anner.themummy-第81节

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　was　all　done　in　ink；　undoubtedly。　The　ink　even　rubbed　off　on　her　fingers。　And　there　he　stood。　Ramses；　beside　a　camel　and　a　camel　driver；　dressed　in　the　curious　heavy　clothes　of　this　age。　The　print　beneath　said〃　Valley　of　the　Kings。〃
　
　She　almost　laughed　aloud；　yet　she　did　not　move　or　say　a　word。　It　seemed　the　moment　stretched　into　eternity。　The　young　lord　was　talking；　but　she　couldn't　hear　him。　Was　he　saying　that　he　must　call　his　father；　that　his　father　must　need　him　now？
　
　In　a　trance；　she　watched　him　move　away　from　her。　He　had　laid　the　paper　down。　The　picture。　She　looked　at　him。　He　was　picking　up　a　strange　instrument　from　the　table。　He　was　talking　into　it。　Asking　for　Lord　Rutherford。
　
　At　once　she　was　on　her　feet。　Gently　she　took　the　thing　away　from　him。　She　set　it　down。
　
　〃Don't　leave　me　now；　young　lord；〃　　she　said。〃　Your　father　can　wait　for　you。　I　need　you　now。〃
　
　Baffled；　he　looked　at　her；　he　made　no　move　to　stop　her　as　she　embraced　him。
　
　〃Don't　bring　the　world　to　us　just　yet；〃　　she　whispered　in　his　ear；　kissing　him。〃　Let　us　have　this　time　together。〃
　
　So　pletely　he　gave　in。　So　quickly　came　the　fire。
　
　〃Don't　be　timid；〃　　she　whispered。〃　Caress　me；　let　your　hands　do　what　they　will　as　they　did　last　night。〃
　
　Once　again　he　belonged　to　her；　enslaving　her　with　his　kisses；　stroking　her　breasts　through　the　blue　frock。
　
　〃Have　you　e　to　me　by　magic？〃　　he　whispered。〃　Just　when　I　thought　。。。　when　I　thought　。。。〃　　And　then　he　was　kissing　her　again；　and　she　led　him　towards　the　bed。
　
　She　picked　up　the　newspaper　as　they　went　into　the　bedroom。　As　they　sank　down　on　the　sheets　together；　she　showed　it　to　him；　just　as　he　removed　the　robe。
　
　〃Tell　me；〃　　she　said；　pointing　to　the　little　group　of　figures　standing　by　the　camel　in　the　sun。〃　Who　is　that　woman　beside　him？〃
　
　〃Julie；　Julie　Stratford；〃　　he　said。
　
　Then　there　were　no　words；　only　their　frantic；　hurried　and　delicious　embraces；　his　hips　grinding　against　her；　his　sex　pumping　into　her　again。
　
　When　it　was　all　over；　and　he　lay　still；　she　ran　her　fingers　through　his　hair。
　
　〃This　woman；　does　he　care　for　her？〃
　
　〃Yes；〃　　he　said　sleepily。〃　And　she　loves　him。　But　that　doesn't　matter　now。〃
　
　〃Why　do　you　say　this？〃
　
　〃Because　I　have　you；〃　　he　said；　Ramsey　was　at　his　best；　evincing　that　easy　charm　mat　had　subdued　everyone　on　the　voyage　out；　he　sat　back；　spotless　and　carelessly　fashionable　in　the　white　linen　suit；　his　hair　tousled；　blue　eyes　sparkling　with　a　near　boyish　vigour；　〃I　tried　to　reason　with　him。　When　he　broke　the　case　and　removed　the　mummy；　I　realized　it　was　hopeless。　I　tried　to　get　out　on　my　own；　but　the　guards；　well；　you　know　the　story。〃
　
　〃But　they　said　they　shot　you；　they…〃
　
　〃Sir；　these　men　are　not　the　soldiers　of　ancient　Egypt。　They're　hirelings　who　barely　know　how　to　fire　their　guns。　They　would　not　have　beaten　the　Hittites。〃
　
　Winthrop　laughed　in　spite　of　himself。　Even　Gerald　was　charmed。　Elliott　glanced　at　Samir；　who　dared　not　crack　the　smallest　smile。
