anner.themummy-第22节

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ught　him　an　hour　ago。
　
　He　gave　her　a　moment　to　read　this。　And　then　he　wrote　beneath　his　cartouche　the　arabic　numerals　3000。
　
　〃Ramses　is　three　thousand　years　old；〃　　she　said；　pointing　to　him；　〃and　Ramses　knows　it。〃
　
　He　nodded　again；　and　smiled。　What　was　his　expression？　Sad；　resigned；　merely　thoughtful？　There　was　a　great　dark　flicker　of　pain　in　his　eyes。　The　smile　did　not　break；　but　she　saw　it；　and　she　saw　a　subtle　puckering　of　the　lids　beneath　his　eyes　as　he　pondered　this　himself；　and　apparently　moved　back　from　it　emotionally。　He　looked　about　the　room　now　as　if　he　were　seeing　it　for　the　first　time。　He　looked　at　the　ceiling；　and　then　at　the　floor；　and　then　directly　at　the　bust　of　Cleopatra。　His　eyes　were　as　wide　as　before；　his　smile　as　soft　and　agreeable；　but　the　something　was　gone　from　his　face。　The　vigour。　It　had　pletely　vanished。
　
　When　he　looked　at　her　again；　there　was　a　thin　glaze　of　tears　in　his　eyes。　She　couldn't　bear　it。　She　reached　out　and　clasped　his　left　hand。　His　fingers　curled　around　hers；　squeezing　them　tenderly。　〃Very　many　years；　Julie；〃　　he　said。　〃Very　many　years。　The　world　unseen　by　me。　Do　I　speak　clearly？〃
　
　〃Oh；　yes；　indeed　you　do；〃　　she　said。
　
　He　studied　her；　whispering　slowly；　and　almost　reverently；〃　Very　many　many　years；　Julie。〃　　And　then　he　smiled。　And　his　smile　became　broader。　And　then　his　shoulders　began　to　shake。　And　she　realized　he　was　laughing。〃　Two　thousand　years；　Julie。〃　　He　laughed　outright。　And　the　look　of　wild　excitement　returned；　the　look　of　heightened　vitality。　Only　slowly　did　his　eyes　turn　to　the　bust　of　Cleopatra。　He　stared　at　it　for　a　long　moment；　and　then　he　looked　at　Julie　again；　and　the　curiosity　and　optimism　had　returned。　For　that　was　it；　a　great　vigorous　optimism。
　
　She　wanted　to　kiss　him。　In　fact；　the　urge　was　so　strong　it　amazed　her。　It　wasn't　merely　the　beauty　of　his　face；　it　was　the　deep　resonant　quality　of　his　voice；　and　the　look　of　pain　in　his　eyes；　and　the　way　he　smiled　at　her　now；　and　reached　up　and　touched　her　hair　ever　so　respectfully。　Chills　ran　down　her　back。
　
　〃Ramses　is　immortal；〃　　she　said。　〃Ramses　has　vitam　eternom。〃
　
　A　small　polite　laugh　of　acknowledgment　came　from　him。　A　nod。〃　Yes；〃　　he　said。〃　Vitam　eternam。〃
　
　Was　she　feeling　love　for　this　man？　Or　merely　an　infatuation　so　overpowering　it　swept　every　other　consideration　out　of　her　mind？　Even　Henry　and　what　he　had　done；　that　he　had　killed　her　father？
　
　Henry　must　wait。　Justice　had　to　wait。　Unless　she　was　to　kill　Henry　herself；　and　that　was　quite　unthinkable。　But　this；　this　was　everything　now；　this　man　sitting　before　her。　Her　hatred　for　Henry　would　have　its　day。　Henry　was　heading　towards　God's　justice　more　surely　than　any　human　being　she　had　ever　known。
　
　And　she　stood　gazing　into　these　magnificent　blue　eyes；　feeling　the　warmth　of　the　hand　that　held　hers；　swept　into　this　man's　future　by　a　miracle。
　
