anner.themummy-第90节

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　The　mist　swallowed　it。　She　never　saw　it　hit　the　water。　And　the　sound　of　the　wind　and　the　sound　of　the　engines　merged　suddenly；　and　seemed　to　be　of　the　same　fabric　as　the　mist。
　
　Her　world；　gone。　Her　world　of　faded　colors　and　dim　noises；　gone。　She　heard　his　voice　speaking　to　her；　〃I　love　you；　Julie　Stratford。〃　　She　heard　herself　say；　〃I　wish　I'd　never　laid　eyes　on　you。　That　you　had　let　Henry　do　his　work。〃
　
　She　smiled　suddenly。　Had　she　ever　been　this　cold　in　her　life？　She　looked　down。　She　was　wearing　only　a　thin　nightgown。　No　wonder。　And　the　truth　was；　she　ought　to　be　dead　now。　Dead　like　her　father。　Henry　had　put　the　poison　in　her　cup。　She　closed　her　eyes；　turning　her　face　this　way　and　that　in　the　wash　of　the　wind。
　
　〃I　love　you；　Julie　Stratford；〃　　his　voice　came　again　in　memory；　and　this　time　she　heard　herself　answer　with　the　old　cliche〃　；　so　beautiful。〃　I　shall　love　you　till　my　dying　day。〃
　
　It　was　no　use　going　home。　It　was　no　use；　any　of　it。　The　motions　of　living。　The　adventure　had　ended。　The　nightmare　had　ended。　And　now　the　normal　world　would　be　the　nightmare；　unless　she　was　with　her　father；　or　alone　sealed　off　from　all　reality；　her　last　thoughts　only　of　all　the　glorious　moments　that　had　been。
　
　In　the　tent　with　him；　making　love　to　him；　his　at　last。　In　the　temple　under　the　stars。
　
　She　would　tell　no　children　in　old　age　why　she　had　never　married。　She　would　tell　no　young　man　the　story　of　the　voyage　to　Cairo。　She　would　not　be　that　woman；　harbouring　all　her　life　a　terrible　knowledge；　a　terrible　regret。
　
　But　this　was　too　harsh；　all　of　this。　No　need　for　such　literal　thoughts。　The　dark　waters　waited。　She'd　be　carried　far；　faraway　from　the　ship　within　moments；…　there　would　be　no　chance　of　salvation。　And　that　seemed　to　her　to　be　inexpressibly　beautiful　suddenly。　She　had　only　to　climb　up；　which　she　did　now；　and　let　herself　go　into　the　cold　wind。
　
　Why；　the　wind　would　even　carry　her　partway。　It　had　caught　her　gown　and　was　blowing　it　out　behind　her。　She　stretched　out　her　arms　and　pitched　herself　forward。　It　seemed　the　wind　grew　louder　and　she　was　flying　out　towards　the　water。　It　was　done！
　
　In　one　split　second　she　knew　that　nothing　could　save　her；　nothing　could　possibly　intervene；　she　was　already　falling；　and　she　wanted　to　say　her　father's　name。　But　it　was　Ramses'　name　that　came　to　her　mind。　Ah；　the　sweetness　of　it；　the　utter　sweetness　of　all　of　it。
　
　Then　two　strong　arms　caught　her。　She　hung　suspended　above　the　sea；　stunned；　groping　to　see　through　the　mist。
　
　〃No；　Julie。〃　　It　was　Ramses　pleading　with　her。　Ramses　who　lifted　her　over　the　railing　and　held　her　tightly　in　his　arms。　Ramses　standing　on　the　deck　with　her　in　his　arms。〃　Not　death　over　life；　Julie；　no。〃
　
　In　a　torrent　the　sobs　broke　from　her；　like　ice　she　shattered；　the　warm　tears　spilling　down　her　face　as　she　hugged　him　and　buried　her　face　against　his　chest。
　
　She　said　his　name　over　and　over。　She　felt　his　arms　closing　her　off　from　the　searing　wind。
　
