anner.themummy-第58节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


care　of　her。　She　will　not　harm　you；　you　understand。〃
　
　The　Egyptian　woman　clutched　at　his　wrist；　her　forehead　against　the　arm　of　the　chair。　After　a　long　moment；　she　spoke。
　
　〃No　police；〃　　she　pleaded　in　a　barely　audible　voice。〃　No　English　take　my　house。〃
　
　〃No；〃　　Elliott　murmured。〃　No　police。　We　don't　want　the　police。〃
　
　He　wanted　to　pat　her　head；　but　he　could　not　bring　himself　to　move。　He　stared　dully　out　into　the　sunlight；　at　the　prone　creature；　her　glossy　black　hair　spread　out　in　the　sunlight；　and　at　the　dead　man。
　
　〃I　take　care　of　。。。〃　　the　woman　whispered。〃　I　take　my　English　away。　No　police　e。〃
　
　Elliott　didn't　understand　her。　What　was　she　saying？　Then　slowly　it　dawned　on　him。
　
　〃You　can　do　this？〃　　he　said　under　his　breath。
　
　〃Yes；　I　do　this。　Friends　e。　Take　English　away。〃
　
　〃Yes；　all　right　then。〃　　He　sighed　and　the　pain　in　his　chest　intensified。　Tentatively　he　pushed　his　right　hand　into　his　pocket　and　brought　out　his　money　clip。　Barely　able　to　move　his　left　fingers；　he　took　out　two　ten…pound　notes。
　
　〃For　you；〃　　he　said。　He　closed　his　eyes　again；　exhausted　by　the　effort。　He　felt　the　money　taken　from　his　hand。〃　But　you　must　be　careful。　You　must　tell　no　one　what　you　saw。〃
　
　〃I　tell　no　one。　I　take　care　of　。。。　This　is　my　house。　My　brother　give。〃
　
　〃Yes；　I　understand。　I　shall　be　here　only　a　little　while。　That　I　promise　you。　I　shall　take　the　woman　with　me。　But　for　now；　you　will　be　patient；　and　there'll　be　more　money；　much　more。〃　　Once　again　he　looked　at　the　money　clip。　He　peeled　the　notes　off　without　counting　and　forced　them　into　her　hand。
　
　Then　he　lay　back　again；　and　closed　his　eyes。　He　heard　her　pad　softly　across　the　carpet。　Then　her　hand　touched　him　again。
　
　When　he　looked　up　he　saw　her　draped　in　black；　and　she　held　another　folded　black　robe　in　her　hand。
　
　〃You　cover；〃　　she　whispered。　And　with　her　eyes；　she　gestured　to　the　courtyard。
　
　〃I　cover；〃　　he　whispered。　And　closed　his　eyes　again。〃　You　cover！〃　　he　heard　her　say　desperately。　And　again　he　said　that　he　would。
　
　With　great　relief　he　heard　her　go　out；　and　shut　the　door　to　the　street。
　
　In　the　long　flowing　Bedouin　robes；　Ramses　walked　through　the　museum；　among　the　milling　tourists；　peering　ahead　through　the　dark　glasses　at　the　empty　space　at　the　end　of　the　corridor　where　the　display　case　had　stood。　No　sign　that　it　had　ever　been　there！　No　broken　glass；　no　splintered　wood。　And　the　vial　he　had　dropped。　Gone。
　
　But　where　could　she　be！　What　happened　to　her！　In　anguish；　he　thought　of　the　soldiers　who'd　surrounded　him。　Had　she　fallen　into　their　hands？
　
　He　walked　on；　turning　the　corner；　eyes　moving　over　the　statues　and　the　sarcophagi。　If　he　had　known　misery　like　this　ever　in　all　these　centuries；　he　could　not　remember　it　now。　He　had　no　right　to　be　walking　here　with　men　and　women；　to　be　breathing　the　same　air。
　
　He　could　not　think　where　to　go　or　what　to　do。　If　he　did　not　discover　something　soon；　he　would　go　pletely　mad。
　
