elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第60节
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beard。 It looked splendid； but I knew how it would feel … like a bramble bush。
〃Well； this is very pleasant；〃 he remarked。
〃French； Emerson；〃 I said。
〃Merde；〃 said Emerson； whose mand of that language is limited。 He does know most of the swearwords； though。
〃I have ordered dinner to be brought here；〃 he went on。 〃It is a condescension on my part； but I am an uxorious； indulgent husband。 You will serve me kneeling； of course。〃
〃Don't get carried away； Emerson；〃 I warned。
〃En fran？ais； ma chérie； s'il vous pla？t；〃 said Emerson； grinning broadly。 He went on in his version of that language； with occasional lapses into English when his vocabulary failed him。 〃Selim is in a condition because of the motorcar。 He injured the … er … bonnet when he passed it between the gate。〃
Through the window I could hear Selim's voice； raised in vehement mentary； and understood enough to prehend that he was trying to sort out the servant situation。 I deduced that dinner would be late。
〃Well； we are here；〃 I remarked； 〃and although some of our habits will undoubtedly strike the servants as peculiar； they won't think much about it。 But how is Ramses to reach us？ He can't e here as himself。〃
〃He knows that；〃 Emerson said。 〃Give the boy credit。〃
〃We must do something about the mashrabiya screens； Emerson。 I cannot see an infernal thing out the window。〃
〃Vous êtes en la harem； ma chérie；〃 said Emerson； smirking。 〃Les dames non pouvait … pourraint … （curse it！） voir dans le aperture。〃
I understood his meaning； despite his atrocious grammar。 Some of our windows opened onto the courtyard； it would not have been proper for strangers to see a woman looking out。
After his little exercise of wit； Emerson admitted we would be well advised to get the screens loose； so that we would have warning of unexpected visitors。 It took all three of us to do the job； since we did not want to remove them entirely。 With the aid of strips of fabric cut from the hangings； we managed to secure them so they would not flap but could be opened without difficulty。
Dinner finally arrived。 It was very bad； so I assumed Selim had not been able to find a skilled cook。 We ate sitting cross…legged round the platter of rice and mutton。 Though mats had been placed in the adjoining cubicles； we decided to spend the night in the ka'ah。 What the servants thought of this I cannot imagine （or rather； I prefer not to imagine）。 Emerson considered it best that we should not separate； however。
Next morning Selim； now in undisputed charge of the household； relegated the extraneous members of the family to the house they had originally occupied； and went off to hire several more servants； including a cook。 The patriarch of the small clan we retained in the post of doorkeeper。
After breakfast （warmed…up rice and mutton） Emerson went out to visit the coffeeshops and listen to the local gossip。 I saw no reason why we could not have visited the suk； properly veiled and escorted； but Emerson declared it would be an unnecessary risk； and Nefret produced an even more conclusive argument。
〃What if he should e while we were out？〃
She was right； but the morning dragged on； with nothing to do except bully the servants and familiarize ourselves with the rooms of the harem。 We were able to bathe for the first time since we had left Cairo； and a great relief it was。
In the course of my exploration； I discovered several secret passages with peepholes in the walls； used by the master to spy on his women。 Many of the older mansions in the region had such devices； as well as escape tunnels and hidden rooms。 There were three of the latter in the haremlik； two mere cubbyholes in the wall and the third a large hiding place under the floor。 The trapdoor covering it was concealed by matting。 It had been designed for hiding objects； not people； since it was less than four feet high and there was no means of ventilation； and it was； as I had expected； empty。 Mahmud would not have left anything of value。
Emerson returned with nothing to report； except that the town was full of soldiers； which we already knew。 We were lingering over luncheon when there were sounds of a disturbance without。 Emerson hurried to the door； when it opened I heard someone say in Arabic； 〃There is a person here； lord … I could not keep him away …〃
Emerson let out a strangled cough； and a voice I knew well murmured deprecatingly； 〃Lord； your slave begs your mercy； it is not his fault he did not e before this； he was detained by the cursed British and made to dig holes … see； see how his hands are bleeding！〃
