elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第58部分

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the　act。　A　particularly　futile　act；　I　might　add。　In　that　jostling　crowd　you　had　little　chance　of　killing　him。〃
　〃I　didn't　succeed；　did　I？〃
　〃You　hit　the　governor；〃　Sahin　said；　his　smile　broadening。　〃A　flesh　wound　in　a　particularly　awkward　place。　He's　very　annoyed　with　you。〃
　No　mention　of　anyone　else。　Did　that　mean　Chetwode　had　got　away？　Good　luck　to　the　young　fool；　Ramses　thought　sourly。　He　had　only　been　obeying　orders。　He　put　his　head　in　his　hands。　Thinking　about　Chetwode　worsened　his　headache。
　〃What　can　I　offer　you？〃　Sahin　asked　solicitously。　〃If　you　don't　want　brandy；　what　about　coffee　or　mint　tea？〃
　He　clapped　his　hands。　The　servant　who　entered　was　so　anxious　to　show　the　proper　deference；　he　was　bent　over　at　the　waist；　his　face　only　a　few　inches　from　the　tray　he　carried。　Obeying　a　brusque　gesture　from　Sahin；　he　deposited　it　on　a　low　table　beside　Ramses　and　backed　out；　still　at　a　right　angle。　The　heavy　curtains　closed　after　him。　〃Please　help　yourself；〃　Sahin　said。　〃They　have　not　been　drugged。〃
　Ramses's　throat　was　painfully　dry；　and　he　concluded　it　would　be　expedient　to　accept　something。　To　refuse　hospitality　was　an　affront；　and　it　was　unlikely　Sahin　had　ordered　the　drinks　to　be　drugged。　And　what　difference　would　it　make　if　he　had？
　So　he　picked　up　the　glass　of　tea　and　sipped　it　gratefully；　holding　the　hot　glass　by　the　rim；　while　the　Turk　smoked　in　pensive　silence。　Then　he　said　suddenly；　〃I　have　a　daughter。〃
　〃My　felicitations；〃　Ramses　said；　wondering　what　the　devil　this　had　to　do　with　anything。　〃When　did　the　happy　event　occur？〃
　〃Eighteen　years　ago。〃
　〃Eighteen　…〃
　〃Yes；　she　should　have　been　married　long　before　this。　It　is　not　for　lack　of　offers。　She　is　beautiful；　well　born；　and　educated。　She　speaks　and　writes　English。　She　is　somewhat　headstrong；　but　I　believe　you　prefer　women　of　that　sort。〃　He　looked　hopefully　at　Ramses；　who　had　begun　to　feel　like　Alice。　What　sort　of　rabbit　hole　had　he　fallen　into？　Surely　Sahin　Pasha　didn't　mean　。　。　。　Silence　seemed　the　safest　course。
　〃The　war　cannot　last　forever；〃　the　Turk　went　on。　〃We　will　not　always　be　enemies。　You　have　the　qualities　I　would　like　in　a　son。〃
　〃But　。　。　。〃　Ramses　tried　to　think　of　a　tactful　way　of　refusing　this　flattering　and　appalling　suggestion。　He　blurted　out；　〃I'm　already　married！〃
　〃I　know　that。　But　if　you　were　to　embrace　Islam；　you　could　take　another　wife。　I　don't　remend　more。　It　requires　a　brave　man　to　manage　two　women；　but　three　are　six　times　as　much　trouble　as　two；　and　four　…〃
　〃You're　joking。〃
　Sahin's　mouth　stretched　wider。　〃Am　I？　It　is　in　the　best　tradition　of　our　people　and　yours　…　forging　an　alliance　through　marriage。　Think　it　over。　The　alternative　is　far　less　attractive。〃
　〃What　is　the　alternative？〃
　〃Surely　you　need　not　ask。　Imprisonment；　a　considerable　degree　of　disfort；　and　eventually　a　trip　to　Constantinople；　where　you　will　have　to　face　several　persons　who　know　you　as　one　of　our　most　dangerous　opponents。〃　He　leaned　forward；　his　face　lengthening。　〃They　will　execute　you；　my　young　friend；　publicly　and　painfully；　as　an　English　spy；　but　before　they　kill　you　they　will　try　to　find　out　everything　you　know。　I　consider　torture　an　unreliable　means　of　extracting　information；　but　I　fear　my　enlightened　views　are　not　shared　by　the　others　in　my　service。　I　am　offering　you　a　chance　to　escape　that　fate。　You　are　no　assassin。　You　came　here　for　another　reason。　I　can　protect　you　from　a　death　that　will　cause　your　wife　and　your　parents　much　grief　if　you　confide　in　me　and　prove　your　sincerity　by　the　alliance　I　have　offered。　I　assure　you；　the　girl　is　quite　presentable。〃
