elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第37节

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rip　farther　along　the　rope　and　heaved。
　〃That's　done　it；〃　Bertie　gasped。　〃Both　hands　out　。　。　。〃
　〃Good；〃　Ramses　said；　recovering　his　balance。　He'd　almost　fallen　over；　the　release　of　resistance　had　been　so　sudden。　Bertie's　hands　came　into　view。　He　was　trying　to　pull　himself　up。　His　knuckles　and　the　back　of　one　hand　were　scraped　raw。
　Ramses　helped　him　up　onto　the　relatively　level　section　and　then　leaned　out。　His　father's　requests　for　information　and　reassurance　were　reaching　an　ear…splitting　pitch。　They　harmonized　with　Jumana's　piercing　soprano。
　〃It's　all　right。　We're　ing　down；〃　Ramses　called。
　〃Thanks；〃　Bertie　said。
　〃What　for？〃
　Bertie　had　unfastened　the　slipknot。　He　dug　in　his　pocket　for　a　handkerchief　and　passed　it　over　his　filthy　face。　〃Well；　for　pulling　me　out。　And　for　not　saying　something　like　'I'm　about　to　lower　the　poor　idiot　down。'　〃
　〃You　aren't　that。　But　I　am　going　to　lower　you；　unless　you　have　violent　objections。〃
　〃No。　I've　played　the　bloody　fool　once　today；　I　won't　do　it　again。　How　did　you　know　I　was　here？〃
　He　wanted　a　little　more　time。　Holding　the　end　of　the　rope；　Ramses　decided　he　had　better　break　it　to　him　at　once。　〃Jumana。　She　noticed　you　were　missing　and　figured　you'd　e　this　way。　Father　and　I　heard　her　calling　you；　and　we　joined　forces。〃
　〃Oh。〃　He　added　bitterly；　〃Kind　of　her　to　rush　to　my　rescue。〃
　〃This　could　have　happened　to　anyone；〃　Ramses　said。　〃All　right；　let's　get　it　over。〃
　〃Wait　a　minute。　I　don't　want　you　to　think　I'm　a　plete　fool。　I　wouldn't　have　risked　climbing　alone　…　I　know　I'm　not　much　good　at　it　…　if　I　hadn't　seen　him。　Just　about　here；　leaning　out　and　looking　down　at　me。　He　didn't　push　me；〃　Bertie　added　quickly；　reading　Ramses's　expression。　〃I　wouldn't　want　her　to　think　that。〃
　〃The　hell　with　what　she　thinks；〃　Ramses　said　angrily。　〃Damn　it；　Bertie；　you　don't　climb　a　rock　face　when　there's　someone　up　above　who　doesn't　like　you。　I　wouldn't　have　risked　it。〃
　〃Yes；　you　would　…　if　you'd　seen　what　I　saw。　He　was　laughing；　Ramses；　and　waving　some　object。　I　couldn't　see　it　clearly；　but　it　glittered。　Like　gold。〃
　
　
　　
　
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　I　cannot　recall　ever　seeing　Cyrus　Vandergelt　so　angry。　Even　Emerson　sat　in　silence；　without　attempting　to　interrupt；　while　our　old　friend　paced　up　and　down　uttering　incoherent　American　ejaculations。
　Nefret　and　I　arrived　at　the　house　shortly　after　the　others。　From　what　I　could　make　out；　amid　his　cries　of　fury；　Cyrus　had　met　the　other　four　on　the　homeward　path。　He　had　been　searching　for　Bertie　and　Jumana　for　hours；　after　discovering　that　both　had　left　Deir　el　Medina；　and　was　at　Medinet　Habu；　still　in　quest　of　them；　when　they　appeared；　with　Ramses　and　Emerson　supporting　Bertie。　Whether　Cyrus　had　harbored　the　same　suspicions　that　would　have　occurred　to　his　wife　upon　finding　two　young　persons　of　opposite　genders　unaccountably　missing　from　their　designated　places；　he　never　said。
