anner.themummy-第88节

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　She　dashed　around　the　car；　and　shoved　die　baffled　servant　out　of　her　path。　She　slid　behind　the　wheel　and　slammed　her　foot　on　the　pedal。　As　it　raced　forward；　Alex　vaulted　over　die　side　door　and　fell　down　into　the　seat　beside　her。　She　struggled　to　control　the　wheel；　barely　missing　the　garden；　turning　back　onto　the　street　that　led　to　the　boulevard。
　
　〃God　in　heaven；〃　　Alex　shouted　over　the　wind。〃　He's　taken　the　car　behind　us。　He's　following　us。〃
　
　She　forced　the　pedal　to　the　floor；　turning　dangerously　to　avoid　the　car　directly　in　front　of　her；　and　then　racing　ahead　into　the　open　lane。
　
　〃Your　Highness；　you'll　kill　us！〃
　
　The　cold　air　struck　her　face　as　she　leaned　forward；　twisting　and　turning　the　wheel　to　pass　the　sluggish　cars　that　would　not　get　out　of　her　way。　Alex　pleaded　with　her。　But　she　heard　only　Ramses'　voice　in　her　ears：〃　I　will　put　you　back　into　the　grave　。。。　into　the　darkness。〃　　To　get　away；　she　had　to　get　away。
　
　〃I　won't　let　him　hurt　you。〃
　
　At　last　the　boulevard　had　given　way　to　the　open　country　road。　Nothing　in　her　path　now。　Yet　she　kept　the　pedal　jammed　to　the　floor。
　
　Somewhere　far　out　there　lay　the　pyramids；　and　then　the　desert；　the　open　desert。　But　how　could　she　hide　there；　where　would　she　go？
　
　〃Is　he　still　behind　us？〃　　she　screamed。
　
　〃Yes；　but　I　won't　let　them　hurt　you；　I　told　you！　Listen　to　me。〃
　
　〃No；〃　　she　screamed。〃　Do　not　try　to　stop　me！〃　　She　shoved　at　him　as　he　went　to　embrace　her。　The　car　twisted；　went　off　the　paving。　Over　the　packed　sand　it　plowed；　plunging　into　the　blackness；　headlamps　shining　dimly　on　the　open　desert。　She　had　lost　the　road！
　
　Far　off　to　the　right　she　saw　a　twinkling　light　moving　as　if　towards　her。　Then　she　heard　that　sound；　that　awful　sound：　the　scream　of　the　steam　lootive！　Ye　gods；　where　was　it！
　
　Panic　seized　her。　She　could　hear　the　low　rumble　of　the　iron　wheels！
　
　〃Where　is　it！〃　　she　screamed。〃　Stop；　you　have　to。　Don't　try　to　race　it！〃　　A　glare　of　lights　struck　the　little　mirror　above　her；　bunding　her。　She　threw　up　her　hands　for　an　instant；　then　grabbed　the　wheel　again。　Then　she　saw　the　horror　of　horrors；　the　great　roaring　monster　that　had　terrified　her　more　than　anything　else。　The　giant　black　iron　lootive　looming　down　on　her　right。〃　The　brakes！〃　　Alex　cried。
　
　The　motor　car　bumped；　rose　up　in　the　air　and　caught　at　a　dead　halt。　The　lootive　passed　only　a　foot　in　front　of　her；　the　huge　grinding　wheels　directly　before　her　eyes。
　
　〃We're　caught　on　the　tracks；　damn　it；　e　on；　get　out！〃　　Alex　cried。
　
　The　whistle　came　again；　screaming　over　the　iron　rumbling。　Another　one　was　ing　towards　her　from　the　left！　She　saw　its　round　yellow　eye；　the　beam　sweeping　over　her；　its　great　flaring　iron　skirt　as　it　thundered　down　the　metal　path。
　
　They　had　her；　these　things；　they　had　her。　How　could　she　escape　them？　And　Ramses　was　behind　her；　Ramses　was　shouting　her　name。　She　felt　Alex　grab　her　arm　and　try　to　pull　her　out　of　the　seat。　The　hideous　lootive　was　on　top　of　her；　as　it　struck　the　car　she　screamed。
