anner.themummy-第69部分

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　Julie's　suite。　Samir　set　the　newspapers　down　on　the　table。　Julie　drank　a　second　cup　of　the　sweet　Egyptian　coffee。
　
　〃You　mustn't　leave　me　tonight；　Samir。　Not　till　we　hear　from　him；〃　　she　said。　She　stood　up。〃　I'm　going　to　change　into　my　robe。　Promise　me　you　won't　leave　me。〃
　
　〃I'll　be　here；　Julie；〃　　he　said；〃　but　perhaps　you　should　sleep。　I'll　wake　you　as　soon　as　I　hear　anything。〃
　
　〃No；　I　can't　do　that。　I　want　only　to　get　out　of　these　tired　clothes。　I　won't　be　but　a　minute。〃
　
　She　went　into　the　bedroom。　She　had　sent　Rita　off　an　hour　ago　to　her　own　room；　and　thank　God　for　that；　she　wanted　only　to　be　with　Samir。　Her　nerves　were　worn　thin。　She　knew　Elliott　was　in　the　hotel；　but　she　could　not　bring　herself　to　ring　him。　She　did　not　want　to　see　him　or　talk　to　him。　Not　until　she　knew　what　Ramses　had　done；　and　she　could　not　break　the　feeling　of　foreboding。
　
　Slowly　she　took　the　pins　out　of　her　hair；　gazing　absently　in　the　mirror。　For　a　moment；　she　noticed　nothing　amiss；　and　then　suddenly　she　realized　that　a　tall　Arab　in　white　robes　was　standing　in　the　corner　of　the　room；　still　as　the　shadows；　merely　watching　her。　Her　Arab；　Ramses。
　
　She　spun　around；　her　hair　tumbling　down　all　at　once　over　her　shoulders。　Her　heart　was　about　to　burst。
　
　She　might　have　fainted　again　for　the　second　time　in　her　life；　if　he　hadn't　caught　her。　Then　she　saw　the　deep　bloodstain　on　his　robe　and　again　she　felt　weak；　blackness　rising　all　around　her。
　
　Silently　he　embraced　her；　pressing　her　to　himself。〃　My　Julie；〃　　he　said；　his　voice　heartbroken。〃　How　long　have　you　been　here？〃
　
　〃Only　a　little　while；〃　　he　said。〃　Let　me　be　silent　now；　let　me　hold　you。〃
　
　〃Where　is　she？〃
　
　He　let　her　go；　backing　off。〃　I　don't　know；〃　　he　said　in　a　defeated　voice。〃　I　have　lost　her。〃
　
　Julie　watched　him　as　he　paced；　turned　and　looked　at　her　from　a　distance。　She　was　keenly　aware　that　she　loved　him；　and　would　go　on　loving　him　no　matter　what　had　happened。　But　she　could　not　say　such　a　thing　to　him；　not　until　she　knew。。。
　
　〃Let　me　call　Samir；〃　　she　said。〃　He's　there；　in　the　sitting　room。〃
　
　〃I　want　to　be　alone　with　you　for　a　moment；〃　　he　said。　And　for　the　first　time；　he　appeared　just　slightly　afraid　of　her。　It　was　a　subtle　thing；　but　she　felt　it。
　
　〃You　must　tell　me　what's　happened。〃
　
　He　remained　impassive；　looking　at　her；　the　sheikh　robes　doing　their　damnedest　to　make　him　irresistible。　And　then　suddenly　his　expression　broke　her　heart；　no　use　denying　it。
　
　In　a　tremulous　voice；　she　said；〃　You　gave　her　more　of　it。〃
　
　〃You　haven't　seen　her；〃　　he　said　quietly；　his　voice　unhurried；　his　eyes　full　of　undisguised　sorrow。〃　You　have　not　heard　the　sound　other　voice！　You　have　not　heard　her　weeping。　Don't　judge　me。　She　is　as　alive　as　I　am！　I　brought　her　back。　Let　me　judge　myself。〃
　
　She　clasped　her　hands　tightly；　hurting　the　fingers　of　her　right　hand　with　the　fingers　of　the　other。
　
　〃What　do　you　mean；　you　don't　know　where　she　is？〃
　
　〃I　mean　she　escaped　from　me。　She　attacked　me；　she　tried　to　kill　me。　And　she　is　mad。　Lord　Rutherford　was　right。　Absolutely　mad。　She　would　have　killed　him　if　I　hadn't　stopped　her。　The　elixir　hasn't　changed　that。　It　merely　healed　her　body。〃
　
　He　took　a　step　towards　her；　and　before　she　could　stop　herself　she　turned　her　back。　She　was　going　to　cry　again；　oh；　so　many　tears。　And　she　didn't　want　to。
