elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第38节

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　〃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。　He's　been　watching　us　…　spying　on　us。〃
　〃Damnation！〃　Emerson　exclaimed。　〃Jumana　…　Bertie　…　all　of　you　…　don't　take　any　more　chances；　do　you　hear？　Even　if　Jamil　appears　decked　out　in　the　Double　Crown　and　the　full　regalia　of　a　pharaoh；　blowing　kisses；　don't　follow　him。〃
　〃Here！〃　Cyrus　exclaimed；　his　eyes　brightening。　〃Do　you　think　it's　a　royal　tomb　he's　found？〃
　〃Good　Gad；　Vandergelt；　is　that　all　you　can　think　of？〃　Emerson　gave　him　a　rueful　smile。　〃I　thought　of　it；　too；　I　admit。　But　there　won't　be　a　king's　tomb　in　that　area。　My　point　is　that　none　of　us　must　go　into　a　remote　area　alone。　It　is　too　dangerous；　as　Bertie　discovered　today。〃
　〃Oh。〃　Cyrus　glanced　apologetically　at　Bertie。　〃Sorry；　son；　I　was　forgetting　about　your　foot。　Guess　I'd　better　get　you　home。　I'll　go　to　the　Castle　and　send　the　carriage。〃
　〃I　can　ride；〃　Bertie　said；　trying　to　push　himself　to　his　feet。
　〃Take　Risha；〃　Ramses　said；　before　any　of　us　could　voice　an　objection。　〃Jamad　can　go　with　you　and　bring　him　back。　Here；　let　me　give　you　a　hand。〃
　〃Don't　put　your　weight　on　that　foot；〃　Nefret　called；　as　they　left　the　room；　Bertie　hopping　and　leaning　on　Ramses's　arm。　Neither　of　them　replied。　Closing　ranks；　I　thought。　Closing　ranks！
　〃A　word　of　advice；　if　I　may；　Cyrus；〃　I　said。
　He　had　been　about　to　go　after　them。　He　stopped　and　turned　to　me。　From　his　expression　and　that　of　my　husband　I　suspected　one　of　them　was　about　to　make　a　sarcastic　ment；　so　I　went　on　before　either　could　do　so。　〃Don't　treat　him　like　a　child。　He　is　a　grown　man　and　must　make　his　own　decisions。　He　did　it　for　you；　you　know。〃
　〃I　know。〃　Cyrus　tugged　at　his　goatee。　He　turned　a　challenging　look　on　Emerson。　〃So；　old　buddy；　where　are　we　going　tomorrow？〃
　Emerson　mumbled　something。
　〃Hey？〃　said　Cyrus；　cupping　his　hand　round　his　ear。
　〃Not；〃　I　said；　〃to　the　Cemetery　of　the　Monkeys。　We　will　meet　you　at　Deir　el　Medina　tomorrow；　Cyrus。　All　of　us。〃
　　
　As　soon　as　Cyrus　had　taken　his　departure；　Emerson　fled　to　the　bath　chamber。　He　was　well　aware　that　this　was　only　a　temporary　refuge；　after　arranging　a　few　domestic　matters；　I　followed　him。　I　had　intended　to　sit　on　the　edge　of　the　bath　but　he　was　splashing　the　water　all　about；　so　I　leaned　against　the　wall　instead。　Emerson　gave　me　a　cheerful　smile。
　〃Did　you　have　a　pleasant　day；　my　love？〃　he　inquired。
　〃Quite　pleasant。　Emerson；　why　do　you　do　this　sort　of　thing？　You　know　I　will　find　out　in　the　end。〃
　〃Certainly　I　know。　I　enjoy　stirring　you　up；　Peabody。　And　you　enjoy　ferreting　out　my　evil　schemes　and　scolding　me。〃　He　got　to　his　feet。
　I　always　say　there　is　nothing　like　a　vigorous　out…of…door　life　to　keep　a　person　in　excellent　physical　condition。　Emerson　had　changed　very　little　since　the　days　when　I　had　first　known　him　…　except　of　course　for　the　absence　of　the　beard　that　had　hidden　his　firm　chin　and　strong　jaw。　His　stalwart　form　was　as　trim；　the　pull　of　muscle　across　his　broad　shoulders　just　as　distracting。
