elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第86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！


it　was　a　joke。　They　had　been　asking　around　Gurneh；　and　Albion　mentioned　that　'Mohammed'　had　put　them　on　to　someone。　What　if　that　someone　was　Jamil？〃
　〃Mohassib's　first　name　is　Mohammed；〃　Emerson　said。
　〃It　might　have　been　Mohassib；　or　Mohammed　Hassan　…　or　any　one　of　several　other　Mohammeds。　Those　two　are　the　most　likely；　however。　Both　had　spoken　with　Jamil；　both　were　afraid　of　him。　What　better　way　of　conciliating　him　than　to　introduce　him　to　a　wealthy　patron？　Then　Jamil　was　inconsiderate　enough　to　get　himself　killed　before　he　disclosed　the　location　of　the　tomb。　The　Albions　believe　there's　a　chance　he　confided　in　Jumana。　An　outside　chance；　but　that's　what　they　have　been　reduced　to。〃
　〃And　Jamil　promised　that　in　exchange　for　their　support　he　would　sell　them　the　objects　from　the　tomb　once　he'd　cleared　it。　My　thought　exactly。〃
　〃If　I　know　Albion；　he'd　insist　on　more　than　promises；〃　Ramses　said。
　〃Oh；　well　done；〃　Emerson　said　approvingly。　〃Yes；　he'd　want　proof　of　the　find；　and　…　a　little　something　on　account？　Something　as　fine　as　the　cosmetic　jar？〃
　〃Possibly。　It's　all　conjecture；　and　we　can't　。　。　。　Father；　no！〃
　〃Can't　do　what？〃　said　Emerson；　fumbling　with　his　pipe。　He　was　too　late；　his　face　had　betrayed　him。
　〃Search　their　rooms。　Don't　deny　it；　Father；　that　is　what　you　were　thinking。〃
　〃You　thought　of　it；　too；　or　you　wouldn't　have　been　so　quick　to　read　my　mind。〃
　The　accusation　was　accurate；　the　grin　conspiratorial；　but　Ramses　tried　to　look　stern。　〃That　sort　of　thing　is　more　in　Mother's　line。〃
　〃We　can't　have　her　doing　something　like　that；〃　Emerson　said。　〃It's　against　the　law。〃
　Ramses　couldn't　resist　the　grin。　He　began　to　laugh。　〃It's　a　tempting　thought；　but　not　really　practical。　Even　if　we　found　illegal　antiquities；　we　couldn't　confiscate　them　or　prove　where　they　came　from。　Jamil　may　have　dropped　enticing　hints　to　the　Albions；　but　they　don't　seem　to　know　any　more　than　we　do。〃
　His　father's　abstracted　expression　told　him　he　hadn't　got　the　point　across。　〃This　is　all　conjecture；〃　he　insisted。　〃Logical　and　consistent；　but　without　substantiating　evidence。　We　can't　even　be　certain　that　Jamil　told　the　Albions　about　the　hand　of　the　god。　It　may　have　been　pure　coincidence　that　they　chose　to　dig　in　that　spot。〃
　〃Well；　we　will　soon　find　out。〃
　〃Ah。　Those　alternate　sites　you　suggested？〃
　〃Mmmm。〃　Emerson　sucked　on　his　pipe。　〃None　of　them　has　any　connection　with　a　divine　representation。　If　the　Albions　are　solely　interested　in　excavation　…〃
　〃Ramses！〃　His　mother's　voice　had　considerable　carrying　power。　Emerson　twitched　guiltily　and　Ramses　turned。　She　was　on　her　feet；　waving　some　object　at　him。　It　appeared　to　be　a　large　piece　of　pottery　…　an　ostracon。
　Ramses　waved　back。　〃We　may　as　well　stop　for　lunch；〃　he　said。　〃Sennia　has　told　me　twice　already　that　she's　faint　with　hunger。〃
　〃Where　is　she？〃　Emerson　turned；　scanning　the　terrain。
　〃Probably　in　the　shelter；　investigating　the　basket；　which　would　explain　why　the　Great　Cat　of　Re　has　also　abandoned　us。　I　must　speak　to　her　about　overfeeding　the　creature；　it's　getting　absolutely　obese。〃
