anner.themummy-第69节

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lso。　It's　damned　cold　in　this　city　after　dark。〃
　
　Walter　fetched　the　stick　immediately。　He　had　the　cloak　over　his　arm。　He　put　it　over　Elliott's　shoulders；　adjusting　it　snugly。
　
　〃Father；〃　　Alex　pleaded；〃　for　the　love　of…〃〃Good…bye；　Alex。　Remember。　Julie　needs　you。　She　needs　you　here。〃
　
　〃Sire；　it's　past　six　now；〃　　Samir　said。〃　I　must　show　you　how　to　find　this　tavern。〃
　
　〃I　can　find　it　on　my　own；　Samir；〃　　Ramses　answered。〃　Go　back　to　the　hotel；　both　of　you。　I　must　see　for　myself　。。。　the　state　of　things。　And　then　I　shall　get　word　to　you　as　soon　as　I　can。〃
　
　〃No；〃　　Julie　said；〃　let　me　go　with　you。〃
　
　〃Unthinkable；〃　　Ramses　said。〃　It's　much　too　dangerous。　And　this　is　something　I　must　face　alone。〃
　
　〃Ramses；　I'm　not　leaving　you；〃　　she　insisted。
　
　〃Julie；　we　must　return　now；〃　　Samir　said。〃　We　must　be　seen　before　they　start　searching　for　us。〃
　
　Ramses　rose　to　his　feet　slowly。　He　turned　away　from　the　flickering　light　of　the　candle；　which　was　now　the　only　illumination　in　the　dark　room。　He　lifted　his　hands　as　if　in　prayer。　He　looked　for　all　the　world　like　one　of　the　Moslems　in　the　mosque　as　he　stood　there；　a　tiny　speck　of　light　shining　in　his　eyes。
　
　〃Julie；〃　　he　said；　turning　back　to　her　with　a　deep　sigh。〃　If　you　go　home　to　England　now；　you　can　still　recover　your　old　life。〃
　
　〃Oh；　you　hurt　me；　Ramses！〃　　she　said。〃　You　wound　me　to　the　quick。　Do　you　love　her；　Ramses？　Do　you　love　this　thing　you've　raised　from　the　grave？〃
　
　She　had　not　meant　to　say　this。　She　stopped；　defeated；　and　now　it　was　she　who　turned　away。
　
　〃I　know　I　love　you；　Julie　Stratford；〃　　he　whispered。〃　I've　loved　you　from　the　first　moment　I　saw　you。　I　braved　discovery　to　save　you。　And　I　want　your　love　now。〃
　
　〃Then　don't　speak　of　my　leaving　you；〃　　she　said；　her　voice　breaking。〃　Ramses；　if　I　never　see　you　again　after　this　night；　my　life　is　destroyed。〃
　
　〃On　my　honour；　you　shall　see　me。〃
　
　He　took　her　in　his　arms。
　
　〃My　love；　my　brave　love；〃　　he　whispered；　caressing　her。〃　I　need　you…both　of　you…more　than　I　can　say。〃
　
　〃May　the　old　gods　be　with　you；　sire；〃　　Samir　whispered。〃　We　will　count　the　minutes　until　we　receive　some　word。〃
　
　Only　a　dim　light　burned　in　Winthrop's　office。　He　was　staggered　by　the　report　on　his　desk。　The　young　official　standing　before　him　waited　for　orders。
　
　〃And　his　head　was　crushed；　you　said？〃
　
　〃Neck　broken　also。　Like　the　maid　in　the　museum。　And　all　his　money　had　been　taken；　though　his　passport　had　been　left　in　the　mud。〃
　
　〃Double　the　watch　on　Shepheard's；〃　　said　Winthrop。〃　And　get　the　Earl　of　Rutherford　over　here　immediately。　We　know　he's　there；　I　don't　care　what　his　son　says。　We　saw　him　go　in。〃
　
　Out　of　the　back　door　of　the　wing；　Elliott　walked　swiftly；　stiffening　his　left　leg　to　take　the　weight　off　the　knee。　He　crossed　the　dark　parking　lot　and　headed　towards　old　Cairo。　Only　when　he　was　two　streets　away　from　Shepheard's　did　he　hail　a　passing　cab。
　
