anner.themummy-第23节

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hand　on　his　neck。
　
　No　one　understood　the　danger　he　was　in。　No　one　understood　because　no　one　knew　the　thing's　motive！　Never　mind　the　reason　for　its　filthy　existence！　The　thing　knew　what　he　had　done。　And　that　Reginald　Ramsey…though　he　could　not　entirely　associate　the　man　with　the　filthy　creature　that　had　tried　to　strangle　him…　he　knew　intellectually　they　were　one　and　the　same。　Would　the　man　disappear　into　the　rotted　linen　bandages　again　when　it　came　to　get　him？
　
　God！　He　shuddered　all　over。　He　heard　Daisy　say　something；
　
　and　when　he　looked　up　he　saw　her　standing　by　the　mantel　shelf；　posing；　as　it　were；　in　her　corset　and　silk　stockings；　her　breasts　pouring　over　the　lace　cups　of　the　corset；　her　blond　ringlets　tumbling　onto　her　shoulders。　Ought　to　be　quite　something　to　look　at；　to　touch。　It　meant　nothing。
　
　〃And　you're　telling　me　a　bloomin'　mummy　came　right　out　of　the　mummy　case　and　put　its　bloomin'　hands　around　your　throat！　And　you're　telling　me　it's　got　on　a　bloomin'　robe　and　slippers　and　is　walking　around　the　bloomin1　house！〃
　
　Go　away；　Daisy。　In　his　mind's　eye；　he　saw　himself　taking　the　knife　out　of　his　pocket；　the　knife　with　which　he'd　killed　Sharpies；　and　he　saw　himself　stabbing　Daisy　with　it；　in　the　throat。
　
　The　bell　sounded。　She　wasn't　going　to　the　door　in　that　getup；　was　she？　Perfect　idiot。　What　the　devil　did　he　care！　The　door。　He　shrank　back　in　the　chair；　fumbling　in　his　pocket　for　the　knife。
　
　Flowers。　She　came　back　with　a　big　bouquet　of　flowers；　babbling　about　an　admirer。　He　slumped　back　in　the　chair。　What　was　she　doing？　Staring　at　him　like　that？
　
　〃I　need　a　pistol；〃　　he　said　without　looking　at　her。〃　Surely　one　of　your　guttersnipe　friends　can　get　me　a　pistol？〃
　
　〃I'll　have　nothing　to　do　with　it！〃
　
　〃You'll　do　as　I　tell　you！〃　　he　said。　If　only　she　knew；　he　had　killed　two　men。　He　had　almost　killed　a　woman。　Almost。　And　the　thing　was；　he　would　have　liked　to　hurt　Daisy；　he　would　have　liked　to　see　the　expression　on　her　face　when　the　knife　went　into　her　throat。〃　Now　get　on　the　telephone；〃　　he　said　to　her。〃　Call　that　worthless　brother　of　yours。　I　need　a　pistol　small　enough　to　keep　under　my　coat。〃
　
　Was　she　going　to　cry？
　
　〃Do　as　I　tell　you；〃　　he　said。〃　Now；　I'm　going　to　my　club　to　get　some　of　my　clothing。　If　anyone　calls　here　for　me；　you're　to　say　I'm　staying　there；　do　you　hear？〃
　
　〃You're　in　no　condition　to　go　anywhere！〃
　
　He　struggled　out　of　the　chair；　and　towards　the　door。　The　floor　was　tilting。　He　steadied　himself　on　the　frame。　For　a　long　moment　he　rested　his　forehead　against　it。　He　could　not　remember　a　time　when　he　wasn't　tired；　desperate；　angry。　He　looked　back　at　her。
　
　〃If　I　e　back　here　and　you　haven't　done　what　I　said　。。。〃
　
　〃I'll　do　it；〃　　she　whimpered。　She　threw　the　flowers　down　and　folded　her　arms　and　turned　her　back　to　him　and　bowed　her　head。
　
　Some　instinct；　upon　which　he　had　always　relied　without　question；　told　him　to　temper　it　now。　This　was　the　moment　to　appear　gentle；　almost　affectionate；　though　the　very　sight　of　her　bent　back　infuriated　him；　though　her　sobs　made　him　grit　his　teeth。
