anner.themummy-第16节

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　Early　passersby。　The　nurse　from　across　the　way　with　the　twins　in　their　wicker　carriage。　An　old　man　hurrying　along　with　a　newspaper　under　his　arm。　And　the　guard；　the　guard　from　the　British　Museum；　slouching　idly　on　the　front　steps　just　beneath　her。　And　down　the　street；　in　front　of　her　uncle　Randolph's；　Sally　the　parlour　maid　shaking　a　rug　out　the　front　door　because　she　was　sure　that　no　one　was　awake　to　see。
　
　Why　was　there　no　sound　behind　her　in　the　double　rooms？　Why　didn't　Henry　storm　out；　slamming　the　front　door？　Perhaps　he　had　left；　but　no；　she　heard　a　tiny　furtive　noise　suddenly；　a　spoon　touching　china。　The　damned　coffee。
　
　〃I　don't　know　how　it　could　have　e　to　this；〃　　she　said；　still　gazing　at　the　street　before　her。〃　Trust　funds；　salaries；　bonuses；　you　had　everything；　both　of　you。〃
　
　〃No；　not　everything；　my　dear；〃　　he　said。〃　You　have　everything。〃
　
　Sound　of　coffee　being　poured。　For　the　love　of　heaven！
　
　〃Look；　old　girl；〃　　he　said；　his　voice　low　and　strained。〃　I　don't　want　this　quarrel　any　more　than　you　do。　e。　Sit　down。　Let's　have　a　cup　of　coffee　together　like　civilized　people。〃
　
　She　couldn't　move。　The　gesture　seemed　more　sinister　than　his　anger。
　
　〃e　and　have　a　cup　of　coffee　with　me；　Julie。〃　　Was　there　any　way　out　of　it？　She　turned；　her　eyes　downcast；　and　moved　towards　the　table；　only　looking　up　when　it　seemed　unavoidable；　to　see　Henry　facing　her；　the　steaming　cup　in　his　outstretched　hand。
　
　There　was　something　unaccountably　odd　about　this；　about　the　way　he　was　offering　it　to　her；　about　the　peculiarly　blank　expression　on　his　face。
　
　But　this　had　no　more　than　a　second　to　register。　For　what　she　saw　behind　him　caused　her　to　freeze　in　her　tracks。　Reason　ruled　against　it；　but　the　evidence　of　her　senses　was　undeniable。
　
　The　mummy　was　moving。　The　mummy's　right　arm　was　outstretched；　the　torn　wrappings　hanging　from　it；　as　the　being　stepped　out　of　its　gilded　box！　The　scream　froze　in　her　throat。　The　tiling　was　ing　towards　her…towards　Henry；　who　stood　with　his　back　to　it…moving　with　a　weak；　shuffling　gait；　that　arm　outstretched　before　it；　the　dust　rising　from　the　rotting　linen　that　covered　it；　a　great　smell　of　dust　and　decay　filling　the　room。
　
　〃What　the　devil's　the　matter　with　you！〃　　Henry　demanded。　But　the　thing　was　now　directly　behind　him。　The　outstretched　hand　closed　on　Henry's　throat。
　
　Her　scream　would　not　break　loose。　Petrified；　she　heard　only　a　dry　shriek　inside　her；　like　the　impotent　cries　of　her　worst　dreams。
　
　Henry　turned；　hands　rising　reflexively　to　protect　himself；　the　coffee　cup　falling　with　a　clatter　to　the　silver　tray。　A　low　roar　escaped　his　lips　as　he　fought　the　thing　strangling　him。　His　fingers　clasped　at　the　filthy　wrappings；　the　dust　rose　in　gusts　as　the　creature　tore　its　left　arm　loose　from　the　bindings；　and　sought　to　pinion　its　victim　with　both　hands。
　
　With　an　ignominious　scream；　Henry　threw　the　creature　off　him；　and　pitched　forward　on　all　fours。　In　an　instant　he　was　on　his　feet　and　scrambling　across　the　carpet。　He　ran　through　the　front　room　and　over　the　marble　tile　of　the　front　hall　to　the　door。
