anner.themummy-第48节

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h　each　King's　birth。　You　know　that；　of　course。　No　one　counted　time　itself　in　terms　of　centuries。　I'm　not　sure　the　simple　Egyptian　had　any　sense　at　ail　。。。　of　centuries。〃
　
　Abu　Simbel。　They　had　e　at　last　to　the　greatest　of　Ramses'　temples。　The　shore　excursion　had　been　brief　on　account　of　the　heat；　but　now　the　night　wind　blew　cold　over　the　desert。
　
　Stealthily　Julie　and　Ramses　climbed　down　the　rope　ladder　into　the　dinghy。　She　wrapped　her　shawl　tightly　over　her　shoulders。　The　moon　hung　perilously　low　over　the　shimmering　water。　With　the　help　of　a　lone　native　servant；　they　mounted　the　camels　awaiting　them；　and　rode　towards　the　great　temple　where　stood　the　largest　statues　of　Ramses　the　Great　in　existence。
　
　It　was　thrilling　to　ride　this　mad；　terrifying　beast。　Julie　laughed　into　the　wind。　She　dared　not　look　at　the　ground　moving　unevenly　beneath　her。　But　she　was　glad　when　they　came　to　a　halt；　and　Ramses　jumped　down　and　reached　up　to　catch　her。
　
　The　servant　took　the　beasts　away。　Alone　they　stood；　she　and　Ramses；　under　the　star…filled　sky；　the　desert　wind　faintly　howling。　Far　off　she　saw　the　lighted　tent　of　their　little　camp　waiting　for　them。　She　saw　the　lantern　shining　through　the　translucent　canvas；　she　saw　the　tiny　campfire　dancing　in　the　wind；　winking　out　and　then　reappearing　in　a　dazzle　of　yellow　brilliance。
　
　Into　the　temple　they　walked；　past　the　giant　legs　of　the　Pharaoh　god。　If　there　were　tears　in　Ramses'　eyes；　the　wind　carried　them　away；　but　his　sigh　she　heard。　The　faint　tremor　in　his　warm　hand　she　felt　as　she　cleaved　to　him。
　
　They　walked　on；　hand　in　hand；　his　eyes　roving　over　the　great　statues　still。
　
　〃Where　did　you　go；〃　　she　whispered；〃　when　your　reign　had　ended？　You　gave　the　throne　to　Meneptah　and　then　you　went　away。　。。。〃
　
　〃All　over　the　world。　As　far　as　I　dared。　As　far　as　any　mortal　man　had　dared。　I　saw　the　great　forests　of　Britannia　then。　The　people　wore　skins　and　hid　in　the　trees　to　shoot　their　wooden　arrows。　I　went　to　the　Far　East；　I　discovered　cities　which　have　now　pletely　vanished；　I　was　just　beginning　to　understand　that　the　elixir　worked　on　my　brain　as　it　did　on　my　limbs。　The　languages　I　could　learn　in　a　matter　of　days；　I　could　。。。　how　do　you　say　。。。　adapt。　But　inevitably　there　came　。。。　confusion；〃
　
　〃How　do　you　mean？〃　　she　asked。　They　had　stopped。　They　stood　on　the　hard…packed　sand。　A　great　soft　light　from　the　starry　sky　illuminated　his　face　as　he　looked　down　at　her。
　
　〃I　was　no　longer　Ramses。　I　was　no　longer　a　King。　I　had　no　nation。〃
　
　〃I　understand。〃
　
　〃I　told　myself　that　the　world　itself　was　everything。　What　did　I　need　but　to　wander；　to　see？　But　that　was　not　true。　I　had　to　e　back　to　Egypt。〃
　
　〃And　that　is　when　you　wanted　to　die。〃
　
　〃And　I　went　to　the　Pharaoh；　Ramses　the　Third；　and　told　him　that　I　had　been　sent　to　be　his　guardian。　That　is；　after　I　learned　that　no　poison　could　kilt　me。　Not　even　fire　could　kill　me。　Hurt　me；　yes；　beyond　endurance；　but　kill　me；　no。　I　was　immortal。　One　draught　of　the　elixir　had　done　this　to　me。　Immortal！〃
