anner.themummy-第14节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


nd　then　the　newspaper　people　had　barged　in。　What　brazen　effrontery！　The　guards　had　finally　forced　them　out；　but　not　before　they　had　taken　a　whole　series　of　pictures　of　the　mummy。
　
　And　now　the　clock　was　striking　one。　And　there　was　no　one　here。　So　why　was　she　trembling？　She　went　quickly　to　the　front　door；　and　was　about　to　throw　the　bolt　when　she　remembered　Henry。　He　was　supposed　to　be　her　chaperon　and　her　protector。　Strange　that　he　hadn't　spoken　a　civil　word　to　her　since　he'd　e　home。　And　he　certainly　had　not　been　in　his　room　upstairs。　But　nevertheless。。。　She　left　the　door　unbolted。
　
　It　was　bitter　cold　as　he　stepped　out　into　the　deserted　street。　He　slipped　on　his　gloves　quickly。
　
　Shouldn't　have　slapped　her；　he　thought。　But　she　shouldn't　have　butted　in；　damn　her。　He　knew　what　he　was　doing。　He　had　doubled　his　money　ten　times！　If　only　on　that　last　throw！　And　then　as　he　argued　to　sign　a　note；　she'd　butted　in！〃　But　you　mustn't！〃
　
　Infuriating；　the　way　they'd　looked　at　him。　He　knew　what　he　owed。　He　knew　what　he　was　doing。　And　Sharpies　there；　that　scum。　As　if　he　were　afraid　of　Sharpies。
　
　It　was　Sharpies　who　stepped　out　of　the　alleyway　now　in　front　of　him。　For　a　moment　he　wasn't　entirely　certain。　It　was　so　dark；　with　the　fog　rolling　just　above　the　ground；　but　then　in　the　seam　of　light　from　the　window　above；　he　saw　the　man's　pockmarked　face。
　
　〃Get　out　of　my　way；〃　　he　said。
　
　〃Another　streak　of　bad　luck；　sir？〃　　Sharpies　fell　into　step　beside　him。〃　And　the　little　lady　costing　you　money。　She　was　always　expensive；　sir；　even　when　she　worked　for　me。　And　I'm　a　generous　man；　you　know。〃
　
　〃Let　me　alone；　you　bloody　fool。〃　　He　stepped　up　the　pace。　The　street　lamp　was　out　up　ahead。　And　there　wouldn't　be　a　cab　at　this　hour。
　
　〃Not　without　a　little　interest　on　account；　sir。〃　　Henry　stopped。　The　Cleopatra　coin。　Would　the　imbecile　realize　what　it　was　worth？　Suddenly　he　felt　the　man's　fingers　digging　into　his　arm。
　
　〃You　dare！〃　　He　pulled　away。　Then　slowly　he　removed　the　coin　from　his　inside　coat　pocket；　held　it　out　in　the　dim　light　and　raised　his　eyebrow　as　he　looked　at　the　man；　who　gathered　it　out　of　his　palm　immediately。
　
　〃Ah；　now　that's　a　beauty；　sir。　A　real　ar　。。。　kay　。。。　o　。。。　logical　beauty！〃　　He　turned　the　coin　over；　as　if　the　inscriptions　actually　meant　something　to　him。〃　You　pinched　it；　didn't　you；　sir？　From　your　uncle's　treasure；　am　I　right？〃
　
　〃Take　it　or　leave　it！〃
　
　Sharpies　made　his　hand　a　fist　around　the　coin；　like　a　man　doing　a　magic　trick　for　a　child。
　
　〃Butter　wouldn't　melt　in　your　mouth；　would　h；　sir？〃　　He　slipped　the　coin　into　his　pocket。〃　Was　he　still　lying　there；　gasping；　sir；　when　you　pinched　it？　Or　did　you　wait　till　he'd　breathed　his　last？〃
　
　〃Go　to　hell。〃
　
　〃This　won't　cover　it；　sir。　No；　sir；　not　by　a　long　shot；　sir。　Not　what　you　owe　me　and　Die　gentlemen　at　Flint's；　sir。〃
　
