anner.themummy-第89节

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　〃Where　will　you　go？〃　　the　Earl　asked　him。
　
　Ramses　was　watching　the　train　disappear；　the　last　car　with　its　little　iron　gate　growing　smaller　and　smaller；　the　noise　entirely　manageable　now。
　
　〃Does　it　matter？〃　　he　answered。　Then　as　if　waking　from　a　spell；　he　looked　at　Elliott。　Elliott's　expression　surprised　him　almost　as　much　as　Julie's。　No　reproach；　only　a　thoughtful　sadness。〃　What　have　you　learned　from　all　this；　my　lord？〃　　he　asked　suddenly。
　
　〃It　will　take　time　to　know　that；　Ramses。　Time；　perhaps；　which　I　do　not　have。〃
　
　Ramses　shook　his　head。〃　After　all　you　have　seen；〃　　he　asked；　dropping　his　voice　so　that　only　Elliott　could　hear　him；〃　would　you　still　ask　for　the　elixir？　Or　would　you　refuse　as　Julie　has　refused？〃
　
　The　train　was　gone　now。　Silence　reigned　in　the　empty　station。　If　one　did　not　count　the　low　hum　of　conversation　here　and　there。
　
　〃Does　it　really　matter　now；　Ramses？〃　　Elliott　asked；　and　for　the　first　time　Ramses　saw　a　flash　of　bitterness　and　resentment　in　Elliott。
　
　He　took　Elliott's　hand。〃　We　shall　meet　again；〃　　he　said。〃　Now　I　must　go；　or　I　will　be　late。〃
　
　〃But　where　are　you　going？〃　　Elliott　asked　him。
　
　He　didn't　answer。　He　turned　and　waved　as　he　crossed　the　train　yard。　Elliott　acknowledged　it　with　a　polite　little　nod　and　a　scant　movement　of　his　hand；　then　moved　on　to　his　waiting　car。
　
　Late　afternoon。　Elliott　opened　his　eyes。　The　sun　fell　in　。slashes　through　the　wooden　blinds；　the　fan　churning　slowly　overhead。
　
　He　lifted　his　gold　pocket　watch　from　the　bedside　table。　Past　three。　Their　ship　had　sailed。　He　enjoyed　the　relief　for　a　long　moment　before　thinking　of　anything　else　that　he　must　do。
　
　Then　he　heard　Walter　open　the　door。
　
　〃Have　those　damned　people　from　the　governor's　office　called　yet？〃　　Elliott　asked。
　
　〃Yes；　my　lord。　Twice。　I　told　them　you　were　sleeping　and　I　had　not　the　slightest　intention　of　disturbing　your　rest。〃
　
　〃You're　a　good　man；　Walter。　And　may　they　burn　in　hell。〃
　
　〃My　lord？〃
　
　〃Never　mind；　Walter。〃
　
　〃Oh　and　Your　Lordship；　the　Egyptian　fellow's　been　by。〃
　
　〃Samir？〃
　
　'Brought　the　bottle　of　medicine　from　Ramsey。　It's　right　there；　my　lord。　Said　you'd　know　what　it　was。〃
　
　〃What？〃　　Elliott　rose　on　his　elbows。　Then；　slowly；　he　turned　his　gaze　away　from　Walter　to　the　table　on　his　right。
　
　It　was　a　flask　bottle；　the　kind　used　for　vodka　or　whisky；　but　with　no　color　to　the　glass。　And　it　was　filled　entirely　with　a　milk…white　liquid；　which　gave　off　strange；　almost　luminescent　glints　in　the　light。
　
　〃I'd　be　careful　of　that；　my　lord；〃　　Walter　said；　opening　the　door；〃　if　it's　some　kind　of　Egyptian　thing；　I'd　watch　my　step。〃
　
　Elliott　almost　laughed　aloud。　There　was　a　note　by　the　bottle　with　his　name　on　it。　He　sat　up　and　remained　there　motionless　until　Walter　was　gone。　Then　he　reached　for　the　note；　and　tore　it　open。
　
　It　was　printed　in　block　letters　very　like　Roman　printing；　angular　and　clean。
　
　Lord　Rutherford；　it　is　now　your　decision。　May　your　philosophy　and　your　wisdom　sustain　you。　May　you　choose　the　right　path。
