elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第70节

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aid　of　other　apartments　in　the　house。　Ramses　had　just　opened　the　whiskey　when　Selim　came　hurrying　into　the　room。
　〃There　is　a　man；〃　he　panted。　〃An　officer。　He　asks　…〃
　〃I'll　do　my　own　asking。　Stand　out　of　the　way。〃　The　officer　had　followed　him。　I　recognized　the　voice　and　the　square；　flushed　face　that　peered　over　Selim's　shoulder。　Selim　didn't　budge。
　Emerson　took　the　pipe　from　his　mouth。　〃Ah。　Major　Cartright；　as　I　live　and　breathe。　May　I　remind　you　that　you　don't　give　the　orders　here？　Ask　politely。〃
　Cartright　got　the　word　out；　though　it　almost　choked　him。　〃Please！〃
　Selim　stepped　aside；　folding　his　arms。　Cartright　marched　in。　Emerson　pointed　out；　in　the　same　mild　voice；　that　there　were　ladies　present　and　Cartright　removed　his　hat　with　a　muttered　apology。
　〃That's　more　like　it；〃　said　Emerson。　He　sipped　appreciatively　at　his　whiskey。　〃Well？　Don't　stand　there　gaping；　you　must　have　something　to　say。〃
　Emerson　was　doing　his　best　to　be　annoying；　and　no　one　can　do　it　better　than　Emerson。　Cartright　swallowed　several　words　he　knew　better　than　to　pronounce；　and　took　a　long　breath。　〃Send　…　that　is；　will　you　please　send　that　man　away？〃
　〃No；〃　said　Emerson。　〃But　I　will　do　my　best　to　prevent　him　from　using　his　knife　on　you。　You　are　either　very　placent　or　very　courageous　to　show　your　face　after　the　filthy　trick　you　played。〃
　Still　standing　…　for　no　one　had　invited　him　to　sit　…　Cartright　took　out　a　handkerchief　and　wiped　his　perspiring　brow。　〃Mrs。　Emerson　…　I　appeal　to　you。　May　I　be　allowed　to　speak？〃
　He　was　looking　at　me；　not　at　Nefret；　whose　tight　lips　and　crimson　cheeks　must　have　told　him　he　could　not　expect　any　consideration　from　her。　I　nodded。　〃Are　you　going　to　claim　you　knew　nothing　about　Chetwode's　plan？〃
　〃Chetwode　is　a　bloo　…　…　is　a　young　idiot！〃　his　superior　exclaimed　heatedly。　〃I　didn't　know；　Mrs。　Emerson；　and　that　is　the　truth。〃
　Ramses　spoke　for　the　first　time。　〃On　your　word　as　an　officer　and　a　gentleman？〃
　The　irony　went　unnoticed　by　Cartright。　〃Yes！　I　was　appalled　when　I　learned　what　Chetwode　had　done。　He　has　been　relieved　of　duty　and　will　be　punished　appropriately。　Do　you　believe　me？〃
　〃Since　you　have　given　your　word；　we　have　no　choice　but　to　do　so；〃　said　Ramses；　eyebrows　raised　and　tilted。　〃Was　that　the　only　reason　you　came；　to　express　your　regrets？〃
　〃Regrets！〃　Nefret　exclaimed。　〃That　is　somewhat　inadequate；　Major。　Do　you　know　what　happened　to　my　husband　after　…〃
　〃He　doesn't；〃　Ramses　said；　giving　her　a　warning　look。　〃I　expect　that　is　why　he　is　here；　to　find　out。　I　did　make　my　report；　Cartright；　to　General　Chetwode。〃
　〃I　know；　he　forwarded　it　immediately；　and　I　。　。　。〃　He　cast　a　longing　glance　at　the　bottle　of　whiskey。　〃My　relief；　believe　me；　was　inexpressible。　But　he　gave　me　few　details　…　which　was　quite　in　order；　quite　right　of　you　to　tell　him　no　more　than　was　necessary。〃