　Relief　was　immediately　succeeded　by　outrage；　as　is　usually　the　case。　When　Cyrus　found　out　where　they　had　been；　a　good　deal　of　the　outrage　was　directed　at　Emerson。　At　the　latter's　suggestion　they　had　brought　Bertie　straight　to　our　house；　and　it　was　obvious　from　their　appearance　that　none　of　them　had　had　the　time；　or　perhaps　the　inclination；　to　make　themselves　tidy。　Their　dusty；　sweat…stained　garments　were　sufficient　proof　of　a　somewhat　arduous　day；　but　a　quick　yet　prehensive　survey　assured　me　that　Bertie　appeared　to　be　the　only　casualty。　He　had　his　foot　up　on　a　hassock　and　Kadija　was　smearing　it　with　her　famous　green　ointment。　Fatima　ran　in　and　out　with　plates　of　food　…　her　invariable　solution　for　all　disasters；　Gargery　demanded　to　know　what　had　happened　…　Jumana　tried　to　tell　him；　and　Cyrus　raved。　It　was　very　busy　and　loud。
　Nefret　went　to　Ramses。　He　shook　his　head；　smiling；　in　response　to　her　unvoiced　concern。　I　removed　my　hat；　put　it　neatly　on　a　table；　and　proceeded　to　bring　order　out　of　chaos。
　〃Cyrus！〃　I　said；　rather　emphatically。
　〃Of　all　the　consarned；　low…down　。　。　。〃　He　stopped　and　stared　at　me。　〃Amelia。　Where've　you　been？　Why　weren't　you　here？　Do　you　know　what　underhanded；　contemptible　stunt　this　bunch　of　crooks　played　on　us？〃
　〃I　am　beginning　to　get　an　idea。　Sit　down　and　stop　shouting；　Cyrus。　Fatima；　will　you　please　bring　the　tea　tray？　Thank　you。　Let　us　now　have　a　coherent　narrative；　from　。　。　。〃　Jumana　was　waving　her　hand　in　the　air　and　bobbing　up　and　down；　like　an　eager　student　volunteering　to　recite。　I　observed　that　the　jangling　noise　acpanying　her　movements　came　from　several　articles　attached　to　her　belt。　I　was　somewhat　flattered　but　not　inclined　to　encourage　her；　she　looked　a　little　too　pleased　with　herself。
　〃Emerson；〃　I　said。　Jumana　subsided；　pouting。
　I　had　to　shush　Cyrus　more　than　once　during　the　course　of　Emerson's　tale；　but　the　genial　beverage；　which　I　forced　upon　everyone　present；　had　its　usual　soothing　effect　…　even　on　me。　I　was　extremely　put　out　by　Emerson's　duplicity。　However；　I　confined　my　expressions　of　chagrin　to　a　few　reproachful　looks；　which　Emerson　pretended　not　to　see。
　〃All's　well　that　ends　well；　eh；　Peabody？〃　he　inquired。
　〃Hmmm；〃　I　said。　〃Nefret？〃
　She　was　conferring　with　Kadija。　〃No　broken　bones；〃　she　announced。　〃He　was　lucky。　But　he'll　have　to　stay　off　that　foot　for　a　few　days。〃
　〃Lucky！〃　Cyrus　burst　out。　〃He　had　no　business　going　off　like　that。　He　…〃
　〃Is　not　the　only　person　present　who　has　ever　been　guilty　of　reckless　behavior；〃　I　interrupted。
　Ramses　gave　me　a　wide；　unself…conscious　grin；　and　then　sobered。　〃We'd　have　found　him　eventually；　Cyrus；　even　without　Jumana。〃
　The　girl　must　have　been　even　more　annoying　than　usual　that　day；　or　he　would　not　have　minimized　her　effort。　We　would　certainly　have　looked　for　Bertie；　but　we　might　not　have　found　him　in　time。　It　might　well　be　said　that　the　young　man　owed　her　his　life。
　〃Who　bandaged　his　hand？〃　Nefret　asked。
　〃I　wish　everyone　would　stop　talking　about　me　in　the　third　person；〃　Bertie　said　stiffly。　〃Jumana　…〃
　〃Yes；　I　did　it！〃　She　jumped　up；　jangling。　〃You　see；　I　have　my　belt　of　tools；　too；　like　the　Sitt　Hakim！　I　washed　his　hand　and　bandaged　it　and　I　took　care　of　him。　He　was　very　stupid　to　go　there　alone。〃