　Perhaps　a　quarter　of　an　hour　passed；　maybe　less。　Cover　her；　yes。　No；　get　her　out　of　the　garden　before　the　men　e。　She　lay　in　the　sun；　stuporous；　now　and　then　murmuring　in　her　sleep。
　
　Gripping　his　walking　stick；　he　rose　to　his　feet。　There　was　feeling　in　his　left　leg　again；　and　that　meant　there　was　pain。
　
　He　went　into　the　bedroom。　A　high　old…fashioned　Victorian　bed　stood　against　the　far　right　wail；　its　white　mosquito　netting　catching　the　flood　of　sunlight　from　the　open　blinds　of　the　window。
　
　A　dressing　table　stood　just　to　the　left　of　the　window。　And　an　armoire　stood　farther　away　in　the　left　corner；　its　mirrored　doors　open；　revealing　a　row　of　wool　jackets　and　coats。
　
　A　small　portable　gramophone　with　a　horn　stood　on　the　dressing　table。　Beside　it　were　a　set　of　gramophone　records　in　a　cardboard　case。〃　Learn　English；〃　　said　the　bold　lettering。　There　was　another　dance　hall　record。　An　ashtray。　Several　magazines　and　a　half…full　bottle　of　Scotch。
　
　He　could　see　a　proper　bathroom　through　a　far　door　on　the　right　side　of　the　bed。　Copper　tub　there；　towels。
　
　He　went　the　other　direction；　through　a　door　into　another　chamber　which　formed　the　north　wall　of　the　courtyard；　with　all　its　blinds　shut。　Here　the　dark　beauty　kept　her　tawdry　dancing　costumes　and　junk　jewelry。　But　one　cabinet　was　bursting　with　frilly　Western　dresses　as　well。　There　were　Western　shoes；　and　frilly　umbrellas　and　a　couple　of　impossible　wide…brimmed　hats。
　
　But　what　good　were　these　clothes　when　the　wounded　thing　needed　to　be　hidden　from　prying　eyes？　He　found　the　usual　Moslem　robes　folded　neatly　on　a　bottom　shelf。　So　he　could　give　her　fresh　covering…that　is；　if　Malenka　would　allow　him　to　buy　these　clothes。
　
　He　paused　in　the　doorway　to　catch　his　breath。　He　stared　at　the　regal　bed　in　the　sunlight；　the　netting　flowing　down　from　a　circular　tester；　much　like　a　crown　above。　The　moment　seemed　trancelike；　elastic。　Images　of　Henry's　death　flashed　before　his　eyes。　Yet　he　felt　nothing。　Nothing…except　perhaps　for　a　cold　horror　that　took　away　the　very　will　to　live。
　
　Will　to　live。　He　had　the　vial　in　his　pocket。　He　had　a　few　drops　of　the　precious　fluid！
　
　That；　too；　did　not　affect　him；　did　not　dispel　his　languor。　The　maid　dead　in　the　museum；　Henry　dead　in　the　courtyard。　The　thing　lying　out　there　in　the　sun！
　
　He　could　not　reason。　Why　bother　to　try？　He　had　to　reach　Ramses；　of　that　much　he　was　certain。　But　where　was　Ramses？　What　had　the　bullets　done　to　him？　Was　he　being　held　by　the　men　who　had　dragged　him　away？
　
　But　first；　the　woman；　he　had　to　bring　her　in　and　hide　her　so　that　Henry's　body　could　be　taken　away。
　
　She　might　well　attack　the　men　who　came　to　get　Henry。　And　one　glimpse　of　her　might　do　them　even　more　harm。
　
　Limping　out　to　the　courtyard；　he　tried　to　clear　his　head。　He　and　Ramses　were　not　enemies。　They　were　confederates　now。　And　perhaps　。。。　But　then　he　had　no　spirit　for　such　dreams　and　ambitions　anymore…only　what　must　be　done　now。
　
　He　took　a　few　cautious　steps　towards　the　woman　asleep　on　the　tiled　patio　floor。
　
