anner.themummy-第51部分

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ere　intact。
　
　The　cursed　vials！　Would　that　he　had　never　taken　the　elixir　from　its　hiding　place　in　London！　Or　that　he　had　sealed　the　powder　into　a　clay　vessel　and　sunk　the　vessel　into　the　sea！
　
　What　would　the　soldiers　have　done　with　the　liquid　if　they　had　got　their　hands　on　it？　He　could　not　bear　to　dwell　on　how　close　he　had　e　to　that　possibility。
　
　But　the　thing　now　was　to　return　to　the　museum！　He　must　find　her！　And　to　dwell　on　what　had　befallen　her　in　the　interim　was　more　than　he　could　bear。
　
　Never　in　ah1　his　existence　had　he〃　experienced　the　regret　which　he　was　feeling　now。　But　it　was　done！　He　had　succumbed　to　the　temptation。　He　had　awakened　the　half…rotted　body　lying　in　that　case。
　
　And　he　must　find　the　results　of　his　folly。　He　must　learn　whether　a　spark　of　intellect　existed　inside　it！
　
　Ah；　but　whom　was　he　deceiving！　She　had　called　his　name！
　
　He　turned　and　hurried　down　the　alley。　A　disguise；　that's　what　he　needed。　And　he　had　no　time　to　purchase　it。　He　must　take　it　where　he　could。　Laundry；　he　had　seen　ropes　of　laundry。　He　rushed　on；　until　he　saw　another　such　rope　sagging　across　a　narrow　passageway　to　his　left。
　
　Bedouin　garments…the　long…sleeved　robe　and　the　headdress。　He　tore　these　down　at　once。　Discarding　his　jacket；　he　put　them　on；　and　then　cut　a　bit　of　the　rope　itself　to　tie　around　his　head。
　
　Now　he　looked　like　an　Arab　except　for　the　blue　eyes。　But　then　he　knew　where　he　might　get　a　pair　of　dark　glasses。　He'd　seen　them　in　the　bazaar。　And　that　was　on　the　way　back　to　the　museum。　He　headed　out　at　a　dead　run。
　
　*　*　*
　
　Henry　had　been　almost　dead　drunk　since　he'd　e　from　Shepheard's　the　day　before。　The　brief　talk　with　Elliott　had　had　a　peculiar　effect　on　him　somehow；　it　had　sapped　his　nerve。
　
　He　tried　to　remind　himself　that　he　loathed　Elliott　Savarell　and　that　he　himself　was　pressing　on　to　America；　where　he'd　never　see　Elliott　or　anyone　like　him　again。
　
　Yet　the　meeting　haunted　him。　Every　time　he　sobered　up　just　a　little　he　saw　Elliott　again；　staring　at　him　with　absolute　contempt。　He　heard　the　cold　hatred　in　Elliott's　voice。
　
　A　lot　of　nerve　Elliott　had；　turning　on　him　like　this。　Years　ago；　after　a　brief　and　stupid　affair；　Henry　had　had　it　in　his　power　to　destroy　Elliot；　but　he　had　not　done　so　for　no　other　reason　than　it　would　have　been　a　cruel　thing　to　do。　He　had　always　presumed　that　Elliott　was　grateful　for　that；　that　Elliott's　patience　and　politeness　signaled　that　gratitude。　For　Elliott　had　been　unfailingly　courteous　to　him　over　the　years。
　
　Not　so　yesterday。　And　the　awful　thing　about　it　was　that　the　hatred　Elliot　evinced　had　been　a　mirror　image　of　the　hatred　Henry　felt　for　everyone　he　knew。　It　had　soured　Henry　and　embittered　him。
　
　And　it　had　also　frightened　him。
　
　Have　to　get　away　from　them；　all　of　them；　he　reasoned。　They　do　nothing　but　criticize　me　and　misjudge　me　when　they　are　not　worth　a　tinker's　damn　themselves。
　
　When　they　had　left　Cairo；　he　would　clean　himself　up；　stop　drinking；　go　back　to　Shepheard's　and　sleep　in　peace　for　a　few　days。　Then　he'd　strike　the　bargain　with　his　father　and　head　out　to　America　with　the　considerable　little　fortune　he'd　saved。
　
　But　for　the　moment；　he　had　no　intention　of　curtailing　the　parry。　There　would　be　no　card　game　today；　he　would　take　it　easy；　and　enjoy　the　Scotch　without　distraction；　merely　dozing　in　his　rattan　chair；　and　eating　the　food　Malenka　prepared　for　him　if　and　when　he　chose。
