anner.themummy-第77部分

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self　that　she　must　envision　her　life；　years　from　now；　when　this　seemed　a　dark　adventure　that　she　would　confide　only　to　those　she　dearly　loved。　She　would　tell　of　the　mysterious　man　who　had　e　into　her　life。。。　But　this　was　unbearable。
　
　As　the　door　of　the　powder　room　opened；　she　covered　her　face　with　her　handkerchief；　keeping　her　head　down；　trying　only　to　be　calm；　to　breathe。〃
　
　How　dreadful　to　be　noticed　now；　when　she　wanted　to　withdraw　and　go　back　alone　to　the　hotel。　And　this　other　woman　who　had　e　in；　why　in　the　world　was　she　sitting　so　close　to　her；　right　on　the　next　stool？　She　turned　her　head　away　to　the　right。　She　had　to　get　a　grip　on　herself。　Get　through　this　night　somehow　for　Elliott；　though　she　was　losing　faith　in　the　meaning　of　any　sustained　direction。　She　folded　the　handkerchief；　the　miserable　little　ruin　of　lace　and　linen　now　soaked　with　tears；　and　blotted　her　eyes。
　
　Almost　by　accident　she　looked　up　into　the　mirror。　Was　she　losing　her　mind！　The　woman　directly　on　her　left　was　staring　at　her　with　great　ferocious　blue　eyes。　Why；　the　woman　was　scarcely　inches　from　her；　and　what　a　creature　she　was；　with　all　her　long　rippling　black　hair　pouring　down　over　her　naked　shoulders　and　her　back。
　
　She　turned　and　faced　the　woman；　drawing　back　as　far　as　she　could　on　the　stool；　her　hand　out　to　the　mirror　to　brace　herself。
　
　〃Good　Lord！〃　　A　shock　went　through　her；　she　was　trembling　so　violently；　she　couldn't　hold　her　hand　steady！
　
　〃Oh；　you　are　lovely；　yes；〃　　said　the　woman　in　a　low；　perfect　British　accent。〃　But　he　has　not　given　you　his　precious　elixir。　You're　mortal。　There's　no　doubt。〃
　
　〃Who　are　you！〃　　she　gasped。　But　she　knew。
　
　〃Do　you　call　it　by　another　name？〃　　the　woman　said；　pressing　in　on　her；　the　strong；　beautifully　modeled　face　looming　over　her；　the　rippling　black　hair　seeming　to　eat　the　very　light。〃　Why　has　he　waked　me　from　my　sleep　and　not　given　the　magic　potion　to　you？〃
　
　〃Leave　me　alone！〃　　Julie　whispered；　violent　tremors　coursed　through　her。　She　tried　to　rise；　but　the　woman　had　forced　her　securely　into　the　er。　In　panic；　she　almost　screamed。
　
　〃So　alive　you　are　nevertheless；〃　　the　woman　whispered。〃　Young；　delicate；　like　a　flower；　so　easy　to　pick。〃
　
　Julie　sank　back　against　the　mirrored　wall。　If　she　shoved　the　woman；　could　she　knock　her　off　balance？　It　seemed　a　virtual　impossibility；　and　once　again；　as　she　had　when　Ramses　rose　from　the　coffin；　she　felt　she　was　going　to　faint。
　
　〃It　seems　monstrous；　does　it　not？〃　　the　woman　went　on　in　the　same　clipped　British　accent。〃　That　I　should　pluck　this　flower　because　what　I　loved　was　allowed　to　die。　What　have　you　to　do　with　the　loss　suffered　so　long　ago？　Julie　Stratford　for　Antony。　It　seems　unfair。〃
　
　〃God　help　me！〃　　Julie　gasped。〃　God　help　us　both；　you　and　me。　Oh；　please　let　me　go。〃
　
　The　woman's　hand　flew　towards　her；　grabbing　her　about　the　throat；　she　couldn't　bear　it；　the　fingers　closing　out　her　life's　breath；　her　head　struck　the　mirror　behind　her；　once；　twice。　She　was　losing　consciousness。
　
　〃Why　should　I　not　kill　you！　You　tell　me！〃　　came　the　seething　voice　in　her　ear。
　
　The　hand　suddenly　let　her　go。　Gasping；　she　fell　forward　over　me　dressing　table。
　
　〃Ramses！〃　　she　screamed；　the　breath　rushing　out　of　her。〃　Ramses！〃
　
