elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第41节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


gth　and　professional　skill；　being　Jumana；　she　took　advantage　of　his　enforced　helplessness　to　fuss　over　him。　By　moving　his　chair　and　table　from　one　part　of　the　site　to　another；　we　made　it　possible　for　him　to　assist　with　the　surveying；　at　which　task　he　was　skilled；　but　he　spent　a　good　deal　of　the　time　sitting　still。　Watching　Jumana　bustle　about；　climbing　nimbly　up　the　hillside　and　dashing　back　down　to　readjust　his　sunshade；　strained　his　temper　considerably。　Only　his　equable　nature　and　inherent　good　manners　prevented　an　explosion。
　One　mildly　disquieting　incident　marred　the　productive　happiness　of　the　next　few　days。　It　had　nothing　to　do　with　Jamil；　though　as　the　Reader　may　well　believe；　I　had　not　forgotten　him。　I　did　not　suppose　Jumana　had　heard　from　him；　since　I　kept　a　close　eye　on　her；　but　his　very　avoidance　of　her　began　to　worry　me。　He　needed　money；　if　only　for　bare　subsistence。　Where　was　he　getting　it？
　If　it　was　from　his　friends　and　family　in　Gurneh；　none　of　them　would　admit　it。　A　wall　of　silence　blocked　Selim's　inquiries。
　〃Some　are　speaking　the　truth；　I　think；〃　he　had　said。　〃But　with　certain　others；　something　has　frozen　their　tongues。　It　is　like　the　old　days　when　the　Master　controlled　the　illegal　antiquities　business　and　all　men　went　in　fear　of　his　wrath。〃
　〃Could　it　be？〃　Emerson　asked　me；　after　Selim　had　gone　on　his　way。
　〃Impossible；　Emerson。〃
　〃Why？　We　haven't　heard　from　the　。　。　。　from　him　for　weeks。　We　don't　know　where　the　devil　he's　got　to。〃
　〃He　would　never　interfere　with　our　work；　or　tolerate　a　contemptible　boy　like　Jamil。〃
　We　were　seldom　interrupted　by　visitors。　However；　one　morning　when　I　was　investigating　a　ruined　chapel　up　on　the　hillside　…　helping　Cyrus　with　his　plan　of　the　tombs；　as　I　had　explained　to　Emerson　…　I　saw　a　pair　of　horsemen　approaching。　Both　were　wearing　the　drab　olive　of　military　uniform。　I　made　haste　to　scramble　down　the　slope　in　the　hope　of　heading　them　off　before　they　ventured　to　approach　Emerson。
　I　was　too　slow；　or　Emerson　was　too　quick。　When　I　reached　them　the　two　men　had　dismounted　and　were　endeavoring　to　carry　on　a　polite　conversation　with　my　husband。　They　were　finding　it　heavy　going。
　〃Allow　me　to　repeat　that　there　is　nothing　to　see　here；〃　Emerson　declared；　hands　on　hips；　feet　apart；　and　brows　thunderous。　〃This　is　an　archaeological　dig；　and　you　are　interrupting　my　work。〃
　〃But；　sir　。　。　。〃　One　of　the　officers　…　for　so　their　insignia　proclaimed　them　…　turned　with　visible　relief　to　me。　He　was　of　something　over　medium　height；　his　frame　heavyset　and　his　face　square；　particularly　around　the　jaw。　The　hair　exposed　when　he　whipped　off　his　pith　helmet；　which　he　did　immediately　upon　seeing　me；　was　a　nondescript　shade　of　brown；　slightly　darker　than　his　carefully　trimmed　mustache。
　〃Mrs。　Emerson！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃I　dare　not　hope　that　you　remember　me　…　I　had　the　good　fortune　to　be　introduced　to　you　last　year　in　Cairo；　by　my　colleague　Woolley；　of　the　Arab　Bureau。〃
