anner.themummy-第19节

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　Then　slowly　she　turned　and　came　back　into　the　front　room。
　
　Silence。　The　faint　singing　of　the　fountain　in　the　conservatory。　A　horse　passing　at　a　brisk　trot　in　the　street　outside。　Rita　shivering　in　the　corner；　with　her　apron　a　little　knot　in　her　feverishly　working　hands。
　
　And　Ramses；　motionless；　in　the　middle　of　the　room。　He　stood　with　his　arms　folded；　looking　at　her；　feet　slightly　apart　as　before。　The　sun　was　a　warm　golden　haze　behind　him；　leaving　his　face　in　shadow。　And　the　deep　radiance　of　his　eyes　was　almost　as　distracting　as　the　high　sheen　of　his　full　hair。
　
　For　the　first　time　she　understood　the　simple　meaning　of　the　word　regal。　And　another　word　came　to　her；　quite　unfamiliar　yet　perfectly　appropriate。　It　was　ely。　And　it　struck　her　that　no　small　part　of　his　beauty　was　his　expression。　He　appeared　wonderfully　clever；　and　wonderfully　curious；　though　quite　collected；　all　at　the　same　time。　Otherworldly；　yet　perfectly　normal。　Grander　than　human；　but　human　nonetheless。
　
　He　merely　looked　at　her。　The　deep　folds　of　the　long　heavy　satin　robe　moved　ever　so　faintly　in　the　soft　current　of　warm　air　from　the　conservatory　doors。
　
　〃Rita；　leave　us；〃　　she　whispered。
　
　〃But　miss　。。。〃
　
　〃Go。〃
　
　Silence　again。　Then　he　came　towards　her。　No　trace　of　a　smile；　only　a　gentle　seriousness；　eyes　widening　a　little　as　he　appeared　to　study　her　face；　her　hair；　her　dress。
　
　How　must　this　flimsy　lace　peignoir　look　to　him？　she　thought　suddenly。　Good　Lord；　does　he　think　the　women　of　these　times　wear　such　things　about　the　house　and　on　the　street？　But　he　was　not　looking　at　the　lace。　He　was　staring　at　the　shape　of　her　breasts　beneath　the　loose　silk；　at　the　contour　of　her　hips。　He　looked　at　her　face　again　and　there　was　no　mistaking　his　expression。　It　was　passionate　suddenly。　He　drew　closer　and　reached　out　for　her　shoulders　and　she　felt　his　warm　fingers　tighten。
　
　〃No；〃　　she　said。
　
　She　shook　her　head　emphatically　and　she　stepped　back。　She　straightened　her　shoulders；　trying　not　to　admit　her　fear；　or　the　sudden　delicious　chill　that　ran　up　her　back　and　down　her　arms。〃　No；〃　　she　said　again　with　a　faint　touch　of　disapproval。
　
　And　as　she　watched；　on　the　edge　of　fear；　the　warmth　in　her　breasts　astonishing　her；　he　nodded；　backed　away　and　smiled。　He　made　a　little　open　gesture　with　his　hands。　He　spoke　in　a　soft　riff　of　Latin。　She　caught　her　name；　the　word　regina；　and　the　word　she　knew　meant　house。　Julie　is　Queen　in　her　house。
　
　She　nodded。
　
　Her　sigh　of　relief　was　impossible　to　disguise。　She　was　shaking　again；　all　over。　Could　he　see　it？　Of　course。
　
　He　made　a　gesture　of　asking：
　
　〃Panis；　Julie；〃　　he　whispered　。　〃Vinum。　Panis。〃　　He　narrowed　his　eyes；　as　if　searching　for　a　proper　word。　〃Edere；〃　　he　whispered；　and　gestured　gracefully　to　his　lips。
　
　〃Oh！　I　know　what　you're　saying。　Food；　you　want　food。　You　want　wine　and　bread。〃　　She　hurried　to　the　doorway。　〃　Rita；〃　　she　called　out。〃　He's　hungry。　Rita；　we　must　get　him　something　to　eat　at　once。〃
　
