anner.themummy-第41节

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　〃Well；〃　　Alex　said。〃　If　you　were　an　immortal…an　immortal　who'd　once　been　a　great　King；　would　you　have　fallen　in　love　with　a　woman　like　Cleopatra？〃
　
　〃Answer　the　question；　Alex；〃　　Julie　said。〃　What　is　your　passion？　It's　not　history；　not　Egyptology；　not　government。　What　would　you　say　it　is　that　makes　you　want　to　wake　up　in　the　morning？〃　　She　could　feel　the　blood　rising　in　her　face。
　
　〃Yes；　I　would　have　fallen　in　love　with　Cleopatra；〃　　said
　
　Ramses。〃　She　could　have　charmed　a　god。　Read　between　the　lines　of　your　Plutarch。　The　truth　is　there。〃
　
　〃And　what　is　the　truth？〃　　Elliott　asked。
　
　〃That　she　was　a　brilliant　mind；　she　had　a　gift　for　languages　and　for　governing　which　defied　reason。　The　greatest　men　of　the　time　paid　court　to　her。　Hers　was　a　royal　soul　in　every　sense　of　the　word。　Why　do　you　think　your　Shakespeare　wrote　about　her？　Why　do　your　schoolchildren　know　her　name？〃
　
　〃Oh；　e　now。　Divine　right？〃　　said　Alex。〃　You　sound　much　better　when　you　are　talking　Marxist　theory。〃
　
　〃Which　is　what；　precisely？〃
　
　〃Alex；〃　　Julie　said　sharply。〃　You　wouldn't　know　a　Marxist　if　one　punched　you　in　the　face。〃
　
　〃You　must　understand；　my　lord；〃　　Samir　said　to　Alex。〃　We　Egyptians　take　our　history　rather　seriously。　Cleopatra　was　by　any　standards　a　formidable　Queen。〃
　
　〃Yes；　well　said；〃　　Ramses　said。〃　And　Egypt　could　use　a　Cleopatra　now　to　rid　it　of　British　domination。　She'd　send　your　soldiers　packing；　you　can　be　sure。〃
　
　〃Ah；　there　you　see；　a　revolutionary。　And　what　about　the　Suez　Canal？　I　suppose　she'd　say　'No；　thank　you'　for　that？　You　do　know　what　the　Suez　Canal　is；　don't　you！　Well；　it　was　British　financing　that　acplished　that　little　miracle；　my　friend；　I　hope　you　understand。〃
　
　〃Oh；　yes；　that　little　trench　you　dug　between　the　Red　Sea　and　the　Mediterranean。　Did　you　whip　the　slaves　in　the　hot　sun　to　dig　that　trench？　Do　tell　me。〃
　
　〃Touché；　old　fellow；　touché。　Truth　is；　I　haven't　the　foggiest　notion。〃　　Alex　put　down　his　fork　and　sat　back；　smiling　at　Henry。〃　This　has　been　the　most　exhausting　dinner。〃
　
　Henry　stared　at　him　with　the　same　expressionless　glassy　eyes　with　which　he　regarded　everything　else。
　
　〃Tell　me；　Mr。　Ramsey；〃　　said　Elliott。〃　Your　personal　opinion；　if　you　will。　Is　this　mummy　truly　Ramses　the　Great？　An　immortal　who　lived　until　the　time　of　Cleopatra？〃
　
　Alex　laughed　softly。　He　looked　again　at　Henry；　and　this　time　apparently　Henry's　condition　shocked　him。　He　was　about　to　say　something　when　Ramses　went　on。
　
　〃And　what　do　you　think；　Lord　Rutherford？〃　　Ramses　asked。〃　You　read　the　notes　of　your　friend　Lawrence。　Is　there　an　immortal　man　in　that　mummy　case　in　Julie's　house　in　Mayfair？〃
　
　Elliott　smiled。〃　No；　there　isn't；〃　　he　said。
　
　Julie　stared　at　her　plate。　Then　slowly　she　looked　up　at　Samir。
　
　〃Of　course　not！〃　　Alex　said。〃　And　it's　about　time　somebody　said　so。　When　they　take　him　to　the　museum　and　cut　him　up；　they'll　discover　he　was　a　scribe　with　a　lively　imagination。〃
　
