anner.themummy-第7节

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　a　typewriting　machine　from　an　adjoining　room。
　
　MUMMY'S　CURSE　KILLS
　
　STRATFORD　SHIPPING　MAGNATE
　
　〃RAMSES　THE　DAMNED〃　　STRIKES　DOWN
　
　THOSE　WHO　DISTURB　HIS　REST
　
　How　the　tragedy　had　caught　the　public　imagination。　Impossible　to　walk　a　step　without　seeing　a　front…page　story。　And　how　the　popular　newspapers　elaborated　upon　it；　indulging　in　hastily　drawn　illustrations　of　pyramids　and　camels；　of　the　mummy　in　his　wooden　coffin　and　poor　Mr。　Stratford　lying　dead　at　his　feet。
　
　Poor　Mr。　Stratford；　who　had　been　such　a　fine　man　to　work　for；　remembered　now　for　this　lurid　and　sensational　death。
　
　Just　when　the　furore　had　died　down；　it　had　been　given　another　infusion　of　vitality：
　
　HEIRESS　DEFIES　MUMMY'S　CURSE〃　RAMSES　THE　DAMNED〃　　TO　VISIT　LONDON
　
　The　clerk　turned　the　page　now　quietly；　folding　the　paper　into　a　narrow　thick　column　width　again。　Hard　to　believe　Miss　Stratford　was　bringing　home　ail　the　treasure　to　be　placed　on　exhibit　in　her　own　home　in　Mayfair。　But　that　is　what　her　father　had　always　done。
　
　The　clerk　hoped　that　he'd　be　invited　to　the　reception；　but　there　was　no　chance　of　it；　even　though　he　had　been　with　Stratford　Shipping　for　some　thirty　years。
　
　To　think；　a　bust　of　Cleopatra；　the　only　authenticated　portrait　in　existence。　And　freshly　minted　coins　with　her　image　and　name。　Ah；　he　would　have　liked　to　see　those　things　in　Mr。　Stratford's　library。　But　he　would　have　to　wait　until　the　British　Museum　claimed　the　collection　and　put　it　on　display　for　lord　and　moner　alike。
　
　And　there　were　things　he　might　have　told　Miss　Stratford；　if　ever　there　had　been　an　opportunity；　things　perhaps　old　Mr。　Lawrence　would　have　wanted　her　to　know。
　
　For　instance；　that　Henry　Stratford　hadn't　sat　behind　his　desk　for　a　year　now；　yet　he　still　collected　a　full　salary　and　bonuses；　and　that　Mr。　Randolph　wrote　him　cheques　on　the　pany　funds　at　random　and　then　doctored　the　books。
　
　But　perhaps　the　young　woman　would　find　out　all　this　for　herself。　The　will　had　left　her　full　control　of　her　father's　pany。　And　that's　why　she　was　in　the　boardroom；　with　her　handsome　fiancé；　Alex　Savarell；　Viscount　Summer…field；　right　now。
　
　Randolph　could　not　bear　to　see　her　crying　like　this。　Dreadful　to　be　pressing　her　with　papers　to　sign。　She　looked　all　the　more　fragile　in　her　black　mourning；　her　face　drawn　and　shimmering　as　if　she　were　feverish；　her　eyes　full　of　that　odd　light　that　he　had　first　seen　when　she　told　him　that　her　father　was　dead。
　
　The　other　board　members　sat　in　sullen　silence；　eyes　downcast。　Alex　held　her　arm　gently。　He　looked　faintly　baffled；　as　if　he　really　didn't　understand　death；　it　was　just　that　he　didn't　want　her　to　suffer。　Simple　soul。　Out　of　place　among　these　merchants　and　men　of　business；　the　porcelain　aristocrat　with　his　heiress。
　
　Why　must　we　go　through　with　this？　Why　are　we　not　alone　with　our　grief？
　
　Yet　Randolph　did　it　because　he　had　to　do　it；　though　never　had　the　whole　thing　seemed　so　meaningless。　Never　had　his　love　for　his　only　son　been　so　painfully　tried。