　
　〃Pray　to　your　gods；〃　　she　said；　looking　at　him　through　the　mirror。〃　Ask　them　what　to　do。　My　God　would　only　condemn　you。　But　whatever　happens　with　this　creature；　one　thing　is　certain。〃　　She　turned　and　looked　him　in　the　eye。〃　You　must　never；　never　brew　the　elixir　again。　Whatever　remains；　consume　it。　Do　it　now　in　my　presence。　And　men　erase　the　formula　from　your　mind。〃
　
　No　response。　Slowly　he　removed　the　headdress；　and　ran　his　hand　back　through　his　hair。　For　some　reason　this　only　made　him　look　all　the　more　gallant　and　seductive。　A　biblical　figure　now　with　flowing　hair　and　flowing　robes。　It　maddened　her　slightly；　and　made　the　threat　of　tears　all　the　more　sharp。
　
　〃Do　you　realize　what　you're　saying？〃
　
　〃If　it's　too　dangerous　to　consume　it；　then　find　someplace　far　out　in　the　desert　sands；　and　make　a　deep　shaft　into　which　to　pour　it！　But　get　rid　of　it。〃
　
　〃Let　me　put　a　question　to　you。〃
　
　〃No。〃　　She　turned　her　back　again。　She　covered　her　ears。　When　she　looked　up　she　saw　in　the　mirror　that　he　was　right　at　her　shoulder。　There　was　that　awareness　again　of　her　own　world　destroyed；　of　a　brilliant　light　having　thrown　all　else　into　hopeless　shadow。
　
　Gently；　he　took　her　hands；　and　lowered　them　from　her　ears。　He　looked　into　her　eyes　through　the　mirror；　his　body　warm　and　close　to　her。
　
　〃Julie；　last　night。　If　instead　of　taking　the　elixir　with　me　to　the　museum；　if　instead　of　pouring　it　over　Cleopatra's　remains…　if　instead；　I'd　offered　it　to　you；　wouldn't　you　have　taken　it？〃
　
　She　refused　to　answer。　Roughly　he　grabbed　her　wrist　and　turned　her　around。
　
　〃Answer　me！　If　I　had　never　seen　her　lying　there　in　that　glass　case　。。。〃
　
　〃But　you　did。〃
　
　She　meant　to　hold　firm；　but　he　surprised　her　with　his　kiss；　with　the　roughness　and　the　desperation　of　his　embrace；　with　his　hands　moving　over　her　face　and　her　cheek　almost　cruelly。　He　was　saying　her　name　like　a　prayer。　He　murmured　something　in　the　ancient　Egyptian　tongue；　she　didn't　know　what　it　was。　And　then　he　said　softly　in　Latin　that　he　loved　her。　He　loved　her。　It　seemed　both　explanation　and　apology；　somehow；　the　reason　for　all　this　suffering。　He　loved　her。　He　said　it　as　if　he　were　just　realizing　it；　and　now　her　tears　were　ing　again；　stupidly。　It　infuriated　her。
　
　She　pulled　back；　then　kissed　him　and　let　him　kiss　her　again；　and　sank　against　his　chest；　merely　letting　him　hold　her。
　
　Then　softly　she　said：
　
　〃What　does　she　look　like？〃
　
　He　sighed。
　
　〃Is　she　beautiful？〃
　
　〃She　always　was。　She　is　now。　She　is　the　woman　who　seduced　Caesar；　and　Mark　Antony；　and　the　whole　world。〃
　
　She　stiffened；　drawing　away　from　him。
　
　〃She　is　as　beautiful　as　you　are；〃　　he　said。〃　But　you　are　right。　She　is　not　Cleopatra。　She　is　a　stranger　in　Cleopatra's　body。　A　monster　looking　through　Cleopatra's　eyes。　And　struggling　to　use　Cleopatra's　wits　to　her　own　purposeless　advantage。〃
　
　What　more　was　there　to　say？　What　could　she　do？　It　was　in　his　hands；　it　had　been　since　the　beginning。　She　forced　him　to　release　her　and　then　she　sat　down　and　leaned　her　elbow　on　the　arm　of　the　chair　and　rested　her　forehead　in　her　hand。
　
　〃I'll　find　her；〃　　he　said。〃　And　I　will　undo　this　awful　error。　I　will　put　her　back　into　the　darkness　from　which　I　took　her。　And　she　will　suffer　only　a　little　while。　And　then　she　will　sleep。〃
　
　〃Oh；　but　it's　too　awful！　There　must　be　some　other　way。　。。。〃　　She　broke　into　sobs。
