anner.themummy-第52部分

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round。
　
　The　creature　staggered　backwards；　whimpering；　and　then　sobbing；　her　mouth　making　a　grimace　again；　as　it　had　in　the　museum；　teeth　bared。　The　ragged　cloth　covering　her　had　been　torn　from　one　shoulder；　her　dark　pink　nipples　showed　through　the　sheer　linen。　Great　gouts　of　blood　hung　in　the　wrappings　still　clinging　to　her　torso；　strips　of　fabric　falling　from　her　thighs　with　each　step。　Her　eyes；　bloodshot　and　running　with　tears；　stared　at　the　dead　body　and　then　at　the　spilt　food；　the　hot　tea　steaming　in　the　sun。
　
　Slowly　she　went　down　on　her　knees。　She　grabbed　up　the　muffins　and　stuffed　them　into　her　mouth。　On　all　fours　she　lapped　the　spilt　tea。　She　scraped　up　the　jam　with　her　fingers　and　sucked　them　frantically。　She　gnawed　on　the　bacon　and　then　swallowed　the　rasher　whole。
　
　In　utter　silence；　Elliott　watched　her。　He　was　vaguely　conscious　of　Malenka　running　silently　towards　him；　and　then　hovering　behind　him。　Deliberately；　he　took　one　short　breath　after　another；　listening　at　the　same　time　to　the　hammer　trip　of　his　heart。
　
　The　creature　devoured　the　butter；　the　eggs　she　crushed　and　scraped　with　her　teeth　from　the　shells。
　
　Finally　there　was　no　more　food。　Yet　she　remained　there；　on　her　knees。　She　was　staring　at　her　outstretched　hands。
　
　The　sun　beat　down　on　the　little　courtyard。　It　gleamed　on　her　dark　hair。
　
　In　a　daze；　Elliott　continued　to　watch。　He　could　not　absorb　what　he　was　seeing　or　judge　it。　The　continuing　shock　of　all　he'd　witnessed　was　too　great。
　
　Suddenly　the　creature　turned　and　lay　down　on　the　paved　ground。　She　stretched　out　full　length；　crying　as　if　into　a　soft　pillow；　her　hand　scratching　at　the　hard…baked　tiles。　Then　she　rolled　over　on　her　back　into　the　full　sunlight；　free　of　the　soft　dancing　green　shadows　from　the　small　trees。
　
　For　a　moment　she　stared　up　into　the　burning　sky；　and　then　her　eyes　appeared　to　roll　up　in　her　head。　Only　a　half…moon　of
　
　pale　iris　showed。
　
　〃Ramses；〃　　she　whispered。　Her　bosom　moved　faintly　with　her　breathing。　But　otherwise　she　lay　still。
　
　The　Earl　turned　and　reached　for　Malenka。　Leaning　heavily　on　her；　he　struggled　back　towards　the　chair。　He　could　feel　the　dark…skinned　woman　trembling。　He　settled　down　silently　on　the　tapestried　cushions；　and　rested　his　head　against　the　high　rounded　chair　back　of　prickly　rattan。　This　is　all　a　nightmare；　he　thought。　But　it　was　not　a　nightmare。　He　had　seen　this　creature　raised　from　the　dead。　He　had　seen　her　kill　Henry。　What　in　God's　name　was　he　to　do？
　
　Malenka　remained　at　his　elbow；　then　went　down　slowly　on　her　knees。　Her　eyes　were　wide…　and　empty；　her　mouth　agape。　She　stared　towards　the　garden。
　
　Flies　circled　over　Henry's　face。　They　swooped　down　on　the　remnants　of　the　overturned　meal。
　
　〃There；　there；　nothing　will　harm　you；〃　　Elliott　whispered。　The　burning　in　his　chest　subsided　very　slowly。　He　felt　a　dull　warmth　in　his　left　hand。〃　She　won't　hurt　you。　I　promise　you。〃　　He　moistened　his　dry　lips　with　his　tongue；　then　somehow　managed　to　go　on。〃　She　is　ill；　and　I　must　take　care　of　her。　She　will　not　harm　you；　you　understand。〃
　
　The　Egyptian　woman　clutched　at　his　wrist；　her　forehead　against　the　arm　of　the　chair。　After　a　long　moment；　she　spoke。
　
　〃No　police；〃　　she　pleaded　in　a　barely　audible　voice。〃　No　English　take　my　house。〃
　
　〃No；〃　　Elliott　murmured。〃　No　police。　We　don't　want　the　police。〃
