anner.themummy-第40部分

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ieter；〃　I　wait　for　you　to　love　me。　If　that　is　what　is　required。〃
　
　She　laughed　suddenly。　How　clear　it　all　was。
　
　〃Ah；　but　with　all　your　wisdom；　you　have　it　backwards；〃　　she　said。〃　What　is　required　is　that　you　love　me。〃
　
　His　face　went　blank。　Then　slowly　he　nodded。　He　seemed　utterly　at　a　loss　for　words。　She　could　not　guess　what　he　was　really　thinking。
　
　Quickly　she　opened　the　door　and　went　inside　and　sat　down　alone　on　the　sofa。　She　put　her　face　in　her　hands。　How　childish　it　had　sounded。　And　yet　it　was　true；　it　was　heartbreakingly　true。　And　she　began　to　cry　softly；　hoping　Rita　would　not　hear　her。
　
　Twenty…four　hours；　the　navigator　had　told　him；　and　we　shall　dock　in　Alexandria。
　
　He　leaned　on　the　railing　of　the　deck。　And　peered　into　the　thick　mist　which　covered　the　water　pletely。
　
　It　was　four　o'clock。　Not　even　the　Earl　of　Rutherford　was　about。　Samir　had　been　fast　asleep　when　last　Ramses　visited　their　rooms。　And　so　he　had　the　deck　to　himself。
　
　He　loved　it。　He　loved　the　deep　rumble　of　the　engines　through　the　great　steel　hull。　He　loved　the　ship's　pure　power。　Ah；　the　paradox　of　twentieth…century　man　amid　his　great　machines　and　inventions；　for　he　was　the　same　two…legged　creature　he　had　ever　been；　and　yet　his　inventions　were　begetting　inventions。
　
　He　drew　out　a　cheroot…one　of　the　sweet；　mild　smokes　which　the　Earl　of　Rutherford　had　given　him；　and　cupping　his　hand　around　the　match　carefully　lighted　it。　He　could　not　see　the　smoke　as　it　disappeared；　yet　the　thing　tasted　divine。　He　closed　his　eyes　and　savored　the　wind；　and　let　himself　think　of　Julie　Stratford　again　now　that　she　was　safely　barricaded　in　her　little　bedchamber。
　
　But　Julie　Stratford　faded。　It　was　Cleopatra　he　saw。　Twenty…four　hours　and　we　shall　be　in　Alexandria。
　
　He　saw　the　conference　room　in　the　palace　of　long　ago；　the　long　marble　table；　and　she　the　young　Queen…young　as　Julie　Stratford　was　now…conversing　with　her　ambassadors　and　advisers。
　
　He　watched　from　an　antechamber。　He　had　been　gone　for　a　long　time；　wandering　far　to　the　north　and　to　the　east；　into　kingdoms　that　had　not　been　known　to　him　at　all　in　earlier　centuries。　And　returning　the　night　before；　had　gone　directly　to　her　bedchamber。
　
　All　night　long　they'd　made　love；　the　windows　had　been　open　to　the　sea；　she　had　been　as　hungry　for　him　as　he　had　been　for　her；　for　though　he　had　had　a　hundred　women　in　the　preceding　months；　he　loved　only　Cleopatra。　So　feverish　his　lovemaking　had　been　that　finally　he　had　almost　hurt　her；　yet　she　had　invited　him　to　go　on；　her　arms　holding　him　tight；　her　body　again　and　again　receiving　him。
　
　The　audience　was　over。　He　watched　her　dismiss　her　courtiers。　He　watched　her　rise　from　her　chair　and　e　towards　him…a　tall　woman　with　magnificent　bones；　and　a　long　slender　neck　beautifully　exposed；　her　rippling　black　hair　swept　back　from　her　face　into　a　circle　on　the　back　of　her　head　in　the　Roman　manner。
　
　There　was　a　vaguely　defiant　expression　on　her　face；　and　a　lift　to　her　chin　which　accentuated　it。　It　gave　an　immediate　impression　of　strength；　badly　needed　to　temper　innate　seductiveness。
　
　Only　when　she　had　drawn　the　curtain　did　she　turn　to　him　and　smite；　her　dark　eyes　firing　beautifully。
　
