elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第76部分

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　the　good。　I　had　bee　somewhat　disenchanted。〃
　〃Can　nothing　be　done　about　an　artificial　limb？〃
　〃Oh；　yes。　I've　got　quite　a　good　one。　It　broadens　my　repertoire　of　disguises　to　a　remarkable　extent。　I'm　thinking　of　attaching　a　bayonet；　or　perhaps　a　hook。〃
　I　patted　him　on　the　shoulder。　〃Splendid；〃　I　said　heartily。
　〃Or　a　parasol；〃　said　Sir　Edward。　His　smile　was　that　of　the　charming　debonair　gentleman　I　had　known。
　I　was　to　remember　that　smile　for　a　long　time。　When　I　woke　from　a　brief　but　refreshing　nap；　he　was　gone　…　from　the　house　and　from　the　grounds　and；　I　feared；　back　into　the　powder　keg　that　was　Gaza。
　It　took　me　a　while　to　discover　this。　I　had　decided　to　sleep　on　one　of　the　divans　rather　than　go　to　the　trouble　of　making　up　a　bed　which；　if　events　continued　to　unfold；　I　might　never　occupy。　When　I　went　to　look　in　at　Esin；　I　almost　fell　over　Selim；　who　was　stretched　out　across　her　threshold。　I　left　him　there；　since　that　was　where　he　had　chosen　to　be；　and　went　back　to　the　saloon。　Ramses　and　Nefret　lay　side　by　side；　his　arm　round　her　and　her　head　on　his　shoulder。　I　stood　for　a　moment　watching　them。　One　of　Ramses's　eyes　opened　and　regarded　me　quizzically。
　〃All's　well；〃　I　reported；　and　tiptoed　toward　the　divan　where　Emerson　lay。
　I　did　not　mean　to　sleep　for　more　than　an　hour；　but　even　as　I　reclined　the　skies　were　darkening；　and　the　gentle　murmur　of　rain　must　have　lulled　me。　It　was　the　sound　of　heavy　footsteps　that　woke　me　…　the　running　steps　of　a　person　in　haste。　I　sat　up　with　a　start　and　reached　into　my　nearest　pocket。　It　was　the　wrong　pocket。　I　was　fumbling　in　another；　trying　to　locate　my　little　pistol；　when　a　man　burst　into　the　room　and　came　to　a　stop。　He　was　breathing　heavily　and　water　poured　from　his　soaked　garments。
　Emerson　was　thrashing　around　and　muttering；　as　he　always　does　when　he　is　suddenly　aroused；　but　Ramses　was　on　his　feet；　alert　and　ready。　The　newer；　too　breathless　to　speak；　held　out　empty　hands　in　the　universal　gesture　of　conciliation。　I　could　not　see　him　clearly；　the　room　was　rather　dark。　I　knew　him；　though。
　〃Ah；〃　I　said。　〃So　here　you　are　at　last。　It　is　all　right；　Ramses。〃
　〃No　…　it　…　isn't。〃　Sethos　got　it　out　one　word　at　a　time。　〃Where's　…　Edward？〃
　〃He　isn't　here？〃　I　asked。
　〃No。〃
　Emerson　had　finally　got　his　wits　together。　〃It's　you；　is　it？〃　he　demanded；　squinting　through　the　gloom。　〃High　bloody　time。〃
　〃Bloody　too　late；〃　said　Sethos；　beginning　to　control　his　breath。　〃Did　Edward　tell　you　where　…〃
　〃We　were　not　even　aware　of　his　departure；〃　I　replied。　〃Please　pose　yourself　so　that　we　can　converse　rationally。〃
　〃And　get　out　of　those　wet　clothes；〃　Nefret　said。
　〃What；　here　and　now？〃
　Ramses　had　lighted　several　of　the　lamps。　Sethos　threw　his　shoulders　back　and　tried　to　look　as　if　he　were　in　mand　of　the　situation；　but　he　was　a　wretched　figure；　every　garment　saturated　and　even　his　beard　dripping。
　〃A　chill　can　bring　on　malaria；〃　Nefret　said　calmly。　〃Get　them　off　at　once。　I'll　ask　Mustafa　to　make　tea。〃
