anner.themummy-第57部分

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o　doubt；　others　were　being　stewed　in　the　pot。
　
　A　lone　worker　dug　a　trench　now　into　which　these　fresh　mummies　would　be　laid　for　a　few　days；〃　browning〃　　as　it　were　in　damp　earth。
　
　It　disgusted　Samir　pletely；　though　he　had　e　to　this　little　factory　as　a　boy　long　before　he　had　known　there　were　real　mummies；　the　bodies　of　the　ancient　ancestors　to　be　studied；　to　be　saved　from　theft　and　mutilation；　and　preserved。
　
　〃Look　at　it　this　way；〃　　his　cousin　Zaki　once　argued。〃　We　are　better　than　the　thieves　who　sell　our　ancient　rulers　bit　by　bit　to　the　foreigners。　What　we　sell　isn't　sacred。　It's　fake。〃
　
　Good　old　Zaki。　Samir　was　about　to　signal　to　one　of　the　men　inside　the　place；　a　man　who　was　in　fact　engaged　in　wrapping　a　body。　But　then　Zaki　himself　emerged　from　the　reeking　little　house。
　
　〃Eh；　Samir！　So　good　to　see　you　always；　cousin。　e　have　a　coffee　with　me；　cousin。〃
　
　〃Not　now；　Zaki；　I　need　your　assistance。〃
　
　〃Of　course；　you　would　not　be　here　if　you　did　not。〃
　
　Samir　accepted　the　rebuke　with　a　humble　little　smile。
　
　〃Zaki；　I　need　a　safe　place；　a　little　house　with　a　heavy　door　and　a　back　entrance。　Secret。　For　a　few　days；　maybe　longer。　I　don't　know。〃
　
　Zaki　laughed　good…naturedly；　but　a　little　smugly。
　
　〃Ah；　so；　the　educated　one；　the　one　whom　all　respect；　and　he　es　to　me　for　a　hiding　place？〃
　
　〃Don't　question　me；　Zaki。〃　　Samir　produced　a　roll　of　bills　from　under　his　robe。　He　held　this　out　to　his　cousin。〃　A　safe　house。　I　can　pay。〃
　
　〃All　right；　I　know　just　the　thing；〃　　said　Zaki。〃　e　into　the　house　and　take　coffee　with　me。　One　whiff；　and　you　get　used　to　the　smell。〃
　
　For　decades　Zaki　had　been　saying　that。　Samir　never　got　used　to　the　smell。　But　he　felt　pelled　now　to　do　what　his　cousin　wanted；　and　he　followed　him　into　the〃　embalming　room；〃　　a　miserable　place　where　a　vat　of　bitumen　and　other　chemicals　was　always　simmering；　waiting　for　a　new　body　to　be　thrown　in。
　
　As　he　passed；　Samir　saw　that　the　pot　had　a　new　victim。　It　sickened　him。　He　looked　away；　but　not　before　he　had　glimpsed　the　poor　devil's　black　hair　billowing　free　on　the　surface　as　his　face　floated　just　beneath　it。
　
　〃How　about　a　nice　fresh　mummy？〃　　Zaki　teased　him。〃　Straight　from　the　Valley　of　the　Kings。　Name　a　dynasty；　I　give　it　to　you！　Male；　female；　whatever　you　wish！〃
　
　〃The　hiding　place；　cousin。〃
　
　〃Yes；　yes。　I　have　several　such　houses　vacant。　Coffee　first　and　I　send　you　off　with　a　key。　Tell　me　what　you　know　of　this　robbery　in　the　museum！　The　mummy　which　was　stolen！　Was　it　genuine；　do　you　think？〃
　
　In　a　daze；　Elliott　walked　into　the　lobby　of　Shepheard's。　He　knew　that　he　was　dishevelled；　that　dirt　and　sand　clung　to　his　trousers　and　even　his　coat。　His　left　leg　ached；　but　he　no　longer　truly　felt　it。　He　did　not　care　that　beneath　his　rumpled　shirt　and　suit　coat　he　was　drenched　in　sweat。　He　knew　that　he　should　be　relieved　to　be　here…safe　and　away　from　all　the　horrors　he'd　witnessed；　the　horrors　in　which　he　had　shared。　But　it　seemed　unreal　to　him；　he　had　not　escaped　the　atmosphere　of　the　little　house。
　
　Ah1　the　way　back　from　old　Cairo；　as　the　cab　jolted　him　through　the　insufferable　traffic；　he　had　thought；　Malenka　is　dead　because　I　brought　the　woman　there。　Henry　he　could　not　grieve　for。　But　Malenka　would　be　forever　on　his　soul。　And　the　murderer；　his　monstrous　resurrected　Queen。　What　would　he　do　with　her　if　he　could　not　find　Ramsey？　When　would　she　turn　on　him？
