anner.themummy-第58部分

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　〃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；　when　you　inherit　the　title；　you　will　probably　be　the　only　decent　and　honorable　Earl　of　Rutherford　in　our　whole　history。〃
　
　〃You're　being　the　philosopher　again。　And　I'm　not　all　that　decent　and　honorable。　I'm　merely　well　bred；　which　I　hope　is　a　tolerable　substitute。　Now；　get　into　the　bath。　You'll　feel　much　better。　And　don't　drink　any　more　Scotch；　please。〃　　He　called　out　to　Walter　to　e　and　give　him　a　hand。
　
　Miles　Winthrop　stared　at　the　telegram　placed　in　his　hand　by　the　man　standing　before　him。
　
　〃Arrest　her？　Julie　Stratford！　For　the　theft　of　a　priceless　mummy　in　London？　But　this　is　madness；　all　of　it。　Alex　Savarell　and　I　went　to　school　together！　I'm　contacting　the　British　Museum　myself。〃
　
　〃Very　well；　but　do　it　promptly；〃　　said　the　other。〃　The　governor's　furious。　The　Department　of　Antiquities　is　up　in　arms。　And　find　Henry　Stratford。　Track　down　that　mistress　of　his；　that　dancing　girl；　Malenka。　Stratford's　somewhere　in　Cairo；　and
　
　pretty　well　besotted；　you　can　be　sure　of　it。　In　the　meantime　arrest　somebody　or　the　old　man　will　blow　his　top。〃
　
　'〃The　hell　I　will；〃　　Miles　whispered　as　he　picked　up　the　phone。
　
　Ah；　such　a　bazaar。　Everything　was　for　sale　here…rich　fabrics；　perfumes；　spices；　and　strange　ticking　devices　with　Roman　numbers　on　them；　jewelry　and　pottery；　and　food！　But　she　had　no　money　to　buy　the　food！　The　first　peddler　had　told　her　in　English　and　with　age…old　indisputable　gestures　that　the　money　she　had　was　no　good。
　
　She　walked　on。　She　was　listening　to　the　voices　on　all　sides　of　her；　picking　out　the　English；　trying　to　understand。
　
　〃I　won't　pay　that　much。　That's　too　dear；　the　man's　trying　to　rob　us。。。〃
　
　〃Just　a　little　drink；　e　on　now。　It's　burning　hot。〃
　
　〃Oh；　and　these　necklaces；　how　pretty。〃
　
　Laughter；　horrid　noises；　loud　grating　noises！　She　had　heard　these　before。　She　put　her　hands　over　her　ears　under　the　broad　floppy　headdress。　She　walked　on；　trying　to　shut　out　what　hurt　her　and　still　hear　what　she　needed　in　order　to　learn。
　
　Suddenly　a　monstrous　sound…an　inconceivable　sound…shook　her　and　she　looked　up；　on　the　verge　of　screaming。　Her　hands　would　not　shut　it　out。　She　stumbled　forward；　realizing　in　her　panic　that　those　around　her　were　not　frightened！　Those　around　her　were　scarcely　paying　any　attention　at　all。
　
　She　had　to　fathom　this　mystery！　And　though　the　tears　were　welling　in　her　eyes；　she　moved　on。
　
　What　she　beheld　suddenly　filled　her　with　a　nameless　dread。　She　had　no　words　in　any　tongue　to　describe　it。　Immense；　black；　it　moved　forward；　on　wheels　made　of　metal；　a　chimney　atop　it　belching　smoke。　The　sound　was　so　loud　all　other　sounds　vanished。　Great　wooden　wagons　following；　coupled　to　it　by　huge　hooks　of　black　iron。　The　whole　monstrous　caravan　thundering　along　a　thin　strip　of　metal　that　ran　along　the　ground。　And　the　noise　grew　even　louder　as　the　thing　rolled　past　her　and　entered　a　great　yawning　tunnel　in　which　hundreds　crowded　as　if　trying　to　get　near　to　it。
　
　She　sobbed　aloud；　staring　at　it。　Oh；　why　had　she　left　her　hideaway？　Why　had　she　left　Lord　Rutherford；　who　would　have　protected　her？　But　just　when　it　seemed　she　could　see　nothing　worse　than　this　awful　chain　of　wagons　rattling　past　her；　the　last　one　entered　the　tunnel　and　she　beheld；　beyond　the　metal　pathway；　a　great　granite　statue　of　the　Pharaoh　Ramses；　standing　with　arms　folded；　his　scepters　in　his　crossed　hands。