　
　He　couldn't　absorb　it。　No；　he　simply　couldn't　believe　it。　He　stared　at　the　note　for　a　long　moment；　then　he　looked　at　the　flask。
　
　She　lay　in　half　sleep　on　the　pillow。　When　she　opened　her　eyes；　she　realized　that　it　was　her　own　voice　that　had　awakened　her。　She'd　been　calling　Ramses。　She　rose　from　bed　slowly　and　pulled　on　her　robe。　Did　it　matter　if　anyone　saw　her　out　on　the　deck　of　the　ship　in　her　robe？　But　it　was　dinner…time；　wasn't　it？　She　had　to　dress。　Alex　needed　her。　Oh；　if　only　she　could　think　straight。　She　went　to　the　wardrobe　and　began　pulling　things　out。　Where　were　they？　How　many　hours　had　they　been　at　sea？
　
　When　she　reached　the　table；　he　was　sitting　there　staring　forward。　He　did　not　greet　her；　or　rise　to　help　her　with　her　chair。　As　if　any　of　that　mattered。　He　started　talking。
　
　〃I　still　don't　understand　any　of　it。　Truly　I　don't。　She　didn't　seem　mad　at　all；　really。〃
　
　This　was　excruciating；　but　she　forced　herself　to　listen。
　
　〃I　mean；　there　was　something　sombre　and　sad　about　her；〃　　he　said。〃　I　only　know　that　I　loved　her。　And　that　she　loved　me。〃　　He　turned　to　Julie。〃　Do　you　believe　what　I'm　saying？〃
　
　〃Yes；　I　do；〃　　she　said。
　
　〃You　know；　she　said　the　strangest　things。　She　said　that　she　hadn't　planned　to　love　me！　But　it　had　happened；　and　you　know；　I　told　her　I　knew　just　what　she　meant。　I　'd　never　thought　I。。。　I　mean；　it　was　altogether　different。　As　if　all　your　life　You've　thought　that　pink　roses　were　red　roses！〃
　
　〃Yes；　I　know。〃
　
　〃And　that　tepid　water　was　hot。〃
　
　〃Yes。〃
　
　〃Did　you　get　a　good　look　at　her？　Did　you　see　how　beautiful　she　was？〃
　
　〃It's　not　going　to　help　to　dwell　on　it。　You　can't　make　her　e　back。〃
　
　〃I　knew　I　would　lose　her。　I　knew　from　the　start。　I　don't　know　why。　I　simply　knew　it。　She　wasn't　of　this　world；　do　you　understand？　And　yet　she　was　the　world　more　truly　than　anything　I　'd　ever。。。〃
　
　〃I　know。〃
　
　He　stared　forward；　he　appeared　to　be　looking　at　the　other　diners；　the　black…jacketed　waiters　moving　about；　maybe　listening　to　the　hushed　civilized　voices。　Almost　entirely　a　British　ship。　There　seemed　something　utterly　revolting　about　that。
　
　〃It's　possible　to　forget！〃　　she　said　suddenly。〃　It　is　possible；　I　know　that　it　is。〃
　
　〃Yes；　forget　it；〃　　he　said；　and　he　smiled　coldly；　though　not　at　her　in　particular。〃　Forget　it；〃　he　repeated。〃　That's　what　we'll　do。　You'll　forget　Ramsey；　as　clearly　something's　happened　to　separate　you。　And　I'll　forget　her。　And　we　will　go　through　the　motions　of　living　as　if　we　had　never　loved　like　that；　either　of　us。　You　and　Ramsey　and　I　with　her。〃
　
　Julie　found　herself　looking　at　him　in　mild　shock。　She　narrowed　her　eyes。
　
　〃The　motions　of　living！〃　　she　whispered。〃　What　a　horrible　thing　to　say。〃
　
　He　hadn't　even　heard　her。　He　had　picked　up　the　fork　and　started　eating；　or　rather　picking　at　the　food。　Going　through　the　motions　of　eating　it。
　
　She　sat　there　trembling；　looking　down　at　the　plate。
　
　It　was　dark　outside　now。　A　blue　light　shone　through　the　slatted　blinds。　Walter　had　e　again　to　ask　him　if　he　wanted　supper。　He　had　said　no。　Only　to　be　alone。