　
　The　thing　to　do　now　was　to　find　Samir；　for　he　would　know　where　Ramsey　was。
　
　He　was　quite　unprepared　for　Alex　rushing　to　him；　and　embracing　him　and　trying　to　stop　his　progress　to　the　desk。
　
　〃Father；　thank　God　you're　here。〃
　
　〃Where's　Ramsey？　I　have　to　talk　to　him　at　once。〃
　
　〃Father；　don't　you　know　what's　happened？　They're　searching　for　him　all　over　Cairo。　He's　wanted　for　murder；　Father；　both　here　and　in　London。　Julie's　beside　herself。　We've　been　going　out　of　our　minds。　And　Henry；　we　cannot　find　Henry！　Father；　where　have　you　been！〃
　
　〃You　stay　with　Julie；　you　take　care　of　her；〃　　he　said。〃　Let　your　American　Miss　Barrington　wait。〃　　He　tried　to　move　on　to　the　desk。
　
　〃Miss　Barrington's　gone；〃　　Alex　said　with　a　dismissive　gesture。〃　Whole　family　changed　their　plans　this　morning；　after　the　police　came　to　question　them　about　Ramsey　and　about　us。〃
　
　〃I'm　sorry；　son；〃　　he　murmured。〃　But　you　must　leave　me　now；　I　have　to　find　Samir。〃
　
　〃Then　you're　in　luck。　He's　just　e　in。〃
　
　Alex　gestured　to　the　cashier。　Samir　had　apparently　just　written　a　bank　draft　for　some　money。　He　was　counting　it　and　putting　it　away。　He　had　a　bundle　under　his　arm。　He　seemed　to　be　in　a　hurry。
　
　〃Let　me　alone　now；　my　boy；〃　　Elliott　said　as　he　hurried　towards　him。　Samir　looked　up　just　as　Elliott　reached　the　marble　desk。　He　drew　Samir　aside。
　
　〃I　have　to　see　him；〃　　Elliott　whispered。〃　If　you　know　where　he　is；　I　must　see　him。〃
　
　〃My　Lord；　please。〃　　Samir　glanced　around；　slowly　and　casually　taking　in　the　entire　lobby。〃　The　authorities　are　searching　for　him。　People　are　watching　us　now。〃
　
　〃But　you　know　where　he　is。　Or　how　to　get　a　message　to　him。　You　know　all　about　him；　you　have　from　the　beginning。〃
　
　Samir's　eyes　became　unreadable。　It　was　as　if　a　door　closed　firmly　in　his　soul。
　
　〃You　give　him　this　message　for　me。〃
　
　Samir　started　to　walk　away。
　
　〃Tell　him　I　have　her。〃
　
　Samir　hesitated。〃　But　who？〃　　he　whispered。〃　What　do　you　mean？〃
　
　Elliott　took　his　arm　roughly　again。
　
　〃He　knows。　And　she　knows　who　she　is　as　well！　Tell　him　I　took　her　from　the　museum。　And　I　have　her　in　a　safe　place。　I've　been　with　her　all　day。〃
　
　〃I　don't　understand　you。〃
　
　〃Ah；　but　he　will。　Now　listen　carefully。　Tell　him　that　the　sun　helped　her。　It　healed　her；　and　so　did　the　。。。　the　medicine　in　the　vial。〃
　
　The　Earl　drew　out　the　empty　vial　now　and　put　it　in　Samir's　hand。　Samir　stared　down　at　it　as　if　he　were　afraid　of　it；　as　if　he　did　not　want　it　to　touch　him　and　did　not　know　what　in　the　world　he　would　do　now　that　it　had。
　
　〃She　needs　more　of　it！〃　　Elliott　said。〃　She's　damaged；　inside　and　outside。　She's　mad。〃　　Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　he　saw　Alex　moving　towards　him；　but　he　gestured　for　patience；　drawing　even　closer　to　Samir。〃　Tell　him　he's　to　contact　me　at　seven　this　evening。　At　the　French　cafe　called　the　Babylon　in　the　Arab　quarter。　I　shall　talk　to　no　one　but　him。〃
　
　〃But　wait；　you　must　explain…〃
　
　〃I　told　you。　He　will　understand。　And　under　no　circumstances　is　he　to　contact　me　here。　It's　too　dangerous。　I　won't　have　my　son　mixed　up　in　this。　The　Babylon　at　seven。　And　tell　him　this　also。　She　has　killed　three　times。　And　she　will　kill　again。〃
　
　He　left　Samir　abruptly；　turning　to　his　son　and　reaching　out　for　Alex's　helping　hand。
　
　〃e；　take　me　upstairs；〃　　he　said。〃　I　have　to　rest。　I'm　near　fainting。〃