　
　He　wanted　to　pat　her　head；　but　he　could　not　bring　himself　to　move。　He　stared　dully　out　into　the　sunlight；　at　the　prone　creature；　her　glossy　black　hair　spread　out　in　the　sunlight；　and　at　the　dead　man。
　
　〃I　take　care　of　。。。〃　　the　woman　whispered。〃　I　take　my　English　away。　No　police　e。〃
　
　Elliott　didn't　understand　her。　What　was　she　saying？　Then　slowly　it　dawned　on　him。
　
　〃You　can　do　this？〃　　he　said　under　his　breath。
　
　〃Yes；　I　do　this。　Friends　e。　Take　English　away。〃
　
　〃Yes；　all　right　then。〃　　He　sighed　and　the　pain　in　his　chest　intensified。　Tentatively　he　pushed　his　right　hand　into　his　pocket　and　brought　out　his　money　clip。　Barely　able　to　move　his　left　fingers；　he　took　out　two　ten…pound　notes。
　
　〃For　you；〃　　he　said。　He　closed　his　eyes　again；　exhausted　by　the　effort。　He　felt　the　money　taken　from　his　hand。〃　But　you　must　be　careful。　You　must　tell　no　one　what　you　saw。〃
　
　〃I　tell　no　one。　I　take　care　of　。。。　This　is　my　house。　My　brother　give。〃
　
　〃Yes；　I　understand。　I　shall　be　here　only　a　little　while。　That　I　promise　you。　I　shall　take　the　woman　with　me。　But　for　now；　you　will　be　patient；　and　there'll　be　more　money；　much　more。〃　　Once　again　he　looked　at　the　money　clip。　He　peeled　the　notes　off　without　counting　and　forced　them　into　her　hand。
　
　Then　he　lay　back　again；　and　closed　his　eyes。　He　heard　her　pad　softly　across　the　carpet。　Then　her　hand　touched　him　again。
　
　When　he　looked　up　he　saw　her　draped　in　black；　and　she　held　another　folded　black　robe　in　her　hand。
　
　〃You　cover；〃　　she　whispered。　And　with　her　eyes；　she　gestured　to　the　courtyard。
　
　〃I　cover；〃　　he　whispered。　And　closed　his　eyes　again。〃　You　cover！〃　　he　heard　her　say　desperately。　And　again　he　said　that　he　would。
　
　With　great　relief　he　heard　her　go　out；　and　shut　the　door　to　the　street。
　
　In　the　long　flowing　Bedouin　robes；　Ramses　walked　through　the　museum；　among　the　milling　tourists；　peering　ahead　through　the　dark　glasses　at　the　empty　space　at　the　end　of　the　corridor　where　the　display　case　had　stood。　No　sign　that　it　had　ever　been　there！　No　broken　glass；　no　splintered　wood。　And　the　vial　he　had　dropped。　Gone。
　
　But　where　could　she　be！　What　happened　to　her！　In　anguish；　he　thought　of　the　soldiers　who'd　surrounded　him。　Had　she　fallen　into　their　hands？
　
　He　walked　on；　turning　the　corner；　eyes　moving　over　the　statues　and　the　sarcophagi。　If　he　had　known　misery　like　this　ever　in　all　these　centuries；　he　could　not　remember　it　now。　He　had　no　right　to　be　walking　here　with　men　and　women；　to　be　breathing　the　same　air。
　
　He　could　not　think　where　to　go　or　what　to　do。　If　he　did　not　discover　something　soon；　he　would　go　pletely　mad。
　
　Perhaps　a　quarter　of　an　hour　passed；　maybe　less。　Cover　her；　yes。　No；　get　her　out　of　the　garden　before　the　men　e。　She　lay　in　the　sun；　stuporous；　now　and　then　murmuring　in　her　sleep。
　
　Gripping　his　walking　stick；　he　rose　to　his　feet。　There　was　feeling　in　his　left　leg　again；　and　that　meant　there　was　pain。
　
　He　went　into　the　bedroom。　A　high　old…fashioned　Victorian　bed　stood　against　the　far　right　wail；　its　white　mosquito　netting　catching　the　flood　of　sunlight　from　the　open　blinds　of　the　window。
　
　A　dressing　table　stood　just　to　the　left　of　the　window。　And　an　armoire　stood　farther　away　in　the　left　corner；　its　mirrored　doors　open；　revealing　a　row　of　wool　jackets　and　coats。
　
