elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第66部分
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〃Yes； right。 Uh … God bless you。〃
He pulled the door shut and headed； not for the gate； but for the wall to his right。 How long would it be before they discovered he was gone； and warned the defenders that an English spy was on the loose？ Maybe not for hours。 Maybe a lot sooner。 He couldn't take the chance of waiting until morning and strolling out the way he had e。
Once over the wall； he found himself in a typical Middle Eastern street； narrow； dusty； and extremely dark。 His suspicions had been incorrect； there was no one lurking outside the gate。
He had exaggerated a trifle when he told the girl he knew where he was； but it didn't take long to orient himself。 The lacy； domed minaret of the Great Mosque pricked the moonlit sky to the southwest。 He was near the Serai； then； the governor's palace； and the quickest way out of town was westward。
It took him longer than he had hoped。 He had to avoid the main east…west street； which was well lighted； with men standing guard at the entrances to official buildings。 The lanes wound in illogical curves； and twice he had to climb a wall to avoid patrols。 Luckily the marching men made enough noise to warn him of their approach。
Three miles of sand dunes separated Gaza from the Mediterranean。 There was plenty of cover … the ruins of the ancient seaport of Gaza … and the picket lines were widely spaced； since their primary purpose was to guard against agents who might be landed from the sea。 The first pallid light of dawn was showing in the east before Ramses waded out into the water。 He had hoped to 〃borrow〃 a fishing boat under cover of darkness； but it was too late now； a boat would be seen and fired upon。 With a heartfelt groan； he shed Sahin's caftan and began to swim。
〃He's all right；〃 Nefret said。 〃Believe me。 I always know when he isn't。〃
I wanted to believe her。 The bond between them was so strong that she had always been able to sense； not so much danger … Ramses was in trouble a good deal of the time … but an imminent threat to his life。 She didn't look as if she had slept well； though。 None of us had。 It had been almost twenty…four hours since we got the word that Ramses had been captured and we had spent most of that time discussing what we should do about it。 Emerson does not bear waiting well。 By late afternoon he had walked a good ten miles； pacing back and forth across the tiled floor of the saloon。
〃We cannot act yet；〃 I insisted； for the tenth time。 〃Give him a little more time。 He's got himself out of worse situations； and at least we know he was alive when he was last seen。 Emerson； for pity's sake； stop pacing。 What you need is a nice hot cup of tea。 Help me； Nefret。〃
Emerson said he did not need the confounded tea； but I needed something to do and so； in my considered opinion； did Nefret。 The confidence she had expressed to us had not rendered her indifferent to the fate of one dearer to her than life itself； her breath came quick and fast； and her hands shook so badly I had to prepare the tea myself。
Suddenly she sprang up。 It was anticipation； not fear； that had made her tremble … the unbearable； final moments of waiting for an event greatly desired。 As she turned toward the door； it opened； and there he stood。 There was no mistaking him； though he was wearing a British uniform； and the brim of his pith helmet shadowed his face。
I had not really been worried。 Nefret's instincts had never been wrong。 All the same； I felt as if a set of stiff rods had been removed from my back and limbs。
〃Ah；〃 said Emerson； trying to appear unconcerned。 〃I had begun to believe I might have to go looking for you。〃
〃I had begun to think so too。〃 Ramses removed his hat and unbuckled the belt with its attached holster。 〃You'll never believe 。 。 。 Nefret！〃
Her face had gone dead…white。 Ramses sprang to catch her as she crumpled。 He held her to him in a close embrace； with her head resting on his shoulder。 〃Nefret … sweetheart … darling； say something！〃
〃There is no need for such a fuss；〃 I assured him。 〃It's only a swoon。 Put her down。〃
〃She's never swooned in her life！〃 Ignoring my sensible suggestion； he dropped onto the divan； holding her tightly。 Uttering incoherent ejaculations； Emerson snatched one of her limp hands and began slapping it。 I selected a clean cup； poured tea； and added several heaping spoonfuls of sugar。
A moment or two later Nefret stirred。 〃What happened？〃 she asked weakly。
〃You swooned；〃 Emerson said in a hoarse voice。
〃I've never swooned in my life！〃 Her color was back to normal and indignation brightened her blue eyes。 〃Put me down。〃
