anner.themummy-第29节

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　〃Yes；　sir；　you　are　right；〃　　Samir　said。〃　But　I've　never　heard　it　spoken　aloud；　and　the　accent　has　always　been　a　mystery。　But　you　must　tell　me…〃　He　forced　himself　to　look　at　the　man　directly　again。〃　You　are　an　Egyptologist；　1　have　been　told。　Do　you　believe　it　was　the　curse　on　the　tomb　that　killed　my　beloved　friend；　Lawrence？　Or　did　death　take　him　naturally　as　we　supposed？〃
　
　The　man　appeared　to　weigh　the　question；　and　in　the　shadows　some　feet　away；　Julie　Stratford　paled　and　lowered　her　eyes；　and　turned　just　a　little　away　from　both　of　them。
　
　〃Curses　are　words；　my　friend；〃　　the　man　said。〃　Warnings　to　drive　away　the　ignorant　and　meddlesome。　It　requires　poison　or　some　other　crude　weapon　to　take　a　human　life　unnaturally。〃
　
　〃Poison！〃　　Samir　whispered。
　
　〃Samir；　it's　very　late；〃　　Julie　said。　Her　voice　was　raw；　strained。〃　We　mustn't　speak　of　all　this　now；　or　I'll　give　way　to　tears　again　and　feel　foolish。　We　must　speak　of　these　things　only　when　we　really　want　to　examine　them。〃　　She　came　forward　and　took　both　his　hands。〃　I　want　you　to　e　another　night；　when　we　can　all　sit　down　together。〃
　
　〃Yes；　Julie　Stratford　is　very　tired。　Julie　Stratford　has　been　a　great　teacher。　And　I　bid　you　good　night；　my　friend。　You　are　my　friend；　are　you　not？　There　are　many　things　perhaps　that　we　can　say　to　each　other。　But　for　now；　believe　I　shall　protect　Julie　Stratford　from　anyone　or　anything　that　would　hurt　her。〃
　
　Samir　walked　slowly　to　the　door。
　
　〃If　you　need　me；〃　　he　said；　turning　back；〃　you　must　send　for　me。〃　　He　reached　into　his　coat。　He　took　out　his　card　and　stared　at　it；　quite　baffled　for　a　moment。　Then　he　gave　it　to　the　man。　He　watched　the　ring　glinting　in　the　light　as　the　man　took　it　from　him。
　
　〃I　am　in　my　office　at　the　British　Museum　very　late　every　night。　I　walk　the　corridors　when　everyone　is　gone。　e　to　the　side　door；　and　you　will　find　me。〃
　
　But　why　was　he　saying　these　things？　What　did　he　mean　to　convey？　He　wished　suddenly　the　creature　would　speak　the　ancient　tongue　again；　he　could　not　understand　the　strange　mixture　of　pain　and　joy　that　he　felt；　the　strange　darkening　of　the　world；　and　the　keen　appreciation　of　light　which　had　e　with　that　darkening。
　
　He　turned　and　went　out；　hurrying　down　the　granite　steps　and　past　the　uniformed　guards　without　so　much　as　a　glance　in　their　direction。　He　walked　fast　through　the　cold　damp　streets。　He　ignored　the　cabs　mat　slowed。　He　wanted　only　to　be　alone。　He　kept　seeing　that　ring；　hearing　those　old　Egyptian　words　finally　denned　aloud　as　he　had　never　heard　them。　He　wanted　to　weep。　A　miracle　had　been　revealed；　yet　somehow　it　threatened　the　miraculous　all　around　him。
　
　〃Lawrence；　give　me　guidance；〃　　he　whispered。
　
　Julie　shut　the　door　and　slipped　the　bolt。
　
　She　turned　to　Ramses。　She　could　hear　Rita's　tread　on　the　floor　above。　They　were　alone；　quite　beyond　Rita's　hearing。
　
　〃You　don't　mean　to　trust　him　with　your　secret！〃　　she　asked。
　
　〃The　harm　is　done；〃　　he　said　quietly。〃　He　knows　the　truth。　And　your　cousin　Henry　will　tell　others。　And　others；　too；　will　e　to　believe。〃
