anner.themummy-第86节

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　my　side！〃　　she　whispered。〃　She　could　have　killed　me。　She　wanted　to。　But　then　she　couldn't。　Ramses！　She's　a　living；　feeling　creature！　Oh；　God；　what　have　you　done；　what　have/done！〃
　
　A　bell　had　sounded　within　the　auditorium。　People　were　streaming　out　into　the　open　spaces。　And　Alex　would　be　searching　for　her；　and　perhaps　he　would　find　them。
　
　She　could　not　clear　her　head；　she　could　not　bring　herself　to　move。
　
　She　stood　on　the　high　iron　balcony；　above　the　iron　steps　that　descended　to　a　dark；　neglected　alleyway；　the　door　open　to　me　lights　and　the　noise　to　her　right。　The　city　was　a　haze　of　soft
　
　lamps　and　rooftops；　of　shining　domes；　and　towers　piercing　the　deep　azure　sky。　She　could　not　see　the　Nile　from　here；　but　it　didn't　matter。　The　air　was　cool　and　sweet；　full　of　the　scent　of　the　green　trees　below。
　
　Suddenly；　she　heard　his　voice：
　
　〃Your　Highness；　I've　been　searching　for　you　everywhere。〃
　
　〃Hold　me；　Alex；〃　　she　whispered。〃　Hold　me　in　your　arms。〃　　She　took　a　deep　breath　as　she　felt　him　close　to　her；　his　warm　hands　on　her。　Gently　he　moved　her　back　to　sit　on　the　iron　steps　that　went　upward　to　yet　another　balcony　above。
　
　〃You're　ill；〃　　he　said。〃　I　must　get　something　for　you　to　drink。〃
　
　〃No；　stay　close　to　me；〃　　she　said。　She　knew　her　voice　was　barely　audible。　She　stared　out　at　the　lights　of　the　city　almost　desperately。　She　wanted　somehow　to　cling　to　this　vision　of　the　modern　city；　to　move　towards　it　mentally　out　of　her　anguish。　It　was　her　only　escape。　That　and　the　boy　beside　her；　the　clean　innocent　male　thing　that　held　her　and　kissed　her。
　
　〃What　do　I　do？〃　　she　murmured　in　the　old　Latin。〃　Is　it　grief　I　feel；　or　rage？　I　only　know　it's　suffering。〃
　
　She　was　torturing　him；　but　she　didn't　mean　to。　Had　he　understood　her　words？
　
　〃Open　your　heart　to　me；〃　　he　said　earnestly。〃　I　love　you；　Your　Highness。　Tell　me　what's　troubling　you。　I　won't　let　anything　hurt　you。　If　it's　in　my　power　to　stop　it；　I　shall。〃
　
　〃I　believe　you；　young　lord；〃　　she　said。〃　I　feel　love　for　you　too。〃
　
　But　what　was　it　she　wanted？　Would　revenge　cure　the　rage　that　was　tearing　her　apart？　Or　should　she　retreat　now；　taking　young　Lord　Alex　with　her；　and　move　as　far　away　from　her　mentor；　her　creator；　as　she　could？　It　seemed　for　one　moment　the　ache　in　her　would　consume　everything…thought；　hope；　will。　But　then　she　realized　something　and　it　was　like　the　sun　again；　the　warm　sun。
　
　To　love　and　to　hate　so　fiercely；　it　was　the　essence　of　life　itself。　And　life　she　had　again　with　all　its　blessings　and　all　its　pain。
　
　The　last　act　was　nearing　the　end。　Elliott　sat　staring　dully　at　the　beautiful　stage；　the　doomed　lovers　suffocating　in　the　tomb；　Amneris　the　princess　praying　above。
　
　Thank　God　it　was　almost　finished！　Verdi　at　his　finest　seemed　absolutely　ludicrous　under　these　circumstances。　As　for　the　ball；　they　would　pass　through　it　for　no　more　than　a　moment　or　two　before　taking　Julie　to　her　room。
　
　Julie　was　on　the　verge　of　collapse。　She　sat　still　in　the　foyer　of　the　box　behind　him；　shivering；　clinging　to　Ramses。
