elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第74节

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　Ramses　lowered　his　hand　but　did　not　release　his　hold。　〃Who　the　hell　are　you？〃　he　demanded。
　〃A　friend。　That　is　the　conventional　reply；　I　believe。　I　really　am；　though。〃
　It　had　been　a　long　time；　but　the　well…bred　drawl；　with　its　undercurrent　of　amusement；　struck　a　chord　of　memory。
　〃Let　him　go；　Ramses；〃　I　said。　〃You　remember　Sir　Edward　Washington；　Sethos's　aide　and　co…conspirator？〃
　〃I　am　flattered；　Mrs。　Emerson。〃　Sir　Edward　removed　himself　from　Ramses's　loosened　grasp　and　made　me　an　elegant　bow。　〃How　very　good　it　is　to　see　you　again。　And　the　Professor　。　。　。〃　Another　bow。　〃Nefret　…　do　forgive　the　liberty　…　beautiful　as　ever　。　。　。　Selim；　my　friend　。　。　。　And　I　see　you　have　the　young　lady　safe。　Well　done。〃
　Ramses　switched　on　his　torch　and　stared　incredulously　at　the　tatterdemalion　figure。　Sir　Edward　bowed　again；　with　the　mocking　grace　that　was　peculiarly　his。
　〃By　God；　it　is；〃　Ramses　muttered。　〃How　the　devil　…〃
　〃Never　mind　that　now；　Ramses；〃　I　interrupted。　〃Sir　Edward；　are　you　here　in　lieu　of　your　chief？〃
　〃Straight　to　the　point　as　always；　Mrs。　Emerson。　You　are　right　to　remind　me　we　ought　not　waste　time。　The　answer　to　your　question　is　no。　I　have　been　waiting　for　him。〃
　〃Good　Gad；〃　Emerson　exclaimed；　recovering　from　his　understandable　surprise。　〃I　never　expected　to　see　you　again；　Sir　Edward；　the　last　I　heard；　you　were　in　。　。　。〃　He　broke　off；　staring　at　the　empty　sleeve。
　〃France；〃　said　Sir　Edward　coolly。　〃As　you　see；　I　have　returned　to　private　life。〃
　〃Did　you　follow　us？〃　I　asked。
　〃Only　until　you　were　safely　out　of　the　metropolis。　Didn't　you　hear　me　encouraging　the　riot？　Kept　everybody　busy　and　happy　and　out　of　your　way。〃
　〃Oh；〃　said　Emerson。
　〃I　came　straight　on　after　that；〃　Sir　Edward　continued　blithely。　〃It　was　a　safe　assumption　that　you　would　keep　the　appointment。〃
　〃But　he　didn't；〃　Emerson　said。　〃Why　not？〃
　Sir　Edward　scratched　his　side；　murmured　a　genteel　apology；　and　said；　〃He　may　have　been　unable　to　get　away。　Sahin's　been　watching　him　closely；　especially　since　Ramses　escaped。　There's　no　use　staying　here　any　longer。〃
　〃Where　shall　we　go；　then？〃　I　inquired。　〃In　my　opinion　it　would　be　inadvisable　for　us　to　return　to　Khan　Yunus　until　we　are　apprised　of　conditions　there。　Some　of　Sahin's　men　may　be　lurking。　Or　were　those　assertive　individuals　not　his　men？〃
　〃I　assumed　they　were。　Don't　tell　me　you　have　another　set　of　enemies　after　you！〃
　〃There　would　be　nothing　new　in　that；〃　said　Ramses。　〃Have　you　anyplace　in　mind；　Sir　Edward？〃
　Sir　Edward　hesitated。　Under　the　skillful　makeup　and　the　ingrained　dirt　and　the　wisps　of　beard　I　could　see　the　lines　of　worry　and　indecision　that　marked　his　face。　Then　he　shrugged；　with　all　his　old　insouciance。　〃I　know　a　place；　yes。　It's　a　good　ten　miles　away；　too　far　for　the　ladies　to　walk。　We'll　need　transportation。〃
　〃I　will　go　back　and　get　the　motorcar；〃　Selim　offered。
　〃Too　risky；〃　Emerson　said　at　once。
　〃And　too　conspicuous；〃　Sir　Edward　added。　〃We'll　have　to　borrow　a　few　quadrupeds。　Ramses；　my　lad；　have　you　ever　stolen　a　horse？〃
　〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　he　has；〃　I　replied。
　〃I　don't　know　why　I　bothered　to　ask；〃　Sir　Edward　muttered。　〃There's　a　picket　line　a　mile　south　of　here。　Ramses　and　Selim　…　no；　Professor；　not　you。　Someone　must　stay　with　the　ladies。〃
　〃This　lady　is　going　with　you；〃　Nefret　said。
　　
　FROM　MANUSCRIPT　H
　　
　There　was　only　one　sentry。　The　enemy　wasn't　in　the　habit　of　sending　out　raiding　parties；　and　local　horse　thieves　had　learned　not　to　tangle　with　the　men　of　the　Desert　Column。　Trees　and　growing　crops　gave　plenty　of　cover；　and　the　moon　was　down。　They　crawled　close　enough　to　hear　the　snores　of　the　men　who　lay　rolled　in　their　blankets　beyond　the　line　of　horses。　Sir　Edward　brought　his　mouth　against　Ramses's　ear。
　〃I'm　beginning　to　think　this　was　a　bad　idea。〃
　Ramses　had　been　of　that　opinion　from　the　start。　Some　of　the　straitlaced　British　officers　considered　the　ANZACs　an　unruly　lot；　impatient　of　discipline；　who　didn't　even　know　how　to　ride　properly。　Personally　he　would　have　preferred　to　have　a　whole　troop　of　fox…hunting　Englishmen　after　him　than　a　few　of　these　hard…bitten　colonials。
　Bad　idea　or　not；　it　had　to　be　done。　The　girl　couldn't　manage　a　ten…mile　hike；　and　he　was　concerned　about　his　mother；　who　would　drop　in　her　tracks　rather　than　admit　the　task　was　beyond　her。　Anyhow；　they　had　to　get　under　cover　before　morning。　It　would　take　too　long　for　the　slower　members　of　the　party　to　walk　that　distance。
　They　had　planned　what　they　had　to　do；　and　he　thought　they　could　manage　it；　with　a　little　luck　…　and　Nefret's　help。　He　had　had　to　overrule　Sir　Edward；　and　his　own　instincts；　when　she　announced　she　was　ing　with　them；　mon　sense　told　him　that　her　help　would　be　invaluable。　She　was　an　excellent　rider；　and　she　had　an　uncanny　knack　with　animals。
　Dealing　with　the　sentry　was　his　job。　It　wasn't　difficult；　the　poor　devil　was　tired　and　not　expecting　trouble。　Ramses　took　him　from　behind　with　an　arm　across　his　throat；　hit　him　hard　in　the　pit　of　the　stomach；　and　chopped　him　across　the　back　of　the　neck　as　he　toppled　forward。　By　the　time　he　had　dragged　the　limp　body　under　a　tree；　Nefret　was　moving　down　the　string　of　horses；　whispering　in　their　ears　and　stroking　their　necks。　When　she　reached　the　last　in　line；　she　untied　the　rope　that　passed　through　their　bridles。
　So　far　there　had　been　no　sound　except　a　few　soft；　interested　whickers　from　the　intrigued　equines。　Now　they　had　to　move　fast　and　noisily。　Nefret　scrambled　onto　one　of　the　horses　while　Selim　gave　Sir　Edward　a　hand　up　and　mounted　another。　Except　for　Nefret's　mount；　the　animals　were　stirring　uneasily。　One　of　the　sleeping　men　sat　up。　Ramses　tossed　the　dangling　reins　over　the　lead　horse's　neck　and　vaulted　onto　its　back。　It　turned　its　head　to　give　him　an　astonished　stare。
　〃Wrong　man；　I　know；〃　Ramses　said　in　a　conversational　voice。　〃Think　of　it　as　a　temporary　inconvenience。〃
