elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第31节

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als　destroyed　them。　This　was　a　perfect　place　for　the　photographic　technique　of　copying　Ramses　had　developed；　and　Nefret　would　work　at　his　side　…　close　by　him；　in　a　nice；　safe；　enclosed　area。　And　while　they　were　doing　that；　Emerson　could　root　around　the　ruins　to　his　heart's　content。　However　。　。　。
　〃Are　we　agreed？〃　Cyrus　asked　hopefully。
　〃Agreed　on　what？〃　Nefret　asked；　turning。
　〃e　and　have　some　tea　with　Bertie　and　me；　and　we'll　tell　you　all　about　it；〃　Cyrus　said。
　As　we　left　the　chapel　I　lingered；　looking　up　at　the　carved　lintel。　〃An　offering　which　the　King　gives；　a　thousand　of　bread　and　beer　and　every　good　thing　。　。　。〃
　〃Did　you　say　something；　Mother？〃　Ramses　inquired。
　〃Just　…　er　…　humming　a　little　tune；　Ramses。〃
　〃What　is　Father　up　to　now？〃
　〃I　will　leave　it　to　him　to　tell　you；　my　dear。〃
　And　tell　us　he　did；　without　asking　anyone　else's　opinion　or　voicing　a　single　reservation。　Having　had　time　to　reconsider　the　matter；　I　had　thought　of　several。　M。　Lacau；　who　had　replaced　Maspero　as　head　of　the　Antiquities　Department；　might　not　find　out　about　our　violation　of　the　rules　for　some　time；　he　had　returned　to　France　for　war　work；　leaving　his　second…in…mand；　Georges　Daressy；　to　carry　on。　Daressy　was　a　genial　soul；　whom　we　had　known　for　years；　but　even　he　might　be　offended　by　our　proceeding　without　his　permission。
　Considerations　of　this　sort　did　not　enter　Emerson's　mind。　He　had　always　done　precisely　as　he　liked；　and　had　taken　the　consequences　（though　not　without　a　great　deal　of　grumbling）。　Realizing　that　Ramses　had　fixed　me　with　a　pointed　stare；　brows　tilted；　I　was　reminded　of　certain　of　those　consequences；　such　as　the　time　we　had　been　barred　forever　from　the　Valley　of　the　Kings　after　Emerson　had　insulted　M。　Maspero　and　everybody　else　in　the　vicinity。
　I　cleared　my　throat。　〃Perhaps　we　ought　to　give　the　matter　a　little　more　thought　before　we　decide；　Emerson。〃
　〃Why？〃　Emerson　demanded。　〃It　is　an　excellent　idea。　Ramses　will　enjoy　copying　the　inscriptions　…〃
　〃I　would　prefer　to　go　on　at　Deir　el　Medina；　Father；〃　Ramses　said；　politely　but　firmly。　Emerson　looked　at　him　in　surprise；　and　I　gave　Ramses　an　encouraging　nod。　It　had　taken　him　a　long　time　to　get　courage　enough　to　disagree　with　his　father。　〃The　site　is　unique；〃　Ramses　went　on。　〃Do　you　realize　what　we　might　learn　from　it？　We've　already　e　across　a　cache　of　papyri　and　a　number　of　inscribed　ostraca；　they　confirm　my　belief　that　the　people　who　lived　in　the　village　were　craftsmen　and　artists　who　worked　on　the　royal　tombs　in　the　Valley　of　the　Kings。〃
　〃They　were　servants　in　the　Place　of　Truth；〃　Emerson　interrupted。　〃Some　scholars　believe　they　were　priests。〃
　〃Their　additional　titles　indicate　otherwise。　Draftsman；　architect；　foreman　…〃
　〃Well；　well；　most　interesting；〃　said　Emerson；　who　had　lost　interest　almost　at　once。　〃Your　opinion　is　of　course　important　to　me；　my　boy。　We　will　discuss　it　later；　eh？〃
　He　was　set　on　his　plan　and　had　no　intention　of　reconsidering　it。　When　Cyrus　reminded　him　that　we　had　agreed　to　attend　one　of　his　popular　soirees　that　evening；　he　did　not　even　swear。
