anner.themummy-第6节

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ar　away　from　Cleopatra's　mausoleum　in　Alexandria；　far　away　from　the　Valley　of　the　Kings。
　
　〃Uncle；〃　　Henry　said　frostily；〃　I'd　be　more　than　happy　to　go　back　to　London　if　you　would　only　take　a　moment　to　sign　。。。〃
　
　Lawrence　refused　to　look　up　from　the　papyrus。　Maybe　there　would　be　some　clue　as　to　where　Cleopatra's　mausoleum　had　once　stood。
　
　〃　How　many　times　must　I　say　it？〃　　he　murmured　indifferently。〃　No。　I　will　sign　no　papers。　Now　take　your　briefcase　with　you　and　get　out　of　my　sight。〃
　
　〃Uncle；　the　Earl　wants　an　answer　regarding　Julie　and　Alex。　He　won't　wait　forever。　And　as　for　these　papers；　it's　only　a　matter　of　a　few　shares。〃
　
　The　Earl　。。。　Alex　and　Julie。　It　was　monstrous。〃　Good　God；　at　a　time　like　this！〃
　
　〃Uncle；　the　world　hasn't　stopped　turning　on　account　of　your　discovery。〃　　Such　acid　in　the　tone。〃　And　the　stock　has　to　be　liquidated。〃
　
　Lawrence　laid　down　die　pen。〃　No；　it　doesn't；〃　　he　said；　eyeing　Henry　coldly。〃　And　as　for　the　marriage；　it　can　wait　forever。　Or　until　Julie　decides　for　herself。　Go　home　and　tell　that　to　my　good　friend　the　Earl　of　Rutherford！　And　tell　your　father　I　will　liquidate　no　further　family　stock。　Now　leave　me　alone。〃
　
　Henry　didn't　move。　He　shifted　the　briefcase　uneasily；　his　face　tightening　as　he　stared　down　at　his　uncle。
　
　〃Uncle；　you　don't　realize…〃
　
　〃Allow　me　to　tell　you　what　I　do　realize；〃　　Lawrence　said；〃　that　you　have　gambled　away　a　king's　ransom　and　that　your　father　will　go　to　any　lengths　to　cover　your　debts。　Even　Cleopatra　and　her　drunken　lover　Mark　Antony　could　not　have　squandered　the　fortune　that　has　slipped　through　your　hands。　And　what　does　Julie　need　with　the　Rutherford　title　anyway？　Alex　needs　the　Stratford　millions；　that's　the　truth　of　it。　Alex　is　a　beggar　with　a　title　the　same　as　Elliott。　God　forgive　me。　It's　the　truth。〃
　
　〃Uncle；　Alex　could　buy　any　heiress　in　London　with　that　title。〃
　
　〃Then　why　doesn't　he？〃
　
　〃One　word　from　you　and　Julie　would　make　up　her　mind…〃
　
　〃And　Elliott　would　show　his　gratitude　to　you　for　arranging　things；　is　that　it？　And　with　my　daughter's　money　he'd　be　very　generous　indeed。〃
　
　Henry　was　white　with　anger。
　
　〃What　the　hell　do　you　care　about　this　marriage？〃　　Lawrence　asked　bitterly。〃　You　humiliate　yourself　because　you　need　the　money。　。。。〃
　
　He　thought　he　saw　his　nephew's　lips　move　in　a　curse。
　
　He　turned　back　to　the　mummy；　trying　to　shut　it　ah1　out…the　tentacles　of　the　London　life　he'd　left　behind　trying　to　reach　him　here。
　
　Why；　the　whole　figure　looked　fuller！　And　the　ring；　it　was　plainly　visible　now　as　if　the　finger；　fleshing　out；　had　burst　the　wrappings　altogether。　Lawrence　fancied　he　could　see　the　faint　color　of　healthy　flesh。
　
　〃You're　losing　your　mind；〃　　he　whispered　to　himself。　And　that　sound；　there　it　was　again。　He　tried　to　listen　for　it；　but　his　concentration　only　made　him　all　the　more　conscious　of　the　noise　outside。　He　drew　closer　to　the　body　in　the　coffin。　Good　Lord；　was　that　hair　he　saw　beneath　the　wrappings　about　die　head？〃　I　feel　so　sorry　for　you；　Henry；〃　　he　whispered　suddenly。〃　That　you　can't　savour　such　a　discovery。　This　ancient　King；　this　mystery。〃　　Who　said　that　he　couldn't　touch　the　remains？　Just　move　perhaps　an　inch　of　the　rotted　linen？
