elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第87部分

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ry　noses　of　the　Australians！　But　I　have　not　told　you　about　the　ragged　beggar；　who　was　a　policeman　in　disguise　…　and　a　good　disguise　it　was；　he　had　fleas　and　smelled　bad。　The　evil　old　man　was　a　thief；　you　see；　who　had　stolen　jewels　from　many　rich　ladies　and　important　antiquities　from　the　Cairo　Museum。　The　beggar　was　trying　to　catch　him　and　bring　him　to　justice；　but　in　the　end　it　was　not　he　who　captured　the　villain；　it　was　Ramses。〃
　〃It　was　not；〃　Ramses　exclaimed；　driven　beyond　endurance。　〃It　was　Father；　with　…〃
　〃Hmph；〃　said　Emerson　loudly。　〃Very　well　told；　Selim。　You　see；　Vandergelt；　it　was　just　another　of　our　attempts　to　assist　the　police。　It　is　the　duty　of　every　citizen。〃
　〃How　about　the　maiden？〃　Cyrus　inquired。　〃You　didn't　bring　her　home　with　you？〃
　Selim　sighed　and　looked　soulful。
　〃The　…　er　…　policeman　took　her　away；〃　Ramses　said。　He'd　had　as　much　as　he　could　stand。
　〃He　was　her　lover；　I　think；〃　Selim　added。
　〃Oh；　I　see。　You　mind　if　I　ask　a　few　questions；　Selim？〃
　Selim　had　enjoyed　himself；　once　he　got　well　under　way；　but　he　knew　better　than　to　risk　an　interrogation　by　Cyrus　Vandergelt。　He　got　hastily　to　his　feet。　〃I　must　go。　It　is　late。　Thank　you　for　your　kind　hospitality。〃
　〃Now　see　here；　Amelia；〃　Cyrus　exclaimed。
　〃We　mustn't　detain　him；　Cyrus；　he　has　other　responsibilities。　Jumana；　you　are　excused　as　well。　Selim　will　take　you　home。〃
　〃But　I　want　…〃
　〃You　have　been　ill。　You　need　your　rest。〃
　〃I　feel　much　better！〃
　She　looked　almost　her　old　self；　eyes　bright；　cheeks　pink。　The　eyes　were　fixed　on　Ramses；　with　an　expression　that　made　him　want　to　run　for　cover。　His　mother　snapped；　〃Do　as　you　are　told。〃
　Ramses　went　to　the　door　with　Selim　while　Jumana　was　collecting　her　wrap。　〃I　owe　you　for　that；　Selim；〃　he　murmured。
　〃I　only　said　what　the　Sitt　Hakim　told　me　to。　But　why　are　you　angry？　I　know　what　you　did；　and　if　I　had　done　such　things　I　would　tell　everyone。　But；〃　Selim　said；　struck　by　a　new　idea；　〃we　do　it　to　make　the　men　fear　us　and　the　women　admire　us；　yes？　All　men　fear　the　Brother　of　Demons；　and　you　have　won　the　heart　of　the　only　woman　you　want。　When　Nur　Misur　looks　at　you；　it　is　as　if　the　sun　were　shining　in　her　eyes。〃
　〃I'm　not　angry；　Selim。〃　Ramses　embraced　him　in　the　Egyptian　manner。　〃You　are　a　good　friend　…　and　a　shameless　romantic。〃
　〃And　what　is　wrong　with　that？〃
　Selim's　grin　faded　into　a　scowl　when　Jumana　came　out　of　the　house。　He　mounted　his　horse　and　hauled　her　up　in　front　of　him　with　no　more　ceremony　than　if　she　had　been　a　sack　of　grain。　Ramses　heard　them　exchanging　insults　as　they　rode　off。　Serves　them　both　right；　he　thought。
　When　he　returned　to　the　drawing　room；　his　mother　had　taken　charge　of　the　proceedings。　〃Unbelievable　or　not；　that　story　is　what　Selim　told　Daoud。　By　the　time　Daoud　finishes　embellishing　it；　it　will　bear　little　resemblance　to　fact。〃
　〃And　I'll　sound　like　even　more　of　a　posturing　ass；〃　Ramses　said　sourly。