　I　turned　to　Bertie；　who　appeared　to　be　in　a　pensive　mood；　for　he　had　not　spoken　after　his　initial　greeting。
　〃What　do　you　think；　Bertie？〃
　His　brown　hair　had　bee　sun…bleached　and　his　face　was　tanned；　so　that　he　was　a　pale　shade　of　brown　all　over。　One　could　not　call　him　handsome；　but　his　pleasant；　guileless　smile　was　very　attractive。　〃Whatever　you　decide　is　fine　with　me；　Mrs。　Emerson。　I'm　just　a　hired　hand；　as　Cyrus　would　say。〃
　〃You　appear　to　be　in　a　pensive　mood；〃　I　persisted。　〃You　are　feeling　well？〃
　〃Oh；　yes；　ma'am。　Thank　you。〃
　〃You　took　up　archaeology　to　please　Cyrus；〃　I　said；　and　patted　his　hand。　〃It　was　kind　of　you；　Bertie；　but　he　wouldn't　want　you　to　go　on　with　it　if　you　find　it　distasteful。〃
　〃I'd　do　more　than　that　for　him。〃　Bertie　blushed　slightly；　as　Englishmen　tend　to　do　when　they　give　vent　to　their　emotions。　〃He's　been　jolly　good　to　me；　you　know。　I　only　wish　。　。　。〃
　〃What；　Bertie？〃
　〃Oh　…　that　I　could　find　something　really　first…rate　for　Cyrus。　Not　that　I'm　likely　to；〃　he　added　diffidently。　〃I　really　am　keen；　Mrs。　Emerson；　but　I'll　never　be　as　good　as　Ramses。　Or　you；　ma'am。〃
　〃One　never　knows；〃　I　said。　〃Many　great　discoveries　are　serendipitous。　There　is　no　reason　why　you　should　not　succeed　as　well　as　another。〃
　After　finishing　our　tea　we　returned　to　Deir　el　Medina　to　consult　Selim　and　Daoud。　Daoud　had　no　opinion　on　the　subject；　anything　Emerson　chose　to　do　was　acceptable　to　him。　Selim　folded　his　arms　and　looked　severely　at　Emerson。
　〃We　have　made　a　good　beginning　here；　Emerson。〃
　〃Cyrus　and　Bertie　can　carry　on；〃　Emerson　replied　blithely。　〃The　boy　is　turning　into　a　pretty　fair　excavator。〃
　Selim　glanced　at　Jumana；　who　was　helping　Ramses　collect　the　ostraca　that　had　been　found　that　morning。　〃Will　you　leave　her　here　with　Vandergelt　Effendi？〃
　Emerson　grinned。　〃Does　she　annoy　you？〃
　〃She　talks　very　loudly　all　the　time。　And　I　do　not　trust　her。〃
　〃You　are　being　as　cynical　as　your　father；〃　I　said。　〃I　feel　certain　Jumana　will　tell　us　if　Jamil　attempts　to　reach　her。　Your　inquiries　in　Gurneh　have　not　produced　any　new　information；　have　they？〃
　〃No；〃　Selim　admitted。
　〃Then　if　you　have　no　further　objections；　Selim；　we　will　proceed　with　our　plan；〃　Emerson　said。　〃You　and　Daoud　with　us　at　Medinet　Habu；　of　course；　and　Jumana　as　well。〃
　〃Vandergelt　Effendi　will　want　to　look　for　tombs　here；〃　Selim　said　dourly。
　〃No　doubt。〃　Emerson　chuckled。　〃What's　the　harm　in　that？〃
　　
　Cyrus's　soiree　was　like　all　his　parties　…　elegant　and　genteel。　Since　he　was　the　most　hospitable　of　men；　he　always　invited　everyone　he　could　get　hold　of；　so　the　pany　was　mixed：　friends　who　lived　year…round　in　Luxor；　tourists；　a　few　professional　associates　…　too　few；　alas；　in　these　terrible　times　…　and　members　of　the　military。　I　had　got　to　the　point　where　the　very　sight　of　a　uniform　depressed　me；　and　I　prayed　that　the　day　would　soon　e　when　the　men　who　wore　them　could　take　them　off　and　go　back　to　their　normal　lives。
　Those　that　survived。