　She　turned　around　to　see　him　smiling　at　her　again；　with　that　great　warmth　of　affection　she　had　seen　upstairs。　He　found　her　pleasing　to　look　at；　did　he？　If　only　he　knew　that　she　found　him　almost　irresistible；　that　a　moment　before　she　had　almost　locked　her　arms　around　him　and…　Best　not　to　think　of　that。　No；　mustn't　think　of　that　at　all。
　
　ELLIOT　SAT　back　in　the　wing　chair；　staring　forward　at　the　coal　fire。　He　was　as　close　as　possible　to　the　grate；　his　slippered　feet　on　the　fender。　The　heat　could　soothed　the　pain　in　his　legs　and　in　his　hands。　He　was　listening　to　Henry；　veering　between　impatience　and　an　unexpected　fascination。　God's　vengeance　upon　Henry　had　been　almost　plete　for　his　sins。　Henry　was　a　scandal。
　
　〃You　must　have　imagined　it！〃　　Alex　said。
　
　〃But　I　am　telling　you　that　damned　thing　got　out　of　that　mummy　case　and　came　at　me。　It　strangled　me。　I　felt　its　hand　on　me；　I　looked　up　into　its　filthy　bandaged　face。〃
　
　〃Definitely　imagined　it；〃　　Alex　said。
　
　〃Imagined　it；　hell！〃
　
　Elliott　glanced　up　at　the　two　young　men　at　the　end　of　the　mantel　shelf　to　his　right。　Henry；　unshaven；　trembling；　the　glass　of　Scotch　in　his　hand。　And　Alex；　immaculate；　his　hands　as　clean　as　a　nun's。
　
　〃And　this　Egyptologist　fellow；　you're　saying　that　he　and　the　mummy　are　one　and　the　same？　Henry；　you've　been　out　all　night；　haven't　you？　You've　been　drinking　with　that　girl　from　the　Music　Hall。　You've　been…〃
　
　〃Well；　where　the　hell　did　the　bastard　e　from　if　he's　not　the　mummy！〃
　
　Elliott　laughed　softly。　He　gave　the　coals　a　poke　with　the　tip　of　his　silver　cane。　Henry　went　on　undaunted。
　
　〃He　wasn't　there　last　night！　He　came　down　the　stairs　in　Uncle　Lawrence's　bathrobe！　And　you　haven't　seen　this　man！　He's　no　ordinary　man。　Anybody　who　looks　at　him　can　tell　he's　not　ordinary。〃
　
　〃He's　alone　there　now？　With　Julie？〃
　
　It　took　so　long　for　Alex　to　put　things　together；　trusting　soul。
　
　〃That's　what　I've　been　trying　to　tell　you。　My　God！　Isn't　there　anyone　in　London　who　will　listen　to　me？〃　　Henry　gulped　the　Scotch；　went　to　the　sideboard　and　filled　his　glass　again。〃　And　Julie's　protecting　him。　Julie　knows　what　happened。　She　saw　the　thing　e　at　me！〃
　
　〃You're　doing　yourself　a　disservice　with　this　story；〃　　Alex　said　gently。〃　No　one's　going　to　believe…〃
　
　〃You　realize　those　papyri；　those　scrolls；〃　　Henry　sputtered。〃　They　talk　about　some　kind　of　immortal　something。　Lawrence　was　talking　about　it　to　that　Samir　fellow；　something　about　Ramses　the　Second　wandering　for　a　thousand　years…〃
　
　〃I　thought　it　was　Ramses　the　Great；〃　　Alex　interrupted。
　
　〃They　are　one　and　the　same；　you　numbskull。　Ramses　the　Second；　Ramses　the　Great；　Ramses　the　Damned。　It　was　all　in　those　scrolls；　I　tell　you…about　Cleopatra　and　this　Ramses。　Didn't　you　read　it　in　the　papers？　I　thought　Uncle　Lawrence　was　going　soft　from　the　heat。〃
　
　〃I　think　you　need　a　rest；　possibly　in　hospital。　All　this　talk　of　a　curse…〃
　
　〃Damn　it；　don't　you　understand　me！　It's　worse　than　a　curse。　The　thing　tried　to　kill　me。　It　moved；　I　tell　you。　It's　alive。〃
　
