anner.themummy-第14部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　
　〃Yes；　talked　to　it　as　if　it　could　talk　back。　And　Latin　of　all　things。　If　you　ask　me；　your　father　had　been　sick　for　some　time。
　
　Too　many　years　in　the　desert　heat　squandering　money　on　corpses　and　statues　and　trinkets　and　trash。〃
　
　How　his　words　stung　her。　So　careless；　yet　so　hateful。　He　paused　before　one　of　the　jars；　with　his　back　to　her。　In　the　mirror　she　saw　him　scowling　down　at　it。
　
　〃It　was　his　money；　wasn't　it？〃　　she　asked。〃　He　made　enough　for　all　of　us；　or　so　he　thought。〃
　
　He　turned　around　sharply。
　
　〃What's　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　
　〃Well；　you　haven't　managed　yours　very　well；　have　you？〃
　
　〃I've　done　the　best　I　can。　Who　are　you　to　judge　me？〃　　he　asked。　Suddenly；　with　the　sunlight　harshly　illuminating　his　face；　he　looked　frighteningly　vicious。
　
　〃And　what　about　the　shareholders　of　Stratford　Shipping？　Have　you　done　your　best　for　them？　Or　is　that　quite　beyond　my　judgment　also？〃
　
　〃Be　careful；　my　girl；〃　　he　said。　He　drew　close　to　her。　He　gave　one　arrogant　glance　to　the　mummy　on　his　left　almost　as　if　it　were　another　presence；　another　full　person；　and　then　he　turned　his　shoulder　to　it　a　little；　and　narrowed　his　eyes　as　he　looked　at　her。〃　Father　and　I　are　the　only　family　you　have　left　now。　You　need　us　more　than　you　think；　perhaps。　After　all；　what　do　you　really　know　about　trade　or　shipping？〃
　
　How　curious。　He　had　made　a　good　point　and　then　ruined　it。　She　needed　them　both；　but　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　trade　and　shipping。　She　needed　them　because　they　were　her　blood；　and　to　hell　with　trade　and　shipping。
　
　She　didn't　want　him　to　see　the　hurt　in　her。　She　turned　away　and　looked　down　the　length　of　the　double　drawing　rooms；　towards　the　pale　northern　windows　on　the　front　of　the　house；　where　the　morning　seemed　scarcely　to　be　happening。
　
　〃I　know　how　to　add　two　and　two；　my　dear　cousin；〃　　she　said。〃　And　that　has　put　me　in　a　very　awkward　and　painful　position。〃
　
　With　relief；　she　watched　Rita　enter　from　the　hall；　her　back　bent　unfortably　as　she　carried　the　heavy　silver　coffee　service。　On　the　center　table　of　the　rear　drawing　room　she　set　it　down；　only　a　few　feet　from　where　Julie　stood。
　
　〃Thank　you；　dear。　That's　all　for　now。〃
　
　With　a　pointed　glance　at　the　thing　in　the　coffin；　Rita　was　gone。　And　once　again　Julie　was　alone　with　this　exquisitely　painful　moment。　Slowly　she　turned　and　saw　that　her　cousin　was　standing　directly　in　front　of　Ramses。〃　Then　I　should　e　right　to　the　point；〃　　he　said；　and　he　turned　around　to　face　her。　He　reached　up　and　loosened　his　silk　tie；　and　then　pulled　it　off　and　stuffed　it　in　his　pocket。　His　gait　was　almost　shambling　as　he　approached　her。
　
　〃I　know　what　you　want；〃　　she　said。〃　I　know　what　you　and　Uncle　Randolph　both　want。　And　more　important；　I　know　what　you　both　need。　What　Father　left　you　won't　begin　to　cover　your　debts。　Lord；　but　you've　made　a　mess　of　things。〃
　
　〃So　sanctimonious；〃　　Henry　said。　He　stood　only　a　foot　from　her　now；　his　back　to　the　brightening　sun　and　the　mummy。〃　The　suffragette；　the　little　archaeologist。　And　now　you'll　try　your　hand　at　business；　will　you？〃
　
　〃I'll　try；〃　　she　said　coldly。　His　anger　was　igniting　hers。〃　What　else　can　I　do？〃　　she　asked。〃　Let　it　all　slip　through　your　father's　hands！　Lord；　but　I　pity　you！〃
　