　
　Malenka　herself　had　bee　a　bit　of　a　nag。　She　had　just　cooked　an　English　breakfast　for　him　and　wanted　him　to　e　to　the　table。　He　had　slapped　her　with　the　back　of　his　hand；　and　told　her　to　leave　him　alone。
　
　Nevertheless　she　went　on　with　her　preparations。　He　could　hear　the　kettle　whistling。　She　had　set　china　out　on　the　small　rattan　table　in　the　courtyard。
　
　Well；　to　hell　with　her。　He　had　three　bottles　of　Scotch；　which　was　plenty。　Maybe　he　would　lock　her　out　later　if　there　was　a
　
　chance。　He　loved　the　idea　of　being　all　alone　here。　Of　drinking　and　smoking　and　dreaming。　And　maybe　listening　to　the　gramophone。　He　was　even　getting　used　to　that　damned　parrot。
　
　As　he　dozed　off　now；　the　parrot　was　screeching　and　clucking　and　walking　back　and　forth；　upside　down；　on　the　ceiling　of　its　cage。　African　greys　liked　to　do　things　like　that。　In　truth　the　thing　looked　like　a　giant　bug　to　him。　Maybe　he　should　kill　it　when　Malenka　wasn't　here。
　
　He　felt　himself　drifting；　dozing；　on　the　edge　of　dream。　He　took　one　more　sip　of　Scotch；　so　smooth；　and　let　his　head　roll　to　the　side。　Julie's　house；　the　library；　that　thing　at　his　shoulder；　the　scream　curled　at　the　back　of　his　throat。
　
　〃God！〃　　He　shot　forward　out　of　the　chair；　and　the　glass　fell　out　of　his　hands。　If　only　that　dream　would　stop。。。
　
　Elliott　had　to　stop　to　catch　his　breath。　The　two　bulbous　eyes　stared　at　him　over　the　black　serge。　It　seemed　they　tried　to　squint　in　the　sunlight；　but　the　half…eaten　lids　would　not　fully　close。　The　woman's　hand　pulled　the　veil　tighter　as　if　she　wanted　to　hide　herself　from　his　gaze。
　
　Whispering　softly　in　Latin；　he　begged　for　patience。　The　carriage　had　been　unable　to　get　very　close　to　the　house　to　which　they　were　going。　It　was　only　a　few　paces　more。
　
　He　mopped　his　forehead　with　his　handkerchief。　But　wait　a　moment。　The　hand。　The　hand　which　was　holding　the　black　serge　over　her　mouth。　He　looked　at　it　again。　It　was　changing　in　the　burning　sun。　The　wound　exposing　the　knucklebone　had　almost　closed。
　
　He　stared　at　it　for　a　moment；　then　he　looked　at　her　eyes　again。　Yes；　the　eyelids　had　filled　in　somewhat　and　long　beautiful　black　lashes　were　now　curving　upwards；　hiding　the　leprouslike　ruin　of　the　flesh。
　
　He　put　his　arm　about　her　again：　at　once　she　cleaved　to　him；　a　soft　and　trembling　thing。　A　soft　sigh　escaped　her。
　
　He　was　aware　suddenly　of　a　perfume　rising　from　her；　a　rich；　sweet　and　altogether　lovely　perfume。　There　was　the　smell　of　dust；　of　mud；　actually；　of　the　deep　river　silt…but　that　was　very　faint。　The　perfume　was　strong　and　musky。　He　could　feel　her　warmth　ing　through　the　black　serge。
　
　Dear　God；　what　is　this　potion！　What　is　it　capable　of！
　
　〃There；　there；　my　dear；〃　　he　said　in　English。〃　We're　very　close。　That　door　at　the　end。〃
　
　He　felt　her　arm　slip　around　him。　With　a　powerful　grip　she　lifted　him　slightly；　taking　the　pressure　off　his　numb　left　foot。　The　pain　in　his　left　hip　slackened。　He　gave　a　little　laugh　of　relief。　In　fact；　he　almost　broke　into　outright　laughter。　But　he　didn't。　He　simply　moved　on；　allowing　her　to　assist　him；　until　he　reached　the　door。
　
　There　he　rested　for　a　moment；　and　then　he　pounded　with　his　right　fist。
　
　He　could　not　have　gone　another　step。
　
　There　was　a　long　moment　in　which　he　heard　nothing。　He　pounded　again；　and　again。
　
