anner.themummy-第28节

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vier。　She　felt　chilled　suddenly。
　
　〃But　this　mausoleum；〃　　he　said；　collecting　himself；　folding　his　arms　and　stepping　back　now　as　if　he　meant　to　say　what　he　had　to　say。〃　It　was　a　grand　structure。　It　was　large　and　beautiful　and　covered　with　marble。〃
　
　〃So　the　ancient　writers　tell　us。　But　it　is　gone。　Alexandria　contains　no　trace　of　it。　No　one　knows　where　it　stood。〃
　
　He　looked　at　her　in　silence。〃　I　know；　of　course；〃　　he　said。
　
　He　walked　away　from　her　down　the　pavement。　He　stopped　under　the　street　lamp　and　gazed　up　into　the　dim　yellow　incandescent　light。　Tentatively；　she　followed。　Finally　he　turned　to　her；　and　put　out　his　hand　for　her　and　drew　her　close。
　
　〃You　feel　my　pain；〃　　he　said　calmly。〃　Yet　you　know　so　little　of　me。　What　do　I　seem　to　you？〃
　
　She　reflected。〃　A　man；〃　　she　said。〃　A　beautiful　and　strong　man。　A　man　who　suffers　as　we　all　suffer。　And　I　know　things　。。。　because　you　wrote　them　down　yourself　and　you　left　the　scrolls　there。〃
　
　Impossible　to　tell　if　this　pleased　him。
　
　〃And　your　father　read　these　things；　too；〃　　he　said。
　
　〃Yes。　He　made　some　translations。〃
　
　〃I　watched　him；〃　　he　whispered。
　
　〃Was　it　true　what　you　wrote？〃
　
　〃Why　should　I　lie？〃
　
　Suddenly　he　moved　to　kiss　her；　and　again　she　backed　off。
　
　〃Ah；　but　you　choose　the　oddest　moments　for　your　little　advances；〃　　she　said　breathlessly。〃　We　were　talking　of　。。。　of　tragedy；　were　we　not？〃
　
　〃Of　loneliness；　perhaps；　and　folly。　And　the　things　grief　drives　one　to　do。〃
　
　His　expression　was　softening。　There　was　that　playfulness　again；　that　smile。
　
　〃Your　temples　are　in　Egypt。　They　still　stand；〃　　she　said。〃　The　Ramasseum；　at　Luxor。　Abu　Simbel。　Oh；　these　aren't　the　names　by　which　you　know　them。　Your　colossal　statues！　Statues　all　the　world　has　seen。　English　poets　have　written　of　them。　Great　generals　have　journeyed　to　see　them。　I've　walked　past　them；　laid　my　hands　on　them。　I've　stood　in　your　ancient　halls。〃
　
　He　continued　to　smile。〃　And　now　I　walk　these　modern　streets　with　you。〃
　
　〃And　it　fills　you　with　joy　to　do　it。〃
　
　〃Yes；　that　is　very　true。　My　temples　were　old　before　I　ever　closed　my　eyes。　But　the　mausoleum　of　Cleopatra　had　only　just　been　built。〃　　He　broke　off；　letting　go　her　hand。〃　Ah；　it　is　like　yesterday　to　me；　you　see。　Yet　it　is　dreamlike　and　distant。　Somehow　I　felt　the　passage　of　the　centuries　as　I　slept。　My　spirit　grew　as　I　slept。〃
　
　She　thought　of　the　words　in　her　father's　translation。
　
　〃What　did　you　dream；　Ramses？〃
　
　〃Nothing；　my　darling　dear；　that　can　touch　the　wonders　of　this　century！〃　　He　paused。〃　When　we　are　weary；　we　speak　lovingly　of　dreams　as　if　they　embodied　our　true　desires…what　we　would　have　when　that　which　we　do　have　so　sorely　disappoints　us。　But　for　this　wanderer；　the　concrete　world　has　always　been　the　true　object　of　desire。　And　weariness　came　only　when　the　world　seemed　dreamlike。〃
　