　〃Certainly　I　do；　Major　Cartright；〃　I　replied；　before　Emerson　could　say　something　rude　about　the　Arab　Bureau。　〃Mr。　Woolley　is　an　old　friend。　I　was　very　sorry　to　hear　he　had　been　taken　prisoner　by　the　Ottomans。〃
　〃The　fortunes　of　war；　ma'am；　the　fortunes　of　war。〃
　〃Stupidity　and　ineptitude；〃　Emerson　declared。　〃Sailing　up　and　down　the　coast　in　that　distinctive　yacht；　trying　to　put　agents　ashore　under　the　very　noses　of　the　Turks。　He　was　bound　to　be　caught　sooner　or　later。〃
　Cartright　flushed　angrily；　but　kept　his　temper。　〃Yes；　sir。　May　I　have　the　honor　of　introducing　another　admirer　of　yours　…　Lieutenant　Algernon　Chetwode。〃
　I　have　never　seen　a　countenance　so　prototypically　English。　Like　his　hair；　the　brave　mustache　was　flaxen…fair；　the　lashes　framing　his　blue　eyes　were　so　pale　they　were　almost　invisible；　and　his　cheeks　were　as　smooth　as　a　girl's。　They　turned　pink　as　he　stuttered　out　a　series　of　incoherent　pliments。
　〃Can't　express　my　pleasure　。　。　。　such　an　honor　。　。　。〃
　〃Yes；　how　nice；〃　I　said；　and　since　they　showed　no　intention　of　going　away；　I　added；　〃I　would　offer　to　show　you　around；　gentlemen；　but　as　my　husband　mentioned；　there　is　nothing　here　that　would　interest　you。　I　presume　you　are　on　leave　from　Cairo？　May　I　suggest　the　Valley　of　the　Kings　or　the　temple　of　Medinet　Habu；　which　is　in　that　direction。〃
　〃You　are　most　kind；　Mrs。　Emerson；〃　Cartright　said；　with　a　smile　that　showed　he　was　well　aware　of　my　real　motive。　〃We　only　dropped　by　to　pay　our　respects。　We　had　hoped　…　that　is　to　say　…　is　your　son　with　you？〃
　Emerson's　eyes　narrowed　and　I　felt　a　constriction　in　the　region　of　the　diaphragm。　Naturally　and　necessarily；　Ramses's　activities　on　behalf　of　the　War　Office　had　been　a　closely　guarded　secret。　Had　his　courageous　sacrifices　been　generally　known；　he　would　have　been　a　hero；　since　they　were　not；　he　was　regarded　by　many　of　our　acquaintances　in　Cairo　as　a　coward　and　a　pacifist。　（The　two　words　being　synonymous　in　the　views　of　the　ignorant。）　There　was　hardly　an　officer　in　Cairo　who　would　have　spoken　to　him　last　year　…　and　here　were　two　of　them　actually　seeking　him　out。
　I　might　have　been　tempted　to　lie；　but　I　could　not；　Ramses　had　seen　us　and　was　approaching。　It　was　not　in　his　nature　to　avoid　a　confrontation。　Nefret　had　hold　of　his　arm。　She　was　biting　her　lip；　a　sure　sign　of　worry　or　annoyance。
　If　young　Lieutenant　Chetwode　had　fawned　over　us；　he　did　all　but　genuflect　before　Ramses。　He　paid　no　more　attention　to　Nefret　than　courtesy　demanded；　which　was　in　itself　highly　suspicious；　most　men　paid　attention　to　Nefret。
　Unsmiling　and　posed；　Ramses　shook　hands　with　both　men。　〃On　holiday；　are　you？〃　he　inquired。
　〃A　brief　holiday；〃　Cartright　replied。　〃I　have　just　got　back　from　the　Gaza　front；　and　after　I　had　reported　to　the　general；　he　was　good　enough　to　give　me　a　few　days'　leave。〃
　〃I'm　sure　you　deserved　it；〃　I　said　politely。
　〃Ha；〃　said　Emerson。　〃What　the　devil　are　you　people　doing？　You　pushed　the　Turks　across　the　Egyptian　border　early　in　January；　and　you've　been　squatting　outside　Gaza　ever　since。　We　need　a　victory　in　the　Middle　East；　gentlemen；　God　knows　the　news　on　other　fronts　is　bad　enough。　Why　isn't　General　Murray　pushing　ahead　toward　Jerusalem？〃