　
　Her　body　was　thrown　upwards。　In　one　glaring　moment　she　felt　herself　flying；　high　above　the　desert；　tossed　like　a　doll　into　the　wind。　Below　the　horrid　iron　monsters　travelled　past　each　other；　over　the　endless　sands。　Then　a　searing　flash　of　orange　fire　rose　under　her；　unendurable　heat　enveloped　her　with　a　great　deafening　sound　the　like　of　which　she　had　never　before　heard。
　
　Ramses　was　thrown　backwards　by　the　explosion。　He　landed　sprawling　on　the　sand。　One　instant　he　had　seen　her　body；　thrown　up　and　out　of　the　car。　The　next　the　car　had　exploded；　and　she　had　been　swallowed　in　midair　by　a　great　plume　of　orange　flame。　Again　the　explosion　rocked　the　earth　with　its　force；　the　fire　spewing　even　higher。　And　for　a　moment　he　could　see　nothing　at　all。
　
　As　he　scrambled　to　his　feet；　the　great　northbound　lootive　was　trying　to　stop。　Wheezing；　grinding　still；　it　lumbered　on　the　burning　wreckage　of　the　car　shoved　to　the　side；　off　the　track。　The　southbound　train　roared　on；　oblivious；　its　rattling　boxcars　adding　to　the　unbearable　noise。
　
　He　ran　towards　the　burning　car。　The　mangled　frame　looked　like　blackened　timbers　in　the　rolling；　greasy　blaze。
　
　He　could　see　no　life；　no　movement；　no　sign　of　her！　He　was　about　to　run　into　the　fire　itself　when　Samir　grabbed　him。　When　he　heard　Julie　scream。
　
　In　a　daze　he　turned　and　looked　at　them。　Alex　Savarell　was　struggling　to　get　up；　his　clothes　blackened　and　smoking。　His　father　stood　beside　him；　a　burnt　garment　hanging　from　his　hand。　He　would　live；　the　young　man。　That　was　clear。
　
　But　she！　Where　was　she！　Appalled；　he　stared　at　the　giant　trains；　the　one　stopped　now；　the　other　fast　disappearing；　had　ever　the　world　known　such　power？　And　the　explosion；　it　had　been　like　a　volcano。
　
　〃Cleopatra！〃　　he　cried　out。　Then　he　felt　himself；　for　all　his　immortal　strength；　slowly　crumpling。　Julie　Stratford　held　him　in　her　arms。
　
　The　dawn　came　with　a　fiery　glow　on　the　horizon；　the　sun；　caught　in　a　mist；　seemed　not　so　much　a　disk　but　a　great　layer　of　simmering　heat。　The　stars　faded　slowly。
　
　Once　again　he　walked　back　and　forth　over　the　same　stretch　of　railroad　track。　Samir　watched　him　patiently。　Julie　Stratford　had　gone　to　sleep　in　the　backseat　of　the　car。
　
　Elliott　and　his　son　had　returned　to　the　hotel。
　
　Faithful　Samir　alone　stood　with　him；　as　once　again　he　examined　the　burnt　mangled　car。　Horrid　the　skeleton　of　the　thing。　Horrid　the　bits　and　pieces　of　charred　leather　clinging　to　the　blackened　springs。
　
　〃Sire；〃　　Samir　said　patiently；〃　nothing　could　survive　such　an　explosion。　In　the　olden　times；　sire；　such　heat　was　unknown。〃
　
　It　was　known；　he　thought。　It　was　known　in　the　eye　of　an　erupting　mountain；　the　very　image　that　had　e　to　him　last　night。
　
　〃But　there　must　be　some　trace；　Samir。　Something　must　remain。〃
　
　But　why　punish　this　poor　mortal　who　had　never　done　anything　but　give　him　fort？　And　Julie；　his　poor　Julie。　He　must　take　her　back　to　the　safety　and　quiet　of　the　hotel。　She　had　not　spoken　since　it　happened。　She　had　stood　by　him；　holding　on　to　him；　but　she　had　not　spoken　a　word。
