anner.themummy-第12节
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ourning； her hair drawn severely back from her pale face； revealing to all the world that her features had never needed fancy coifs or other adornments。
As their eyes met； Elliott gave Julie a little melancholy smile； and saw the immediate brightening in her that always greeted him。 In a way； he thought； she is more fond of me than of my son。 What an irony。 But then his son was staring at these proceedings as if he were utterly lost。 And perhaps he was； and that was the problem。
Samir Ibrahaim appeared suddenly at Hancock's left。 Another old friend。 But he did not see Elliott。 A bit anxiously； he directed two young men to take hold of the lid of the mummy case and wait for his instructions。 They stood with eyes downcast as if faintly embarrassed by the act they were about to perform。 And the room went dead silent。
〃Ladies and gentlemen；〃 Samir said。 The two young fellows at once hoisted the lid and moved it gracefully to one side。〃 I give you Ramses the Great。〃
The mummy lay exposed for all to see； the tall figure of a man with arms crossed on his breast； seemingly bald and naked under its thick discoloured wrappings。
A collective gasp rose from the crowd。 In the golden light of the electric chandeliers and the few scattered candelabra； the form was faintly horrible as they always are。 Death preserved and mounted。
There was an uneasy sprinkling of applause。 Shudders； even uneasy laughter； and then the thick bank of spectators broke up； some drawing in for a closer look； then backing off as if from the heat of a fire； others turning their backs on the thing altogether。
Randolph sighed and shook his head。
〃Died for this； did he？ I wish I understood why。〃
〃Don't be morbid；〃 said the man next to him； someone Elliott ought to remember； but didn't。〃 Lawrence was happy…〃
〃Doing what he wanted to do；〃 Elliott whispered。 If he heard it said even one more time； he would weep。
Lawrence would have been happy examining his treasure。
Lawrence would have been happy translating those scrolls。 Lawrence's death was a tragedy。 Anyone who tried to make anything else out of it was a perfect fool。
Elliott gave Randolph's arm a gentle squeeze and left him； moving slowly towards the venerable corpse of Ramses。
It seemed the younger generation had decided en masse to block his progress as they surrounded Alex and Julie。 Elliott could hear her voice in snatches as conversation regained its spirited volume all around。
〃。。。 a remarkable story in the papyri；〃 Julie explained。〃 But Father had only begun his translation。 I should like to know what you think； Elliott。〃
〃What was that； my dear？〃 He had just reached the mummy itself and he was staring at the face； marvelling at how easily one could discern an expression under so many layers of deposing cloth。 He took her hand now as she moved close to him。 Others pressed in； trying to get a good look； but Elliott stood his ground rather selfishly。
〃Your opinion； Elliott； of the whole mystery；〃 Julie said。〃 Is this a nineteenth…dynasty coffin？ How did it e to be fashioned in Roman times？ You know； Father told me once； you knew more about Egyptology than all the men at the museum。〃
He laughed softly to himself。 She glanced about nervously to make sure Hancock was nowhere near。 Thank God； he was in the thick of his own little crowd； explaining something about those scrolls； no doubt； and the row of exquisite jars along the wall beneath the mirror。
〃What do you think？〃 Julie prodded again。 Had seriousness ever been so seductive？
〃Can't possibly be Ramses the Great； my dear；〃 he said。〃 But then you know that。〃 He studied the painted lid of the coffin again； and once more the body nestled in its dusty swathing。〃 An excellent job； I must say that。 Not many chemicals were used； no smell of bitumen whatsoever。〃
〃There is no bitumen；〃 Samir said suddenly。 He had been standing on Elliot's left and Elliott had not even seen him；
〃And what do you make of that？〃 Elliott asked。
〃The King has given us his own explanation；〃 Samir said。
〃Or so Lawrence told me。 Ramses had himself wrapped with all due ceremony and prayers； but he was not embalmed。 He was never taken from the cell where he wrote his story。〃
〃What an amazing idea！〃 Elliott said。〃 And have you read these inscriptions yourself？〃 He pointed to the Latin as he translated：〃 'Let not the sun shine on my remains； for in darkness I sleep； beyond all suffering； beyond all knowledge。。。' Now that is hardly an Egyptian sentiment。 I think you'll agree。〃
