elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第10节

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　〃Cyrus　Vandergelt；〃　I　replied。　〃Is　it　true？〃
　James　shrugged。　〃I've　heard　the　rumor　too；　but　I　doubt　Carter　would　admit　it　to　me；　even　if　it　were　true。　He　spent　several　months　out　in　the　southwest　wadis；　where　the　princesses'　tomb　was　found；　when　he　was　in　Cairo　for　a　few　days　early　in　December；　he　gave　me　a　brief　report。　Did　you　hear　about　his　finding　another　tomb　of　Hatshepsut's？　This　one　was　made　for　her　when　she　was　queen；　before　she　assumed　kingly　titles。　It　was　empty　except　for　a　sarcophagus。〃　He　picked　up　his　glass　and　sipped　his　wine　appreciatively。
　〃Where？〃　Emerson　asked。
　〃High　in　a　cleft　in　the　cliffs；　in　one　of　the　western　wadis；〃　Annie　said。　She　and　her　husband　were　not　great　admirers　of　Howard；　after　his　falling…out　with　the　Service；　he　had　begun　dealing　in　antiquities；　and　this　did　not　make　him　popular　with　his　professional　colleagues。　She　added；　with　a　distinct　and　amusing　touch　of　malice；　〃He　didn't　find　Hatshepsut's　tomb；　James。　Some　of　the　Gurnawis　did。　He　only　followed　them。〃
　〃Bah；〃　said　Emerson　vehemently。　〃I　wonder　what　else　he　did？〃
　〃So　do　I；〃　said　James。
　　
　Having　failed　to　locate　Howard；　Emerson　was　ready　to　leave　for　Luxor　at　once。　However；　it　was　not　to　be。　We　were　finishing　breakfast　en　famille　in　our　sitting　room　when　a　messenger　arrived　with　a　letter　for　Emerson。　It　was　a　delightful　little　domestic　scene；　with　Sennia　badgering　Ramses　to　give　her　a　lesson　in　hieroglyphs　and　Horus　snarling　at　Gargery　and　Emerson　reading　the　Egyptian　Gazette　and　smoking　his　pipe；　while　Nefret　told　me　about　the　new　arrangements　at　the　hospital。　When　I　saw　the　envelope；　with　its　official　seal；　it　was　as　if　the　sun　had　gone　behind　a　cloud。
　〃Whom　is　it　from？〃　I　demanded。
　Emerson　frowned　over　the　epistle；　which　he　was　holding　so　I　couldn't　read　over　his　shoulder。　〃Wingate。　He　would　like　me　to　e　to　his　office　at　my　earliest　convenience。〃
　〃Sir　Reginald　Wingate？　What　does　the　Sirdar　of　the　Sudan　want　with　you？〃
　〃He　replaced　MacMahon　as　high　missioner　last　month；〃　Emerson　replied。　〃He　doesn't　say　what　he　wants。〃
　We　had　all　fallen　silent　except　for　Sennia；　who　had　no　idea　who　the　high　missioner　was　and　cared　even　less。　Emerson　looked　at　his　son。　〃Er　…　Ramses　。　。　。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　When？〃
　〃Later。　He　says　'at　our　convenience。'　It　is　not　convenient　for　me　at　present。〃
　Sennia　understood　that。　〃Ramses　will　have　time　to　give　me　my　lesson；〃　she　announced　firmly。　Sennia　was　in　the　habit　of　making　pronouncements　instead　of　asking　questions；　it　usually　worked。
　Ramses　rose；　smiling。　〃A　short　lesson；　then。　Let's　go　to　your　room　where　we　won't　be　distracted。〃
　The　door　closed　behind　them　…　and　Horus；　who　went　wherever　Sennia　went　unless　forcibly　prevented　from　doing　so。　Having　got　Sennia　out　of　the　way；　Emerson　turned　stern　blue　eyes　on　Gargery；　who　stood　with　arms　folded　and　feet　slightly　apart；　exuding　stubbornness。　〃Go　away；　Gargery；〃　Emerson　said。
　〃Sir　…〃
　〃I　said；　go　away。〃
　〃But　sir　…〃