〃It was my fault；〃 Ramses said wretchedly。 〃I shouldn't have burst in like that。 I suppose you thought 。 。 。 Are you sure you're all right？〃
She smiled up into his anxious face。 〃I can think of something that would plete the cure。〃
I have no objection to public displays of affection between married persons or those about to be wed； but I did not want Ramses distracted。 I said firmly； 〃A nice hot cup of tea；〃 and took it to her。
Nefret pushed it away。 〃Give it to Ramses。 He looks as if he needs it more than I do。〃
〃I'm all right。 Just a little tired。 I haven't had much sleep in the past forty…eight hours。〃
〃Did you e in through the secret door？〃 Emerson asked。
Ramses shook his head。 He had acquired a few more scrapes and bruises； including a sizable lump on his temple。 〃There's no need for secrecy now。 The job is blown； Father。 A plete disaster from start to finish。〃
Nefret studied him critically。 〃It would be nice if just once you could e back from one of your expeditions unbruised and unbloodied。〃
〃It wasn't my fault；〃 Ramses said defensively。
〃According to Chetwode； you heroically took on ten men so that he could get away；〃 Emerson said。
〃So he's been here。 It was only six；〃 Ramses added。
〃Hmph；〃 said Emerson。 〃Yes； he's been here； and our cover is also blown。 He insisted on delivering his message in person； and if he didn't know my identity when he came； he does now。 I … er … I forgot myself when he broke the news that you had been captured and were in 'the merciless grip of the most dangerous man in the Ottoman Empire；' as he put it。 The fellow has something of a melodramatic streak。〃
〃Hmmm；〃 said Ramses。 〃So he lingered long enough to see that； did he？〃
〃He claimed he had hoped to e to your assistance； but the odds were too great； and he was obliged to follow your orders。 It was at this point that your mother and Nefret came rushing in …〃
〃We were in one of the secret passages；〃 I explained。 〃Very useful devices。 The news that a British officer had e here with a message naturally aroused our interest； so we …〃
〃Also forgot yourselves；〃 said Emerson。
〃My dear； the damage was already done。 Lieutenant Chetwode did not seem at all surprised when we popped out of that cupboard。〃
〃He's going to put you in for a DSO；〃 Nefret said。
〃How nice；〃 said Ramses； with sardonic amusement。 〃So you sat here drinking tea while； for all you knew； I was undergoing hideous tortures？〃
〃We were discussing what steps to take in order to rescue you；〃 I explained。 〃And how to go about them in the most efficient manner。〃
〃I know； Mother。 I was joking。〃
〃I would be the last to deny that a touch of humor is seldom amiss；〃 I said。 〃However 。 。 。 Lieutenant Chetwode told us what transpired up till the time he ran away。 So you need not repeat that part。〃
〃Did he happen to mention that we would have made it out without running or any other inconvenience if he hadn't tried to shoot Ismail Pasha？〃
Nefret gasped and Emerson swore； and I said evenly； 〃I take it he did not succeed？〃
〃No。 He hadn't a chance of killing him。 The governor's considerable bulk was in the way and there was a good deal of motion。 It was my fault； really；〃 Ramses went on wearily。 〃I suspected he was armed and took one pistol away from him before we left。 I should have had the sense to realize Cartright would anticipate that and provide him with a second weapon。 I didn't search him。 I ought to have done。〃
〃Stop berating yourself and tell us what happened；〃 I said。 〃From the beginning； please； and in proper order。〃
His narrative agreed for the most part with the one Chetwode had given us； up to the point where Chetwode had fired at the suspect。 He had then fled … obeying Ramses's order； as he had claimed。
〃I did tell him to run；〃 Ramses admitted。 〃The damage was done； and in the confusion no one could tell which of us had fired。 The governor's guards went after me and matters went as one might have expected。 I got on reasonably well until someone threw a stone。 They were about to escort me to the governor when who should appear but 。 。 。 This is the part you'll find hard to believe。〃
In his youth Ramses had been appallingly verbose and given to an excessive use of adverbs； adjectives； and other descriptive flourishes。 I had found this extremely exasperating； but the sparse； uninformative narrative style that was now his habit sometimes vexed me even more。 Admittedly； the events themselves were enough to hold us spellbound； no one uttered a word until he had finished。
〃So；〃 I said。 〃He attempted at first to win you over with kind treatment and flattering wo
