anner.themummy-第20节

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　〃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　there。　It　isn't　proper。　And　in　the　absence　of　a　formal　engagement　between　Julie　and　Alex；　I　cannot　properly　interfere。〃
　
　〃The　hell　you　can't。　And　the　hell　I　won't　go　where　I　wish。　I　tell　you　I　won't　stay　there。〃
　
　He　heard　Henry　turn　to　go。　He　heard　the　glass　slammed　down　on　the　marble…top　sideboard。　He　heard　the　heavy　steps　retreating；　leaving　him　alone。
　
　Elliott　leaned　back　against　the　damask。　There　was　a　dull　resonating　sound　that　meant　the　front　door　had　been　slammed　shut。
　
　He　tried　to　see　the　entire　incident　in　perspective；　Henry　ing　here　because　Randolph　did　not　believe　him。　What　a　strange　story　for　a　young　man　to　have　invented；　even　one　as　crazed　and　desperate　as　Henry。　It　did　not　make　sense　at　all。
　
　〃Lover　of　Cleopatra；〃　　he　whispered；〃　guardian　of　the　royal　house　of　Egypt。　Ramses　the　Immortal。　Ramses　the　Damned。〃
　
　Suddenly　he　wanted　to　see　Samir　again。　Talk　to　him。　Of　course　the　story　was　ridiculous；　but　。。。　No。　The　whole　point　was　that　Henry　was　deteriorating　more　rapidly　than　anyone　could　have　predicted。　Nevertheless　he　wanted　Samir　to　know　about　this。
　
　He　removed　his　pocket　watch。　Why；　it　was　still　very　early。　He　had　plenty　of　time　before　his　afternoon　appointments。　If　only　he　could　manage　to　get　himself　out　of　this　chair。
　
　He　had　planted　the　cane　firmly　on　the　hearthstones　in　front　of　him　when　he　heard　his　wife's　soft　tread　on　the　carpet　near　the　door。　He　sank　back　again；　relieved　that　he　wouldn't　feel　that　excruciating　pain　for　a　few　more　moments；　and　then　he　looked　up　into　her　eyes。
　
　He　had　always　liked　his　wife；　and　now　in　the　middle　of　his　life；　he　had　discovered　that　he　loved　her。　A　woman　of　impeccable　grooming　and　subtle　charm；　she　looked　ageless　to　him；　perhaps　because　he　was　not　erotically　attracted　to　her。　But　he　knew　that　she　was　twelve　years　his　senior；　and　therefore　old；
　
　and　this　disturbed　him　only　because　he　feared　age　himself；　and　he　feared　losing　her。
　
　He　had　always　admired　her；　enjoyed　her　pany；　and　he　needed　her　money　desperately。　She　had　never　minded　that。　She　appreciated　his　charm；　his　social　connections；　and　forgave　him　his　secret　eccentricities。
　
　She　had　always　known　something　was　wrong　with　him　philosophically；　that　he　was〃　the　tainted　wether　of　the　flock；〃　　wholly　out　of　sympathy　with　his　peers　and　his　friends　and　enemies。　But　she　never　made　an　issue　of　it。　Her　happiness　did　not　depend　upon　his　happiness；　it　seemed；　and　she　was　eternally　grateful　that　he　went　through　the　motions　of　social　life；　and　had　not　run　off　like　Lawrence　Stratford　to　live　in　Egypt。
　
　He　was　too　crippled　now　with　arthritis　to　be　unfaithful　to　her　any　longer；　and　he　wondered　sometimes　whether　this　was　a　relief　to　her；　or　whether　it　saddened　her。　He　could　not　make　up　his　mind。　They　still　shared　the　marriage　bed；　and　probably　always　would；　though　there　was　never　any　urgency　or　real　need；　except　that　of　late；　he'd　been　keenly　aware　that　he　depended　upon　her　and　loved　her　deeply。