　Henry　turned　on　his　heel；　he　made　a　small　adjustment　of　his　top　hat　against　the　driving　wind；　he　began　to　walk　fast　towards　the　corner。　He　could　hear　the　scrape　of　Sharples's　heels　on　the　pavement　behind　him。　And　no　one　ahead　in　the　misty　dark；　no　one　behind；　that　little　seam　of　light　from　the　door　of　Flint's　no　longer　visible。
　
　He　could　hear　Sharpies　drawing　close　to　him。　Into　the　pocket　of　his　coat　he　reached。　His　knife。　Slowly　he　drew　it　out；　opened　the　blade；　and　gripped　the　handle　tight。
　
　Suddenly　he　felt　the　pressure　of　Sharpies　against　his　back。
　
　〃Seems　to　me　you　need　a　little　lesson　in　paying　your　debts；　sir；〃　　the　bastard　said　to　him。
　
　Sharples's　hand　came　down　on　his　shoulder；　but　Henry　turned　swiftly；　forcing　his　knee　against　Sharpies　and　knocking　him　off　balance　a　step。　For　the　brilliant　silk　of　his　vest　Henry　aimed；　where　the　knife　might　go　in　between　the　ribs；　with　no　impediment。　And　to　his　astonishment　he　felt　it　sink　into　the　man's　chest；　and　saw　the　white　of　Sharples's　teeth　as　he　opened　his　mouth　in　a　dry　scream。
　
　〃Bloody　fool！　I　told　you　to　leave　me　alone！〃　　He　drew　out　the　knife　and　stabbed　the　man　again。　He　heard　the　silk　rip　this　time；　and　he　stepped　back；　trembling　violently　all　over。
　
　The　man　took　a　few　faltering　steps。　Then　he　fell　down　on　his　knees。　Gently　he　pitched　forward；　shoulders　hunched；　and　then　softly　heaved　to　one　side；　his　body　going　limp　and　loose　on　the　pavement。
　
　Henry　couldn't　see　his　face　in　the　dark。　He　saw　only　the　lifeless　form　sprawled　there。　The　bitter　cold　of　the　night　paralyzed　him。　His　heart　thudded　in　his　ears　as　it　had　in　the　chamber　in　Egypt　when　he　had　gazed　down　at　Lawrence　lying　dead　on　the　floor。
　
　Well；　damn　him！　He　shouldn't　have　tried　that　with　me！　The　rage　choked　him。　He　could　not　move　his　right　hand；　so　cold　it　was；　in　spite　of　the　glove；　the　knife　clutched　in　it。　Carefully；　he　lifted　his　left　hand；　and　closed　the　knife　and　put　it　away。
　
　He　glanced　from　right　to　left。　Darkness；　silence。　Only　the　faraway　rumble　of　a　motor　car　on　a　distant　street。　Water　dripping　somewhere；　as　if　from　a　broken　gutter。　And　the　sky　above　lightening　ever　so　faintly…the　color　of　slate。
　
　He　knelt　down　in　the　thinning　darkness。　He　reached　out　for　that　gleaming　silk　again；　and　careful　not　to　touch　the　great　dark　wet　spot　spreading　there；　he　reached　under　the　lapel　of　the　coat。　The　man's　wallet。　Fat；　full　of　money！
　
　He　did　not　even　examine　the　contents。　Instead　he　slipped　it　in　the　same　pocket　with　the　knife。　And　then　he　turned　on　his　heel；　lifted　his　chin　and　walked　off　with　crisp　loud　steps。　He　even　began　to　whistle。
　
　Later；　when　he　was　fortably　settled　in　the　back　of　a　cab；　he　drew　the　wallet　out。　Three　hundred　pounds。　Well；　that　was　not　bad。　But　as　he　stared　down　at　the　wad　of　dirty　bills；　a　panic　seized　him。　It　seemed　he　couldn't　speak　or　move；　and　when　he　looked　out　the　little　window　of　the　hansom；　he　saw　only　the　soiled　grey　sky　over　the　roofs　of　the　dreary　tenements；　and　there　seemed　nothing　he　wanted；　or　could　want；　or　could　ever　have　that　would　alleviate　the　hopelessness　he　felt。
　
