anner.themummy-第32节

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　〃Why　do　you　say　this？〃
　
　〃The　authorities　know　that　coins　have　been　stolen　from　the　collection！　They　want　to　reclaim　the　mummy　of　Ramses　the　Great。　There　is　much　talk　and　suspicion。〃
　
　Samir　could　see　the　menace　hi　Ramses'　face。〃　The　accursed　Henry　Stratford；〃　　he　said　under　his　breath；　quickening　his　pace　ever　so　slightly。〃　He　poisoned　his　uncle；　a　man　of　learning　and　wisdom。　His　own　flesh　and　blood。　And　stole　from　mat　man　a　golden　coin　as　the　body　lay　dying。〃
　
　Samir　stopped。　The　shock　was　more　than　he　could　bear。　Instantly　he　knew　it　was　true。　He　had　known　when　he　saw　the　body　of　his　friend　that　something　was　terribly　wrong。　It　had　not　been　a　natural　death。　But　he　had　believed　Henry　Stratford　a　coward。　Slowly　he　caught　his　breath。　He　looked　at　the　tall　shadowy　figure　standing　beside　him。
　
　〃You　tried　to　tell　me　this　earlier　tonight；〃　　he　whispered。〃　I　didn't　want　to　believe　it。〃
　
　〃I　saw　it；　my　beloved　servant；〃　　the　King　said。〃　With　my　own　eyes。　Just　as　I　saw　you　e　to　the　body　of　your　friend　Lawrence　and　begin　to　weep。　These　things　were　mixed　with　my　waking　dreams；　but　I　remember　them　most　clearly。〃
　
　〃Ah；　but　this　cannot　go　unavenged。〃　　Samir　was　trembling。
　
　Ramses　placed　a　hand　on　his　shoulder。　They　proceeded　slowly。
　
　〃And　this　Henry　Stratford　knows　my　secret；〃　　Ramses　said。〃　The　tale　he　told　was　true。　For　when　he　tried　by　the　same　means　to　take　the　life　of　his　cousin；　I　came　out　of　the　coffin　to　prevent　it。　Oh；　if　only　I　had　had　my　full　strength；　I　would　have　finished　it；　there　and　then。　I　should　have　embalmed　him　myself　and　wrapped　him　up　and　put　him　in　the　painted　coffin　for　all　the　world　to　see　as　Ramses。〃
　
　Samir　smiled　bitterly。〃　A　just　reward；〃　　he　said　under　his　breath。　He　felt　the　tears　on　his　face；　but　there　was　none　of　the　relief　that　tears　should　bring。〃　And　what　will　you　do　now；　sire？〃
　
　〃Kill　him；　of　course。　For　Julie's　sake　and　for　my　sake。　There　is　no　other　possibility。〃
　
　〃You　wait　for　the　opportunity？〃
　
　〃I　wait　for　permission。　Julie　Stratford　has　the　delicate　conscience　of　one　unused　to　bloodshed。　She　loves　her　uncle；　she　shrinks　from　violence。　And　I　understand　her　reasoning；　but　I　grow　impatient。　And　angry。　I　want　this　Henry　to　threaten　us　no　more。〃
　
　〃And　what　of　me？　I　too　know　your　secret　now；　sire。　Will　you　kill　me　to　protect　it？〃
　
　Ramses　stopped　in　his　tracks。〃　I　don't　ask　kindnesses　of　those　I　mean　to　harm。　But　tell　me。　On　your　honour；　who　else　knows　the　truth？〃
　
　〃Lord　Rutherford；　the　cither　of　the　young　man　who　courts　Julie。　。。。〃
　
　〃Ah；　the　one　called　Alex；　with　the　gentle　eyes。〃
　
　〃Yes；　sire。　The　father　is　a　man　to　be　reckoned　with。　He　suspects。　More　significantly；　he　may　believe；　more　earnestly　even　than　young　Stratford。〃
　
　〃This　knowledge　is　poison！　As　deadly　as　the　poisons　in　my　tomb。　First　there　will　be　fascination；　then　greed；　and　finally　desperation。〃
　
　They　had　reached　the　side　door。　The　rain　was　ing　down。　Samir　could　see　it　through　the　thick　glass；　though　he　could　not　hear　it。
