anner.themummy-第77节

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　〃Do　you　realize　what　you're　saying？〃
　
　〃If　it's　too　dangerous　to　consume　it；　then　find　someplace　far　out　in　the　desert　sands；　and　make　a　deep　shaft　into　which　to　pour　it！　But　get　rid　of　it。〃
　
　〃Let　me　put　a　question　to　you。〃
　
　〃No。〃　　She　turned　her　back　again。　She　covered　her　ears。　When　she　looked　up　she　saw　in　the　mirror　that　he　was　right　at　her　shoulder。　There　was　that　awareness　again　of　her　own　world　destroyed；　of　a　brilliant　light　having　thrown　all　else　into　hopeless　shadow。
　
　Gently；　he　took　her　hands；　and　lowered　them　from　her　ears。　He　looked　into　her　eyes　through　the　mirror；　his　body　warm　and　close　to　her。
　
　〃Julie；　last　night。　If　instead　of　taking　the　elixir　with　me　to　the　museum；　if　instead　of　pouring　it　over　Cleopatra's　remains…　if　instead；　I'd　offered　it　to　you；　wouldn't　you　have　taken　it？〃
　
　She　refused　to　answer。　Roughly　he　grabbed　her　wrist　and　turned　her　around。
　
　〃Answer　me！　If　I　had　never　seen　her　lying　there　in　that　glass　case　。。。〃
　
　〃But　you　did。〃
　
　She　meant　to　hold　firm；　but　he　surprised　her　with　his　kiss；　with　the　roughness　and　the　desperation　of　his　embrace；　with　his　hands　moving　over　her　face　and　her　cheek　almost　cruelly。　He　was　saying　her　name　like　a　prayer。　He　murmured　something　in　the　ancient　Egyptian　tongue；　she　didn't　know　what　it　was。　And　then　he　said　softly　in　Latin　that　he　loved　her。　He　loved　her。　It　seemed　both　explanation　and　apology；　somehow；　the　reason　for　all　this　suffering。　He　loved　her。　He　said　it　as　if　he　were　just　realizing　it；　and　now　her　tears　were　ing　again；　stupidly。　It　infuriated　her。
　
　She　pulled　back；　then　kissed　him　and　let　him　kiss　her　again；　and　sank　against　his　chest；　merely　letting　him　hold　her。
　
　Then　softly　she　said：
　
　〃What　does　she　look　like？〃
　
　He　sighed。
　
　〃Is　she　beautiful？〃
　
　〃She　always　was。　She　is　now。　She　is　the　woman　who　seduced　Caesar；　and　Mark　Antony；　and　the　whole　world。〃
　
　She　stiffened；　drawing　away　from　him。
　
　〃She　is　as　beautiful　as　you　are；〃　　he　said。〃　But　you　are　right。　She　is　not　Cleopatra。　She　is　a　stranger　in　Cleopatra's　body。　A　monster　looking　through　Cleopatra's　eyes。　And　struggling　to　use　Cleopatra's　wits　to　her　own　purposeless　advantage。〃
　
　What　more　was　there　to　say？　What　could　she　do？　It　was　in　his　hands；　it　had　been　since　the　beginning。　She　forced　him　to　release　her　and　then　she　sat　down　and　leaned　her　elbow　on　the　arm　of　the　chair　and　rested　her　forehead　in　her　hand。
　
　〃I'll　find　her；〃　　he　said。〃　And　I　will　undo　this　awful　error。　I　will　put　her　back　into　the　darkness　from　which　I　took　her。　And　she　will　suffer　only　a　little　while。　And　then　she　will　sleep。〃
　
　〃Oh；　but　it's　too　awful！　There　must　be　some　other　way。　。。。〃　　She　broke　into　sobs。
　
　〃What　have　I　done　to　you；　Julie　Stratford？〃　　he　said。〃　What　have　I　done　to　your　life；　all　your　tender　dreams　and　ambitions？〃
　
