anner.themummy-第28部分

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　Samir　had　been　sitting　at　his　desk　for　the　better　part　of　an　hour。　He　had　drunk　half　a　bottle　of　Pernod；　a　liqueur　he　had　always　loved；　which　he　had　discovered　in　a　French　cafe〃　　in　Cairo。　He　wasn't　drunk；　however；　he　had　merely　blunted　the　palm…tingling　agitation　that　had　taken　possession　of　him　shortly　after　he　left　the　Stratford　house。　But　when　he　tried　to　really　think　about　what　was　going　on；　the　agitation　would　return　again。
　
　He　was　suddenly　startled　by　a　tap　at　his　window。　His　office　was　at　the　back　of　the　museum。　And　the　only　light　shining　in　the　entire　building　was　his　light；　and　perhaps　another　somewhere　deep　inside　where　the　night　guards　took　their　cigarettes　and　coffee。
　
　He　could　not　see　the　figure　outside。　But　he　knew　who　h　was。　And　he　was　on　his　feet　before　the　tap　came　again。　He　went　into　the　back　corridor；　and　to　a　rear　door　and　opened　it　on　the　back　alleyway。
　
　In　a　rain…spattered　coat；　his　shirt　open　and　unbuttoned　halfway　down　the　front；　Ramses　the　Great　stood　waiting　for　him。　Samir　stepped　out　into　the　darkness。　The　rain　had　left　a　sheen　on　the　stone　walls；　and　on　the　pavement。　But　nothing　seemed　to　shimmer　quite　like　this　tall；　manding　figure　before　him。
　
　〃What　can　I　do　for　you；　sire？〃　　Samir　asked。〃　What　service　can　I　render？〃
　
　〃I　want　to　e　in；　honest　one；〃　　Ramses　said。〃　If　you　will　permit；　I　would　like　to　see　the　relics　of　my　ancestors　and　of　my　children。〃
　
　A　lovely　tremor　passed　through　Samir　at　these　words。　He　felt　tears　springing　to　his　eyes。　He　could　not　have　explained　this　bittersweet　happiness　to　anyone。
　
　〃Gladly；　sire；〃　　he　said。〃　Let　me　be　your　guide。　It　is　a　great　privilege。〃
　
　Elliott　saw　the　books　in　Randolph's　library。　He　parked　his　car　at　the　kerb；　right　beside　the　old　mews；　climbed　out　and　somehow　managed　to　get　up　the　steps　and　ring　the　bell。　Randolph　himself；　in　shirt…sleeves　and　with　the　stale　smell　of　wine　on　his　breath；　came　to　answer。
　
　〃Good　Lord；　do　you　know　what　time　it　is？〃　　he　asked。　He　turned　and　allowed　Elliott　to　follow　him　back　into　the　library。　What　a　grand　affair　it　was；　chock　full　of　all　the　accoutrements　money　could　buy　for　such　a　room；　including　prints　of　dogs　and　horses；　and　maps　which　no　one　ever　looked　at。
　
　〃I'll　tell　you　the　truth　right　off。　I'm　too　tired　for　anything　else；〃　　Randolph　said。〃　You've　e　at　a　very　good　time　to　answer　a　very　important　question。'　*
　
　〃And　what　is　that？'　*　Elliott　said。　He　watched　Randolph　settle　at　his　desk；　a　great　monstrous　thing　of　mahogany　with　heavy　carving。　There　were　papers　and　account　books　all　over　the　top　of　it。　There　were　bills　in　heaps。　And　a　great　huge　ugly　telephone；　and　leather　containers　for　clips；　pens；　paper。
　
　〃The　ancient　Romans；〃　　Randolph　said；　sitting　back　and　drinking　his　wine　without　a　thought　to　offering　Elliott　any。〃　What　did　they　do　when　they　were　dishonoured；　Elliott？　They　slit　their　wrists；　did　they　not？　And　bled　to　death　gracefully。〃
　
　Elliott　eyed　the　man；　his　red　eyes；　the　slight　palsy　of　his　hand。　Then　he　put　his　walking　stick　to　use　as　he　climbed　to　his　feet　again。　He　went　to　the　desk　and　poured　himself　a　glass　of　wine　from　the　decanter。　He　refilled　Randolph's　glass；　and　then　retreated　to　his　chair　again。
　