　
　Speechless；　terrified；　Julie　stared　at　the　ghastly　figure　who　knelt　beside　the　center　table。　The　thing　was　panting；　struggling　for　breath。　She　scarcely　heard　the　front　door　open　or　slam　shut。

　
　Never　in　her　whole　life　had　there　been　a　moment　so　devoid　of　reason。　Shivering　violently；　she　backed　away　in　horror　from　this　ragged　being；　this　dead　thing　that　had　e　to　life；　and　seemed　now　unable　to　rise　to　its　feet。
　
　Was　it　looking　at　her？　Were　those　eyes　glinting　through　the　ragged　bandages？　Blue　eyes？　It　reached　out　for　her。　Her　body　was　caught　in　a　cold　involuntary　shudder。　A　wave　of　dizziness　passed　over　her。　Don't　faint。　Whatever　happens；　don't　Joint。
　
　Suddenly　it　turned　away。　Quite　deliberately　it　looked　towards　its　coffin；　or　was　it　the　conservatory　with　the　light　pouring　through　its　roof？　It　lay　as　if　exhausted　on　the　Oriental　carpet；　and　then　it　reached　out　as　if　towards　the　great　flood　of　morning　sun。
　
　She　could　hear　its　breathing　again。　Alive！　Dear　God；　alive！　It　struggled　to　move　forward；　lifting　its　powerful　torso　only　a　little　off　the　carpet　and　propelling　itself　with　a　sluggish　movement　of　its　knees。
　
　Out　of　the　shadowy　drawing　room　it　crawled　inch　by　inch　away　from　her　until　suddenly　it　reached　the　farthest　rays　of　the
　
　sun　penetrating　the　library。　There　it　stopped；　and　seemed　to　breathe　deeply　as　if　actually　breathing　not　air　but　light。　It　lifted　itself　a　little　higher　on　its　elbows；　and　began　to　crawl　towards　the　conservatory　again　with　greater　speed。　The　linen　bandages　trailed　from　its　legs。　A　path　of　dust　was　left　on　the　rug。　The　bandages　on　its　aims　were　falling　to　pieces。　Fragments　of　linen　broke　loose　and　appeared　to　disintegrate　in　the　light。
　
　Without　a　conscious　decision；　she　moved　behind　it；　keeping　a　safe　distance；　yet　quite　unable　to　stop　herself　from　following　it；　from　staring　as　if　spellbound　at　its　grim　progress　through　the　conservatory　doors。
　
　Into　the　hottest　glare　of　the　sun　it　moved；　and　suddenly　it　stopped　beside　the　fountain　and　rolled　over　on　its　back。　One　hand　reached　up　towards　the　glass　ceiling；　the　other　fell　limp　on　its　chest。
　
　Silently；　Julie　moved　into　the　conservatory。　Still　trembling　uncontrollably；　she　went　closer　and　closer　until　she　was　staring　directly　down　at　this　thing。
　
　The　body　was　filling　out　in　the　sunlight！　It　was　growing　ever　more　robust　as　she　watched！　She　could　hear　the　sound　of　the　wrappings　releasing　it。　She　could　see　the　chest　rising　and　falling　with　regular　breath。
　
　And　the　face；　my　God；　the　face。　There　were　eyes　there；　great　shining　blue　eyes　under　the　thin　wrappings。　It　reached　up　suddenly　and　tore　loose　the　bandages。　Yes；　large　and　beautiful　blue　eyes。　With　another　rip；　it　tore　the　bandages　from　its　skull　and　released　a　soft　mop　of　brown　hair。
　
　Then　it　rose　on　its　knees　with　quiet　grace　and　reached　down　into　the　fountain　with　its　bandaged　hands；　scooping　up　the　sparkling　water　to　its　lips。　It　drank　and　drank　the　water；　with　deep　sighing　gulps。　Then　it　stopped　and　turned　towards　her；　wiping　away　more　of　the　thick　ashen　layer　of　linen　from　its　face。
