anner.themummy-第33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！


said：
　
　〃I　want　to　go　to　Egypt；　Julie。　Sooner　or　later；　I　shall　have　to　go　to　Egypt。　Let　it　happen　now。〃
　
　How　weary　and　raw　he　sounded。　All　the　gentleness　that　had　been　in　him　yesterday　was　mingled　now　with　sadness。　His　eyes　seemed　darker　and　larger。　And　she'd　been　right…he　was　near　to　weeping；　and　it　sent　the　fear　again　to　her　soul。
　
　God；　how　great　must　be　his　capacity　for　suffering。
　
　〃Of　course；〃　　she　said。〃　We'll　go　to　Egypt；　you　and　I　together。　。。。〃
　
　〃Ah；　that　was　my　hope；〃　　he　said。〃　Julie；　this　age　can　never　belong　to　me　until　I　say　farewell　to　Egypt；　for　Egypt　is　my　past。〃
　
　〃I　understand。〃
　
　〃I　want　the　future！〃　　he　said；　his　voice　dropping　to　a　whisper。〃　I　want　。。。〃　　He　stopped；　clearly　unable　to　go　on；　Flustered；　he　turned　away　from　her。　He　reached　into　his　pocket　and　removed　a　handful　of　golden　coins。
　
　〃Can　we　buy　a　ship　with　this；　Julie；　that　will　take　us　across　the　sea？〃
　
　〃Leave　everything　to　me；〃　　she　said。〃　We　are　going。　Now　sit　down；　eat　your　breakfast。　I　know　how　hungry　you　are。　You　don't　have　to　tell　me。〃
　
　He　laughed　in　spite　of　himself。
　
　〃And　I　shall　see　to　things　at　once。〃
　
　She　went　into　the　kitchen。　Oscar　was　just　setting　the　breakfast　tray　for　them。　The　room　was　full　of　the　good　smells　of　coffee；　and　cinnamon；　and　freshly　baked　muffins。
　
　〃Oscar；　telephone　Thomas　Cook　for　me　immediately。　Book　a　passage　for　Mr。　Ramsey　and　me　to　Alexandria。　See　if　you　can　arrange　for　it　straight　away。　We'll　leave　today　if　possible。　Do　hurry；　and　leave　these　things　to　me。〃
　
　How　amazed　he　was。
　
　〃But；　Miss　Julie；　what　about…〃
　
　〃Do　it；　Oscar。　Make　the　calls　at　once。　Hurry；　There's　no　time　to　lose。〃
　
　Carrying　the　heavy　tray；　she　came　back　out　into　the　sunlight；　and　once　more　the　great　lovely　flowers　startled　her。　The　purple　orchids　and　the　yellow　daisies；　equally　beautiful。
　
　〃Why；　look　at　it；〃　　she　whispered。〃　And　to　think　I　scarcely　noticed　it　before。　Everything　in　bloom。　Oh；　so　lovely。。。〃
　
　He　stood　by　the　back　door；　watching　her　with　that　same　sad　and　beautiful　expression。〃　Yes；　very　lovely；〃　　he　said。
　
　THE　HOUSE　was　in　an　uproar。　Rita　had　all　but　lost　her　mind　at　the　idea　that　she　was　going　to　Egypt。　Oscar；　remaining　to　keep　the　house；　had　been　helping　the　cabbies　get　the　trunks　down　the　stairs。
　
　Randolph　and　Alex　were　arguing　furiously　with　Julie　that　she　must　not　make　this　trip。
　
　And　the　enigmatic　Mr。　Reginald　Ramsey　sat　at　the　wicker　table　in　the　conservatory　devouring　an　enormous　meal；　with　glass　after　glass　to　wash　it　down。　All　the　while　he　read　the　newspapers；　two　of　them　at　a　time；　if　Elliott　was　not　mistaken。　And　now　and　then　he　lifted　a　book　from　the　pile　on　the　floor；　and　rushed　through　the　pages　as　if　searching　for　some　dreadfully　important　item；　and　once　finding　it；　dropped　the　book　with　a　careless　thud。
　
　Elliott　sat　in　Lawrence's　chair　in　the　Egyptian　room　watching　all　of　this　silently；　glancing　now　and　then　to　Julie　in　the　drawing　room；　and　then　to　Mr。　Ramsey；　who　surely　knew　that　he　was　being　observed　but　did　not　seem　to　care。
　
　The　other　silent　and　solitary　watcher　was　Samir　Ibrahaim；　who　stood　to　the　very　back　of　the　conservatory；　somewhat　lost　in　the　remarkable　profusion　of　spring　foliage；　staring　past　the　indifferent　Mr。　Ramsey　into　the　shadowy　front　rooms。
　