　〃And　something　to　eat；〃　I　called　after　her；　as　she　hastened　from　the　room。
　〃And　something　to　wear；〃　said　my　brother…in…law　resignedly。　He　pulled　off　the　sodden　lump　of　his　turban　and　the　fez　round　which　it　had　been　wrapped。　〃This　is　as　far　as　I　am　prepared　to　go；　Amelia；　while　you　remain　in　the　room。〃
　Anxious　as　I　was　to　hold　the　long…delayed　discussion　…　urgent　as　were　the　questions　to　be　asked　and　answered　…　physical　needs　took　precedence。　Sethos　had　had　malaria　before。　It　would　be　extremely　inconvenient　if　he　came　down　with　it　again。
　〃e　with　me；〃　I　ordered；　and　led　the　way　out　of　the　room。
　Selim；　still　lying　romantically　across　the　girl's　threshold；　woke　instantly　when　we　approached　…　and　no　wonder；　on　that　hard　floor。　He　sprang　up；　reaching　for　his　knife。
　〃He　is　a　friend；　Selim；〃　I　said。　〃Perhaps　you　would　be　good　enough　to　help　him　change　his　wet　clothing。〃
　〃I　do　not　require　a　damned　valet；〃　Sethos　snarled。
　〃Selim　isn't　a　valet。　You　require　assistance；　and　that　is　what　you　are　about　to　get。　Follow　me；　both　of　you。〃
　A　large　cupboard　in　the　other　bedroom　contained　an　extensive　wardrobe；　ranging　from　abas　and　galabeeyahs　to　a　nice　tweed　suit　that　Sethos　had　borrowed　from　Ramses　the　year　before。　I　left　them　to　it；　and　returned　to　the　saloon。　Mustafa　had　scraped　together　a　rather　extraordinary　meal　…　tinned　tongue　and　bread　and　fruit；　and；　of　course；　tea。　Before　long；　Selim　and　Sethos　joined　us；　the　latter　in　dry　garments；　his　unruly　hair　still　damp。
　〃Well；　this　is　cozy；〃　said　Sethos；　with　a　decidedly　sardonic　inflection。　〃A　jolly　little　family　gathering。　I've　been　chasing　you　across　the　countryside　all　night。〃
　〃Were　you　at　the　rendezvous？〃　I　asked。
　〃Not　until　after　you'd　left。　Would　you　like　to　know　what　happened？〃
　〃Very　much　so；〃　said　Emerson；　with　a　snap　of　his　teeth。
　〃I　had　to　make　a　run　for　it；〃　Sethos　explained。　〃I　…　er　…　miscalculated　a　trifle；　you　see。　I　didn't　expect　Sahin　would　move　so　quickly　or　so　decisively。　He's　a　very　efficient　man；　with　a　well…organized　network　of　supporters　hereabouts。　It　didn't　take　him　long　to　find　out　you　were　in　Khan　Yunus。　You　weren't　exactly　discreet；　were　you？〃
　〃The　disclosure　of　our　true　identities　was　unavoidable；〃　I　said。　〃And　if　I　may　say　so；　criticism　from　you　is　unwarranted；　under　the　circumstances。〃
　〃Possibly；〃　Sethos　admitted。　〃If　I　may　continue　my　narrative？〃
　〃Pray　do；〃　I　said。
　〃As　I　was　about　to　say；　the　disappearance　of　his　daughter　hit　him　hard　and　he　acted　instantly。　He　sent　orders　to　attack　your　house。　There　was　a　chance　the　girl　was　with　you。　If　she　wasn't；　he　hoped　to　acquire　a　hostage　…　one　or　all　of　you。〃
　〃How　do　you　know　all　that？〃　I　asked。
　〃He　told　me。〃　Sethos　had　been　eating　ravenously；　between　sentences。　He　swallowed　a　bite　of　fruit　and　went　on；　〃We　had　one　of　those　friendly　little　chats　…　you　know　what　they're　like；　Ramses。　He　explained　in　detail　what　he　meant　to　do；　and　added；　more　in　sorrow　than　in　anger；　that　he　was　going　to　lock　me　up；　since　he　had　been　forced　to　the　conclusion　that　my　conversion　was　not　sincere。〃
　He　bit　into　a　piece　of　bread。　The　pause　was　for　effect；　as　I　knew；　the　man　could　not　resist　making　a　dramatic　story　of　it。