　
　〃Good　Lord；　Father；　what　is　going　on！〃
　
　〃Ah；　that　you　have　to　tell　me　now。　What's　happened　since　I　left？　Oh；　and　the　desk。　Tell　the　desk　I　will　speak　to　no　one。　They　are　not　to　ring　the　room。　No　one　is　to　be　allowed　up。〃
　
　Only　a　few　steps　more；　he　thought　as　the　elevator　doors　opened。　If　he　could　only　make　it　to　a　clean　bed。　He　was　dizzy　now；　and　close　to　nausea。　He　was　grateful　for　his　son；　who　held　him　firmly　around　the　shoulders；　and　would　not　let　him　fall。
　
　As　soon　as　he　reached　his　room；　he　lost　his　balance　altogether。　But　Walter　was　there；　and　Walter　and　Alex　together　helped　him　onto　the　bed。
　
　〃I　want　to　sit　up；〃　　he　said　crankily　like　an　old　invalid。
　
　〃I'll　run　you　a　bath；　my　lord；　a　good　hot　restful　bath。〃
　
　〃Do　that；　Walter；　but　you'll　bring　me　a　drink　first。　Scotch；　and　set　the　bottle　beside　the　glass。〃
　
　〃Father；　I've　never　seen　you　like　this。　I'm　going　to　ring　the　house　doctor。〃
　
　〃You　are　not！〃　　Elliott　said。　His　tone　startled　Alex；　which　was　all　well　and　good。〃　Would　Lady　Macbeth　have　benefited　from　a　doctor？　I　don't　think　a　doctor　would　have　helped　her。〃
　
　〃Father；　what　is　all　this　about？〃　　Alex's　voice　had　dropped　to　a　whisper；　as　it　always　did　when　he　was　truly　upset。　He　watched　as　Walter　put　the　glass　in　Elliott's　hand。
　
　Elliott　drank　a　swallow　of　the　whisky。〃　Ah；　that's　good；〃　　he　sighed。　In　that　horrid　little　house；　that　house　of　death　and　madness；　there　had　been　a　dozen　bottles　of　Henry's　liquor；　yet　he　could　not　bring　himself　to　touch　them；　could　not　bring　himself　to　drink　from　a　glass　that　had　been　Henry's；　or　to　eat　a　morsel　of　Henry's　food。　He　had　given　it　to　her；　but　he　could　not　himself　touch　it。　And　now　he　luxuriated　in　the　sweet　warmth　of　the　Scotch；　so　utterly　different　from　the　burning　in　his　chest。
　
　〃Now；　Alex；　you　must　listen；〃　　he　said；　taking　another　swallow。〃　You　are　to　leave　Cairo　immediately。　You're　to　pack　your　bags　now　and　be　on　the　five　o'clock　train　to　Port　Said。　I　'm　taking　you　to　the　train　myself。〃
　
　How　utterly　defenseless　his　son　looked　suddenly。　Just　a　boy；　a　sweet　young　boy。　And　this　is　my　dream　of　immortality；　he
　
　thought；　and　it　has　always　been　there。　My　Alex；　who　must　go　home　now　to　England　where　he　will　be　safe。
　
　〃That's　out　of　the　question；　Father；〃　　Alex　said　with　the　same　gentleness。〃　I　can't　leave　Julie　here。〃
　
　〃I　don't　want　you　to　leave　Julie。　You're　taking　Julie　with　you。　You're　to　go　to　her　now。　Tell　her　to　get　ready！　Do　as　I　say。〃
　
　〃Father；　you　don't　understand。　She　won't　leave　until　Ramsey's　been　cleared。　And　no　one　can　find　Ramsey。　And　no　one　can　find　Henry；　either。　Father；　until　this　matter's　settled；　I　don't　think　the　authorities　would　let　any　of　us　leave。〃
　
　〃Dear　God。〃
　
　Alex　took　out　his　handkerchief；　he　folded　it　carefully　and　blotted　Elliott's　forehead。　He　folded　it　again　and　offered　it　to　Elliott。　Elliott　took　it　and　wiped　his　mouth。
　
　〃Father；　you　don't　think　Ramsey　really　did　these　dreadful　things；　do　you？　I　mean；　I　was　rather　fond　of　Ramsey！〃
　
　Walter　came　to　the　door。〃　Your　bath's　ready；　my　lord。〃
　
　〃Poor　Alex；〃　　Elliott　whispered。〃　Poor　decent　and　honorable　Alex。〃
　
　〃Father；　tell　me　what's　the　matter。　I've　never　seen　you　like　this。　You're　not　yourself。〃
　
　〃Oh；　yes；　I　am　myself。　My　true　self。　Desperate　and　cunning　and　full　of　mad　dreams　as　always。　Too　much　myself。　You　know；　my　son；