　
　He　was　glad　she　was　home。　It　lessened　the　pain　of　Lawrence's　death。　But　of　course　he'd　have　to　recover　her　diamond　necklace　very　soon；　and　that　Randolph　had　promised　to　pay　him　tomorrow　morning　for　the　money　he　had　borrowed　against　the　thing　was　a　great　relief　to　him。
　
　Edith　looked　especially　pretty　to　him　now；　in　her　new　Paris　suit　of　green　wool。　She　had　a　tailored　look　about　her；　except　for　her　bouffant　silver　hair；　which　looked　all　the　more　lovely　because　of　the　severity　of　her　clothes　and　the　absence　of　any　jewelry。　She　never　wore　the　diamonds　he　had　borrowed　against；　except　to　attend　balls。　He　took　pride　in　the　fact　that　she　was　a　handsome　woman　in　her　old　age；　and　invariably　impressive。　People　liked　her；　more　even　than　they　liked　him；　which　was　as　it　should　be。
　
　〃I'm　going　out　for　a　while；〃　　he　said　to　her。〃　Little　errand。　You　shan't　miss　me。　I'll　be　back　in　good　time　for　lunch。〃
　
　She　didn't　answer。　She　sat　down　on　the　tufted　ottoman　beside　him；　and　slipped　her　hand　over　his。　How　light　it　felt。　Her　hands　were　the　only　pan　of　her　which　revealed　age　without　question。
　
　〃Elliott；　you've　borrowed　again　against　my　necklace；〃　　she　said。
　
　He　was　ashamed。　He　said　nothing。〃　I　know　you　did　it　for　Randolph。　Henry's　debts　again。　Always　the　same　story。〃
　
　He　looked　at　the　coals　in　front　of　him。　He　didn't　answer。　After　all；　what　was　there　to　say？　She　knew　it　was　safe　in　the　hands　of　a　jeweller　trusted　by　both　of　them；　that　the　advance　had　been　relatively　small…easy　for　her　to　manage；　even　if　Randolph　did　not　e　through。
　
　〃Why　didn't　you　e　to　me　and　tell　me　you　needed　money？〃　　she　asked　him。
　
　〃It's　never　been　easy　to　do　that；　my　dear。　Besides；　Henry　has　made　things　so　difficult　for　Randolph。〃
　
　〃I　know。　And　I　know　you　meant　well；　as　usual。〃
　
　〃As　vulgar　as　it　may　sound；　a　loan　against　a　diamond　necklace　is　a　small　price　to　pay　for　the　Stratford　millions。　And　that's　where　we　are；　my　dear；　trying　to　make　a　good　marriage；　as　they　say；　for　our　son。〃
　
　〃Randolph　cannot　persuade　his　niece　to　marry　Alex。　He　has　no　influence　with　her　at　all。　You　lent　the　money　because　you　felt　sorry　for　Randolph。　Because　he's　your　old　friend。〃
　
　〃Perhaps　that's　true。〃
　
　He　sighed。　He　wouldn't　look　at　her。〃　Perhaps；　in　some　way；　I　feel　responsible；〃　　he　said。
　
　〃How　could　you　be　responsible？　What　have　you　to　do　with　Henry；　and　what's　bee　of　him？〃　　she　asked。
　
　He　didn't　answer。　He　thought　of　the　hotel　room　in　Paris；　and　the　look　of　dull　misery　in　Henry's　eyes　when　his　attempt　at　extortion　had　failed。　Strange　how　clear　it　all　was　to　him；　the　furnishings　of　that　room。　Later；　when　he　had　discovered　the　theft　of　the　cigarette　case　and　the　money；　he　had　sat　thinking：　I　must　remember　this；　I　must　remember　。all　of　it。　This　mustn't　happen　to　me　again。
　
　〃I'm　sorry　about　the　necklace；　Edith；〃　　he　whispered；　suddenly　stung　to　think　that　he　had　stolen　from　his　wife　as　Henry　had　stolen　from　him。　He　found　himself　smiling　at　her；　even　winking；　flirting　a　little　as　he　always　did。　He　gave　her　a　little　shrug。
