elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第7节

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　〃Not　from　Sethos。〃
　〃You　asked　him　point…blank；　I　suppose；〃　Emerson　grumbled。　〃Aslimi　is　a　congenital　liar；　Peabody。　How　do　you　know　he　was　telling　you　the　truth？〃
　〃He　turned　pea…green　at　the　very　mention　of　'the　Master。'　It　would　have　been　rather　amusing　if　he　had　not　been　in　such　a　state　of　abject　terror；　he　kept　wringing　his　hands　and　saying；　'But　he　is　dead。　He　is　dead；　surely。　Tell　me　he　is　really　dead　this　time；　Sitt！'　〃
　〃Hmmm；〃　said　Emerson。
　〃Now　don't　get　any　ideas　about　pretending　you　are　'the　Master；'　Emerson。〃
　〃I　don't　see　why　I　shouldn't；〃　said　Emerson　sulkily。　〃You　are　always　telling　me　I　cannot　disguise　myself　effectively。　It　is　cursed　insulting。　So　…　from　whom　did　Aslimi　acquire　these　objects？〃
　〃He　claimed　the　man　was　someone　he'd　never　seen　before。〃
　〃I　trust　you　extracted　a　description？〃
　〃Certainly。　Tall；　heavyset；　black　beard　and　mustache。〃
　〃That's　no　help。　Even　if　it　was　true。〃
　〃Aslimi　would　not　lie　to　me。　Emerson；　please　don't　walk　so　fast。〃
　〃Ha；〃　said　Emerson。　But　he　slowed　his　steps　and　gave　me　his　arm。　We　had　emerged　onto　the　Muski；　with　its　roaring　traffic　and　European　shops。　〃We'll　just　have　time　to　tidy　up　before　luncheon；〃　he　added。　〃Do　you　suppose　the　children　are　back？〃
　〃One　never　knows。　I　only　hope　they　haven't　got　themselves　in　trouble。〃
　〃Why　should　you　suppose　that？〃
　〃They　usually　do。〃
　　
　FROM　MANUSCRIPT　H
　The　infamous　Red　Blind　district　of　Cairo　was　centered　in　an　area　embarrassingly　close　to　the　Ezbekieh　and　the　luxury　hotels。　In　the　brothels　of　el…Wasa；　Egyptian；　Nubian；　and　Sudanese　women　plied　their　trade　under　conditions　of　abject　squalor。　In　theory　they　were　under　government　medical　supervision；　but　the　government's　only　concern　was　the　control　of　venereal　disease。　There　had　been　no　place　for　the　women　who　had　suffered　beatings　or　botched　abortions　or　illnesses　of　other　kinds。　Even　more　difficult　to　control　were　the　brothels　in　the　adjoining　area　of　Wagh　el…Birka；　which　were　populated　by　European　women　and　run　by　European　entrepreneurs。　They　were　foreigners　and　therefore　subject　only　to　the　authority　of　their　consuls。　Ramses　had　heard　Thomas　Russell；　the　assistant　mander　of　the　Cairo　police；　cursing　the　restrictions　that　prevented　him　from　closing　down　the　establishments。
　The　alleys　of　el…Wasa　were　fairly　quiet　at　that　early　hour。　The　stench　was　permanent；　even　a　hard　rain　only　stirred　up　the　garbage　of　the　streets　and　gathered　it　in　oily　pools；　where　it　settled　again　once　the　water　had　evaporated。　There　were　no　drains。　Ramses　glanced　at　his　wife；　who　walked　briskly　through　the　filth；　giving　it　no　more　attention　than　was　necessary　to　avoid　the　worst　bits；　and　not　for　the　first　time　he　wondered　how　she　could　bear　it。　To　his　eyes　she　was　always　radiant；　but　in　this　setting　she　glowed　like　a　fallen　star；　her　golden…red　hair　gathered　into　a　knot　at　the　back　of　her　head　and　her　brow　unclouded。
