anner.themummy-第71节

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　This　was　a　lie。　An　awful　lie。　She　had　tried　to　rise　off　the　couch。　The　poison　of　the　snake　was　paralyzing　her。　Ramses！　In　panic；　she'd　called　out；　she　could　hear　her　own　call。　But　he　hadn't　turned　from　the　window。　And　the　women　around　her；　they　pleaded　with　him。　Ramses！
　
　〃Liar！〃　　she　hissed。〃　You　could　have　given　it　to　me！　You　let　me　die！〃
　
　〃No。〃　　He　shook　his　head。〃　Never。〃
　
　But　wait。　She　was　confusing　two　different　crucial　events。　Those　women。　They　hadn't　been　there　when　he　said　the　prayers。　She'd　been　alone　。。。　forever　and　ever。〃　I'd　been　sleeping；　in　a　dark　place。　And　then　you　came。　And　I　felt　pain　again。　Pain　and　hunger；　and　I　knew　you。　I　knew　who　you　were！　And　I　hated　you！〃
　
　〃Cleopatra！〃　　He　came　towards　her。
　
　〃No；　stay　back。　I　know　what　you've　done！　I　knew　it　before。　You've　brought　me　back　from　the　dead！〃　　she　whispered。〃　That's　what　you've　done。　From　the　grave；　you　raised　me。　And　this　is　the　evidence　of　it；　these　wounds！〃　　Her　voice　had　almost　dried　in　her　throat　from　pure　bitterness。　Then　she　felt　the　scream　ing；　she　gasped；　unable　to　hold　it　off。
　
　He　grabbed　her　by　the　arms；　shook　her。
　
　〃Let　me　go！〃　　she　cried。　Calm　now。　No　scream。
　
　For　a　moment；　he　held　on　to　her　and　she　allowed　it；　after　all；　fighting　him　was　useless。　But　then　she　smiled　slowly。　The　thing　was　to　use　her　wits。　To　understand　all　this　once　and　for　all。
　
　〃Oh；　but　you　are　very　handsome；　aren't　you？〃　　she　said。〃　Were　you　always　so　beautiful？　When　I　knew　you　before；　we　made　love；　didn't　we？〃　　She　lifted　her　fingers　and　touched　his　lip。　〃I　like　your　mouth。　I　like　the　mouths　of　men。　Women's　mouths　are　too　soft。　I　like　the　silkiness　of　your　skin。〃
　
　Slowly　she　kissed　him。　Before　it　had　happened；　before　it　had　been　so　heated　that　all　other　men　had　meant　nothing　to　her。　If　only　he　had　given　her　the　freedom；　the　patience；　she　would　have　always　renamed　to　him；　why　hadn't　he　understood？　She　had　to　live　and　breathe　as　the　Queen　of　Egypt。　Hmmmmm；　kissing　him；　hot　as　it　had　been　then；
　
　〃Don't　stop；〃　　she　moaned。
　
　〃Is　it　you？〃　　he　said。　Such　pain　in　his　voice。〃　Is　it　really　you？〃
　
　She　smiled　again。　That　was　the　horror；　wasn't　it？　She　didn't　know　the　answer　herself！　She　laughed。　Ah；　it　was　very　funny。　She　threw　back　her　head　laughing；　and　she　felt　his　lips　on　her　throat。
　
　〃Yes；　kiss　me；　take　me；〃　　she　said。　His　mourn　moved　down　her　throat；　his　fingers　opening　her　dress；　his　mouth　closing　on　her　nipple。〃　Aaaaah！〃　　She　could　scarcely　stand　it；　the　searing　pleasure　of　it。　He　held　her　captive　suddenly；　his　mouth　clamped　to　her；　tongue　stroking　the　nipple；　pulling　on　her　with　the　ferocity　of　a　suckling　child。
　
　Love　you？　I've　always　loved　you。　But　how　can　I　leave　my　world？　How　can　I　leave　behind　everything　that　I　cherish？　You　speak　of　immortality。　I　can't　grasp　such　a　thing。　I　know　only　that　here　I　am　Queen；　and　you　're　moving　away　from　me；　threatening　to　leave　me　forever。。。
　
　She　pulled　away　from　him。　〃Please；〃　　she　begged　him。　Where　and　when　had　she　spoken　those　words？
