anner.themummy-第72部分

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　〃Young　enough　to　have　faith。　That　is　what　you　have；　faith　and　dreams。　Wisdom　is　not　always　the　gift　of　old　age；　Majesty。　Rather；　it　is　sometimes　the　curse。〃
　
　〃And　so　we　go　to　this　ancient　one？〃　　She　had　laughed。
　
　〃Courage；　Majesty。　He　lies　there；　beyond　those　doors。〃
　
　She'd　peered　ahead。　There　were　a　pair　of　doors…enormous　doors！　Layered　over　with　dust；　and　covered　beneath　the　dust　with　inscriptions。　Her　heart　had　quickened。
　
　〃Take　me　into　this　chamber。〃
　
　〃Yes；　Majesty。　But　remember　the　caution。　Once　waked　he　cannot　be　sent　away。　He　is　a　powerful　immortal。〃
　
　〃I　don't　care！　I　want　to　see　this！〃
　
　She'd　gone　ahead　of　the　old　man。　In　the　dancing　glow　from　his　torch　she'd　read　the　Greek　aloud：
　
　〃Here　lies　Ramses　the　Immortal。　Called　by　himself　Ramses　the　Damned；　for　he　cannot　die。　And　sleeps　eternally；　waiting　the　call　of　the　Kings　and　Queens　of　Egypt。〃
　
　She'd　stepped　back。
　
　〃Open　the　doors！　Hurry！〃
　
　Behind　her；　he　had　touched　some　secret　place　in　the　wall。　With　a　great　grinding　the　doors　had　slid　back　slowly；　revealing　a　vast　unadorned　chamber。
　
　The　priest　had　raised　the　torch　high　as　he　entered　beside　her。　Dust；　the　clean　pale　yellow　dust　of　a　cave　unknown　to　the　wild　beasts　or　the　poor　wanderers　and　haunters　of　hills　and　caves　and　tombs。
　
　And　there　on　the　altar；　a　gaunt　shriveled　being；　withered　limbs　crossed　on　his　breasts；　brown　hair　wisps　about　his　skull。
　
　〃You　poor　fool。　He's　dead。　The　dry　air　here　preserves　him。〃
　
　〃No；　Majesty。　See　the　shutter　high　above；　and　the　chains　hanging　from　it。　It　must　be　opened　now。〃
　
　He　had　given　her　the　torch；　and　with　both　hands　tugged　upon　the　chains。　Again；　the　grinding；　the　creaking；　dust　filling　the　air；　stinging　her　eyes；　but　then　high　above　a　great　iron…bound　shutter　had　opened。　Like　an　eye　into　the　blue　heavens。
　
　The　hot　summer　sun　poured　down　upon　the　sleeping　man。　Her　eyes　had　grown　wide；　what　words　were　there　to　describe　what　she　had　seen；　the　body　filling　out；　reviving。　The　brown　hair　flowing　from　the　scalp；　and　then　the　eyelids；　shuddering；　eyelashes　curling。
　
　〃He　lives。　It's　true。〃
　
　She'd　thrown　aside　the　torch　and　run　to　the　altar。　She'd　bent　over　him；　as　far　as　she　dared　not　to　shade　him　from　the　sun。
　
　And　the　brilliant　blue　eyes　had　opened！
　
　〃Ramses　the　Great；　rise！　A　Queen　of　Egypt　needs　your　counsel。〃
　
　Motionless；　silent；　staring　up　at　her。
　
　〃So　beautiful；〃　　he　had　whispered。
　
　She　stared　out　at　the　square　before　Shepheard's　Hotel。　She　saw　the　city　of　Cairo　ing　to　life。　The　carts；　the　motor　cars；　moved　noisily　through　the　clean　paved　streets；　birds　sang　in　the　neatly　trimmed　trees。　Barges　moved　on　the　smooth　river　water。
　
　The　words　of　Elliot　Rutherford　came　back　to　her。　〃Many　centuries　have　passed。。。　modern　times。。。　Egypt　has　had　many　conquerors。。。　wonders　such　as　you　cannot　imagine。〃
　
　Ramses　stood　before　her　in　the　Bedouin　robes；　weeping；　begging　her　to　listen。
　
　In　the　dark　place　of　glinting　glass　and　statues　and　coffins　on　end；　she'd　risen　up；　in　pain；　her　arms　out；　crying　his　name！
　
　The　blood　had　poured　down　his　shirt　where　they'd　wounded　him。　Yet　he'd　staggered　towards　her。　Then　the　second　shot　had　struck　his　arm。　Same　evil　pain　that　the　one　called　Henry　had　given　to　her；　same　blood　and　pain；　and　in　the　murky　morning　light；　she'd　seen　them　drag　him　away。