　There　wasn't　time　to　adjust　the　stirrups。　He　dug　his　bare　heels　into　the　animal's　flanks　and　urged　it　into　a　trot。　It　responded　to　the　touch　or　the　English　voice；　or　both。　The　entire　camp　was　now　awake；　shouts　and　curses　echoed　through　the　night；　and　someone　fired　a　rifle。　Someone　else　let　out　a　stream　of　oaths　directed　at　the　idiot　who　had　fired　it。　By　that　time　the　entire　group　of　horses　was　in　motion；　following　their　leader　and　urged　on　by　Nefret；　who　brought　up　the　rear　yelling　and　smacking　assorted　equine　rumps　with　a　leafy　branch。　Her　hair　had　e　loose　from　its　scarf；　it　streamed　out　behind　her；　silvered　by　starlight。　Sir　Edward　was　hanging　on；　though　he　didn't　look　happy。　Selim　looked　very　happy。　This　was　the　sort　of　adventure　he　had　had　in　mind　all　along；　a　wild　ride　with　the　enemy　in　hot　pursuit。
　The　pursuit　consisted　of　one　trooper；　running　as　fast　as　his　long　legs　would　carry　him；　waving　his　arms　and　calling　out。　The　horses　broke　into　a　gallop　and　the　plaintive　cries　of　〃Mary！　Mary；　love；　e　back！〃　faded　into　the　night。
　A　real　and　vindictive　pursuit　would　not　be　long　delayed；　however。　They　did　not　slacken　speed　until　they　were　near　the　ruins　where　the　others　were　ready　and　waiting。　None　of　them　wasted　time　in　conversation；　though　Ramses　saw　the　look　of　resignation　on　his　mother's　face。　She　was　not　an　enthusiastic　horsewoman；　and　was　accustomed　to　the　smooth　gait　of　their　Arabians。
　〃Sorry；　Mother；〃　he　said；　offering　his　hands　to　help　her　mount。　〃Will　you　be　all　right？〃
　〃Certainly。〃　It　was　the　answer　he　had　expected。
　Esin　couldn't　manage　it；　though。　She　had　ridden　only　in　England；　with　a　proper　lady's　saddle。　Declining　Selim's　eager　offer　of　assistance；　Nefret　mounted　the　girl　in　front　of　her。
　〃We're　leaving　a　trail　a　blind　man　could　follow；〃　Sir　Edward　said；　as　they　started　off　two　by　two。　〃And　now　we've　got　the　Australians　after　us。〃
　〃This　was　your　idea；〃　Ramses　pointed　out。
　〃So　it　was。　I　hope　I'll　live　long　enough　to　regret　it。〃
　The　clipped　accent　sounded　odd　from　that　vagabond　figure。　There　hadn't　been　time　for　Ramses　to　assimilate　Sir　Edward's　sudden　reappearance；　and　there　were　a　hundred　questions　he　wanted　to　ask。
　〃What　are　you　doing　here？　I　was　under　the　impression　that　you　had　given　up　a　life　of　crime。〃
　〃I　can't　imagine　what　gave　you　that　impression〃　was　Sir　Edward's　bland　reply。　〃But　my　present　job　isn't　criminal　in　nature。　People　give　other　people　medals　for　doing　it。〃
　〃Usually　after　the　'other　people'　are　dead。〃
　Sir　Edward　let　that　one　pass。　Ramses　tried　another　tack。
　〃Why　is　Sethos　in　Gaza？　He's　no　traitor；　I'm　certain　of　that　now；　but　what　the　hell　is　he　after？〃
　〃You'll　have　to　ask　him　that。〃
　　
　
　　
　They　reached　their　destination　just　before　dawn。　Ramses　had　expected　a　tumbledown　ruin　or　a　mean　little　house；　instead　he　saw　high　walls　rising　up　against　the　paling　sky　like　those　of　a　castle　or　a　fortress。　The　heavy　gates　were　closed。　Sir　Edward　called　out　and　after　an　interval　one　of　the　leaves　of　the　gate　opened　and　a　man　peered　out。　He　let　out　an　exclamation　when　he　saw　the　group。
　〃They　are　friends；〃　Sir　Edward　said。　〃Friends　of　the　Master。〃
　He　led　the　way　into　an　open　courtyard　with　a　well　in　the　center　and　a　roofed　arcade　on　the　right　side。　It　was　a　fortress；　and　a　strong　one。　The　walls　were　twelve　feet　high　and　eight　feet　thick。　A　smal