anner.themummy-第3节

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　Now　his　joints　hurt　more　and　more　with　every　passing　winter；　and　he　could　not　walk　half　a　mile　any　longer　in　the　country　without　suffering　a　severe　pain　in　his　chest。　He　did　not　mind　having　white　hair　at　fifty…five；　perhaps　because　he　knew　he　looked　rather　good　with　it。　But　it　bruised　him　secretly　and　deeply　to　have　to　use　a　cane　wherever　he　went。　These　were　all　mere　shadows；　however；　of　what　was　yet　to　e。
　
　Old　age；　weakness；　dependence。　Pray　that　Alex　was　happily　married　to　the　Stratford　millions；　and　not　before　too　long！
　
　He　felt　restless；　suddenly；　dissatisfied。　The　soft　swooshing　music　annoyed　him；　sick　to　death　of　Strauss；　actually。　But　it　was　something　keener。
　
　He　wanted　to　explain　it　suddenly　to　Randolph；　that　he；　Elliott；　had　made　some　crucial　mistake　a　long　time　ago。　Something　to　do　with　those　long　nights　in　Egypt；　when　he　and　Lawrence　would　walk　through　the　black　streets　of　Cairo　together；　or　rail　at　each　other　drunkenly　in　the　little　saloon　of　the　boat。　Lawrence
　
　had　somehow　managed　to　live　his　life　along　heroic　proportions；　he　had　acplished　things　of　which　others　were　simply　incapable。　Elliott　had　moved　with　the　current。　Lawrence　had　escaped　to　Egypt；　back　to　the　desert；　the　temples；　to　those　clear　star…filled　nights。
　
　God；　how　he　missed　Lawrence。　In　the　last　three　years　they　had　exchanged　only　a　handful　of　letters；　but　the　old　understanding　would　never　grow　dim。
　
　〃Henry　took　some　papers　with　him；〃　　Randolph　said；〃　small　matter　of　family　stock。〃　　He　glanced　about　warily；　too　warily。　Elliott　was　going　to　laugh　again。
　
　〃If　it　goes　as　I　hope；〃　　Randolph　continued；〃　I'll　pay　you　everything　I　owe　you；　and　the　marriage　will　take　place　within　six　months；　I　give　you　my　word。〃　　Elliott　smiled。
　
　〃Randolph；　the　marriage　may　or　may　not　happen；　it　may　or　may　not　solve　things　for　both　of　us…〃　〃Don't　say　mat；　old　boy。〃
　
　〃But　I　must　have　that　twenty　thousand　pounds　before　Edith　es　home；〃
　
　〃Precisely；　Elliott；　precisely。〃
　
　〃You　know；　you　might　say　no　to　your　son　once　hi　a　while。〃　　A　deep　sigh　came　from　Randolph。　Elliott　didn't　press　it。　He　knew　as　well　as　anyone　did　that　Henry's　deterioration　was　no　joke　any　longer；　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　sowing　wild　oats；　or　going　through　a　rough　period。　There　was　something　thoroughly　rotten　in　Henry　Stratford　and　there　always　had　been。　There　was　very　little　that　was　rotten　in　Randolph。　And　so　it　was　a　tragedy；　and　Elliott；　who　loved　his　own　son；　Alex；　excessively；　had　only　sympathy　for　Randolph　on　that　score。
　
　More　assurances；　a　positive　din　of　assurance。　You'll　get　your　twenty　thousand　pounds。　But　Elliott　wasn't　listening。　He　was　watching　the　dancers　again…his　good　and　gentle　son　whispering　passionately　to　Julie；　whose　face　wore　that　look　of　determination　that　flattered　her　for　reasons　that　Elliott　could　never　fully　understand。
　
　Some　women　must　smile　to　be　beautiful。　Some　women　must　weep。　But　with　Julie；　the　real　radiance　shone　only　when　she　was　serious…perhaps　because　her　eyes　were　too　softly　brown　otherwise；　her　mouth　too　guileless；　her　porcelain　cheeks　too　smooth。