　Then　came　the　sound　of　the　bolt　sliding；　and　Henry　appeared；　squinting；　his　face　unshaven；　dressed　only　in　a　green　silk　robe。
　
　〃What　the　hell　do　you　want？〃
　
　〃Let　me　in。〃　　He　pushed　the　door　back　and　brought　the　woman　with　him　into　the　room。　Desperately　she　crowded　against　him；　hiding　her　face。
　
　Dimly；　he　saw　that　the　place　was　luxurious…carpets；　furniture；　decanters　gleaming　on　a　marble　sideboard。　Through　the　archway；　a　dark…skinned　beauty　in　a　satin　dancing　costume…obviously　Malenka…had　just　set　down　a　tray　of　steaming　food。　Small　orange　trees　crowded　against　the　whitewashed　garden　wall。
　
　〃Who　is　this　woman！〃　　Henry　demanded。
　
　Holding　tight　to　her　still；　Elliott　struggled　to　the　chair。　But　he　could　see　that　Henry　was　staring　at　the　woman's　feet。　He'd　seen　the　bare　bones　showing　in　the　instep。　A　look　of　disgust　passed　over　Henry；　of　puzzlement。
　
　〃Who　is　she！　Why　did　you　bring　her　here！〃
　
　Then　convulsively；　Henry　moved　back；　slamming　into　the　pillar　that　divided　the　archway　to　the　courtyard；　his　head　thudding　dangerously　against　the　stone。〃　What's　wrong　with　her！〃　　he　gasped。〃　Patience；　I'll　tell　you　everything；〃　　Elliott　whispered。　The　pain　in　his　chest　was　so　bad　now　that　he　could　hardly　form　the　words。　Easing　down　in　the　rattan　chair；　he　felt　the　woman's　grip　loosen。　He　heard　her　make　a　faint　sound。　He　looked　up；　and　realized　she　had　seen　the　cupboard　across　the　room；　the　glass　bottles　gleaming　in　the　light　from　the　courtyard。
　
　She　went　towards　the　liquid；　groaning。　The　black　serge　garment　fell　from　her　head　and　then　from　her　shoulders；　fully　revealing　the　bones　of　her　ribs　gleaming　through　the　gaping　holes
　
　in　her　back；　and　the　remnants　of　cloth　that　barely　concealed　her　nakedness。
　
　〃For　the　love　of　God；　don't　panic！〃　　Elliott　shouted。
　
　But　it　was　too　late。　Henry's　face　went　white；　his　mouth　twisted　and　shuddering。　Behind　him；　in　the　courtyard；　Malenka　let　out　a　full…throated　scream。
　
　The　wounded　creature　dropped　the　bottle　with　a　great　piteous　moan。
　
　Henry's　hand　rose　from　his　pocket；　sun　glinting　on　the　barrel　of　a　small　silver　gun。
　
　〃No；　Henry！〃　　Elliott　cried。　He　tried　to　rise；　but　he　couldn't。　The　shot　exploded　with　the　same　nerve…shattering　volume　of　the　guns　in　the　museum。　A　parrot　screeched　in　its　cage。
　
　The　wounded　woman　cried　out　as　she　took　the　bullet　in　her　chest；　staggering　backwards；　and　then　let　out　a　great　bellow　as　she　ran　at　Henry。
　
　The　sounds　ing　from　Henry　were　scarcely　human。　All　reason　had　left　him。　He　backed　into　the　courtyard；　firing　the　gun　again　and　again。　Crying　in　agony；　the　woman　closed　on　him；　knocking　the　gun　out　of　his　hand　and　taking　him　by　the　throat。　In　an　ugly　waltz　they　struggled；　Henry　clawing　at　her　desperately；　her　own　bony　fingers　holding　fast　to　his　neck。　The　wicker　table　went　over；　china　shattering　on　the　tiles。　Into　the　orange　trees　they　stumbled；　tiny　leaves　pouring　down　in　a　shower。
　
　In　terror　Malenka　crouched　against　the　wall。
　
　〃Elliott；　help　me！〃　　Henry　screamed。　He　was　being　bent　over　backwards；　knees　buckling　and　hands　flailing；　catching　stupidly　in　the　creature's　hair。
　
　Elliott　managed　somehow　to　reach　the　edge　of　the　archway。　But　only　in　time　to　hear　the　bones　snap。　He　winced　as　he　saw　Henry's　body　go　limp　and　tumble　softly；　in　a　heap　of　green　silk；　on　the　ground。
　
　The　creature　staggered　backwards；　whimpering；　and　then　sobbing；　her　mouth　making　a　gri