anner.themummy-第25节

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ht；　out　of　time　and　place；　yet　nevertheless　a　King。
　
　She　steered　him　into　the　bookseller's。　She　pointed　out　the　old　names；　Aristotle；　Plato；　Euripedes；　Cicero。　He　stared　at　the　Aubrey　Beardsley　prints　on　the　wall。
　
　Photographs　positively　delighted　him。　Into　a　little　studio；　Julie　took　him　to　have　his　own　portrait　taken。　His　pleasure　was　almost　childlike。　Even　more　wonderful；　he　exclaimed；　was　that　even　the　poor　of　this　great　city　could　have　such　pictures　made。
　
　But　when　he　beheld　moving　pictures；　he　was　positively　stunned。　In　the　crowded　little　cinema；　he　gasped；　clinging　tight　to　Julie's　hand；　as　the　giant　luminescent　figures　scurried　about　on　the　screen　before　them。　Tracing　the　projectionists'　beams　with　his　eye；　he　made　at　once　for　the　little　room　in　back；　tearing　open　the　door　without　hesitation。　But　the　old　projectionist　fell　prey　to　his　charm　as　did　everyone　else；　and　was　soon　explaining　the　entire　mechanism　in　detail。
　
　At　last　as　they　entered　the　giant　dark　cavern　of　Victoria　Station；　the　mighty　chugging　lootives　brought　him　to　a　dead　halt。　But　even　these　he　approached　fearlessly。　He　touched　the　cold　black　iron；　and　stood　dangerously　close　to　the　giant　wheels。　Behind　the　departing　train；　he　put　his　foot　on　the　track　to　feel　the　vibration。　Dazed；　he　stared　at　the　crowds。
　
　〃Thousands　of　people；　transported　from　one　end　of　Europe　to　the　other；〃　　she　cried　out　over　the　noise　around　them。〃　Journeys　which　once　took　months　now　take　but　a　few　days。〃
　
　〃Europe；〃　　he　whispered。　〃Italia　to　Britannia。〃
　
　'　The　trains　are　carried　on　ships　across　the　water。　The　poor　of　the　open　country　can　e　into　the　cities。　All　men　know　the　cities；　do　you　see？〃
　
　He　nodded　gravely。　He　squeezed　her　hand。〃　No　haste；　Julie。　All　will　be　understood　in　time。〃　　Flash　of　his　brilliant　smile　again；　that　great　sudden　warmth　of　affection　for　her　which　made　her　blush　and　look　away。
　
　〃Temples；　Julie。　The　houses　of　the　deus　。。。　di。〃
　
　〃Gods。　But　there　is　only　one　now。　One　God。〃
　
　Disbelief。　One　God？
　
　Westminster　Abbey。　They　walked　together　under　the　high　arches。　Such　splendor。　She　showed　him　the　cenotaph　of　Shakespeare。
　
　〃Not　the　house　of　God；〃　　she　said；〃　But　the　place　where　we　gather　to　talk　to　him。〃　　How　explain　Christianity？〃　Brotherly　love；〃　　she　said。〃　That　is　the　basis；〃
　
　He　looked　at　her　in　confusion。〃　Brotherly　love？〃　　Keenly；　he　watched　the　people　around　him。
　
　〃Do　they　believe　this　religion？〃　　he　asked。〃　Or　is　it　habit　alone？〃
　
　By　late　afternoon　he　was　speaking　coherently　in　whole　paragraphs。　He　told　her　that　he　liked　English。　It　was　a　good　language　for　thinking。　Greek　and　Latin　had　been　excellent　for　thinking。　Egyptian；　no。　With　each　new　language　he　had　learned　in　his　earlier　existence　his　capacity　for　understanding　had　improved。　Language　made　possible　whole　kinds　of　thinking。　Ah；　that　the　mon　people　of　this　era　read　newspapers；　crowded　with　words！　What　must　the　thinking　of　the　mon　man　be？〃　Are　you　not　the　least　bit　tired？〃　　Julie　asked；　finally。〃　No；　never　tired；〃　　he　said；〃　except　in　the　heart　and　the　soul。　Hungry。　Food；　Julie。　I　desire　much　food。〃