　
　Fired　with　determination；　she　was　a　vision。　And　Alex；　for　all
　
　his　breeding；　and　all　his　proffered　passion；　seemed　no　more　than　**a　partner〃　　for　her；　one　of　a　thousand　elegant　young　men　who　might　have　guided　her　across　the　marble　floor。
　
　ft　was　the〃　Morning　Papers　Waltz〃　　and　Julie　loved　it；　she　had　always　loved　it。　There　came　back　to　her　now　a　faint　memory　of　dancing　once　to　the〃　Morning　Papers　Waltz〃　　with　her　father。　Was　ft　when　they　had　first　brought　home　the　gramophone；　and　they　had　danced　all　through　the　Egyptian　room　and　the　library　and　the　drawing　rooms…she　and　Father…until　the　light　came　through　the　shutters；　and　he　had　said：
　
　〃Oh；　my　dear；　no　more。　No　more。〃
　
　Now　the　music　made　her　drowsy　and　almost　sad。　And　Alex　kept　talking　to　her；　telling　her　in　one　way　or　another　that　he　loved　her；　and　mere　was　that　panic　inside　her；　that　fear　of　speaking　harsh　or　cold　words。
　
　〃And　if　you　want　to　live　in　Egypt；〃　　Alex　said　breathlessly；〃　and　dig　for　mummies　with　your　father；　well　then；　we'll　go　to　Egypt。　We'll　go　straight　after　the　wedding。　And　if　you　want　to　in　arch　for　the　vote；　well　then；　I　shall　march　at　your　side。〃
　
　〃Oh；　yes；〃　　Julie　answered；〃　that's　what　you　say　now；　and　I　know　you　mean　it　with　all　your　heart；　but　Alex；　I'm　just　not　ready。　I　cannot。〃
　
　She　couldn't　bear　to　see　him　so　deadly　earnest。　She　couldn't　bear　to　see　him　hurt。　If　only　there　were　a　little　wickedness　in　Alex；　just　a　little　bit　of　meanness　as　there　was　in　everyone　else。　His　good　looks　would　nave　been　improved　by　a　little　meanness。　Tall；　lean　and　brown…haired；　he　was　too　angelic。　His　quick　dark　eyes　revealed　his　entire　soul　too　easily。　At　twenty…five；　he　was　an　eager　and　innocent　boy。
　
　'〃What　do　you　want　with　a　suffragette　for　a　wife？〃　　she　asked。〃　With　an　explorer？　You　know　I　could　very　well　be　an　explorer；　or　an　archaeologist。　I　wish　I　was　in　Egypt　with　Father　right　now。〃
　
　〃Dearest；　we'll　go　there。　Only　marry　me　before　we　go。〃
　
　He　leaned　forward　as　if　he　meant　to　lass　her。　And　she　moved　back　a　step；　the　waltz　carrying　them　almost　recklessly　fast；　so　that　for　a　moment　she　felt　light…headed　and　almost　as　if　she　were　truly　in　love。
　
　〃What　can　I　do　to　win　you；　Julie？〃　　he　whispered　in　her　ear。〃　I'll　bring　the　Great　Pyramids　to　London。〃
　
　〃Alex；　you　won　me　a　long　time　ago；〃　　she　said；　smiling。　But
　
　that　was　a　lie；　wasn't　it？　There　was　something　truly　terrible　about　this　moment…about　the　music　with　its　lovely　pelling　rhythm；　and　the　desperate　look　on　Alex's　face。
　
　〃The　simple　truth　is　。。。　I　don't　want　to　be　married。　Not　yet。〃　　And　perhaps　not　at　all？
　
　He　didn't　answer　her。　She'd　been　too　blunt；　too　much　to　the　point。　She　knew　that　sudden　shrinking。　It　wasn't　unmanly；　on　the　contrary；　it　was　gentlemanly。　She　had　hurt　him；　and　when　he　smiled　again　now；　there　was　a　sweetness　and　a　courage　in　it　that　touched　her　and　made　her　feel　all　the　more　sad。
　