　Julie　slipped　into　her　suite；　and　locked　the　door。　The　Arab　robe　was　folded　tightly　under　her　arm。　She　had　removed　it　in　the　cab；　and　she　stuffed　it　now　in　the　bottom　of　die　wardrobe　behind　her　trunk。
　
　Going　into　the　bedroom；　she　drew　the　small　suitcase　down　from　the　wardrobe　shelf。　What　few　things　did　she　need？　So　much　she　possessed　did　not　matter　to　her。　Only　freedom　mattered　now；　freedom　with　Ramses；　to　somehow　escape　this　hideous　tangle　of　events。
　
　But　what　if　she　never　again　laid　eyes　upon　this　man　who　had　thrown　her　entire　past　life　into　shadow？　What　was　the　point　of　packing　this　suitcase　until　she　knew　what　had　happened？
　
　Suddenly　the　entire　thing　overwhelmed　her。　She　lay　down　on　the　bed；　weak；　sick　at　heart。
　
　She　was　crying　softly　when　Rita　came　in。
　
　The　Babylon。　He　could　hear　the　drums　and　cymbals　as　he　hurried　down　the　crooked　little　stone　street。　How　odd　that　at　this　moment　he　would　remember　Lawrence　so　keenly；　his　beloved　Lawrence。
　
　Suddenly　a　soft　collection　of　sounds　behind　him　forced　him　to　stop。　Someone　had　dropped　down　off　the　roof！　He　turned　around。
　
　〃Keep　walking；〃　　said　die　tall　Arab。　It　was　Ramsey！〃　There
　
　is　a　bar　around　the　corner　which　I　prefer　for　this　meeting。　It　is　quiet。　Go　in　ahead　of　me　and　sit　down。〃
　
　Elliott　was　weak　with　relief。　He　obeyed　immediately。　Whatever　happened；　he　was　no　longer　alone　in　this　nightmare。　Ramsey　would　know　what　to　do。　He　pushed　on　to　the　little　bar；　and　went　inside。
　
　Beaded　curtains；　low　flickering　oil　lamps；　wooden　tables；　the　usual　collection　of　disreputable　Europeans。　An　indifferent　serving　boy　swabbing　a　table　with　a　filthy　rag。
　
　A　tall　blue…eyed　Arab　in　handsome　robes　sat　at　the　last　table；　his　back　to　the　right　wall。　Ramsey。　He　must　have　entered　from　the　rear。
　
　Several　patrons　eyed　Elliott　arrogantly　as　he　made　his　way　to　the　back。　He　was　conspicuous　in　his　proper　clothes。　The　least　of　his　worries。
　
　He　took　the　chair　to　the　right　of　Ramsey；　with　its　back　to　the　rear　door。
　
　The　sputtering　little　lamp　on　the　table　reeked　of　scented　oil。　Ramses　already　had　a　drink　in　his　hand。　There　was　a　bottle　without　a　label　and　a　clean　glass。
　
　〃Where　is　she？〃　　Ramsey　said。
　
　〃I　have　no　intention　of　telling　you；〃　　Elliott　said。
　
　〃Oh？　What　are　the　rules　of　this　game？　Or　am　I　to　remain　at　a　major　disadvantage？〃
　
　Elliott　was　quiet　for　a　moment。　He　reflected　upon　his　decision　again。　Worth　it。　Worth　the　shame　of　the　moment。　He　cleared　his　throat。
　
　〃You　know　what　I　want；〃　　he　said　to　Ramsey。〃　You've　known　since　the　beginning。　I　didn't　make　this　journey　to　Egypt　to　protect　my　future　daughter…in…law's　chastity。　That's　absurd。〃
　
　〃I　believed　you　were　an　honorable　man。〃
　
　〃I　am；　though　today　I've　witnessed　things　that　would　sicken　a　monster。〃
　
　〃You　should　never　have　followed　me　to　the　museum。〃
　
　Elliott　nodded。　He　picked　up　the　bottle；　uncorked　it　and　filled　the　glass。　Whisky。　Ah；　yes。　He　took　a　stiff　drink。
　
　〃I　know　I　shouldn't　have　followed　you；〃　　he　said。〃　It　was　a　young　man's　folly。　And　maybe　I　would　be　young　again　。。。　forever。〃
　