　〃Stop　plaining；〃　his　mother　said。　〃Goodness　gracious；　I　did　the　best　I　could！　It　was　necessary　to　account　for　our　absence　in　some　way。　Our　friends　at　Atiyeh　saw　the　motorcar　and　realized　we　were　preparing　for　a　long　desert　trip。　By　the　time　we　left　Khan　Yunus；　everyone　knew　who　we　were；　they　will　pass　the　story　on；　and　sooner　or　later　our　activities　will　be　gossiped　about　throughout　Egypt　and　Palestine。〃
　〃It　was　a　pretty　good　yarn；〃　Cyrus　admitted。　He　lit　one　of　his　cheroots　and　leaned　back。　〃And　no　wilder　than　a　lot　of　your　adventures。　I'm　sorry；　though；　I　can't　believe　in　the　beautiful　maiden。　Khan　Yunus　is　only　ten　miles　from　Gaza。　Need　I　say　more？〃
　His　knowing　smile　brought　a　responsive　twinkle　to　her　eyes。　〃Oddly　enough；　Cyrus；　the　beautiful　maiden　is　one　of　the　true　facts。　However；　there　is　no　use　denying　that　our　mission　involved　more　serious　matters。　You've　known　for　some　time　that　we　have　had　dealings　with　the　secret　service；　haven't　you？〃
　〃A　fellow　would　have　to　be　pretty　durned　stupid　not　to　have　strong　suspicions；　Amelia。　With　a　war　on；　and　the　way　you　keep　appearing　and　disappearing　without　explanation；　and　your　expertise　in　certain　areas　。　。　。〃　His　eyes　moved　to　Ramses。　〃Well；　I'm　not　asking　for　details。　I　just　hope　to　God　the　filthy　business　is　over　soon。　You　can't　keep　on　taking　chances　without　something　bad　happening；　and　we　couldn't　spare　you。　Any　of　you。〃
　〃Amen；〃　Katherine　said。
　〃Er　…　quite；〃　Bertie　added。
　〃It　is　over；〃　declared　Emerson；　squirming　a　little　in　the　warm　flood　of　friendship。　〃A　bloo　…　…　excuse　me；　Katherine　…　a　blooming　nuisance　too。　Now　we　can　…〃
　〃Just　one　more　question；〃　Cyrus　interrupted。　〃You　don't　have　to　answer　it；　but　I'm　real　curious。　Was　that　so…called　beggar　anybody　I　know？〃
　Caught　off…guard　and　at　a　loss　as　to　how　to　answer；　Emerson　turned　for　help　to　his　wife。　〃You　have　met　the　gentleman；〃　she　said　smoothly。
　〃And　he's　on　our　side　now？〃
　〃Oh；　yes。　Cyrus；　would　you　think　me　rude　if　I　asked　for　a　whiskey　and　soda？〃
　She　looked　so　smug；　her　son　had　to　fight　to　keep　from　laughing。　Trust　his　mother　…　she　never　lied　〃unless　it　was　absolutely　necessary；〃　and　this　time　she　had　spoken　the　literal　truth。　Cyrus　had　been　well　acquainted　with　Sir　Edward　Washington；　but　it　had　not　been　that　gentleman　he　meant。
　
　Naturally；　Emerson　felt　obliged　to　criticize　me　for　encouraging　Selim　to　tell　a　pack　of　lies　and；　with　typical　inconsistency；　for　telling　Cyrus　more　than　he　deemed　advisable。　We　had　quite　a　refreshing　little　argument　about　it　on　the　drive　home。　I　had　always　felt　somewhat　guilty　about　keeping　Cyrus　in　the　dark　…　if　he　was　in　the　dark。　He　was　too　intelligent　and　he　knew　us　too　well　to　overlook　certain　happenings。　I　had　told　him　no　more　than　he　already　suspected；　and　it　pleased　him　to　be　taken　into　our　confidence。
　He　was　even　happier　next　day；　when　he　found　a　new　tomb。　It　wasn't　much　of　a　tomb；　the　offering　chapel　had　been　pletely　destroyed　and　the　burial　chamber　was　empty　of　all　but　scraps；　but　there　were　several　well…preserved　paintings。
　〃That　will　keep　him　out　of　mischief　for　a　while；〃　remarked　Emerson　to　me。　〃It　will　take　several　days　to　carry　out　a　meticulous　excavation　and　make　plans。　He　can　have　Jumana　to　help　him。〃
