anner.themummy-第78节

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d　said。　Never　had　he　given　vent　to　all　his　whims　with　such　abandon。
　
　And　now　he　slept　the　sleep　that　children　sleep；　safe　in　the　bed；　as　she　stood　at　the　window。。。
　
　。。。　As　dreams　came　to　her；　pretending　to　be　memories。　It　occurred　to　her　that　she　had　not　known　the　night　since　she'd　been　awakened。　She　had　not　known　the　cool　mystery　of　the　night；　when　thoughts　tend　naturally　to　deepen。　And　what　came　to　her　now　were　images　of　other　nights；　of　real　palaces；　resplendent　with　marble　floors　and　pillars；　and　tables　laden　with　fruit　and　roasted　meat　and　wine　in　silver　pitchers。　Of　Ramses　speaking　to　her；　as　they　lay　together　in　the　dark。
　
　〃I　love　you；　as　I've　loved　no　other　woman。　To　live　without　you　。。。　it　would　not　be　life。〃
　
　〃My　King；　my　only　King；〃　　she　had　said。〃　What　are　the　others；　but　toys　on　a　child's　battlefield？　Little　wooden　emperors　moved　by　chance　from　place　to　place。〃
　
　It　dimmed；　it　moved　away　from　her。　She　lost　it　as　she　had　lost　the　other　memories。　And　what　was　real　was　the　voice　of　Alex　stirring　in　his　sleep。
　
　〃Your　Highness；　where　are　you？〃
　
　Misery　like　a　spell　had　descended　upon　her；　and　he　could　not　pierce　the　veil。　It　was　too　heavy；　too　dark。　She　sang　to　herself；　that　song；　mat　sweet　song　from　the　music　box；〃　Celeste　Aida。〃　　And　men　when　she　turned　and　saw　his　face　in　the　moonlight；　his　eyes　closed；　his　hand　open　on　the　sheet；　she　felt　a　deep　and　soulful　longing。　She　hummed　the　song；　her　lips　closed　as　she　approached　the　bed　and　looked　down　at　him。
　
　Tenderly　she　stroked　his　hair。　Tenderly　her　fingertips　touched　his　eyelids。　Ah；　sleeping　god；　my　sweet　Endymion。　Her　hand　moved　down；　lazily；　and　touched　his　throat；　touched　the　tender　bones　she　had　broken　in　the　others。
　
　Frail　and　mortal　thing　for　all　your　strength；　your　finely　muscled　arms；　your　smooth　flat　chest；　powerful　hands　that　pleasure　me。
　
　She　didn't　want　him　to　know　death！　She　didn't　want　him　to　suffer。　A　great　protectiveness　rose　in　her。　She　lifted　the　white　blanket　and　snuggled　down　into　the　warm　bed　beside　him。　She　would　never　harm　this　one；　never；　that　she　knew。　And　suddenly　death　itself　seemed　a　frightful　and　unjust　thing。
　
　But　why　am　I　immortal　when　he　is　not？　Ye　gods。　For　one　second　it　seemed　a　great　portal　opened　on　a　vast　place　of　light　and　all　answers　were　revealed；　her　past；　who　she　was；　what　had　happened；　all　those　things　were　clear。　But　it　was　dark　and　quiet　in　this　room。　There　was　no　such　illumination。
　
　〃My　love；　my　pretty　young　love；〃　　she　said；　kissing　him　again。　At　once　he　stirred；　responded。　He　opened　his　arms　to　her。
　
　〃Your　Highness。〃
　
　She　felt　the　hardness　again　between　his　legs；　she　wanted　it　to　fill　her　again；　to　bruise　her。　She　smiled　to　herself。　If　one　cannot　be　immortal；　one　should　at　least　be　young；　she　thought　ruefully。
　
　Ramses　had　listened　silently　for　a　long　time　before　he　spoke。
　
　〃So　what　you　are　saying　is　that　we　must　tell　this　elaborate　tale　to　the　authorities；　that　I　argued　with　him；　followed　him　inside；　saw　him　take　the　mummy　from　the　case；　and　then　the　soldiers　apprehended　me。〃