　I　took　a　sip　of　the　champagne　Cyrus　handed　me　and　told　myself　to　cheer　up！　No　cloud　shadowed　Cyrus's　lined　countenance；　and　indeed　he　was　one　of　the　most　fortunate　of　men。　Wealthy　and　respected；　happily　married；　absorbed　in　work　he　loved；　he　had　required　only　one　thing　to　fill　his　cup；　and　Bertie　had　given　him　that　…　the　devoted　affection　of　a　son；　and　a　panion　in　his　work。
　〃What's　on　your　mind；　Amelia？〃　Cyrus　asked。　〃You　look　kinda　gloomy。　Has　that　young　villain　Jamil　turned　up　again？〃
　〃No；　we　have　heard　nothing　of　him。　I　am　sorry　if　I　gave　the　impression　I　am　not　thoroughly　enjoying　myself；　and　I　am　ready　to　do　my　duty　in　entertaining　your　guests。　Is　there　anyone　you　would　like　to　be　soothed；　amused；　or　stirred　up？〃
　Cyrus　chuckled。　〃Especially　the　last。　Anything　you　like；　Amelia；　but　if　you　want　to　pick　on　someone；　have　a　go　at　Joe　Albion。　He　was　a　business　rival　of　mine　some　years　back；　and　he's　got　one　of　the　best　private　collections　of　antiquities　in　the　world。　I　wouldn't　like　to　guess　how　he　acquired　some　of　them。〃
　〃I　didn't　know　he　was　an　acquaintance　of　yours；〃　I　said；　recognizing　the　rotund　shape　and　round　red　face　of　Mr。　Albion。　〃He　and　his　family　were　on　the　boat　ing　over；　and　we　ran　into　them　the　other　day　near　Deir　el　Bahri。　What　an　odd　family　they　are；　to　be　sure。　Mr。　Albion　asked　us　to　introduce　him　to　some　tomb　robbers。〃
　Cyrus　let　out　an　emphatic　American　ejaculation。　〃Gol…durn　it！　Sounds　like　Joe；　all　right。〃
　〃I　thought　he　was　joking。　He　is　such　a　jolly　little　man。〃
　〃Jolly　Joe。〃　Cyrus　grinned；　but　he　began　tugging　at　his　goatee　…　a　sure　sign　of　perturbation。　〃Don't　let　that　fool　you；　Amelia。　He's　got　a　reputation　for　going　straight　for　the　jugular。〃
　〃His　wife　appears　quite　devoted　to　him。〃
　〃It　is　an　odd　marriage；〃　Cyrus　admitted。　〃She's　from　one　of　the　best　families　in　Boston　and　Joe　is　mon　as　dirt。　Nobody　could　figure　out　why　she　married　him；　but　she's　living　like　a　queen　now　…　and　the　boy　was　raised　like　a　prince。〃
　I　had　no　particular　interest　in　talking　with　any　of　the　Albions；　so　I　moved　about　from　one　group　to　another；　paying　particular　attention　to　those　who　were　strangers　or　seemed　ill　at　ease。　It　was　my　duty；　but　I　cannot　say　I　enjoyed　it；　most　of　the　gentlemen　would　talk　of　nothing　but　the　war。　Emerson　had　been　correct；　the　Germans　had　announced　they　would　begin　unrestricted　submarine　warfare；　on　all　vessels　of　Allied　and　neutral　nations。　This　put　the　tourists　present　in　a　somewhat　awkward　position。　One　of　them；　a　tall；　distinguished　American　named　Lubancic；　took　the　matter　philosophically。
　〃They　can't　keep　it　up　for　long。　This　is　going　to　get　the　American　government　riled　up；　and　I　wouldn't　be　surprised　to　see　us　get　into　this　business　pretty　soon。　Anyhow；〃　he　added　with　a　smile；　〃Egypt's　not　such　a　bad　place　to　be　stuck　for　the　duration。　There's　plenty　to　see　and　do；　and　prices　are　cheap；　with　the　tourist　trade　down。　Do　you　suppose　there's　any　chance　of　my　doing　a　little　digging；　Mrs。　Emerson？　Plenty　of　local　men　for　hire；　I　believe。〃
　It　was　a　mon　enough　question；　few　visitors　understood　the　regulations　that　governed　excavation　and　many　of　them　naively　believed　that　all　they　had　to　do　was