　Bertie　turned　red；　but　he　didn't　have　a　chance　to　defend　himself；　he　had　not　yet　learned　that　in　our　circle　it　is　necessary　to　shout　in　order　to　be　heard。　Emerson　did　it　for　him。　Men　always　close　ranks　when　women　criticize　one　of　them。
　〃And　so　were　you；　Jumana。〃　Emerson　slammed　his　cup　down　in　the　saucer。　〃Any　man　or　woman；　even　the　most　experienced；　could　suffer　an　accident　in　that　terrain；　and　die　of　exposure　before　he　was　found。　No；　young　lady；　don't　talk　back　to　me！　Why　didn't　you　tell　Vandergelt　where　you　were　going？〃
　Jumana　bowed　her　head。　〃I　wanted　to　find　him　myself；〃　she　murmured。
　〃I　see。〃　Emerson's　voice　softened；　and　Bertie's　face　went　even　redder。　Men　are　such　innocents；　they　had　taken　her　statement　as　a　declaration　of　affectionate　interest。　I；　who　had　once　pointed　out　to　Jumana　that　wealthy　and　powerful　Cyrus　Vandergelt　would　think　well　of　anyone　who　looked　after　his　adopted　son；　suspected　that　self…interest　had　been　her　primary　motive。
　〃Enough　of　recriminations；〃　I　said。　〃We　must　…〃
　〃I'm　not　finished　recriminating；〃　Cyrus　declared。　〃Not　by　a　damned　sight。　Excuse　my　language；　ladies；　but　I've　got　a　few　words　to　say　to　my　old　pal　here。　Emerson；　you　deliberately　and　with　malice　aforethought　pawned　Deir　el　Medina　off　on　me　so　you　could　do　what　I　would　have　done　if　you　hadn't　told　me　not　to　do　it！　And　by　the　Almighty；　there　is　a　tomb　out　there！　We've　got　proof　now。〃
　Emerson　looked　sheepish　and　drank　out　of　his　cracked　cup。　Tea　dribbled　down　the　front　of　his　shirt；　but　I　cannot　say　its　condition　was　appreciably　worsened　thereby。
　〃If　we　had　found　anything　of　interest；　I　would　have　let　you　in　on　it；　Vandergelt；〃　he　mumbled。　〃I　only　wanted　to　…　er　…　save　you　time　and　effort。〃
　〃Oh。　All　right；　then；〃　Cyrus　said；　mollified。　〃But　now　we　know　there　is　a　tomb　…〃
　〃I'm　afraid　not；　Cyrus；〃　Ramses　said。　〃Jamil　may　not　be　the　most　intelligent　opponent　we've　ever　faced；　but　he　isn't　stupid　enough　to　give　away　the　location　of　the　tomb　…　if　there　is　one。〃
　〃The　gold　Bertie　saw　…〃　Cyrus　began。
　〃He　said　it　glittered　like　gold；〃　Ramses　interrupted　impatiently。　〃Hasn't　it　occurred　to　you　that　the　boy　has　been　deliberately　leading　us　astray？〃
　〃It　had　occurred　to　me；　of　course；〃　I　said。
　Ramses's　sober　face　relaxed　into　a　grin　and　Emerson　snarled　wordlessly。　〃Where　is　the　tomb；　then？〃　Cyrus　demanded。
　〃Like　Ramses；　I　am　not　convinced　there　is　one；〃　I　replied。　〃I　can　think　of　a　number　of　reasons　why　Jamil　might　want　to　lead　us　on　a　wild…goose　chase。　'He　only　does　it　to　annoy；　because　he　knows　it　teases。'　Or　he　may　want　to　lure　us　into　a　trap。　It　is　wild　country；　and　Bertie's　accident　today　is　a　grim　reminder　of　what　can　happen　if　he　catches　one　of　us　alone。〃
　Jumana　lifted　her　chin　and　stared　defiantly　at　me。　The　rather　pathetic　collection　of　tools　on　her　belt　jingled　as　she　shifted　position。　I　wondered　if　she　had　also　acquired　a　parasol。
　〃He　didn't　mean　to　hurt　Bertie；〃　she　declared。　〃It　was　an　accident。〃
　〃That's　right；〃　Bertie　said　quickly。
　〃Perhaps　he　didn't　intend　to；〃　I　said。　〃But　the　result　might　have　been　disastrous