　There　had　been　a　time　in　his　life　when　dark…eyed　beings　were　all　he　knew；　he　alone　was　the　blue…eyed　one　because　he　had　drunk　the　elixir。　Then　he　traveled　to　distant　lands；　lands　of　which　Egyptians　knew　nothing；　and　he　met　pale…eyed　mortal　men　and　women。　And　dazzling　though　these　things　were；　brown　eyes　for　him　remained　the　true　eyes；　the　eyes　he　could　fathom　instantly。
　
　Julie　Stratford's　eyes　were　deep　brown；　and　large；　and　full　of　easy　affection　and　response；　as　Cleopatra's　eyes　had　been　that　day　when　she　embraced　him。
　
　〃Now；　what　are　my　lessons　for　this　afternoon？〃　　she'd　asked　in　Greek；　the　only　language　they　spoke　to　each　other；　something　in　her　gaze　acknowledging　the　long　night　of　intimacy。
　
　〃Simple；〃　　he　said。〃　Disguise　yourself　and　e　with　me　and　walk　among　your　people。　To　see　what　no　Queen　can　ever　see。　That　is　what　I　want　of　you。〃
　
　Alexandria。　What　would　it　be　tomorrow？　It　had　been　a　Greek　city　then　of　stone　streets　and　whitewashed　walls；　and　merchants　who　sold　to　all　the　world…a　port　full　of　weavers；　jewelers；　glass　blowers；　makers　of　papyri。　In　a　thousand　marketplace　shops　they　worked　above　the　crowded　harbour。
　
　Through　the　bazaar　they　had　walked　together；　both　of　them　in　the　shapeless　cloaks　all　men　and　women　wore　who　did　not　wish　to　be　recognized。　Two　travellers　through　time。　And　he　had　spoken　to　her　of　so　many　things…of　his　wanderings　north　into　Gaul；　of　his　long　trek　to　India。　He　had　ridden　elephants　and　seen　the　great　tiger　with　his　own　eyes。　He　had　e　back　to　Athens　to　listen　to　the　philosophers。
　
　And　what　had　he　learned？　That　Julius　Caesar；　the　Roman　general；　would　conquer　the　world；　that　he　would　take　Egypt　if　Cleopatra　did　not　stop　him。
　
　What　had　her　thoughts　been　that　day？　Had　she　let　him　ramble　on　without　absorbing　all　the　desperate　advice　he　gave　her？　What　had　she　seen　of　the　mon　men　about　her？　The　women　and　children　hard　at　work　at　the　laundry　tubs　and　the　looms？　Of　the　sailors　of　all　nations　searching　for　the　brothels？
　
　To　the　great　university　they　had　wandered；　to　listen　to　the　teachers　under　the　porticoes。
　
　Finally　in　a　dirt　square　they'd　stopped。　From　the　mon　well　Cleopatra　had　drunk；　from　the　mon　cup　on　its　rope。
　
　〃It　tastes　the　same；〃　　she　had　said　with　a　playful　smile。
　
　He　remembered　so　clearly　the　cup　dropped　down　into　the　deep　cool　water。　The　sound　echoing　up　the　stone　walls；　the　hammering　that　came　from　the　docks；　and　the　vision　through　the　narrow　street　to　his　right　of　the　masts　of　the　ships；　a　leafless　forest　there。
　
　〃What　is　it　you　really　want　of　me；　Ramses？〃　　she　had　asked。
　
　〃That　you　be　a　good　and　wise　Queen　of　Egypt。　I've　told　you。〃
　
　She'd　taken　his　arm；　forced　him　to　look　at　her。
　
　〃You　want　more　than　that。　You're　preparing　me　for　something　much　more　important。〃
　
　〃No；〃　　he　said；　but　that　had　been　a　lie；　the　first　lie　he　had　ever　told　her。　The　pain　in　him　had　been　sharp；　almost　unbearable。　/　am　lonely；　my　beloved。　I　am　lonely　beyond　mortal　endurance。　But　he　didn't　say　that　to　her。　He　only　stood　there；　knowing　that　he；　an　immortal　man；　could　not　live　without　her。
　
　What　had　happened　after　that？　Another　evening　of　lovemaking；　with　the　sea　beyond　turning　slowly　from　azure　to　silver；　and　finally　black　beneath　a　heavy　full　moon。　And　all　around　her　the　gilded　furnishings；　the　hanging　lamps　and　the　fragrance　of　scented　oil；　and　somewhere　in　an　alcove　just　far　enough　away；　a　young　boy　playing　a　harp　and　singing　a　mournful　song　of　ancient　Egyptian　words　that　the　boy　himself　did　not　understand；　but　which　Ramses　understood　perfectly。