　She　took　her　handkerchief　out　of　her　pocket　and　pressed　it　to　her　mouth。　She　forced　herself　to　stop　this　foolish　crying。　She　wiped　her　nose；　then　looked　up　at　him；　the　great　handsome　dreamy　figure　he　was　standing　there　with　that　tragic　expression。　A　man；　only　a　man。　Immortal；　yes；　a　ruler　once；　a　teacher　always；　perhaps；　but　human　as　we　all　are。　Fallible　as　we　all　are。　Lovable　as　we　all　are。
　
　〃I　cannot　live　without　you；　Ramses；〃　　she　said。〃　Well；　I　could。　But　I　don't　want　to。〃　　Ah；　tears　from　him　now。　If　she　didn't　look　away；　she'd　be　weeping　again。〃　Reason　has　nothing　to　do　with　it　anymore；〃　　she　went　on；〃　But　it's　this　creature　you've　wronged。　It's　this　thing　you've　resurrected　that　will　be　hurt。　You　speak　of　burying　her　alive。　I　cannot　。。。　I　cannot　。。。〃
　
　〃Trust　in　me　that　I　shall　find　a　painless　way；〃　　he　whispered。
　
　She　couldn't　speak。　She　couldn't　look　at　him。
　
　〃And　know　this；　for　what　it's　worth。　Know　it　now　because　later　it　may　bring　contusion。　Your　cousin　Henry　is　dead。　Cleopatra　killed　him。〃
　
　〃What！〃
　
　〃It　was　to　Henry's　abode　in　the　old　Cairo　that　Elliott　took　her。　He　did　follow　me　to　the　museum。　And　when　the　soldiers　took　me　away；　Elliott　gave　shelter　to　the　creature　I　'd　resurrected。　He　took　her　there；　and　there　she　killed　both　Henry　and　the　woman；　Malenka。〃
　
　She　shook　her　head；　and　once　again　her　hands　went　up　to　her　ears。　All　the　things　she　knew　of　Henry；　of　her　father's　death；　of
　
　his　attempt　on　her　life；　somehow　could　not　help　her　now；　they　could　not　touch　her。　She　heard　only　the　horror。
　
　〃Trust　in　me　when　I　say　that　I　shall　find　a　painless　way。　For　that　I　must　do　before　more　innocent　blood　is　shed。　I　cannot　turn　my　back　until　it's　finished。〃
　
　〃My　son　left　no　message？〃　　Elliott　had　not　forsaken　the　leather　chair；　or　the　gin；　and　had　no　intention　of　doing　so。　But　he　knew　he　had　to　call　Alex　before　he　got　any　drunker。　And　so　he'd　sent　for　the　telephone。〃　But　he　wouldn't　go　out　without　telling　me。　All　right。　Samir　Ibrahaim；　where　is　he？　Can　you　ring　his　room　for　me？〃
　
　〃He's　in　Miss　Stratford's　suite；　sir。　Two…oh…three。　He　requests　that　any　messages　be　sent　there。　Shall　I　ring？　It　is　eleven　of　the　clock；　sir。〃
　
　〃No；　I'll　go　up；　thank　you。〃
　
　She　leaned　over　the　marble　lavatory。　She　slapped　the　cold　water　on　her　face。　She　didn't　want　to　look　into　the　mirror。　Then　slowly　she　wiped　her　eyes　with　the　towel。　When　she　turned　around；　she　saw　him　standing　in　the　sitting　room。　She　could　hear　Samir's　low；　forting　voice。
　
　〃Of　course　I　will　help　you；　sire；　but　where　do　we　begin？〃
　
　There　was　a　sharp　rap　on　the　hall　door。
　
　Ramses　stepped　back　into　the　bedroom。　Samir　went　to　answer。　It　was　Elliott。　Their　eyes　met　for　only　a　moment；　and　then　she　looked　away；　unable　to　judge　him　and　unable　to　face　him。　She　thought　only；　He　has　had　a　hand　in　this。　He　knows　it　all；　he　knows　more　than　I　know。　And　suddenly　her　revulsion　for　the　whole　nightmare　was　insupportable。
　
　She　went　into　the　sitting　room；　and　took　the　chair　in　the　far　corner。
　
　〃I　shall　e　right　to　the　point；〃　　Elliott　said；　looking　directly　at　Ramses。〃　I　have　a　plan　and　I　need　your　cooperation。　But　before　I　begin；　let　me　remind　you　that　it　isn't　safe　here　for　you。〃
　