　
　She　acknowledged　all　this　with　a　wicked　little　smile　of　her　own。　Years　ago　she　would　have　said；　Don't　play　the　bad　boy　with　me。　The　fact　that　she　didn't　say　it　anymore　didn't　mean　she　didn't　find　him　charming。
　
　〃　Randolph　has　the　money　now　to　cover　the　loan；〃　　he　assured　her；　more　seriously。
　
　〃Not　necessary；〃　　she　whispered。〃　Leave　it　to　me。〃　　And　now　she　rose　slowly　and　waited。　She　knew　that　he　could　use　her　help　to　get　up　and　on　his　feet。　And　much　as　it　humiliated　him；　he　knew　it　too。
　
　〃Where　are　you　going？〃　　she　asked　as　she　held　out　her　hands。
　
　〃Samir　Ibrahaim　at　the　museum。〃
　
　〃This　mummy　again。〃
　
　〃Henry's　e　up　with　the　strangest　story。　。。。〃
　
　ALEX；　MY　darling；〃　　she　said；　taking　both　his　hands　in　hers。〃　Mr。　Ramsey　was　a　good　friend　of　Father's。　It's　quite　all　right　his　being　here。〃
　
　〃But　you're　alone。。。〃　　He　looked　disapprovingly　at　her　white　peignoir；　as　well　he　might。
　
　〃Alex；　I'm　a　modern　girl。　Don't　question　me！　Now　off　you　go　and　let　me　take　care　of　my　guest。　In　a　few　days；　we'll　have　lunch；　and　I'll　explain　the　entire　thing…〃
　
　〃Julie；　a　few　days！〃
　
　She　kissed　him　quickly　on　the　lips。　She　pressed　him　towards　the　front　door。　He　gave　another　one　of　those　determined　glances　back　down　the　hall　towards　the　conservatory。
　
　〃Alex；　go　now。　The　man's　from　Egypt；　I'm　to　show　him　London。　And　I'm　rushed。　Please；　darling　dear；　do　as　I　ask　you。〃
　
　She　all　but　shoved　him　out　the　door。　He　was　too　much　of　a　gentleman　to　protest　further。　He　gave　her　that　innocent；　baffled　look；　and　then　said　softly　that　he　would　call　her　this　evening　on　the　telephone　if　that　was　all　right。
　
　〃Of　course；〃　　she　said。〃　You're　a　sweetheart。〃　　Blowing　him　a　little　kiss　off　the　tips　of　her　fingers；　she　shut　the　door　immediately。
　
　She　turned　and　leaned　against　the　wall　for　a　moment；　staring　back　down　the　hall　herself　at　the　glass　doors。　She　saw　Rita　dash　by。　She　heard　the　sound　of　the　kettle　in　the　kitchen。　The　house　was　full　of　warm　pungent　fragrances　of　cooking　food。
　
　Her　heart　was　pounding　again；　thoughts　did　drift　through　her　brain；　but　they　had　no　immediate　emotional　impact。　What　mattered　for　this　moment；　this　absolutely　extraordinary　moment；　was　that　Ramses　was　there。　The　immortal　maji　was　there。　He　was　in　the　conservatory。
　
　She　made　her　way　back　down　the　hall　and　stood　in　the　doorway　looking　at　him。　He　wore　Father's　robe　still；　though　he　had　removed　the　shirt　with　a　faint　look　of　distaste　for　the　stiff　starched　fabric。　And　his　hair　had　reached　its　fullness　now；　a　great　glossy　mane　of　soft　waves　that　hung　down　just　below　the　lobes　of　his　ears；　with　a　deep　full　lock　falling　again　and　again　on　his　forehead。
　
　The　white　wicker　table　was　covered　with　plates　of　steaming　food。　As　he　read　the　copy　of　Punch　propped　before　his　plate；　he　ate　delicately　with　his　right　hand　from　the　meat　here；　and　the　fruit　there；　and　the　bread　to　his　left；　and　the　bits　of　roasted　fowl　in　front　of　him。　It　was　quite　a　miracle；