anner.themummy-第41部分

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　And　that　night　at　dinner；　when　the　subject　of　Henry's　abrupt　departure　for　Cairo　was　raised；　he　was　almost　snappish。
　
　〃Julie　Stratford's　a　grown　woman；〃　　he　said；　glancing　at　her。〃　It's　preposterous　to　think　she　requires　the　panionship　of　a　drunken；　dissolute　being。　Are　we　not；　all　of　us；　as　you　say；　gentlemen？〃
　
　〃I　suppose　so；〃　　Alex　responded　with　predictable　brightness。〃　Nevertheless　he　is　her　cousin　and　it　was　her　uncle's　wish…〃
　
　〃Her　uncle　doesn't　know　her　cousin！〃　　Ramsey　declared。
　
　Julie　cut　the　conversation　short。〃　I'm　glad　Henry's　gone。　We'll　join　him　in　Cairo　soon　enough。　And　Henry　in　Cairo　will　be　a　cross　as　it　is。　Henry　in　the　Valley　of　the　Kings　would　be　intolerable。〃
　
　〃Quite　right。〃　　Elliott　sighed。〃　Julie；　I　am　your　guardian　now。　Officially。〃
　
　〃Elliott；　the　trip　is　far　too　difficult　for　you。　You　ought　to　go　on　to　Cairo　and　wait　for　us　there；　also。〃
　
　Alex　was　about　to　protest　when　Elliott　motioned　for　silence。〃　That's　out　of　the　question　now；　dearest；　and　you　know　it。　Besides；　I　want　to　see　Luxor　again；　and　Abu　Simbel；　perhaps　for　the　last　time。〃
　
　She　looked　at　him　thoughtfully。　She　knew　that　he　was　speaking　the　truth　on　both　counts。　He　couldn't　let　her　travel　alone　with　Ramsey；　no　matter　how　much　she　wanted　to。　And　he　did　want　to　see　those　monuments　again。　But　she　also　sensed　he　had　his　own　distinct　priorities。
　
　Regardless；　her　acceptance　was　quite　enough　for　Elliott。
　
　〃And　when　do　we　go　on　to　the　Nile　steamer？〃　　Alex　asked。〃　How　much　time　do　you　need　in　this　city；　old　boy？〃　　he　asked　Ramsey。
　
　〃Not　very　much；〃　　Ramsey　said　dismally。〃　There　is　precious　little　left　of　the　old　Roman　times　which　I　hoped　to　see。〃
　
　Ramsey；　after　devouring　three　courses　without　ever　touching　a　knife　or　a　fork；　excused　himself　before　the　others　had　finished。
　
　By　the　following　afternoon；　it　was　clear　he　was　in　a　dismal　state。　He　said　almost　nothing　at　luncheon；　declined　to　play　billiards　and　again　went　out　walking。　It　was　soon　obvious　that　he　was　walking　at　all　times　of　the　night　and　day；　and　had　left　Julie　entirely　to　Alex　for　the　time　being。　Even　Samir　did　not　apparently　have　his　confidence。
　
　He　was　a　man　alone　in　the　midst　of　a　struggle。
　
　Elliott　watched　all　this；　and　then　came　to　a　decision。　Through　his　man　Walter　he　hired　a　young　Egyptian　boy；　a　hanger…on　at　the　hotel　who　did　nothing　but　continuously　sweep　off　the　red　carpeted　steps；　to　follow　Ramsey。　It　was　quite　a　risk。　And　Elliott　felt　ashamed。　But　this　obsession　was　consuming　him。
　
　By　the　hour　he　sat　in　a　fortable　peacock　chair　in　the　lobby　reading　the　English　papers；　and　watching　all　ings　and　goings。　And　then　at　odd　moments；　he　would　take　reports　from　the　Egyptian　boy；　who　spoke　tolerable　English。
　
　Ramsey　walked。　Ramsey　stared　for　hours　at　the　sea。　Ramsey　explored　great　fields　beyond　the　city。　Ramsey　sat　in　European　cafes；　staring　at　nothing；　drinking　huge　quantities　of　sweet　Egyptian　coffee。　Ramsey　had　also　gone　to　a　brothel；　and　there　he　had　astonished　the　greasy　old　proprietor　by　taking　every　woman　in　the　place　between　sunset　and　sunrise。　That　meant　twelve　couplings。　The　old　pimp　had　never　seen　anything　like　it。　Elliott　smiled。　So　he　beds　them　in　the　same　manner　that　he　satisfies　every　other　appetite；　he　thought。　And　this　meant　surely　that　Julie　had　not　admitted　him　to　her　inner　sanctum。　Or　did　it？