　
　〃Oh；　the　cruelty　of　it；〃　　she　sighed。　But　there　were　things　she　still　did　not　understand；　and　yet　she　dared　not　ask　him。　Patiently　she　waited　for　him　to　tell　her。
　
　〃There　were　many　others　after　my　brave　Ramses　the　Third。　Great　Queens　as　well　as　Kings。　I　came　when　it　pleased　me。　And　I　was　a　legend　by　then…the　human　phantom　who　spoke　only　to　the　rulers　of　Egypt。　It　was　seen　as　a　great　blessing　when　I　appeared。　And　of　course；　I　had　my　secret　life。　1　roamed　the　streets　of　Thebes；　an　ordinary　man；　seeking　panions；　women；　drinking　in　the　taverns。〃
　
　〃But　no　one　knew　VOM；　or　your　secret？〃　　She　shook　her　head。〃　I　don't　know　how　you　could　bear　it。〃
　
　〃Well；　I　could　bear　it　no　more；〃　　he　said　dejectedly；〃　when　I　finally　wrote　it　down　in　the　scrolls　your　father　found　in　my　secret　study。　But　in　those　early　days；　I　was　a　braver　man。　And　I　was　loved；　Julie。　You　must　realize　this。〃
　
　He　paused；　as　if　listening　to　the　wind。
　
　〃I　was　worshipped；〃　　he　went　on。〃　It　was　as　if　I　had　died；　and　bee　the　very　thing　I　claimed　to　be。　Guardian　of　the　royal　house。　Protector　of　the　ruler；　punisher　of　the　bad。　Loyal　not　to　the　King；　but　the　kingdom。〃
　
　〃Don't　even　gods　get　lonely？〃
　
　He　laughed　softly。
　
　〃You　know　the　answer。　But　you　don't　understand　the　full　power　of　the　potion　that　made　me　what　I　am。　I　myself　do　not　fully　prehend。　Oh；　the　folly　of　those　first　years；　when　I　experimented　with　it　like　a　physician。〃　　A　look　of　bitterness　came　over　his　face。〃　To　understand　this　world；　that's　our　task；　is　it　not？　And　even　the　simple　things　elude　us。〃
　
　〃Yes；　I　have　no　quarrel　with　that；〃　　she　whispered。
　
　〃In　the　hardest　moments；　I　put　my　faith　in　change。　I　understood　it；　though　no　one　around　me　did。〃　This　too　shall　pass；'　the　old　axiom。　But　finally　I　was　so　。。。　weary。　So　tired。〃
　
　He　put　his　arm　around　her；　closing　her　against　him　gently；　as　they　turned　and　made　their　way　out　of　the　temple。　The　wind　had　died　down。　He　kept　her　warm。　She　shaded　her　eyes　only　now　and　then　from　the　tiny　grains　of　sand　in　the　air。　His　voice　was　quiet；　slow；　as　he　remembered：
　
　〃The　Greeks　had　e　into　our　land。　Alexander；　the　builder　of　cities；　the　maker　of　new　gods。　I　wanted　only　the　deathlike　sleep。　Yet　I　was　afraid；　as　any　mortal　man　might　be。〃
　
　〃I　know；〃　　she　whispered。　A　shiver　went　through　her。
　
　〃I　made　a　coward's　bargain　finally。　I'd　go　into　the　tomb；　into　the　darkness；　which　I　knew　by　then　would　mean　a　gradual　weakening　and　then　a　deep　sleep　from　which　I　couldn't　wake。　But　the　priests　who　served　the　royal　house　would　know　where　I　lay；　and　that　sunlight　could　resurrect　me。　They　would　give　the　secret　to　each　new　ruler　of　Egypt　with　the　warning　that　if　I　were　awakened；　it　must　be　to　serve　the　good　of　Egypt。　And　woe　to　anyone　rash　enough　to　wake　me　for　curiosity　only；　or　with　evil　intentions；　because　then　I　might　take　my　revenge。〃
　
　They　passed　out　of　the　temple　doors；　stopping　as　he　looked　back　and　up　at　the　colossal　figures　seated　there。　High　above；　the　King's　face　was　bathed　in　moonlight。
　
　〃Were　you　conscious　at　all　as　you　slept？〃
