anner.themummy-第62节

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rrot's　cage。　As　Malenka　screamed　in　pure　hysteria；　the　bird　began　to　screech　frantically；　beating　his　wings　against　the　bars。
　
　Elliott　tried　to　steady　himself。　The　girl　must　stop　screaming。　This　was　a　disaster。　Cleopatra；　looking　from　the　screeching　bird　to　the　screaming　woman；　appeared　on　the　verge　of　hysteria　herself。　Then　she　lunged　at　the　woman；　grabbing　her　by　the　throat　and　forcing　her　down　on　her　knees　as　she　had　done　to　Henry　only　hours　before。
　
　〃No；　stop　it。〃　　Elliott　hurled　himself　at　her。　This　time　he　could　not　let　it　happen；　and　once　again　he　felt　her　powerful　blow　knocking　him　yards　across　the　room。　He　fell　against　the　wall；
　
　his　hand　up　on　the　plaster。　Then　came　that　sound；　that　unspeakable　sound。　The　girl　was　dead。　Cleopatra　had　broken　her　neck。
　
　The　bird　had　ceased　its　screeching。　It　stared　with　one　round　senseless　eye　into　the　room。　Malenka　lay　on　her　back　on　the　carpet；　her　head　wrenched　to　one　side　at　an　impossible　angle；　her　brown　eyes　half…closed。
　
　Cleopatra　stood　staring　down　at　her。　Thoughtfully　she　looked　at　the　girl。　Then　she　said　in　Latin：
　
　〃She　is　dead。〃
　
　Elliott　didn't　answer。　He　gripped　the　edge　of　the　marble…top　cupboard　and　pulled　himself　to　his　feet。　The　throbbing　in　his　chest　meant　nothing　to　him。　Nothing　could　equal　the　pain　in　his　soul。
　
　〃Why　did　you　do　it！〃　　he　whispered。　Oh；　but　was　he　mad　to　ask　such　a　question　of　this　being？　This　thing　whose　brain　was　damaged；　without　doubt；　as　her　body　was　damaged；　beautiful　though　she　was。
　
　Almost　innocently　she　stared　at　Elliott。　Then　she　looked　back　at　the　dead　woman。
　
　〃Tell　me；　Lord　Rutherford；　how　did　I　e　to　be　here！〃　　Her　eyes　narrowed。　She　approached　him。　In　fact；　she　reached　out　and　effortlessly　helped　him　to　stand　upright。　She　picked　up　the　walking　stick　and　put　it　in　his　left　hand。〃　Where　did　I　e　from？〃　　she　asked。〃　Lord　Rutherford！〃　　She　bent　forward；　her　eyes　growing　wide　and　full　of　terror。〃　Lord　Rutherford；　was　I　dead？〃
　
　She　didn't　wait　for　him　to　answer；　her　scream　came　in　pulses。　He　embraced　her；　and　put　his　hand　over　her　mouth。
　
　〃Ramses　brought　you　here。　Ramses！　You　called　out　to　him。　You　saw　him。〃
　
　〃Yes！〃　　She　stood　still；　not　struggling；　merely　clutching　his　wrist。〃　Ramses　was　there。　And　when　I　。。。　when　I　called　out　to　him；　he　ran　from　me。　Like　the　woman；　he　ran　from　me！　That　same　look　in　his　eyes。〃
　
　〃He　wanted　to　e　back　to　you。　Others　stopped　him。　Now　I　must　go　to　get　him。　Do　you　understand？　You　must　stay　here。　You　must　wait　for　me。〃　　She　stared　past　him。〃　Ramses　has　the　medicine；〃　　he　said。〃　I　shall　bring　it　back　here。〃
　
　〃How　long？〃
　
　〃A　few　hours；〃　　he　said。〃　It's　midaftemoon。　I'll　be　back　before　dark。〃
　
　She　moaned　again；　and　pressed　her　curved　thumb　to　her　teeth；
　
　staring　at　the　floor。　She　looked　like　a　child　suddenly；　a　child　wrestling　with　an　enormous　puzzle。〃　Ramses；〃　　she　whispered。　Clearly　she　was　not　certain　who　he　was。
　