　
　〃No；　that's　impossible。　You　saw　yourself　what　happened　with　the　police。　Samir　knows　because　he　saw　the　ring；　he　recognized　it。　And　because　he　came　to　see；　and　came　to　believe。　Others　will　not　do　that。　And　somehow　。。。〃
　
　〃Somehow？〃
　
　〃You　wanted　him　to　know。　That's　why　you　addressed　him　by　name。　You　told　him　who　you　were。〃
　
　〃Did　I？〃
　
　〃Yes；　I　think　that　you　did。〃
　
　He　pondered　this。　He　didn't　find　the　idea　too　agreeable。　But　it　was　true；　she　could　have　sworn　so。
　
　〃Two　who　believe　can　make　three；〃　　he　said；　as　if　she　hadn't　made　the　point　at　all。
　
　〃They　cannot　prove　it。　You're　real；　yes；　and　the　ring　is　real。　But　what　is　there　really　to　connect　you　with　the　past！　You　don't　understand　these　times　if　you　think　it　takes　so　little　for　men　to　believe　that　one　has　risen　from　the　grave。　This　is　the　age　of　science；　not　religion。〃
　
　He　was　collecting　his　thoughts。　He　bowed　his　head　and　folded　his　arms　and　moved　back　and　forth　on　the　carpet。　Then　he　stopped：
　
　〃Oh；　my　darling　dear；　if　only　you　understood；〃　　he　said。　There　was　no　urgency　in　his　voice；　but　there　was　great　feeling。　And　it　seemed　the　cadence　was　English　now；　almost　intimately　so。〃　For　a　thousand　years　I　guarded　this　truth；〃　　he　said；〃　even　from　those　I　loved　and　served。　They　never　knew　whence　I　came；　or　how　long　I'd　lived；　or　what　had　befallen　me。　And　now　I've　blundered　into　your　time；　revealing　this　truth　to　more　mortals　in　one　full　moon　than　ever　knew　it　since　Ramses　ruled　Egypt。〃
　
　〃I　understand；〃　　she　said。　But　she　was　thinking　something　else　quite　different。　You　wrote　the　whole　story　in　the　scrolls。　You　left　them　there。　And　that　was　because　you　could　not　bear　this　secret　any　longer。〃　You　don't　understand　these　times；〃　　she　said　again。〃　Miracles　aren't　believed；　even　by　those　to　whom　they　happen。〃
　
　〃What　a　strange　thing　to　say！〃
　
　〃Were　I　to　shout　it　from　the　rooftops　no　one　would　believe。　Your　elixir　is　safe；　with　or　without　these　poisons。〃
　
　It　seemed　a　shock　of　pain　went　through　him。　She　saw　it。　She　felt　it。　She　regretted　her　words。　What　madness　to　think　this　creature　is　all　powerful；　that　his　ready　smile　doesn't　conceal　a　vulnerability　as　vast　as　his　strength。　She　was　at　a　loss。　She　waited。　And　then　his　smile；　once　again；　came　to　her　rescue。
　
　〃What　can　we　do　but　wait　and　see；　Julie　Stratford？〃
　
　He　sighed。　He　removed　his　frock　coat；　and　walked　away　from　her　into　the　Egyptian　room。　He　stared　at　the　coffin；　his　coffin；　and　then　at　the　row　of　jars。　He　reached　down　and　carefully　switched　on　the　electric　lamp；　as　he　had　seen　her　do；　and　then　looked　up　at　the　rows　and　rows　of　books　rising　over　Lawrence's　desk　to　the　ceiling。
　
　〃Surely　you　need　to　sleep；〃　　she　said。〃　Let　me　take　you　upstairs　to　Father's　room。〃
　
　〃No；　my　darling　dear；　I　do　not　sleep；　except　when　I　mean　to　take　leave　of　life　for　the　time　being。〃
　
　〃You　mean　。。。　day　in　and　day　out；　you　need　no　sleep　whatsoever！〃
　
