anner.themummy-第57节

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ng　to　the　gramophone。　He　was　even　getting　used　to　that　damned　parrot。
　
　As　he　dozed　off　now；　the　parrot　was　screeching　and　clucking　and　walking　back　and　forth；　upside　down；　on　the　ceiling　of　its　cage。　African　greys　liked　to　do　things　like　that。　In　truth　the　thing　looked　like　a　giant　bug　to　him。　Maybe　he　should　kill　it　when　Malenka　wasn't　here。
　
　He　felt　himself　drifting；　dozing；　on　the　edge　of　dream。　He　took　one　more　sip　of　Scotch；　so　smooth；　and　let　his　head　roll　to　the　side。　Julie's　house；　the　library；　that　thing　at　his　shoulder；　the　scream　curled　at　the　back　of　his　throat。
　
　〃God！〃　　He　shot　forward　out　of　the　chair；　and　the　glass　fell　out　of　his　hands。　If　only　that　dream　would　stop。。。
　
　Elliott　had　to　stop　to　catch　his　breath。　The　two　bulbous　eyes　stared　at　him　over　the　black　serge。　It　seemed　they　tried　to　squint　in　the　sunlight；　but　the　half…eaten　lids　would　not　fully　close。　The　woman's　hand　pulled　the　veil　tighter　as　if　she　wanted　to　hide　herself　from　his　gaze。
　
　Whispering　softly　in　Latin；　he　begged　for　patience。　The　carriage　had　been　unable　to　get　very　close　to　the　house　to　which　they　were　going。　It　was　only　a　few　paces　more。
　
　He　mopped　his　forehead　with　his　handkerchief。　But　wait　a　moment。　The　hand。　The　hand　which　was　holding　the　black　serge　over　her　mouth。　He　looked　at　it　again。　It　was　changing　in　the　burning　sun。　The　wound　exposing　the　knucklebone　had　almost　closed。
　
　He　stared　at　it　for　a　moment；　then　he　looked　at　her　eyes　again。　Yes；　the　eyelids　had　filled　in　somewhat　and　long　beautiful　black　lashes　were　now　curving　upwards；　hiding　the　leprouslike　ruin　of　the　flesh。
　
　He　put　his　arm　about　her　again：　at　once　she　cleaved　to　him；　a　soft　and　trembling　thing。　A　soft　sigh　escaped　her。
　
　He　was　aware　suddenly　of　a　perfume　rising　from　her；　a　rich；　sweet　and　altogether　lovely　perfume。　There　was　the　smell　of　dust；　of　mud；　actually；　of　the　deep　river　silt…but　that　was　very　faint。　The　perfume　was　strong　and　musky。　He　could　feel　her　warmth　ing　through　the　black　serge。
　
　Dear　God；　what　is　this　potion！　What　is　it　capable　of！
　
　〃There；　there；　my　dear；〃　　he　said　in　English。〃　We're　very　close。　That　door　at　the　end。〃
　
　He　felt　her　arm　slip　around　him。　With　a　powerful　grip　she　lifted　him　slightly；　taking　the　pressure　off　his　numb　left　foot。　The　pain　in　his　left　hip　slackened。　He　gave　a　little　laugh　of　relief。　In　fact；　he　almost　broke　into　outright　laughter。　But　he　didn't。　He　simply　moved　on；　allowing　her　to　assist　him；　until　he　reached　the　door。
　
　There　he　rested　for　a　moment；　and　then　he　pounded　with　his　right　fist。
　
　He　could　not　have　gone　another　step。
　
　There　was　a　long　moment　in　which　he　heard　nothing。　He　pounded　again；　and　again。
　
　Then　came　the　sound　of　the　bolt　sliding；　and　Henry　appeared；　squinting；　his　face　unshaven；　dressed　only　in　a　green　silk　robe。
　
　〃What　the　hell　do　you　want？〃
　
　〃Let　me　in。〃　　He　pushed　the　door　back　and　brought　the　woman　with　him　into　the　room。　Desperately　she　crowded　against　him；　hiding　her　face。