　A　small　portable　gramophone　with　a　horn　stood　on　the　dressing　table。　Beside　it　were　a　set　of　gramophone　records　in　a　cardboard　case。〃　Learn　English；〃　　said　the　bold　lettering。　There　was　another　dance　hall　record。　An　ashtray。　Several　magazines　and　a　half…full　bottle　of　Scotch。
　
　He　could　see　a　proper　bathroom　through　a　far　door　on　the　right　side　of　the　bed。　Copper　tub　there；　towels。
　
　He　went　the　other　direction；　through　a　door　into　another　chamber　which　formed　the　north　wall　of　the　courtyard；　with　all　its　blinds　shut。　Here　the　dark　beauty　kept　her　tawdry　dancing　costumes　and　junk　jewelry。　But　one　cabinet　was　bursting　with　frilly　Western　dresses　as　well。　There　were　Western　shoes；　and　frilly　umbrellas　and　a　couple　of　impossible　wide…brimmed　hats。
　
　But　what　good　were　these　clothes　when　the　wounded　thing　needed　to　be　hidden　from　prying　eyes？　He　found　the　usual　Moslem　robes　folded　neatly　on　a　bottom　shelf。　So　he　could　give　her　fresh　covering…that　is；　if　Malenka　would　allow　him　to　buy　these　clothes。
　
　He　paused　in　the　doorway　to　catch　his　breath。　He　stared　at　the　regal　bed　in　the　sunlight；　the　netting　flowing　down　from　a　circular　tester；　much　like　a　crown　above。　The　moment　seemed　trancelike；　elastic。　Images　of　Henry's　death　flashed　before　his　eyes。　Yet　he　felt　nothing。　Nothing…except　perhaps　for　a　cold　horror　that　took　away　the　very　will　to　live。
　
　Will　to　live。　He　had　the　vial　in　his　pocket。　He　had　a　few　drops　of　the　precious　fluid！
　
　That；　too；　did　not　affect　him；　did　not　dispel　his　languor。　The　maid　dead　in　the　museum；　Henry　dead　in　the　courtyard。　The　thing　lying　out　there　in　the　sun！
　
　He　could　not　reason。　Why　bother　to　try？　He　had　to　reach　Ramses；　of　that　much　he　was　certain。　But　where　was　Ramses？　What　had　the　bullets　done　to　him？　Was　he　being　held　by　the　men　who　had　dragged　him　away？
　
　But　first；　the　woman；　he　had　to　bring　her　in　and　hide　her　so　that　Henry's　body　could　be　taken　away。
　
　She　might　well　attack　the　men　who　came　to　get　Henry。　And　one　glimpse　of　her　might　do　them　even　more　harm。
　
　Limping　out　to　the　courtyard；　he　tried　to　clear　his　head。　He　and　Ramses　were　not　enemies。　They　were　confederates　now。　And　perhaps　。。。　But　then　he　had　no　spirit　for　such　dreams　and　ambitions　anymore…only　what　must　be　done　now。
　
　He　took　a　few　cautious　steps　towards　the　woman　asleep　on　the　tiled　patio　floor。
　
　The　midday　sun　was　burning　hot；　and　suddenly　he　feared　for　her　because　of　it。　He　shaded　his　eyes　as　he　looked　at　her：　for　surely　he　could　not　be　seeing　what　he　thought　he　saw。
　
　She　moaned　uneasily；　she　was　suffering…but　a　woman　of　great　and　exceptional　beauty　lay　there！
　
　A　large　patch　of　white　bone　gleamed　through　her　raven　hair；
　
　true；　and　a　small　bit　of　bare　cartilage　showed　in　her　jaw。　Indeed；　her　right　hand　still　had　two　fingers　which　were　bones　only；　blood　trickling　from　the　gristle　in　the　joints。　And　the　wound　in　her　chest　was　still　there；　gaping；　revealing　a　stretch　of　white　rib；　overlaid　with　a　thin　membrane　full　of　tiny　red　veins。
　
　But　the　face　had　assumed　its　full　human　contour！　High　colour　bloomed　in　the　beautifully　moulded　cheeks。　The　mouth　was　exquisitely　shaped　and　ruddy。　And　the　flesh　had　over　all　a　lovely　even　olive　tone。
　
　Her　nipples　were　a　dark　rose　colour；　her　breasts　plump　and　firm。
　
　What　was　happening？　Did　the　elixir　take　time　to　work？
　
　Timidly　he　drew　closer。　The　heat　pounded　upon　him。　His　head　began　to　swim。　Struggling　once　again　not　to　lose　consciousness；　he　gr