　〃So　you　hit　him？〃　Ramses　was　as　intrigued　as　the　rest　of　us。　〃What　with？〃
　〃Not　my　fist；　I　assure　you。　He　was　waiting　for　that。　I　was　nibbling　daintily　on　a　nectarine。　I　shoved　it　in　his　face。　He　was　trying　to　claw　the　pulp　out　of　his　eyes　and　spit　it　out　of　his　mouth　when　I　broke　his　water　pipe　over　his　head。　It　made　a　frightful　mess　and　rather　a　loud　noise；　so　I　didn't　wait　to　tie　him　up。　I　calculated　I　had　about　sixty　seconds　before　a　servant　got　nerve　enough　to　investigate；　so　I　started　running　…　straight　out　of　the　house　and　past　the　guards。　If　you　don't　have　time　to　be　cautious；　speed　and　effrontery　are　your　only　hope。　It　was　a　spectacle　dreadful　enough　to　throw　most　people　into　a　panic；〃　he　added　with　a　grin。　〃The　holy　infidel；　waving　his　arms　and　screaming　broken　phrases　from　the　Koran。　Nobody　tried　to　stop　me。　Religious　frenzy　is　dangerous。　I　kept　running；　divesting　myself　of　my　elegant　ornaments　as　I　went　and　scattering　them　about　the　streets；　to　the　additional　confusion　of　those　I　encountered。　I　presented　the　last　…　a　very　handsome　emerald　brooch；　which　I　hated　to　give　up　…　to　the　officer　in　mand　of　one　of　the　guard　posts。　With　my　blessing。　May　I　have　more　tea？〃
　Ramses　was　the　first　to　break　the　fascinated　silence。　〃I'm　a　bloody　amateur；〃　he　murmured。　〃Excuse　me；　Mother。〃
　〃You　haven't　done　so　badly；〃　his　uncle　conceded。　〃This　last　escapade　wasn't　well　thought　out；　though。　You　ought　to　have　had　a　means　of　escape　arranged　before　you　shot　at　me。〃
　〃You　don't　suppose　Ramses　would　do　such　a　thing！〃　Nefret　said　indignantly。
　〃Now；　now；　keep　calm。　I　did　not　suppose　my　affectionate　nephew　really　intended　to　kill　me。　I　credited　him　with　realizing　that　an　attack　on　me；　presumably　by　my　erstwhile　employers；　would　establish　me　as　a　bona　fide　traitor。　I　didn't　expect　he　would　go　so　far　as　to　let　himself　be　caught。　That　was　a　plication　I　did　not　need。〃
　〃Accept　my　apologies；〃　said　Ramses；　scowling　at　his　uncle。　Sethos　did　have　a　gift　for　turning　people　against　him。
　〃Who　was　it；　then；　if　it　wasn't　you？〃
　〃A　fellow　named　Chetwode。　He's　the　general's　nephew。　His　superior　is　a　man　named　Cartright。〃
　〃Oh；　that　lot。　How　did　you　…〃
　〃Never　mind　that　now；〃　I　interrupted。　〃If　we　keep　getting　off　onto　side　issues　we　will　never　make　sense　of　this　business。　What　happened　after　you　left　Gaza？〃
　〃I　decided　I　had　better　go　to　Khan　Yunus　and　warn　you。〃
　〃You　might　have　thought　of　that　earlier；〃　Emerson　grumbled。
　〃I　told　you；　I　didn't　know　what　Sahim　intended　to　do　until　he　informed　me。　I　barely　made　it　out　of　the　city　before　his　men　came　boiling　out　in　hot　pursuit；　I　had　to　lie　low　in　the　hills　until　they　tired　of　looking　for　me。〃　He　took　a　cigarette　from　the　tin　Ramses　offered　him　and　lit　it　before　he　went　on。　〃By　the　time　I　got　to　Khan　Yunus；　all　hell　had　broken　loose。　The　army　was　on　the　scene；　trying　to　suppress　the　riot；　without　the　vaguest　idea　of　who　had　started　it　or　why。　Your　place　had　been　broken　into；　and　some　of　the　locals　were　taking　advantage　of　the　confusion　to　carry　off　anything　they　could　lay　their　ha