　
　〃You　like　this　flat　well　enough；　don't　you；　darling？〃　　he　said。〃　And　you　like　the　champagne　you're　drinking　and　the　furs　you're　wearing。　And　you'll　like　the　motor　car　well　enough　as　soon　as　I　get　it。　But　what　I　need　right　now　is　a　little　loyalty　and　time。〃
　
　He　saw　her　nod。　She　was　turning　around　to　e　to　him。　He　went　down　the　hall　and　out　the　door。
　
　Henry's　trunk　had　just　been　taken　away。
　
　Julie　stood　at　the　window　watching　the　awkward；　noisy　German　motorcar　move　out　of　sight　down　the　street。　In　her　heart　of　hearts；　she　did　not　know　what　to　do　about　Henry。
　
　To　call　the　authorities　at　this　point　was　unthinkable。　Not　only　was　there　no　explainable　witness　to　what　Henry　had　done；　but　the　thought　of　wounding　Randolph　was　more　than　Julie　could　bear。
　
　Randolph　was　innocent。　She　knew　it　instinctively。　And　she　knew　as　well　that　knowledge　of　Henry's　guilt　would　be　the　final　blow　for　Randolph。　She　would　lose　her　uncle　as　she　had　lost　her　father。　And　though　her　uncle　had　never　been　the　man　her　father　was；　he　was　her　flesh　and　blood；　and　she　loved　him　very　much。
　
　Dimly；　she　remembered　Henry's　words　to　her　this　morning。〃　We　are　all　you　have。〃　　She　found　herself　paralysed　with　hurt；　on　the　verge　of　tears　again。
　
　A　footstep　on　the　stairs　interrupted　her。　She　turned。　And　she　saw　the　one　person　in　the　world　who　could　sweep　away　this　burden；　even　for　a　little　while。
　
　She　had　dressed　very　carefully　for　this　moment。　Telling　herself　that　everything　she　did　was　an　education　for　her　honoured　guest；　she　had　chosen　the　most　exquisite　suit　she　owned；　her　best　black…brimmed　hat　with　silk　flowers；　and　gloves；　of　course；　all　this　to　acquaint　him　with　the　fashions　of　the　time。
　
　But　she　had　also　wanted　to　look　beautiful　for　him；　And　she　knew　that　the　burgundy　wool　flattered　her。　Her　heart　was　knocking　again　as　she　saw　him　e　down　the　stairs。
　
　In　fact；　her　breath　left　her　altogether　as　he　stepped　into　the　front　hall　and　looked　down　at　her；　ing　perilously　close　to　her　as　if　he　meant　to　kiss　her。
　
　She　did　not　step　back。
　
　He　had　done　well　with　her　father's　wardrobe。　Dark　socks　and　shoes　perfect。　Shirt　buttoned　properly。　Silk　tie　knotted　rather　eccentrically　but　quite　beautiful。　Even　the　cuff　links　were　properly　done。　In　fact；　he　was　disturbingly　handsome　in　the　silk　waistcoat；　sleek　black　frock　coat　and　gray　wool　flannel　trousers　he　wore。　Only　the　cashmere　scarf　was　all　wrong。　He　had　tied　it　as　a　sash　about　his　waist　as　an　old…fashioned　soldier　might　have　done。
　
　〃May　I？〃　　she　asked　as　she　removed　it；　and　then　slipped　it　over　his　head　and　around　his　neck；　inside　the　coat。　She　smoothed　it　carefully；　trying　not　to　be　overpowered　by　him；　by　his　blue　eyes　looking　down　at　her　intently；　and　that　strange　philosophical　smile。
　
　Now　came　the　big　adventure。　They　were　going　out　together。　She　was　going　to　show　Ramses　the　Great　the　twentieth　century。　This　was　the　most　exciting　moment　she　had　ever　known。
　
