anner.themummy-第46节

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　He　saw　the　procession　in　his　mind's　eye。　He　heard　the　weeping。　And　worst　of　all；　he　saw　her　again　in　those　last　hours。〃　Take　away　your　promises。　Antony　calls　me　from　the　grave。　I　want　to　be　with　him　now。〃
　
　And　now　all　trace　of　her　was　gone；　save　what　remained　inside　him。　And　what　remained　in　legend。　He　heard　again　the　crowds　who　blocked　the　narrow　streets；　and　flooded　down　the　grassy　slope　to　see　her　coffin　placed　within　the　marble　tomb。
　
　〃Our　Queen　died　free。〃
　
　〃She　cheated　Octavian。〃
　
　〃She　was　no　slave　of　Rome。〃
　
　Ah；　but　she　could　have　been　immortal！
　
　The　catabs。　The　one　place　he　had　not　ventured。　And　why　had　he　asked　Julie　to　e　with　him？　How　weak　he'd　bee；　that　he　needed　her　there。　And　to　think；　he'd　told　her　nothing。
　
　He　could　see　the　concern　in　her　face。　So　lovely　she　looked　in　her　long；　lace…trimmed　dress　of　pale　yellow。　These　modern　women　had　all　seemed　preposterously　overdressed　to　him　at　first；　but　he　understood　the　seductiveness　of　their　clothing…the　full　sleeves　tapering　to　tight　cuffs　at　the　wrists；　the　tiny　waists　and　flowing　skirts。　They　had　begun　to　look　normal　to　him。
　
　And　he　wished　suddenly　that　they　were　not　here。　That　they　were　back　in　England　again；　or　far　away　in　America。
　
　But　the　catabs；　he　had　to　see　the　catabs　before　they　went　on。　And　so　with　the　other　tourists　they　walked；　listening　to　the　droning　voice　of　the　guide；　who　spoke　of　Christians　hiding　here；　of　ancient　rituals　performed　long　before　that　in　these　rock　chambers。
　
　〃You've　been　here　before；〃　　Julie　whispered。〃　It's　important　to　you。〃
　
　〃Yes；〃　　he　answered　under　his　breath；　holding　her　hand　tightly。　Oh；　if　only　they　could　leave　Egypt　now　and　forever。　What　was　the　point　of　this　agony？
　
　The　unwieldy　party　of　chattering；　whispering　tourists　came　to　a　halt。　His　eyes　moved　anxiously　over　the　wall。　He　saw　it；　the　small　passageway。　The　others　moved　on；　cautioned　again　to　remain　with　the　guide；　but　he　held　Julie　back；　and　then　as　the　other　voices　died　away；　he　switched　on　the　electric　torch　and　entered　the　passage。
　
　Was　it　the　same？　He　could　not　tell。　He　could　only　remember　what　had　happened。
　
　Same　smell　of　damp　stone；　Latin　markings　on　the　wall。
　
　They　came　to　a　large　room。
　
　〃Look；〃　　she　said。〃　There's　a　window　there　cut　high　in　the　rock；　how　amazing！　And　hooks　in　the　wall；　do　you　see　it！〃
　
　It　seemed　her　voice　was　very　far　away。　He　meant　to　answer；　but　that　was　not　possible。
　
　He　stared　into　the　gloom　at　the　great　rectangular　stone　to　which　she　pointed　now。　She　said　something　about　an　altar。
　
　No；　not　an　altar。　A　bed。　A　bed　where　he　had　lain　for　three　hundred　years；　until　that　portal　high　up　there　had　been　opened。　The　ancient　chains　had　pulled　the　heavy　wooden　blind；　and　the　sun　had　e　down；　falling　warm　on　his　eyelids。
　
　He　heard　Cleopatra's　girlish　voice：
　
　〃Ye　gods；　it's　true。　He's　alive！〃　　Her　gasp　echoing　off　the　walls。　The　sun　flooding　down　upon　him。
　
　〃Ramses；　rise！〃　　she　cried。〃　A　Queen　of　Egypt　calls　you。〃