　〃He；〃　Emerson　corrected。
　Sennia；　and　the　cat；　were　where　he　expected。　The　others　joined　them　in　time　to　save　most　of　the　chicken。　Ramses's　lecture　was　not　as　forceful　as　he　had　intended　it　to　be；　the　hurt　looks　he　got　from　two　pairs　of　eyes；　one　pair　big　and　black；　the　other　pair　round　and　clear…green　as　peridots；　had　a　softening　effect。　Apologetically　he　offered　the　cat　a　piece　of　chicken。
　Sennia　had　collected　a　few　ostraca　too；　but　the　one　his　mother　had　found　was　outstanding　…　larger　than　most；　the　hieratic　clearly　preserved。　He　was　touched　to　see　how　her　face　brightened　when　he　expressed　his　appreciation。
　〃Was　this　in　the　fill？〃　he　asked；　holding　it　carefully　by　the　edges。　〃I'm　surprised　that　any　of　our　fellows　would　overlook　something　so　large。〃
　〃Curse　it；　Peabody；〃　Emerson　mumbled　through　a　bite　of　cheese；　〃have　you　been　digging　illicitly？〃
　〃How　could　you　suppose　I　would　do　such　a　thing；　Emerson？　Ali　brought　it　to　me。　It　has　been　properly　recorded。〃
　〃Oh。　All　right；　then。〃
　〃What　does　it　say？〃　Nefret　asked；　leaning　over　Ramses's　shoulder。　A　loosened　lock　of　hair　brushed　his　cheek。　He　twisted　it　around　his　finger　and　smiled　at　her。　〃It　appears　to　be　a　prayer　…　to　Hathor；　Divine　Mother；　Lady　of　Fragrance。〃
　〃You　can　translate　it　later；〃　Emerson　declared；　wiping　his　fingers　on　his　trousers。　〃I　want　to　finish　that　section　today。〃
　〃I　trust　you　have　not　forgotten　we　are　dining　with　Cyrus　this　evening；〃　his　wife　reminded　him。
　Emerson　groaned。　Cyrus　grinned。　〃I　asked　Selim　too；〃　he　said　significantly。
　〃Hmmm；〃　said　Ramses's　mother。
　〃Hmph；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Bertie；　you　haven't　told　me　how　you　are　getting　on。　Not　that　I　have　any　right　to　ask；　I　suppose。〃
　〃Don't　be　a　dog　in　the　manger；〃　his　wife　said。
　〃You　have　every　right　to　ask；　sir；〃　Bertie　said　earnestly。　〃It's　going　well；　I　think。　I've　got　most　of　the　known　tombs　located　now。　This　is　a　working　copy；　of　course；　I　keep　the　master　copy　at　home　and　add　to　it　every　night。〃
　〃Well　done。〃　Emerson　slapped　him　on　the　back。　〃Now　…　back　to　work；　eh？〃
　Not　until　later　that　day　was　Ramses　able　to　arrange　a　private　conversation　with　his　mother。
　〃Do　you　really　intend　to　tell　Cyrus　about　Khan　Yunus？　You　know；　Mother；　that　the　Official　Secrets　Act　…〃
　〃I　do　not　consider　myself　bound　by　any　document　to　which　I　did　not　agree　in　advance；〃　said　his　mother。　Her　chin　protruded　even　more　than　usual。　〃We　must　tell　Cyrus　something。　It　isn't　fair　to　him　to　keep　him　wholly　in　the　dark。　Ramses　。　。　。　dear　。　。　。〃　She　put　her　hand　on　his　shoulder。　〃I　know　you　would　rather　not　talk　or　think　of　the　affair　again；　but　if　you　will　brace　yourself；　one　more　time　。　。　。　You　have　my　word　that　Selim's　narrative　will　not　get　me　in　trouble　with　the　War　Office！〃
　〃All　right；　Mother。　Dear；〃　he　added；　with　a　smile　that　brought　a　faint　flush　to　her　cheeks。