　Three　hundred　pounds。　But　he　had　not　killed　the　man　for　that。　Why；　who　could　say　he　had　killed　anyone！　His　uncle　Lawrence　had　died　of　a　stroke　in　Cairo。　And　as　for　Sharpies；　a　despicable　moneylender　he　had　made　the　acquaintance　of　in　Flint's　one　evening；　well；　one　of　Sharples's　confederates　had　killed　him。　Sneaked　up　on　him　in　a　dark　street　and　sunk　a　knife　in　his　ribs。
　
　Of　course　that's　what　had　happened。　Who　would　connect　him　to　these　sordid　affairs？
　
　He　was　Henry　Stratford；　vice　chairman　of　Stratford　Shipping；　a　member　of　a　distinguished　family　soon　to　be　connected　by　marriage　to　the　Earl　of　Rutherford。　No　one　would　dare。。。
　
　And　he　would　call　now　on　his　cousin。　Explain　that　he　was　a　little　down　on　his　luck。　And　she　would　surely　e　up　with　a　fortable　sum；　three　times　perhaps　what　he　held　in　his　hand；　because　she　would　understand　it　was　only　temporary；　these　losses。　And　it　would　be　a　great　relief　to　make　them　right。
　
　His　cousin；　his　only　sister。　Once　they　had　loved　each　other；　Julie　and　he。　Loved　each　other　as　only　a　sister　and　a　brother　can。　He　would　remind　her。　She　wouldn't　give　him　any　trouble；　and　then　he　could　rest　for　a　little　while。
　
　That　was　the　worst　part　of　it　of　late。　He　couldn't　rest。
　
　JULIE　PADDED　softly　down　the　stairs　in　her　slippers；　11　the　full　folds　of　her　lace　peignoir　gathered　in　one　hand　so　that　she　did　not　trip；　her　brown　hair　in　loose　waves　over　her　shoulders　and　down　her　back。
　
　She　saw　the　sun　before　she　saw　anything　else；　as　she　entered　the　library…the　great　blessed　flood　of　yellow　light　filling　the　glass　conservatory　beyond　the　open　doors；　a　dazzle　amid　the　ferns；　and　in　the　dancing　water　of　the　fountain　and　in　the　great　mesh　of　green　leaves　curling　beneath　the　glass　ceiling。
　
　Long　slanting　rays　fell　on　the　mask　of　Ramses　the　Damned　in　its　shadowy　corner；　on　the　dark　colours　of　the　Oriental　carpet；　and　on　the　mummy　himself　as　he　stood　upright　in　his　open　case；　the　tightly　wrapped　face　and　limbs　being　golden　in　the　haze；　golden　as　desert　sand　at　midday。
　
　The　room　lightened　before　Julie's　eyes。　The　sun　exploded　suddenly　on　the　gold　Cleopatra　coins　on　their　bed　of　velvet。　It　shimmered　on　the　smooth　marble　bust　of　Cleopatra　with　its　demure；　half…lidded　gaze。　It　caught　the　translucent　alabaster　of　the　long　row　of　jars。　It　gleamed　on　tiny　bits　and　pieces　of　old　gold　throughout　the　room；　and　on　the　gilded　titles　of　the　many　leather…bound　books。　It　struck　the　deep…graven　name〃　Lawrence　Stratford〃　　written　on　his　velvet…covered　diary　that　lay　on　the　desk。
　
　Julie　stood　still；　feeling　the　warmth　surround　her。　The　dark　musty　smell　was　fading。　And　the　mummy；　it　seemed　to　move　in　the　brightening　light；　as　if　responding　to　the　heat。　To　sigh　almost　like　a　flower　opening。　What　a　tantalizing　illusion。　Of　course　it　had　not　moved　at　all；　yet　it　did　seem　fuller；　somehow；　its　powerful　shoulders　and　arms　more　rounded；　its　fingers　poised　as　if　alive。
　
　〃Ramses　。。。〃　　she　whispered。
　
　There　came　that　sound　again；　the　sound　that　had　startled　her　the　night　before。　But　no；　it　wasn't　a　sound；　not　really。　Just　the　breath　of　this　great　house。　Of　timbers　and　plaster　in　the　warmth　of　the　morning。　She　closed　her　eyes　for　a　mome