　
　In　dizzying　shock　she　looked　at　this　colossus。　Ripped　from　the　land　she　had　known；　the　land　she　had　ruled；　this　tiling　stood　here；　grotesque；　abandoned；　ludicrous。
　
　She　backed　away。　Another　one　of　the　demonic　chariots　was　ing。　She　heard　a　great　searing　screech　from　it；　and　then　it　roared　by；　obliterating　the　statue。
　
　She　felt　herself　turning；　inward；　away　from　all　of　it；　back　into　the　darkness；　into　the　dark　water　whence　she'd　e。
　
　When　she　opened　her　eyes　a　young　Englishman　stood　over　her。　He　had　his　arm　around　her　and　was　lifting　her　and　telling　others　to　get　away。　She　understood　that　he　was　asking　after　her　and　what　he　might　do。
　
　〃Coffee；〃　　she　whispered。〃　I　should　like　some　sugar　in　my　coffee。〃　　Words　from　the　talking　machine　Lord　Rutherford　had　revealed　to　her。〃　I　should　like　a　bit　of　lemon　in　my　tea。〃
　
　His　face　brightened。〃　Well；　yes；　of　course。　I　shall　get　you　some　coffee。　I　shall　take　you　there；　into　the　British　cafe！〃
　
　He　lifted　her　to　her　feet。　What　a　fine　muscular　youth　he　was。　And　blue　eyes　he　had；　so　rich　in　color；　almost　like　the　other。。。
　
　She　glanced　back　over　her　shoulder。　It　had　not　been　a　dream。　The　statue　stood　there　towering　over　the　iron　pathways；　she　could　hear　the　roar　of　the　chariots；　though　none　was　in　sight。
　
　She　was　weak　again　for　a　moment；　stumbling；　he　caught　her。　He　helped　her　right　along。
　
　She　listened　keenly　to　the　words　he　spoke。
　
　〃It's　a　nice　place；　you　can　sit；　rest。　You　know；　you　gave　me　quite　a　scare　there　a　moment　ago。　Why；　you　fell　just　as　if　you'd　been　struck　over　the　head。〃
　
　The　cafe。　The　voice　on　the　gramophone　had　said；〃　I　shall　meet　you　in　the　cafe。〃　　A　place　for　drinking　coffee；　obviously；　for　meeting；　talking。　And　full　of　women　in　these　dresses；　and　young　men　clothed　like　Lord　Rutherford　and　this　fine　creature；　with　the　powerfully　built　arms　and　legs。
　
　She　sat　down　at　the　small　marble…top　table。　Voices　everywhere。〃　Why；　I　frankly　think　everything　here　is　super；　but　you　know　Mother；　the　way　she　carries　on。〃　　And〃　Gruesome；　isn't　it？　They　say　her　neck　was　broken。〃　　And〃　Oh；　this　tea　is　cold。　Call　that　waiter。〃
　
　She　watched　the　man　at　the　next　table　peel　off　slips　of　printed　paper　for　the　servant。　Was　this　money？　The　servant　was　giving　him　coins　in　return。
　
　A　tray　of　hot　coffee　had　been　set　down　before　her。　She　was　so　hungry　now　she　could　have　drunk　the　pot　entirely；　but　she　knew　it　was　proper　to　let　him　pour　it　in　the　cups。　Lord　Rutherford　had　showed　her　that　much。　And　yes；　the　young　man　did　it。　Pretty　smile　he　had。　How　to　tell　him　that　she　wanted　to　bed　him　immediately？　They　should　find　a　small　inn。　Surely　these　people　had　inns。
　
　Across　from　her　a　young　woman　spoke　rapidly：
　
　〃Well；　I　don't　even　like　opera。　I　wouldn't　go　if　I　were　in　New　York　at　all。　But　since　we're　in　Cairo；　we're　all　supposed　to　go　to　the　opera　and　love　it。　It's　ridiculous。〃
　
　〃But　darling；　it's　Aida。〃
　
　Aida。〃　Celeste　Aida。〃　　She　began　to　hum　it；　then　sing　it　softly；　too　low　for　these　people　to　hear。　But　her　panion　heard　her。　He　smiled　at　her；　positively　beamed。　Getting　him　into　bed　would　be　nothing。　Finding　the　bed；　that　might　be　hard。　Of　course　she　could　take　him　back　to　the　little　house；　but　that　was　too　far　away。　She　stopped　singing。