　〃A　basic　rule　of　the　Service；〃　said　Ramses；　in　his　even；　pleasant　voice。　〃You　are；　I　suppose；　entitled　to　know　more。　In　a　nutshell；　then；　I　don't　know　whether　Ismail　Pasha　is　the　man　you　want　or　not。　Chetwode　didn't　give　me　time　enough　to　make　a　determination。　I　was　taken　prisoner；　as　Chetwode　was　good　enough　to　inform　my　family；　but　I　managed　to　free　myself　later　that　night。〃　Forestalling　further　questions；　he　added；　〃That's　all　I　can　tell　you。　Chetwode's　futile　attack　has　made　it　virtually　impossible　for　anyone　to　get　near　Ismail　Pasha。　They　will　guard　him　even　more　closely　from　now　on。〃
　Cartright　nodded　grudgingly。　〃We　certainly　can't　try　the　same　stunt　again。　Not　for　a　while。　I　suppose　you'll　be　returning　to　Cairo　at　once；　then。　I　will　make　the　necessary　arrangements。〃
　〃We　will　make　our　own　arrangements；〃　said　Emerson。　〃When　we　are　ready。〃
　The　finality　of　his　tone；　and　the　inimical　looks　Cartright　was　getting　from　everyone　in　the　room；　should　have　convinced　him　that　there　was　nothing　more　to　be　said。　No　one　had　offered　him　a　whiskey　or　even　a　seat。　Yet　he　lingered；　shifting　his　weight　nervously　from　one　foot　to　the　other。
　〃Look　here；　old　boy；〃　he　exclaimed。　〃This　is　off　the　record；　you　know　…　but　by　Gad；　that　was　well　done！　Chetwode　was　man　enough　to　admit　that　you　risked　yourself　to　help　him　escape　…　and　then　to　break　yourself　loose　from　a　Turkish　prison；　and　get　through　their　lines　。　。　。　It　was　…　confound　it；　it　was　deuced　well　done。〃
　〃Oh；　you　know　the　Turks；〃　Ramses　said。　〃Careless　beggars。〃
　〃All　the　same；　I　…　er　…〃　Military　discipline　or　an　inadequate　vocabulary　brought　him　to　a　stuttering　stop。　He　straightened　and　snapped　off　a　crisp　salute。　Ramses　did　not　return　it；　but　he　nodded　in　acknowledgment；　the　corners　of　his　mouth　pressed。
　〃How　absurd　military　persons　are；〃　I　remarked；　after　Cartright　had　marched　stiffly　out　and　Selim　had　slammed　the　door。
　〃Don't　underestimate　him；〃　Ramses　said　softly。
　〃I　don't；〃　said　Emerson。　〃He　was　trying　to　find　out　how　long　we　mean　to　remain　here。　Perhaps　I　ought　to　have　e　up　with　an　excuse　for　staying　on；　but　I　couldn't　think　of　one　offhand；　this　isn't　the　place　one　would　choose　for　a　holiday；　and　there　are　no　archaeological　remains　of　any　interest。〃
　〃Good　Gad；〃　I　exclaimed　indignantly。　〃Do　you　think　he　is　still　suspicious　of　us？　How　insulting！〃
　Ramses　laughed　and　rose；　taking　my　empty　glass　from　my　hand。　〃You　ought　to　consider　it　a　pliment；　Mother。　'Suspicious'　is　perhaps　too　strong　a　word；　but　a　good　intelligence　officer　doesn't　take　chances　with　people　whose　behavior　is；　shall　we　say；　unpredictable。　It　poses　a　bit　of　a　problem。　If　we　don't　start　making　arrangements　to　leave　within　the　next　day　or　two；　he　will　assume　we're　planning　something　underhanded　and　place　us　under　surveillance。　That's　what　I　would　do。〃
　〃Quite；〃　Emerson　agreed。　〃Damnation！　It　doesn't　give　us　much　time。　Let　us　hope　my　…　er　…　Sethos　makes　his　move　soon。　Since　you　are　on　your　feet；　Ramses；　another　whiskey　here；　if　you　please。　How　long　till　dinner；　Selim？　That　refreshing　little　episode　has　given　me　quite　an　appetite。〃
　〃I　do　not　know；　Emerson。　I　have　been　at　the　door　all　afternoon；　and　the　cook　…〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　my　boy；　that　is　quite　all　right。　See　what　you　can　do　to　hurry　him　up；　eh？　You　need　not　stand　guard；　we　won't　have　any　more　visitors　tonight。〃