　
　Narrow　alleyways；　the　old　section　of　town；　they　called　it。　But　it　was　no　more　than　a　few　hundred　years　old；　and　no　one　knew　that　the　great　library　had　once　stood　here。　That　below　on　the　hill　had　been　the　university　where　the　teachers　lectured　to　countless　hundreds。
　
　Academy　of　the　ancient　world；　this　city；　and　now　it　was　a　seaside　resort。　And　that　hotel　stood　on　the　very　spot　where　her　palace　had　been；　where　he　had　taken　her　in　his　arms　and　begged　her　to　stop　her　mad　passion　for　Mark　Antony。
　
　〃The　man　will　fail；　don't　you　see？〃　　he　had　pleaded。　〃If　Julius　Caesar　had　not　been　struck　down；　you　would　have　been　Empress　of　Rome。　But　this　man　will　never　give　you　that。　He　is　weak；　corrupt；　he　lacks　the　mettle。〃
　
　But　then；　for　the　first　time　he'd　seen　the　savage　self…defeating　passion　in　her　eyes。　She　loved　Mark　Antony。　She　didn't　care！　Egypt；　Rome；　what　did　it　matter？　When　had　she　ceased　to　be　the　Queen　and　bee　the　mere　mortal？　He　didn't　know。　He　knew　only　that　all　his　great　dreams　and　plans　were　dissolving。
　
　〃What　do　you　care　about　Egypt！〃　　she　had　demanded。〃　That　I　be　Empress　of　Rome？　That's　not　what　you　want　of　me。　You　want　that　I　should　drink　your　magic　potion；　which　you　claim　will　make　me　immortal　as　you　are。　And　to　hell　with　my　mortal　life！　You　would　kill　my　mortal　life　and　my　mortal　love；　admit　it！　Well；　I　cannot　die　for　you！〃
　
　〃You　don't　know　what　you're　saying！〃
　
　Ah；　stop　the　voices　of　the　past。　Listen　only　to　the　sea　crashing　on　the　beach　below。　Walk　where　the　old　Roman　cemetery　stood；　where　they　laid　her　to　rest　beside　Mark　Antony。
　
　He　saw　the　procession　in　his　mind's　eye。　He　heard　the　weeping。　And　worst　of　all；　he　saw　her　again　in　those　last　hours。〃　Take　away　your　promises。　Antony　calls　me　from　the　grave。　I　want　to　be　with　him　now。〃
　
　And　now　all　trace　of　her　was　gone；　save　what　remained　inside　him。　And　what　remained　in　legend。　He　heard　again　the　crowds　who　blocked　the　narrow　streets；　and　flooded　down　the　grassy　slope　to　see　her　coffin　placed　within　the　marble　tomb。
　
　〃Our　Queen　died　free。〃
　
　〃She　cheated　Octavian。〃
　
　〃She　was　no　slave　of　Rome。〃
　
　Ah；　but　she　could　have　been　immortal！
　
　The　catabs。　The　one　place　he　had　not　ventured。　And　why　had　he　asked　Julie　to　e　with　him？　How　weak　he'd　bee；　that　he　needed　her　there。　And　to　think；　he'd　told　her　nothing。
　
　He　could　see　the　concern　in　her　face。　So　lovely　she　looked　in　her　long；　lace…trimmed　dress　of　pale　yellow。　These　modern　women　had　all　seemed　preposterously　overdressed　to　him　at　first；　but　he　understood　the　seductiveness　of　their　clothing…the　full　sleeves　tapering　to　tight　cuffs　at　the　wrists；　the　tiny　waists　and　flowing　skirts。　They　had　begun　to　look　normal　to　him。
　
　And　he　wished　suddenly　that　they　were　not　here。　That　they　were　back　in　England　again；　or　far　away　in　America。
　
　But　the　catabs；　he　had　to　see　the　catabs　before　they　went　on。　And　so　with　the　other　tourists　they　walked；　listening　to　the　droning　voice　of　the　guide；　who　spoke　of　Christians　hiding　here；　of　ancient　rituals　performed　long　before　that　in　these　rock　chambers。
　
　〃You've　been　here　before；〃　　Julie　whispered。〃　It's　important　to　you。〃
　
　〃Yes；〃　　he　answered　under　his　breath；　holding　her　hand　tightly。　Oh；　if　only　they　could　leave　Egypt　now　and　forever。　What　was　the　point　of　this　agony？
　