　
　I　can't　die　now。　Isn't　that　right？
　
　Ramses　had　stood　at　the　door　of　her　bedchamber。　She'd　been　crying；　a　young　queen　in　torment。　〃But　for　how　many　years？〃
　
　〃I　don't　know。　I　only　know　you　cannot　give　up　all　this　now。　You　don't　know　the　meaning　of　what　I　offer　you。　So　let　me　go。　Use　the　knowledge　I've　given　you。　I'll　return。　Be　sure　of　it。　I'll　return　when　you　most　have　need　of　me；　and　then　perhaps　you　will　have　had　your　lovers　and　had　your　wars　and　had　your　grief；　and　you　will　wele　me。〃
　
　〃But　I　love　you。〃
　
　The　bedroom　of　Shepheard's　Hotel　was　awash　in　blinding　light；　the　furnishings　vanished　in　the　pulsing　glow。　The　soft　curtains　touched　her　face　as　they　blew　out　past　her。　She　leaned　forward　over　the　windowsill；　drowsing；　her　head　swimming。
　
　〃Ramses；　I　remember！〃
　
　In　the　dress　shop；　die　look　on　the　woman's　face！　The　serving　girl　screaming。　And　the　young　man；　the　poor　young　man　who　had　looked　down　and　seen　the　bone！
　
　Ye　gods；　what　have　you　done　to　me！
　
　She　turned；　staggering　away　from　the　light；　but　it　was　all　around　her。　The　mirror　was　ablaze。　She　went　down　on　her　knees；　her　hands　on　the　warm　green　rug。　She　lay　down；　tossing；　turning；　trying　to　push　away　the　fierce　power　that　penetrated　her　brain；　that　penetrated　her　heart。　A　great　pulsing　vibration　had　caught　her　entire　form。　She　floated　in　space。　And　finally　lay　still
　
　in　the　great　vibrating　drift；　the　hot　light　blanketing　her　skin；　an　orange　fire　against　her　eyelids。
　
　Elliott　sat　alone　on　the　deep　veranda。　The　empty　bottle　sparkled　in　the　light　of　the　morning　sun。　He　dozed　as　he　lay　against　the　cushioned　back　of　the　chair；　mind　now　and　then　wandering。　Fasting；　drinking；　the　long　sleepless　night；　all　had　sharpened　him　and　left　him　slightly　mad；　it　seemed　the　light　itself　was　a　miracle　streaking　the　sky；　it　seemed　the　great　glossy　silver　car　rumbling　up　the　drive　was　a　joke　of　sorts；　and　so　was　the　tunny　grey…haired　man　who　climbed　down　off　the　high　seat　and　came　towards　him。
　
　〃I've　been　with　Winthrop　all　night。〃　〃You　have　my　sympathies。〃
　
　〃Old　man；　we　have　an　appointment　at　ten…thirty　to　clear　everything　up。　Can　you　manage　it？〃
　
　〃Yes。　I　shall　manage　it。　You　may　depend　upon　me。　And　Ramsey　can　be　there　if　。。。　if　。。。　You've　obtained　full　immunity。〃
　
　〃Full　and　plete　as　long　as　he'll　sign　a　sworn　statement　against　Stratford。　You　know　of　course　he　struck　again　last　night；　robbed　a　shop…woman　was　in　there　with　a　full　drawer　of　cash。　He　took　everything。〃
　
　〃Hmmmmm。　Bastard；〃　　Elliott　whispered。〃　Old　man；　it's　very　important　you　get　up　out　of　this　chair；　have　a　good　bath　and　a　good　shave　and　be　there。　。。。〃
　
　〃Gerald；　on　my　word。　I　shall。　Ten…thirty；　the　governor's　palace。〃
　
　Blessed　quiet。　The　ugly　car　had　gone　away。　The　boy　came　again。〃　Breakfast；　my　lord？〃
　
　〃Bring　a　little　something；　and　some　orange　juice　with　it。　And　ring　my　son's　room　again。　And　check　the　desk。　Surely　he's　left　a　message！〃
　
　It　was　late　morning　before　her　young　lord　finally　awoke。
　
　Rome　had　fallen。　And　two　thousand　years　had　passed。
　
　For　hours　she'd　sat　at　the　window；　dressed　in　a〃　fine　blue　frock；〃　　watching　the　modern　city。　All　the　bits　and　pieces　of　what　she'd　seen　and　heard　were　now　a　plete　tapestry。　Yet　there　was　so　much　to　know；　to　understand。
　