　Increasingly　bewildered；　but　reminded　of　his　manners；　Ramses　said；　〃I　am　sure　she　is　a　pearl　of　rare　beauty　and　a　worthy　child　of　her　father。　You　would　think　less　of　me；　however；　if　I　betrayed　my　beliefs　and　my　country　for　a　woman；　however　desirable。〃
　〃You　would　not　be　the　first　Englishman　to　do　so。〃
　He　fixed　Ramses　with　a　steady　stare　and　Ramses　considered　how　to　respond。　He　wasn't　feeling　very　clever；　insane　questions　kept　popping　into　his　head　and　it　was　all　he　could　do　to　keep　from　blurting　them　out。　〃Anybody　I　know？〃　or　〃You　wouldn't　be　referring　to　my　uncle；　would　you？〃　He　wondered　if　there　had　been　some　drug　in　the　tea　after　all；　or　if　it　was　only　the　blow　on　the　head　that　was　clouding　his　thinking。　Sahin　couldn't　be　serious。　He　was　playing　some　sort　of　game　and　Ramses　hadn't　the　foggiest　notion　what　he　was　really　after。
　〃There　have　been　several；〃　Ramses　began。　His　voice　echoed　oddly　inside　his　head。　He　tried　to　put　the　glass　down。　It　tipped；　spilling　the　rest　of　the　tea　across　the　floor。　〃Was　that　really　necessary？〃　he　asked　thickly。
　〃A　lesson；　which　you　have　not　yet　learned；　it　seems；〃　Sahin　replied　equably。　〃Never　trust　anyone's　word。　Now　e　along　like　a　good　lad。　I　don't　want　to　hurt　you。〃
　He　clapped　his　hands。　Two　men　entered。　〃Gently；　gently；〃　Sahin　crooned；　as　they　pulled　Ramses　to　his　feet　and　half　led；　half　dragged　him　out　of　the　room；　up　a　few　steps　and　down　a　few；　through　the　mazelike　series　of　rooms　and　corridors　that　were　typical　of　such　houses。　He　was　vaguely　aware　of　staring　faces；　as　indistinct　as　ghosts；　and　of　soft　exclamations。　Eventually　they　escorted　him　down　a　long　flight　of　stairs。　The　smell　came　up　to　meet　him　…　wet　stone；　and　mold；　and　the　sickly　sweetness　of　something　rotten。
　There　were　three　doors　along　the　short　passage；　heavy　wood　banded　with　iron。　Two　were　closed。　They　took　him　into　the　third　room；　a　stone…walled　box　barely　six　feet　square　and　six　high。　Rodent　bones　and　a　thin　layer　of　straw；　liquescent　with　decay；　littered　the　floor。　The　cell　contained　a　rough　wooden　bench　along　one　wall；　a　few　crude　earthenware　vessels；　and　several　sets　of　chains　held　by　staples　driven　deep　into　floor　and　wall。　Working　with　silent　efficiency；　as　if　they　had　gone　through　the　procedure　many　times；　the　two　guards　deposited　Ramses　on　the　bench。　Too　dizzy　to　sit　upright；　he　toppled　forward；　one　of　them　had　to　hold　him　while　the　other　raised　his　arms　and　locked　the　fetters　round　his　wrists。　They　chained　his　feet；　too；　and　then　left。
　〃Faugh；〃　said　Sahin　Pasha；　wrinkling　his　nose。　〃It's　even　worse　than　I　remembered。　This　house　is　a　temporary　loan；　from　a　colleague　of　mine；　my　own　prisons　are　more　civilized。　I　will　return　in　the　morning　to　see　if　you　have　changed　your　mind。〃
　He　drew　his　elegant　robes　tightly　about　him　so　they　wouldn't　touch　the　filthy　wall　and　backed　away。　The　door　slammed　shut。　The　hinges　creaked　horribly。　They　would；　of　course。
　Ramses　sat　with　his　head　bowed；　breathing　steadily　and　slowly；　hoping　he　wasn't　going　to　be　sick。　Gradually　he　got　his　stomach　under　control　and　strength　began　to　return　to　his　limbs。　Cautiously　he　tested　the　fetters。　The　iron　cuffs　had　simply　snapped　into　place；　they　could　probably　be　opened　without　a　key；　but　his　hands　were　a　yard　apart　and　each　chain　was　less　than　six　inches　long。　He　entertained　himself　for　a　while　banging　and　rubbing　the　cuffs　against　the　stone　wall　but　succeeded　only　in　scraping　his　knuckles。
