anner.themummy-第30节

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　This　was　not　a　transcript　of　the　material　in　Ramses'　scrolls。　Rather　the　paragraph　contained　Lawrence's　private　ments　on　what　he'd　read。
　
　〃Claims　to　have　taken　this　elixir　once　and　once　only。　No　further　infusion　was　required。　Brewed　the　mix　for　Cleopatra；　but　felt　it　was　unsafe　to　discard　it。　Reluctant　to　take　it　into　his　body　for　fear　of　adverse　results。　What　if　all　chemicals　in　this　tomb　are　properly　tested？　What　if　there　is　some　chemical　here　which　has　a　rejuvenating　effect　upon　the　human　body；　and　can　substantially　prolong　life？〃
　
　The　two　lines　in　Egyptian　were　incoherent。　They　said　something　about　magic；　secrets；　natural　ingredients　bined　to　wholly　new　effect。
　
　So　that　is　what　Lawrence　had　believed；　more　or　less。　And　he　had　taken　pains　to　conceal　it　in　the　ancient　languages。　Now　what　did　Elliott　really　believe　about　this　situation？　Especially　in　light　of　Henry's　story　of　the　mummy　ing　to　life？
　
　It　occurred　to　him　again　that　he　was　playing　a　very　dramatic　little　game；　that　belief　is　a　word　we　seldom　thoroughly　examine。　For　example；　he　had　all　his　life〃　believed〃　　in　the　teaching　of　the　Church　of　England。　But　he　did　not　really　for　a　moment　expect　to　enter　a　Christian　heaven　when　he　died；　and　certainly　not　a　Christian　hell。　He　would　not　have　gambled　one　farthing　on　the　existence　of　either。
　
　One　thing　was　most　certain。　If　he　had　actually　seen　the　thing　climb　out　of　the　coffin；　as　Henry　claimed　to　have　done；　he　would　not　be　behaving　like　Henry。　A　man　of　no　imagination；　that　was　Henry。　Perhaps　the　lack　of　imagination　had　always　been　the　tragic　flaw。　It　occurred　to　him　that　Henry　was　a　man　who　did　not　grasp　the　implications　of　things。
　
　Far　from　running　from　this　mystery；　as　Henry　had　chosen　to　do；　Elliott　had　bee　obsessed　with　it。　If　only　he　had　stayed　longer　in　the　Stratford　house；　been　a　little　more　clever。　He　could　have　examined　those　alabaster　jars；　he　could　have　taken　one　of　the　scrolls。　That　poor　little　Rita　would　have　settled　for　just　about　any　explanation。
　
　He　wished　he　had　tried。
　
　He　also　wished　that　his　son；　Alex；　were　not　suffering。　For　that　was　the　only　unpleasant　aspect　of　this　entertaining　mystery　so　far。
　
　Alex　had　been　calling　Julie　all　day。　He　was　in　a　great　state　of　alarm　over　the　guest　in　Julie's　house；　whom　he　had　only　glimpsed　through　the　conservatory　doors…〃an　enormous　man；　well；　very　tall；　anyhow；　with　blue　eyes。　Quite　a　。。。　a　good…looking　fellow；　but　certainly　too　old　to　be　courting　Julie！〃
　
　Then　at　eight　this　evening；　there　had　e　a　call　from　one　of　those　well…meaning　friends　who　make　a　point　of　circulating　rumours　relentlessly。　Julie　had　been　seen　dancing　at　the　Victoria　Hotel　with　a　handsome　and　imposing　stranger。　Were　not　Alex　and　Julie　engaged？　Alex　was　now　beside　himself　with　worry。
　
　Though　he　had　called　Julie　every　hour　upon　the　hour　all　afternoon；　there　had　been　no　response　from　her。　Finally　he　had　begged　his　father　to　intervene。　Could　not　Elliott　get　to　the　bottom　of　this？
　
