anner.themummy-第59节

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e　quaintly　Egyptian　woman　and　her　warrior　lover；　and　the　sketch　of　the　three　pyramids　behind　them　and　the　fanlike　Egyptian　palms。
　
　She　gave　a　little　agitated　moan　as　she　studied　this。　Then　her　finger　moved　over　the　columns　of　English；　and　she　looked　up　at　Elliott；　her　eyes　large　and　glossy　and　slightly　mad。
　
　〃My　language；〃　　he　said　to　her　in　Latin。〃　English。　This　advertises　a　drama　with　music。　It　is　called　an　opera。〃
　
　〃Speak　in　English；〃　　she　said　to　him　in　Latin。　Her　voice　was　sharp　yet　lovely。〃　I　tell　you；　speak。〃
　
　There　was　a　sound　at　the　door。　He　took　her　arm　and　moved　her　to　one　side；　out　of　sight。〃　Strangers；〃　　he　said　in　English　and　then　immediately　in　Latin。　He　went　on　in　this　vein；　alternating　languages；　translating　for　her。〃　Lie　down　and　rest；　and　I　shall　bring　you　food。〃
　
　She　cocked　her　head；　listening　to　the　noises　from　the　other　room。　Then　her　body　moved　with　a　violent　spasm　and　she　put　her　hand　to　the　wound　in　her　chest。　Yes；　they　hurt　her；　these　awful　oozing　ulcers；　for　that's　what　they　looked　like。　But　there　was　something　else　wrong　with　her；　accounting　for　her　sudden　jerky　movements；　and　the　way　every　sound　startled　her。
　
　Quickly　he　led　her　to　the　bed；　and；　shoving　back　the　netting；　he　urged　her　to　He　back　on　the　lace　pillows。　A　great　look　of　relief　came　over　her　as　she　did　so。　She　shivered　violently　again；　fingers　dancing　now　over　her　eyes；　as　she　turned　instinctively　towards　the　sun。　Surely　he　should　cover　her；　only　a　few　rags　now　clung　to　her；　thin　as　paper；　but　then　she　needed　the　sun。
　
　He　opened　the　blinds　opposite；　letting　the　full　heat　e　in。
　
　Then　he　hurried　to　close　the　door　to　the　sitting　room；　and　he　peered　out　the　window　that　opened　onto　the　yard。
　
　Malenka　was　just　opening　the　garden　gate。　Two　men　had　e　in　with　a　rolled…up　carpet。　They　unrolled　it　on　the　pavement；　lifted　the　body　of　Henry；　dumped　it　down　on　the　carpet　and　rolled　it　up　again。
　
　The　sight　of　the　heavy　flopping　limbs　sickened　Elliott。　He　swallowed；　and　waited　out　the　sudden　increased　pressure　in　his　chest。
　
　Then　he　heard　a　soft　weeping　ing　from　the　bed。　He　went　back　to　the　woman　and　looked　down　at　her。　He　could　not　tell　if　the　healing　was　continuing。　And　then　he　thought　of　the　vial　in　his　coat。
　
　For　a　moment　he　hesitated。　Who　would　not？　But　there　were　only　a　few　droplets。　And　he　could　not　bear　the　sight　of　her　pain。
　
　The　deaths　she'd　caused；　they　had　been　almost　blunders。　And　how　impossible　to　measure　her　confusion　and　torments。
　
　She　looked　up　at　him；　squinting　as　though　the　brightness　hurt　her。　And　softly　in　Latin；　she　asked　his　name。
　
　For　a　moment　he　couldn't　respond。　Her　simple　tone　had　evinced　a　natural　intelligence。　And　it　was　intelligence　now　that　he　beheld　in　her　eyes。
　
　That　is；　she　seemed　no　longer　mad　or　disoriented。　Only　a　woman　suffering。
　
　〃Forgive　me；〃　　he　said　in　Latin。〃　Elliott；　Lord　Rutherford。　In　my　land；　I　am　a　lord。〃
　