　He　stared　off　into　the　driving　rain。　She　let　his　words　sink　in；　trying　in　vain　perhaps　to　grasp　their　full　meaning。　Her　brief　life　had　been　marked　with　just　enough　pain　to　make　her　cherish　what　she　had。　The　death　of　her　mother　years　before　had　made　her　cleave　all　the　more　closely　to　her　father。　She　had　tried　to　love　Alex　Savarell　because　he　wanted　her　to；　and　her　father　hadn't　minded　it。　But　what　she　really　loved　were　ideas；　and　things；　just　as　her　father　had。　Was　that　what　he　meant？　She　wasn't　certain。
　
　〃You　don't　want　to　go　back　to　Egypt；　you　don't　need　to　see　the　old　world　for　yourself？〃　　she　asked。
　
　〃I　am　torn；〃　　he　whispered。
　
　A　gust　of　damp　wind　swept　the　forlorn　pavements；　dry　leaves　scuttered　and　banked　along　the　high　iron　fence。　There　came　a　dim　zinging　from　the　electric　wires　above；　and　Ramses　turned　to　look　at　them。
　
　〃Ever　more　vivid　than　a　dream；〃　　he　whispered；　staring　again　at　the　solitary　yellow　lamp　above　him。〃　I　want　this　time；　my　darling　dear；〃　　he　said。〃　You　forgive　me　if　I　call　you　this？　My　darling　dear？　As　you　called　your　friend；　Alex。〃
　
　〃You　may　call　me　that；〃　　she　said。
　
　For　I　love　you　more　than　I　ever　loved　him！
　
　He　gave　her　one　of　those　warm；　generous　smiles。　He　came　to　her　with　his　arms　out　and　swept　her　up　off　her　feet；　suddenly。
　
　〃Light　little　Queen；〃　　he　said。
　
　〃Put　me　down；　great　King；〃　　she　whispered。
　
　〃And　why　should　I　do　that？〃
　
　〃Because　I　mand　you　to　do　it。〃
　
　He　obeyed。　He　set　her　down　gently　and　gave　her　a　deep　bow。
　
　〃And　now　where　do　we　go；　my　Queen；　home　to　the　palace　of　Stratford；　in　the　region　of　Mayfair；　in　the　land　of　London；　England；　lately　known　as　Britannia？〃
　
　〃Yes；　we　do；　because　I　am　weary　to　the　bone。〃
　
　〃Yes；　and　I　must　study　in　your　father's　library；　if　you　permit。　I　must　read　the　books　now　to　'put　in　order；'　as　you　say；　the　things　you've　shown　me。〃
　
　Not　a　sound　in　the　house。　Where　had　the　girl　gone？　The　coffee　Samir　had　finally　accepted　was　now　quite　cold。　He　could　not　drink　this　watery　brew。　He　had　not　wanted　it　in　the　first　place。
　
　He　had　stared　fixedly　at　the　mummy　case　for　over　an　hour；　it　seemed；　the　clock　chiming　twice　in　the　hallway；　an　occasional　pair　of　headlights　piercing　the　lace　curtains　and　sweeping　this　high…ceilinged　large　room；　and　firing　the　mummy's　gold　face　with　life　for　an　eerie　instant。
　
　Suddenly　he　rose。　He　could　hear　the　creak　of　the　floor　beneath　the　carpet。　He　walked　slowly　towards　the　case。　Lift　it。　And　you　will　know。　Lift　it。　Imagine。　Could　it　be　empty？
　
　He　reached　out　for　the　gilded　wood；　his　hands　poised；　trembling。
　
　〃I　wouldn't　do　that；　sir！〃
　
　Ah；　the　girl。　The　girl　again　in　the　hallway　with　her　hands　clasped；　the　girl　very　afraid；　but　of　what？
　
　〃Miss　Julie　would　be　so　angry。〃
　
　He　could　think　of　nothing　to　say。　He　gave　an　awkward　little　nod；　and　went　back　to　the　sofa。
　
　〃Perhaps　tomorrow　you　should　e；〃　　she　said。
　
　〃No。　I　must　see　her　tonight。〃
　
　〃But；　sir；　it's　so　very　late。〃
　
　The　clop　of　a　horse　outside；　the　low　creak　of　the　hansom's　wheels。　He　heard　a　sudden　little　laugh；　very　feint；　but　he　knew　it　was　Julie。
　