　Cairo　woke　with　the　sun。　The　heat　seemed　to　rise　from　the　dirt　streets　themselves　as　the　bazaar　came　to　life；　as　the　striped　awnings　fell　down　over　doorways；　as　the　sounds　of　camels　and　donkeys　rose。
　
　Elliott　was　thoroughly　tired　now。　He　couldn't　resist　sleep　much　longer；　but　still　he　walked。　Sluggishly　he　moved　past　the　brass　merchants　and　the　rug　merchants；　and　the　sellers　of　gellebiyyas　and　of　fake　antiquities…cheap　Egyptian　〃treasures〃　　for　a　few　pence。　The　sellers　of　mummies；　who　claimed　now　to　offer　for　a　pittance　the　bodies　of　Kings。
　
　Mummies。　They　stood　along　the　whitewashed　wall　in　the　burning　sunlight；　mummies；　soiled；　worn；　in　their　bedraggled　wrappings；　yet　the　features　of　their　faces　distinguishable　beneath　the　layers　of　linen　and　grime。
　
　He　stopped。　AH　the　thoughts　with　which　he'd　wrestled　the　night　long　seemed　to　leave　him。　The　images　of　those　he　loved　which　had　been　so　close　to　him　suddenly　faded。　He　was　in　the　bazaar；　the　sun　was　burning　down　on　him；　he　was　looking　at　a　row　of　dead　bodies　against　a　wall。
　
　Malenka's　words　came　back　to　him。
　
　〃They　make　a　great　Pharaoh　of　my　English。　My　beautiful　English。　They　put　him　in　the　bitumen；　they　make　a　mummy　of　him　for　tourists　to　buy。。。　My　beautiful　English；　they　wrap　him　in　linen；　they　make　him　a　King。〃
　
　He　moved　closer；　irresistibly　drawn　by　what　he　saw；　though　it　repelled　him　pletely。　He　felt　the　first　wave　of　nausea　strike　him　as　his　eyes　locked　on　the　first　mummy；　the　tallest　and　leanest；　propped　at　the　near　end　of　the　wall。　Then　the　second　wave　came　as　the　merchant　stepped　forward；　belly　preceding　him　beneath　his　striped　cotton　robes；　hands　clasped　behind　his　back。
　
　〃Allow　me　to　offer　you　a　great　bargain！〃　　said　the　merchant。〃　This　one　here　is　not　like　the　others。　See？　If　you　look　you　can　see　the　fine　bones　of　this　one；　for　he　was　a　great　King。　e！　e　closer。　Have　a　good　look　at　him。〃
　
　Slowly　Elliott　obeyed。　The　wrappings　were　thick；　moldering；　as　ancient　in　appearance　as　any　he　had　ever　seen！　And　the　smell　rising　from　them；　the　rotting；　stinking　smell　of　earth　and　bitumen；　but　there；　beneath　that　thick　veneer；　he　could　see　the　face；　see　the　nose　and　the　broad　plain　of　the　forehead；　see　clearly　the　sunken　eyes；　the　thin　mouth！　He　was　staring　at　the　face　of　Henry　Stratford；　and　there　was　no　doubt。
　
　The　morning　sun　broke　in　glorious　rays　through　the　round　porthole；　piercing　the　sheer　white　veils　of　the　small　brass　bed。
　
　They　sat　together　against　the　barred　bedstead；　warm　from　their　lovemaking；　warm　from　the　wine　they'd　drunk。
　
　Now　she　watched　as　he　filled　the　tumbler　from　the　vial。　Tiny　lights　danced　in　the　strange　liquid。　He　held　it　out　to　her。
　
　She　took　it　from　him；　then　looked　into　his　eyes。　For　one　tiny　moment　she　was　afraid　again。　And　it　seemed　suddenly　she　was　not　in　this　room。　She　was　on　the　deck　in　the　mist　and　it　was　cold。　The　sea　was　waiting。　Then　she　shivered；　and　the　warm　sun　melted　over　her　skin；　and　she　saw　the　touch　of　fear　in　his　eyes　too。
　
　Only　human；　only　a　man；　she　thought。　He　does　not　know　what　will　happen　any　more　than　I　do！　And　she　smiled。