　
　〃Tell　me　why　this　knowledge　isn't　poison　to　you；〃　　Ramses　asked。
　
　〃I　don't　wish　to　live　forever；　sire。〃
　
　Silence。
　
　〃I　know。　I　can　see　this。　But　in　my　heart　of　hearts；　I　don't　understand　it。〃
　
　〃Strange；　sire；　that　I　must　give　you　explanations。　You　who　must　know　things　I　shall　never　know。〃
　
　〃I　shall　be　grateful　for　the　explanation。〃
　
　〃I　have　found　it　hard　enough　to　live　this　long　as　it　is。　I　loved　my　friend。　I　fear　for　his　daughter。　I　fear　for　you。　I　fear　to　acquire　knowledge　which　I　cannot　use　to　any　moral　purpose。〃
　
　Again　there　was　a　pause。
　
　〃You're　a　wise　man；〃　　Ramses　said。〃　But　don't　fear　for　Julie。　I　will　protect　Julie；　even　from　myself。〃
　
　〃Take　my　advice　and　leave　here。　There　are　wild　rumours。　And　the　empty　coffin；　it　will　be　discovered。　But　if　you　are　gone；　all　this　will　die　away。　It　has　to　die　away。　The　rational　mind　cannot　have　it　otherwise。〃
　
　〃Yes。　I　will　go。　I　must　see　Egypt　again。　I　must　see　the　modern　city　of　Alexandria　covering　the　palaces　and　streets　I　knew。　I　must　see　Egypt　again　merely　to　be　done　with　it；　and　go　on　to　the　modern　world。　But　when；　that　is　the　question。〃
　
　〃You'll　need　papers　to　travel；　sire。　In　this　age；　one　cannot　be　a　man　without　an　identity。　I　can　obtain　those　papers　for　you。〃　Ramses　considered。　Then：　〃Tell　me　where　I　can　find　Henry　Stratford。〃
　
　〃I　don't　know　that；　sire。　I　might　kill　him　myself　now；　if　I　did。　He　lodges　with　his　father　when　he　chooses。　He　keeps　a　mistress　as　well。　I　urge　you　to　leave　England　now；　and　let　this　revenge　wait　for　a　proper　moment。　Let　me　get　you　the　documents　you　need。〃
　
　Ramses　nodded；　but　this　was　not　a　nod　of　agreement。　He　was　merely　acknowledging　the　generosity　of　the　advice；　Samir　knew　that。
　
　〃How　do　I　reward　your　loyalty；　Samir？〃　　he　asked。〃　What　do　you　want　that　I　can　give？〃
　
　〃To　be　near　you；　sire。　To　know　you。　To　hear　now　and　then　the　smallest　part　of　your　wisdom。　You　have　eclipsed　the　mysteries　I　loved。　You　are　the　mystery　now。　But　I　ask　nothing；　really；　except　that　for　your　own　safety　you　go。　And　that　you　protect　Julie　Stratford。〃
　
　Ramses　smiled　approvingly。
　
　〃Get　the　travel　documents　for　me；〃　　he　said。
　
　He　reached　into　his　pocket　and　produced　a　shining　gold　coin　which　Samir　recognized　immediately。　He　did　not　need　to　study　the　engraving。
　
　〃No；　sire；　I　cannot。　This　is　not　a　coin　any　longer。　It　is　more。　。。。〃
　
　〃Use　it；　my　friend。　There　are　many；　many　more　where　it　came　from。　In　Egypt　I　have　riches　hidden　which　I　myself　can　no　longer　measure。〃
　
　Samir　took　the　coin；　though　what　he　would　do　with　it　he　was　not　certain。
　
　〃I　can　get　what　you　want。〃
　
　〃And　for　yourself？　Whatever　is　required　that　you　might　travel　with　us？〃
　
　Samir　felt　his　pulse　quicken。　He　stared　at　the　King's　face；　only　partially　revealed　by　the　grey　light　through　the　door。
　
　〃Yes；　sire；　if　that's　what　you　wish。　I　will　gladly　go　with　you。〃
　
　Ramses　made　a　small　polite　gesture；　Samir　at　once　opened　the　door；　Ramses　gave　him　a　little　bow　and　passed　out　into　the　rain　silently。
　