　
　He　sat　in　his　robe　and　slippers；　looking　at　the　flask　on　the　table。　It　shimmered　in　the　darkness。　The　note　lay　where　he　had　left　it；　beside　the　flask。
　
　Finally　he　got　up　to　dress。　It　took　him　several　minutes；　because　each　part　of　it　made　some　special　demand　on　his　patience；　but　finally　it　was　finished。　He　had　on　his　grey　wool；　a　bit　too　heavy　for　the　days　here；　yet　perfect　for　the　night。
　
　And　then　he　went　to　the　table；　leaning　on　his　cane　with　his　left　hand；　and　lifted　the　flask　with　his　right。　He　put　the　flask　in　his　inside　pocket；　where　it　just　barely　fit；　making　a　weight　against　his　chest。
　
　Then　he　went　out。　The　pain　in　his　leg　grew　worse　after　he　had　walked　a　short　distance　from　Shepheard's。　But　he　continued；　now　and　then　shifting　the　cane　to　the　other　side　to　see　if　that　made　it　any　better。　He　stopped　when　he　had　to；　then　when　he'd　caught　his　breath　he　moved　on。
　
　In　about　an　hour；　he'd　reached　old　Cairo。　He　made　his　way　through　the　alleyways；　aimlessly。　He　did　not　search　for　Malenka's　house。　He　merely　walked。　And　walked。　By　midnight；　his　left　foot　was　numb　again。　But　it　didn't　matter。
　
　Everywhere　that　he　walked；　he　looked　at　things。　He　looked　at　walls；　and　doors；　and　people's　faces；　he　stopped　in　front　of　cabarets　and　listened　to　the　dissonant　music。　Now　and　then　he　glimpsed　a　belly　dancer　going　through　her　seductive　little　performance。　Once　he　paused　to　listen　to　a　man　playing　a　flute。
　
　He　didn't　linger　very　long　anywhere；　except　when　he　was　very　tired；　then　he　sat；　and　sometimes　even　dozed。　The　night　was　quiet；　peaceful。　It　seemed　to　harbor　none　of　the　dangers　of　London。
　
　As　two　o'clock　came　he　was　still　walking。　He　had　covered　the　medieval　city；　and　he　was　moving　back　to　the　newer　districts　again。
　
　Julie　stood　at　the　rail；　clutching　the　ends　of　her　shawl。　She　looked　down　at　the　dark　water；　vaguely　conscious　that　she　was　bitterly　cold；　that　her　hands　were　freezing。　But　it　didn't　matter。　And　it　seemed　lovely　suddenly　that　such　things　weren't　hurting　her。　That　she　didn't　care。
　
　She　wasn't　here　at　all。　She　was　at　home　in　London。　She　was　standing　in　the　conservatory；　and　it　was　all　full　of　flowers。　Ramses　stood　there；　the　linen　wrappings　covering　him；　he　raised　his　hand　as　she　watched　and　tore　them　loose　from　his　face。　The　blue　eyes　looked　directly　at　her；　at　once　full　of　love。
　
　〃No；　it's　wrong；〃　　she　whispered。　But　to　whom　was　she　speaking？　There　was　no　one　here　to　hear　what　she　said。　All　the　ship　slept；　all　the　civilized　British　travellers　going　home　after　their　little　sojourn　in　Egypt；　so　happy　to　have　seen　the　pyramids；　the　temples。　Destroy　the　elixir。　Every　drop　of　it。
　
　She　stared　down　into　the　turbulent　sea。　The　wind　suddenly　ripped　at　her　hair；　at　the　edges　of　the　shawl。　She　gripped　the　railing；　and　the　shawl　was　lifted　off　her　shoulders　and　blown　away；　rolling　into　a　ball　as　it　was　carried　up　and　out　into　the　dark。
　
　The　mist　swallowed　it。　She　never　saw　it　hit　the　water。　And　the　sound　of　t