　
　Dimly；　he　saw　that　the　place　was　luxurious…carpets；　furniture；　decanters　gleaming　on　a　marble　sideboard。　Through　the　archway；　a　dark…skinned　beauty　in　a　satin　dancing　costume…obviously　Malenka…had　just　set　down　a　tray　of　steaming　food。　Small　orange　trees　crowded　against　the　whitewashed　garden　wall。
　
　〃Who　is　this　woman！〃　　Henry　demanded。
　
　Holding　tight　to　her　still；　Elliott　struggled　to　the　chair。　But　he　could　see　that　Henry　was　staring　at　the　woman's　feet。　He'd　seen　the　bare　bones　showing　in　the　instep。　A　look　of　disgust　passed　over　Henry；　of　puzzlement。
　
　〃Who　is　she！　Why　did　you　bring　her　here！〃
　
　Then　convulsively；　Henry　moved　back；　slamming　into　the　pillar　that　divided　the　archway　to　the　courtyard；　his　head　thudding　dangerously　against　the　stone。〃　What's　wrong　with　her！〃　　he　gasped。〃　Patience；　I'll　tell　you　everything；〃　　Elliott　whispered。　The　pain　in　his　chest　was　so　bad　now　that　he　could　hardly　form　the　words。　Easing　down　in　the　rattan　chair；　he　felt　the　woman's　grip　loosen。　He　heard　her　make　a　faint　sound。　He　looked　up；　and　realized　she　had　seen　the　cupboard　across　the　room；　the　glass　bottles　gleaming　in　the　light　from　the　courtyard。
　
　She　went　towards　the　liquid；　groaning。　The　black　serge　garment　fell　from　her　head　and　then　from　her　shoulders；　fully　revealing　the　bones　of　her　ribs　gleaming　through　the　gaping　holes
　
　in　her　back；　and　the　remnants　of　cloth　that　barely　concealed　her　nakedness。
　
　〃For　the　love　of　God；　don't　panic！〃　　Elliott　shouted。
　
　But　it　was　too　late。　Henry's　face　went　white；　his　mouth　twisted　and　shuddering。　Behind　him；　in　the　courtyard；　Malenka　let　out　a　full…throated　scream。
　
　The　wounded　creature　dropped　the　bottle　with　a　great　piteous　moan。
　
　Henry's　hand　rose　from　his　pocket；　sun　glinting　on　the　barrel　of　a　small　silver　gun。
　
　〃No；　Henry！〃　　Elliott　cried。　He　tried　to　rise；　but　he　couldn't。　The　shot　exploded　with　the　same　nerve…shattering　volume　of　the　guns　in　the　museum。　A　parrot　screeched　in　its　cage。
　
　The　wounded　woman　cried　out　as　she　took　the　bullet　in　her　chest；　staggering　backwards；　and　then　let　out　a　great　bellow　as　she　ran　at　Henry。
　
　The　sounds　ing　from　Henry　were　scarcely　human。　All　reason　had　left　him。　He　backed　into　the　courtyard；　firing　the　gun　again　and　again。　Crying　in　agony；　the　woman　closed　on　him；　knocking　the　gun　out　of　his　hand　and　taking　him　by　the　throat。　In　an　ugly　waltz　they　struggled；　Henry　clawing　at　her　desperately；　her　own　bony　fingers　holding　fast　to　his　neck。　The　wicker　table　went　over；　china　shattering　on　the　tiles。　Into　the　orange　trees　they　stumbled；　tiny　leaves　pouring　down　in　a　shower。
　
　In　terror　Malenka　crouched　against　the　wall。
　
　〃Elliott；　help　me！〃　　Henry　screamed。　He　was　being　bent　over　backwards；　knees　buckling　and　hands　flailing；　catching　stupidly　in　the　creature's　hair。
　
　Elliott　managed　somehow　to　reach　the　edge　of　the　archway。　But　only　in　time　to　hear　the　bones　snap。　He　winced　as　he　saw　Henry's　body　go　limp　and　tumble　softly；　in　a　heap　of　green　silk；　on　the　ground。
　
