anner.themummy-第76部分

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r　chance；　without　the　weight　of　a　love　that　was　dragging　her　down　into　those　dark　waves　forever；　another　chance　without　a　hatred　for　Ramses；　who　wouldn't　save　her　doomed　lover；　who　wouldn't　forgive　her　for　being　doomed　herself。
　
　〃Your　Highness；　I'm　losing　you　again；〃　　he　said　intimately。
　
　〃No；　you're　not；〃　　she　said。　The　lights　swam　around　her。〃　I'm　with　you；　Lord　Alex。〃　　The　high　crystal　light　fixture　above　was　full　of　tiny　sparkling　rainbows；　she　could　hear　the　faint　tinkle　of　glass　as　it　moved　in　the　breeze　from　the　open　doors。
　
　〃Oh；　but　look；　there　they　are！〃　　Alex　said　suddenly；　pointing　up　to　where　the　banister　curved　and　ran　away　from　the　top　of　die　stairs。
　
　The　noise　died　around　her；　the　lights；　the　crowds；　the　soft　munal　excitement。　Ramses　stood　there！
　
　Ramses　in　modem　raiment；　and　beside　him　the　woman；　of　considerable　beauty；　young　and　fragile　as　Alex　was　fragile；　her　auburn　hair　brushed　exquisitely　back　from　her　face。　A　flash　of　dark　eyes　as　she　looked　at　them　and　did　not　see　them。　And　Lord　Rutherford；　dear　Lord　Rutherford；　struggling　on　his　silver　cane。　Did　Ramses　really　fool　the　mortals　around　him？　This　giant　of　a　man；　his　face　glistening　with　immortal　vigour；　hair　a　tousled　mane。　And　the　woman…she　had　not　been　given　it。　She　was　mortal　still。　Desperately；　fearfully；　she　clung　to　Ramses'　arm。
　
　〃Darling；　not　now；〃　　she　begged。
　
　Onward　the　party　moved；　the　crowd　swallowing　them。
　
　〃But　dearest；　just　to　tell　them　that　we're　here。　Why；　this　is　splendid；　it　means　Ramsey's　been　cleared。　Everything's　back　to　normal。　Pitfield　worked　the　miracle。〃
　
　〃Give　me　this　time；　Alex；　I　beg　you！〃　　Had　her　tone　bee　imperious？
　
　〃All　right；　Your　Highness；〃　　he　said　with　a　forgiving　smile。
　
　Away　from　them！　She　felt　desperate；　as　if　she　were　suffocating。　Reaching　the　top　of　the　stairs；　she　glanced　back。　They　had　gone　into　a　far　doorway　draped　with　velvet。　And　Alex　was　taking　her　in　another　direction。　Thank　the　gods　for　this。
　
　〃Well；　it　seems　we're　at　the　opposite　end　of　the　dress　circle；〃　　he　said　to　her；　smiling。〃　But　how　can　you　be　so　shy　when　you're　so　lovely？　When　you're　more　beautiful　than　any　woman　I've　ever　beheld？〃
　
　〃I'm　jealous　of　you；　of　the　hours　we've　spent　together。　Believe　me；　the　world　will　ruin　it；　Lord　Alex。〃
　
　〃Ah；　that's　not　possible；〃　　he　said　with　utter　innocence。
　
　Elliott　stood　at　the　curtained　doorway。〃　Where　on　earth　can　Alex　be？　What　could　possess　him　to　wander　off　at　a　time　like　this？　Oh；　this　is　past　all　patience。〃
　
　〃Elliott；　Alex　is　the　least　of　our　worries！〃　　Julie　said。〃　He's　probably　found　another　American　heiress。　The　third　consecutive　love　of　his　life　in　one　week。〃
　
　Elliott　gave　a　faintly　bitter　smile　as　they　went　on　into　the　box。　The　woman　he'd　glimpsed　in　the　car　had　been　all　hat；　ribbons　and　hair　flying。　Maybe　it　was　just　the　bit　of　good　fortune　his　son　required。
　
　A　curved　tier；　a　giant　amphitheatre　save　it　was　covered　over；　and　only　one…half　of　the　oval。　At　the　far　end　lay　the　stage；　obviously；　hidden　by　a　wall　of　soft　shimmering　curtains；　and　sunk　beneath　and　before　it；　a　gathering　of　men　and　women　making　horrid　sounds　with　their　stringed　instruments　and　horns。　She　put　her　hands　to　her　ears。
　