　
　〃You　lied　for　Egypt　when　you　were　King；　did　you　not？　You　lied　to　your　people　when　you　told　them　you　were　the　living　god。〃
　
　〃But；　Elliott；〃　　Julie　broke　in。〃　What　if　these　crimes　continue？〃
　
　〃And　they　very　well　might；〃　　said　Ramses　impatiently；〃　if　I　don't　get　out　of　here　and　find　her。〃
　
　〃There　is　no　proof　that　Henry's　dead；〃　　Elliott　said；〃　and　no　one　is　going　to　find　any。　It's　perfectly　plausible　that　Henry's　roaming　around　Cairo。　And　what　is　plausible　is　what　they'll　accept。　Pitfield　leapt　at　this　nonsense。　So　will　they。　And　they　can　hunt　for　Henry　as　you　hunt　for　her。　But　Alex　and　Julie　will　be　safely　out　of　it　by　then。〃
　
　〃No；　I　told　you；〃　　Julie　said；〃　I'll　persuade　Alex　logo。。。〃
　
　〃Julie；　I　can　e　to　you　later　in　London；〃　　Ramses　said。〃　Lord　Rutherford's　a　clever　man。　He　would　have　made　a　good　King；　or　a　King's　wily　adviser。〃
　
　Elliott　gave　a　bitter　smile　and　drank　down　his　third　glass　of　straight　gin。
　
　〃I　shall　make　this　poetry　of　lies　as　convincing　as　I　can。　What　else　must　we　discuss？〃　　Ramses　said。
　
　〃It's　settled。　Ten　A。M。　you　must　call　me。　By　then　I'll　have　a　guarantee　of　immunity　for　you　from　the　governor　himself。　Then　you　must　e　to　the　governor's　palace　and　make　your　statement。　And　we　do　not　leave　without　the　passports。〃
　
　〃Very　well；〃　　Ramses　said。〃　I　leave　you　now。　Wish　me　good　fortune。〃
　
　〃But　where　will　you　begin　to　search？〃　　Julie　asked。〃　And　when　will　you　sleep？〃
　
　〃You　forget；　my　beauty。　I　don't　need　to　sleep。　I'll　search　for　her　until　we　meet　here　again　before　ten　o'clock。　Lord　Rutherford；　if　this　fails　to　work　。。。〃
　
　〃It　will　work。　And　we　shall　go　to　the　opera　tomorrow　night　precisely　as　planned　and　to　the　ball　afterwards。〃
　
　〃That's　absurd！〃　　Julie　said。
　
　〃No；　my　child。　Do　it　for　me。　It's　the　last　demand　I　shall　ever　make　on　you。　I　want　the　social　fabric　restored。　I　want　my　son　to　be　seen　with　his　father；　and　his　friends；　with　Ramsey；　whose　name　shall　be　cleared。　I　want　us　all　to　be　seen　together。　I　want　no　shadows　over　Alex's　future。　And　whatever　the　future　holds　for　you；　don't　shut　the　gate　on　the　life　you　once　lived。　It's　worth　the　price　of　one　night's　pomp　and　ceremony　to　keep　that　gate　open。〃
　
　〃Ah；　Lord　Rutherford；　how　you　always　amuse　me　and　satisfy　me；〃　　Ramses　said。〃　In　another　world　and　another　life；　I　used　to　say　such　inane　things　myself　to　those　around　me。　It's　palaces　and　titles　which　do　such　things　to　us。　But　I've　remained　here　long　enough。　Samir；　e　with　me　if　you　will。　Otherwise　I'm　going　alone　now。〃
　
　〃I'm　with　you；　sire；〃　　Samir　said。　He　rose　and　made　a　ceremonial　little　bow　to　Elliott。〃　Until　tomorrow；　my　lord。〃
　
　Ramses　went　out　first；　then　Samir。　For　a　moment　Julie　couldn't　move；　then　she　rose　out　of　the　chair　and　went　running　out　of　the　door　after　Ramses。　She　caught　him　in　the　dark　stairwell　at　the　rear　of　the　wing；　and　once　again；　they　held　each　other。
　
　〃Please　love　me；　Julie　Stratford；〃　　he　whispered。〃　I　am　not　always　such　a　fool；　I　swear　it。〃　　He　held　her　face　in　his　hands。
