elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第17部分

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d　had　been　up　and　down　cliffs　like　these　since　childhood。　He　would　make　certain　Ramses　took　sensible　precautions。
　I　occupied　the　time　by　writing　up　a　few　notes　about　the　appearance　and　location　of　the　tomb；　while　Emerson　dug　in　the　rubble　as　happily　as　a　dog　looking　for　buried　bones；　and　Nefret　paced　restlessly　back　and　forth；　glancing　from　time　to　time　at　the　top　of　the　cliff。　The　sun　was　almost　directly　overhead　and　it　was　very　warm。　I　removed　my　coat；　folded　it　neatly；　placed　it　on　the　ground　beside　me；　and　went　on　with　my　journal。　The　smell　did　not　seem　so　strong　now。　The　olfactory　sense　is　quick　to　adjust。
　Despite　Nefret's　frequent　glances　upward；　Jumana　was　the　first　to　see　them。　She　began　jumping　up　and　down　and　waving　her　arms。　The　two　figures；　diminished　by　distance；　made　me　realize　how　high　the　cliff　was；　and　how　precipitous　the　drop。　I　wondered　if　the　rope　would　be　long　enough；　and　if　they　could　find　some　stout　object　to　which　it　could　be　fastened；　and　if　Ramses　would　have　sense　enough　not　to　rely　solely　on　Daoud　to　hold　it。　Our　friend's　strength　was　legendary；　but　if　a　slip　or　a　snakebite　caused　him　to　lose　his　grip；　even　for　a　second　。　。　。
　The　rope　came　tumbling　down；　and　one　of　the　small　figures　began　to　descend　…　rather　too　rapidly；　in　my　opinion。　It　was　Ramses；　as　I　had　known　it　would　be。　It　was　hard　to　make　out　the　outlines　of　his　form；　even　with　the　sunlight　full　upon　him；　since　his　dusty　clothing　blended　with　the　color　of　the　stone；　but　his　bare　black　head　was　clearly　discernible。　When　he　reached　a　point　some　forty…five　feet　above　us　he　stopped；　feet　braced　against　the　cliff；　and　waved。
　〃Keep　hold　of　the　damned　rope！〃　I　shouted。
　He　heard　me。　A　faint　and　unquestionably　mocking　〃Yes；　Mother〃　floated　down　to　us。　Then　he　disappeared。
　〃Into　the　cleft；〃　Emerson　muttered。　〃How　long　。　。　。〃
　It　was　only　a　few　minutes　before　Ramses　reappeared。　Instead　of　reascending　he　looked　up　and　shouted　something　at　Daoud。　Apparently　the　rope　was　not　long　enough　to　reach　all　the　way　to　the　ground；　after　Daoud　had　untied　it；　Ramses　pulled　it　down　and　busied　himself　doing　something　I　could　not　see　…　fastening　it　again；　I　assumed；　since　in　a　short　while　it　uncoiled；　the　lower　end　touching　the　ground　not　far　from　where　we　stood。　It　had　been　knotted　at　regular　intervals　…　a　primitive　but　effective　method　of　preventing　the　climber　from　losing　his　grip。
　Ramses　swung　himself　out　of　the　cleft　and　descended。　Even　before　he　turned　to　face　us　I　knew　something　was　amiss。
　〃It　isn't　an　animal；〃　he　said。　〃It's　a　man。　Was　a　man。〃
　Nefret　reached　for　the　rope。　Ramses　pulled　her　back　and　turned　her　to　face　him；　holding　her　by　the　shoulders。
　〃He's　dead；　Nefret。　You　can't　do　anything　for　him。〃
　〃I　can　tell　how　he　died。〃　She　tried　to　twist　away　from　him　but　he　tightened　his　grasp。
　〃Nefret；　will　you　listen　to　me？　I'm　not　talking　about　a　nice　dry　mummy。　There's　still　water　in　the　chamber；　and　he's　been　there　for　days；　possibly　weeks。〃