　Initially　the　clinic　had　been　regarded　with　suspicion　and　dislike　by　the　denizens　of　the　Red　Blind　district；　and　Nefret　and　her　doctor　friend　Sophia　had　deemed　it　advisable　not　to　advertise　its　presence。　Now　it　was　under　the　protection　of　the　Cairo　police。　Russell　sent　patrols　around　frequently　and　came　down　hard　on　anyone　who　tried　to　make　trouble。　Emerson　had　also　e　down　hard　on　a　few　offenders　who　had　not　known　that　the　person　in　charge　was　the　daughter　of　the　famed　Father　of　Curses。　They　knew　now。　Nefret　had　found　another；　unexpected　supporter　in　Ibrahim　el…Gharbi；　the　Nubian　transvestite　who　controlled　the　brothels　of　el…Wasa；　so　the　expanded　building　now　proclaimed　its　mission　in　polished　bronze　letters　over　the　door；　and　the　area　around　it　was　regularly　cleaned　of　trash　and　dead　animals。
　〃I'll　not　e　in　this　time；〃　Ramses　said；　when　they　reached　the　house。
　Nefret　gave　him　a　provocative　smile。　〃You　don't　like　trailing　round　after　me　and　Sophia；　do　you？〃
　He　didn't；　especially；　he　felt　useless　and　ineffective；　and　only　too　often；　wrung　with　pity　for　misery　he　was　helpless　to　relieve。　This　time　he　had　a　valid　excuse。
　〃I　saw　someone　I　want　to　talk　with；〃　he　explained。　〃I'll　join　you　in　a　bit。〃
　〃All　right。〃　She　didn't　ask　who；　her　mind　was　already　inside　the　building；　anticipating　the　duties　that　awaited　her。
　He　went　back　along　the　lane；　kicking　a　dead　rat　out　of　his　path　and　trying　to　avoid　the　deeper　pools　of　slime。　The　man　he　had　seen　was　sitting　on　a　bench　outside　one　of　the　more　pretentious　cribs。　He　was　asleep；　his　head　fallen　back　and　his　mouth　open。　The　flies　crawling　across　his　face　did　not　disturb　his　slumber；　he　was　used　to　them。　Ramses　nudged　him　and　he　looked　up；　blinking。
　〃Salaam　aleikhum；　Brother　of　Demons。　So　you　are　back；　and　it　is　true　what　they　say　…　that　the　Brother　of　Demons　appears　out　of　thin　air；　without　warning。〃
　Ramses　didn't　point　out　that　Musa　had　been　sound　asleep　when　he　approached；　his　reputation　for　being　on　intimate　terms　with　demons　stood　him　in　good　stead　with　the　more　superstitious　Egyptians。　〃You　have　e　down　in　the　world　since　I　last　saw　you；　Musa。　Did　el…Gharbi　dismiss　you？〃
　〃Have　you　not　heard？〃　The　man's　dull　eyes　brightened　a　little。　It　was　a　matter　of　pride　to　be　the　first　to　impart　information；　bad　or　good；　and　he　would　expect　to　be　rewarded。　He　looked　as　if　he　could　use　money。　As　a　favorite　of　el…Gharbi　he　had　been　sleek　and　plump　and　elegantly　dressed。　The　rags　he　wore　now　barely　covered　his　slender　limbs。
　〃I　will　tell　you；〃　he　went　on。　〃Sit　down；　sit　down。〃
　He　shifted　over　to　make　room　for　Ramses。　The　latter　declined　with　thanks。　Flies　were　not　the　only　insects　infesting　Musa　and　his　clothes。
　〃We　knew　the　cursed　British　were　raiding　the　houses　and　putting　the　women　into　prison；〃　Musa　began。　〃They　set　up　a　camp　at　Hilmiya。　But　my　master　only　laughed。　He　had　too　many　friends　in　high　places；　he　said。　No　one　could　touch　him。　And　no　one　did　…　until　one　night　there　came　two　men　sent　by　the　mudir　of　the　police　himself；　and　they　took　my　master　away；　still　in　his　beautiful　white　garments。　They　say　that　when　Harvey　Pasha　saw　him；　he　was　very　angry　and　called　him　rude　names。〃