　〃Father　will　be　back　in　a　few　months；　Alex。　We'll　all　talk　then。　Marriage；　the　future；　the　rights　of　women；　married　and　unmarried；　and　the　possibility　that　you　deserve　far　better　than　a　modern　woman　like　me　who's　very　likely　to　turn　your　hair　grey　within　the　first　year　and　send　you　running　into　the　arms　of　an　old…fashioned　mistress。〃
　
　〃Oh；　how　you　love　to　be　shocking；〃　　he　said。〃　And　I　love　to　be　shocked。〃
　
　〃But　do　you；　dearest；　really　love　to　be　shocked？〃
　
　Suddenly　he　did　kiss　her。　They　had　stopped　in　the　middle　of　the　dance　floor；　other　couples　swirling　around　them　as　the　music　swept　on。　He　kissed　her　and　she　allowed　it；　yielding　to　him　pletely　as　if　she　must　somehow　love　him；　must　somehow　meet　him　halfway。
　
　It　didn't　matter　that　others　must　be　looking　at　them。　It　didn't　matter　that　his　hands　were　trembling　as　he　held　her。
　
　What　mattered　was　that；　though　she　loved　him　terribly；　it　was　not　enough。
　
　It　was　cool　now。　There　was　noise　out　there；　cars　arriving。　The　braying　of　a　donkey；　and　the　sharp　high…pitched　sound　of　a　woman　laughing；　an　American　woman；　who　had　driven　all　the　way　from　Cairo　as　soon　as　she　had　heard。
　
　Lawrence　and　Samir　sat　together　in　their　camp　chairs　at　the　ancient　writing　table；　with　the　papyri　spread　out　before　them。
　
　Careful　not　to　put　his　full　weight　on　the　fragile　piece　of　furniture；　Lawrence　hastily　scribbled　his　translations　in　his　leather…bound　book。
　
　Now　and　then　he　glanced　over　his　shoulder　at　the　mummy；　the　great　King　who　for　all　die　world　looked　as　if　he　merely　slept。　Ramses　the　Immortal！　The　very　idea　inflamed　Lawrence。　He　knew　that　he　would　be　in　this　strange　chamber　until　well　after　dawn。
　
　〃But　it　must　be　a　hoax；〃　　Samir　said。〃　Ramses　the　Great　guarding　the　royal　families　of　Egypt　for　a　thousand　years。　The　lover　of　Cleopatra？〃
　
　〃Ah；　but　it　makes　sublime　sense！〃　　Lawrence　replied。　He　set　down　the　pen　for　a　moment；　staring　at　the　papyri。　How　his　eyes　ached。〃　If　any　woman　could　have　driven　an　immortal　man　to　entomb　himself；　Cleopatra　would　be　that　woman。〃
　
　He　looked　at　the　marble　bust　before　him。　Lovingly　he　stroked　Cleopatra's　smooth　white　cheek。　Yes；　Lawrence　could　believe　it。　Cleopatra；　beloved　of　Julius　Caesar　and　beloved　of　Mark　Antony；　Cleopatra；　who　had　held　out　against　the　Roman　conquest　of　Egypt　far　longer　than　anyone　dreamed　possible；　Cleopatra；　the　last　ruler　of　Egypt　in　the　ancient　world。　But　the　story…he　must　resume　his　translation。。。
　
　Samir　rose　and　stretched　uneasily。　Lawrence　watched　him　move　towards　the　mummy。　What　was　he　doing？　Examining　the　wrappings　over　the　fingers；　examining　the　brilliant　scarab　ring　so　clearly　visible　on　the　right　hand？　Now　mat　was　a　nineteenth…dynasty　treasure；　no　one　could　deny　it；　Lawrence　thought。
　
　Lawrence　closed　his　eyes　and　massaged　his　eyelids　gently。　Then　he　opened　them；　focusing　on　the　papyrus　before　him　again。
　
　〃Samir；　I　tell　you；　the　fellow　is　convincing　me。　Such　a　mand　of　languages　would　dazzle　anyone。　And　his　philosophical　perspective　is　quite　as　modern　as　my　own。〃　　He　reached　for　the　older　document；　which　he　had　examined　earlier。〃　And　this；　Samir；　I　want　you　to　examine　it。　Thi