　Rita　hurried　to　the　door　and　drew　back　the　both。　He　stared　speechless　as　the　pair　entered　the　room；　Julie；　radiant；　her　hair　studded　with　sparkling　droplets　of　rain；　and　a　man；　a　tall；　splendid…looking　man；　with　dark　brown　hair　and　glittering　blue　eyes；　beside　her。
　
　Julie　spoke　to　him。　She　said　his　name。　But　it　did　not　register。
　
　He　could　not　take　his　eyes　off　this　man。　The　skin　was　pale；　flawless。　And　the　features　exquisitely　moulded。　But　the　spirit　inhabiting　the　man　was　the　overwhelming　characteristic。　The　man　exuded　strength　and　a　sudden　wanness　that　was　almost　chilling。
　
　〃I　only　wanted　to　。。。　to　look　in　on　you；〃　　he　said　to　Julie　without　so　much　as　glancing　at　her。　'　To　see　that　you　were　well。　I　worry　on　your　account。　。。。〃
　
　His　voice　trailed　off。
　
　〃Ah；　I　know　who　you　are！〃　　said　the　man　suddenly；　in　a　faultless　British　accent。〃　You　are　Lawrence's　friend；　are　you　not？　Your　name　is　Samir。〃
　
　〃We　have　met？〃　　Samir　said。〃　I　do　not　remember。〃
　
　His　eyes　moved　tentatively　over　the　figure　that　approached　him　now；　and　suddenly　he　was　staring　fixedly　at　the　outstretched　hand；　at　the　ruby　ring；　and　the　ring　with　the　cartouche　of　Ramses　the　Great；　and　it　seemed　the　room　had　bee　quite　unreal；　that　the　voices　speaking　to　him　were　making　no　sense；　and　that　there　was　no　necessity　to　answer。
　
　The　ring　he　had　seen　through　the　mummy's　wrappings！　There　was　no　mistake。　He　could　not　make　such　a　mistake。　And　what　was　Julie　saying　that　could　possibly　matter　now？　Words　so　politely　spoken；　but　all　lies；　and　this　being　was　staring　back　at　him；　knowing　full　well　that　he　recognized　the　ring；　knowing　full　well　that　words　just　didn't　matter。
　
　〃I　hope　Henry　didn't　run　to　you　with　that　nonsense　of　his。。。〃　　Yes；　that　was　the　meaning。
　
　But　it　was　not　nonsense　at　all。　And　slowly　he　shifted　his　gaze　and　forced　himself　to　see　for　himself　that　she　was　safe　and　sound　and　sane。　Then　he　closed　his　eyes；　and　when　he　opened　them　again；　he　looked　not　at　the　ring　but　at　the　King's　face；　at　the　steady　blue　eyes　which　understood　everything。
　
　When　he　spoke　to　her　again；　it　was　a　meaningless　murmur：
　
　〃Your　father　would　not　have　wanted　for　you　to　be　unprotected。　Your　father　would　have　wanted　me　to　e。　。。。〃
　
　〃Ah；　but　Samir；　friend　of　Lawrence；〃　　the　other　said；〃　there　is　no　danger　now　to　Julie　Stratford。〃　　And　dropping　suddenly　into　the　ancient　Egyptian　with　an　accent　Samir　had　never　heard：〃　This　woman　is　loved　by　me　and　shall　be　protected　from　all　harm。〃
　
　Stunning；　that　sound。　He　backed　away。　Julie　was　talking　again。　And　again　he　wasn't　listening。　He　had　gone　to　the　mantel　shelf　and　held　on　to　it　now　as　if　he　might　fall。
　
　〃Surely　you　know　the　ancient　tongue　of　the　Pharaohs；　my　friend；〃　　said　the　tall　blue…eyed　man。〃　You　are　Egyptian；　are　you　not？　All　your　life　you　have　studied　it。　You　can　read　it　as　well　as　you　read　Latin　or　Greek。〃
　
　Such　a　carefully　modulated　voice；　it　was　trying　to　dispel　all　fear；　civilized；　courteous。　What　more　could　Samir　have　wanted？
　
　〃Yes；　sir；　you　are　right；〃　　Samir　said。〃　But　I've　never　heard　it　spoken　aloud；　and　the　accent　has　always　been　a