　The　creature　staggered　backwards；　whimpering；　and　then　sobbing；　her　mouth　making　a　grimace　again；　as　it　had　in　the　museum；　teeth　bared。　The　ragged　cloth　covering　her　had　been　torn　from　one　shoulder；　her　dark　pink　nipples　showed　through　the　sheer　linen。　Great　gouts　of　blood　hung　in　the　wrappings　still　clinging　to　her　torso；　strips　of　fabric　falling　from　her　thighs　with　each　step。　Her　eyes；　bloodshot　and　running　with　tears；　stared　at　the　dead　body　and　then　at　the　spilt　food；　the　hot　tea　steaming　in　the　sun。
　
　Slowly　she　went　down　on　her　knees。　She　grabbed　up　the　muffins　and　stuffed　them　into　her　mouth。　On　all　fours　she　lapped　the　spilt　tea。　She　scraped　up　the　jam　with　her　fingers　and　sucked　them　frantically。　She　gnawed　on　the　bacon　and　then　swallowed　the　rasher　whole。
　
　In　utter　silence；　Elliott　watched　her。　He　was　vaguely　conscious　of　Malenka　running　silently　towards　him；　and　then　hovering　behind　him。　Deliberately；　he　took　one　short　breath　after　another；　listening　at　the　same　time　to　the　hammer　trip　of　his　heart。
　
　The　creature　devoured　the　butter；　the　eggs　she　crushed　and　scraped　with　her　teeth　from　the　shells。
　
　Finally　there　was　no　more　food。　Yet　she　remained　there；　on　her　knees。　She　was　staring　at　her　outstretched　hands。
　
　The　sun　beat　down　on　the　little　courtyard。　It　gleamed　on　her　dark　hair。
　
　In　a　daze；　Elliott　continued　to　watch。　He　could　not　absorb　what　he　was　seeing　or　judge　it。　The　continuing　shock　of　all　he'd　witnessed　was　too　great。
　
　Suddenly　the　creature　turned　and　lay　down　on　the　paved　ground。　She　stretched　out　full　length；　crying　as　if　into　a　soft　pillow；　her　hand　scratching　at　the　hard…baked　tiles。　Then　she　rolled　over　on　her　back　into　the　full　sunlight；　free　of　the　soft　dancing　green　shadows　from　the　small　trees。
　
　For　a　moment　she　stared　up　into　the　burning　sky；　and　then　her　eyes　appeared　to　roll　up　in　her　head。　Only　a　half…moon　of
　
　pale　iris　showed。
　
　〃Ramses；〃　　she　whispered。　Her　bosom　moved　faintly　with　her　breathing。　But　otherwise　she　lay　still。
　
　The　Earl　turned　and　reached　for　Malenka。　Leaning　heavily　on　her；　he　struggled　back　towards　the　chair。　He　could　feel　the　dark…skinned　woman　trembling。　He　settled　down　silently　on　the　tapestried　cushions；　and　rested　his　head　against　the　high　rounded　chair　back　of　prickly　rattan。　This　is　all　a　nightmare；　he　thought。　But　it　was　not　a　nightmare。　He　had　seen　this　creature　raised　from　the　dead。　He　had　seen　her　kill　Henry。　What　in　God's　name　was　he　to　do？
　
　Malenka　remained　at　his　elbow；　then　went　down　slowly　on　her　knees。　Her　eyes　were　wide…　and　empty；　her　mouth　agape。　She　stared　towards　the　garden。
　
　Flies　circled　over　Henry's　face。　They　swooped　down　on　the　remnants　of　the　overturned　meal。
　
　〃There；　there；　nothing　will　harm　you；〃　　Elliott　whispered。　The　burning　in　his　chest　subsided　very　slowly。　He　felt　a　dull　warmth　in　his　left　hand。〃　She　won't　hurt　you。　I　promise　you。〃　　He　moistened　his　dry　lips　with　his　tongue；　then　somehow　managed　to　go　on。〃　She　is　ill；　and　I　must　take　care　of　her。　She　will　not　harm　you；　you　understand。〃
　
　The　Egyptian　woman　clutched　at　his　wrist