　
　〃Well；　if　only　we　could　find　Henry；〃　　Miles　said。
　
　〃No　doubt　his　creditors　are　looking　for　him；　too；〃　　Ramsey
　
　said　quickly。
　
　〃Well；　let's　get　back　to　this　question　of　the　jail。　It　seems　there
　
　was　a　doctor　there　when　you…〃　Gerald　finally　intervened：
　
　〃Winthrop；〃　　he　said；〃　you　know　very　well　that　this　man's　innocent。　It's　Henry。　It's　been　Henry　all　along。　Everything　points　to　it。　He　broke　into　the　Cairo　Museum；　stole　the　mummy；　sold　it　for　profit；　went　on　a　drunken　rampage　with　the　money。　You　found　the　wrappings　in　the　belly　dancer's　house。　Henry's　name　was　found　in　the　loan　shark's　book　in　London。〃　〃But　the　whole　story　is　so　。。。〃　　Elliott　motioned　for　silence。
　
　〃Ramsey　has　been　subjected　to　enough；　and　so　have　we。　He's　already　made　the　crucial　statement　that　Henry　confessed　to　the　murder　of　his　uncle。〃
　
　〃He　made　this　very　plain　to　me；〃　　Ramsey　said　dryly。〃　I　want　our　passports　returned　immediately；〃　　Elliott　said。〃　But　the　British　Museum　。。。〃　〃Young　man；〃　　Gerald　began。
　
　〃Lawrence　Stratford　gave　a　fortune　to　the　British　Museum；〃　　Elliott　declared。　Finally　he　could　take　no　more。　He　had　reached　his　limit　with　this　farce。〃　Listen；　Miles；〃　　he　said；　leaning　forward。〃　You　clear　this　up；　and　now；　unless　you　intend　to　bee　a　social　recluse。　For　I　assure　you　that　if　my　party；　including　Reginald　Ramsey；　is　not　on　the　noon　train　tomorrow　for　Port　Said；　you　will　never　be　received　again　by　any　family　in　Cairo　or　London　which　hopes　to　receive　the　seventeenth　Earl　of　Rutherford。　Do　I　make　myself　clear？〃
　
　Silence　in　the　office。　The　young　man　blanched。　This　was　excruciating。
　
　〃Yes；　my　lord；〃　　he　answered　under　his　breath。　At　once　he　opened　the　desk　drawer　and　produced　the　passports　one　by　one；　laying　them　down　on　the　blotter　before　him。
　
　Elliott　managed　to　scoop　them　up　with　a　neat　quick　gesture　before　Gerald　could　do　it。
　
　〃I　find　this　as　disagreeable　as　you　do；〃　　he　said。〃　I've　never　said　such　words　before　to　any　human　being　in　my　life；　but　I　want　my　son　released　so　he　can　go　back　to　England。　Then　I'll　stay　in　this　bloody　place　as　long　as　you　want　me　here。　I'll　answer　any　question　you　like。〃
　
　〃Yes；　my　lord；　if　I　can　tell　the　governor　that　you　will　stay…〃
　
　〃I　just　told　you　that；　didn't　I？　Do　you　want　a　blood　oath？〃　　Enough　said。　He　felt　Gerald's　hand　on　his　arm。　He　had　what　he　wanted。
　
　Samir　helped　him　to　his　feet。　They　led　the　party　out　of　the　anteroom；　through　the　hallway　and　onto　the　front　veranda。
　
　〃Well　done；　Gerald；〃　　he　said。〃　I'll　call　you　if　I　need　you。　I've　appreciate　your　notifying　Randolph　about　this。　It's　a　little　more　than　I　can　bear　at　the　moment。　But　I'll　write　a　long　letter　soon。　。。。〃
　
　〃I'll　soften　everything。　No　need　at　all　for　him　to　know　the　details。　When　Henry's　arrested；　it's　going　to　be　dreadful　enough。〃
　
　〃Let's　worry　about　that　when　it　happens。〃
　
　Ramsey　was　clearly　impatient。　He　started　down　the　steps　towards　the　waiting　car。　Elliott　shook　Gerald's　hand　and　then　followed。
　
　〃Are　we　quite　finished　with　this　little　performance？〃　　Ramsey　said。〃　I　am　wasting　valuable　time　here！〃
