elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第6部分

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ite　for　so　small　a　person。　When　she　saw　me；　she　dropped　her　slice　of　toast　…　jelly…side　down　…　and　ran　to　throw　her　arms　round　me；　demanding　to　know　where　we　were　going　that　day。
　〃You　and　Gargery　and　Basima　will　have　to　amuse　yourselves　today；〃　I　replied；　in　the　tone　that　brooked　no　argument。　〃The　rest　of　us　have　errands。　I　suggest　a　visit　to　the　Museum；　or　perhaps　you　would　like　to　hire　a　carriage　and　go　out　to　Giza。〃
　〃I　do　not　believe　that　is　a　good　plan；　madam；〃　said　Gargery；　winking　furiously　and　wrinkling　up　his　face　in　a　most　alarming　manner。　〃After　what　happened　last　year　…〃
　〃That　was　last　year；　Gargery。　The　people　responsible　for　that　incident　are　no　longer　a　threat　to　us。〃
　〃But；　madam！　She　will　want　to　take　the　da　…　…　the　cat　with　us。〃
　He　scowled　at　Horus；　who　was　sitting　by　Sennia's　chair　cleaning　his　whiskers。　Horus　left　off　long　enough　to　sneer　at　Gargery。　All　cats　can　sneer；　but　Horus　did　it　better　than　most。　He　had　a　very　large　head　and　the　dark　stripes　on　his　face　reminded　one　of　a　gargoyle。
　〃Shall　we　go　to　Atiyeh？〃　Basima　asked。　〃Others　of　the　family　will　want　to　see　the　Little　Bird。〃
　〃And　you　will　want　to　see　them；〃　I　said；　realizing　I　ought　to　have　thought　of　it。　Basima　was　a　devoted　and　dedicated　woman　who　seldom　asked　anything　for　herself。　In　fact；　it　was　an　admirable　idea；　the　village　near　Cairo　where　the　northern　branch　of　Abdullah's　family　lived　was　not　far　off；　and　Sennia　would　be　under　the　close　supervision　of　dozens　of　affectionate　friends　who　would　prevent　her　from　getting　into　mischief。　I　expressed　my　approval；　and　Gargery　was　pleased　to　agree。　Nobody　asked　Horus　for　his　opinion。
　〃Where　is　Ramses　going？〃　demanded　Sennia；　who　was　nothing　if　not　persistent。
　〃Somewhere　you　cannot　go。　We　will　be　back　in　time　for　tea。〃
　I　left　her　pouting　and　Gargery　fingering　some　object　in　his　pocket　which　I　hoped　was　not　a　pistol；　though　I　feared　it　was。　He　took　his　duties　as　Sennia's　guard　very　seriously。
　After　I　had　collected　Emerson　and　made　him　put　on　a　waistcoat　and　tie；　and　had　changed　my　blouse；　which　bore　several　sticky　handprints；　we　left　the　hotel　and　strolled　along　the　Muski；　waving　away　offers　from　cabdrivers。
　〃Where　are　we　going？〃　I　asked。
　〃Don't　be　coy　with　me；　Peabody；〃　said　Emerson　amiably。　〃You　are　going　to　the　suk；　aren't　you；　to　bully；　harass；　and　interrogate　antiquities　dealers　about　Sethos。〃
　〃I　thought　I　might　ask　a　few　questions　of　a　few　people；　yes。　Wouldn't　that　be　preferable　to　having　the　children　prowling　about　the　city　after　nightfall；　with　Nefret　decked　out　as　Ramses's　…　er　…　his　…　um　…〃
　Emerson　shuddered。　〃Good　Gad；　yes。　But　…　but　she　didn't　mean　it；　did　she？〃
　〃She　meant　it。〃
　It　is　a　nice　healthy　stroll　from　Shepheard's　to　the　Khan　el　Khalili；　along　the　Muski　and　through　the　old　Fatimite　city　with　its　mosques　and　gateways。　Yet　how　the　character　of　the　city　had　changed！　Motorcars　and　motorbicycles　wove　hazardous　paths　among　horse…drawn　cabs　and　donkey…drawn　carts　and　caravans　of　camels。　Uniforms　were　everywhere；　the　men　who　wore　them　as　diverse　as　their　insignia：　tall　rangy　Australians　and　bearded　Sikhs；　dark…skinned　Nubians　and　pink…cheeked　boys　fresh　from　the　English　countryside。