　Alex　led　her　down　the　little　step　to　the　front　row　of　this　small　section。　The　soft　red　chairs　at　the　railing　were　theirs。　She　turned　to　her　left。　Across　the　dimly　lighted　gulf　she　saw　Ramses！　She　saw　the　pale…faced　woman；　with　large　sad　eyes。　Lord　Rutherford　had　settled　directly　behind　them；　and　at　his　arm　was　a　dark…skinned　Egyptian；　beautifully　clad　as　the　other　men。
　
　She　tried　to　take　her　eyes　off　them；　she　did　not　fully　understand　the　tumult　inside　her；　as　she　continued　to　stare。　Then　Ramses　put　his　arm　around　the　woman。　He　embraced　her　tightly　as　if　to　fort　her；　and　the　woman　lowered　her　eyes；　and　there　was　a　sudden　glisten　of　tears　on　her　cheeks！　Ramses　kissed　this　woman；　and　the　woman；　inclining　towards　him；　returned　his　kiss！
　
　How　the　pain　passed　through　her　as　she　saw　this！　It　was　like　a　knife　travelling　down　her　face　suddenly；　slicing　her　open。　She　turned　her　head；　shaken；　staring　before　her　in　the　dark。
　
　It　seemed　she　would　have　cried　out　if　she　could。　But　why；　what　did　she　feel？　A　hatred　for　the　woman　swelled　inside　her；　burning　her。　Give　Antony　the　elixir。
　
　Suddenly　the　great　theatre　went　dark。　A　man　appeared　before　the　audience；　applause　broke　out　all　around　her；　then　rose　in　a　deafening　noise。　Like　so　much　in　modem　times；　it　was　overwhelming　yet　strangely　contained。
　
　The　man　bowed；　lifted　his　hands；　then　turned　and　faced　the　musicians；　who　had　bee　quiet　and　still。　At　his　signal；　they　played　in　concert；　the　sound　rose；　huge　and　searing　and　beautiful。
　
　It　seemed　to　touch　her；　this　sound。　She　felt　Alex's　hand　cover　her　hand。　The　sound　surrounded　her；　swept　her　away　from　her　pain　suddenly。
　
　〃Modem　times；〃　　she　whispered。　Was　she　too　weeping？　She　did　not　want　to　hate！　She　did　not　want　this　pain！　In　memory　again；　she　saw　Ramses　above　her　in　the　darkness；　had　it　been　a　tomb？　She　felt　the　elixir　filling　her　mouth。　And　then　he　backed　away　from　her　in　terror。　Ramses。　But　was　she　sorry　that　he　had　done　it？　Could　she　really　curse　him？　She　was　alive！
　
　Elliott　ducked　outside　the　curtain　into　the　lighted　foyer　behind　the　box；　to　read　the　note　in　the　electric　light。
　
　〃It　was　at　the　desk　at　Shepheard's；　sir；〃　　said　the　boy；　waiting　for　the　coin　which　Elliott　fished　from　his　pocket　and　held　out。
　
　Father；　will　see　you　at　the　opera　or　at　the　ball　afterwards。　Sorry　to　be　so　mysterious；　but　have　met　the　most　entrancing　female　panion。　Alex。
　
　Infuriating。　But　so　be　it！　He　went　back　into　the　darkened　hall。
　
　Ramses　hadn't　thought　it　possible　to　enjoy　this　spectacle。　He　was　furious　still　with　Elliott　that　he　had　been　dragged　here　against　his　will。　And　indeed；　the　opera　would　have　been　ludicrous　had　it　not　been　so　beautiful…the　fat〃　Egyptian〃　　figures　down　there　singing　in　Italian　against　a　backdrop　of　painted　temples　and　statues　which　appeared　to　be　utterly　grotesque。　But　the　melodies　overcame　him；　even　as　they　worsened　Julie's　pain。　Julie　leaned　against　his　shoulder　in　the　privacy　of　the　darkness。　The　lovely　voices　rising　in　the　gloom　touched　his　heart。　These　hours　wouldn't　be　the　agony　he　had　imagined；　it　even　occurred　to　his　cowardly　soul　that　perhaps　Cleopatra　had　fled　Cairo；　that　she　was　lost　now　in　the　modern　world；　beyond　all　hope　of　his　finding　her。　And　this　both　released　him　and　terrified　him。　What　would　her　loneliness　be　as　the　weeks　and　months　passed；　what　would　her　rage　demand？
　