　The　unwieldy　party　of　chattering；　whispering　tourists　came　to　a　halt。　His　eyes　moved　anxiously　over　the　wall。　He　saw　it；　the　small　passageway。　The　others　moved　on；　cautioned　again　to　remain　with　the　guide；　but　he　held　Julie　back；　and　then　as　the　other　voices　died　away；　he　switched　on　the　electric　torch　and　entered　the　passage。
　
　Was　it　the　same？　He　could　not　tell。　He　could　only　remember　what　had　happened。
　
　Same　smell　of　damp　stone；　Latin　markings　on　the　wall。
　
　They　came　to　a　large　room。
　
　〃Look；〃　　she　said。〃　There's　a　window　there　cut　high　in　the　rock；　how　amazing！　And　hooks　in　the　wall；　do　you　see　it！〃
　
　It　seemed　her　voice　was　very　far　away。　He　meant　to　answer；　but　that　was　not　possible。
　
　He　stared　into　the　gloom　at　the　great　rectangular　stone　to　which　she　pointed　now。　She　said　something　about　an　altar。
　
　No；　not　an　altar。　A　bed。　A　bed　where　he　had　lain　for　three　hundred　years；　until　that　portal　high　up　there　had　been　opened。　The　ancient　chains　had　pulled　the　heavy　wooden　blind；　and　the　sun　had　e　down；　falling　warm　on　his　eyelids。
　
　He　heard　Cleopatra's　girlish　voice：
　
　〃Ye　gods；　it's　true。　He's　alive！〃　　Her　gasp　echoing　off　the　walls。　The　sun　flooding　down　upon　him。
　
　〃Ramses；　rise！〃　　she　cried。〃　A　Queen　of　Egypt　calls　you。〃
　
　He'd　felt　the　tingling　in　his　limbs；　felt　the　suddenly　zinging　sensation　in　his　hair　and　skin。　Half　in　sleep　still　he'd　sat　up　and　seen　the　young　woman　standing　there；　rippling　black　hair　loose　over　her　shoulders。　And　the　old　priest；　shivering；　jabbering　under　his　breath；　hands　clasped　as　if　in　prayer；　bowing　from　the　waist。
　
　〃Ramses　the　Great；〃　　she　had　said。〃　A　Queen　of　Egypt　needs　your　counsel。〃
　
　Soft　dusty　rays　falling　down　from　the　twentieth…century　world　outside。　The　roar　of　motor　cars　on　the　boulevards　of　the　modern　city　of　Alexandria。
　
　〃Ramses！〃
　
　He　turned。　Julie　Stratford　was　looking　up　at　him。
　
　〃My　beautiful　one；〃　　he　whispered。　He　took　her　in　his　arms；　tenderly。　Not　passion；　but　love。　Yes；　love。〃　My　beautiful　Julie；〃　　he　whispered。
　
　In　the　lobby　they　took　high　tea。　The　whole　ritual　made　him　laugh。　To　eat　scones；　eggs；　cucumber　sandwiches；　and　not　call　this　a　meal。　But　why　should　he　plain？　He　could　eat　three　times　what　everyone　else　was　eating　and　still　be　hungry　for　dinner。
　
　He　cherished　this　time　alone　with　her。　That　Alex　and　Samir　and　Elliott　were　not　about。
　
　He　sat　staring　at　the　parade　of　plumed　hats；　frilly　umbrellas。　And　the　big　shiny　open　motor　cars；　chugging　up　to　the　side　entrance；　right　along　with　the　open　leather　carriages。
　
　These　were　no　longer　the　people　of　his　time。　The　racial　mix　was　different。　She'd　said　he　would　see　it　was　the　same　with　the
　
　Greeks　when　they　went　there。　Oh；　so　many　places　to　go。　Was　he　feeling　relief？
　
　〃You've　been　so　patient　with　me；〃　　he　said；　smiling。〃　You　don't　ask　me　to　explain　anything。〃
　
　Ah；　but　she　looked　radiant；　her　dress　was　a　pale　flowered　silk；　lace　at　the　wrists　and　those　tiny　pearl　buttons　he　was　growing　to　love。　Thank　God　she　had　not　worn　an　open　gown　since　that　first　night　at　sea。　The　sight　of　all　that　flesh　drove　him　mad　pletely。
　
　〃You'll　tell　me　when　you　want　to　tell　me；〃　　she　said。〃　What　I　can't　bear　is　to　see　you　suffering。〃
　
　〃It's　all　as　you　said；〃　　he　murmured。　He　drank　down　the　tea；　a　beverage　he　didn't　much　like。　It　seemed　to　be　half　of　something。〃　All　gone　without　a　trace。　The　mausoleum；　the　library；　the　lighthouse。　All　that　Alexander　built；　an