Samir's face darkened as he looked at the tiny letters。〃 There are curses and warnings everywhere。 I was a curious man until we opened this strange tomb。〃
〃And now you're frightened？〃 Not a good thing for one man to say to another。 But it was true。 And Julie was merely enthralled。
〃Elliott； I want you to read Father's notes；〃 she said；〃 before the museum gathers up everything and locks it in a vault。 The man doesn't merely claim to be Ramses。 There's a good deal more。〃
〃You're not referring to the nonsense in the papers；〃 he asked her。〃 About his being immortal； and loving Cleopatra。〃
Strange the way she looked at him。〃 Father translated some of it；〃 she repeated。 She glanced to the side。〃 I have the notebook。 It's on his desk。 Samir will agree with me； 1 think。 You'll find it interesting。〃
But Samir was being dragged away by Hancock and some other fellow with a brittle smile。 And Lady Treadwell had accosted Julie before she could go on。 Wasn't Julie afraid of the curse？ Elliott felt her hand slip away from his。 Old Winslow Baker wanted to talk to Elliott right now。 No； go away。 A tall woman with withered cheeks and long white hands stood before the coffin and demanded to know if the whole thing might be a practical joke。
〃Certainly not！〃 said Baker。〃 Lawrence always dug up the real thing； I 'd stake my life on it。〃
Elliott smiled。〃 Once the museum has these wrappings off；〃 he said；〃 they'll be able to date the remains successfully。 There will be internal evidence of age； of course。〃
〃Lord Rutherford； I didn't recognize you；〃 said the woman。
Good Lord； was he supposed to recognize her？ Someone had stepped in front of her； everyone wanted to see this thing。 And he ought to move； but he didn't want to。
〃I can't bear to think of their cutting him open；〃 Julie said half in a whisper。〃 This is the first time I've seen him；〃 she said。〃 I didn't dare to open the case on my own。〃
〃e along； darling； there's an old friend I want you to
meet；〃 Alex said suddenly。〃 Father； there you are！ Do get off your feet！ Do you want me to help you to a chair？〃
〃I can manage； Alex； go on；〃 Elliott replied。 The fact was； he was used to the pain。 It was like tiny knives in his joints； and tonight he could feel it even in his fingers。 But he could forget about it； entirely； now and then。
And now he was alone with Ramses the Damned； with a lot of backs and shoulders turned to him。 How splendid。
He narrowed his eyes as he drew very close to the mummy's face。 Amazingly well formed； not desiccated at all。 And certainly not the face of an old man； such as Ramses would have been at the end of a sixty…year reign。
The mouth was a young man's mouth； or at least that of a man in his prime。 And the nose was slender； but not emaciated…what Englishmen call aristocratic。 The ridges of the brows were prominent and the eyes themselves could not have been small。 Probably a handsome man。 In fact； there seemed little doubt of it。
Someone said crossly that the thing ought to be in the museum。 Another that it was perfectly gruesome。 And to think； these had been Lawrence's friends？ Hancock was examining the gold coins on display in their velvet…lined case。 Samir was beside him。
In fact； Hancock was making a fuss about something； wasn't he？ Elliott knew that officious tone。
〃There were five； only five？ You're sure of it？〃 And he was speaking so loudly one would have thought Samir was deaf； not merely Egyptian。
〃Quite sure。 I told you；〃 Samir said with a touch of irritation。〃 I cataloged the entire contents of the chamber myself。〃
Quite unmistakably； Hancock shifted his gaze to someone across the room。 Elliott saw it was Henry Stratford； looking quite splendid in his dove…grey wool； with a black silk tie at his throat。 Laughing and talking nervously； too； it seemed； with Alex and Julie and that crowd of young people whom Henry secretly loathed and resented。
Handsome as ever； Elliott thought。 Handsome as when he was a boy of twenty； and that narrow elegant face could flash from a beguiling vulnerability to a chilling viciousness。
But why was Hancock staring at him？ And what was he whispering now in Samir's ear？ Samir looked at Hancock for a long moment； then gave a languid little shrug； his eyes moving slowly over Henry also。
How Samir must loathe all this； Elliott thought。 How he must loathe that unfortable Western suit； he wants his gellebiyya of watered silk； and his slippers； and he should have them。 What barbarians w