　He　caught　her　hand　as　she　opened　the　door。　He　drew　her　to　him　swiftly。　Again；　it　was　as　if　he　were　going　to　kiss　her；　and　her　excitement　turned　suddenly　to　fear。
　
　He　felt　it；　he　stopped；　holding　her　hand　a　little　more　loosely；　a　little　more　gently。　And　then　he　bent　and　kissed　it　reverently。　And　gave　her　a　very　mischievous　little　smile。
　
　How　in　God's　name　was　she　going　to　resist　him！
　
　〃e；　let's　go。　The　world　waits！〃　　she　said。　There　was　a　hansom　ing　along　right　now。　She　waved　quickly；　and　men　gave　him　a　little　tug。
　
　He　had　stopped。　He　was　looking　up　and　down　the　broad　expanse　of　street　at　all　the　many　houses　with　their　iron　railings　and　massive　doors；　and　lace　curtains；　and　the　chimney　pots　smoking　above。
　
　How　vital；　how　passionate；　how　full　of　sheer　lust　for　it　all　he　appeared。　With　a　spring　in　his　step　he　came　after　her；　and　climbed　into　the　back　of　the　little　cab。
　
　It　occurred　to　her　that　never　in　her　life　had　she　seen　even　a　smattering　of　that　passion　in　her　beloved　Alex。　It　made　her　sad　for　an　instant；　not　because　she　was　really　thinking　about　Alex；　but　because　she　had　the　first　inkling　of　how　her　old　world　was　fading；　of　how　things　were　never；　never　going　to　be　the　same。
　
　Samir's　office　at　the　British　Museum　was　small；　packed　with　books；　and　overcrowded　perhaps　by　the　large　desk　and　the　two　leather　chairs。　But　Elliott　found　it　fortable　enough。　And　thank　God　the　little　coal　fire　kept　it　very　warm。
　
　〃Well；　I'm　not　sure　that　I　can　tell　you　that　much；〃　　Samir　said。〃　Lawrence　had　only　translated　a　fragment：　the　Pharaoh　claimed　to　be　immortal。　He　had　roamed　the　world；　it　seems；　since　the　end　of　his　official　reign。　He'd　lived　among　peoples　the　ancient　Egyptians　didn't　know　existed。　He　claimed　to　have　been　in　Athens　for　two　centuries；　to　have　lived　in　Rome。　Finally　he　retreated　to　a　tomb　from　which　only　the　royal　families　of　Egypt　could　call　him。　Certain　priests　knew　the　secret。　It　had　bee　a　legend　by　Cleopatra's　time。　But　apparently　the　young　Queen　believed。〃
　
　〃And　she　did　whatever　was　necessary　to　awaken　him。〃
　
　〃So　he　wrote。　And　he　fell　deeply　in　love　with　her；　approving　her　liaison　with　Caesar　in　the　name　of　necessity　and　experience；　but　not　with　Mark　Antony。　This　embittered　him；　Lawrence　said。　There　was　nothing　there　to　contradict　our　history。　He　condemned　Antony　and　Cleopatra　for　their　excesses　and　their　bad　judgment　just　as　we　have　done。〃
　
　〃Did　Lawrence　believe　the　story？　Did　he　have　any　theory…〃
　
　〃Lawrence　was　deliriously　happy　with　the　mystery。　Such　an　inprehensible　bination　of　artifacts。　Lawrence　would　have　spent　the　rest　of　his　life　trying　to　solve　it。　I　'm　not　sure　what　he　really　believed。〃
　
　Elliott　reflected。　'〃The　mummy；　Samir。　You　examined　it。　You　were　with　Lawrence　when　he　first　opened　the　case。〃
　
　〃Yes。〃
　
　〃Did　you　detect　anything　out　of　the　ordinary？〃
　
　〃My　Lord；　you've　seen　a　thousand　such　mummies。　The　baffling　part　was　the　writing；　the　mand　of　languages；　and；　of　course；　the　mummy　case。〃
　
　〃Well；　I　have　a　little　story　to　tell　you；〃　　Elliott　said。〃　According　to　our　mutual　friend　and　acquaintance　Henry　Stra