　Randolph　watched　all　this　but　appeared　to　attach　no　significance　to　it　whatsoever。　He　rested　his　elbows　on　the　desk　before　him；　and　ran　his　heavy　wrinkled　fingers　through　his　grey　hair　as　he　stared　at　the　heap　of　papers。
　
　〃If　memory　serves　me　right；〃　　Elliott　said；　〃Brutus　fell　on　his　sword。　Mark　Antony　later　tried　the　same　trick；　and　made　a　mess　of　it。　He　then　climbed　a　rope　to　Cleopatra's　bedchamber。　And　there　managed　somehow　to　kill　himself　again；　or　to　die　finally。　She　chose　the　poison　of　a　snake。　But　yes；　to　answer　your　question；　Romans　did　from　time　to　time　slit　their　wrists；　that's　true。　But　will　you　allow　me　to　observe　that　no　amount　of　money　is　worth　a　man's　life。　And　you　must　stop　thinking　of　this。〃
　
　Randolph　smiled。　Elliott　tasted　the　wine。　Very　good。　The　Stratfords　always　drank　good　wine。　Day　in　and　day　out；　they　drank　vintages　that　others　saved　for　momentous　occasions。
　
　〃Is　that　so？〃　　Randolph　said。〃　No　amount　of　money。　And　where　am　I　going　to　get　the　amount　of　money　I　need　to　prevent　my　niece　from　understanding　the　full　extent　of　my　perfidy？〃
　
　The　Earl　shook　his　head。〃　If　you　take　your　life；　she　will　undoubtedly　find　out　everything。〃
　
　〃Yes；　and　I　shall　not　be　there　to　answer　her　questions。〃
　
　〃A　small　point；　and　not　worth　the　price　of　your　remaining　years。　You're　talking　nonsense。〃
　
　〃Am　I？　She　isn't　going　to　marry　Alex。　You　know　she　isn't。　And　she　wouldn't　turn　her　back　on　Stratford　Shipping　even　if　she　did。　There's　nothing　standing　between　me　and　the　final　disaster。〃
　
　〃Oh；　yes；　there　is。〃
　
　〃And　what　is　that？〃
　
　〃Give　it　a　few　days　and　see　if　I'm　not　right。　Your　niece　has　herself　a　new　distraction。　Her　guest　from　Cairo；　Mr。　Reginald　Ramsey。　Alex　is　miserable　about　it；　of　course；　but　Alex　will　recover。　And　this　Reginald　Ramsey　may　very　well　sweep　Julie　away　from　Stratford　Shipping　as　well　as　from　my　son。　And　your　problems　may　find　a　very　simple　solution。　She　may　forgive　you　everything。〃
　
　〃I　saw　that　fellow！〃　　Randolph　said。〃　Saw　him　this　morning　when　Henry　made　that　asinine　scene。　You　don't　mean　to　tell　me。。。〃
　
　〃I　have　a　hunch；　as　Americans　say。　Julie　and　this　man　。。。〃
　
　〃Henry　ought　to　be　in　that　house！〃
　
　〃Forget　it。　What　you're　saying　doesn't　matter。〃
　
　〃Well；　you　sound　downright　cheerful　about　this！　I　should　have　thought　you'd　be　more　upset　than　I　am。〃
　
　〃It's　unimportant。〃
　
　〃Since　when？〃
　
　〃Since　I　began　to　think；　really　think；　about　what　our　lives　consist　of。　Old　age　and　death　await　us　all。　And　we　cannot　face　that　simple　truth；　so　we　look　for　endless　distractions。〃
　
　〃Good　God；　Elliott！　You're　not　talking　to　Lawrence；　you're　talking　to　Randolph。　I　wish　I　could　share　your　grand　perspective。　At　the　moment　I'd　sell　my　soul　for　one　hundred　thousand　pounds。　And　so　would　a　lot　of　other　men。〃
　
　〃I　wouldn't；〃　　Elliott　said。〃　And　I　don't　have　one　hundred　thousand　pounds　and　I　never　will。　If　I　had　it；　I'd　give　it　to　you。〃
　
　〃You　would？〃
　
　〃Yes；　I　believe　so。　But　let　me　take　this　conversation　in　another　direction。　Julie　may　not　wish　to　be　questioned　about　her　friend　Mr。　Ramsey。　She　may　want　some　time　alone；　some　real　independence。　And　you　might　find　everything　in　your　hands　again。〃
　
　〃You　mean　this？〃
　
　〃Yes；　and　now　I'm　going　home。　I'm　tired；　Randolph。　Don't　slit　your　wrists。　Drink　all　you　want；　but　don't　do　anything　so　dreadful　to　all　of　us。　Tomorrow　night；　e　to　my　house　for　dinner。　I've　invited　Julie　and　this　mysterious　man。　Don't　fail　me。　And　when　it's　all　over；　perhaps　we'll　have　a　better　idea　as　to　where　things　stand。　You　may　get　everything　you　want。　And　I　may　have　the　solution　to　a　mystery。　Can　I　count　on　you　for　tomorrow　night？〃