　Her　face　was　flushed　with　heat　and　rising　temper。　〃Damnation；　Ramses；　I've　examined　more　cadavers　than　you　have！〃
　〃You　aren't　going　to　examine　this　one。〃
　〃Who's　going　to　stop　me？〃
　〃Er；〃　said　Emerson。
　I　poked　him　with　my　parasol。　〃Not　you；　Emerson。　Nefret；　stop　and　think。　I　am　in　full　sympathy　with　your　interest　in　corpses；　but　I　do　not　see　that　anything　is　to　be　gained　by　your　inspecting　this　one　at　this　time。〃
　The　smell　seemed　to　have　intensified　since　Ramses's　announcement。　I　pressed　my　handkerchief　to　my　nose；　and　Emerson　gaped　at　me。
　〃You　mean　you　don't　insist　on　inspecting　it；　and　the　tomb；　too？　Good　Gad；　Peabody；　do　you　feel　well？〃
　〃Quite　well；　my　dear；　thank　you；　and　I　intend　to　remain　so。〃
　The　children；　still　facing　each　other　in　somewhat　belligerent　attitudes；　turned　their　heads　to　look　at　us。　I　was　happy　to　observe　that　my　reasonable　remarks　had　lowered　the　emotional　temperature。　The　corners　of　Nefret's　mouth　quivered；　and　the　angry　color　faded　from　Ramses's　face。　His　hands　moved　from　her　shoulders　down　her　arms　in　a　quick；　caressing　gesture。　〃Please；〃　he　said。
　Nefret　tilted　her　head　back　and　looked　up　into　his　eyes。　〃Since　you　put　it　that　way　。　。　。〃
　Emerson　let　out　a　gusty　breath。　〃Very　good。　We'll　have　to　have　him　out；　though；　if　we　want　to　examine　the　tomb。〃
　〃mon　decency　requires　that　we　have　him　out；〃　I　said。　〃And　give　him　a　proper　burial。　I　suppose　he　met　with　an　accident　while　looking　for　another　tomb　to　rob。〃
　〃It　was　no　accident。　He'd　been　arranged；　propped　up　in　a　sitting　position　against　the　side　of　the　passage；　and　held　upright　by　。　。　。〃　Ramses　hesitated　for　a　moment　before　he　went　on。　〃。　。　。　By　a　metal　spike　driven　through　his　throat　and　into　a　crack　in　the　rock。〃
　4
　　
　We　retreated　some　distance　down　the　wadi　before　opening　the　baskets　of　food。　There　was　not　a　breath　of　air　stirring　and　very　little　shade；　we　all　removed　as　many　garments　as　propriety　allowed。　I　looked　enviously　from　Ramses　and　Emerson；　shirtless　as　well　as　coatless；　to　Selim　and　Daoud；　who　appeared　perfectly　fortable　in　their　enveloping　but　loose　garments。
　I　knew　I　was　going　to　have　another　argument　with　Emerson　about　how　to　proceed。　He　was　bound　and　determined　to　get　into　the　confounded　tomb。
　〃We　have　not　the　proper　equipment　for　dealing　with　a　deposing　corpse；〃　I　declared；　peeling　an　orange。　〃And　how　would　we　get　it　back？　You　aren't　proposing　we　take　it　in　turn　to　carry　it　over　those　hills；　I　hope？〃
　Emerson　is　the　most　stubborn　individual　of　my　acquaintance；　but　even　he　was　temporarily　silenced。　He　bit　into　a　chicken　leg　and　masticated　vigorously。　His　blue　eyes　took　on　a　dreamy；　pensive　look；　and　his　noble　brow　was　untroubled；　but　I　knew　he　was　only　biding　his　time　till　he　could　think　of　a　way　of　getting　round　the　logic　of　my　statement。
　〃Decidedly　unpleasant；　if　not　actually　impossible；〃　said　Ramses；　who　knew　his　father　as　well　as　I　did。　〃I　propose　we　go　to　Gurneh　and　try　to　locate　his　friends　or　his　family。　Someone　may　have　reported　him　missing。〃
　〃To　the　police？〃　Emerson　snorted。　〃Not　likely；　with　that　lot。〃