　
　〃I　simply　cannot　make　decisions　yet；　Uncle　Randolph；〃　　she　said　to　him　politely。
　
　〃Of　course　not；　my　dear；〃　　he　answered。〃　No　one　expects　you　to。　If　you'll　only　sign　this　draft　for　emergency　funds　and　leave　the　rest　to　us。〃
　
　〃I　want　to　go　over　everything；　to　take　a　hand　in　things；〃　　she　said。〃　That's　clearly　what　Father　intended。　This　whole　situation　with　the　warehouses　in　India；　I　don't　understand　how　it　could　have　e　to　such　a　crisis。〃　　She　paused；　unwilling　to　be　caught　up　in　things；　perhaps　utterly　incapable　of　it；　and　the　tears　flowed　silently　again。
　
　〃Leave　it　to　me；　Julie；〃　　he　said　wearily。〃　I've　been　handling　crises　in　India　for　years。〃
　
　He　pushed　the　documents　towards　her。　Sign；　please；　sign。　Do　not　ask　for　explanations　now。　Do　not　add　humiliation　to　this　pain。
　
　For　that　is　what　was　so　surprising；　that　he　missed　his　brother　so　much。　We　don't　know　what　we　feel　for　those　we　love　until　they're　taken。　All　night　he'd　lain　awake　remembering　things　。。。　the　Oxford　days；　their　first　trips　to　Egypt…Randolph；　Lawrence　and　Elliott　Savarell。　Those　nights　in　Cairo。　He　had　awakened　early　and　gone　through　old　photographs；　and　papers。　Such　marvelously　vivid　memories。
　
　And　now；　without　spirit　or　will；　he　tried　to　cheat　Lawrence's　daughter。　He　tried　to　cover　for　ten　years　of　lies　and　deceit。　Lawrence　had　built　Stratford　Shipping　because　he　really　didn't　care　about　money。　Oh；　the　risks　that　Lawrence　used　to　take。　And　what　had　Randolph　done　since　he　took　over？　Hold　the　reins　and　steal。　To　his　utter　amazement　Julie　lifted　the　pen　and　signed　her　name　quickly　on　all　the　various　papers；　without　so　much　as　reading　them。　Well；　he　was　safe　from　her　inevitable　questions　for　a　little　while。
　
　I'm　sorry；　Lawrence。　It　was　like　a　silent　prayer。　Perhaps　if　you　knew　the　whole　story。
　
　〃In　a　few　days；　Uncle　Randolph；　I　want　to　sit　down　and　go　over　everything　with　you。　I　mink　that's　what　Father　wanted。　But　I'm　so　tired。　It's　really　time　to　go　home。〃
　
　〃Yes；　let　me　take　you　home　now；〃　　Alex　said　immediately。　He　helped　her　to　her　feet。
　
　Dear　good　Alex。　Why　couldn't　my　son　have　had　a　mere　particle　of　that　gentleness？　The　whole　world　could　have　been　his。　Quickly　Randolph　went　to　open　the　double　doors。　To　his　amazement　he　found　the　men　from　the　British　Museum　waiting。　An　annoyance。　He　would　have　spirited　her　out　another　way；　if　he　had　known。　He　did　not　like　the　unctuous　Mr。　Hancock；　who　behaved　as　if　everything　Lawrence　had　discovered　belonged　to　the　museum　and　the　world。
　
　〃Miss　Stratford；〃　　the　man　said　now　as　he　approached　Julie。〃　Everything　has　been　approved。　The　first　showing　of　the　mummy　will　take　place　in　your　home；　just　as　your　father　would　have　wished。　We　will　of　course　catalogue　everything；　and　remove　the　collection　to　the　museum　as　soon　as　you　wish　it。　I　thought　you　would　want　to　have　my　personal　assurance。　。　；　。〃
　
　〃Of　course；〃　　Julie　answered　wearily。　This　interested　her　no　more　than　the　board　meeting；　obviously。〃　I'm　grateful　to　you；　Mr。　Hancock。　You　know　what　this　discovery　meant　to　my　father。〃　　There　was　a　pause　again　as　if　she　would　begin　crying。　And　why　not？〃　I　only　wish　I'd　been　with　him　in　Egypt。〃