　〃What　are　you　trying　to　tell　me？〃　　he　asked。　His　breath　stank　of　liquor；　and　his　face　was　shadowed　with　coarse　unshaven　hair。〃　That　you'll　ask　for　our　resignations？　Is　that　it？〃
　
　〃I　don't　know　yet。〃　　She　turned　her　back　on　him。　She　walked　into　the　front　drawing　room　and　opened　the　small　secretaire。　She　sat　down　before　it；　and　removed　her　book　of　bank　drafts。　And　uncapped　the　inkwell。
　
　She　could　hear　him　pacing　behind　her　as　she　wrote　the　cheque。
　
　〃Tell　me；　cousin；　does　it　feel　good　to　have　more　than　you　can　ever　spend；　more　than　you　can　ever　count？　And　to　have　done　nothing　to　get　it？〃
　
　She　turned；　her　eyes　down；　and　she　gave　him　the　cheque。　She　rose　and　went　to　the　front　window。　She　lifted　the　lace　curtain　and　looked　out　at　the　street。　Please　go　away；　Henry；　she　thought　dully；　disconsolately。　She　didn't　want　to　hurt　her　uncle。　She　didn't　want　to　hurt　anyone。　But　what　could　she　do？　She'd　known　for　years　about　Randolph's　embezzling。　She　and　her　father　had　discussed　it　last　time　she　was　in　Cairo。　Of　course　he　had　meant　to　take　the　situation　in　hand；　always　meant。　And　now　it　fell　to　her。
　
　She　turned　suddenly。　The　silence　made　her　uneasy。　She　saw　her　cousin　standing　in　the　Egyptian　room。　He　was　staring　at　her；　his　eyes　cold　and　seemingly　lifeless。
　
　〃And　when　you　marry　Alex；　will　you　disinherit　us　as　well？〃
　
　〃For　the　love　of　heaven；　Henry。　Go　away　and　leave　me　alone。〃
　
　There　was　something　stunning　about　his　expression；　about　the　sheer　hardness　of　his　face。　He　wasn't　young　anymore；　was　he？　He　looked　ancient　in　his　habits　and　in　his　guilt　and　in　his　self…deception。　Have　pity；　she　thought。　What　can　you　do　to　help　him？　Give　him　a　fortune　and　it　will　be　gone　within　a　fortnight。　She　turned　round　again　and　looked　out　into　the　wintry　London　street。
　
　Early　passersby。　The　nurse　from　across　the　way　with　the　twins　in　their　wicker　carriage。　An　old　man　hurrying　along　with　a　newspaper　under　his　arm。　And　the　guard；　the　guard　from　the　British　Museum；　slouching　idly　on　the　front　steps　just　beneath　her。　And　down　the　street；　in　front　of　her　uncle　Randolph's；　Sally　the　parlour　maid　shaking　a　rug　out　the　front　door　because　she　was　sure　that　no　one　was　awake　to　see。
　
　Why　was　there　no　sound　behind　her　in　the　double　rooms？　Why　didn't　Henry　storm　out；　slamming　the　front　door？　Perhaps　he　had　left；　but　no；　she　heard　a　tiny　furtive　noise　suddenly；　a　spoon　touching　china。　The　damned　coffee。
　
　〃I　don't　know　how　it　could　have　e　to　this；〃　　she　said；　still　gazing　at　the　street　before　her。〃　Trust　funds；　salaries；　bonuses；　you　had　everything；　both　of　you。〃
　
　〃No；　not　everything；　my　dear；〃　　he　said。〃　You　have　everything。〃
　
　Sound　of　coffee　being　poured。　For　the　love　of　heaven！
　
　〃Look；　old　girl；〃　　he　said；　his　voice　low　and　strained。〃　I　don't　want　this　quarrel　any　more　than　you　do。　e。　Sit　down。　Let's　have　a　cup　of　coffee　together　like　civilized　people。〃
　
　She　couldn't　move。　The　gesture　seemed　more　sinister　than　his　anger。
　
　〃e　and　have　a　cup　of　coffee　with　me；　Julie。〃　　Was　there　any　way　out　of　it？　She　turned；　her　eyes　downcast；　and　moved　towards　the　table；　only　looking　up　when　it　seemed　unavoidable；　to　see　Henry　facing　her；　the　steaming　cup　in　his　outstretched　hand。
　
　There　was　something　unaccountably　odd　about　this；　about　the　way　he　was　offering　it　to　her；　about　the　peculiarly　blank　expression　on　his　face。
　
　But　this　had　no　more　than　a　second　to　register。　For　what　she　saw　behind　him　caused　her　to　freeze　in　her　tracks。　Reason　ruled　against　it；　but　the　evidence　of　her　senses　was　undeniable。