　She'd　feasted；　and　had　the　servants　take　away　the　evidence；　she　did　not　want　anyone　to　see　the　bestial　manner　in　which　she'd　consumed　so　much　food。
　
　Now　his　small　banquet　waited　for　him。　And　when　he　came　towards　her　out　of　the　bedroom；　〃So　beautiful；〃　　she　said　under　her　breath。
　
　〃What　is　it；　Your　Highness？〃　　He　bent　to　kiss　her。　She　wrapped　her　arms　around　his　waist　and　kissed　his　naked　chest。
　
　〃Take　your　breakfast；　young　lord；〃　　she　said。〃　There　are　so　many　things　I　must　discover。　So　many　things　I　must　see。〃
　
　He　seated　himself　at　the　small　draped　table。　He　lighted　the　candles　with　the　〃matches。〃
　
　〃Aren't　you　joining　me？〃
　
　〃I've　already　feasted；　my　love。　Can　you　show　me　the　modern　city？　Can　you　show　me　the　palaces　of　the　British　who　rule　this　land？〃
　
　〃I'll　show　you　everything；　Your　Highness；〃　　he　said；　with　the　same　unguarded　gentleness。
　
　She　sat　across　from　him。
　
　〃You're　very　simply　the　strangest　person　I've　ever　met；〃　　he　said；　and　again　there　was　no　mockery　or　meanness　in　it。〃　In　fact；　you　remind　me　of　someone　I　know；　a　very　enigmatic　man　。。。　but　that　doesn't　matter。　Why　are　you　smiling　at　me　like　that？　What　are　you　thinking？〃
　
　〃So　beautiful；〃　　she　whispered　again。〃　You　and　all　of　life；　my　young　lord。　It　is　everything　and　nothing。　So　beautiful。〃
　
　He　blushed　like　a　girl　and　then　laid　down　the　silver　tools　and　leaned　across　the　table　and　once　again　kissed　her。
　
　〃You're　crying；〃　　he　said。
　
　〃Yes。　But　I　am　happy。　Stay　with　me；　young　lord。　Do　not　leave　me　just　now。〃
　
　He　appeared　startled；　then　transfixed。　She　bed　the　past　slowly；　had　she　ever　known　anyone　so　gentle？　Perhaps　in　childhood；　when　she'd　been　too　stupid　to　know　what　it　meant。
　
　〃I　don't　want　to　leave　you　for　me　world；　Your　Highness；〃　　he　said。　He　appeared　sad　again　for　a　second；　half　disbelieving。　And　then　at　a　loss。
　
　〃And　the　opera　tonight；　my　lord；　shall　we　go　together？　Shall　we　dance　at　the　opera　ball？〃
　
　Lovely　the　light　that　came　to　his　eyes。〃　That　would　be　heaven；〃　　he　whispered。
　
　She　gestured　to　the　plates　before　him。〃　Your　food；　my　lord。〃
　
　He　picked　at　it　in　mortal　fashion。　Then　lifted　a　bundle　from　beside　his　plate；　which　she　had　taken　no　notice　of　before。　He　tore　off　the　wrapping　and　opened　what　appeared　to　be　a　thick　manuscript　covered　over　with　tiny　writing。
　
　〃Tell　me　what　this　is。〃
　
　〃Why；　a　newspaper；〃　　he　said；　half　laughing。　He　glanced　at　it。〃　And　awful　news；　too。〃
　
　〃Read　aloud。〃
　
　〃You　wouldn't　really　want　to　hear　it。　Some　poor　woman　in　a　dress　shop；　with　her　neck　broken　like　all　the　rest。　And　they've　got　a　picture　of　Ramsey　with　Julie。　What　a　disaster！〃
　
　Ramses？
　
　〃It's　the　talk　of　Cairo；　Your　Highness。　You　may　as　well　know　now。　My　friends　have　been　involved　in　a　fair　bit　of　trouble；　but　that's　just　it；　they've　nothing　to　do　with　it。　They've　only　been　associated　with　it。　There　。。。　you　see　this　man？〃
　
　Ramses。　They　are　friends　of　Lawrence　Stratford；　the　archaeologist；　the　one　who　dug　up　the　mummy　of　Ramses　the　Damned。
　
　〃He's　a　dear　friend　of　my　father　and　of　me。　They're　searching　for　him。　Some　foolishness　about　stealing　a　mummy　from　the　Cairo　Museum。　It's　all　hogwash。　It　will　soon　blow　over。〃　　He　broke　off。〃　Your　Highness？　Don't　let　this　story　frighten　you。　There's　nothing　to　it；　really。〃
　
　She　stared　at　this　〃picture；〃　　not　a　drawing　like　the　rest　but　a　dense　image；　rather　like　a　painting；　yet　it　was　all　done　in　ink；　undoubtedly。　The　ink　even