　〃I'm　sure　you　know　the　terrain；　sir；〃　Cartright　said　deferentially。　Glancing　at　me　…　a　mere　female；　who　presumably　knew　nothing　about　military　matters　…　he　explained；　〃The　Turks　are　determined　to　hold　Gaza；　the　town　is　heavily　fortified　and　so　are　the　ridges　that　run　all　the　way　from　Gaza　to　Beersheba。　It's　a　natural　defensive　line　twenty…five　miles　long。　Water　is　one　of　our　major　problems；　we　have　to　pump　it　from　the　sweet…water　canal　at　Suez　clear　across　the　Sinai；　and　the　advance　of　the　railroad　has　been　delayed　by　difficult　terrain。　Intelligence　is　dreadfully　vague　at　the　moment。　Our　agents　find　great　difficulty　in　getting　through；　and　their　aircraft　…〃
　〃Yes；　yes；〃　Emerson　said　impatiently。　〃But　the　longer　you　delay；　the　more　time　the　Turks　will　have　to　bring　in　reinforcements　and　dig　more　trenches。　You'll　have　to　hit　Beersheba　at　the　same　time　you　attack　Gaza。　There's　plenty　of　water　there。〃
　〃I'm　sure　General　Murray　would　be　interested　in　hearing　your　views；　sir；〃　Cartright　said。
　I　cleared　my　throat　loudly；　and　Emerson　recollected　himself。　〃If　he　needs　me　to　point　out　the　obvious；　his　staff　isn't　doing　its　job。　Good　day；　gentlemen。〃
　He　took　me　firmly　by　the　arm　and　stalked　off；　leaving　the　two　officers　no　choice　but　to　mount　and　depart。　〃Hell　and　damnation；〃　he　remarked。
　〃Quite；〃　said　Ramses；　catching　us　up。　〃Extraordinarily　forthright；　wasn't　he？〃
　〃Too　forthright；〃　Emerson　muttered。　〃Why　did　he　tell　us　so　much？〃
　Ramses's　lips　tightened。　After　a　moment；　he　said；　〃There　is　no　reason　why　you　should　remember；　but　Cartright　was　one　of　the　three　patriots　with　whom　I　had　that　rude　encounter　at　the　Turf　Club　two　years　ago。　He　was　with　the　Egyptian　Army　at　the　time。〃
　〃The　man　who　struck　you　in　the　face　while　two　others　held　your　arms？〃　I　demanded　indignantly。　〃Good　Gad。　If　I'd　known　that　I　would　not　have　been　so　courteous。〃
　〃No；　he　was　one　of　the　ones　who　held　me；〃　Ramses　corrected。　〃Something　has　brought　about　a　radical　change　in　his　attitude。〃
　〃We　can　guess　what　it　is；〃　Emerson　grunted。　〃He's　with　intelligence　now；　and　someone　has　told　him　about　you。　Secret　Service！　Good　Gad；　they　might　as　well　shout　their　business　from　the　rooftops。〃
　I　said；　〃The　news　of　your　heroism　…〃　Ramses　made　a　wry　face；　and　I　went　on　firmly；　〃That　is　what　it　was；　and　I　will　call　it　what　it　was。　But　perhaps　the　information　has　not　spread　as　widely　as　we　suppose。〃
　〃I　hope　it　has　spread；〃　Nefret　said。　She　raised　her　chin　defiantly。　〃I　hope　everyone　knows。〃
　None　of　us　had　to　request　elucidation　of　this　statement。　Nefret　lived　in　constant　fear　of　his　being　again　involved　in　a　mission　like　the　one　that　had　almost　cost　him　his　life　two　years　ago。　Accepting　another　assignment　would　have　been　dangerous　enough　even　when　his　former　activities　were　known　only　to　a　few　…　particularly　when　one　of　those　few　was　the　head　of　the　Turkish　Secret　Service。　It　would　have　been　suicidal　if　every　intelligence　officer　in　Cairo　knew。　As　Ramses　had　once　remarked；　there　is　no　point　in　being　a　spy　if　everybody　knows　you　are　one。
　〃I've　told　you　before；〃　Ramses　said；　addressin