　
　The　mummy　was　moving。　The　mummy's　right　arm　was　outstretched；　the　torn　wrappings　hanging　from　it；　as　the　being　stepped　out　of　its　gilded　box！　The　scream　froze　in　her　throat。　The　tiling　was　ing　towards　her…towards　Henry；　who　stood　with　his　back　to　it…moving　with　a　weak；　shuffling　gait；　that　arm　outstretched　before　it；　the　dust　rising　from　the　rotting　linen　that　covered　it；　a　great　smell　of　dust　and　decay　filling　the　room。
　
　〃What　the　devil's　the　matter　with　you！〃　　Henry　demanded。　But　the　thing　was　now　directly　behind　him。　The　outstretched　hand　closed　on　Henry's　throat。
　
　Her　scream　would　not　break　loose。　Petrified；　she　heard　only　a　dry　shriek　inside　her；　like　the　impotent　cries　of　her　worst　dreams。
　
　Henry　turned；　hands　rising　reflexively　to　protect　himself；　the　coffee　cup　falling　with　a　clatter　to　the　silver　tray。　A　low　roar　escaped　his　lips　as　he　fought　the　thing　strangling　him。　His　fingers　clasped　at　the　filthy　wrappings；　the　dust　rose　in　gusts　as　the　creature　tore　its　left　arm　loose　from　the　bindings；　and　sought　to　pinion　its　victim　with　both　hands。
　
　With　an　ignominious　scream；　Henry　threw　the　creature　off　him；　and　pitched　forward　on　all　fours。　In　an　instant　he　was　on　his　feet　and　scrambling　across　the　carpet。　He　ran　through　the　front　room　and　over　the　marble　tile　of　the　front　hall　to　the　door。
　
　Speechless；　terrified；　Julie　stared　at　the　ghastly　figure　who　knelt　beside　the　center　table。　The　thing　was　panting；　struggling　for　breath。　She　scarcely　heard　the　front　door　open　or　slam　shut。

　
　Never　in　her　whole　life　had　there　been　a　moment　so　devoid　of　reason。　Shivering　violently；　she　backed　away　in　horror　from　this　ragged　being；　this　dead　thing　that　had　e　to　life；　and　seemed　now　unable　to　rise　to　its　feet。
　
　Was　it　looking　at　her？　Were　those　eyes　glinting　through　the　ragged　bandages？　Blue　eyes？　It　reached　out　for　her。　Her　body　was　caught　in　a　cold　involuntary　shudder。　A　wave　of　dizziness　passed　over　her。　Don't　faint。　Whatever　happens；　don't　Joint。
　
　Suddenly　it　turned　away。　Quite　deliberately　it　looked　towards　its　coffin；　or　was　it　the　conservatory　with　the　light　pouring　through　its　roof？　It　lay　as　if　exhausted　on　the　Oriental　carpet；　and　then　it　reached　out　as　if　towards　the　great　flood　of　morning　sun。
　
　She　could　hear　its　breathing　again。　Alive！　Dear　God；　alive！　It　struggled　to　move　forward；　lifting　its　powerful　torso　only　a　little　off　the　carpet　and　propelling　itself　with　a　sluggish　movement　of　its　knees。
　
　Out　of　the　shadowy　drawing　room　it　crawled　inch　by　inch　away　from　her　until　suddenly　it　reached　the　farthest　rays　of　the
　
　sun　penetrating　the　library。　There　it　stopped；　and　seemed　to　breathe　deeply　as　if　actually　breathing　not　air　but　light。　It　lifted　itself　a　little　higher　on　its　elbows；　and　began　to　crawl　towards　the　conservatory　again　with　greater　speed。　The　linen　bandages　trailed　from　its　legs。　A　path　of　dust　was　left　on　the　rug。　The　bandages　on　its　aims　were　falling　to　pieces。　Fragments　of　linen　broke　loose　and　appeared　to　disintegrate　in　the　light。
　
　Without　a　conscious　decision；　she　moved　behind　it；　keeping　a　safe　distance；　yet　quite　unable　to　stop　herself　from　following　it；　from　staring　as　if　spellbound　at　its　grim　progress　through　the　conservatory　doors。
　
　Into　the　hottest　glare　of　the　sun　it　moved；　and　suddenly　it　stopped　beside　the　fountain　and　rolled　over　on　its　back。　One