　It　was　a　depressing　sight。　These　men；　now　so　bright…eyed　and　cheerful；　were　destined　for　the　battlefields　of　Palestine　and　Europe；　from　which　most　would　never　return。
　The　Khan　el　Khalili　at　least　had　not　changed　…　the　same　narrow　lanes；　covered　with　matting　and　lined　with　small　shops　selling　every　variety　of　goods　from　silks　to　carpets　to　silver。　Peddlers　and　sellers　of　sweetmeats　wended　their　way　through　the　crowds；　a　waiter；　carrying　aloft　a　tray　with　small　cups　of　Turkish　coffee；　hastened　to　the　shopkeeper　who　had　ordered　it。
　Not　far　from　the　mosque　of　the　venerated　Saint　Hosein　is　the　area　given　over　to　the　stalls　of　the　booksellers；　and　it　was　here　I　hoped　to　rid　myself　of　the　amiable　but　inconvenient　presence　of　my　spouse。　Somewhat　to　my　surprise　he　did　not　put　up　much　of　an　argument。
　〃You　are　calling　on　Aslimi；　I　suppose；〃　he　said。
　〃And　perhaps　a　few　others。〃
　〃Very　well。〃　Emerson　took　out　his　watch。　〃I　will　give　you　three　hours；　Peabody。　If　you　aren't　back　by　then；　I　will　e　looking　for　you。〃
　〃Anything　but　that！〃　I　exclaimed　jestingly。
　Emerson　grinned。　〃Quite。　Enjoy　yourself；　my　love；　and　don't　buy　any　fakes。〃
　Aslimi　did　deal　in　fake　antiquities；　as　had　his　father；　who　had　met　a　very　ugly　death　in　his　own　shop　some　years　before。　At　first　I　did　not　recognize　him。　He　had　gained　an　enormous　amount　of　weight　and　was　almost　as　fat　as　his　father　had　been。　Seated　on　the　mastaba　bench　outside　his　shop；　he　was　importuning　passersby　in　the　traditional　fashion　and　in　a　mixture　of　languages：　〃Oh；　Howadji；　I　have　beautiful　antiquities！　Monsieur　et　madame；　écoutez…vous！〃　and　so　on。　When　he　saw　me　he　broke　off　with　a　gurgle　and　began　wriggling；　trying　to　stand。
　〃Good　morning；　Aslimi；〃　I　said。　〃Stay　where　you　are。〃
　Aslimi　swallowed。　〃The　Father　of　Curses　…〃
　〃Is　not　with　me。〃
　〃Ah。〃　Aslimi　put　his　hands　on　the　approximate　region　of　his　waist　and　sighed　heavily。　〃He　gives　me　pains　in　the　stomach；　Sitt　Hakim。〃
　〃It　is　as　God　wills；〃　I　said　piously。　Aslimi　shot　me　a　look　that　indicated　he　was　more　inclined　to　put　the　blame　on　Emerson　than　on　Allah；　but　he　rallied　enough　to　go　through　the　prescribed　gestures　of　hospitality；　offering　me　coffee　or　tea　and　a　seat　on　the　mastaba。　Then　we　got　down　to　business。
　I　left　the　shop　an　hour　and　a　half　later；　with　several　parcels。　Bargaining　takes　quite　a　long　time；　and　the　subtle　interrogation　at　which　I　excel　takes　even　longer。　Since　I　had　time　to　spare；　I　stopped　at　a　few　more　stalls；　learning　little　more　than　I　had　from　Aslimi；　but　purchasing　a　number　of　items　that　would　be　needed　in　our　new　home：　a　set　of　handsome　copper　cooking　vessels；　thirty　yards　of　blue…and…silver　Damascus　silk；　and　two　elegant　carpets；　all　of　which　I　directed　to　be　sent　to　the　hotel。