　
　〃Sire；　give　thanks　for　what　has　taken　place；〃　　Samir　said　tentatively。〃　Death　has　reclaimed　her。　Surely　she　is　at　peace　again。〃
　
　〃Is　she？〃　　he　whispered。〃　Samir；　why　did　I　frighten　her！　Why　did　I　drive　her　out　into　the　night？　Samir；　we　quarrelled　as　we　had　always　quarrelled。　We　strove　to　hurt　each　other！　There　was　no　time　suddenly；　we　stood　outside　it；　warring　with　each　other。〃　　He　broke　off；　unable　to　go　on。
　
　〃e　rest　now；　sire。　Even　immortals　must　rest。〃
　
　THEY　STOOD　all　together　in　the　train　station。　For　A　Ramses；　a　moment　of　the　most　pure　and　undiluted　anguish。　But　he　had　no　more　words　to　use　to　persuade　her；　when　he　looked　into　her　eyes；　he　saw　not　a　coldness；　but　a　deep　and　unhealing　hurt。
　
　And　Alex；　he　was　changed　now　into　another　human　being　with　Alex's　face　and　form。　He　had　listened　resentfully　to　the　half…truths　they'd　given　him。　A　woman　Ramsey　had　known；　mad；　dangerous。　Then　he　had　closed　himself　off；　he　wanted　to　hear　no　more。
　
　They　were　older　now；　this　young　man　and　this　young　woman。　There　was　a　faint　greyness　in　Julie's　expression；　there　was　a　numbness　and　sullen　quiet　to　Alex　as　he　stood　at　her　side。
　
　〃They　won't　keep　me　here　more　than　a　few　days；〃　　Elliott　said　to　his　son。〃　I'll　be　home　perhaps　a　week　after　your　arrival。　Take　care　of　Julie。　If　you　take　care　of　Julie　。。。〃
　
　〃I　know；　Father；　it　will　be　the　best　thing　for　me。〃
　
　Icy　the　smile　that　had　once　been　so　warm。
　
　The　conductor　made　his　call。　The　train　was　ready　to　roll　out　of　the　station。　Ramses　did　not　want　to　see　it　moving；　did　not　want　to　hear　that　noise。　He　wanted　to　escape　now；　but　he　knew　that　he　would　stay　till　the　end。
　
　〃You　will　not　change　your　mind；〃　　he　whispered。
　
　She　continued　to　look　away。
　
　〃I'll　always　love　you；〃　　she　whispered。　He　had　to　bend　down　to　hear　it；　let　her　lips　almost　touch　him。〃　To　my　dying　day；　I　shall　love　you。　But　no；　I　cannot　change　my　mind。〃
　
　Alex　took　his　hand　suddenly。〃　Good…bye；　Ramsey；　Hope　I　see　you　in　England。〃
　
　The　ritual　was　almost　over；　he　turned　to　kiss　Julie；　but　she'd　already　pulled　away。　She　was　on　the　metal　stair　into　the　passenger　car；　and　then　for　one　instant　their　eyes　met。
　
　It　wasn't　reproach；　it　wasn't　condemnation；　she　couldn't　do　anything　else。　She　had　explained　it　a　thousand　times　in　those　same　few　words。
　
　Finally　the　noise　again；　the　awful　engulfing　sound。　With　uneven　chugs；　the　string　of　windowed　cars　began　to　move　forward；　he　saw　her　face　at　the　window。　She　pressed　her　hand　to　the　glass　and　looked　down　at　him　again；　and　again　he　tried　to　interpret　the　look　in　her　eyes。　Was　there　a　moment's　regret？
　
　Dully；　miserably；　he　heard　Cleopatra's　voice。　I　called　out　for　you　in　those　last　moments。
　
　The　train　was　sliding　by；　the　window　was　suddenly　bright　silver　as　it　moved　into　the　sunlight；　he　couldn't　see　her　anymore。
　
　It　seemed　the　Earl　of　Rutherford　led　him　out　of　the　station　to　where　the　motor　cars　waited；　with　the　uniformed　chauffeurs　at　their　open　doors。
　
　〃Where　will　you　go？〃　　the　Earl　asked　him。
　
　Ramses　was　watching