　In　that　he　was　mistaken。　Not　long　after　Selim　had　taken　himself　off；　the　aged　doorman　shuffled　in　to　announce　that　another　merchant　had　called。　He　had　a　carpet　for　sale；　a　very　fine　carpet；　a　silk　carpet；　a　…　
　〃Tell　him　to　go　away；〃　said　Emerson。　〃We　don't　want　any　carpets。〃
　The　man　bowed　and　wandered　out。　He　was　too　late　and　too　ineffectual　to　intercept　the　seller　of　carpets；　however。　The　fellow　had　followed　him。
　He　was　a　tall　man　with　a　grizzled　beard　and　a　squint。　The　roll　of　carpet　was　slung　over　his　shoulder。　Taking　hold　of　the　door；　he　shut　it　in　the　doorkeeper's　face；　lowered　the　rug　to　the　floor；　seized　one　end；　and　heaved。
　A　rich　tapestry　of　crimson　and　azure　and　gold　unrolled；　and　from　the　end　rolled　a　human　form　…　a　female　form；　wearing　a　rather　tasteless　and　very　crumpled　frock　of　bright　pink　silk。　Coughing　and　choking；　it　raised　dirty　hands　to　its　eyes　and　rubbed　them。
　〃Christ　Almighty；〃　said　my　son　in　a　strangled　voice。
　I　was　too　thunderstruck　to　object　to　this　expletive；　and　the　others　were　equally　stupefied。　Naturally　I　was　the　first　to　recover。　I　looked　from　the　girl；　who　seemed　to　be　suffering　nothing　worse　than　the　effects　of　being　bundled　up　in　a　rug　smelling　of　camel；　to　the　merchant；　who　stood　with　hands　on　hips　staring　at　me。
　〃Back　again；　are　you？〃　I　inquired　unnecessarily。
　〃Not　from　the　dead　this　time；〃　said　Sethos。　〃I　have　brought　you　a　little　gift。〃
　〃In　a　rug？〃
　〃It　worked　for　Cleopatra；〃　said　my　brother…in…law。　The　unfortunate　female　sneezed　violently。　Automatically　I　handed　her　a　handkerchief。
　〃I'm　leaving　her　in　your　care　for　a　few　days；〃　Sethos　went　on。　〃Make　certain　no　one　gets　to　her。〃
　Without　further　ado；　he　turned　and　strode　toward　the　door。　Emerson　made　a　leap　for　him；　caught　him　by　the　arm　and　spun　him　round；　so　vigorously　that　he　staggered。
　〃Not　so　fast。　You　have　a　lot　of　explaining　to　do。〃
　Instead　of　trying　to　free　himself　from　the　hand　that　gripped　his　shoulder；　Sethos　stared　at　Emerson's　left　sleeve；　which　had　fallen　back；　exposing　the　cast。
　〃How　did　that　happen？〃　he　asked。
　〃An　encounter　with　a　tomb　robber　in　Luxor；〃　Emerson　replied。　〃One　of　yours？〃
　〃At　present　I　have　no　business　arrangements　in　Luxor。　It's　like　you；〃　he　added　in　exasperation；　〃to　go　dashing　into　a　war　zone　with　a　broken　arm。　Just　sit　tight　for　a　few　days；　all　of　you。　I　can't　explain　now；　lowly　merchants　do　not　linger　to　chat　with　customers。〃
　〃Then　we　will　meet　you　elsewhere；〃　I　said　firmly。　〃Later　this　evening。　Where　and　when？〃
　〃For　God's　sake；　Amelia；　be　reasonable！　There's　a　noose　round　my　neck　and　it's　getting　tighter　by　the　minute。　If　my　absence　is　discovered　。　。　。　Oh；　very　well。　I'll　try　to　meet　you　tomorrow　night。　Midnight　…　romantic；　isn't　it？　…　at　the　ruined　house　in　Dir　el　Balah。　Ramses　knows　it。〃
　〃What？〃　Ramses　tore　his　horrified　gaze　from　the　〃gift。〃　〃Yes；　I　know　it。　What　the　devil　…〃
　〃Later。　You　shouldn't　have　any　trouble　for　another　day　or　two。　Oh　…　I　almost　forgot。　You　owe　me　four　hundred　and　twenty　piastres。　That's　four　and　a　half　Turkish　pounds；〃