　〃Forgive　me；〃　　Julie　said。〃　But　I　am　so　weary　of　all　this。　We'll　be　in　Egypt　soon　enough；　among　the　mummies　and　the　monuments。　Must　we　go　on？〃
　
　〃I'm　sorry；　my　dear；〃　　Elliott　said；　lifting　his　fork　and　taking　a　small　morse！　of　chicken。〃　I've　rather　enjoyed　our　conversation；　Mr。　Ramsey。　I　find　your　perspective　on　ancient　Egypt　absolutely　riveting。〃
　
　〃Oh？　The　present　era　is　my　fascination　of　late；　Lord　Rutherford。　Englishmen　such　as　yourself　intrigue　me。　And　as　you　were　saying；　you　were　a　good　friend　of　Lawrence；　were　you　not？〃
　
　Julie　saw　the　change　in　Henry　before　she　realized　that　Ramses　was　once　again　glaring　at　him。　Henry　shifted；　lifted　the　empty　glass　in　his　hand；　then　realized　it　was　empty　and　stared　at　it　as　if　he　did　not　know　what　to　do　with　it；　and　then　stared　just　as　stupidly　at　the　waiter　who　took　it　from　him　and　gave　him　another　drink。
　
　If　Elliott　noticed　all　this；　he　gave　no　sign。
　
　〃We　had　our　differences；　Lawrence　and　I；〃　　he　answered；〃　but　yes；　we　were　very　good　friends。　And　we　did　agree　upon　one　thing。　We　hoped　mat　our　children　would　soon　be　happily　married。〃
　
　Julie　was　stunned。〃　Elliott；　please。〃
　
　〃But　we　needn't　discuss　this；　you　and　I；〃　　Elliott　said　quickly。　Obviously　rudeness　wasn't　easy　for　him。〃　There　are　other　things　I　should　like　to　discuss　with　you。　Where　you　came　from；　who　you　really　are。　All　those　same　questions　I　ask　myself　when　I　look　into　the　mirror。〃
　
　Ramses　laughed；　but　he　was　now　angry。　Julie　could　feel　it。
　
　〃You'll　probably　find　my　answers　brief　and　disappointing。　As　for　the　marriage　of　Julie　to　your　son；　Lawrence　believed　it　was　Julie's　choice。　Let　me　see。　How　did　he　put　it？〃　　He　turned　his　eyes　on　Henry　again。〃　English　is　rather　new　to　me；　but　my　memory　is　exceptional。　Ah；　yes。　'Julie's　marriage　can　wait　forever。'　My　dear　Henry；　were　those　not　the　words？〃
　
　Henry's　lips　worked　silently；　but　only　a　faint　moan　came　out　of　his　lips。　Alex　was　red…faced；　hurt；　looking　at　Ramses。　Julie　had　to　do　something　to　stop　this；　but　what？
　
　〃Well；　you　certainly　do　seem　to　have　been　a　close　friend　of　Julie's　father；〃　　Alex　said　almost　sadly。〃　Closer　perhaps　than　we　realized。　Was　there　anything　else　that　Lawrence　made　known　to　you　before　he　died？〃
　
　Poor；　poor　Alex！　But　this　was　all　aimed　at　Henry；　and　in　another　moment　things　were　going　to　explode。
　
　〃Yes；〃　　Ramses　said。　Julie　grabbed　his　hand　and　squeezed　it；　but　he　did　not　acknowledge　this。〃　Yes；　that　he　thought　his　nephew　was　a　bastard。〃　　Again　he　glared　at　Henry。〃　Am　I　right？　'You　bastard。'　Weren't　those　his　last　words？〃
　
　Henry　rose　from　the　chair；　upsetting　it。　He　stumbled　backwards　as　the　chair　went　over　with　a　thud　on　the　carpeted　floor。　He　stared　at　Ramses；　his　mouth　open；　a　low　sound　ing　from　him；　half　gasp；　half　moan。
　
　〃Good　God；〃　　said　Alex。〃　Mr。　Ramsey；　you　go　too　far。〃
　
　〃Do　I？〃　　asked　Ramses；　watching　Henry。
　
　〃Henry；　you're　drunk；　old　man；〃　　Alex　said。〃　I　should　help　you　to　your　room。〃
　
　〃Please　do　not　do　this；〃　　Julie　whispered。　Elliott　was　studying　both　of　them。　He　had　not　so　much　as　looked　up　at　Henry；　who　turned　now　and　half　stumbled　towards　the　far　door。