　〃That　is　correct；〃　　he　said；　flashing　her　another　little　smile。〃　I　shall　tell　you　another　wicked　secret　too。　I　do　not　need　the　food　or　the　drink　I　take；　I　merely　crave　it。　And　my　body　enjoys　it。〃　　He　laughed　softly　at　her　shock。〃　But　what　I　do　need　now　is　to　read　in　your　father's　books；　if　you　will　allow　me。〃
　
　〃Of　course；　you　needn't　ask　me　for　such　a　thing；〃　　she　said。〃　You　must　take　what　you　need　and　what　you　want。　Go　to　his　room　when　you　wish。　Put　on　his　robe。　I　want　you　to　have　every　fort。〃　　She　laughed。〃　I'm　beginning　to　speak　the　way　you　speak。〃
　
　They　looked　at　each　other。　Only　a　few　feet　separated　them；　and　she　was　grateful　for　them。
　
　〃I'll　leave　you　now；〃　　she　said；　but　instantly　he　caught　her　hand；　and　closed　the　distance　and　locked　her　in　his　arms；　and　kissed　her　again。　Then；　almost　roughly　he　let　her　go。
　
　〃Julie　is　Queen　in　her　own　domain；〃　　he　said；　a　little　apologetically。
　
　〃And　your　words　to　Samir；　let　us　remember　them。　'But　for　now；　I　shall　protect　Julie　Stratford　from　anyone　or　anything　that　would　hurt　her。'〃
　
　〃I　did　not　He。　And　I　should　like　to　lie　at　your　side；　the　better　to　protect　you。〃
　
　She　laughed　softly。　Better　escape　now　while　it　was　still　morally　and　physically　possible。〃　Oh；　but　there　is　one　other　thing；〃　　she　said。　She　went　to　the　far　northeast　corner　of　the　room；　and　opened　the　cabinet　gramophone。　She　cranked　the　thing；　and　looked　at　the　RCA　Victor　records。　Verdi's　Aida。〃　Ah；　the　very　thing；〃　　she　said。　And　no　appalling　picture　on　the　front　of　the　album　to　repel　him。　She　put　the　heavy；　brittle　black　disk　on　the　velvet　turntable。　She　set　the　arm　in　place。　And　then　turned　to　watch　his　face　as　the　triumphal　march　from　the　opera　began；　a　low；　faraway　chorus　of　lovely　voices。
　
　〃Oooh；　but　what　is　this　magic！　The　machine　is　making　music！〃
　
　〃Just　wind　and　play。　And　I　shall　sleep　as　mortal　women　do；　dreaming；　though　real　life　has　bee　all　I　ever　dreamed　it　would　be。〃
　
　She　glanced　back　once　to　see　him　rocking　to　the　music；　his　arms　folded；　his　head　bowed。　He　was　singing　with　it；　very　low；　under　his　breath。　And　even　the　simple　sight　of　the　white　shirt　stretched　taut　over　his　broad　back　and　powerful　arms　sent　the　shivers　through　her。
　
　AS　MIDNIGHT　struck；　Elliott　closed　the　notebook。
　
　〃He　had　spent　the　evening　reading　Lawrence's　translations　through　and　through；　and　reexamining　his　dusty　old　biographies　of　the　King　called　Ramses　the　Great；　and　the　Queen　known　as　Cleopatra。　There　was　nothing　in　these　historical　tomes　that　could　not　acmodate　the　assertions　of　the　mummy's　preposterous　story。
　
　A　man　who　ruled　Egypt　for　sixty　years　might　damn　well　have　been　immortal。　And　the　reign　of　Cleopatra　VI　had　been　by　any　standards　utterly　remarkable。
　
　But　what　intrigued　him　more　than　anything　at　the　moment　was　a　paragraph　Lawrence　had　written　in　Latin　and　in　Egyptian…the　very　last　of　his　notes。　Elliott　had　had　no　trouble　reading　this。　He　had　kept　his　diary　in　Latin　when　he　was　in　Oxford；　and　he　had　studied　Egyptian　for　years　along　with　Lawrence；　and　then　on　his　own。
　
　This　was　not　a　transcript　of　the　material　in　Ramses'　scrolls。　Rather　the　paragraph　contained　Lawrence'