　
　〃You'll　go　to　London　where　you　are　safe；　and　you　shall　see　me　when　this　horror　is　finished。〃
　
　She　went　to　protest。
　
　〃I　do　not　He　to　you。　I　love　you　too　much　for　that。　I　have　told　you　everything。〃
　
　She　watched　him　slip　down　the　stairs。　He　put　the　headdress　on　again　and　became　the　sheikh　before　he　went　out　into　the　darkness；　one　hand　raised　in　a　graceful　farewell。
　
　She　didn't　want　to　return　to　her　rooms。　She　didn't　want　to　see　Elliott。
　
　She　knew　now　why　he　had　made　this　journey；　she　had　sensed　it　all　along；　but　now　she　knew　for　certain。　Following　Ramses　to　the　museum；　that　he　had　ever　gone　to　such　an　extreme；　astonished　her。
　
　On　second　thought；　why　should　it　astonish　her？　After　all；　he　had　believed；　he　had　been　the　only　one；　other　than　Samir；　perhaps；　who　believed。　And　so　the　mystery　and　the　promise　had　lured　him。
　
　As　she　walked　back　to　her　rooms；　she　prayed　he　understood　the　full　evil　that　had　unfolded。　And　when　she　thought　of　any　creature…no　matter　how　evil　or　dangerous　or　cruel…being　shut　up　in　the　dark；　unable　to　wake；　she　shuddered　and　began　to　cry　again。
　
　He　was　there　still；　drinking　the　last　of　the　gin　as　he　sat　in　the　overstuffed　chair；　so　self…contained　and　elegant　even　in　his　drunkenness；　hands　curved　around　the　cane。
　
　He　did　not　look　up　when　she　came　in。　He　did　not　gather　his　strength　to　leave。　She　shut　the　door　and　faced　him。
　
　Her　words　came　swiftly；　without　thought。　But　she　made　no　accusations。　She　told　him　only　all　that　Ramses　had　said。　She　told　the　tale　of　the　food　that　could　not　be　eaten；　and　the　cattle　that　could　not　be　slaughtered；　the　tale　of　the　insatiable　hunger　and　craving　of　the　flesh；　she　told　the　tale　of　loneliness；　of　isolation；　it　all　came　in　a　rush；　as　she　paced　back　and　forth；　not　looking　at　him；　not　meeting　his　eyes。
　
　And　finally　it　was　done　and　the　room　was　still。
　
　〃When　we　were　young；〃　　he　said；〃　your　father　and　I；　we　spent　many　months　in　Egypt。　We　pored　over　our　books；　we　studied　the　ancient　tombs；　we　translated　the　texts；　we　roamed　the　sands　by　day　and　by　night。　Ancient　Egypt；　it　became　our　muse；　our　religion。　We　dreamed　of　some　secret　knowledge　here
　
　that　would　transport　us　from　all　the　things　that　seemed　to　lead　to　boredom　and　finally　hopelessness。
　
　〃Did　the　pyramids　really　contain　some　secret　yet　undiscovered？　Did　the　Egyptians　know　a　magic　language　to　which　the　gods　themselves　listen？　What　undiscovered　tombs　lay　within　these　hills？　What　philosophy　remained　to　be　revealed？　What　alchemy？
　
　〃Or　did　this　culture　produce　a　mere　semblance　of　high　learning；　a　semblance　of　true　mystery？　We　wondered　now　and　then　if　they　had　been　not　wise；　and　mystical；　but　a　simple；　literal；　brutal　people。
　
　〃We　never　knew。　I　don't　know　now。　I　see　now　it　was　the　quest　that　was　the　passion！　The　quest；　you　understand？〃
　
　She　didn't　answer。　When　she　looked　at　him；　he　looked　very　old。　His　eyes　were　leaden。　He　climbed　out　of　the　chair；　and　came　towards　her；　and　kissed　her　cheek。　He　did　this　as　gracefully　as　he　did　all　things。　That　strange　thou