　〃I　will　not　be　distracted；　Emerson；〃　I　informed　him。
　〃No？〃　He　stepped　out　of　the　bath　and　reached　for　me。　He　has　very　long　arms。
　After　a　time　I　said；　〃Turn　round　and　let　me　dry　your　back。〃
　〃I　can　think　of　another　way　of　…〃
　〃No；　Emerson！　I　am　soaking　wet　already　and　we　have　a　great　deal　to　do　if　we　are　to　get　everything　ready　for　tomorrow。　I　sent　a　message　to　Selim；　inviting　him　to　dinner。〃
　〃Good　thought；〃　said　Emerson；　sufficiently　distracted　by　this　reminder　to　release　me。　〃I　wonder　what　he　will　say　about　the　latest　development。〃
　Seated　next　to　me　…　a　delicate　attention　I　always　paid　him　when　he　condescended　to　favor　us　with　his　pany　…　Selim　listened　in　frowning　silence　to　Emerson's　account　of　the　day's　adventure。　Then　he　shook　his　head。
　〃I　am　surprised；　Emerson；　that　you　should　have　been　so　thoughtless；〃　he　said　severely。　〃The　temples　and　the　workmen's　village　are　more　important　than　searching　for　tombs　in　that　dangerous　place。　And　you；　Ramses；　ought　not　have　let　him　go。〃
　Emerson　had　bee　accustomed　to　Selim's　occasional　criticisms；　but　having　his　own　words　quoted　back　at　him　silenced　him　momentarily。　Ramses　said　meekly；　〃You　are　absolutely　right；　Selim；　but　when　the　Father　of　Curses　speaks；　the　whole　world　obeys。〃
　〃Huh；〃　said　Selim；　just　as　Abdullah　might　have　done。　A　thought　occurred　to　him；　and　he　said　in　a　milder　voice；　〃Well；　perhaps　it　was　meant　to　be。　Had　you　not　gone　there；　Mr。　Bertie　and　that　foolish　girl　might　have　e　to　harm。〃
　〃That's　one　way　of　looking　at　it；〃　Emerson　agreed；　as　Jumana　glared　at　her　cousin。
　〃As　for　Jamil；〃　Selim　continued；　returning　Jumana's　glare　with　interest；　〃he　has　caused　us　enough　trouble　and　kept　us　from　our　work。　Leave　him　to　me。〃
　Even　Emerson　was　silenced　by　that　flat　demand；　which　had　been　delivered　with　a　dignity　and　authority　as　great　as　Abdullah's　had　been。　Selim　was　being　more　and　more　like　his　father；　his　handsome；　strongly　defined　features　framed　by　a　neatly　trimmed　beard　and　mustache。　Perhaps　it　is　not　surprising　that　I　should　have　dreamed　of　Abdullah　that　night。
　He　was　waiting　for　me　in　the　place　we　both　loved　best；　the　top　of　the　cliff　above　Deir　el　Bahri；　where　the　path　went　on　to　the　Valley　of　the　Kings；　and　the　sun　was　rising　over　the　eastern　mountains。　As　I　mounted　the　last　steep　slope；　I　wondered　why　I　was　beginning　to　find　the　ascent　as　difficult　as　I　would　have　done　in　waking　life。　If　it　was　a　touch　of　realism；　it　was　one　I　could　have　done　without。　I　was　extremely　short　of　breath　when　Abdullah　gave　me　his　hand　and　assisted　me　to　attain　the　summit。
　〃They　are　all　well　in　England；〃　he　said。　〃My　next　grandchild　grows　strong　in　the　womb　of　her　mother。〃
　〃A　girl　this　time？〃　I　panted。
　Abdullah　nodded。　〃Sit　down；　Sitt；　and　rest。　Yes；　it　is　a　girl；　that　is　already　determined。〃
　〃Er　…　speaking　of　grandchildren；　Abdullah　。　。　。〃
　He　threw　his　head　back　and　laughed　heartily。　As　always　in　these　dreams；　he　was　youthfully　handsome；　without　a　single　gray　thread　in　his　beard；　his　laughter　was　as　merry　as　Selim's。