　The　midday　sun　was　burning　hot；　and　suddenly　he　feared　for　her　because　of　it。　He　shaded　his　eyes　as　he　looked　at　her：　for　surely　he　could　not　be　seeing　what　he　thought　he　saw。
　
　She　moaned　uneasily；　she　was　suffering…but　a　woman　of　great　and　exceptional　beauty　lay　there！
　
　A　large　patch　of　white　bone　gleamed　through　her　raven　hair；
　
　true；　and　a　small　bit　of　bare　cartilage　showed　in　her　jaw。　Indeed；　her　right　hand　still　had　two　fingers　which　were　bones　only；　blood　trickling　from　the　gristle　in　the　joints。　And　the　wound　in　her　chest　was　still　there；　gaping；　revealing　a　stretch　of　white　rib；　overlaid　with　a　thin　membrane　full　of　tiny　red　veins。
　
　But　the　face　had　assumed　its　full　human　contour！　High　colour　bloomed　in　the　beautifully　moulded　cheeks。　The　mouth　was　exquisitely　shaped　and　ruddy。　And　the　flesh　had　over　all　a　lovely　even　olive　tone。
　
　Her　nipples　were　a　dark　rose　colour；　her　breasts　plump　and　firm。
　
　What　was　happening？　Did　the　elixir　take　time　to　work？
　
　Timidly　he　drew　closer。　The　heat　pounded　upon　him。　His　head　began　to　swim。　Struggling　once　again　not　to　lose　consciousness；　he　groped　for　the　pillar　behind　him　and　steadied　himself；　eyes　still　fixed　on　the　woman　who　now　opened　her　pale　hazel　eyes。
　
　She　stirred；　lifting　her　right　hand　and　staring　at　it　again。　Surely　she　felt　what　was　happening　to　her。　In　fact；　it　seemed　the　wounds　hurt　her。　Gasping；　she　touched　the　bleeding　edge　of　open　flesh　on　her　hand。
　
　But　if　she　understood　that　she　was　actually　healing；　she　gave　no　sign。　She　let　her　arm　drop　limply　and　once　again　she　closed　her　eyes。　She　cried　again；　softly。
　
　〃Ramses；〃　　she　said　as　if　in　half　sleep。
　
　〃e　with　me；〃　Elliott　spoke　to　her　softly　in　Latin。〃　e　inside；　to　a　proper　bed。〃
　
　Dully　she　looked　at　him。
　
　〃The　warm　sun　is　there　too；〃　　he　said。　And　no　sooner　had　he　said　these　words　than　he　realized。　It　was　the　sun　that　was　healing　her！　He　had　seen　it　working　on　her　hand　as　they　came　through　the　streets。　It　was　the　only　part　exposed　save　for　her　eyes；　and　they　too　had　been　healing。
　
　And　it　had　been　the　sun　that　waked　Ramses。　That　was　the　meaning　of　all　the　strange　language　on　the　coffin；　that　the　sun　must　not　be　allowed　into　the　tomb。
　
　But　there　was　no　time　to　ponder　it　or　question　it。　She　had　sat　up；　the　rags　had　fallen　away　from　her　naked　breasts　pletely；　and　her　face；　looking　up　at　him；　was　beautifully　angular；　cheeks　softly　shadowed；　eyes　full　of　cold　light。
　
　She　gave　him　her　hand；　then　saw　the　bony　fingers　and　drew　it　back　with　a　hiss。
　
　〃No；　trust　in　me；〃　　he　said　in　Latin。　He　helped　her　to　her　feet。
　
　He　led　her　through　the　little　house　and　into　the　bedroom。　She　studied　objects　around　her。　With　her　foot；　she　examined　the　soft　Persian　carpet。　She　stared　at　the　little　gramophone。　What　did　the　black　disk　look　like　to　her？
　
　He　tried　to　steer　her　towards　the　bed；　but　she　would　not　move。　She　had　seen　the　newspaper　lying　on　the　dressing　table；　and　now　she　snatched　it　up　and　stared　at　the　advertisement　for　the　opera…at　the　quaintly　Egyptian　woman　and　her　warrior　lover；　and　the　sketch　of　the　three　pyramids　behind　them　an