elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第92节

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　〃Father；　if　you　please；〃　Ramses　said。　〃Bertie；　you　have　the　floor。〃　He　added；　with　a　grin；　〃Make　the　most　of　it。〃
　〃Oh；　well；〃　Bertie　said；　blushing。　〃It　was　an　accident；　really；　you　know。　I　sat　here　for　days　with　my　foot　up　and　nothing　much　to　do　but　stare　at　the　scenery。　I　got　to　know　it　pretty　well。　Look　up　there。〃
　He　pointed。
　Straight　ahead；　the　walls　of　the　temple　occupied　the　opening　of　the　little　valley；　with　the　fields　and　the　river　stretching　out　to　the　north　and　the　cliffs　rising　up　on　either　side。　The　ruined　tombs　of　the　workers　were　scattered　along　the　western　slope。　Bertie's　extended　arm　indicated　the　highest　point；　to　the　left　of　the　temple。　We　stared　in　silent　bewilderment　for　a　time。　We　were　all　looking　for　a　sculpture　…　the　figure　of　a　god；　weathered　by　time；　shaped　by　the　hand　of　man。
　A　divinity　had　shaped　it　…　nature　herself。　As　I　have　had　occasion　to　mention；　the　rock　formations　of　the　western　mountains　assume　bizarre　forms。　This　might　have　been　a　giant　fist；　gripping　the　crest　of　the　hill　…　four　regular；　rounded；　parallel　shapes；　with　a　small　spur　of　rock　next　to　them　like　the　end　of　a　thumb。　It　was　a　prominent　landmark；　rising　high　above　the　lower；　less　precipitous　part　of　the　hillside；　and　once　the　eye　had　defined　it　the　resemblance　was　unmistakable。
　〃There！〃　I　exclaimed　in　wonderment。　〃Emerson；　do　you　see？〃
　Emerson　removed　his　pith　helmet　and　flung　it　onto　the　ground。　I　gave　him　a　warning　frown　and　a　little　poke。　It　was　sufficient；　his　better　nature　triumphed　over　envy。　〃Well；　well；〃　he　said　hoarsely。　〃Hmph。　That　is　…　congratulations；　Vandergelt。〃
　Cyrus　slapped　him　on　the　back。　〃It　belongs　to　both　of　us；　old　pal。　All　of　us；　I　should　say。〃
　〃No；　no。〃　Emerson　drew　himself　up。　〃We　made　an　agreement；　Vandergelt。　The　tombs　of　Deir　el　Medina　are　yours；　and　it　was　Bertie　who　found　this　one。　Congratulations；　I　say。〃
　Never　had　I　admired　my　dear　Emerson　more。　He　looked　so　noble；　his　shoulders　thrown　back　and　his　tanned　face　wearing　a　strained　smile；　it　was　all　I　could　do　not　to　embrace　him。　Cyrus　was　equally　moved。　He　took　out　his　handkerchief　and　blew　his　nose。
　〃That's　darned　decent　of　you；　Emerson。　But　no　more　than　I　expected。〃
　〃And　no　less　than　you　deserve；〃　Emerson　said　gruffly。　〃So　where　is　the　damned　tomb？〃
　〃In　that　crack　between　the　first　and　second　fingers；〃　Bertie　said。　〃It　took　us　several　days　…　nights；　I　should　say　…　to　find　it。　Fortunately　the　moon　has　been　full。　We　haven't　been　inside。　We　thought　Cyrus　ought　to　have　the　privilege；〃　he　added；　wincing　as　Cyrus　seized　his　hand　and　wrung　it　vigorously。
　〃Are　you　sure　the　passage　is　open？〃　I　asked。　〃I　know　Jamil　has　been　in　and　out　of　the　place；　but　he　is　…　was　…　slightly　built　and　agile　and　foolhardy。〃
　Naturally　the　men　ignored　this　sensible　ment。　Emerson's　eyes　glittered　like　sapphires。　〃What　are　we　waiting　for？　Let's　go！〃