　
　They　entered　the　quiet　of　Hyde　Park　together；　and　despite　his　disclaimers　he　did　seem　relieved　by　the　sudden　timeless　trees　around　him；　by　the　vision　of　the　sky　through　branches　as　it　might　have　been　seen　at　any　moment　or　from　any　vantage　point　on　earth。
　
　They　found　a　little　bench　on　the　path。　He　fell　into　silence　watching　the　strollers。　And　how　they　stared　at　him…this　man　of　powerful　build　with　his　fiercely　exuberant　expression。　Did　he　know　he　was　handsome？　she　wondered。　Did　he　know　that　the　mere　touch　of　his　hand　sent　a　frisson　through　her　which　she　tried　to　ignore？
　
　Oh；　so　much　to　show　him。　She　took　him　to　the　offices　of　Stratford　Shipping；　praying　that　no　one　would　recognize　her；　and　led　him　into　the　wrought…iron　lift；　and　pressed　the　button　for　the　roof。
　
　〃Wires　and　pulleys；〃　　she　explained。
　
　〃Britannia；〃　　he　whispered　as　they　looked　out　on　the　rooftops　of　London；　as　they　listened　to　the　scream　of　the　factory　whistles；　to　the　jangling　of　the　tram　bells　far　below。〃　America；　Julie。〃　　He　turned　to　her　excitedly；　clasping　her　shoulders；　his　fingers　surprisingly　gentle。　〃How　many　days　by　mechanical　ship　to　America？〃
　
　〃Ten　days；　I　believe。　One　could　be　in　Egypt　in　less　time　than　that。　A　passage　to　Alexandria　is　six　days。〃
　
　Why　had　she　said　those　words？　His　face　darkened　ever　so　slightly。〃　Alexandria；〃　　he　whispered；　pronouncing　it　as　she　had。〃　Alexandria　still　stands？〃
　
　She　led　him　to　the　lift。　So　much　more　to　see。　She　explained　there　was　still　an　Athens；　still　a　Damascus；　still　an　Antioch。　And　Rome；　of　course　there　was　Rome。
　
　A　wild　idea　had　e　to　her。　Hailing　a　hansom；　she　told　the　driver：　〃Madame　Tussaud's。〃
　
　All　those　costumed　figures　in　the　wax　museum。　Hastily　she　explained　what　it　was；　a　panorama　of　history。　She　would　show　him　American　Indians；　she　would　show　him　Genghis　Khan　or　Attila　the　Hun…creatures　who　had　brought　terror　to　Europe　after　Rome　fell。
　
　She　could　not　envision　the　mosaic　of　facts　being　created　for　him。　His　equanimity　amazed　her　more　and　more。
　
　But　they　had　been　in　Madame　Tussaud's　only　a　few　moments　when　she　realized　her　error。　His　posure　crumbled　at　the　first　sight　of　Roman　soldiers。　He　recognized　the　figure　of　Julius　Caesar　instantly。　And　then　in　disbelief　he　stared　at　the　Egyptian　Cleopatra；　a　wax　doll　which　bore　no　resemblance　to　the　bust　he　had　cherished　or　the　coins　he　still　possessed。　But　her　identity　was　unmistakable　as　she　reclined　on　her　gilded　couch；　the　snake　coiled　in　her　hands；　its　fangs　just　beneath　her　breast。　The　stiff　figure　of　Mark　Antony　stood　behind　her；　a　characterless　man　in　Roman　military　dress。
　
　Ramses'　face　coloured。　There　was　something　savage　in　his　eyes　as　he　turned　to　Julie；　then　looked　back　at　the　printed　labels　beneath　this　display。
　
　Why　hadn't　she　realized　these　figures　would　be　here？　Why　hadn't　she　remembered？　She　caught　his　hand　as　he　backed　away　from　the　glass。　He　turned　around；　almost　stumbling　into　a　couple　who　blocked　his　path。　The　man　said　something　threatening；　but　Ramses　didn't　seem　to　hear　it。　He　was　hurrying　towards　the　exit。　She　ran　after　him。