　
　She　drank　the　tumbler　down。
　
　〃The　body　of　a　King；　I　tell　you；〃　　said　the　merchant；　leaning　forward　in　farcical　confidentiality。〃　I　give　to　you　for　nothing！　Because　I　like　you。　I　see　you　are　a　gentleman。　You　have　good　taste。　This　mummy；　you　can　get　it　out　of　Egypt；　it's　nothing。　I　pay　the　bribe　for　you。。。〃　On　and　on　went　the　chant　of　lies；　the　song　of　merce；　the　idiot　imitation　of　truth。
　
　Henry　under　that　gauze！　Henry　locked　in　the　filthy　bandages　forever！　Henry　whom　he　had　caressed　in　that　little　room　in　Paris　a　lifetime　ago。
　
　〃e　now；　sir；　don't　turn　your　back　upon　the　mysteries　of　Egypt；　sir；　deepest　darkest　Egypt；　sir。　Land　of　magic　。。。〃
　
　The　voice　faded；　echoed　for　a　moment　as　he　stumbled　a　few　steps　away　and　towards　the　full　light　of　the　sun。
　
　A　great　burning　disk；　it　hung　over　the　rooftops。　It　flashed　in　his　eyes　as　he　looked　up　at　it。
　
　And　never　taking　his　eyes　off　it；　he　grasped　the　cane　firmly　as　he　reached　into　his　coat　and　pulled　out　the　flask。　Then　dropping　the　cane　altogether；　he　opened　the　flask　and　drank　the　contents　in　great　easy　gulps　to　the　very　last　drop。
　
　Petrified　as　the　chills　passed　through　him；　he　let　the　flask　fell　into　the　dirt。　He　felt　the　heat　in　spasms。　He　felt　his　numb　leg　e　to　life。　The　great　weight　in　his　chest　slowly　melted；　and　stretching　his　limbs　with　the　utter　abandon　of　an　animal；　he　stared　wide…eyed　at　the　glaring　sky；　at　the　golden　disk。
　
　Before　him　the　world　pulsed；　shimmered；　then　became　solid　again　as　he　had　not　seen　it　since　his　middle　years　when　his　vision　had　begun　to　slowly　fail。　He　saw　the　grains　of　earth　at　his　feet。
　
　Stepping　over　the　silver　walking　stick；　ignoring　the　shouts　of　the　merchant　behind　him　that　he　had　lost　his　cane　and　must　wait；　he　walked　out　of　the　bazaar　with　long　easy　strides。
　
　The　sun　was　high　above　in　the　noon　sky　as　he　left　Cairo；　as　he　walked　on　along　the　thin　road　to　the　east。　He　did　not　really　know　where　he　was　going　and　it　didn't　matter。　There　were　monuments　and　wonders　and　cities　enough　to　behold。　His　steps　were　quick；　and　the　desert　had　never　seemed　so　beautiful　to　him；　this　great　monotonous　ocean　of　sand。
　
　He　had　done　it！　And　there　was　no　undoing　of　it　now。　Eyes　fixed　on　the　vast　azure　emptiness　above　him；　he　gave　a　soft　cry　intended　for　no　one；　merely　the　smallest；　most　spontaneous　expression　of　his　joy。
　
　They　stood　on　the　deck；　the　warm　sun　blanketing　them　as　they　embraced　one　another。　She　could　feel　the　magic　moving　through　her　skin　and　her　hair。　She　felt　his　lips　graze　hers；　and　suddenly　they　were　kissing　as　they　had　never　really　kissed　before。　It　was　the　same　fire；　yes；　but　now　her　strength　and　her　urgency　came　to　the　fore　to　meet　his。
　
　He　lifted　her　and　carried　her　back　into　the　little　bedroom　and　laid　her　down　on　the　bed。　The　veiling　fell　silently　around　them；　snaring　the　light　and　wrapping　them　up　in　it。
　
　〃You　are　mine；　Julie　Stratford；〃　　he　whispered。〃　My　Queen　forever。　And　I　am　yours。　Always　yours。〃
　
　〃Lovely　words；〃　　she　whispered；　smiling　at　him　almost　sadly。　She　wanted　always　to　remember　this