　There　was　a　violent　noise　from　the　street。　It　could　only　have　been　a　motor　car。　He　heard　it；　there　was　no　doubt　of　that；　but　only　very　slowly　did　he　respond；　looking　away　from　her　and　towards　the　front　windows。　Then　placing　his　arm　very　lightly　on　her　shoulder；　he　guided　her　with　him　to　the　front　of　the　house。
　
　What　a　gentleman　he　was；　what　a　strange　courtly　being。　He　peered　out　through　the　lace　at　what　must　surely　have　been　a　shocking　spectacle…an　Italian　roadster　idling；　with　two　young　men　in　the　front　seat；　both　of　them　waving　at　a　young　lady　who　was　walking　on　the　pavement　opposite。　The　driver　sounded　the　horn；　a　nasty　loud　thing；　and　it　gave　Ramses　a　bad　start。　But　he　continued　to　look　at　the　rumbling；　backfiring　open　car；　not　with　fear；　but　with　curiosity。　As　the　thing　began　to　move；　and　then　lurched　down　the　street；　his　curiosity　gave　way　to　utter　astonishment。
　
　〃Motorcar；〃　　she　said。〃　It　runs　on　gasoline。　It　is　a　machine。　An　invention。〃
　
　〃Motor　car！〃　　He　moved　immediately　to　the　front　door；　and　opened　it。
　
　〃No；　you　must　e；　get　properly　dressed；〃　　she　said。〃　Vestments；　proper　vestments。〃
　
　〃Shirt；　tie；　trousers；　shoes；〃　　he　said。
　
　She　laughed。　He　made　a　gesture　for　her　to　wait。　She　watched　as　he　went　into　the　Egyptian　room；　and　studied　the　long　line　of　alabaster　jars。　He　selected　one；　and　turned　it　to　reveal　a　small　hidden　partment　at　the　base；　which　was　now　opened。　Out　of　this　he　took　several　gold　coins。　He　brought　these　to　her。
　
　〃Vestments；〃　　he　said。
　
　She　studied　them　only　a　second　or　two　in　the　light　from　the　windows。　More　of　the　flawless　Cleopatra　coins。
　
　〃Oh；　no；〃　　she　said；〃　these　are　worth　far　too　much　for　us　to　spend　them。　Put　them　away。　You　are　my　guest　here。　I　shall　take　care　of　everything。〃
　
　She　took　him　by　the　hand　and　led　him　up　the　stairs。　Once　again；　he　studied　everything　about　him。　Only　this　time　he　paused　to　examine　the　porcelain　whatnots　on　the　shelf。　He　stopped　beneath　her　father's　portrait　in　the　upstairs　hall。
　
　〃Lawrence；〃　　he　said。　Then；　looking　intently　at　her：〃　Henry？　Where　is　Henry？〃
　
　〃I　shall　take　care　of　Henry；〃　　she　said。〃　Time　and　the　courts　of　law　。。。　judicium　。。。　justice　shall　take　care　of　Henry。〃
　
　He　indicated　he　was　not　satisfied　with　this　answer。　He　drew　the　paring　knife　out　of　his　pocket　and　ran　his　thumb　along　the　blade。〃　I；　Ramses；　shall　kill　Henry。〃
　
　〃No！〃　　Her　hands　flew　to　her　lips。〃　No。　Justice。　Law！〃　　she　said。〃　We　are　a　people　of　courts　and　laws。　When　the　time　es　。。。〃　　But　she　broke　down。　She　could　say　no　more。　The　tears　welled　in　her　eyes。　It　was　hitting　her　again。　Henry　robbed　Father　of　this　triumph；　this　mystery；　this　very　moment。〃　No；〃　　she　said　as　he　tried　to　steady　her。　He　put　his　hand　on　his　chest。〃　I；　Ramses；　am　justice；〃　　he　said。〃　King；　court；　justice。〃
　
　She　sniffled；　trying　to　stop　her　tears。　She　wiped　at　her　lips　with　the　back　of　her　hand。
　
　〃You're　a　very　fast　learner　of　words；〃　　she　said；〃　but　you　cannot　kill　Henry。　I　cannot　live　if　you　kill　Henry。〃
　
　Suddenly　he　took　her　face　in　his　hands；　and　forcing　her　to　him；　he　kissed　her。　It　was　brief；　yet　absolutely　devastating。　She　reeled；　and　turned　her　back　on　him。
　