　
　He'd　felt　the　tingling　in　his　limbs；　felt　the　suddenly　zinging　sensation　in　his　hair　and　skin。　Half　in　sleep　still　he'd　sat　up　and　seen　the　young　woman　standing　there；　rippling　black　hair　loose　over　her　shoulders。　And　the　old　priest；　shivering；　jabbering　under　his　breath；　hands　clasped　as　if　in　prayer；　bowing　from　the　waist。
　
　〃Ramses　the　Great；〃　　she　had　said。〃　A　Queen　of　Egypt　needs　your　counsel。〃
　
　Soft　dusty　rays　falling　down　from　the　twentieth…century　world　outside。　The　roar　of　motor　cars　on　the　boulevards　of　the　modern　city　of　Alexandria。
　
　〃Ramses！〃
　
　He　turned。　Julie　Stratford　was　looking　up　at　him。
　
　〃My　beautiful　one；〃　　he　whispered。　He　took　her　in　his　arms；　tenderly。　Not　passion；　but　love。　Yes；　love。〃　My　beautiful　Julie；〃　　he　whispered。
　
　In　the　lobby　they　took　high　tea。　The　whole　ritual　made　him　laugh。　To　eat　scones；　eggs；　cucumber　sandwiches；　and　not　call　this　a　meal。　But　why　should　he　plain？　He　could　eat　three　times　what　everyone　else　was　eating　and　still　be　hungry　for　dinner。
　
　He　cherished　this　time　alone　with　her。　That　Alex　and　Samir　and　Elliott　were　not　about。
　
　He　sat　staring　at　the　parade　of　plumed　hats；　frilly　umbrellas。　And　the　big　shiny　open　motor　cars；　chugging　up　to　the　side　entrance；　right　along　with　the　open　leather　carriages。
　
　These　were　no　longer　the　people　of　his　time。　The　racial　mix　was　different。　She'd　said　he　would　see　it　was　the　same　with　the
　
　Greeks　when　they　went　there。　Oh；　so　many　places　to　go。　Was　he　feeling　relief？
　
　〃You've　been　so　patient　with　me；〃　　he　said；　smiling。〃　You　don't　ask　me　to　explain　anything。〃
　
　Ah；　but　she　looked　radiant；　her　dress　was　a　pale　flowered　silk；　lace　at　the　wrists　and　those　tiny　pearl　buttons　he　was　growing　to　love。　Thank　God　she　had　not　worn　an　open　gown　since　that　first　night　at　sea。　The　sight　of　all　that　flesh　drove　him　mad　pletely。
　
　〃You'll　tell　me　when　you　want　to　tell　me；〃　　she　said。〃　What　I　can't　bear　is　to　see　you　suffering。〃
　
　〃It's　all　as　you　said；〃　　he　murmured。　He　drank　down　the　tea；　a　beverage　he　didn't　much　like。　It　seemed　to　be　half　of　something。〃　All　gone　without　a　trace。　The　mausoleum；　the　library；　the　lighthouse。　All　that　Alexander　built；　and　Cleopatra　built。　Tell　me；　why　are　the　pyramids　still　standing　at　Giza？　Why　is　my　temple　still　standing　at　Luxor？〃
　
　〃Do　you　want　to　see　them？〃　　She　reached　across　the　little　table　and　took　his　hand。〃　Are　you　ready　to　leave　here　now？〃
　
　〃Yes；　it's　time　to　go　on；　isn't　it？　And　then　when　we've　seen　it　all；　we　can　leave　this　land。　You　and　I。　。。。　That　is；　if　you　want　to　remain　with　me。〃
　
　Such　lovely　brown　eyes　with　their　deep　fringe　of　brown　lashes；　and　the　pure　sweetness　of　her　mouth　as　she　smiled。　And　wouldn't　you　know？　The　Earl　had　just　e　out　of　the　lift；　along　with　his　charming　ninpoop　of　a　son；　and　Samir。
　
　〃I'll　go　with　you　to　the　ends　of　the　earth；〃　　she　whispered。
　
　He　held　her　gaze　for　a　long　moment。　Did　she　know　what　she　was　saying？　No。　The　question　was；　did　he　know　what　she　was　saying？　That　she　loved　him；　yes。　But　the　other；　the　other　great　question　had　never　been　asked；　had　it？