　She　lifted　the　magical　opera　glasses。　She　peered　at　Ramses　and　Julie；　astonished　at　the　intimate　focus。　The　woman　was　crying；　no　doubt　of　it。　Her　dark　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　stage；　where　the　ugly　little　man　sang　the　beautiful　song；〃　Celeste　Aida；〃　　his　voice　enormous；　the　melody　enough　to　break　the　heart。
　
　She　was　about　to　put　down　the　glasses　when　suddenly　Julie　Stratford　whispered　something　to　her　partner。　They　rose　together；　Julie　Stratford　hurrying　through　the　curtain；　and　Ramses　following。
　
　Quickly；　Cleopatra　touched　Alex's　hand。
　
　〃You　stay　here；〃　　she　whispered　in　his　ear。
　
　He　seemed　to　think　it　quite　the　normal　thing。　He　didn't　try　to　stop　her。　She　hurried　through　the　alcove　behind　their　little　section　of　the　theatre；　and　moved　slowly　and　cautiously　out　into　the　grand　room　of　the　second　floor。
　
　It　was　almost　empty。　Servants　behind　a　marble…top　counter　poured　drinks　for　a　few　old　men　who　looked　quite　miserable　in　their　black…and…white　uniforms；　one　of　them　pulling　at　his　collar　in　obvious　annoyance。
　
　At　a　far　table；　against　a　great　arched　window　hung　with　tapestried　drapery；　Julie　Stratford　and　Ramses　talked　in　whispers　that　she　could　not　possibly　hear。　She　moved　closer；　behind　a　stand　of　potted　trees；　and　lifted　the　opera　glasses；　bringing　their　faces　close　again；　but　not　the　words。
　
　Julie　Stratford　shook　her　head；　recoiling。　Ramses　held　her　hand；　he　would　not　let　her　go。　What　was　she　saying　with　such　passion？　And　how　he　pleaded　with　her；　she　knew　that　authority；　that　insistence；　but　Julie　Stratford　was　strong　just　as　she　herself　had　been　strong。
　
　Suddenly　Julie　Stratford　rose；　clutching　a　small　bag　in　her　hand；　and　walked　swiftly　away　with　her　head　bowed。　Ramses　was　in　despair。　He　rested　his　forehead　on　his　hand。
　
　Swiftly；　she　followed　after　Julie　Stratford；　cleaving　to　the　wall；　praying　that　Ramses　did　not　look　up。
　
　Julie　Stratford　passed　through　a　wooden　door。
　
　POWDER　ROOM
　
　She　was　confused；　uncertain。　Suddenly　a　voice　spoke　to　her；　it　was　a　young　servant。
　
　'Looking　for　the　ladies'　room；　miss？　It's　right　there。〃　〃Thank　you；〃　　she　said；　and　she　went　towards　it。　It　was　obviously　a　public　room。
　
　Thank　God；　the　powder　room　was　empty。　Julie　sat　down　at　the　last　velvet　stool　before　the　long　dressing　table；　and　merely　rested　for　a　moment；　her　hand　covering　her　eyes。
　
　The　thing　was　out　there；　the　monster；　the　creation；　whatever　one　could　call　such　a　being；　and　they　were　locked　in　this　stupid　auditorium　listening　to　music；　as　if　horrors　had　not　been　mitted；　as　if　they　would　not　be　mitted　again。
　
　But　the　worst　of　it　was　Ramses　pushing　it　to　this　conclusion　between　them；　holding　her　hand　and　telling　her　that　he　couldn't　bear　to　lose　her。
　
　And　she；　she　had　burst　out　with　it：〃　I　wish　I'd　never　laid　eyes　on　you。　I　wish　you　had　let　Henry　do　his　work。〃
　
　Had　she　meant　it？　He'd　hurt　her　wrist　as　he　held　her；　it　was　hurting　her　now　as　she　cried　softly　in　this　quiet　room；　her　softest　murmurs　echoing　off　the　cold　mirrored　walls。
　
　〃Julie；〃　　he'd　said；〃　it　was　a　horrible　thing　I　did；　yes；　I　know。　But　I'm　speaking　now　of　you　and　me。　You're　alive；　you're　whole　and　beautiful；　soul　and　body　united…〃
　
　〃No；　don't　say　it；〃　　she'd　pleaded。
　
　〃Take　the　elixir；　and　e　with　me；　forever。〃
　
　She　had　been　unable　to　remain　there。　She'd　broken　away　and　run。　And　now　alone　in　this　room　she　wept。　She　tried　to　quiet　her　soul；　she　tried　to　think；　but　she　could　not。　She　told　herself　that　she　must　envision　her　life；　years　from　now；　when　this　seemed　a　dark　adventure　that　she　wou