　
　〃What　is　it？〃　　he　said。
　
　〃I　don't　know　。。。　I　can't　。。。　I　see　things　and　then　they　vanish！〃
　
　〃There's　so　much　I　must　tell　you；　so　much　to　be　revealed。　If　only　you'll　try　to　understand。〃
　
　She　struggled　to　her　feet　and　walked　away　from　him。　Then　looking　down；　she　ripped　off　the　dress；　tore　the　fabric　of　the　skirt　to　its　hem。　Pulling　it　back；　she　pivoted　and　faced　him。
　
　〃Yes！　Cast　your　blue　eyes　on　what　you've　done！　This　is　what　I　understand！〃　　She　touched　the　wound　in　her　side。〃　I　was　a　Queen。　And　now　I　am　this　horror。　What　is　this　that　you　brought　back　to　life　with　your　mysterious　elixir！　Your　medicine！〃
　
　She　lowered　her　head　slowly；　hands　up　once　more　to　her　temples。　A　thousand　times　she　did　it；　but　it　didn't　stop　the　pain　inside　her　mind。　Moaning；　she　rocked　back　and　forth。　Her　moaning　was　like　a　singing。　Did　that　soothe　the　pain？　She　hummed　with　her　lips　sealed；　that　strange　soft　song；〃　Celeste　Aida。〃
　
　Then　she　felt　his　hand　on　her　shoulder。　He　was　turning　her　around。　Like　waking　it　was　to　look　up　at　him。　Handsome　Ramses。
　
　Only　slowly　did　she　lower　her　eyes　and　see　the　shining　vial　in　his　hand。
　
　〃Ah！〃　　She　seized　it　and　went　to　pour　its　contents　into　her　cupped　palm。
　
　〃No；　drink　it！〃
　
　She　hesitated。　But　he　had　poured　it　into　her　mouth；　she　remembered。　Yes；　down　her　throat　in　the　blackness。
　
　With　his　left　hand；　he　grabbed　the　back　of　her　head；　and　with　his　right　he　lifted　the　vial　to　her　lips。
　
　〃Drink　it　down。〃
　
　She　did。　Gulp　after　gulp　and　it　was　gone　into　her。　The　light　brightened　in　the　room　around　her。　A　great　lovely　vibration　shook　her　from　the　roots　of　her　hair　to　her　toes。　The　tingling　in　her　eyes　was　almost　unbearable。　She　closed　her　eyes；　and　then　opened　them　and　saw　him　staring　at　her　in　astonishment。　He　whispered　the　word〃　Blue。〃
　
　But　the　wounds；　were　they　healing！　She　held　up　her　fingers。　The　itching　tingling　sensation　was　tantalizing。　The　flesh　was　covering　the　bone。　And　her　side；　yes；　closing。
　
　〃Oh；　ye　gods；　thank　you。　Thank　the　gods！〃　　she　sobbed。〃　I　am　whole；　Ramses；　I　am　whole。〃
　
　Once　again　his　hands　stroked　her；　sending　the　chills　through　her。　She　let　him　kiss　her；　let　him　pull　off　the　torn　clothes。〃　　Suckle　me；　hold　me；〃　　she　whispered。　On　the　tingling　flesh　where　the　wound　had　been　he　kissed　her；　his　mouth　open；　his　tongue　licking　her。　As　he　kissed　the　moist　hair　between　her　legs；　she　pulled　him　upwards。〃　No；　into　me。　Fill　me！〃　　she　cried。〃　I　am　whole。〃
　
　His　sex　jutted　against　her。　He　lifted　her　and　thrust　her　down　on　it；　ah；　yes；　nothing　remembered　now；　nothing　but　the　flesh；　she　went　limp　in　ecstasy；　her　head　thrown　back；　her　eyes　closed。
　
　Defeated；　he　dragged　his　left　foot　like　a　cripple；　drawing　ever　closer　to　the　hotel。　Had　he　been　a　coward　to　leave？　Should　he　have　stayed；　struggling　to　be　of　assistance　in　that　war　between　Titans？　With　malice　in　his　eyes；　Ramsey　had　said；　Go。　And　Ramsey　had　saved　his　life　by　intervening；　by　following　him；　by　making　a　joke　of　his　last　feeble　attempt　to　get　the　elixir　of　life。　Ah；　what　did　it　matter　now？　He　must　somehow　get　Alex　out　of　Egypt；　get　himself　out　of　Egypt。　Wake　from　this　nightmare　once　and　for　all　and　pletely。　That　was　the　only　thing　left　for　him　to　do。