　
　They　had　been　heading　up　the　Nile　for　the　better　part　of　the　afternoon；　the　sun　beating　down　with　full　force　upon　the　striped　awnings　of　the　small；　elegant　steamer。　The　bination　of　Julie's　purse　and　Elliott's　gift　for　mand　had　provided　them　with　every　luxury。　The　staterooms　of　the　small　boat　were　as　fine　as　those　of　the　P&O　liner　which　had　brought　them　across　the　sea。　The　saloon　and　dining　room　were　more　than　fortable。　The　cook　was　a　European；　the　servants；　with　the　exception；　of　course；　of　Walter　and　Rita；　were　Egyptian。
　
　But　the　greatest　luxury　of　all　was　that　it　was　their　craft。　They　shared　it　with　no　one　else。　And　they　had　bee；　much　to　Julie's　surprise；　an　extremely　congenial　group　of　travelers。　Now　that　Henry　was　gone；　that　is。　And　for　that　she　couldn't　have　been　more　grateful。
　
　He'd　fled　like　a　coward　as　soon　as　they　landed　in　Alexandria。　And　what　a　preposterous　story；　that　he　would　prepare　things　for　them　in　Cairo。　Shepheard's　Hotel　would　prepare　things　for　them　in　Cairo。　They　had　cabled　before　they　ever　started　the　journey　south　towards　Abu　Simbel。　They　did　not　know　how　long　their　cruise　would　be；　but　Shepheard's；　the　old　standby　of　the　British　abroad；　would　be　waiting。
　
　Opera　season　was　about　to　begin；　they'd　been　advised。　Should　the　concierge　arrange　for　box　seats　for　all　of　them？　Julie　had　said　yes；　though　she　could　not　imagine　how　this　trip　would　end。
　
　She　knew　only　that　Ramses　was　in　fine　spirits；　that　he　loved　being　on　the　Nile。　That　he　had　stared　for　hours　from　the　deck　at　the　palm　trees　and　the　golden　desert　on　either　side　of　the　broad；　gleaming　strip　of　brown　water。
　
　No　one　had　to　tell　Julie　that　these　were　the　same　airy；　fanlike　palms　painted　upon　the　walls　of　ancient　Egyptian　tombs。　Or　that　the　dark…faced　farmers　were　drawing　water　from　the　river　by　the　very　same　crude　means　they　had　used　four　thousand　years　ago。　No　one　had　to　tell　her　that　the　many　native　boats　which　passed　them　were　little　changed　since　the　time　of　Ramses　the　Great。
　
　And　the　wind　and　the　sun　changed　for　no　one。
　
　But　there　was　something　she　had　to　do；　and　it　could　wait　no　longer。　She　sat　contentedly　in　the　saloon；　idly　watching　Samir　and　Elliott　play　chess。　And　then　when　Alex　rose　from　his　game　of　solitaire　and　went　out　on　the　deck　alone；　she　followed　him。
　
　It　was　almost　evening；　the　breeze　was　cool　for　the　first　time；　and　the　sky　was　slowly　turning　a　deep　shade　of　blue　which　was　almost　violet。
　
　〃You're　a　darling；〃　　she　said。〃　And　I　don't　want　to　hurt　you。　But　I　don't　want　to　marry　you；　either。〃
　
　〃I　know；〃　　he　said。〃　I've　known　for　a　long　time。　But　I'm　going　to　continue　to　pretend　it　isn't　so。　Just　as　I've　always　done。〃
　
　〃Alex；　don't…〃
　
　〃No；　darling；　don't　give　advice。　Let　me　do　things　my　own　way。　After　all；　it's　a　woman's　privilege　to　change　her　mind；　isn't　it？　And　you　may　change　yours；　and　when　you　do；　I'll　be　waiting。　No；　don't　say　anything　more。　You're　free。　You've　always　been　free；　really。〃
　
　She　drew　in　her　breath。　A　deep　pain　radiated　through　h