　few　words：　〃。　。　。　devil　he　thinks　he's　doing　。　。　。〃
　〃Didn't　your　mother　teach　you　that　it　is　rude　to　whisper　when　other　persons　are　present？〃　Emerson　inquired；　tossing　a　burned　match　onto　the　floor。
　Murray's　plexion　was　that　of　a　man　who　spends　most　of　his　time　indoors。　His　pale