　
　She'd　refused　to　let　Ramses　leave　her；　so　Elliott　and　Samir　had　searched　the　crowds　at　the　intermissions。　They　had　moved　up　and　down　the　staircase；　looking　for　the　woman　whom　only　Elliott　would　surely　recognize；　but　whom　Samir　could　spot　for　her　flowing　hair　and　silver　gown。
　
　She　was　nowhere　to　be　found。　And　it　wasn't　surprising。　She　may　well　have　left　the　hall　altogether　after　the　brief　attack。　The　mystery　was：　how　did　she　know　about　Julie！　How　had　she　found　Julie　here！
　
　Another　maddening　aspect　of　all　this　was　that　they　had　not　found　Alex　either！　But　perhaps　that　was　a　blessing　in　disguise。　Alex　remained　somehow　miraculously　untouched　by　what　had　happened。　Maybe　he　could　be　taken　home　with　no　further　explanations；　yet　that　seemed　too　much　to　expect。
　
　There　was　no　doubt　in　Elliott's　mind　now　that　Julie　would　be　on　that　noon　train　tomorrow　with　Alex。　He　himself　would　remain　in　Cairo　until　this　thing　was　seen　to　the　finish。　Samir　would　go　back　to　London　with　Julie；　it　had　already　been　decided；　for　Alex　surely　couldn't　protect　her　or　fort　her；　since　he　did　not　know　and　must　not　know　what　was　going　on。
　
　Samir　would　stay　with　Julie　in　Mayfair　until　Ramses　returned。　What　good　Elliott　would　be　was　uncertain。　But　he　would　remain。　He　had　to。　And　Julie　had　to　be　taken　far；　far　away。
　
　The　last　heartrending　duet　of　the　opera　was　at　its　most　poignant。　He　could　not　bear　it　for　much　longer。　He　lifted　his　opera　glasses　and　began　scanning　the　hall。　Alex；　where　the　hell　are　you！　He　scanned　the　left　side　of　the　dress　circle　slowly；　and　then　gradually　turned　to　the　right。
　
　Grey　heads；　sparkling　diamonds；　men　half…asleep；　mouths　agape　under　white　mustaches。　And　a　gorgeous　woman　with　black　rippling　hair　over　her　shoulders　walking　quickly　down　to　the　front　row　of　a　far　box；　her　hand　in　Alex's　hand。
　
　He　froze。
　
　He　turned　the　little　dial　on　the　glasses；　bringing　the　image　even　closer。　The　woman　had　settled　down　on　Alex's　left；　but　the　curve　of　the　dress　circle　placed　them　both　clearly　in　view！　Don't　have　a　heart　attack　now；　Elliott；　not　after　all　you've　been　through。　Alex　turned　and　kissed　the　woman's　cheek　as　she　stared　at　the　stage…the　tomb；　the　doomed　lovers…and　then　in　a　little　silent　frenzy　she　turned　to　Alex　with　heartbroken　eyes　and　nestled　into　the　crook　of　his　arm。
　
　〃Ramsey；〃　　he　whispered。　He　had　disturbed　those　around　him；　even　woken　up　somebody　in　the　next　box。　But　Ramsey　had　heard　him　and　had　e　through　the　curtain；　kneeling　down　beside　his　seat。
　
　〃There；　look！　With　Alex；　it's　she。〃　　The　whisper　was　a　gasp。　Shoving　the　opera　glasses　at　Ramsey；　he　stared　at　the　two　distant　figures。　He　didn't　need　the　glasses　to　see　that　Cleopatra　had　lifted　her　own　and　was　staring　at　them！
　
　He　heard　Ramsey's　low　moan　of　distress。
　
　Alex　had　turned。　Alex　was　making　a　little　cheerful　gesture　to　them；　a　discreet　little　wave　with　his　left　hand。
　
　The　last　dying　notes　of　the　duet　ended。　Applause　broke　out　all　around　them。　The　inevitable〃　Bravos！〃　　came　from　all　directions。　The　house　lights　were　rising。　People　were　climbing　to　their　feet。