　I　found　Emerson　surrounded　by　loosely　bound　volumes　and　piles　of　manuscripts　and　several　of　the　more　learned　booksellers；　with　whom　he　was　engaged　in　heated　argument。　I　had　begun　to　suspect　that　they　enjoyed　egging　him　on；　for　his　views　on　religion　…　all　varieties　of　religion　…　were　unorthodox　and　eloquently　expressed。　The　discussion　ended　when　I　appeared；　and　after　an　exchange　of　pliments　all　round；　I　led　Emerson　away。
　〃Why　do　you　do　that？〃　I　scolded。　〃It　is　very　rude　to　criticize　another　individual's　religious　beliefs；　and　there　is　not　the　slightest　possibility　that　you　will　convert　them。〃
　〃Who　wants　to　convert　them？〃　Emerson　demanded　in　surprise。　〃Islam　is　as　good　a　religion　as　any　other。　I　don't　approve　of　Christianity　or　Judaism　or　Buddhism　either。〃
　〃I　am　well　aware　of　that；　Emerson。　I　don't　suppose　you　learned　anything　of　interest？〃
　〃It　was　very　interesting。　I　raised　several　unanswerable　points　。　。　。〃　He　noticed　my　parcels　and　took　them　from　me。　〃What　have　you　got　there？〃
　〃Don't　unwrap　them　here；〃　I　cautioned；　for　Emerson　was；　in　his　impetuous　fashion；　tugging　at　the　strings。　〃While　you　were　wasting　your　time　debating　theology；　I　went　about　the　business　for　which　we　came　to　the　Khan。　Aslimi　showed　me　some　remarkable　things；　Emerson。　He　told　me　he　had　never　known　the　supply　of　merchandise　to　be　so　great。　He　is　getting　objects　from　all　over　Egypt；　including　Luxor。〃
　〃What　the　devil！〃　Emerson　came　to　a　dead　stop　in　the　middle　of　the　road。　He　began　to　unwrap　the　largest　parcel；　ignoring　the　camel　advancing　ponderously　toward　him。　The　driver；　recognizing　Emerson；　managed　to　stop　the　recalcitrant　animal　before　it　ran　into　my　equally　recalcitrant　spouse。　He　turned　an　outraged　glare　on　the　camel；　which　responded　with　its　usual　look　of　utter　disgust。　I　stifled　my　laughter；　for　Emerson　would　not　have　found　anything　amusing　about　his　attempt　to　stare　down　a　camel。
　Somehow　the　driver　got　the　beast　past　Emerson；　who　had　not　stirred　an　inch。　I　took　the　parcel　from　him。
　〃It　is　not　like　you　to　be　so　careless；　Emerson；〃　I　said　severely。　〃Careless　with　antiquities；　I　mean。　e　out　of　the　middle　of　the　road　and　let　me　undo　the　wrappings　enough　to　give　you　a　peep。〃
　Care　was　necessary；　since　there　were　two　objects　in　the　wrappings；　both　of　them　breakable　…　or　at　least；　chippable。　The　one　I　showed　Emerson　was　an　alabaster　disk　with　a　thin　band　of　gold　around　the　rim。
　〃No　hieroglyphs；〃　he　muttered。　〃Beautiful　piece　of　work；　though。　It's　the　lid　of　a　pot　or　jar。〃
　〃A　very　expensive　pot；〃　I　amended。　〃I　have　the　pot　as　well　…　an　exquisitely　shaped　alabaster　container；　most　probably　for　cosmetics。　Now　shall　we　go　back　to　the　hotel　where　we　can　examine　it　in　private？〃
　〃Hmmm；　yes；　certainly。〃　Emerson　watched　me　rewrap　the　lid。　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　my　dear。　You　were　quite　right　to　scold　me。　What　else　have　you　got？〃
　〃Nothing　so　exciting　as　the　cosmetic　jar；〃　I　said；　〃but　I　believe　they　are　all　from　the　same　tomb　…　the　one　Cyrus　told　us　about。〃
　〃So　Mohassib　didn't　get　everything。〃　Emerson　strode　along　beside　me；　his　hands　in　his　pockets。　〃How　did　Aslimi　e　by　these？〃
　〃Not　from　Sethos。〃
　〃You　asked　him　point…blank；　I　suppose；〃　Emerson　grumbled。　〃Aslimi　is　a　congenital　liar；　Peabody。　How　do　you　know　he　was　telling　you　the　truth？〃
　〃He