　
　He　approached　the　front　steps　of　Shepheard's；　eyes　down。
　
　And　he　did　not　see　the　two　men　who　stopped　him　until　they　were　blocking　his　path。
　
　〃Lord　Rutherford？〃
　
　〃Let　me　alone。〃
　
　〃Sorry；　my　lord；　I　wish　I　could。　We're　from　the　governor's　office。　There　are　some　questions　we　must　ask　you。〃
　
　Ah；　the　last　humiliation。　He　did　not　fight。
　
　〃Help　me　up　the　steps；　then；　young　man；〃　　he　said。
　
　She　stepped　out　of　the　copper　bathtub；　the　long　coarse　white　towel　around　her；　her　hair　still　damp　and　curling　in　the　steam。　It　was　a　bath　for　a　palace；　this　room　of　painted　tiles；　and　hot　water　running　through　a　tiny　pipe。　And　the　perfumes　she　had　found；　how　sweet　the　scent；　like　crushed　lilies。
　
　She　walked　back　into　the　bedroom　and　saw　herself　again　in　the　mirrored　cabinet　door。　Whole。　Perfect。　Her　legs　had　their　proper　contour。　Even　the　pain　inside　her；　where　the　evil　one　called　Henry　had　wounded　her；　that　was　no　more。
　
　Blue　eyes！　How　the　sight　shocked　her。
　
　Had　she　been　this　beautiful　when　she　was　alive？　Did　he　know？　Men　had　always　said　she　was　beautiful。　She　did　a　little　dance；　loving　her　own　nakedness；　enjoying　the　softness　of　her　own　hair　against　the　backs　of　her　arms。
　
　Ramses　watched　her　sullenly　from　the　corner。　Well；　that　was　nothing　out　of　the　ordinary；　was　it？　Ramses；　the　secret　watcher。　Ramses；　the　judge。
　
　She　reached　out　for　the　wine　bottle　on　the　dressing　table。　Empty。　She　smashed　it　on　the　marble　top。　Bits　and　pieces　of　glass　fell　to　the　floor。
　
　No　response　from　him；　only　that　hard　unyielding　gaze。
　
　So　what　did　it　matter？　Why　not　go　on　dancing？　She　knew　that　she　was　beautiful；　that　men　would　love　her。　The　two　men　she'd　killed　this　afternoon　had　been　charmed　by　her；　and　now　there　was　no　dreadful　secret　evidence　of　death　to　hide。
　
　Pivoting；　letting　her　hair　fly　about　her；　she　cried　out：〃　Whole！　Alive　and　whole。〃
　
　From　the　other　room　came　the　sudden　frantic　cry　of　that　parrot；　that　evil　bird。　Now　was　the　time　to　kill　it；　a　sacrifice　to
　
　her　happiness；　like　buying　a　white　dove　in　the　marketplace　and　letting　it　go　in　thanks　to　the　gods。
　
　She　went　to　the　cage；　opened　the　little　door　and　thrust　her　hand　inside；　catching　the　fluttering；　screeching　thing　at　once。
　
　She　killed　it　by　pressing　her　fingers　together。　Then　shook　out　her　hand　and　watched　it　drop　to　the　floor　of　the　cage。
　
　Turning；　she　looked　at　Ramses。　Ah；　such　a　sad　face；　so　full　of　disapproval！　Poor　dearest！
　
　〃I　can't　die　now。　Isn't　that　true？〃
　
　No　answer。　Ah；　but　she　knew。　She'd　been　pondering　ever　since　。。。　ever　since　all　of　this　began。　When　she　looked　at　the　others；　it　had　been　the　realization　hovering　in　the　back　of　her　mind。　He'd　raised　her　from　the　dead。　Now　she　couldn't　die。
　
　〃Oh；　how　disconsolate　you　look。　Aren't　you　pleased　with　your　magic？〃　　She　came　towards　him；　laughing　under　her　breath。〃　Am