　
　Julie　and　Samir　stood　in　the　open　doorway。
　
　〃What　is　it！〃　　Julie　demanded。
　
　〃They're　leaving。　I'm　going　after　them！〃　　Ramses　said。
　
　〃No！〃　　Julie　cried。
　
　〃Julie；　she's　with　Alex　Savarell；〃　　Ramsey　said。〃　She　has　ensnared　the　Earl's　son！　Both　of　you；　stay　with　Julie。　Take　Julie　back　to　the　hotel。〃
　
　He　knew　it　was　no　good　as　soon　as　he　had　reached　the　box。　They　were　gone。　At　least　three　exits　opened　on　iron　stairways　down　the　side　of　the　building。　And　people　were　using　all　of　them。　He　rushed　along　the　mezzanine；　scanning　those　who　descended　the　grand　stairway。　Not　a　chance　of　finding　them　now。　He　was　at　the　front　doors　when　Elliott；　Samir　and　Julie　came　down　the　stairs。　Julie　looked　like　the　ghost　of　herself；　clinging　to　Samir。　Elliott　was　clearly　drawing　upon　the　very　last　of　his　stamina；　and　his　face　had　turned　a　deathly　white。
　
　〃It's　no　use；〃　　Ramses　explained。〃　They　are　lost　again。〃　〃Our　only　chance　then　is　the　ball；〃　　Elliott　said。〃　It's　a　game；　don't　you　see！　Alex　doesn't　understand　what's　happening。　He　said　he　would　meet　us　here；　or　at　the　ball。〃
　
　THEY　HAD　followed　the　flow　of　the　guests；　streaming　out　of　the　Opera　House；　and　walking　across　the　broad　square　towards　the　hotel。
　
　There　was　no　doubt　in　her　mind　that　Ramses　was　following　them。　Undoubtedly　Lord　Rutherford　would　e　in　the　hope　of　rescuing　his　son。
　
　She　made　no　decision　as　to　what　she　should　do。　The　meeting　was　inevitable。　Words　must　be　spoken；　and　beyond　that？　She　saw　only　freedom；　but　she　did　not　know　where　she　must　go　or　what　she　must　do　to　be　free。
　
　Killing　the　other；　that　was　not　the　answer。　A　great　revulsion　rose　in　her　against　all　the　lives　she'd　thoughtlessly　taken…even　the　life　of　the　man　who　had　fired　the　gun　at　her；　whoever　he　had　been。
　
　Solving　the　riddle　of　why　Ramses　had　resurrected　her；　of　how　precisely　he'd　done　it…that　must　be　part　of　what　she　had　to　do。　But　maybe　she　should　run　from　that　and　run　from　him。
　
　She　glanced　at　the　motor　cars　nosing　their　way　up　the　circular　drive　before　the　entrance　of　Shepheard's。　Why　couldn't　they　run　away；　she　and　Alex；　right　now？　There　was　time　enough；　wasn't　there；　for　her　to　seek　her　old　teacher；　this　man　who　had　dominated　all　of　her　mortal　life；　and　had　now　re…created　her　for　reasons　she　couldn't　understand？
　
　And　for　one　second　a　dreadful　foreboding　shook　her。　She　clasped　Alex's　hand　all　the　more　tightly。　There　came　his　reassuring　smile　again。　She　said　nothing。　Her　mind　was　confusion　as　they　entered　the　bright　hotel　lobby　and　followed　the　crowds　up　another　grand　stairway。
　
　The　ballroom　opened　before　them　on　the　second　floor；　a　vast　space　far　larger　than　the　ballroom　she　had　seen　last　night　below。　Linen…draped　tables　lined　the　walls　on　either　side；　and　the　room　itself　seemed　to　go　on　forever；　music　surging　from　an　orchestra　now　hidden　by　the　milling　crowd。
　
　Gold　draperies　hung　from　the　high…panelled　ceiling。　How　these　people　loved　plaster　ornament；　doors　and　windows　were　covered　with　it；　as　if　with　carefully　s