　
　〃What　have　I　done　to　you；　Julie　Stratford？〃　　he　said。〃　What　have　I　done　to　your　life；　all　your　tender　dreams　and　ambitions？〃
　
　She　took　her　handkerchief　out　of　her　pocket　and　pressed　it　to　her　mouth。　She　forced　herself　to　stop　this　foolish　crying。　She　wiped　her　nose；　then　looked　up　at　him；　the　great　handsome　dreamy　figure　he　was　standing　there　with　that　tragic　expression。　A　man；　only　a　man。　Immortal；　yes；　a　ruler　once；　a　teacher　always；　perhaps；　but　human　as　we　all　are。　Fallible　as　we　all　are。　Lovable　as　we　all　are。
　
　〃I　cannot　live　without　you；　Ramses；〃　　she　said。〃　Well；　I　could。　But　I　don't　want　to。〃　　Ah；　tears　from　him　now。　If　she　didn't　look　away；　she'd　be　weeping　again。〃　Reason　has　nothing　to　do　with　it　anymore；〃　　she　went　on；〃　But　it's　this　creature　you've　wronged。　It's　this　thing　you've　resurrected　that　will　be　hurt。　You　speak　of　burying　her　alive。　I　cannot　。。。　I　cannot　。。。〃
　
　〃Trust　in　me　that　I　shall　find　a　painless　way；〃　　he　whispered。
　
　She　couldn't　speak。　She　couldn't　look　at　him。
　
　〃And　know　this；　for　what　it's　worth。　Know　it　now　because　later　it　may　bring　contusion。　Your　cousin　Henry　is　dead。　Cleopatra　killed　him。〃
　
　〃What！〃
　
　〃It　was　to　Henry's　abode　in　the　old　Cairo　that　Elliott　took　her。　He　did　follow　me　to　the　museum。　And　when　the　soldiers　took　me　away；　Elliott　gave　shelter　to　the　creature　I　'd　resurrected。　He　took　her　there；　and　there　she　killed　both　Henry　and　the　woman；　Malenka。〃
　
　She　shook　her　head；　and　once　again　her　hands　went　up　to　her　ears。　All　the　things　she　knew　of　Henry；　of　her　father's　death；　of
　
　his　attempt　on　her　life；　somehow　could　not　help　her　now；　they　could　not　touch　her。　She　heard　only　the　horror。
　
　〃Trust　in　me　when　I　say　that　I　shall　find　a　painless　way。　For　that　I　must　do　before　more　innocent　blood　is　shed。　I　cannot　turn　my　back　until　it's　finished。〃
　
　〃My　son　left　no　message？〃　　Elliott　had　not　forsaken　the　leather　chair；　or　the　gin；　and　had　no　intention　of　doing　so。　But　he　knew　he　had　to　call　Alex　before　he　got　any　drunker。　And　so　he'd　sent　for　the　telephone。〃　But　he　wouldn't　go　out　without　telling　me。　All　right。　Samir　Ibrahaim；　where　is　he？　Can　you　ring　his　room　for　me？〃
　
　〃He's　in　Miss　Stratford's　suite；　sir。　Two…oh…three。　He　requests　that　any　messages　be　sent　there。　Shall　I　ring？　It　is　eleven　of　the　clock；　sir。〃
　
　〃No；　I'll　go　up；　thank　you。〃
　
　She　leaned　over　the　marble　lavatory。　She　slapped　the　cold　water　on　her　face。　She　didn't　want　to　look　into　the　mirror。　Then　slowly　she　wiped　her　eyes　with　the　towel。　When　she　turned　around；　she　saw　him　standing　in　the　sitting　room。　She　could　hear　Samir's　low；　forting　voice。
　
　〃Of　course　I　will　help　you；　sire；　but　where　do　we　begin？〃
　
　There　was　a　sharp　rap　on　the　hall　door。
　
　Ramses　stepped　back　into　the　bedroom。　Samir　went　to　answer。　It　was　Elliott。　Their　eyes　met　for　only　a　moment；　and　then　she　looked　away；　unable　to　judge　him　and　unable　to　face　him。　She　thought　only；　He　has　had　a　hand　in　this。　He　knows　it　all；　he　knows　more　than　I　know。　And　suddenly　her　revulsion　for　the　whole　nightmare　was　insupportable。
　
　She　went　into　the　sitting　room；　and　took　the　chair　in　the　far　corner。
　
　〃I　shall　e　right　to　the　point；〃　　Elliott　said；　looking　directly　at　Ramses。〃　I　have　a　plan　and　I　need　your　cooperation。　But　before　I　begin；　let　me　remind　you　that　it　isn't　safe　here　for　you。〃
　
　〃They　find　me；　I　escape　again；〃　　Ramses　said