elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第30节

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　We　passed　through　the　towers　of　the　gateway　into　the　great　open　court。　Emerson's　keen　gaze　swept　the　surroundings；　from　the　smaller　temple　on　our　right；　past　the　great　pylons　of　Ramses　III；　and　on　to　the　left；　where　the　chapels　of　the　God's　Wives　stood。　His　handsome　countenance　proclaimed　his　emotion：　greed；　pure　and　simple。　If　Emerson　has　a　particular　Egyptological　passion；　it　is　for　temples；　as　mine　is　for　pyramids；　and　he　had　wanted　for　years　to　tackle　Medinet　Habu。　However；　as　he　had　admitted　to　me　only　this　past　year；　it　would　be　the　work　of　a　lifetime。　He　said　it　again　as　he　stared　wistfully　about　…　a　man　trying　to　convince　himself　of　something　he　knows　is　true　and　does　not　want　to　believe。
　〃We　haven't　a　large…enough　staff；〃　I　said；　as　I　had　said　before。　〃And　there　is　no　hope　of　hiring　skilled　persons　at　the　present　time。　Many　of　our　younger　colleagues　are　in　the　army。〃
　〃Damned　war；〃　Emerson　muttered。　〃But　with　Lia　and　David；　and　Walter　and　Evelyn　…〃
　〃Yes；　my　dear；　that　would　be　very　nice；　and　I　hope　with　all　my　heart　that　one　day　they　will　join　us。　Until　then　we　must　make　the　best　of　what　fate　has　to　offer；　and　accept　the　good　with　gratitude　and　the　bad　with　fortitude。〃
　〃Good　Gad；〃　said　Emerson；　and　went　stamping　off　toward　the　rope…enclosed　area　where　Cyrus's　men　were　working。
　Cyrus　hailed　us　with　pleasure　and　offered　tea；　which　Emerson　refused；　without　consulting　anyone　else。　〃I　want　to　have　a　look　round　first；　Vandergelt。〃
　〃You　wasted　your　time　ing　here　if　you　expected　I'd　have　anything　new　to　show　you；〃　Cyrus　said　grumpily；　but　he　led　the　way　toward　the　small　building。　On　the　lintel　of　the　doorway　were　several　rows　of　hieroglyphs；　which　Ramses　scanned　with　an　expert　eye。　The　cat；　which　had　climbed　up　onto　his　shoulder；　leaned　forward　and　stared　as　intently　as　he。　I　caught　myself　on　the　verge　of　asking　it　for　a　translation。
　〃What　does　it　say？〃　I　inquired；　addressing　Ramses。
　〃It's　an　invocation　to　visitors；　asking　them　to　pray　for　the　Adorer　of　the　God　Amenirdis　and　her　successor；　who　built　the　chapel　for　her。　'O　you　living　ones　who　are　on　earth　。　。　。　if　you　love　your　children　and　would　leave　to　them　your　positions；　your　hopes；　your　lakes；　and　your　canals　。　。　。　please　say　。　。　。　'　The　usual　prayer；　asking　for　bread　and　beer　and　every　good　thing　for　the　lady's　spirit。〃
　〃How　sweet！〃　I　exclaimed。
　Ramses　gave　me　an　amused　look。　〃Not　really。　The　lady　asks　very　nicely；　but　the　inscription　ends　with　what　can　only　be　described　as　a　threat。　If　a　visitor　doesn't　speak　the　proper　words；　he　and　his　wife　will　be　afflicted　with　illness。〃
