elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第85节

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　〃Your　workmen　won't　e　back。　I　am　about　to　put　a　curse　on　the　place。　They　won't　dare　go　near　it　after　that；　and　neither　will　any　of　the　other　men　on　the　West　Bank。〃
　〃You　better　listen；　Joe；〃　Cyrus　advised。　〃The　Professor's　curses　are　famous　around　here。〃
　〃That　so？〃　Mr。　Albion's　eyes　narrowed　until　they　virtually　disappeared。　Then　they　resumed　their　normal　appearance　and　a　smile　fattened　his　cheeks。　〃Well；　I　guess　we　know　how　to　give　in　gracefully；　eh；　Sebastian？　It's　a　shame　about　those　fellows；　they　really　need　the　work。〃
　That　aspect　of　the　matter　had　not　occurred　to　Emerson。　It　did　not　affect　his　decision；　but　I　could　see　he　was　moved　by　it。　He　stood　for　a　moment　in　thought；　fingering　the　cleft　in　his　chin。　〃It's　a　new　tomb　you're　after；　I　presume？　That's　what　every　dilettante　wants。　There　are　one　or　two　areas　I've　been　meaning　to　explore　for　some　time。　Very　promising　sites。〃
　Mrs。　Albion　had　been　stroking　the　Great　Cat　of　Re；　who　politely　permitted　the　liberty。　（I　had　hoped　it　would　hiss　or　scratch。）　She　looked　up　at　Emerson。　〃Where　are　these　sites；　Professor？〃
　We　delayed　long　enough　to　see　the　men　begin　to　dismantle　the　fortable　little　tent；　and　Mrs。　Albion　lifted；　armchair　and　all；　onto　the　shoulders　of　the　servants。　She　was　extremely　gracious；　though　not　to　me；　she　thanked　Emerson　for　his　advice；　spared　a　frosty　smile　for　Jumana；　and　shook　a　playful　finger　at　Ramses　when　he　rose　and　settled　the　Great　Cat　of　Re　more　securely　onto　his　shoulder。　〃You　really　ought　to　select　a　more　appropriate　name　for　that　charming　creature；　Mr。　Emerson。　The　name　of　a　lovely　Egyptian　goddess；　perhaps？　Hathor　or　Isis。〃
　〃I　fear　that　would　not　be　appropriate；　ma'am；〃　Ramses　replied。　〃The　cat　is　not　of　the　female　sex　…　uh　…　gender。〃
　〃I　may　have　been　mistaken　about　Mrs。　Albion；〃　I　admitted；　as　we　walked　away。　〃Cats　are　generally　good　judges　of　character。　Playfulness　does　not　bee　her；　however。　What　on　earth　were　you　thinking　of；　Emerson；　proposing　other　sites　for　them？　You　have　no　right　to　do　anything　of　the　sort。〃
　〃Good　Gad；　Peabody；　I　expected　you　would　approve　of　my　mild　methods。〃　Striding　along；　hands　in　his　pockets；　Emerson　glanced　at　me　in　feigned　surprise。　〃I　am　familiar　with　men　of　Albion's　character；　if　I　had　not　offered　them　alternatives；　they　would　simply　have　moved　to　some　other　forbidden　area。　I　can't　put　curses　on　every　site　on　the　West　Bank。〃
　〃But　the　southwest　wadis？　The　Valley　of　the　Queens？〃
　〃The　entrance　to　the　Valley　of　the　Queens；〃　Emerson　corrected。　〃There's　nothing　of　interest　there。　If　they　mount　an　expedition　to　the　southwest　wadis　I　will　be　surprised；　it's　too　far　and　too　unfortable。　Besides；　you　heard　my　condition。　They　will　hire　Soleiman　Hassan　as　their　reis。　I　will　make　sure　he　reports　to　me　the　instant　they　find　anything　…　which　is；　in　my　opinion；　unlikely。　Why　are　you　looking　so　glum；　Vandergelt？〃
　〃I　kinda　hoped　for　more　fireworks；〃　Cyrus　admitted。　〃Don't　count　on　Joe　doing　what　you　told　him；　Emerson。　He　holds　a　grudge　against　people　who　try　to　order　him　around。〃