　He　patted　her　shoulder　gently；　then　with　the　aid　of　his　cane；　he　approached　the　body　of　the　girl。　What　in　the　name　of　heaven　was　he　to　do　with　it？　Let　it　lie　here　and　rot　as　the　hours　passed？　How　could　he　bury　it　in　the　garden；　when　he　could　barely　walk　as　it　was？　He　closed　his　eyes　and　laughed　to　himself　bitterly。　It　seemed　a　thousand　years　since　he　had　seen　his　son；　or　Julie；　or　the　civilized　rooms　of　a　mon　place　like　Shepheard's　Hotel。　It　seemed　a　thousand　years　ago　that　he　had　done　anything　normal　or　loved　anything　normal；　or　believed　in　it；　or　made　the　sacrifices　that　normality　required。
　
　〃Go；　get　the　medicine；〃　　she　said　to　him。　She　stepped　between　him　and　the　dead　woman。　She　reached　down　and　lifted　Malenka　by　her　right　arm。　Effortlessly　she　dragged　the　woman　across　the　carpet；　past　the　clucking　bird；　which　had　the　good　fortune　to　be　silent；　and　threw　the　corpse　of　the　woman　out　into　the　yard　as　if　it　were　a　stuffed　doll。　The　body　landed　on　its　face　against　the　far　wall。
　
　Do　not　think　now。　Go　to　Ramses。　Go！
　
　〃Three　hours；〃　　he　said　to　her；　again　using　the　two　languages。〃　Bolt　the　door　after　me。　You　see　the　bolt？〃
　
　She　turned　and　looked　at　the　door。　She　nodded。
　
　〃Very　well；　Lord　Rutherford；〃　　she　said　in　Latin。〃　Before　dark。〃
　
　She　did　not　bolt　the　door。　She　stood　there；　her　hands　on　the　bare　wood；　listening　as　he　walked　away。　It　would　take　him　a　long　time　to　move　out　of　sight。
　
　And　she　must　get　out　of　this　place！　She　must　see　where　she　was！　This　could　not　be　Egypt。　And　she　could　not　understand　why　she　was　here；　or　why　she　hungered　so；　and　could　not　be　satisfied；　or　why　she　felt　this　sharp；　enervating　desire　to　be　in　a　man's　arms。　She　would　have　forced　Lord　Rutherford　again　if　she　had　not　wanted　him　to　go　on　his　errand。
　
　But　the　errand；　it　was　not　clear　to　her　suddenly。　He　meant　to　get　the　medicine；　but　what　was　the　medicine！　How　could　she　live　with　the　great　gaping　wounds　she　had？
　
　Yet　only　a　moment　ago　she'd　realized　something　about　this；　something　to　do　with　that　dead　woman；　that　shrieking　slave　girl　whose　neck　she'd　snapped。
　
　Ah；　but　the　thing　to　do　was　leave　here；　while　Lord　Rutherford　was　not　here　to　scold　her　like　a　teacher　and　tell　her　to　remain。
　
　In　a　haze；　she　remembered　the　streets　she　had　glimpsed　earlier；　full　of　great　rumbling　monstrous　things　made　from　metal；　full　of　foul　smoke　and　deafening　noise。　Who　were　the　people　she　had　seen　around　her？　Women　in　dresses　such　as　she　wore。
　
　She'd　been　terrified　then；　but　her　body　had　been　full　of　aches　and　misery。　Now　her　body　was　full　of　cravings。　She　must　not　be　terrified。　She　must　go。
　
　She　went　back　into　the　bedchamber。　She　opened　the〃　magazine〃　　called　Harper's　Weekly　and　looked　at　the　drawings　of　pretty　women　in　these　strange　dresses　that　pinched　them　in　the　middle　like　insects。　Then　she　looked　at　herself　in　the　mirror　on　the　cabinet　door。
　
　She　needed　a　covering　for　her　head；　and　sandals。　Yes；　sandals。　Quickly　she　searched　the　bedchamber；　and　found　them　in　a　wooden　closet…sandals　with　gold　worked　into　the　leather；　and　small　enough　for　her　feet；　and　a　great　strange　thing　with　silk　flowers　all　over　it；　a　thing　such　as　one　would　wear　to　keep　off　rain。