　
　〃Oh；　no；　you　mustn't　stop；〃　　he　said。〃　Go　on　singing。〃
　
　Go　on　singing；　go　on　singing。　Waiting　just　a　moment　was　the　secret；　then　the　meaning　came　surprisingly　clear。
　
　Ramses　had　taught　her　that。　In　the　beginning；　each　tongue　sounds　impenetrable。　You　speak　it；　you　listen；　and　gradually　it　es　clear。
　
　Ramses；　Ramses；　whose　statue　stood　among　the　iron　chariots！　She　turned；　craning　her　neck　to　see　through　the　window…why；　the　window　was　covered　over　with　a　giant　piece　of　very　clear　glass。　She　could　see　the　dirt　on　it。　However　did　they　make　such　a　thing？〃　Modern　times；〃　　as　Lord　Rutherford　said。　Well；　if　they　could　make　those　monstrous　chariots；　they　could　make　such　glass。
　
　〃You've　a　lovely　voice；　positively　lovely。　Are　you　by　any　chance　going　to　the　opera？　Everyone　in　Cairo　is　going；　or　so　it　seems。〃
　
　〃The　ball　will　last　till　dawn；〃　　said　the　woman　opposite　to　her　female　panion。
　
　〃Well；　I　think　it's　super。　We're　just　too　far　from　civilization　to　plain。〃
　
　He　laughed。　He　had　overheard　the　women　too。
　
　〃The　ball's　supposed　to　be　the　event　of　the　season　here。　They　hold　it　at　Shepheard's。〃　　He　drank　a　swallow　of　his　coffee。　That　was　the　signal　she'd　been　waiting　for。　She　downed　her　entire　cup。
　
　He　smiled。　He　poured　her　another　from　the　little　pot。
　
　〃Thank　you；〃　　she　said；　carefully　mimicking　the　record。
　
　〃Oh；　but　didn't　you　want　sugar？〃
　
　〃I　think　I　prefer　cream；　if　you　don't　mind。〃
　
　〃Of　course　not。'　*　He　poured　a　dollop　of　milk　in　her　cup。　Was　that　cream？　Yes；　Lord　Rutherford　had　given　her　the　last　of　it　that　the　slave　woman　had　in　the　house。
　
　〃Are　you　going　to　the　ball　at　Shepheard's？　We're　staying　at　Shepheard's；　my　uncle　and　I。　My　uncle's　in　trade　here。〃
　
　He　stopped　again。　What　was　he　staring　at？　Her　eyes？　Her　hair？　He　was　very　pretty；　she　loved　the　fresh　new　skin　of　his　face　and　throat。　Lord　Rutherford　was　a　fine…looking　man；　for　certain；　but　this　one　had　the　beauty　of　youth。
　
　She　reached　across　the　table　and　felt　his　chest　through　the　linen　of　his　clothing；　through　the　silk　that　covered　her　fingers。　Don't　let　him　feel　the　bone。　How　surprised　he　looked。　Her　fingertips　touched　his　nipple　and　she　pinched　it　ever　so　slightly　with　her　fourth　finger　and　thumb。　Why；　he　blushed　like　a　vestal　virgin。　The　blood　was　roaring　in　his　face。　She　smiled。
　
　He　glanced　around；　at　the　two　women　opposite。　But　they　went　right　on　talking。〃　Simply　super！〃
　
　〃I　bought　this　gown；　you　know；　spent　a　fortune　on　it。　I　said；　well；　if　I'm　going　to　be　here；　and　everyone's　going　。。。〃
　
　〃The　opera。〃　　She　laughed。〃　Going　to　the　opera。〃
　
　〃Yes；〃　　he　said；　but　he　was　still　amazed　at　what　she'd　done。　She　emptied　the　pot　into　her　cup　and　drank　it。　Then　she　picked　up　the　little　pitcher　of　milk　and　drank　that　too。　She　picked　up　the　sugar　and　poured　it　into　her　mouth。　Ah；　she　did　not　like　that。　She　set　it　down；　and　then　slipped　her　hand　under　the　small　table　and　squeezed　his　leg。　He　was　ready　for　her！　Ah；　poor　young　boy；　poor　wide…eyed　young　boy。
　
　She　remembered　that　time　when　she　and　Antony　had　brought　those　young　soldiers　in　the　tent；　and　stripped　them；　before　making　a　choice。　That　had　been　a　lovely　game。　Until　Ramses　found　out　about　it。　Was　there　anything　he　hadn't　accused　her　of　in　the　end？　But　this　one　was　powerfully　amorous！　He　wanted　her。
　
　She　rose　from　the　table。　She　beckoned　and　went　towards　the　doors。