　
　He　drew　out　his　penknife　and　held　it　uncertainly。　Twenty　years　ago　he　might　have　cut　the　thing　open。　There　wouldn't　have　been　any　busybody　officials　to　deal　with。　He　might　have　seen　for　himself　if　under　all　that　dust…
　
　〃I　wouldn't　do　that　if　I　were　you；　Uncle；〃　　Henry　interrupted。〃　The　museum　people　in　London　will　raise　the　roof。〃
　
　〃I　told　you　to　get　out。〃
　
　He　heard　Henry　pour　a　cup　of　coffee　as　if　he　had　all　the　time　in　the　world。　The　aroma　filled　the　close　little　chamber。
　
　Lawrence　backed　into　the　camp　chair；　and　again　pressed　his　folded　handkerchief　to　his　brow。　Twenty…four　hours　now　without　sleep。　Maybe　he　should　rest。
　
　〃Drink　your　coffee；　Uncle　Lawrence；〃　　Henry　said　to　him。〃　I　poured　it　for　you。〃　　And　there　it　was；　the　full　cup。〃　They're　waiting　for　you　out　there。　You're　exhausted。〃
　
　〃You　bloody　fool；〃　　Lawrence　whispered。〃　I　wish　you'd　go　away。〃
　
　Henry　set　the　cup　before　him；　right　by　die　notebook。
　
　〃Careful；　that　papyrus　is　priceless。〃
　
　The　coffee　did　look　inviting；　even　if　Henry　was　pushing　it　at　him。　He　lifted　the　cup；　took　a　deep　swallow；　and　closed　his　eyes。
　
　What　had　he　just　seen　as　he　put　down　the　cup？　The　mummy　stirring　in　the　sunlight？　Impossible。　Suddenly　a　burning　sensation　in　his　throat　blotted　out　everything　else。　It　was　as　if　his　throat　were　closing！　He　couldn't　breathe　or　speak。
　
　He　tried　to　rise；　he　was　staring　at　Henry；　and　suddenly　he　caught　the　smell　ing　from　the　cup　still　in　his　trembling　hand。　Bitter　almonds。　It　Was　the　poison。　The　cup　was　falling；　dimly　he　heard　it　shatter　as　it　hit　the　stone　floor。
　
　〃For　the　love　of　God！　You　bastard！〃　　He　was　falling；　his　hands　out　towards　his　nephew；　who　stood　white…faced　and　grim；　staring　coldly　at　him　as　if　this　catastrophe　were　not　happening；　as　if　he　were　not　dying。
　
　His　body　convulsed。　Violently；　he　turned　away。　The　last　thing　he　saw　as　he　fell　was　the　mummy　in　the　dazzling　sunlight；　the　last　ming　he　felt　was　the　sandy　floor　beneath　his　burning　face。　For　a　long　moment　Henry　Stratford　did　not　move。　He　stared　down　at　the　body　of　his　uncle　as　if　he　did　not　quite　believe　what　he　saw。　Someone　else　had　done　this。　Someone　else　had　broken　through　the　thick　membrane　of　frustration　and　put　this　horrid　plot　into　motion。　Someone　else　had　put　the　silver　coffee　spoon　into　the　jar　of　ancient　poison　and　slipped　that　poison　into　Lawrence's　cup。
　
　Nothing　moved　in　the　dusty　sunlight。　The　tiniest　particles　seemed　suspended　in　the　hot　air。　Only　a　faint　sound　originated　within　the　chamber；　something　like　the　beat　of　a　heart。
　
　Imaginings。　It　was　imperative　to　follow　through。　It　was　imperative　to　stop　his　hand　from　shaking；　to　prevent　the　scream　from　ever　leaving　his　lips。　Because　it　was　there　all　right…a　scream　which　once　released　would　never　stop。
　
　I　killed　him。　/　poisoned　him。
　