　
　Alex　stared　at　his　plate；　his　face　reddening。
　
　〃Mr。　Ramsey；　I　think　there's　something　you　must　understand；〃　　Alex　said。
　
　〃What　is　that；　young　man？〃
　
　〃Julie's　father　was　plainspoken　with　those　he　loved。〃　　Then　something　dawned　on　him。〃　But　。。。　you　weren't　there　when　he　died；　were　you？　I　thought　Henry　was　with　him。　Alone。〃
　
　Elliot　was　silent。
　
　〃My；　but　this　is　going　to　be　a　very　interesting　trip；〃　　Alex　said　lamely。〃　I　must　confess…〃
　
　〃It's　going　to　be　a　disaster！〃　　Julie　said。　She　could　take　this　no　more。〃　Now；　listen　to　me。　All　of　you。　I　don't　want　any　more　talk　of　marriage；　or　of　my　father's　death。　I've　had　quite　enough　of　both。〃　　She　rose　to　her　feet。〃　You　must　forgive　me；　but　I'm　leaving　you　now。　I'll　be　in　my　cabin　if　you　should　need　me。〃　　She　looked　down　at　Ramses。〃　But　no　more　talk　of　these　things；　is　that　clear？〃
　
　She　gathered　up　her　small　evening　bag　and　walked　slowly　through　the　dining　room；　ignoring　those　who　were　staring。
　
　〃Oh；　this　is　dreadful；〃　　she　heard　Alex　say　behind　her。　And
　
　then　he　was　at　her　side。〃　I　am　so　sorry；　darling；　really！　Things　just　got　out　of　hand。〃
　
　〃I　want　to　go　to　my　room；　I　told　you；〃　　she　said；　walking　faster。
　
　Nightmare。　You　are　going　to　wake　up；　back　in　London；　safe；　and　none　of　this　will　have　happened。　You　did　what　you　had　to　do。　That　creature　is　a　monster　and　must　be　destroyed。
　
　He　stood　at　the　bar　waiting　for　the　Scotch；　which　seemed　to　be　taking　forever；　and　then　he　looked　up　and　saw　him…that　thing；　that　thing　that　wasn't　human；　standing　in　the　door。
　
　〃Never　mind；〃　　he　growled　under　his　breath。　He　turned　and　rushed　through　the　little　carpeted　corridor　to　the　deck。　Slam　of　the　door　behind　him；　the　thing　was　ing　after　him。　He　turned；　his　face　stung　by　the　wind；　and　almost　fell　on　the　narrow　metal　steps。　The　thing　was　only　a　few　feet　away　from　him；　those　big　glassy　blue　eyes　staring　at　him。　He　ran　up　the　steps；　the　wind　working　against　him　as　he　ran　along　the　deserted　deck。
　
　Where　was　he　going？　How　would　he　get　away　from　it？　He　pushed　open　another　door　into　a　little　corridor。　Numbers　he　didn't　recognize　on　the　polished　doors　of　the　staterooms。　He　looked　back；　the　thing　had　entered　the　corridor；　it　was　pounding　after　him。
　
　〃Damn　you。〃　　His　voice　was　a　whimper。　Out　on　the　deck　again　and　this　time　the　wind　was　so　damp　it　was　like　rain。　He　couldn't　see　where　he　was　going。　He　clutched　the　railing　for　a　moment；　looking　down　at　the　boiling　grey　sea。
　
　No！　Get　away　from　the　railing。　He　rushed　along　until　he　saw　another　doorway；　and　ducked　inside　again。　He　felt　the　vibration　right　behind　him；　heard　the　thing　breathing。　His　gun；　where　the　hell　was　his　gun？
　
　Turning；　he　fumbled　in　his　pocket。　The　thing　had　hold　of　him。　Dear　God！　He　felt　a　large　warm　hand　close　over　his。　The　gun　was　wrenched　out　of　his　fingers。　Groaning；　he　slumped　against　the　wall；　but　the　thing　held　him　up　by　his　lapel；　peering　into　his　face。　An　ugly　light　flashed　through　the　porthole　of　the　door；　illuminating　the　thing　in　irregular　burs