　Quickly；　she　walked　to　the　end　of　the　hall　and　opened　her　father's　door。　She　did　not　turn　around　and　look　at　him　again　as　she　took　the　clothing　out　of　the　wardrobe。　She　laid　out　the　shirt；　the　trousers；　the　belt。　Socks；　shoes。　She　pointed　to　the　pictures　on　the　wall；　all　the　old　photographs　her　father　had　treasured　of　himself　and　Elliott　and　Randolph　and　other　cronies；　from　Oxford　days　to　the　present。　The　coat；　she'd　forgotten　the　coat。　She　dragged　that　out　too　and　laid　it　down　on　the　bed。
　
　Then　and　only　then　did　she　look　up。　He　stood　in　the　door；　watching　her。　The　robe　was　open　now　to　his　waist；　surely　there　was　something　profoundly　primitive　in　the　way　he　stood　there；　arms　folded；　feet　apart；　yet　it　seemed　at　the　moment　the　very　height　of　decorous　sophistication。
　
　He　moved　into　the　room　now；　surveying　it　with　the　same　curiosity　with　which　he　approached　everything　else。　He　saw　the　photographs　of　her　father；　along　with　Randolph　and　Elliott　at　Oxford。　He　turned　to　look　at　the　clothing　laid　out　on　the　bed。　Clearly　he　was　paring　the　clothes　with　that　of　the　men　in　the　pictures。
　
　〃Yes；〃　　she　said；〃　you　should　dress　like　that。〃
　
　His　eyes　darted　to　the　Archaeology　Journal　on　the　dressing　table。　He　picked　it　up　and　leafed　through　it；　stopping　at　a　full　engraving　of　the　great　pyramid　at　Giza　which　contained　also　the　Mena　Hotel。　What　in　the　world　was　he　thinking？　He　closed　it。
　
　〃RRRRR　。。。　kay　。。。　ology；〃　　he　said。　With　the　utter　guile…lessness　of　a　child；　he　smiled。
　
　His　eyes　positively　glittered　as　he　looked　at　her。　There　was　a　scant　bit　of　hair　on　his　massive　chest。　She　must　get　out　of　here　now。
　
　〃You　dress；　Ramses。　Like　the　pictures。　I'll　help　you　later　if　you　make　any　mistakes。〃
　
　〃Very　well；　Julie　Stratford；〃　　he　said　in　that　paralyzingly　perfect　British　accent。〃　I　dress　alone。　I　have　done　this　before。〃
　
　Of　course。　Slaves。　He　had　always　had　them；　hadn't　he？　Probably　by　the　dozens。　Well；　there　was　nothing　to　be　done　about　it。　She　could　not　start　removing　that　robe　with　her　own　hands。　Her　cheeks　were　burning。　She　could　feel　it。　She　hurried　out；　and　quietly　shut　the　door。
　
　HENRY　WAS　now　as　drunk　as　he　had　ever　been　in　his　life。　He　had　finished　the　bottle　of　Scotch　which　he　had　taken　without　permission　from　Elliott；　and　the　r'〃　'　brandy　was　going　down　like　water。　But　it　did　not　help。
　
　He　was　smoking　one　Egyptian　cheroot　after　another；　filling　Daisy's　flat　with　the　pungent　fragrance　he　had　grown　accustomed　to　in　Cairo；　And　all　it　did　was　make　him　think　of　Malenka；　and　how　he　wished　he　was　with　Malenka；　though　he　also　wished　he　had　never　set　foot　in　Egypt；　that　he　had　never　entered　that　chamber　in　the　side　of　the　mountain　where　his　uncle　Lawrence　had　been　poring　over　a　stack　of　ancient　scrolls。
　
　That　thing　had　been　alive！　That　thing　had　seen　him　slip　the　poison　into　Lawrence's　cup。　No　mistaking　now　the　memory　of　those　eyes　open　under　the　bandages；　no　mistaking　that　the　thing　had　e　out　of　its　coffin　in　Julie's　house　and　clamped　its　filthy　hand　on　his　neck。
　
　No　one　understood　the　danger　he　was　in。　No　one　understood　because　no　one　kn