　The　door　of　the　powder　room　opened；　two　women　stopped　dead　in　their　confusion。　Beside　her；　Cleopatra　rose　from　the　table　and　plunged　past　them；　knocking　one　of　them　to　the　side。　In　a　flurry　of　streaming　black　hair　and　shimmering　silver　cloth　she　vanished。
　
　Julie　fell　sobbing　to　the　floor。
　
　People　shouting；　hurried　footsteps。　An　old　woman　with　soft　wrinkled　hands　was　helping　her　to　her　feet。
　
　〃Have　to　get　to　Ramses；〃　　she　said。　She　struggled　towards　the　door。　The　other　women　tried　to　stop　her。　She　should　sit　down。〃　Someone　get　a　glass　of　water！〃　〃No；　let　me　go！〃
　
　Finally　she　reached　the　door；　and　forced　her　way　through　it；　through　the　small　knot　of　ushers　gathered。　Ramses　came　rushing　towards　her；　she　collapsed　in　his　arms。
　
　〃She　was　there；〃　　she　gasped　in　his　ear。〃　She　spoke　to　me。　She　touched　me。〃　　She　moved　her　hand　to　her　aching　throat。〃　She　ran　away　when　the　others　came　in。〃
　
　〃What　is　it；　miss？〃
　
　〃Miss　Stratford；　what　happened？〃
　
　〃No；　I'm　all　right　now。〃　　He　almost　lifted　her　off　her　feet；　and　carried　her　away　from　them。
　
　〃Well；　all　I　saw　was　another　woman　with　her；　yes；　a　tall　woman；　black　hair。〃
　
　Into　the　foyer　of　the　box；　he　led　her；　a　quiet　private　space。　She　tried　to　clear　her　vision；　Elliott　and　Samir　stood　over　her　suddenly；　and　the　music；　the　music　was　a　ghastly　din　pouring　through　the　curtains。　Samir　filled　a　glass　with　champagne　for　her。　How　absurd！　Champagne。
　
　〃Here　in　the　auditorium　somewhere。　Dear　God；　she　was　like　a　terrible　angel！　A　goddess！　Ramses；　she　knew　me；　my　name。　She　knew　me。　She　spoke　of　vengeance　for　Antony。　Ramses；　she　knew　who　I　was！〃
　
　His　face　was　a　mask　of　rage。　He　started　for　the　door。　She　grabbed　hold　of　him；　knocking　the　champagne　glass　over。〃　No；　don't　go！　Don't　leave　my　side！〃　　she　whispered。〃　She　could　have　killed　me。　She　wanted　to。　But　then　she　couldn't。　Ramses！　She's　a　living；　feeling　creature！　Oh；　God；　what　have　you　done；　what　have/done！〃
　
　A　bell　had　sounded　within　the　auditorium。　People　were　streaming　out　into　the　open　spaces。　And　Alex　would　be　searching　for　her；　and　perhaps　he　would　find　them。
　
　She　could　not　clear　her　head；　she　could　not　bring　herself　to　move。
　
　She　stood　on　the　high　iron　balcony；　above　the　iron　steps　that　descended　to　a　dark；　neglected　alleyway；　the　door　open　to　me　lights　and　the　noise　to　her　right。　The　city　was　a　haze　of　soft
　
　lamps　and　rooftops；　of　shining　domes；　and　towers　piercing　the　deep　azure　sky。　She　could　not　see　the　Nile　from　here；　but　it　didn't　matter。　The　air　was　cool　and　sweet；　full　of　the　scent　of　the　green　trees　below。
　
　Suddenly；　she　heard　his　voice：
　
　〃Your　Highness；　I've　been　searching　for　you　everywhere。〃
　
　〃Hold　me；　Alex；〃　　she　whispered。〃　Hold　me　in　your　arms。〃　　She　took　a　deep　breath　as　she　felt　him　close　to　her；　his　warm　hands　on　her。　Gently　he　moved　her　back　to　sit　on　the　iron　steps　that　went　upward　to　yet　another　balcony　above。
　
　〃You're　ill；〃　　he　said。〃　I　must　get　something　for　you　to　drink。〃
　
　〃No；　stay　close　to　me；〃　　she　said。　She　knew　her　voice　was　barely　audible。　She　stared　out　at　the　lights　of　the　city　almost　desperately。　She　wanted　somehow　to　cling　to　this　vision　of　the　modern　city；　to　move　towards　it　mentally　out　of　her　anguish。　It　was　her　only　escape。　That　and　the　boy　beside　her；　the　clean　innocent　male　thing　that　held　her　and　kissed　her。
　
　〃What　do　I　do？〃　　she　murmured　in　the　old　Latin。〃　Is　it　grief　I　feel；　or　rage？　I　only　know　it's　suffering。〃
　