　
　Memory　within　the　memory。　His　palace　at　Thebes　when　he　had　been　a　mortal　man；　and　afraid　of　death；　and　afraid　of　humiliation。　When　he　had　had　a　harem　of　one　hundred　wives　to　pleasure；　and　it　had　seemed　a　burden。
　
　〃Have　you　had　many　lovers　since　I　left？〃　　he　had　asked　Cleopatra。
　
　〃Oh；　many　men；〃　　she'd　answered　in　a　low　voice　mat　was　almost　as　hard　as　a　man's　voice　for　all　its　feminine　resonance。〃　But　none　of　them　were　lovers。〃
　
　The　lovers　would　e。　Julius　Caesar　would　e；　and　then　the　one　who　swept　her　away　from　all　the　things　he'd　taught　her。〃　For　Egypt；〃　　she'd　cry。　But　it　wasn't　for　Egypt。　Egypt　was　Cleopatra　then。　And　Cleopatra　was　for　Antony。
　
　It　was　getting　light。　The　mist　above　the　sea　had　paled；　and　he　could　see　now　the　sparkling　surface　of　the　dark　blue　water。
　
　High　above；　the　pale　sun　burnt　through。　And　at　once　he　felt　it　working　on　him。　He　felt　a　sudden　breath　of　energy　pass　through　him。
　
　His　cheroot　had　long　ago　gone　out。　He　pitched　it　into　the　void；　and　drawing　out　his　gold　cigarette　case；　took　another。
　
　A　foot　sounded　on　the　steel　deck　behind　him。
　
　〃Only　a　few　hours；　sire。〃
　
　The　match　came　up　to　light　the　cheroot　for　him。
　
　〃Yes；　my　loyal　one；〃　　he　said；　drawing　in　the　smoke。〃　We　wake　from　this　ship　as　if　from　a　dream。　And　what　are　we　to　do　in　the　light　of　day　with　these　two　who　know　my　secret；　the　young　scoundrel；　and　the　aged　philosopher　who　may　pose　the　worst　threat　of　all　with　his　knowledge？〃
　
　〃Are　philosophers　so　dangerous；　sire？〃
　
　〃Lord　Rutherford　has　great　faith　in　the　invisible；　Samir。　And　he　is　no　coward。　He　wants　the　secret　of　eternal　life。　He　realizes　what　it　really　is；　Samir。〃
　
　No　answer。　Only　the　same　distant　and　melancholy　expression。
　
　〃And　I'll　tell　you　another　little　secret；　my　friend；〃　　he　went　on。〃　I've　grown　to　like　the　man　mightily。〃
　
　〃I've　seen　it；　sire。〃
　
　〃He　is　an　interesting　man；〃　　Ramses　said。　And　to　his　surprise　he　heard　his　voice　break。　It　was　hard　for　him　to　finish；　but　he　did；　saying：〃　I　like　to　talk　to　him。〃
　
　Hancock　sat　at　his　desk　in　the　museum　office；　looking　up　at　Inspector　Trent　from　Scotland　Yard。
　
　〃Well；　as　I　see　it；　we　have　no　choice。　We　seek　a　court　order　to　enter　the　house　and　examine　the　collection。　Of　course　if　everything　is　as　it　should　be；　and　there　are　no　coins　missing。。。〃
　
　〃Sir；　with　the　two　we　have　now；　that's　almost　too　much　to　hope　for。〃
　
　PART　2
　
　HE　GRAND　Colonial　Hotel　was　a　rambling　pink　confection　of　moorish　arches；　mosaic　floors；　lacquered　screens　and　peacock　wicker　chairs；　its　broad　verandas　overlooking　the　shining　sand　and　the　endless　blue　of　the　Mediterranean　beyond　it。
　
　Rich　Americans　and　Europeans　in　perennial　summer　white　thronged　its　immense　lobby　and　other　public　rooms。　An　orchestra　played　Viennese　music　in　one　of　its　open　bars。　A　young　American　pianist　played　ragtime　in　another。　The　ornate　brass　lifts；　riding　directly　upwards　beside　the　curving　grand　stair；　seemed　eternally　in　operation。
　
　Surely　if　this　resort　had　existed　in　any　other　place；　Ramsey　would　have　loved　it。　But　Elliott　could　see　in　the　very　first　hour　of　their　arrival　that　Alexandria　was　a　profound　shock　to　him。
　
　His　vitality　seemed　immediately　sapped。　He　fell　quiet　at　tea；　and　excused　himself　to　go　wandering。
　
　And　that　night　at　dinner；　when　the　subject　of　Henry's　abrupt　departure　for　Cairo　was　raised；　he