　We　restrained　Emerson　while　we　discussed　the　best　way　to　proceed。　Bertie　explained　how　he　and　Jumana　had　managed　it；　scaling　the　cliff　and　lowering　themselves　from　above　by　means　of　a　rope。　Emerson　was　pleased　to　approve　this　plan；　though　if　I　had　not　kept　hold　of　him　he　would　have　started　straight　up　the　sheerest　part　of　the　cliff。
　We　all　went；　of　course；　including　Selim　and　Daoud。　Their　assistance　was　invaluable；　for　it　was　a　tricky　climb。　When　we　stood　atop　the　rounded　〃finger〃　looking　down；　I　addressed　Jumana；　who　had　stuck　to　me　like　a　burr。
　〃You　did　this　at　night？　Really；　my　dear；　was　that　wise？　You　ought　to　have　told　the　Professor；　or　Cyrus；　of　your　theory。〃
　Bertie　overheard。　〃It　was　my　fault；　Mrs。　Emerson。　I　wanted　to　be　sure　before　I　told　anyone。　I　didn't　mean　to　tell　Jumana　either；　but　I　asked　too　many　questions　…　about　the　terrain　here；　and　whether　Jamil　had　explored　this　area　…　and　she　wrung　it　out　of　me。〃
　He　turned　to　respond　to　Emerson；　and　Jumana　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃He　would　have　searched　alone。　It　was　too　dangerous。〃
　〃It　certainly　would　have　been；〃　I　agreed。　〃I　am　surprised　he　allowed　you　to　acpany　him。〃
　〃He　said　I　could　not。　So；〃　said　Jumana　coolly；　〃I　told　him　that　you　and　Nefret　do　not　let　Ramses　and　the　Professor　stop　you　from　doing　what　you　want；　and　I　was　trying　to　be　like　you。　But　you　see　why　I　could　not　speak　before。　He　trusted　me；　and　I　had　…　I　had　been　unkind　and　unfair　to　him。〃
　〃Ah；〃　I　said　somewhat　uneasily。　〃So　you　think　well　of　him；　do　you？〃
　She　met　my　eyes　directly　and　with　no　sign　of　self…consciousness。　〃He　is　a　good　man。　We　are　friends；　I　hope。〃
　I　hoped　so　too。
　　
　Watching　Daoud　knot　the　rope　round　Cyrus's　waist；　I　issued　a　final　order。　〃Cyrus；　stop　at　once　and　e　back　if　the　passage　bees　too　narrow　or　the　ceiling　looks　unstable　or　…〃
　〃Sure；　Amelia。　Lower　away；　Daoud。〃
　〃You　shouldn't　have　allowed　him　to　go　first；　Emerson；〃　I　scolded；　as　Cyrus's　body　disappeared　into　the　crevice。
　〃My　dear　Peabody；　how　could　I　deprive　him　of　a　moment　he　has　waited　for　his　whole　life？　If　he　died　in　the　attempt；　he　would　die　happy。　That；〃　Emerson　added　quickly；　〃was　only　a　figure　of　speech。　Nothing　is　going　to　happen。　But　…　er　…　well；　perhaps　I　ought　to　follow　him。〃
　〃Not　with　one　arm；　Emerson！〃
　〃They　will　have　to　lower　me；　that's　all；〃　said　Emerson；　his　chin　protruding　in　a　manner　that　made　remonstrance　useless。　〃We've　another　rope；　haven't　we？〃
　〃It　will　be　a　tight　fit；〃　Bertie　warned。　〃There's　a　roughish　platform；　about　five　feet　square；　with　the　passage　going　off　into　the　cliff　at　a　right　angle。　It's　partially　filled　with　…〃
　〃Plenty　of　room；〃　said　Emerson；　tossing　one　end　of　the　rope　to　Selim　and　trying　to　knot　the　other　end　round　his　waist。
　I　said；　〃Oh；　curse　it；〃　and　tied　the　knot　myself。　Then　I　lay　flat　on　the　ground　peering　down　into　the　crevice　as　Emerson　was　lowered。
　With　the　rope　anchored　and　held　by　both　Selim　and　Ramses；　I　was　not　afraid　Emerson　would　fall。　I　was　afraid　he　would　try　to　crawl　into　the　narrow　passage　and　get　stuck　like　a　cork　in　a　bottle。　It　was　quite　dark　down　there　except　for　the　limited　light　of　Emerson's　torch。　I　could　see　very　little；　and　the　auditory　sense　was　not　of　much　help　either；　thanks　to　the　echoes　that　distorted　every　sound。　The　rope　went　loose　and　Emerson　yelled　something；　and　I　let　out　a　small　exclamation。