　Yes。　Elliott　would　get　to　the　bottom　of　this。　In　fact；　Elliott　felt　curiously　enlivened　by　this　entire　development。　Elliott　felt　almost　young；　daydreaming　about　Ramses　the　Great　and　his　elixir　hidden　among　poisons。
　
　He　rose　now　from　his　fortable　chair　by　the　fire；　ignoring　the　familiar　pain　in　his　legs；　and　went　to　his　desk　to　write　a　letter。
　
　Dearest　Julie；
　
　It　has　e　to　my　attention　that　you　are　entertaining　a　guest；　a　friend　of　your　father's；　I　believe。　It　would　give　me　great　pleasure　to　meet　this　gentleman。　Perhaps　I　can　be　of　some　service　to　you　during　his　stay；　and　certainly　would　not　wish　to　miss　such　an　opportunity。
　
　May　I　ask　you　to　join　us　here　tomorrow　night　for　family　dinner。。。
　
　In　a　few　moments　he　had　finished　this　note。　He　put　it　in　an　envelope；　sealed　it；　and　took　it　into　the　front　hall；　where　he　laid　it　in　a　silver　tray　for　his　man；　Walter；　to　deliver　in　the　morning。　Then　he　paused。　Of　course　it　was　what　Alex　wanted　him　to　do。　But　he　knew　that　he　was　not　doing　it　for　Alex。　And　he　knew　that　if　any　such　dinner　took　place　that　Alex　might　be　hurt　even　more　than　he　had　been　already。　On　the　other　hand；　the　sooner　Alex　realized　。。。　He　stopped。　He　did　not　really　know　what　it　was　that　Alex　was　supposed　to　realize。　He　knew　only　that　he　himself　was　inflamed　with　the　mystery　that　was　slowly　unfolding　before　him。
　
　He　limped　uneasily　to　the　hook　behind　the　stairs；　removed　his　heavy　serge　cloak　and　then　went　out　the　side　door　of　the　house　onto　the　street。　There　were　four　motor　cars　parked　there。
　
　But　the　Lancia　Theta　with　the　electric　starter　was　the　only　one　he　ever　drove。　And　a　whole　year　had　passed　during　which　he　had　not　enjoyed　that　extraordinary　pleasure。
　
　It　delighted　him　now　that　he　might　take　the　thing　out　all　alone；　without　having　to　consult　a　groom；　a　coachman；　a　valet　or　a　chauffeur。　What　a　lovely　development；　that　such　a　plex　invention　took　one　back　to　simplicity。
　
　The　worst　of　it　was　easing　himself　onto　the　front　seat；　but　he　managed　it。　Then　he　pressed　down　on　the　starter　pedal；　gave　it　petrol　and　he　was　soon　on　horseback　again；　free；　as　he'd　been　when　he　was　a　young　man；　heading　toward　Mayfair　at　a　gallop。
　
　Leaving　Ramses；　Julie　hurried　up　the　stairs　and　into　her　room；　closing　the　door　behind　her。　For　a　long　moment　she　leaned　against　the　door；　her　eyes　closed。　She　could　hear　Rita　bustling　about。　She　could　smell　the　fragrant　wax　of　the　candles　Rita　always　lighted　by　her　bed。　A　romantic　little　touch　that　Julie　retained　from　her　childhood…before　there　had　been　electric　lights…when　the　smell　of　the　gaslights　had　always　faintly　sickened　her。
　
　She　thought　of　nothing　now　except　all　that　had　happened：　it　filled　her　so　pletely　there　was　no　room　for　true　reflection　or　evaluation。　That　pounding　sense　of　an　all…consuming　adventure　was　the　only　attitude　she　could　rationally　identify　within　herself。　Except　of　course　for　a　physical　attraction　to　Ramses　that　was　acutely　painful。
　
　No；　not　merely　physical。　She　was　falling　in　love　totally。
　