　The　open　forecourt；　with　columns　on　either　side；　led　to　an　enclosed　sanctuary。　On　the　right　of　this　building；　which　was　both　tomb　and　mortuary　temple；　were　three　smaller　chapels；　dedicated　to　a　queen　and　two　more　of　the　God's　Wives。　I　had　always　been　intrigued　by　these　ladies；　for　their　status　was　unusual。　Kings'　daughters　all；　they　were　not　kings'　wives；　but　wives　of　the　god　Amon；　who　had　apparently　lost　the　ability　to　procreate　as　he　had　done　in　the　Eighteenth　Dynasty；　when　he　visited　the　queen　in　the　shape　of　her　husband　and　fathered　the　royal　heir。　These　God's　Wives；　who　also　held　the　title　of　Adorer　of　the　God；　did　not　bear　children　but　adopted　their　successors。　There　were　practical　political　reasons　for　this　policy；　the　Late　Period　was　a　time　of　turmoil；　with　the　throne　of　Egypt　passing　from　pharaoh　to　usurper　to　conqueror　and　back；　many　of　these　men；　residing　in　the　north；　sent　royal　daughters　to　Thebes　to　succeed　the　reigning　God's　Wife；　achieving　thereby　continuity　and　a　certain　legitimacy。
　The　position　was　one　of　high　honor；　the　occupant　surrounded　by　luxury　and　prestige；　but　I　had　often　wondered　about　the　women　themselves。　Doomed　to　lifelong　celibacy；　forbidden　the　joys　of　motherhood；　they　had　not　even　the　pleasures　of　power　to　pensate；　for　it　is　more　than　likely　…　men　being　what　they　are　…　that　the　ladies　were　mere　figureheads；　controlled　by　the　king　and　the　powerful　nobles　of　Thebes。
　However；　I　would　be　the　last　to　deny　that　celibacy　has　its　advantages；　when　the　alternative　is　a　state　marriage　to　a　man　unloving　and　unloved。　As　for　the　joys　of　motherhood　。　。　。　I　glanced　at　Ramses；　who　was　wandering　about　reading　the　inscriptions。　We　were　using　torches；　since　the　inner　chamber　was　enclosed　and　unlighted。　Shadows　outlined　his　well…cut　features　and　the　little　half　smile　that　betokened　his　total　absorption。　Yes；　it　had　been　worth　it；　though　there　had　been　times　when　I　had　serious　doubts。　However；　not　all　children　turned　out　as　well　as　he　had　done。
　We　inspected　the　other　chapels；　which　were　not　so　well　preserved。　In　the　floor　of　one　an　irregular　hole　gaped；　where　the　stone　flooring　blocks　had　been　taken　up。
　〃Not　a　durned　thing　down　there；〃　Cyrus　plained。
　Emerson　glared　at　him。　〃Curse　it；　Vandergelt；　I　told　you　the　burial　chambers　were　empty。　You　had　better　replace　the　flooring　before　some　damned　fool　tourist　falls　in。〃
　〃I　thought　maybe　there　might　be　another　burial；〃　Cyrus　said　defensively。　〃There　are　four　chapels　and　five　God's　Wives。〃
　〃More　than　five；〃　Ramses　said。　He　proceeded　to　reel　off　the　names。　They　had　an　exotic；　almost　poetic　cadence。　〃Karomama；　Tashakheper；　Shepenwepet；　Amenirdis；　Nitocris；　Ankhnesneferibre。〃
　〃So　where　are　the　rest　of　'em？〃　Cyrus　demanded。　〃And　the　coffins　and　mummies　of　the　ones　who　were　buried　here？〃
　〃Jumana　asked　me　that　once；〃　Ramses　said。　〃She　had　a　romantic　notion　that　they　might　have　been　hidden　away　to　protect　them　from　tomb　robbers。〃
　〃Nonsense；〃　grunted　Emerson。
　〃We　know　where　two　of　the　sarcophagi　are；　or　were；〃　I　explained。　〃At　Deir　el　Medina；　in　tomb　shafts　high　on　the　hillside。　They　were　dragged　there　by　individuals　who　meant　to　usurp　them　for　their　own　burials。　One　had　actually　been　reinscribed　with　the　name　and　titles　of　…　er　…〃
　〃Pamontu；〃　Ramses　said。　〃A　priest　of　the　Ptolemaic　or　early　Roman　period；　approximately　five　hundred　years　after　the　last　God's　Wife　died　and　was　buried。〃
　〃Just　what　I　was　about　to　say；　Ramses。〃
　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Mother。〃