　
　She　laughed　as　she　looked　at　it。　Then　she　put　it　on　her　head；　and　tied　the　ribbons　under　her　chin。　Now　she　looked　very　much　like　the　women　in　the　pictures。　Except　for　her　hands。　What　was　she　to　do　about　her　hands！
　
　She　stared　at　the　naked　bones　of　the　first　right　finger。　A　thin　covering　of　skin　overlaid　them；　but　it　was　like　silk；　more　sheer　than　the　dress。　She　could　see　blood　in　it；　but　it　was　transparent。　And　the　mere　sight　of　the　bones　caused　her　to　bee　dizzy；　confused　again。
　
　A　memory…someone　standing　above　her。　No；　don't　let　it　begin　again。　She　must　wrap　her　hand　in　something；　a　bandage。　The　left　hand　would　do　well　enough。　She　turned　and　began　to　search　through　the　cabinet　of　female　clothes。
　
　And　then　she　made　the　loveliest　discovery！　Here　were　two　little　silk　garments　made　for　hands。　They　were　white；　they　had　pearls　sewn　on　them！　Each　had　five　fingers　and　had　been　cut　to　fit　closely　over　the　hand。　This　was　perfect。　She　slipped　them　on；　they　hid　the　naked　bone　pletely。
　
　Ah；　the　wonder　of　what　Lord　Rutherford　had　called　these〃　modern　times。〃　　These　times　of　music　boxes　and〃　motor　cars；〃　　as　he　called　them；　the　things　she　had　seen　this　morning；　all　around　her；　like　great　roaring　hippopotami　from　the　river。
　
　What　would　Lord　Rutherford　call　these　things；　these　clothes　for　hands？
　
　She　was　wasting　tune。　She　went　to　the　dressing　table；　gathered　up　a　few　small　coins　that　lay　there　and　put　these　in　the　deep　hidden　side　pocket　of　the　heavy　skirt。
　
　As　she　opened　the　front　door　of　the　house；　she　glanced　over　at　the　dead　body；　out　in　the　courtyard；　heaped　against　the　wall。　Something；　what　was　it；　she　had　to　understand　it；　but　it　simply　would　not　e　clear　to　her。　Something　。。。
　
　She　saw　again　that　hazy　figure　standing　over　her。　She　heard　again　those　sacred　words。　A　tongue　she　knew　speaking　to　her。　This　was　the　tongue　of　your　forefathers；　you　must　learn　it。　No；　but　that　had　been　another　time。　They　had　been　in　a　bright　room　full　of　Italian　marble；　and　he　had　been　teaching　her。　This　time；　it　had　been　dark　and　hot　and　she'd　been　struggling　upwards　as　if　from　deep　water；　her　limbs　weak；　the　water　crushing　her；　her　mourn　full　of　water　so　that　she　couldn't　scream。
　
　〃Your　heart　beats　again；　you　e　to　life！　You　are　young　and　strong　once　more；　you　are　now　and　forever。〃
　
　No；　do　not　weep　again！　Do　not　struggle　to　grasp　it；　to　see　it。　The　figure　moving　away；　blue　eyes。　She　had　known　those　blue　eyes。　As　soon　as　I　drank　it；　it　happened。　The　priestess　showed　me　in　the　mirror　；　。　。　blue　eyes。　Ah；　but　whose　voice　was　this！　This　voice　that　had　said　the　prayer　in　the　darkness；　the　ancient　sacred　prayer　for　the　opening　of　the　mummy's　mouth。
　
　She　had　called　out　his　name！　And　here；　in　（his　strange　little　house；　Lord　Rutherford　had　spoken　the　name　also。　Lord　Rutherford　was　going　。。。
　
　Be　back　before　dark。
　
　It　was　no　use。　She　stared　through　the　archway　at　the　dead　body。　She　must　get　out　into　this　strange　land。　And　she　must　remember　that　it　was　extremely　easy　to　kill　them；　to　s