　
　〃Darling；　he　died　where　he'd　been　most　happy；〃　　Alex　offered　lamely。〃　And　among　the　things　he　loved。〃
　
　Pretty　words。　Lawrence　had　been　cheated。　He'd　had　his　momentous　find　for　only　a　few　short　hours。　Even　Randolph　understood　as　much。
　
　Hancock　took　Julie's　arm。　They　moved　towards　the　door　together。
　
　〃Of　course　it's　impossible　to　authenticate　the　remains　until　we　make　a　thorough　examination。　The　coins；　the　bust；　these　are　quite　unprecedented　discoveries。　。。。〃
　
　〃We'll　make　no　extravagant　claims；　Mr。　Hancock。　I　only　want　a　small　reception　for　Father's　oldest　friends。〃
　
　She　offered　her　hand　now；　in　effect　dismissing　him。　She　managed　such　things　so　decisively；　so　like　her　father。　So　like　the　Earl　of　Rutherford　when　you　thought　about　it。　Hers　had　always　been　an　aristocratic　manner。　And　if　only　the　marriage　were　to　take　place。。。
　
　〃Good…bye；　Uncle　Randolph。〃
　
　He　bent　to　kiss　her　cheek。
　
　〃I　love　you；　darling；〃　　he　whispered。　It　surprised　him。　And　so　did　the　smile　that　spread　across　her　face。　Did　she　hear　what　he　had　meant　to　tell　her？　I　am　so　sorry；　sorry　for　everything；　my　dear。
　
　Alone　at　last　on　the　marble　staircase。　All　of　them　gone　but　Alex；　and　in　her　heart　of　hearts；　she　wished　that　he　were　gone　too。
　
　She　wanted　nothing　so　much　now　as　the　quiet　interior　of　her　Rolls…Royce　limousine　with　the　glass　shutting　out　the　noise　of　the　world　around　her。
　
　〃Now；　I'm　going　to　say　this　only　once；　Julie；〃　　Alex　said　as　he　helped　her　down　the　stairs。〃　But　it　es　from　my　soul。　Don't　let　this　tragedy　postpone　the　marriage。　I　know　your　feelings；　but　you're　alone　in　that　house　now。　And　I　want　to　be　with　you；　to　take　care　of　you。　I　want　us　to　be　husband　and　wife。〃
　
　〃Alex；　I'd　be　lying　to　you；〃　　she　said；〃　if　I　told　you　I　could　make　a　decision　now。　More　than　ever　I　need　time　to　think。〃
　
　She　couldn't　bear　to　look　at　him　suddenly；　he　seemed　so　young　always。　Had　she　ever　been　young？　The　question　would　have　made　Uncle　Randolph　smile　perhaps。　She　was　twenty…one。　But　Alex　at　twenty…five　seemed　a　boy　to　her。　And　it　hurt　her　so　much　not　to　love　him　as　he　deserved　to　be　loved。
　
　The　sunlight　hurt　her　eyes　as　he　opened　the　door　to　the　street。　She　brought　the　veil　down　from　the　brim　of　her　hat。　No　reporters；　thank　God　no　reporters；　and　the　big　black　motor　car　there　waiting　with　the　door　open。
　
　〃I　won't　be　alone；　Alex；〃　　she　said　gently。〃　I　have　Rita　and　Oscar　there。　And　Henry's　moving　back　into　his　old　room。　Uncle　Randolph　insisted　upon　it。　I'll　have　more　pany　than　I　need。〃　　Henry。　The　last　person　in　the　world　she　wanted　to　see　was　Henry。　What　an　irony　that　he　had　indeed　been　the　last　person　her　father　saw　before　his　eyes　closed　in　death。
　
　The　reporters　mobbed　Henry　Stratford　as　he　came　ashore。　Had　the　mummy's　curse　frightened　him？　Had　he　glimpsed　anything　supernatural　at　work　in　the　little　rock　chamber　where　the　death　of　Lawrence　Stratford　had　taken　place？　Henry　fought　his　way　through　customs　in　silence；　ig