　It　had　taken　Katherine　Vandergelt　a　while　to　bee　fortable　with　their　Egyptian　friends。　She　had　had　to　e　to　terms　with　her　prejudices；　or　at　least　conceal　them　…　his　mother　hadn't　left　her　any　choice！　No　one　but　a　boor　could　have　treated　Selim　with　less　than　the　courtesy　his　fine　manners　and　inherent　dignity　deserved；　Katherine's　greeting　was　warm　and　friendly。　She　displayed　even　more　warmth　toward　Jumana；　whose　pallor　and　morose　expression　obviously　shocked　her；　and　kept　pressing　delicacies　on　her。　Jumana；　who　had　not　wanted　to　e；　but　had　been　made　to；　pushed　the　food　around　her　plate　and　looked　wistful。　Cyrus's　majordomo　had　outdone　himself　…　〃to　wele　them　home。〃　The　table　glittered　with　crystal；　and　the　silverware　shone。
　After　dinner　they　retired　to　the　sitting　room　for　coffee。　Selim　knew　what　was　on　the　agenda。　He　had　been　perfectly　at　ease　up　till　that　time；　now　he　began　to　fidget　and　tug　at　his　beard。　Stage　fright？　Or　fear　that　he　would　forget　the　lines　in　which　he　had　been　coached　by　the　great　Sitt　Hakim？
　〃All　right　now；　Amelia；　we're　ready；〃　Cyrus　said；　settling　himself　fortably　in　a　deep　armchair。　〃I've　been　looking　forward　to　this　all　day。〃
　She　smiled　placently　and　sipped　her　coffee。　〃Selim　will　tell　it。　Go　ahead；　Selim。〃
　All　eyes　turned　toward　Selim；　pleting　his　disfiture。　As　he　confessed　later　to　Ramses；　he　would　rather　have　faced　a　horde　of　assailants；　armed　to　the　teeth；　than　those　focused　stares。　He　cleared　his　throat。
　〃I　am　no　storyteller；〃　he　began　in　a　voice　several　tones　higher　than　his　usual　baritone。　〃Not　like　Daoud。〃
　〃All　the　better；〃　Cyrus　said　with　a　smile。　〃We　know　Daoud's　tendency　to　…　er　…　embroider。〃
　〃Start　with　the　motorcar；〃　Emerson　suggested；　seeing　that　Selim　needed　encouragement。　〃It　was　a　fine　motorcar；　and　you　drove　magnificently。〃
　Once　launched；　Selim　described　the　charms　of　the　motorcar　in　loving　detail　and　dwelled　with　excessive　but　pardonable　enthusiasm　on　the　perils　of　the　long　journey　and　his　skill　as　a　driver。　〃Khan　Yunus　is　an　ugly　town；　not　like　Luxor；〃　he　declared。　〃There　were　many　soldiers。　The　house　of　the　friend　of　the　Father　of　Curses　was　where　we　stayed；　it　was　very　dirty。　It　was　there　that　the　real　adventure　began！〃
　〃About　time；〃　muttered　Cyrus。　〃Khan　Yunus；　eh？　What　did　you　go　there　for？〃
　Selim　glanced　at　Ramses's　mother；　who　gave　him　an　encouraging　nod。　He　had　got　over　his　self…consciousness　and　was　enjoying　himself　…　as　well　he　might；　Ramses　thought。　Never；　not　even　from　his　mother　or　Daoud；　had　he　heard　such　a　wild　story。
　They　had　been　summoned　to　Khan　Yunus　to　rescue　a　beautiful　maiden　…　the　daughter　of　a　Bedouin　sheikh；　their　friend　and　ally　…　from　the　evil　old　man　who　had　carried　her　off；　with　designs　on　her　fortune　and　her　virtue。　It　was　Ramses　who　had　gone　after　the　maiden　and　succeeded；　after　many　dangers；　in　rescuing　her。　Selim　described　some　of　the　dangers；　which　included　a　duel　with　scimitars。　Ramses　covered　his　face　with　his　hand。
　〃He　does　not　like　to　have　his　courage　praised；〃　said　Selim。　〃But　it　was　not　over。　The　evil　old　man　sent　men　to　take　her　back；　and　we　had　to　fight　them　off　and　escape；　in　the　night；　with　enemies　pursuing　us　and　the　town　in　flames。　We　stole　horses　from　under　the　very　noses　of　the　Australians！　But　I　have　not　told　you　about　the　ragged　beggar；　who　was　a　policeman　in