　〃What　about　them；　Sitt？〃
　〃You　aren't　going　to　tell　me；　are　you？〃
　〃There　is　a　time　for　all　things；　Sitt　Hakim。　When　that　time　es　you　will　be　among　the　first　to　know。　How　could　it　be　otherwise？〃
　Annoyed　as　I　was　at　his　teasing；　I　could　not　help　smiling　a　little。　He　had　said　〃when；〃　not　〃if〃！　That　was　hopeful。　〃I　expect　I　will；〃　I　said。　〃How　could　it　be　otherwise？〃
　〃There　are　other　things　I　will　tell　you：　The　boy　who　is　in　France　is　safe　still；　but　David　is　troubled　because　he　feels　he　should　be　here　with　you。　Do　not　let　him　e。　The　underwater　boats　will　sink　many　ships　this　winter。　You　are　wise　to　stay　in　Egypt　until　that　danger　is　over。〃
　Having　recovered　my　breath；　I　rose　from　the　extremely　lumpy　rock　on　which　I　had　been　sitting　and　stood　beside　him；　watching　the　slow　spread　of　sunlight　across　the　landscape。　Below　us　the　columns　of　Hatshepsut's　temple　were　ivory…pale　in　the　morning　shadows。
　〃I　know　better　than　to　press　you　when　you　are　determined　to　keep　silent；〃　I　grumbled。　〃But　you　haven't　said　anything　about　our　current　plans。　Where　is　that　cursed　boy；　Abdullah；　and　what　are　we　going　to　do　about　him？〃
　〃It　is　a　matter　of　shame　to　me　that　Jamil　is　a　member　of　my　family。〃　Abdullah's　face　was　as　stern　as　a　bronze　mask。　〃He　will　be　punished；　Sitt；　but　not　by　you。　Leave　him　to　me。　Do　not　take　foolish　chances；　here　or　elsewhere。〃
　〃Where　else　would　I　be？　If　you　are　referring　to　the　submarine　menace；　we　have　already　decided　。　。　。　Curse　it；　Abdullah；　you　are　trying　to　get　me　off　the　track　again。　Where　is　the　confounded　tomb？〃
　〃It　would　be　tangling　the　web　of　the　future　to　tell　you　that；〃　Abdullah　said　dreamily。　〃Now；　Sitt；　do　not　swear。　It　will　e　right　in　the　end；　though　not；　perhaps；　as　you　expect。〃
　He　took　my　hand　and　held　it　for　a　moment。　Then　he　turned　away。
　〃Wait；〃　I　said。　〃Please。〃
　〃No　more　questions；　Sitt。　I　have　told　you　all　I　am　allowed。〃
　〃I　only　wondered　how　you　liked　your　new　tomb。〃
　Abdullah　turned　back　to　face　me。　〃It　is　well　enough。〃
　〃Is　that　all　you　can　say？　David　designed　the　structure；　you　know；　and　Selim　got　the　men　to　work　as　soon　as　you　asked　me　for　it。〃
　〃I　should　not　have　had　to　ask；〃　said　Abdullah；　sounding　as　sulky　as　Sennia。
　It　was　so　like　him　…　so　human　…　so　like　a　man！　Laughing；　I　threw　my　arms　around　him　in　an　impetuous　embrace。　It　was　the　first　time　I　had　ever　done　so；　and　for　the　first　time　he　held　me　close　…　only　for　a　moment；　before　he　gently　loosened　my　hands　and　stepped　back。
　〃Is　there　anything　else　you　would　like？〃　I　asked。
　〃No。〃　The　corners　of　his　mouth　twitched；　and　he　said；　〃It　is　a　very　fine　tomb；　Sitt。　Fine　enough　for　a　pasha。〃
　I　did　not　follow　him。　I　never　had。　Something　held　me　back；　perhaps　it　was　the　sure　knowledge　that　I　would　see　him　again；　or　the　fort　I　always　gained　from　speaking　with　him；　even　when　he　was　at　his　most　irritatingly　vague。
　〃Good…bye　for　now；〃　I　called。　〃Maassalameh；　my　friend。〃
　　
　I　had；　of　course；　arrived　at　the　logical　solution　to　our　dilemma　…　or；　to　be　more　accurate；　Emerson　and　Cyrus's　impractical　plan。　I　had　said　nothing　to