　Shrewdly　she　studied　him。　She　sat　up；　and　reaching　for　the　folded　forter　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　she　brought　it　up　to　cover　her　to　the　waist。　The　sunlight　sparkled　on　her　black　hair；　and　once　again　he　saw　the　tendrils　dancing　about　her　face。
　
　Her　black　eyebrows　were　beautifully　drawn；　high　and　just　wide　enough　apart。　Her　hazel　eyes　were　magnificent。
　
　〃May　I　ask　your　name？〃　　he　said　in　Latin。
　
　A　bitter　smile　came　over　her。〃　Cleopatra；〃　　she　said。〃　In　my　land；　I　am　a　Queen。〃
　
　The　silence　shimmered。　A　soft　heat　washed　through　him；　utterly　unlike　the　pain　of　other　shocks。　He　stared　into　her　eyes；　unable　to　answer。　And　then　a　great　exhilaration　seized　him；　obliterating　every　fear　and　regret　of　his　soul。
　
　〃Cleopatra；〃　　he　whispered；　awestruck；　respectful。
　
　In　Latin　she　said；〃　Speak　to　me　in　English；　Lord　Rutherford。　Speak　the　tongue　you　spoke　to　the　slave　girl。　Speak　the　tongue　written　there　in　the　book。　Bring　me　food　and　drink；　for　I　am　ravenous。〃
　
　〃Yes；〃　　he　said　in　English；　nodding　to　her。　He　repeated　the　assent　in　Latin。〃　Food　and　drink。〃
　
　〃And　you　must　tell　me…〃　she　started；　but　then　stopped。　The　pain　in　her　side　hurt　her；　and　then　frantically　she　touched　the　wound　on　her　head。〃　Tell　me…〃　she　tried　again；　then　looked　at　him　in　pure　confusion。　She　was　obviously　struggling　to　remember；　then　panic　seized　her；　and　clamping　her　hands　to　her　head；　she　closed　her　eyes　and　started　to　weep。
　
　〃Here；　wait；　I　have　the　medicine；〃　　he　whispered。　He　eased　himself　down　slowly　on　the　side　of　the　bed。　He　drew　the　vial　out　of　his　coat。　A　half　inch　of　fluid　remained　in　it；　sparkling　unnaturally　in　the　sun。
　
　She　studied　the　vial　suspiciously。　She　watched　him　open　it。　He　raised　it；　gendy　touching　her　hair　with　his　left　hand；　but　she　stopped　him。　She　pointed　to　her　eyelids　and　he　saw　that　there　were　still　small　places　there　where　the　skin　appeared　eaten　away。　She　took　the　vial　from　him；　poured　a　drop　or　two　onto　her　fingers　and　smoothed　this　on　her　lids。
　
　Elliott　narrowed　his　eyes　as　he　watched　the　action　of　the　chemical。　He　could　almost　hear　it；　a　faint　rustling；　crackling　sound。
　
　Now；　desperately；　she　took　the　whole　vial　and　poured　the　fluid　over　the　gaping　hole　in　her　chest。　She　smeared　it　with　her　left　fingers；　whimpering　softly；　and　then　lay　back；　gasping　faindy；　head　tossing　on　the　pillows；　then　still。
　
　Several　minutes　passed。　He　was　fascinated　by　what　he　saw。　But　the　healing　went　only　so　far；　then　stopped。　Her　lids；　they　were　now　entirely　normal；　and　indeed　her　lashes　were　a　dark　unbroken　fringe。　But　the　wound　in　her　side　was　as　evil　as　ever。
　
　It　was　only　just　penetrating　to　him　that　she　was　Cleopatra；　that　Ramses　had　stumbled　upon　the　body　of　his　lost　love。　It　was　only　just　ing　clear　to　him　why　Ramses　had　done　what　he　had　done。　Dully　he　wondered　what　it　meant　to　have　such　power。　He　had　dreamed　of　immortality；　but　not　the　power　to　convey　it。　And　this　was　the　power　not　only　to　grant　immortality；　but　to　triumph　over　death。
　
　But　the　implications　。。。　they　staggered　him。　This　creature；　what　was　going　on　in　her　mind？　Indeed；　where　had　her　mind　as　such　e　from？　God；　he　had　to　reach　Ramsey！