　〃If　there　is　anything　you　need　to　know；　Gargery；　I　will　tell　you　about　it　at　the　proper　time；〃　I　interrupted。　〃That　will　be　all。〃
　Gargery　stamped　out；　slamming　the　door；　and　Nefret　said　quietly；　〃Do　you　want　me　to　leave　too？〃
　〃No；　of　course　not。〃　Emerson　leaned　back　in　his　chair。　〃It　isn't　the　military　or　the　secret　service　this　time；　Nefret。　Wingate　probably　wants　us　for　some　tedious　office　job。〃
　〃Are　you　going　to　accept？〃
　〃That　depends。〃　Emerson　got　to　his　feet　and　began　pacing。　〃Like　it　or　not；　and　God　knows　we　don't；　we　cannot　ignore　the　fact　that　there　is　a　bloody　war　going　on。　They　won't　let　me　carry　a　rifle；　and　Ramses　won't　carry　one；　but　there　are　other　things　we　can　do；　and　we　have　no　right　to　refuse。〃
　〃You　and　Ramses；〃　Nefret　repeated；　with　a　curl　of　her　lip。　〃Men。　Never　women。〃
　〃You　offered　your　services　as　a　surgeon；　didn't　you？〃
　〃Yes。〃　Nefret's　eyes　flashed。　〃The　military　isn't　accepting　women　physicians。　But　that　would　have　been　saving　lives；　not　…〃
　〃There　are　other　ways　of　saving　lives；　or　at　least　minimizing　suffering。　You　can't　keep　him　out　of　this　forever；　Nefret；　I've　seen　the　signs；　and　so　have　you。　He's　feeling　guilty　because　he　thinks　he　is　not　doing　his　part。〃
　〃He's　done　his　part　and　more；〃　Nefret　cried。　〃It　wasn't　only　that　ghastly　business　two　years　ago；　it　was　the　same　sort　of　thing　again　last　winter；　if　he　hadn't　risked　his　life　twice　over；　the　War　Office　would　have　lost　its　favorite　spy　and　a　German　agent　would　have　got　away。　What　more　do　they　want　from　him？〃
　It　did　seem　to　me　as　if　she　were　underestimating　my　contribution　and　that　of　Emerson；　but　I　did　not　say　so；　where　her　husband　was　concerned；　Nefret　was　passionately　single…minded。　Her　eyes　were　bright　with　tears　of　anger。　Emerson　stopped　by　the　chair　in　which　she　sat　and　put　his　hand　on　her　shoulder。
　〃I　know；　my　dear；〃　he　said　gently。　〃But　I　cannot　suppose　they　want　us　to　go　chasing　spies　again。　The　situation　has　changed。　With　the　Turks　driven　out　of　the　Sinai；　the　Canal　is　no　longer　in　danger；　and　the　Senussi　are　in　full　retreat。　There　is　nothing　going　on　that　requires　Ramses's　unusual　talents；　or；〃　he　added　with　a　grin；　〃mine。〃
　〃Unless；〃　I　said；　〃this　has　something　to　do　with　Sethos。〃
　Emerson　shot　me　a　reproachful　glance；　but　I　had　only　voiced　aloud　what　was　in　all　our　minds。
　〃There's　been　no　further　word　from　him？〃　Nefret　asked。　I　shook　my　head。
　〃If　Ramses　gets　in　trouble　because　of　him；　I'll　murder　him；〃　she　muttered。
　She　did　not　go　to　the　hospital　that　morning。　She　did　not　want　to　leave　the　hotel；　though　I　pointed　out　that　we　could　probably　not　expect　Emerson　and　Ramses　back　before　luncheon。　Finally　I　managed　to　persuade　her　to　go　walking　in　the　Ezbekieh　Gardens　with　Sennia　and　me。　I　always　say　there　is　nothing　like　the　beauties　of　nature　to　distract　one　from　worrisome　thoughts。　The　Gardens　are　planted　with　rare　trees　and　shrubs　and　the　air　is　harmonious　with　birdsong。　Sennia　was　even　more　of　a　distraction；　it　required　both　of　us　to　keep　track　of　her　as　she　ran　up　and　down　the　graveled　paths。　It　did　Nefret　good；　I　believe。　When　we　started　back；　both　of　us　holding　tight　to　Sennia's　hands；　she　said　ruefully；　〃You　think　I'm　behaving　like　a　silly　coward；　don't　you？〃