　
　He　appeared　calmer　when　she　reached　the　street。　He　was　scanning　the　traffic。　He　reached　out　for　her　hand　without　looking　at　her；　and　together　they　proceeded　slowly　until　he　stopped　to　watch　the　workmen　on　a　construction　sight。　The　great　cement　mixer　was　churning。　The　sound　of　hammering　echoed　against　distant　walls。
　
　A　faint　bitter　smile　passed　over　Ramses'　lips。　Julie　hailed　a　passing　hansom。
　
　〃Where　shall　we　go　now？〃　　she　asked。　〃Tell　me　what　you　want　to　see。〃
　
　He　was　staring　at　a　beggar　woman；　a　ragged　figure　in　broken…down　shoes　who　extended　her　hand　now　as　she　passed。
　
　〃The　poor；〃　　he　said；　glancing　at　the　woman。　〃Why　are　the　poor　still　here？〃
　
　They　rode　silently　through　cobblestone　streets。　Strings　of　laundry　closed　out　the　damp　gray　sky。　The　smoke　of　cooking　fires　rose　in　the　alleys。　Barefoot　children　with　soiled　faces　turned　to　watch　them　pass。
　
　〃But　cannot　all　this　wealth　help　these　people？　They　are　as　poor　as　the　peasants　of　my　land。〃
　
　〃Some　things　don't　change　with　time；〃　　Julie　said。　〃And　your　father？　He　was　a　rich　man？〃　　She　nodded。　〃He　built　a　great　shipping　pany…ships　that　carry　merchandise　from　India　and　Egypt　to　England　and　America。　Ships　that　circle　the　world。〃
　
　〃For　this　wealth；　Henry　tried　to　kill　you；　as　he　killed　your　father　in　the　tomb。〃
　
　Julie　stared　straight　forward。　It　seemed　the　words　would　strip　away　every　vestige　of　control　she　had。　This　day；　this　adventure；　it　had　carried　her　to　the　heights；　and　now　she　felt　herself　descending。　Henry　killed　Father。　It　was　near　impossible　for　her　to　speak。
　
　Ramses　took　her　hand　in　his。
　
　〃There　should　have　been　enough　wealth　for　all　of　us；〃　　she　said；　her　voice　strained。〃　Enough　for　me；　for　Henry；　for　Henry's　father。〃
　
　〃Yet　your　father　dug　in　Egypt　for　treasure。〃　〃No；　not　for　treasure！〃　　She　looked　at　him　sharply。〃　He　dug　to　find　evidence　of　the　past。　Your　writings　meant　more　to　him　than　the　rings　on　your　ringers。　The　story　you　told；　that　was　his　treasure。　That　and　the　painted　coffin　because　it　was　a　pure　thing；　from　your　time。〃
　
　〃Archaeology；〃　　Ramses　said。
　
　〃Yes。〃　　She　smiled　in　spite　of　herself。〃　My　father　was　not　a　robber　of　tombs。〃
　
　〃I　understand　you。　Don't　bee　angry。〃　〃He　was　a　scholar；〃　　she　said；　a　little　more　gently。〃　He　had　all　the　money　he　needed。　If　he　made　a　mistake；　it　was　that　he　left　his　pany　to　his　brother；　and　to　his　nephew；　but　then　he　paid　them　so　very　well。〃
　
　She　stopped。　She　felt　weary　suddenly。　Beneath　the　euphoria；　she　had　been　ever　mindful　of　what　happened；　and　the　pain　had　only　begun。
　
　〃Something　went　wrong；〃　　she　whispered。
　
　〃Greed　is　what　went　wrong。　Greed　is　what　always　goes　wrong。〃
　
　He　was　looking　out　the　window　at　the　dull；　broken　windows　above。　Foul　smells　rose　from　the　puddles　and　from　the　doorways。　The　stench　of　urine；　and　decay。
　
　She　herself　had　never　been　in　this　part　of　London。　It　saddened　her；　it　exacerbated　her　own　pain。