　
　〃I　don't　know。　I　ask　myself　this　question！　Now　and　then　I'd　e　close　to　waking；　of　that　I'm　sure。　And　I　dreamed；　oh；　how　I　dreamed。　But　whatever　I　knew；　I　knew　as　if　in　a　dream。　There　was　no　urgency；　no　panic。　And　I　could　not　wake　myself；　you　see。　I　had　no　strength　to　pull　the　chain　that　would　make　the　great　iron…bound　wooden　shutter　above　admit　the　sunlight。　Maybe　I　knew　what　had　happened　in　the　world　outside。　Surely　it　did　not　surprise　me　to　learn　it　later。　I　had　bee　legend…Ramses　the　Damned；　Ramses　the　Immortal；　who　slept　in　the　cave　waiting　for　a　brave　King　or　Queen　of　Egypt　to　wake　him。　I　don't　think　they　believed　it　anymore；　not　really。　Until　。。。〃
　
　〃She　came。〃
　
　〃She　was　the　last　Queen　to　rule　Egypt。　And　the　only　one　to　whom　I　ever　told　the　full　truth。〃
　
　〃But　Ramses；　did　she　really　refuse　the　elixir？〃
　
　He　paused。　It　was　as　if　he　didn't　want　to　answer。　Then：
　
　〃In　her　own　way；　she　refused　it。　You　see；　she　couldn't　understand　finally　what　it　was；　the　elixir。　Later；　she　begged　me　to　give　it　to　Mark　Antony。〃
　
　〃I　see。　It's　a　wonder　I　didn't　guess　it。〃
　
　〃Mark　Antony　was　a　man　who　had　destroyed　his　life　and　hers　also。　But　she　didn't　know　what　she　was　asking。　She　didn't　understand。　She　did　not　realize　what　such　a　thing　would　have　meant…a　selfish　King　and　Queen　with　such　power。　And　the　formula；　they　would　have　wanted　that　too。　Would　Antony　not　have　wanted　immortal　armies？〃
　
　〃Good　God！〃　　she　whispered。
　
　Ramses　stopped　suddenly　and　moved　away　from　her。　They　had　e　some　distance　from　the　temple　and　he　turned　back；　looking　at　the　giant　seated　figures　again。
　
　〃But　why　did　you　write　the　story　in　the　scrolls？〃　　she　asked。　She　couldn't　stop　herself。
　
　〃Cowardice；　my　love。　Cowardice；　and　the　dream　that　someone　would　e　who　would　find　me　and　my　strange　tale；　and　take　the　burden　of　secrecy　from　my　shoulders！　I　had　failed；　my　love。　My　strength　was　gone。　And　so　I　slipped　into　dreams　and　left　the　story　there　。。。　like　an　offering　to　fate。　I　could　be　strong　no　longer。〃
　
　She　came　to　him　and　threw　her　arms　around　him。　He　didn't　look　at　her。　He　was　looking　at　the　statues　still。　The　tears　were　in　his　eyes。
　
　〃Maybe　I　dreamed　that　someday　I'd　be　awakened　again；　to　a　new　world。　To　new　and　wise　beings。　Maybe　I　dreamed　of　someone　who　。。。　would　take　the　challenge。〃　　His　voice　broke。〃　And　I　would　be　the　lone　wanderer　no　more。　Ramses　the　Damned　would　bee　once　again　Ramses　the　Immortal。〃
　
　He　looked　as　if　his　own　words　had　surprised　him。　Then　he　looked　down　at　her　and；　closing　his　hands　tightly　on　her　shoulders；　lifted　her　as　he　kissed　her。
　
　With　her　whole　soul　she　yielded。　She　felt　his　arms　gathering　her　up。　She　leaned　against　his　chest　as　he　carried　her　towards　the　tent；　and　the　flickering　firelight。　The　stars　fell　down　over　the　distant　shadowy　hills。　The　desert　was　a　great　tranquil　sea　stretching　out　on　all　sides　from　this　sanctuary　of　warmth　which　they　now　entered。
　
　Incense　here；　the　smell　of　wax　candles。　He　set　her　down　on　silken　pillows；　on　a　carpet　of　dark　woven　flowers。　The　dancing　flames