　
　〃I'll　get　more　of　the　medicine；〃　　he　said　in　English；　translating　it　immediately　into　Latin。〃　I'll　bring　it　here　to　you；　but　you　must　rest　now。　You　must　lie　here　in　die　sun。〃　　He　pointed　to　the　window。　Using　both　languages；　he　explained　that　the　sun　was　making　the　medicine　work。
　
　Drowsily　she　looked　at　him。　She　repeated　his　English　phrases；　mimicking　his　accent　perfectly。　But　her　eyes　had　a　glazed　and　utterly　mad　look　now。　She　murmured　something　in　Latin　about　not　being　able　to　remember　and　then　she　began　to　weep　again。
　
　He　could　not　bear　the　sight　of　it。　But　what　more　could　he　do？　As　quickly　as　he　could；　he　went　into　the　other　room　and　brought　back　a　bottle　of　liqueur　for　her；　a　thick　spicy　brandy；　and　at　once　she　took　it　from　him　and　drank　it　down。
　
　Her　eyes　went　dim　for　a　moment。　And　then　she　moaned　aloud　in　pure　distress　again。
　
　The　gramophone。　Ramsey　loved　music。　Ramsey　was　spellbound　by　it。　Elliott　went　to　the　little　machine；　and　examined　the　few　records　beside　it　in　a　pile。　Lots　of　the　English…language　foolishness。　Ah；　here　was　what　he　wanted：　Aida。　Caruso　singing　Radames。
　
　He　wound　the　box；　and　set　the　needle　on　the　record。　At　the　first　thin　sound　of　the　orchestra；　she　sat　up　in　the　bed；　she　stared　in　horror。　But　he　went　to　her　and　touched　her　shoulder　gently。
　
　〃Opera；　Aida；〃　　he　said。　He　groped　for　words　in　Latin　to　explain　it　was　a　music　box；　it　worked　by　parts　fitted　together。〃　The　song　was　from　a　man　to　his　Egyptian　love。〃
　
　She　climbed　out　of　the　bed　and　stumbled　past　him。　She　was　now　almost　entirely　naked；　and　her　form　was　quite　beautiful；　her　hips　narrow　and　her　legs　beautifully　proportioned。　He　tried　not　to　stare　at　her；　not　to　stare　at　her　breasts。　Approaching　slowly；　he　lifted　the　gramophone　needle。　She　screamed　at　him。　A　volley　of　curses　broke　from　her　in　Latin。〃　Make　the　music　go　on。〃
　
　〃Yes；　but　I　want　to　show　you　how；〃　　he　told　her。　He　cranked　the　handle　of　the　machine　again。　He　set　the　needle　on　the　record　again。　Only　then　did　the　utter　savagery　go　out　of　her　expression。　She　began　to　moan　in　time　with　the　music；　and　then　she　put　her　hands　on　her　head；　and　shut　her　eyes　very　tight。
　
　She　began　to　dance；　rocking　frantically　from　side　to　side。　It　terrified　him　to　watch　her；　but　he　knew　he'd　seen　this　very　kind　of　dancing　before。　He　had　seen　it　among　severely　damaged　children…an　atavistic　response　to　the　rhythm　and　sound。
　
　She　didn't　notice　as　he　slipped　away　to　bring　her　food。
　
　Ramses　bought　the　newspaper　from　the　British　newsstand　and　walked　on；　slowly；　through　the　crowded　bazaar。
　
　MURDER　IN　THE　MUSEUM　MUMMY　STOLEN；　MAID　KILLED
　
　Beneath　the　headline　was　the　column　heading：
　
　MYSTERIOUS　EGYPTIAN　SOUGHT　IN　GRISLY　DEATH
　
　He　scanned　the　details；　then　crumpled　up　the　newspaper　and　threw　it　away。　He　walked　on　with　his　head　bowed；　arms　folded　under　the　Arab　robe。　Had　she　slain　this　serving　woman？　And　why　had　she　done　it？　'And　how　had　she　managed　to　escape？
　
　Of　course　the　officials　might　be　lying；　but　that　seemed　unlikely。　Not　enough　time　had　elapsed　f