　Julie's　call　to　Elliott　had　e　over　three　hours　ago。　He　had　gone　into　action　immediately。　And　he　knew　more　or　less　what　was　going　to　happen　now；　as　the　little　drama　in　the　drawing　room　played　itself　out。
　
　〃But　you　simply　cannot　go　off　to　Egypt　with　a　man　you　know　nothing　about；〃　　Randolph　said；　trying　to　keep　his　voice　down。〃　You　can't　take　such　a　trip　without　a　proper　chaperon。〃
　
　〃Julie；　I　won't　have　it；〃　　Alex　said；　pale　with　exasperation。〃　I　won't　have　you　do　this　alone。〃
　
　〃Now；　stop；　both　of　you；〃　　Julie　responded。〃　I'm　a　grown　woman。　I'm　going。　And　I　can　take　care　of　myself。　Besides；　I'll　have　Rita　with　me　all　the　time。　And　Samir；　Father's　closest　friend。　I　couldn't　have　a　better　protector　than　Samir。〃
　
　〃Julie；　neither　of　them　is　a　proper　panion　and　you　know　this。　This　is　nothing　short　of　scandalous。〃
　
　〃Uncle　Randolph；　the　boat　leaves　at　four　o'clock。　We　must　be　leaving　here　now。　Let's　get　to　the　business　at　hand；　shall　we？　I've　had　a　power　of　attorney　prepared；　so　that　you　can　run　Stratford　Shipping　with　a　free　hand。〃
　
　Silence。　So　at　last　we　get　to　the　heart　of　the　matter；　Elliott　thought　coolly。　He　could　hear　Randolph　slowly　clearing　his　throat。
　
　〃Well；　I　suppose　mat's　necessary；　my　dear；〃　　he　answered　weakly。
　
　Alex　tried　to　interrupt；　but　Julie　overrode　him　politely。　Were　there　any　other　papers　Randolph　wanted　her　to　sign？　He　could　send　them　on　to　Alexandria　immediately。　She'd　sign　them　and　send　them　home　from　there。
　
　Satisfied　that　Julie　would　be　leaving　on　schedule；　Elliott　rose　and　walked　casually　out　into　the　conservatory。
　
　Ramsey　went　on　eating　superhuman　amounts　of　food；　quite　undeterred。　He　now　took　one　of　three　different　lighted　cigars　and　drew　on　it；　then　went　back　to　his　pudding；　and　his　roast　beef；　and　his　buttered　bread。　It　was　a　history　of　modern　Egypt　that　lay　open　before　him；　the　chapter　entitled〃　The　Mamluke　Massacre。〃　　The　man　appeared　to　be　scanning；　so　rapidly　did　his　finger　move　down　the　page。
　
　Suddenly　Elliott　realized　he　was　surrounded　by　foliage。　He　was　almost　startled　by　the　size　of　the　fern　beside　him；　and　the　immense　heavy　bougainvillea　brushing　his　shoulder；　as　it　partially　blocked　the　door。　Good　Lord；　what　had　happened　here？　Lilies　everywhere　he　looked；　and　the　daisies　exploding　out　of　their　pots；　and　the　ivy　gone　wild　over　the　entire　roof。
　
　Concealing　his　shock；　though　from　whom　he　wasn't　certain；　since　neither　Ramsey　nor　Samir　took　official　note　of　him；　he　tore　off　one　of　the　blue…and…　white　morning　glories　blooming　just　over　his　head。
　
　He　stared　at　the　perfect　trumpet…shaped　blossom。　What　sweetness。　Then　slowly　he　looked　up　to　meet　Ramsey's　gaze。
　
　Samir　roused　himself　suddenly　from　his　apparent　state　of　meditation。
　
　〃Lord　Rutherford；　allow　me　。。。*'　Then　he　stopped　as　if　at　a　plete　loss　for　words。
　
　Ramsey　rose　to　his　feet；　wiping　his　fingers　carefully　on　his　linen　napkin。
　
　Absently　the　Earl　slipped　the　morning　glory　in　his　pocket；　and　then　extended　his　hand。
　
　〃Reginald　Ramsey；〃　　he　said；〃　a　great　pleasure。　I'm　an　old　friend　of　the　Stratford　family。　Something　of　an　Egyptologist　myself。　It　is　my　son；　Alex；　who　is　engaged　to　be　married　to　Julie。　Perhaps　you　know。〃
　
　The　man　hadn't　known。　Or　he　didn't　understand。　A　faint　flush　came　to　his　cheeks。
　
　〃Married　to　Julie？〃　　he　said　in　a　half　whisper。　And　then；　with　forced　gaiety：〃　He　is　a　fortunate　man；　your　son。〃
　