　
　〃Dinner；　tomorrow　night？〃　　Randolph　said。〃　You　came　here　at　one　in　the　morning　to　ask　me　this？〃
　
　Elliott　laughed。　He　set　down　the　glass　and　stood　up。
　
　〃No；〃　　he　said。〃　I　came　to　save　your　life。　Believe　me；　it's　not　worth　it；　one　hundred　thousand　pounds。　Just　being　alive　。。。　not　being　in　pain　。。。　but　then　why　try　to　explain？〃
　
　〃Yes；　don't　put　yourself　out。〃
　
　〃Good　night；　my　friend。　Don't　forget。　Tomorrow　night。　I'll　see　myself　to　the　door。　Now　go　to　bed　like　a　good　man；　will　you？〃
　
　With　an　electric　torch；　Samir　had　led　Ramses　rapidly　through　the　entire　collection。　Whatever　the　King　felt；　the　King　did　not　confess。　He　studied　each　large　object…mummy；　sarcophagus；　statue…in　turn；　barely　observing　the　multitude　of　tiny　relics　that　filled　cases　galore。
　
　Their　footsteps　echoed　carelessly　on　the　stone　floor。　The　lone　guard；　long　used　to　Samir's　nocturnal　wanderings；　left　them　alone。
　
　〃In　Egypt　are　the　real　treasures；〃　　Samir　said。〃　The　bodies　of　the　Kings。　This　is　but　a　fraction　of　what　has　been　saved　from　pillage　and　from　time。〃
　
　Ramses　had　paused。　He　was　examining　a　Ptolemaic　mummy　case；　one　of　those　curious　hybrid　creations　which　consisted　of　an　Egyptian　coffin　with　a　realistic　Greek　face　painted　upon　it；　rather　than　the　stylized　mask　of　earlier　centuries。　This　was　the　coffin　of　a　woman。
　
　〃Egypt；〃　　Ramses　whispered。〃　Suddenly　I　cannot　see　the　present　for　the　past。　I　can't　embrace　this　age　until　I　have　said　my　farewells　to　those　years　pletely。〃
　
　Samir　found　himself　shivering　in　the　dark。　The　sweet　sadness　gave　way　to　fear　again；　a　deep　silent　terror　of　this　unnatural　thing　which　he　knew　now　to　be　true。　There　could　be　no　error。
　
　The　King　turned　his　back　on　the　Egyptian　rooms。〃　Lead　me　out；　my　friend；〃　　he　said。〃　I　am　lost　in　this　maze。　I　do　not　like　the　concept　of　a　museum。〃
　
　Samir　walked　quickly　at　his　side；　the　beam　shining　on　the　floor　directly　before　them。
　
　〃Sire；　if　you　desire　to　go　to　Egypt；　do　it　now。　That　is　my　advice　to　you；　though　I　know　you　do　not　ask　it。　Take　Julie　Stratford　if　you　will。　But　leave　England。〃
　
　〃Why　do　you　say　this？〃
　
　〃The　authorities　know　that　coins　have　been　stolen　from　the　collection！　They　want　to　reclaim　the　mummy　of　Ramses　the　Great。　There　is　much　talk　and　suspicion。〃
　
　Samir　could　see　the　menace　hi　Ramses'　face。〃　The　accursed　Henry　Stratford；〃　　he　said　under　his　breath；　quickening　his　pace　ever　so　slightly。〃　He　poisoned　his　uncle；　a　man　of　learning　and　wisdom。　His　own　flesh　and　blood。　And　stole　from　mat　man　a　golden　coin　as　the　body　lay　dying。〃
　
　Samir　stopped。　The　shock　was　more　than　he　could　bear。　Instantly　he　knew　it　was　true。　He　had　known　when　he　saw　the　body　of　his　friend　that　something　was　terribly　wrong。　It　had　not　been　a　natural　death。　But　he　had　believed　Henry　Stratford　a　coward。　Slowly　he　caught　his　breath。　He　looked　at　the　tall　shadowy　figure　standing　beside　him。
　
　〃You　tried　to　tell　me　this　earlier　tonight；〃　　he　whispered。〃　I　didn't　want　to　believe　it。〃
　
　〃I　saw　it；　my　beloved　servant；〃　　the　King　said。〃　With　my　own　eyes。　Just　as　I　saw　you　e　to　the　body　of　your　friend　Lawrence　and　begin　to　weep。　These　things　were　mixed　with　my　waking　dreams；　but　I　remember　them　most　clearly。〃
　
　〃Ah；　but　this　cannot　go　unavenged