elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第31部分
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ppy little man。 He wants too much for too little。〃
〃What did he want？〃 Nefret inquired。 〃Part of the princesses' treasure？ Or all of it？〃
〃Treasure？〃 Mohassib repeated； widening his eyes。 No saint could have looked more innocent。 〃Ah … you are referring to the rumors about a rich find in the Gabbanat el…Qirud。 The men of Luxor are great liars； Nur Misur。 Perhaps there was no treasure。〃
〃e now； Mohammed；〃 I said。 〃You know there was such a find and I know the thieves sold it to you； and you know I cannot prove that； and I know that even if I could there is little likelihood of your being charged with a crime。 Why not speak freely to me； your old friend？ Vandergelt Effendi would pay well for such objects； if they are as described。〃
We settled down； with mutual enjoyment； to the customary exchange of hints and innuendos； winks and nods and pursed lips and raised eyebrows。 I rather prided myself on my ability to carry on this form of munication； which Emerson could not or would not do。 Mohassib eventually remarked pensively that if he should hear of such objects he would be happy to do his friends a service。
〃Excellent；〃 I said； knowing that was as much as I could expect。 Mohassib always played his little game of innocence and ignorance； but in this case the business had caused quite a stir； and I suspected he would not make any move to market the objects until things had died down。
We parted in the friendliest manner。 Eyes twinkling； Mohassib sent his respectful regards to Emerson； whose opinion of him he knew quite well。 At the door； I stopped and turned； as if a new idea had struck me。 In fact； the question I asked was the one I had had in mind all along。
〃Has Jamil been here？〃
Caught off…guard； believing the interview to be over； Mohassib burst into a fit of violent coughing。 I knew the paroxysm was only a device to give him time to think； so I pressed on。
〃Don't pretend you don't know who I mean。 Jamil； Yusuf's youngest son。 Did he try to sell you artifacts from the princesses' tomb？〃
Mohassib shook his head vigorously。 〃No；〃 he gasped。 〃No； Sitt Hakim。 I thought he had left Luxor。〃
〃I hope you are telling the truth； Mohassib。 Two of the other men who robbed the tomb are dead； under suspicious circumstances； and Jamil holds a grudge against everyone involved in that business。〃
Mohassib abruptly stopped coughing。 〃Are you saying that Jamil killed them？〃
〃I only repeat the latest gossip； old friend；〃 I replied。 〃Since you had nothing to do with the disposal of the artifacts； there is no reason for you to be alarmed； is there？〃
Mohassib grunted。 He thought for a minute； and then he said； 〃Jamil brought me nothing from the tomb of the princesses。 That is true； Sitt Hakim。〃
His lips closed so tightly they almost disappeared in the beard and mustache。 Knowing that was all I was going to get out of the wily old fellow； I repeated my assurances of goodwill； and we left the house。
〃Do you think he was telling the truth？〃 Nefret asked； waving aside a carriage that had stopped。
〃About Jamil？ The literal truth； yes。 He did not deny he had seen the boy。 My warning … for so it was meant； and so Mohassib took it … caught him by surprise； but it did not； as I had hoped； startle him into an indiscretion or worry him much。 He is safe in his house； behind those stout walls； and well guarded。 Ah； well； it was worth a try。〃 We strolled on； acknowledging the greetings of passersby； and I continued； 〃What I found interesting was his opinion of Mr。 Albion。 We keep running into them； don't we？ Do you think they are following us because they are up to no good？〃
Nefret laughed and slipped her arm through mine。 〃Don't sound so hopeful； Mother。 They are an oddly matched couple； though。〃
〃What do you think of young Mr。 Albion？〃
She answered with another question。 〃Did Ramses tell you what he said at Cyrus's soiree … about Jumana？〃
〃No。〃
She repeated the young man's remark。 I shook my head。 〃Disgusting； but not surprising。 I trust Ramses put the young man in his place？〃
〃Ramses almost put him on the carpet；〃 Nefret said。 〃You know that look of his … white around the mouth； and eyes almost closed？ I made a leap for him and grabbed his arm； in time to stop him； but he uttered a few well…chosen words。 Let's take a felucca； shall we？ It's such a nice day。〃
〃It has been a very pleasant day； my dear。 I hope the others have had as nice a time as we。〃
FROM MANUSCRIPT H
That's got rid of her；〃 said Emerson in a satisfied voice； watching his wife and daughter…in…law walk away from the house。 He and Ramses had been skulking … there was no other word for it … in a secluded corner of the garden。 〃We can get our gear together now。〃
He had sent Jumana on to Deir el Medina； telling her to warn the others that they might be late。 Selim and Daoud were there； they could explain the site as well as he。
Since Emerson did not believe anyone could do anything as well as he； Ramses knew his father was up to something。 He didn't need to ask what it was。 As they loaded themselves with knapsacks and several heavy coils of rope； he said only； 〃We're going on foot？ It's a long way to the Cemetery of the Monkeys。〃