　〃Perhaps　just　a　bit。　But　I　understand。　One　bees　accustomed　to　it；　you　see；〃　I　continued。　〃One　never　likes　it；　but　one　bees　resigned。〃
　〃I　know　I　can't　keep　him　out　of　trouble；〃　Nefret　said。　〃It's　just　this　particular　…〃
　〃Little　pitchers　have　big　ears；〃　I　warned。
　〃If　you　are　referring　to　me；〃　said　Sennia；　with　great　dignity；　〃my　ears　are　not　at　all　large。　Ramses　says　they　are　pretty　ears。　Is　he　in　trouble？〃
　Nefret　laughed　and　picked　her　up。　We　were　about　to　cross　the　street；　which　was　crowded　with　traffic。　〃No；　Little　Bird。　And　we　will　make　sure　he　doesn't　get　into　it；　won't　we？〃
　We　had　been　waiting　for　almost　an　hour　before　they　returned。　Sennia　was　reading　aloud　to　us　from　a　little　book　of　Egyptian　fairy　tales；　but　the　moment　the　door　opened　she　dropped　it　and　ran　to　meet　them。　Throwing　her　arms　round　Ramses's　waist；　she　asked　anxiously；　〃Are　you　in　trouble？〃
　〃Not　unless　you　crack　one　of　my　ribs；〃　Ramses　said；　with　a　theatrical　gasp　of　pain。　〃Who　told　you　that？〃
　〃Let　us　go　to　luncheon；〃　I　said。
　〃Yes；　I　am　starving；〃　Sennia　announced；　rolling　her　eyes　dramatically。　〃I　didn't　mean　to　hurt　you；　Ramses。〃
　Emerson　detached　her　from　Ramses　and　swung　her　up　onto　his　shoulder。　〃We　will　go　down　now。〃
　I　let　them　go　ahead。　〃Well；　Ramses？〃　I　inquired。
　〃You　shouldn't　worry　the　child；　Mother。〃
　〃It　wasn't　Mother；　it　was　me。〃　Nefret　took　his　arm。　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　〃It's　all　right。〃　He　offered　me　his　other　arm；　and　as　we　proceeded　to　the　dining　saloon　he　explained。
　〃All　he　wanted　was　a　consultation。　He's　new　at　the　job；　and　apparently　nobody　bothered　to　put　him　in　the　picture　about　certain　matters。　The　military　and　the　civil　administration　have　always　been　at　odds。　He'd　heard　of　some　of　our　activities；　and　wanted　to　know　the　facts。〃
　〃That's　all？〃　Nefret　demanded。　〃Nothing　about　。　。　。〃
　〃He　wasn't　mentioned。〃　Ramses　grinned。　〃Under　any　of　his　pseudonyms。　Father　agreed　to　stay　on　in　Cairo　for　another　day　or　two；　and　meet　with　Wingate　again。　That　should　please　you；　you'll　have　more　time　at　the　hospital。〃
　　
　FROM　MANUSCRIPT　H
　　
　The　second　meeting　with　Wingate　was　shorter　than　the　first；　and　somewhat　more　acrimonious。　Wingate　wanted　more　details　about　a　number　of　people　Emerson　was　not　anxious　to　discuss；　and　the　roles　they　had　played；　when　he　asked　about　their　dealings　with　〃a　certain　gentleman　named　Smith；〃　Emerson　lost　his　temper。　（He　had　been　itching　to　do　so　for　some　time。）
　〃Good　Gad；　man；　if　you　don't　know　who　the　bastard　is　and　what　he's　up　to；　how　should　we？　e；　Ramses；　we　have　wasted　enough　time　telling　people　things　they　ought　to　have　known　anyhow　and　going　over　and　over　facts　that　are　either　self…explanatory　or　irrelevant。〃
　The　new　high　missioner　took　this　rudeness　better　than　Ramses　had　expected。　Now　in　his　sixties；　he　had　had　a　long　and　illustrious　career　as　governor　of　the　Sudan；　and　Ramses　got　the　impression　that　he　was　finding　it　harder　to　deal　with　his　peers　in　Cairo　than　with　rebellious　Sudanese。　As　Emerson　stalked　out　of　the　room；　Wingate　said　mildly；　〃Thank　you