　For　a　long　time；　Samir　stood　there；　feeling　the　cold　spray　from　outside；　yet　not　moving。　Then　he　closed　and　locked　the　door。　He　walked　through　the　dark　corridors　of　the　museum　until　he　had　reached　the　front　foyer。
　
　A　great　statue　of　Ramses　the　Great　stood　there　as　it　had　for　many　years；　greeting　all　those　who　entered　the　museum。
　
　It　had　brought　only　a　passing　smile　from　the　King。　But　Samir　stared　at　it；　aware　that　his　attitude　was　one　of　silent　worship。
　
　Inspector　Trent　sat　at　his　desk　at　Scotland　Yard　pondering。　It　was　past　two。　Sergeant　Gallon　had　long　ago　gone　home。　And　he　himself　was　tired。　Yet　he　could　not　stop　thinking　of　all　the　aspects　of　this　strange　case；　which　now　enpassed　a　murder。
　
　He　had　never　bee　accustomed　to　examining　corpses。　Yet　he'd　gone　to　the　morgue　to　see　the　body　of　Tommy　Sharpies　for　one　very　important　reason。　A　rare　Greek　coin　had　been　found　in　Sharples's　pocket；　a　coin　identical　with　the〃　Cleopatra　coins〃　　in　the　Stratford　collection。　And　there　had　been　a　small　address　book　on　Sharples's　person　as　well；　which　contained　the　name　and　addresses　of　Henry　Stratford。
　
　Henry　Stratford；　who　had　run　out　of　his　cousin's　house　in　Mayfair　this　morning；　crying　that　a　mummy　had　climbed　out　of　its　coffin。
　
　Yes；　a　puzzle。
　
　That　Henry　Stratford　possessed　a　rare　Cleopatra　coin　would　not　have　surprised　anyone。　He　had　tried　to　sell　such　a　coin　only　two　days　ago；　that　was　now　almost　certain。　But　why　would　he　have　tried　to　pay　his　debts　with　such　a　valuable　piece　of　gold；　and　why　did　me　thief　who　murdered　Sharpies　not　steal　it？
　
　Trent　would　call　the　British　Museum　about　the　coin　first　thing　in　the　morning。　That　is；　after　he　hauled　Stratford　out　of　bed　and　questioned　him　about　the　murder　of　Sharpies。
　
　But　the　whole　thing　didn't　make　sense。　And　then　there　was　the　question　of　the　murder　itself。　Surely　Henry　Stratford　hadn't　done　it。　A　gentleman　like　that　could　hold　off　his　creditors　for　months。　Beside；　he　just　wasn't　the　sort　to　sink　a　knife　into　a　man's　chest；　at　least　Trent　didn't　think　so。
　
　But　he　wasn't　the　sort　to　run　screaming　from　his　cousin's　house　that　a　mummy　had　tried　to　strangle　him　either。
　
　And　then　there　was　another　thing。　A　most　disturbing　thing。　It　was　the　manner　in　which　Miss　Stratford　had　responded　when　told　of　her　cousin's　mad　story。　She　hadn't　seemed　shocked　so　much　as　coldly　indignant。　Why；　the　story　itself　didn't　surprise　her　at　all。　And　then　there　was　that　strange　gentleman　staying　at　her　house　and　the　way　that　Stratford　had　stared　at　him。　The　young　woman　had　been　hiding　something；　that　was　clear。　Perhaps　he　should　stop　by　and　just　have　a　look　about　the　house；　and　talk　with　the　guard　for　a　little　while。
　
　After　all；　he　wasn't　going　to　get　any　sleep　tonight　anyway。
　
　THE　SMALL　hours。　Ramses　stood　in　the　hallway　of　Julie's　palatial　house；　observing　the　intricately　carved　hands　of　the　grandfather　clock　move　into　place。　At　last　the　big　hand　bisected　the　Roman　numeral　twelve；　and　the　small　hand　bisected　the　Roman　numeral　four；　and　the　clock　began　its　deep；　melodious　chi