　〃Kind　of　you；〃　I　said。　〃She　gets　on　your　nerves；　doesn't　she？〃
　〃She　talks　too　much。　I　almost　preferred　her　moping。　What　did　you　do　to　get　her　out　of　it？〃
　〃Nothing　…　unless　it　was　that　nasty　medicine。　I　hope　there　is　not　a　sinister　…〃
　〃Sinister；　bah！　There　you　go　again；　borrowing　trouble。〃
　〃You　are　right；　Emerson；〃　I　admitted。　〃I　am　so　accustomed　to　having　some　worry　on　my　mind　that　it　is　difficult　to　realize　our　enemies　have　been　vanquished　and　our　problems　solved。〃
　〃Except　for　one；〃　Emerson　muttered。　〃　'The　hand　of　the　god。'　What　god？　Where？〃
　Sennia　joined　us　for　tea　that　afternoon；　so　full　of　exciting　news；　she　neglected　the　biscuits。　〃The　Great　Cat　of　Re　has　caught　a　snake！〃
　We　all　looked　at　the　cat；　who　had　assumed　one　of　those　Yoga…like　positions　necessary　for　the　proper　cleaning　of　feline　underparts。　It　looked　so　silly；　with　one　leg　in　the　air　and　the　other　behind　its　ear；　we　all　burst　out　laughing。
　〃A　very　large　snake？〃　Emerson　inquired。
　〃No　larger　than　this；〃　said　Fatima；　measuring　approximately　five　inches　with　finger　and　thumb。　〃But　it　was　still　alive；　Father　of　Curses；　and　I　do　not　know　whether　there　will　be　any　dinner　tonight；　because　it　is　still　somewhere　in　the　kitchen　and　Maaman　says　…〃
　〃It　has　probably　escaped　long　ago；〃　Emerson　said　fortably。
　〃Then　you　tell　Maaman；〃　said　Fatima；　thumping　the　teapot　down　on　the　table。　〃He　says　he　will　not　cook。〃
　〃Oh；　curse　it；〃　said　Emerson。　〃I　suppose　I'll　have　to　do　something　or　we　won't　get　any　dinner。〃
　〃Take　the　Great　Cat　of　Re；〃　Sennia　suggested。
　〃Not　a　bad　idea；〃　said　Emerson；　scooping　the　cat　up。　Sennia　crammed　two　biscuits　into　her　mouth　and　went　with　them。
　〃Let's　go　and　watch；〃　Nefret　suggested。　〃Jumana；　have　you　ever　seen　the　Father　of　Curses　perform　an　exorcism？　It　will　be　even　more　entertaining　if　he　works　the　cat　into　it。〃
　Jumana　shuddered。　〃I　am　afraid　of　snakes。　I　hope　it　does　not　go　into　my　room。〃
　I　also　declined　the　treat。　I　am　not　afraid　of　snakes；　but　I　see　no　point　in　cultivating　them。
　One　of　the　men　had　gone　to　the　post　office　that　morning；　so　there　was　quite　a　stack　of　letters　and　messages　and　newspapers。　By　the　time　the　others　came　back　I　had　had　a　nice　leisurely　time；　sorting　the　mail　and　reading　the　more　interesting　missives。
　〃Did　you　find　it？〃　I　inquired。
　〃Yes；　as　a　matter　of　fact；〃　Emerson　said。　He　deposited　the　cat　on　the　floor；　where　it　resumed　its　interrupted　bath。　〃I　hadn't　supposed　we　would；　and　was　preparing　an　exorcism　specifically　designed　for　serpents；　but　the　cat　fished　it　out　almost　at　once　from　behind　one　of　the　water　jars。　A　perfectly　harmless　Clifford's　snake。　Ramses　took　it　outside　and　let　it　loose。〃
　〃I　told　you　I　have　been　training　the　Great　Cat　of　Re；〃　Sennia　said　triumphantly。　〃Someday　it　will　catch　an　even　bigger　snake　and　save　Ramses's　life　at　the　last　second。〃
　〃Pure　chance；〃　said　Emerson　…　but　he　said　it　under　his　breath。　〃Anything　in　the　post；　Peabody？〃
　〃A　nice　long　letter　from　Evelyn；　and　one　for　Nefret　from　Lia；　and　one　for　Ramses　from　David　。　。　。〃　I　distributed　the　missives　as　I　spoke。
　〃W