　〃It's　all　right；　Mother；〃　Ramses　said。　〃He's　reached　the　platform。〃
　〃He　won't　be　able　to　get　through　the　passage；〃　I　muttered。　〃He's　twice　the　size　of　Jamil。〃
　〃He'll　get　through；〃　Ramses　said；　passing　his　sleeve　over　his　perspiring　face。　〃If　he　has　to　dig　the　fill　out　with　his　bare　hands。　One　bare　hand。〃
　I　could　hear　him　doing　it。　Loose　rock　began　falling　from　the　bottom　of　the　cleft；　rattling　down　the　hillside。　It　slowed　and　stopped。　After　that　there　was　nothing　but　silence；　until　a　call　from　Cyrus　brought　us　all　to　our　feet。　Daoud　seized　the　rope　and　pulled　with　all　his　might。　As　soon　as　Cyrus's　head　appeared　we　fell　on　him　and　dragged　him　out。
　〃Well？〃　I　cried。
　Cyrus　shook　his　head。　His　lips　moved；　but　no　words　emerged。　Tears　ran　down　his　face。　His　eyes　were　red…rimmed。
　〃Dust；〃　said　my　practical　son。　He　handed　Cyrus　the　water　bottle；　and　then　leaped　for　the　other　rope　as　it　tightened。　With　Daoud's　help　they　soon　had　Emerson　up；　he　hadn't　even　bothered　tying　the　rope　round　his　body；　but　was　holding　on　with　one　hand。　We　hauled　him　over　the　edge　and　he　staggered　to　his　feet；　blinking　bloodshot　eyes。
　〃There　are　four　coffins；〃　he　gasped。　〃Four。　Four　of　everything；　packed　into　that　room　from　floor　to　ceiling　and　side　to　side。　Four　sets　of　canopic　jars；　four　gold…inlaid　boxes；　four　funerary　papyri；　four　hundred　ushebtis；　four　thousand　…〃
　Cyrus　began　jumping　up　and　down　and　waving　his　arms。　〃The　God's　Wives；〃　he　bellowed。　〃Four！　I　never　thought　I'd　live　to　see　this　day！　If　I　were　struck　dead　tonight；　I'd　be　the　happiest　man　alive。〃
　〃No；　you　wouldn't；〃　I　said；　catching　hold　of　him。　〃You　would　be　dead。　And　you　will　be；　if　you　fall　off　the　cliff。〃
　I　wanted　to　take　Emerson　home；　he　had　ruined　another　shirt　squeezing　through　those　tight　spaces；　and　banged　his　head；　and　scraped　most　of　the　skin　off　both　hands　and　cracked　the　cast。　Cyrus　was　in　little　better　case；　but　neither　of　them　heard　a　word　I　said；　they　kept　shouting　enthusiastically　at　each　other　and　shaking　hands。　I　consigned　them　both　to　the　devil　（they　didn't　hear　that　either）　and　concluded　I　was　entitled　to　satisfy　my　own　curiosity。
　We　went　down　in　turn；　two　at　a　time　for　safety's　sake：　Jumana　and　Bertie；　Ramses　and　I；　Selim　and　Daoud。　Emerson　offered　to　take　Nefret；　but　she　said　she　believed　she　would　wait。　The　procedure　was　somewhat　unfortable　…　crawling　on　hands　and　knees　over　rough　fragments　of　stone；　with　dust　choking　one's　mouth　and　an　occasional　bat　squeaking　past　overhead；　but　the　sight　was　so　incredible　I　would　not　have　wanted　to　miss　it。
　The　opening　of　the　chamber　had　been　closed　with　mortared　blocks。　Jamil　had　removed　the　upper　layers；　stacking　the　stones　along　the　passage；　which　made　the　last　few　feet　something　of　a　squeeze。　Looking　in；　I　saw　at　first　only　a　dazzle　of　gold。　It　was　the　end　of　an　anthropoid　coffin；　inlaid　with　glass　and　semiprecious　stones。　Packed　all　around　it　were　smaller　objects：　woven　baskets；　caskets　of　ebony　and　cedar；　tattered　fragments　of　papyrus　and　linen。　Jamil　had　r