〃A brisk hour's walk；〃 Emerson declared。 〃No point in taking the horses； we'd have to leave them somewhere along the way； and I don't want the poor brutes standing round in the sun。〃
〃You mean you don't want to go near Deir el Medina for fear Cyrus will spot us and ask where we're going。 Father； what's the point of this？〃
〃I only want to make a preliminary survey。〃
The evasive tone would certainly have aroused his wife's suspicions。 Ramses said； 〃Preliminary to what？ You don't mean to give up Deir el Medina and Medinet Habu in favor of the western wadis； do you？ And what about Cyrus？ He isn't going to settle for workmen's houses while we're looking for queens' tombs。〃
Emerson's face took on a look of noble self…righteousness。 〃Cyrus is not up to the kind of survey we'll be doing。 He might injure himself。 Can't have that。〃
〃We're doing him a kindness； really。〃
Emerson glanced at his solemn face and burst out laughing。 〃Glad you agree； my boy。 I haven't made up my mind yet where we will be working。 I just want to have another look round。 Without；〃 he added indignantly； 〃half a dozen people； including your mother； getting in my way。〃
Emerson moved at a rapid pace； he had insisted on carrying the heavier load； but it didn't slow him in the slightest。 Though he did not pause； he greeted everyone he met and responded cheerfully to their questions。 Several passersby asked where they were going。 Emerson told them。 Matching his father's long strides； Ramses realized Emerson didn't really expect to find Jamil's tomb by himself。 He was hoping Jamil would show himself again。
〃Do you think he'll be there？〃 he asked。
〃Who？ Oh。 Hmph。 He has been。 He's bound to make a mistake sooner or later； and when he does we'll be ready for him。〃
〃You don't know that the masked demon was he。〃
〃Who else could it have been？ The Gurnawis don't play silly tricks like that。〃
〃Mother will find out； you know … especially if Jamil succeeds in bashing one of us with a boulder。〃
〃Unlikely in the extreme；〃 Emerson declared。 〃However 。 。 。 No one is a better panion than your mother … when she is in a friendly state of mind … but women do get in the way at times。 Especially your mother。〃
Ramses grinned but saved his breath。 He did not suffer from false modesty about his physical fitness； but keeping up with his father taxed even him。 Emerson must have decided to take one of his famous 〃round…about…ways；〃 for they were already climbing； along a steep； winding path that would eventually lead them behind Deir el Medina and the Valley of the Queens。
They had got a late start and Emerson was in a hurry。 Once they had reached the highest part of the path they made good time over relatively level ground。 Absorbed in thought； Ramses followed his father without speaking。
He didn't want to be here； or at Medinet Habu。 If he'd had his way they would settle down for the season at Deir el Medina。 He hadn't explained himself very eloquently； and apparently his father's fascination with temples prevented him from seeing what Ramses saw： a unique opportunity to learn about the lives of ordinary Egyptians； not pharaohs； not noblemen； but men who worked hard for a living； and their wives and children。 The scraps of written material he had found contained work schedules and lists of supplies； and tantalizing hints of family relationships； friendly and not so friendly； extending over many generations。 He was certain there were more papyri to be found； one of the men had mentioned ing across a similar cache some years earlier； near the place where this one had turned up。 If his father would let him dig there 。 。 。
He didn't want to be here； but he'd had no choice。 Once Emerson got the bit in his teeth it was impossible to turn him aside； and wandering the western wadis alone was dangerous； even for an old hand like his father。 Paths wound all over the place； marked in some places by tumbles of stone that marked the ruins of ancient huts； used by the necropolis guards or by workmen。 Ramses could only marvel at his father's encyclopedic memory of the terrain； he did not pause before turning into a track that led downhill； following the eastern ridge of a deep wadi。 When he finally stopped； they were only twenty feet from the valley floor； and Ramses saw a flight of rough stone stairs going down。
〃Rest a bit；〃 Emerson said； unstrapping his knapsack。 He removed his coat； tossed it onto the ground； sat on it； and took his pipe from his pocket。 Ramses followed his example； except for the pipe。 He took advantage of the lull while his father fussed with the pipe to look round and try to get his bearings。
For the past half hour they had been going roughly southwest； and must now be near the mouth of one of the wadis that spread out northward from the plain。 It wasn't the one they had visited twice before； this configuration was quite different from that of the Cemetery of the Monkeys。 There was ample evidence of ancient occupation： several deep pits； too obvious to have been overlooked by modern tomb robbers； a