　She　was　torturing　him；　but　she　didn't　mean　to。　Had　he　understood　her　words？
　
　〃Open　your　heart　to　me；〃　　he　said　earnestly。〃　I　love　you；　Your　Highness。　Tell　me　what's　troubling　you。　I　won't　let　anything　hurt　you。　If　it's　in　my　power　to　stop　it；　I　shall。〃
　
　〃I　believe　you；　young　lord；〃　　she　said。〃　I　feel　love　for　you　too。〃
　
　But　what　was　it　she　wanted？　Would　revenge　cure　the　rage　that　was　tearing　her　apart？　Or　should　she　retreat　now；　taking　young　Lord　Alex　with　her；　and　move　as　far　away　from　her　mentor；　her　creator；　as　she　could？　It　seemed　for　one　moment　the　ache　in　her　would　consume　everything…thought；　hope；　will。　But　then　she　realized　something　and　it　was　like　the　sun　again；　the　warm　sun。
　
　To　love　and　to　hate　so　fiercely；　it　was　the　essence　of　life　itself。　And　life　she　had　again　with　all　its　blessings　and　all　its　pain。
　
　The　last　act　was　nearing　the　end。　Elliott　sat　staring　dully　at　the　beautiful　stage；　the　doomed　lovers　suffocating　in　the　tomb；　Amneris　the　princess　praying　above。
　
　Thank　God　it　was　almost　finished！　Verdi　at　his　finest　seemed　absolutely　ludicrous　under　these　circumstances。　As　for　the　ball；　they　would　pass　through　it　for　no　more　than　a　moment　or　two　before　taking　Julie　to　her　room。
　
　Julie　was　on　the　verge　of　collapse。　She　sat　still　in　the　foyer　of　the　box　behind　him；　shivering；　clinging　to　Ramses。
　
　She'd　refused　to　let　Ramses　leave　her；　so　Elliott　and　Samir　had　searched　the　crowds　at　the　intermissions。　They　had　moved　up　and　down　the　staircase；　looking　for　the　woman　whom　only　Elliott　would　surely　recognize；　but　whom　Samir　could　spot　for　her　flowing　hair　and　silver　gown。
　
　She　was　nowhere　to　be　found。　And　it　wasn't　surprising。　She　may　well　have　left　the　hall　altogether　after　the　brief　attack。　The　mystery　was：　how　did　she　know　about　Julie！　How　had　she　found　Julie　here！
　
　Another　maddening　aspect　of　all　this　was　that　they　had　not　found　Alex　either！　But　perhaps　that　was　a　blessing　in　disguise。　Alex　remained　somehow　miraculously　untouched　by　what　had　happened。　Maybe　he　could　be　taken　home　with　no　further　explanations；　yet　that　seemed　too　much　to　expect。
　
　There　was　no　doubt　in　Elliott's　mind　now　that　Julie　would　be　on　that　noon　train　tomorrow　with　Alex。　He　himself　would　remain　in　Cairo　until　this　thing　was　seen　to　the　finish。　Samir　would　go　back　to　London　with　Julie；　it　had　already　been　decided；　for　Alex　surely　couldn't　protect　her　or　fort　her；　since　he　did　not　know　and　must　not　know　what　was　going　on。
　
　Samir　would　stay　with　Julie　in　Mayfair　until　Ramses　returned。　What　good　Elliott　would　be　was　uncertain。　But　he　would　remain。　He　had　to。　And　Julie　had　to　be　taken　far；　far　away。
　
　The　last　heartrending　duet　of　the　opera　was　at　its　most　poignant。　He　could　not　bear　it　for　much　longer。　He　lifted　his　opera　glasses　and　began　scanning　the　hall。　Alex；　where　the　hell　are　you！　He　scanned　the　left　side　of　the　dress　circle　slowly；　and　then　gradually　turned　to　the　right。
　
　Grey　heads；　sparkling　diamonds；　men　half…asleep；　mouths　agape　under　white　mustaches。　And　a　gorgeous　woman　with　black　rippling　hair　over　her　shoulders　walking　quickly　down　to　the　front　row　of　a　far　box；　her　hand　in　Alex's　hand。
　
　He　froze。
　
　He　turned　the　little　dial　on　the　glasses；　bringing　the　image　even　closer。　The　woman　had　settled　down　on　Alex's　left；　but　the　curve　of　the　dress　circle　placed　them　both　clearly　in　view！　Don't　have　a　heart　attack　now；　Elliott；　not　after　all　you'v