　〃They　find　me；　I　escape　again；〃　　Ramses　said　with　a　shrug。〃　What　is　this　plan？〃
　
　〃A　plan　to　get　Julie　and　my　son　out　of　here；〃　　Elliott　said。〃　But　what　happened　after　I　left？　You　want　to　tell　me？〃
　
　〃She　is　as　you　described　her。　Mad；　incalculably　strong；　and　dangerous。　Only　she　is　whole　now。　No　longer　disfigured。　And　her　eyes　are　die　colour　of　the　blue　sky；　just　as　mine　are。〃
　
　〃Ah。〃
　
　Elliott　fell　silent；　as　if　he'd　felt　a　sharp　pain　inside　and　had　to　hold　his　breath　to　let　it　pass。　Julie　realized　suddenly　he　was　drunk；　really　drunk。　It　was　perhaps　the　first　time　she'd　seen　him　this　way。　He　was　dignified；　restrained；　but　drunk。　He　reached　out　for　Samir's　glass；　still　half…full　of　brandy；　and　drank　it　almost　absently。
　
　Quietly　Samir　went　to　the　small　rattan　drinks　cupboard　in　the　corner　and　got　a　bottle　for　him。
　
　〃You　saved　my　life；〃　　Elliott　said　to　Ramses。〃　I　thank　you　format。〃
　
　Ramses　shrugged。　But　the　tone　of　all　this　struck　Julie　as　curious。　It　was　intimate；　as　though　these　two　men　knew　each　other　quite　well。　There　was　no　animosity。
　
　〃What　is　this　plan？〃　　Ramses　said。
　
　〃You　must　cooperate。　You　must　tell　lies。　You　must　do　that　effectively。　And　the　end　result　will　be　that　you　are　cleared　of　the　crimes　of　which　you're　suspected；　and　Julie　and　Alex　will　be　free　to　leave　here；　Samir　also　will　no　longer　be　under　suspicion。　Then　other　matters　can　be　attended　to。　。。。〃
　
　〃I'm　not　going　anywhere；　Elliott；〃　　Julie　said　wearily。〃　But　Alex　must　be　allowed　to　go　home　as　soon　as　possible。〃
　
　Samir　poured　another　drink　of　brandy　for　Elliott；　and　Elliott　took　it　mechanically　and　drank　it。〃　Any　gin；　Samir？　I　prefer　gin　for　getting　drunk；〃　　he　said。
　
　〃e　to　the　point；　my　lord；〃　　said　Ramses。〃　I　must　be　taking　my　leave。　The　last　Queen　of　Egypt　roams　this　city　alone；　with　a　penchant　for　killing；　I　must　find　her。〃
　
　〃This　will　take　a　strong　stomach；〃　　Elliott　said；〃　but　there's　a　way　that　all　of　this　can　be　pinned　on　Henry。　He　laid　the　ground　himself。　But　Ramsey；　you　have　to　lie　as　I　told　you。　。。。〃
　
　The　quiet　of　the　night。　Alex　Savarell　lay　naked　and　asleep　on　the　snow…white　sheets　of　the　soft　feather　bed；　the　thin　wool　blanket　covering　him　only　to　the　waist；　his　face　smooth　and　waxen　in　the　moonlight。
　
　In　the　sweet　stillness；　she　had　undone　her　many　parcels　quiedy；　examining　the　fine　robes；　gowns；　slippers。　She　had　laid　out　the　little　rectangular　stolen　opera　papers　which　said〃　Admit　One〃　　on　the　dressing　table。
　
　The　moon　shone　on　the　rich　silks。　It　sparkled　in　the　rope　of　pearls；　coiled　like　a　snake　on　the　table。　And　beyond　the　sheer　finespun　curtains　on　the　window；　it　shone　upon　the　Nile　flowing　into　the　soft　tangle　of　rounded　roofs　and　towers　that　was　Cairo。
　
　Cleopatra　stood　at　the　window；　her　back　to　die　soft　bed　and　the　godlike　young　man　who　lay　there。　Divinely　he　had　pleasured　her；　divinely　she　had　pleasured　him。　His　innocence　and　simple　male　power　were　treasures　to　her；　her　mystery　and　skill　had　overwhelmed　him。　Never　had　he　placed　himself　in　the　hands　of　a　woman　thus；　he　had　sai