　As　she　opened　her　eyes；　she　saw　the　portrait　of　Alex　on　her　dressing　table。　And　Rita　in　the　shadows；　who　had　just　laid　out　her　nightgown　over　the　lace…covered　counterpane。　Then　gradually　she　became　aware　of　flowers　everywhere。　Bouquets　of　flowers　in　glass　vases　on　the　dressing　table；　on　the　night　tables；　on　her　desk　in　the　corner。
　
　〃From　the　Viscount；　miss；〃　　Rita　said。〃　All　these　bouquets。　I　don't　know　what　he's　going　to　think；　miss；　about　all　this　。。。　these　strange　goings…on。　I　don't　know　what　1　think　myself；　miss。　。。。〃
　
　〃Of　course　you　don't；〃　　Julie　said；〃　but；　Rita；　you　mustn't　tell　a　soul；　you　know　that。〃
　
　〃Who　would　believe　me；　miss！〃　　Rita　said。〃　But　I　don't　understand　it；　miss。　How　did　he　hide　in　that　box？　Why　does　he　eat　all　that　food？〃
　
　For　a　moment　Julie　couldn't　answer。　What　in　the　world　was　Rita　thinking？
　
　〃Rita；　there's　nothing　to　worry　about；〃　　she　said　firmly。　She　took　Rita's　hands　in　hers。〃　Will　you　believe　me　when　I　tell　you　that　he　is　a　good　man；　and　there　is　a　good　explanation　for　everything？〃
　
　Rita　stared　blankly　at　Julie。　Her　small　blue　eyes　grew　very　wide　suddenly。〃　But；　Miss　Julie！〃　　she　whispered。〃　If　he's　a　good　man；　why　did　he　have　to　sneak　into　London　like　that？　And　why　didn't　he　smother　under　all　that　wrapping？〃
　
　Julie　considered　for　a　moment。
　
　〃Rita；　my　father　knew　of　the　plan；〃　　she　said　soberly。〃　He　approved　of　it。〃
　
　Can　we　really　burn　in　hell　for　telling　lies？　Julie　thought。　Especially　lies　that　calm　other　people　immediately？
　
　〃I　might　even　add；〃　　Julie　said；〃　that　the　man　had　a　very　important　purpose　here。　And　only　a　few　people　in　the　government　know　about　it。〃
　
　〃Ohhhh　。。。〃　　Rita　was　dumbfounded。
　
　〃Of　course　a　few　very　important　people　at　Stratford　Shipping　know　as　well；　but　you　mustn't　breathe　a　word。　Especially　not　to　Henry；　or　Uncle　Randolph；　or　Lord　Rutherford　or　anyone　else；　you　see。。。〃
　
　Rita　nodded。〃　Very　well；　miss。　I　didn't　know　it　was　like　that。〃
　
　After　the　door　had　closed；　Julie　started　to　laugh　and　put　her　hand　to　her　mouth　like　a　schoolgirl。　But　the　truth　was；　it　made　perfect　sense。　For　what　Rita　believed；　mad　as　it　seemed；　was　a　great　deal　more　plausible　than　what　had　really　happened。
　
　What　had　really　happened。　She　sat　down　before　her　mirror。　She　began　almost　idly　to　take　the　pins　from　her　hair；　and　her　vision　blurred　as　she　looked　at　her　own　reflection。　She　saw　the　room　as　if　through　a　veil；　she　saw　the　flowers；　she　saw　the　white　lace　curtains　of　her　bed；　she　saw　her　world；　remote；　and　no　longer　important。
　
　She　drifted　slowly　through　the　motions　of　brushing　her　hair；　of　rising；　undressing；　putting　on　her　gown；　and　climbing　under　the　covers。　The　candles　still　burned。　The　room　had　a　soft　lovely　glow。　The　flowers　gave　a　faint　perfume。
　
　Tomorrow　she　would　take　him　to　the　museums；　if　he　wanted。　They　would　take　a　train　perhaps　out　in　the　country。　To　the　Tower　of　London　they　might　go。　Oh；　so　many　things　。。。　so　many；　many　things。。。
　
　And　there　came　that　great　lovely　cessation　of　all　thought；　she　saw　him；　she　saw　herself　and　him　together。
　
　Samir　had　been　sitting　at　his　desk　for　the　better　part　of　an　hour。