　〃Bah；〃　said　Emerson。
　〃They　were　very　polite；〃　Jumana　murmured。
　〃Yes；〃　I　said　thoughtfully。
　We　collected　Sennia　and　the　picnic　basket　…　and　a　reluctant　but　dogged　Gargery　…　and　went　on　to　Deir　el　Medina；　where　we　were　forced　to　listen　to　another　lecture；　this　one　from　Daoud。　Selim　had　regaled　him　and　a　select　audience　with　an　edited　version　of　our　recent　adventures；　and　Daoud　was　vibrating　with　indignation。
　We　had　to　apologize　for　leaving　him　behind　and　promise　never　to　do　it　again。
　〃So　Daoud　knows　all　about　it；〃　Cyrus　remarked。　His　voice　was　mild　but　his　expression　was　severe。　The　same　look　of　reproach　marked　Bertie's　features。
　〃You　promised　me；　ma'am；〃　he　began。
　〃My　dear　boy；　you　must　not　take　it　personally。　We　don't　plan　these　things；　you　know；　most　of　them　just　…　well；　they　just　happen。〃
　〃This　one　didn't；〃　Cyrus　said。　〃You　were　in　the　war　zone；　I　got　that　much　from　what　Daoud　said。　Do　you　have　less　confidence　in　us　than　you　do　in　him？〃
　〃My　sentiments　exactly；　ma'am；〃　said　Bertie。
　〃Of　course　not；〃　I　said　heartily。　〃We　will　tell　you　all　about　it　this　evening；　how's　that？〃
　〃Precisely　what　are　we　going　to　tell　them？〃　demanded　Emerson；　after　he　had　succeeded　in　drawing　me　aside。
　I　had　had　a　little　chat　with　Selim　before　we　left　Cairo。　I　knew　Ramses　had　told　him　part　of　the　story；　and　I　felt　fairly　certain　he　had　worked　the　rest　of　it　out。　He　had　known　Sir　Edward　Washington；　he　had　known　a　great　deal　about　Sethos；　he　had　been　present　on　several　occasions　when　we　had　discussed　matters　that　would　enable　a　clever　man；　which　Selim　was；　to　put　the　pieces　together。　So　I　took　him　into　my　confidence；　holding　nothing　back。　If　any　man　deserved　that　confidence；　it　was　he。
　〃Ah；〃　said　Selim；　unsurprised。　〃I　knew　when　I　saw　him　clean…shaven　that　he　must　be　a　kinsman　of　the　Father　of　Curses。　They　are　very　much　alike。　We　do　not　speak　of　this　to　others；　Sitt？〃
　〃Except　for　Ramses　and　Nefret；　you　are　the　only　one　who　knows。　We　do　not　speak　of　it；　even　to　Vandergelt　Effendi。〃
　His　face　brightened　with　gratified　pride。　〃You　can　trust　me；　Sitt　Hakim。〃
　〃I　am　sure　I　can。　But　now　we　must　work　out　what　we　are　to　tell　the　others；　including　Daoud。〃
　I　repeated　the　conversation　to　Emerson；　adding；　〃You　may　be　sure　Selim　produced　a　thrilling　narrative　without　giving　anything　important　away。　Anyhow；　I　am　tired　of　all　this　confounded　secrecy。　The　more　tight…lipped　and　mysterious　we　are；　the　more　suspicious　people　will　be。　A　partial　truth　will　put　them　off　the　track　far　better　than　silence。〃
　〃You　may　be　right；〃　Emerson　agreed。　〃I　will　leave　it　to　you；　then；　my　dear。　What　have　you　done　with　my　field　notes？〃
　I　found　his　notebook　in　the　pile　of　papers　he　had　brought；　and　set　about　erecting　my　little　shelter。
　〃I　must　say　it　looks　rather　pitiful　pared　with　the　Albions's　arrangement；〃　I　remarked　to　Nefret；　who　was　helping　me。
　Nefret　chuckled。　〃Did　you　ever　see　anything　more　ridiculous　than　Mrs。　Albion　in　her　armchair　being　hoisted　aloft　by　those　two　poor　fellows？　God　help　either　of　them　if　he　stumbles　and　spills　her　out。　Mr。　Albion　would　probably　have　him　beheaded。〃