　The　Earl　eyed　the　table　laden　with　food；　because　he　couldn't　stop　himself；　and　the　blossoms　all　but　crowding　out　the　sun　above。　He　looked　placidly　at　the　man　before　him；　who　was　certainly　one　of　the　handsomest　creatures　he'd　ever　seen。　Downright　beautiful；　when　you　thought　of　it。　The　sort　of　large　passionate　blue　eyes　that　drive　women　mad。　Add　the　ready　smile　and　one　has　a　near…fatal　bination。
　
　But　the　silence　was　being　unfortable。
　
　〃Ah；　the　diary；〃　　Elliott　said。　He　reached　into　his　coat。　Samir　recognized　it　immediately；　that　was　plain。
　
　〃This　diary；〃　　Elliott　said；〃　it　belonged　to　Lawrence。　It　has　valuable　information　on　Ramses'　tomb。　Notes　on　a　papyrus　left　by　the　man；　it　seems。　I　picked　it　up　the　other　night。　I　must　put　it　back。〃
　
　There　was　a　sudden　coldness　in　Ramsey's　face。
　
　Elliott　turned；　leaning　on　his　cane；　and　took　a　few　painful　steps　toward　Lawrence's　desk。
　
　Ramsey　came　along　with　him。
　
　〃The　pain　in　your　joints；〃　　Ramsey　asked；〃　have　you　a　modem　。。。　a　medicine　for　it？　There　was　an　old　Egyptian　remedy。　The　willow　bark。　One　had　to　boil　it。〃
　
　〃　Yes；〃　　Elliott　answered；　looking　up　again　into　those　distracting　blue　eyes。〃　In　this　day　and　age　we　call　it　aspirin；　don't　we？〃　　He　smiled。　This　was　going　infinitely　better　than　he　had　ever　anticipated。　He　hoped　the　colour　wasn't　dancing　hi　his　face　as　it　was　in　Ramsey's。〃　Where　have　you　been　all　these　years　that　you　haven't　heard　of　aspirin；　my　dear　man？　We　produce　it　synthetically；　and　of　course　you　are　familiar　with　that　word。〃
　
　Ramsey's　posure　was　unbroken；　though　he　narrowed　his　eyes　just　a　little　as　if　he　wanted　the　Earl　to　realize　he　was　being　appraised。
　
　〃I'm　not　a　scientific　man；　Lord　Rutherford；〃　　he　answered。〃　I'm　more　an　observer；　a　philosopher。　So　you　call　it　aspirin。　I　am　pleased　to　know　it。　Maybe　I　have　spent　too　much　of　my　time　in　distant　lands。〃　　He　raised　his　eyebrows　almost　playfully。
　
　〃Of　course　the　ancient　Egyptians　had　more　potent　medicines　than　willow　bark；　didn't　they？〃　　Elliott　pushed　it。　He　looked　at　the　row　of　alabaster　jars　on　the　table　across　the　room。〃　Potent　medicines…elixirs；　so　to　speak…which　could　cure　more　potent　ailments　than　the　pain　I　suffer　in　my　bones。〃
　
　〃Potent　medicines　have　their　price；〃　　Ramses　replied　calmly。〃　Or　shall　I　say；　their　dangers。　But　what　an　unusual　man　you　are；　Lord　Rutherford。　Surely　you　don't　believe　what　you　read　in　the　notebook　of　your　friend　Lawrence。〃
　
　〃Oh；　but　I　do　believe　it。　Because；　you　see；　I　am　not　a　scientific　man　either。　Perhaps；　we　are　both　philosophers；　you　and　I。　And　I　fancy　myself　something　of　a　poet；　because　so　much　of　my　wandering　has　been　in　my　dreams　alone。〃
　
　The　two　men　looked　at　each　other　in　silence　for　a　moment。
　
　〃A　poet；〃　　Ramsey　repeated；　eyes　moving　over　Elliott　almost　rudely　to　take　his　measure。〃　I　understand　you。　But　you　do　say　most　unusual　things。〃
　
　Elliott　tried　to　hold　steady。　He　could　feel　the　sweat　breaking　out　under　his　shirt。　The　man's　face　was　so　unexpectedly　open；　and　almost　inviting。
　
　〃I　should　like　to　know　you；〃　　Elliott　confessed　suddenly。〃　I。。。1　should　like　to　。。。　learn　from　you。〃　　He　hesitated。　The　blue　eyes　fixed　him　in　silence　again。〃　Perhaps　in　Cairo　or　Alexandria　we　should　have　some　time　to　talk　to　one　another。　Perhaps　even　on　shipboard；　we　might　bee　acquainted。〃
　
　〃You　are　going　to　Egypt？〃　　Ramsey　asked；　cocking　his　head。
　
　〃Yes。〃　　Politely　he　moved　pas