　
　A　man　looking　at　her！　A　blue…eyed　man　with　intelligence　looking　at　her！
　
　That　scream　rose　again；　but　was　not　released。　Only　a　soft　sigh　came　out　of　her。　Or　was　it　a　gasp？　She　realized　she　had　taken　a　step　backwards。　The　thing　climbed　to　its　feet。
　
　It　rose　now　to　its　full　height　and　gazed　calmly　at　her；　its　fingers　working　almost　absently　to　clear　the　rest　of　the　rotted　bandages　from　its　head　as　if　they　were　cobwebs。　Yes；　a　full　head　of　dark　wavy　brown　hair。　It　fell　to　just　below　the　ears；　and　came　now　softy　over　the　forehead。　And　the　eyes　evinced　fascination　as　it　looked　at　her。　Good　Lord；　imagine！　Fascination　as　it　looked　at　her。
　
　She　was　going　to　faint。　She　had　read　about　it。　She　knew　what　it　was；　though　it　had　never　happened　to　her。　But　her　legs　were　literally　going　out　from　under　her　and　things　were　going　dim。　No。　Stop！　She　couldn't　faint　with　this　thing　staring　at　her。
　
　This　was　the　mummy　e　to　life！
　
　She　backed　into　the　Egyptian　room；　legs　trembling；　her　body　moist　all　over；　her　hands　clawing　at　her　face　peignoir。
　
　It　watched　her　as　if　genuinely　curious　as　to　what　she　meant　to　do。　Then　it　wiped　more　of　the　bandages　away　from　its　neck　and　its　shoulders　and　its　chest。　Its　broad　naked　chest。　She　closed　her　eyes；　and　then　opened　them　slowly。　Still　there；　with　those　powerful　arms；　and　the　dust　falling　from　its　lustrous　brown　hair。
　
　It　took　a　step　towards　her。　She　backed　away。　It　took　another　step。　She　backed　up　farther。　In　fact；　she　was　backing　up　all　the　way　across　the　library；　and　very　suddenly　she　felt　the　centre　table　of　the　second　drawing　room　behind　her。　She　felt　her　hands　touch　the　edge　of　the　silver　coffee　tray。
　
　With　silent；　even　steps　it　came　towards　her…this　thing；　this　beautiful　man　with　the　splendid　body　and　the　large　gentle　blue　eyes。
　
　Good　Lord；　are　you　losing　your　reason！　Never　mind　that　it's　handsome！　It　just　tried　to　strangle　Henry！　Quickly　she　darted　around　the　table；　groping　behind　her　with　outstretched　hands　as　she　moved　towards　the　front　drawing　room　doors。
　
　It　stopped　as　it　reached　the　table。　It　looked　down　at　the　silver　coffeepot　and　the　overturned　cup。　It　picked　up　something　off　the　tray。　What　was　it？　A　wadded　handkerchief。　Had　Henry　left　it　there？　Quite　unmistakably　it　pointed　to　the　spilt　coffee；　and　then　in　a　soft；　resonant　and　distinctly　masculine　voice　it　spoke：
　
　〃e　and　have　a　cup　of　coffee　with　me；　Julie！〃　　it　said。
　
　Perfect　British　accent！　Familiar　words！　Julie　felt　a　shock　course　through　her。　This　was　no　invitation　from　the　thing。　Why；　it　was　imitating　Henry。　Same　precise　intonation。　That's　what　Henry　had　said！
　
　It　held　out　the　handkerchief；　which　it　had　opened。　White　powder；　sparkling　as　if　full　of　tiny　crystals。　It　pointed　to　the　distant　row　of　alabaster　jars。　The　top　was　missing　from　one　of　the　jars！　And　again　it　spoke　with　the　same　flawless；　crisp　English　accent：
　
　〃Drink　your　coffee；　Uncle　Lawrence。〃
　
　A　groan　escaped　her　lips。　The　meaning　was