　
　〃Well；　you　have　a　lot　of　time；　don't　you？〃　　Elliott　said　with　a　polite　smile。　He　was　a　little　light…headed　suddenly。　They　had　won。　The　children　could　get　out。〃　It's　imperative　that　you　e　back　to　the　hotel　now；〃　　he　said；〃　that　you　be　seen　there。〃
　
　〃Foolishness！　And　the　idea　of　the　opera　tonight　is　positively　ludicrous。〃
　
　〃Expediency！〃　　said　Elliott；　climbing　into　the　backseat　of　the　car　first。〃　Get　in；〃　　he　said。
　
　Ramsey　stood　there；　angry；　dejected。
　
　〃Sue；　what　can　we　do　until　we　have　some　further　evidence　of　where　she　might　be？〃　　Samir　asked。〃　On　our　own；　we　cannot　find　her。〃
　
　This　time　the　little　room　that　moved　did　not　scare　her。　She　knew　what　it　was；　and　that　it　was　to　serve　the　people　of　these　times；　as　the　railroad　served　them　and　the　motor　cars；　and　all　the　strange　devices　that　had　seemed　to　her　earlier　as　instruments　of　horror；　things　exquisitely　capable　of　bringing　suffering　and　death。
　
　They　didn't　torture　people　by　packing　them　into　the　little　room　and　making　them　travel　up　and　down。　They　didn't　drive　the　big　lootives　into　advancing　armies。　How　strange　that　she　had　interpreted　things　in　terms　of　their　most　malicious　uses。
　
　And　he　was　explaining　things　to　her　now；　freely　and　easily…　hi　fact；　he　had　been　talking　for　hours。　It　wasn't　important　to　ask　him　specific　questions；　except　occasionally；　he　liked　telling　her　all　about　the　mummy　of　Ramses　the　Damned；　and　how　Julie　Stratford　was　a　modern　woman；　and　how　Britain　ran　its　great　empire；　and　so　forth　and　so　on。　That　he　had　loved　Julie　Stratford　was　obvious；　Ramsey　had　〃stolen〃　　her；　but　again；　it　didn't　matter。　Not　at　all。　What　he'd　thought　was　love　wasn't　love　but　something　paler；　more　convenient；　and　altogether　too　easy。　But　did　she　really　want　to　hear　about　his　family？　No；　talk　of　history；　then；　and　Cairo；　and　Egypt；　and　the　world。。。
　
　It　had　been　a　great　chore　to　keep　him　from　calling　his　father。　He　felt　guilty。　But　she　had　used　all　her　persuasion　and　all　her　wiles。　He　did　not　require　fresh　garments；　his　shirt　and　jacket　looked　every　bit　as　fine　as　they　had　last　night。
　
　And　so　off　they　were　going　now　through　the　crowded　lobby　of　Shepheard's；　to　drive　in　his　Rolls…Royce；　to　see　the　Mamluke　tombs　and　all　the〃　history〃　　mat　she　had　asked　about；　and　the　tapestry　was　being　fuller　and　fuller。
　
　But　he'd　remarked　more　than　once　on　how　changed　she　seemed　from　last　night；　when　she　had　been　almost　playful。　And　that　made　her　faintly　afraid。　How　strong　her　affection　was　for
　
　him。
　
　〃And　do　you　like　this？〃　　she　asked　as　they　moved　towards　the　front　doors。
　
　He　paused。　It　was　as　if　he　were　seeing　her　for　the　first　time。　It　was　so　simple　to　smile　at　him；　he　deserved　one's　tenderest　smile。〃　You're　the　loveliest；　most　wonderful　thing　that's　ever　e　into　my　life；〃　　he　said。〃　I　wish　I　could　put　into　words　the　effect　you　have　upon　me。　You　are　。。。〃
　
　They　stood　amid　the　crowds　of　the　lobby；　lost　in　each　other's　gaze。
　
　〃Like　a　ghost？〃　　she　suggested。〃　A　visitant　from　another　realm？〃
　
　〃No；　you're