　Alex　stared　at　Henry　with　a　thinly　veiled　look　of　revulsion。　Same　look　he　reserves　for　newspapers；　Elliott　thought　glumly。
　
　〃I'm　going　to　see　Julie。　Father；　if　you'll　excuse　。。。〃
　
　〃Of　course；　that's　exactly　what　you　should　do。〃　　Elliott　looked　into　the　fire　again。〃　See　about　this　Egyptologist　person。　Where　he　came　from。　She　shouldn't　be　alone　in　that　house　with　a　stranger。　It's　absurd。〃
　
　〃She's　alone　in　that　house　with　the　damned　mummy！〃　　Henry　growled。
　
　〃Henry；　why　don't　you　go　home　and　get　some　sleep？〃　　Alex　asked。〃　I　shall　see　you　later；　Father。〃
　
　〃You　bloody　twit！〃
　
　Alex　ignored　the　insult。　It　seemed　an　amazingly　easy　insult
　
　to　ignore。　Henry　emptied　the　glass　again　and　went　back　to　the　sideboard。
　
　Elliott　listened　to　the　chink　of　the　bottle　against　the　glass。〃　And　this　man；　this　mysterious　Egyptologist；　did　you　catch　his　name？〃　　he　asked。
　
　〃Reginald　Ramsey；　try　that　one　on　for　size。　And　I　could　swear　she　made　it　up　on　the　spot。〃　　He　came　back　to　the　mantel　shelf；　resting　his　elbow　on　it；　with　a　full　tumbler　of　Scotch；　which　he　sipped　slowly；　his　eyes　darting　anxiously　away　as　Elliott　looked　up。〃　I　didn't　hear　him　speak　a　word　of　English；　and　you　should　have　seen　the　look　in　his　eye。　I　'm　telling　you…you've　got　to　do　something！〃
　
　〃Yes；　but　precisely　what？〃
　
　〃How　the　hell　should　I　know？　Catch　the　damned　thing；　that's　what！〃
　
　Elliott　gave　a　short　laugh。〃　If　this　thing　or　person　or　whatever　it　is　tried　to　strangle　you；　why　is　Julie　protecting　it？　Why　hasn't　it　strangled　her？〃
　
　Henry　stared　forward　blankly　for　a　moment。　Then　he　took　another　deep　gulp　from　the　glass。　Elliott　eyed　him　coldly。　Not　mad。　No。　Hysterical；　but　not　mad。
　
　〃What　I　am　asking；〃　　Elliott　said　softly；〃　is　why　would　it　try　to　harm　you？〃
　
　〃For　the　love　of　hell；　it's　a　mummy；　isn't　it？　I　was　the　one　traipsing　about　over　there　in　its　bloody　tomb！　Not　Julie。　I　found　Lawrence　dead　in　the　damned　tomb…〃
　
　Henry　stopped；　as　if　he　had　just　realized　something。　He　was　no　longer　merely　blank…faced；　he　was　in　a　visible　state　of　shock。
　
　Their　eyes　locked；　but　only　for　an　instant。　Elliott　looked　down　at　the　fire。　This　is　the　young　man　I　once　cared　for；　he　thought；　once　caressed　with　tenderness　and　hunger；　once　loved。　And　now　he　is　reaching　the　end　of　something；　the　very　end。　And　revenge　ought　to　be　sweet；　but　it　isn't。
　
　〃Look；〃　　Henry　said。　He　was　almost　stammering。〃　There's　some　sort　of　twist　to　this；　some　sort　of　explanation。　But　the　thing；　whatever　it　is；　has　to　be　stopped。　It　could　have　Julie　in　some　sort　of　spell。〃
　
　〃I　see。〃
　
　〃No；　you　don't　see。　You　think　I'm　mad。　And　you　despise　me。　You　always　have。〃
　
　〃No；　not　always。〃
　
　Again　they　looked　at　each　other。　Henry's　face　was　wet　now　with　perspiration。　His　lip　trembled　slightly；　and　then　he　looked　away。
　
　Utterly　desperate；　Elliott　thought。　He　has　nowhere　to　hide　anymore　from　himself；　that's　the　crux　of　it。
　
　〃Well；　whatever　you　think；〃　　Henry　said；〃　I'm　not　spending　another　night　in　that　house。　I'm　having　my　things　sent　to　the　club。〃
　
　〃You　can't　leave　her　alone