　He　looked　at　Ramsey。　There　was　more　than　a　touch　of　majesty　to　the　man　in　these　white　robes。　He　looked　biblical；　larger
　
　than　Hie。　His　blue　eyes　were　rimmed　with　red；　however。　And　he　was　weary；　and　suffering。　That　was　quite　clear。
　
　〃I　want　the　elixir；〃　　Elliott　said　politely。〃　Once　You've　given　it　to　me；　once　I've　drunk　it；　then　I'll　tell　you　where　she　is。　And　she　shall　bee　your　responsibility。　And　believe　you　me；　I　don't　envy　you。　Though　I　have　done　all　that　I　could。〃
　
　〃What　state　is　she　in？　I　want　to　know　precisely。〃
　
　〃Healed；　but　not　enough。　She　is　beautiful　and　she　is　deadly。　She　killed　Henry；　and　his　Egyptian　mistress；　Malenka。〃
　
　Ramsey　said　nothing　for　a　moment；　then：
　
　〃Well；　young　Stratford　got　what　he　deserved；　to　use　your　modem　expression。　He　murdered　his　uncle。　He　tried　to　murder　his　cousin。　I　rose　from　the　grave　to　stop　him。　The　story　he　told　you　of　my　trying　to　strangle　him　was　true。〃
　
　Elliott　sighed。　Another　great　wash　of　relief　passing　through　him；　but　not　without　bitterness；　deep　bitterness。〃　I　knew　it。。。　the　part　about　Lawrence。　About　Julie　I　never　guessed。〃
　
　〃With　my　poisons；〃　　Ramses　sighed。
　
　〃I　loved　Lawrence　Stratford；〃　　Elliott　whispered。〃　He　was　my　。。。　my　lover；　once；　and　always　my　friend。〃
　
　Ramses　gave　a　small　nod　of　respect。
　
　〃This　killing；　was　it　easy　for　her？　How　did　it　e　about？〃
　
　〃She　is　incalculably　strong。　I'm　not　sure　she　fully　understands　what　death　is。　She　killed　Henry　because　he　was　firing　a　gun　at　her。　Malenka　she　killed　because　the　girl　was　frightened　and　had　begun　to　scream。　She　broke　the　necks　of　these　two　people。　The　maid　in　the　museum；　the　same。〃
　
　〃She　speaks？〃
　
　〃Clearly。　She　picks　up　English　from　me　as　if　imbibing　it。　She　told　me　who　she　was。　But　something's　wrong　with　her；　something　profound。　She　does　not　really　know　where　she　is；　or　what's　happening　to　her。　And　she　suffers。　She　suffers　unspeakably　because　of　the　great　gaping　sores　on　her　body；　through　which　the　bones　are　visible。　She　suffers　anguish　and　physical　pain。〃　　Elliott　took　another　drink　of　the　whisky。〃　The　damage　to　her　body…surely　there　is　similar　damage　to　her　brain。〃
　
　〃You　must　take　me　to　her　immediately！〃
　
　〃I　gave　her　what　was　left　in　the　vial；　the　one　you　so　carelessly　dropped　in　the　museum。　I　applied　it　to　her　face　and　her　hands。　But　much　more　is　needed。〃
　
　〃You　saw　it　work？　It　shrank　these　wounds？〃
　
　〃Yes。　But　the　sunlight　had　already　healed　her　enormously。〃
　
　Elliott　paused；　he　studied　Ramsey's　seemingly　impassive　face；　the　blue　eyes　staring　forward。〃　But　surely　this　is　no　mystery　to　you！〃
　
　〃You're　wrong。〃
　
　Mechanically　Ramses　lifted　the　glass　and　drank。
　
　〃A　quarter　of　the　vial；　that's　all　that　was　left；〃　　Elliott　said。〃　Would　it　have　been　enough　for　me；　if　I　had　drunk　it　instead　of　giving　it　to　her？〃
　
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　
　Elliott　smiled　bitterly。
　
　〃I　am　not　a　scientist。　Only　a　King。〃
　
　〃Well；　you　have　my　proposition；　Your　Royal　Highness。　You　give　me　the　elixir。　And　in　a　quantity　sufficient　to　resolve　all　doubts。　And　I　shall　give　you　Cleopatr