　He　leaned　back；　overing　an　instinctive　reluctance　to　touch　the　slimy　stone　of　the　wall。　His　mother　would　have　added　several　other　adjectives　…　hard；　cold；　wet；　dank；　crawling　with　curious　insects　that　were　gathering　to　investigate　a　new　source　of　nourishment。　A　few　of　them　had　already　found　his　feet。　He　smiled　wryly。　His　mother　would　also　inform　him；　in　that　brisk　way　of　hers；　that　he'd　got　himself　into　a　pretty　mess　this　time。　No　weapons；　no　useful　tools　concealed　in　his　boots　or　clothing。　They　had　even　found　the　needle…thin　knife　he'd　hidden　under　a　dirty　bandage　wrapped　round　his　forearm。　And　all　for　nothing。　He　was　no　wiser　about　the　identity　of　〃the　holy　infidel。〃
　He　closed　his　eyes　and　summoned　up　the　image　of　that　bearded　face　and　arrogant　nose。　He　had　a　good　visual　memory；　but　he　hadn't　seen　enough　for　a　positive　identification。　Remembering　the　innumerable　times　he　had　failed　to　recognize　his　exasperating　uncle；　he　had　known　a　single　glance　wouldn't　be　enough。　He　had　counted　on　being　able　to　observe　Ismail　longer；　watching　for　a　familiar　gesture　or　movement；　hearing　his　voice。　The　man　had　been　closely　guarded；　but　it　might　have　been　a　guard　of　honor。　Sahin　hadn't　actually　confirmed　or　denied　anything；　he　had　only　made　a　few　ambiguous　references　to　turncoats。
　It　had　been　a　restless　night　and　a　tiring　day。　He　fell　into　a　waking　doze；　jerked　upright　by　the　pressure　of　the　shackles　against　his　scraped　hands　whenever　deeper　sleep　loosened　his　muscles。　Dream　images　floated　through　his　mind：　Nefret；　first　and　last　and　always；　her　blue　eyes　tender　with　concern　or　blazing　with　fury　…　at　him；　for　being　stupid　enough　to　fall　into　this　trap。　It　had　been　a　trap；　he　had　been　lied　to；　used；　cold…bloodedly；　for　the　sole　purpose　of　getting　that　innocent…looking　assassin　into　Gaza。　Cartright　and　his　superiors　must　have　known　there　was　a　good　chance　both　of　them　would　be　caught　or　killed　if　Chetwode　carried　out　his　orders　。　。　。　The　trap；　a　cage　as　big　as　a　drawing　room；　swathed　in　folds　of　golden　silk　that　didn't　quite　conceal　the　rusty　bars；　soft　cushions　under　him；　and　a　girl　in　his　arms；　a　girl　with　long　black　hair　that　snaked　round　his　hands；　and　tightened　and　hardened　into　fetters。
　When　he　opened　his　eyes；　he　thought　for　a　moment　he　must　still　be　dreaming。　The　face　close　to　his　was　a　disconcerting　blend　of　Sahin's　strong　features　and　the　round…cheeked　houri　who　had　nestled　in　his　embrace。　But　the　pain　in　his　hands　was　real；　and　so　was　the　pocket　torch　whose　beam　wavered　wildly　before　she　put　it　down　on　the　bench　beside　him。　He　sat　up　straighter　and　started　to　speak。　She　put　her　hand　over　his　lips。
　〃Don't　speak；　don't　cry　out；〃　she　whispered　in　English。　〃I　will　help　you　escape。〃
　Her　hand　was　soft　and　plump　and　perfumed。　Her　hair　was　black；　it　had　been　twisted　into　a　knot；　but　long　strands　had　escaped　to　hang　limply　over　her　forehead。　Her　nose　was　her　father's；　large　and　curved；　and　her　mouth　was　the　same　shape；　though　it　was　now　tremulous　and；　he　noticed；　carefully　painted。　There　could　be　no　doubt　of　her　identity。　Was　this　another　trick　of　Sahin's　…　a　version　of　cat　and　mouse；　raising　hopes　of　escape　before　dashing　them；　with　his　daughter　as　the　very　visible　alternative　to　re…imprisonmen