　〃It　seems　likely；　therefore；〃　I　continued；　acknowledging　his　apology　with　a　nod；　〃that　by　the　first　century　a。d。　the　original　burial　chambers　here　at　Medinet　Habu　were　empty　except　for　the　sarcophagi。　They　were　too　heavy　and　of　no　value　to　ordinary　…〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　Peabody；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Vandergelt；　you're　as　bad　as　Jumana。　There　is　some　excuse　for　her；　but　you　ought　to　know　better。　The　brickwork　west　of　here　may　be　the　remains　of　a　fifth　chapel。〃
　〃Abu　and　Bertie　are　working　there　now；〃　Cyrus　said；　with　a　vague　gesture　toward　the　west。　〃So　far；　no　luck。　I'm　getting　tired　of　this；　Emerson。〃
　〃Of　what；　the　Saite　chapels？　I　hope　you　aren't　thinking　of　shifting　to　another　area。　You　haven't　the　manpower　to　tackle　the　larger　temples。〃
　〃Well；　I　know　that！〃　He　glanced　at　Ramses；　who　was　talking　to　Nefret；　and　lowered　his　voice。　〃The　truth　is；　Emerson；　none　of　us　has　got　the　skill　for　this　job。　Oh；　sure；　we　can　clean　the　place　up　and　make　proper　plans；　but　what's　needed　here　is　somebody　to　record　the　inscriptions　and　reliefs。〃
　〃You　can't　have　Ramses；〃　said　Emerson。
　〃Emerson；〃　I　murmured。
　〃Well；　he　can't！　I　know；　I　said　the　boy　could　do　anything　he　liked　and　work　for　anyone　he　chooses；　but　…　er　…　confound　it；　Vandergelt；　stealing　another　man's　staff　away　is　one　of　the　lowest；　most　contemptible　…〃
　〃Gol…durn　it；　Emerson；　I　wouldn't　do　a　thing　like　that！〃
　Their　raised　voices　had　caught　Ramses's　attention。　〃What　seems　to　be　the　trouble？〃　he　asked。
　〃No　trouble；〃　Cyrus　declared。　〃Um　…　see　here；　Emerson；　I　just　got　to　thinking　。　。　。　How　about　if　we　trade　places？　You　take　Medinet　Habu　and　I'll　take　Deir　el　Medina。〃
　Emerson　opened　his　mouth；　preparatory　to　delivering　a　cry　of　protest。　Then　his　scowl　smoothed　out。　He　stroked　his　chin。　〃Hmmm；〃　he　said。
　〃Cyrus；　that　is　an　outrageous　suggestion；〃　I　exclaimed。　〃You　can't　go　trading　archaeological　sites　as　if　they　were　kitchen　utensils！〃
　〃I　don't　see　who's　gonna　stop　us；〃　Cyrus　said　stubbornly。　〃The　Service　des　Antiquités　has　got　too　much　on　its　plate　to　bother　with　two　respectable　excavators　like　us。　What　do　you　say；　Emerson；　old　pal？〃
　Emerson's　face　widened　in　a　grin。　〃You　want　to　get　at　those　tombs　at　Deir　el　Medina。〃
　〃Any　tomb's　better　than　none；〃　Cyrus　retorted。　〃There's　none　here。　What　I'd　really　like　to　do　is　mount　an　expedition　to　the　Cemetery　of　the　Monkeys；　but　…〃
　〃You'd　break　your　neck　climbing　round　those　wadis；〃　Emerson　declared　forcibly。　〃And　waste　your　time。　The　most　practical　method　of　locating　tombs　in　that　area　is　to　follow　the　Gurnawis　…　or　go　out　after　a　heavy　rainstorm；　as　they　do。〃
　〃Well；　it　doesn't　look　like　rain。　e　on；　Emerson；　this　job　is　right　up　Ramses's　alley。　Look　at　him。〃
　He　did　appear　to　be　enjoying　himself。　He　and　Nefret　were　absorbed　with　the　reliefs　…　and　each　other。　They　were　holding　hands　and　talking　in　low　voices　as　they　moved　slowly　along　the　wall。　With　my　customary　rapidity　of　thought；　I　considered　the　pros　and　cons　of　Cyrus's　suggestion。　There　were　a　good　many　things　in　its　favor。　The　reliefs　needed　to　be　recorded　before　time　and　vandals　destroyed　them。　This　was　a　perfect　place　for　the　photographic　technique　of　copying　Ram