　〃What　did　you　think　of　their　excessive　courtesy　to　Jumana？　That　young　man　is　not　still　under　the　impression　that　he　can　…　er　…　win　her　over；　surely。〃
　〃Surely　not；〃　Nefret　said。　〃They　were　only　trying　to　ingratiate　themselves　with　us；　Mother。　And　they　succeeded。　I'm　like　Cyrus；　I　was　rather　hoping　Father　would　blow　them　to　bits　and　perform　one　of　his　famous　curses。〃
　〃Oh；　were　you？〃　said　Emerson；　appearing　upon　the　scene。　〃I　cannot　imagine　why　everyone　in　this　family　is　under　the　false　impression　that　I　am　a　violent　and　unreasonable　man。　Bring　the　camera；　Nefret；　we　are　about　to　start　on　a　new　section。〃
　　
　FROM　MANUSCRIPT　H
　　
　Emerson　stood　staring　up　at　the　hillside；　his　hand　shading　his　eyes。　He　was；　as　usual；　without　a　hat。
　〃May　I　have　a　moment　of　your　time；　Father？〃　Ramses　asked。
　〃What　the　devil　is　Bertie　doing　up　there？〃
　〃Continuing　his　survey；　I　suppose。　May　I　…〃
　〃Certainly；　my　boy；　certainly。　Something　about　that　new　section？〃
　〃No；　sir。　Something　about　the　Albions。　I　would　be　happy　to　assist　in　whatever　you're　planning；　if　you　care　to　let　me　in　on　it。〃
　Emerson's　eyes　shifted　warily　from　side　to　side；　around；　and　behind。　〃Promise　you　won't　tell　your　mother？〃
　〃I'll　try　not　to。　But　you　know　how　she　…〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　I　do　know。　But　this　time；　by　Gad；　I　think　I'm　one　step　ahead　of　her。　e　over　here　where　she　can't　hear　us。〃
　His　mother　was　two　hundred　feet　away　but　Ramses　let　his　father　draw　him　aside。　〃Well；　sir？〃
　Emerson　took　out　his　pipe。　〃It　struck　me　as　somewhat　strange　that　the　Albions　would　select　that　particular　part　of　the　valley。　There　is　no　more　reason　to　expect　a　big　find　there　than　anywhere　else。　Unless　they　had　a　hint　from　someone。〃
　He　lit　a　match　and　puffed。　〃A　hint　such　as　the　fragment　of　wall　painting？〃　Ramses　asked。　〃Khonsu。　He　is　a　god　and　he　has　human　hands。〃
　〃As　do　many　other　gods；〃　Emerson　said。　〃But　the　Albions；　for　all　Sebastian's　book　learning；　haven't　much　experience；　and　at　the　moment　they　are　at　a　loss　as　to　where　to　look。〃
　〃For　Jamil's　tomb？〃
　〃I　see　the　idea　does　not　surprise　you。　What　made　you　think　of　it？〃
　〃I　don't　like　the　Albions；〃　Ramses　said。　〃Any　of　them。〃
　〃I　am　glad　to　see　you　are　beginning　to　trust　your　instincts；〃　his　father　said　approvingly。
　〃As　Mother　would　say　…〃　Emerson's　scowl　made　him　abandon　that　thought。　〃I　don't　like　their　behavior　toward　Jumana；〃　Ramses　elaborated。　〃Their　attitude　toward　Egyptians　is　characteristic　of　their　class　and　nationality　…　bigoted　and　prejudiced；　in　other　words。　After　his　initial　blunder　Sebastian　has　leaned　over　backward　to　be　polite　to　her。　Nefret　thinks　it　is　because　they　hope　to　ingratiate　themselves　with　us；　but　there　could　be　another　reason。〃
　His　father　nodded。　〃Go　on。〃
　〃Let's　go　at　it　from　another　direction。　Jamil　was　getting　financial　support　from　someone。　We　assumed　it　was　Yusuf；　but　there　were　those　interesting　items　of　European　manufacture　among　his　supplies。　The　Albions　asked　you　to　introduce　them　to　a　few　tomb　robbers。　I　don't　believe　it　was　a　joke。　They　had　been　asking　around　Gurneh；　and　Albion　ment