　〃I'm　not　surprised；〃　Ramses　murmured。　Harvey　Pasha；　mander　of　the　Cairo　police；　was　honest；　extremely　straitlaced；　and　rather　stupid。　He　probably　hadn't　even　been　aware　of　el…Gharbi's　existence　until　someone　…　Russell？　…　pointed　out　to　him　that　he　had　missed　the　biggest　catch　of　all。　Ramses　could　only　imagine　the　look　on　Harvey's　face　when　el…Gharbi　waddled　in；　draped　in　women's　robes　and　glittering　with　jewels。
　Musa　captured　a　flea　and　cracked　it　expertly　between　his　thumbnails。　〃He　is　now　in　Hilmiya；　my　poor　master；　and　I；　his　poor　servant；　have　e　to　this。　The　world　is　a　hard　place；　Brother　of　Demons。〃
　Even　harder　for　the　women　whose　only　crime　had　been　to　do　the　bidding　of　their　pimps　and　their　clients　…　many　of　them　British　and　Empire　soldiers。　Ramses　couldn't　honestly　say　he　was　sorry　for　el…Gharbi；　but　he　was　unhappily　aware　that　the　situation　had　probably　worsened　since　the　procurer　had　been　arrested。　El…Gharbi　had　ruled　the　Red　Blind　district　with　an　iron　hand　and　his　women　had　been　reasonably　well　treated；　he　had　undoubtedly　been　replaced　by　a　number　of　smaller　businessmen　whose　methods　were　less　humane。　The　filthy　trade　could　never　be　pletely　repressed。
　〃My　master　wishes　to　talk　with　you；〃　Musa　said。　〃Do　you　have　a　cigarette？〃
　So　Musa　had　been　on　the　lookout　for　him；　and　had　put　himself　deliberately　in　Ramses's　way。　Somewhat　abstractedly　Ramses　offered　the　tin。　Musa　took　it；　extracted　a　cigarette；　and　calmly　tucked　the　tin　away　in　the　folds　of　his　robe。
　〃How　am　I　supposed　to　manage　that？〃　Ramses　demanded。
　〃Surely　you　have　only　to　ask　Harvey　Pasha。〃
　〃I　have　no　influence　with　Harvey　Pasha；　and　if　I　did；　I　wouldn't　be　inclined　to　spend　it　on　favors　for　el…Gharbi。　Does　he　want　to　ask　me　to　arrange　his　release？〃
　〃I　do　not　know。　Have　you　another　cigarette？〃
　〃You　took　all　I　had；〃　Ramses　said。
　〃Ah。　Would　you　like　one？〃　He　extracted　the　tin　and　offered　it。
　〃Thank　you；　no。　Keep　them；〃　he　added。
　The　irony　was　wasted　on　Musa；　who　thanked　him　effusively；　and　held　out　a　suggestive　hand。　〃What　shall　I　tell　my　master？〃
　Ramses　dropped　a　few　coins　into　the　outstretched　palm；　and　cut　short　Musa's　pleas　for　more。　〃That　I　can't　do　anything　for　him。　Let　el…Gharbi　sweat　it　out　in　the　camp　for　a　few　months。　He's　too　fat　anyhow。　And　if　I　know　him；　he　has　his　circle　of　supporters　and　servants　even　in　Hilmiya；　and　methods　of　getting　whatever　he　wants。　How　did　he　municate　with　you？〃
　〃There　are　ways；〃　Musa　murmured。
　〃I'm　sure　there　are。　Well；　give　him　my　。　。　。〃　He　tried　to　think　of　the　right　word。　The　only　ones　that　came　to　mind　were　too　friendly　or　too　courteous。　On　the　other　hand；　the　procurer　had　been　a　useful　source　of　information　in　the　past；　and　might　be　again。　〃Tell　him　you　saw　me　and　that　I　asked　after　him。〃
　He　added　a　few　more　coins　and　went　back　to　the　hospital。　Dr。　Sophia　greeted　him　with　her　usual　smiling　reserve。　Ramses　admired　her　enormously；　but　never　felt　pletely　at　ease　with　her；　though　he　realized　there　was　probably　nothing　personal　in　her　lack　of　warmth。　She　had　to　deal　every　day　with　the　ugly　results　of　male　exploitation　of　women。　It　would　not　be　surprising　if　she　had