A thump followed； as if of knees hitting the floor。
My curiosity could not be contained。 Nefret was already at the door； peeping out。
Emerson stood staring down openmouthed at the form crouching at his feet。 Ramses's curly black head was bare and what I could see of his skin was almost as dark as his hair。 I could see quite a lot of it。
His voice rose in a wail。 〃They took my clothes； lord； the fine clothing you gave me； my gibbeh and my sudarayee and my tarboosh and my shoes； and my …〃
〃God curse them；〃 said Emerson； recovering himself。 〃e in； then； and tell me。〃
Ramses straightened； smirking like a favored servant who has talked his way out of a beating； but the old man who had escorted him there croaked； 〃Into the harem； Effendi？〃
Emerson drew himself up and skewered the presumptuous fellow with a fierce stare。 〃Did not the Prophet say； when he brought to his daughter the gift of a male slave； that she need not veil herself； for there was none present save her father and a slave？〃
This interesting theological reference may have been too abstruse for the servant； but Emerson's stare got the point across。 〃e；〃 he added to Ramses。
Nefret and I quickly retreated from the door and Emerson propelled Ramses through it with a hard shove。 〃Now；〃 he said loudly； in Arabic； 〃make your excuses to your mistress。〃
He slammed the door and Ramses looked quizzically from me to Nefret。 〃Which？〃
〃Me；〃 Nefret said breathlessly。 〃I'm the new favorite； aren't I？〃
〃Speak French；〃 I said warningly。
Neither of them heard me； I believe。 Nefret was staring at him as if she had never seen him before … which； in a way； she had not； for to the best of my knowledge this was a new role for Ramses； and when Ramses played a part he did it thoroughly。 He was wearing only a pair of dirty cotton drawers and he had stained his body a rich dark brown。 I observed several raw marks across his bare back； and remembered that I had heard one of the officers explain that 〃a few cuts of the whip〃 were advisable when dealing with recalcitrant members of the Labour Corps。
Nefret had seen them too。 She let out a little cry and threw herself into his arms。
They made a picturesque tableau as they clung to one another； framed by the pointed arch of the alcove … his dark； muscular body and her slender； yielding form in its gold…embroidered blue velvet gibbeh。 〃Story pictures〃 were popular with a certain school of painting； and it was not difficult to think of a title for this one。 〃The Slave and the Sultan's Favorite；〃 or 〃A Tryst with Death；〃 or …
Emerson let out a sound rather like one the sultan might have made if he had e upon such a scene； and the two drew apart。
〃Careless；〃 I said softly。 〃I stopped up several peepholes in the walls； but I doubt I found them all。〃
Ramses dropped to his knees in front of me and clasped his hands。 〃Your forgiveness； honored lady。〃
〃Yes； all right； just don't do it again。〃 I added； just as softly； 〃I； too； am relieved to see you； my dear。 What next？〃
〃I can't stay。 You had better send me on an errand … and find me some clothes；〃 he added； looking up at me with a smile。 His thin dark face and cheerful grin and the curls clustering untidily round his forehead filled me with a strong desire to shake him。 Men actually enjoy this sort of thing！ So do I； if truth be told； but only when I am allowed to take an active part。 It is the waiting I find so difficult； particularly when one waits for news of a loved one。
〃When will we see you again？〃 I asked。
〃I don't know。 I am to rendezvous with Chetwode this evening and go on to Gaza with him。 Two days； perhaps three。 I'll e here as soon as we've finished the job； I promise。〃
He kissed my hands and my feet and rose。 〃Is there a bab…sirr？〃 he asked Emerson。 〃I may want to use it next time。〃
〃A secret door？ Oh； yes。 Mahmud has too many enemies to do without that little convenience。 I'll show you； and get you some clothes。〃
Ramses nodded。 He turned to his wife。 She stood as still as a prettily dressed doll； lips parted and braceleted arms folded over her breast。 Ramses knelt and bowed his head。
〃Don't worry；〃 he whispered。 〃It will be all right。〃
She put out her hand； as if to touch his hair； but stopped herself in time。 〃e straight here after 。 。 。〃
〃As soon as I can。〃 He took her hands and raised them to his lips。
FROM MANUSCRIPT H
Ramses hadn't told her the part that worried him most。 He shared that information with his father； as they tried to find him something to wear。
〃I met Chetwode in Rafah； as we had arranged。 He's not awfully good at this sort of thing； his jaw