　And　now　that　great　hideous　and　immovable　obstacle　to　my　plan　is　no　more。
　
　Bend　down；　feel　the　vein。　Yes；　he's　dead。　Quite　dead。
　
　Henry　straightened；　fighting　a　sudden　wave　of　nausea；　and　quickly　took　several　papers　from　his　briefcase。　He　dipped　his　uncle's　pen　and　wrote　the　name　Lawrence　Stratford　neatly　and　quickly；　as　he　had　done　several　times　on　less　important　papers　in　the　past。
　
　His　hand　shook　badly；　but　so　much　the　better。　For　his　uncle　had　had　just　such　a　tremor。　And　the　scribble　looked　all　the　better　when　it　was　done。
　
　He　put　the　pen　back　and　stood　with　his　eyes　closed；　trying　to　calm　himself　again；　trying　to　think　only；　It　is　done。
　
　The　most　curious　thoughts　were　flooding　him　suddenly；　that　he　could　undo　this！　That　it　had　been　no　more　than　an　impulse；　that　he　could　roll　back　the　minutes　and　his　uncle　would　be　alive　again。　This　positively　could　not　have　happened！　Poison　。。。　coffee　。。。　Lawrence　dead。
　
　And　then　a　memory　came　to　him；　pure　and　quiet　and　certainly　wele；　of　the　day　twenty…one　years　ago　when　his　cousin　Julie　had　been　born。　His　uncle　and　he　sitting　in　the　drawing　room　together。　His　uncle　Lawrence；　whom　he　loved　more　than　his　father。
　
　〃But　I　want　you　to　know　that　you　will　always　be　my　nephew；　my　beloved　nephew　。。。〃
　
　Dear　God；　was　he　losing　his　mind？　For　a　moment　he　did　not　even　know　where　he　was。　He　could　have　sworn　someone　else　was　in　this　room　with　him。　Who　was　it？
　
　That　thing　in　the　mummy　case。　Don't　look　at　it。　Like　a　witness。　Get　back　to　the　business　at　hand。
　
　The　papers　are　signed；　the　stock　can　be　sold；　and　now　there　is　all　the　more　reason　for　Julie　to　marry　that　stupid　twit　Alex　Savarell。　And　all　the　more　reason　for　Henry's　father　to　take　Stratford　Shipping　pletely　in　hand。
　
　Yes。　Yes。　But　what　to　do　at　the　moment？　He　looked　at　the　desk　again。　Everything　as　it　was。　And　those　six　glittering　gold　Cleopatra　coins。　Ah；　yes；　take　one。　Quickly；　he　slipped　it　into　his　pocket。　A　little　flush　warmed　his　face。　Yes；　the　coin　must　be　worth　a　fortune。　And　he　could　fit　it　into　a　cigarette　case；　simple　to　smuggle。　All　right。
　
　Now　get　out　of　here　immediately。　No；　he　wasn't　thinking。　He　couldn't　still　his　heart。　Shout　for　Samir；　that　was　the　appropriate　action。　Something　horrible　has　happened　to　Lawrence。　Stroke；　heart　attack；　impossible　to　tell！　And　this　cell　is　like　a　furnace。　A　doctor　must　e　at　once。
　
　〃Samir！〃　　he　cried　out；　staring　forward　like　a　matinee　actor　at　the　moment　of　shock。　His　gaze　fell　directly　again　on　that　grim；　loathsome　thing　in　the　linen　wrappings。　Was　it　staring　back　at　him？　Were　its　eyes　open　beneath　the　bandages？　Preposterous！　Yet　the　illusion　struck　a　deep　shrill　note　of　panic　in　him；　which　gave　just　the　right　edge　to　his　next　shout　for　help。
　
　URTIVELY　THE　clerk　read　the　latest　edition　of　the　London　Herald；　the　pages　folded　and　held　carefully　out　of　sight　behind　his　darkly　lacquered　desk。　The　office　was　quiet　now　because　of　the　board　meeting；　the　only　sound　the　distant　clack　of　a　typewriting　machine　from　an　adjoining　room。
　
　MUMMY'S　CURSE　KILLS
　
　STRATFORD　SHIPPING