　〃They　will　admit　the　truth　to　us；　or　to　Selim；〃　Ramses　argued。　〃We　will　have　to　e　back　in　any　case。　Mother　is　right　about　that。〃
　〃Oh；　very　well。〃　Emerson　finished　his　chicken　leg　and　jumped　up。　〃I　will　just　have　a　quick　look　before　…〃
　〃No；　you　will　not！　You　see　what　es　of　your　schemes；　Emerson。　We　ought　to　have　made　inquiries　before　ever　we　came　here。　If　you　would　listen　to　me　…〃
　〃Bah；〃　said　Emerson。
　Selim　had　tried　several　times　to　get　a　word　in。　Now　he　said；　〃I　think　I　know　who　the　man　might　be；　Father　of　Curses。　If　you　had　asked　me　…〃
　〃Not　you　too；　Selim；〃　Emerson　shouted。　〃I　will　not　be　criticized　by　my　wife　and　my　reis。　One　of　you　at　a　time；　but　not　simultaneously。〃
　However；　the　bined　arguments　of　Ramses；　Selim；　and　myself　carried　the　day。　Emerson　is　stubborn；　but　he　is　not　pletely　unreasonable　…　and　he　counted　on　getting　into　the　wretched　tomb　another　time。
　Emerson　chose　another　path　this　time；　straight　down　to　the　end　of　the　wadi　and　through　another；　narrower　canyon；　descending　all　the　while。　It　was　certainly　easier　than　the　way　we　had　e；　but　it　was　necessary　to　watch　where　one　stepped　for　fear　of　twisting　an　ankle；　and　Emerson　set　such　a　rapid　pace　that　conversation　was　impossible。　Neither　of　these　considerations　prevented　me　from　ratiocination。
　There　was　no　doubt　in　my　mind　that　the　unfortunate　individual　whose　remains　Ramses　had　found　had　been　murdered。　Was　it　only　a　coincidence　that　Jamil　was　still　in　the　vicinity；　resentful　of　the　men　who　had；　as　he　claimed；　robbed　him　of　his　fair　share？　Remembering　the　lazy；　surly　youth　I　had　known；　I　found　it　hard　to　believe　that　Jamil　was　a　killer。　Someone　was　certainly　guilty　of　something；　however；　and　it　behooved　us　to　take　all　possible　precautions。
　The　last　of　the　foothills　dwindled　and　I　saw　before　me　the　Theban　plain；　stretching　out　across　desert　and　cultivation　to　the　river。　I　made　Emerson　stop　while　we　drank　thirstily；　finishing　the　last　of　the　water。　He　gave　us　no　time　to　rest　or　converse；　however。
　〃If　you　want　to　reach　home　before　dark；　we　had　best　be　getting　on；〃　he　said。
　I　patted　my　damp　face　daintily　with　my　handkerchief。　〃There　are　still　several　hours　of　daylight　left。　Where　are　we？〃
　〃A　mile　or　so　from　Medinet　Habu。〃　He　gestured。　〃I　thought　we　might　go　home　by　way　of　Deir　el　Medina；　have　a　look　round；　see　what　…〃
　〃Not　today；　Emerson。〃　I　knew　Emerson's　little　〃look　round〃　and　〃mile　or　so。〃　The　first　could　take　up　to　three　hours；　the　second　might　be　two　miles　or　more。　I　continued　somewhat　acrimoniously；　〃Why　didn't　we　take　this　path　when　we　went　out？　We　could　have　brought　the　horses　as　far　as　Medinet　Habu　at　least。〃
　〃Faster　the　other　way。〃　Emerson　rubbed　his　chin　and　gave　me　a　puzzled　look。　〃You　aren't　tired；　are　you？〃
　〃Good　gracious；　no；〃　I　said；　with　a　hollow　laugh。
　I　must　give　Emerson　credit；　his　mile　or　so　was　in　fact　only　a　little　more　than　a　mile。　The　path　soon　widened　into　a　fairly　well　trafficked　road　and　before　long　I　saw　the　towering　pylons　of　the　temple　of　Ramses　III。　We　were　passing　the　gateway　when　a　man　emerged。　He　gave　a　start　of　surprise　and　came　toward　us。
　〃Stop；　Emerson；〃　I　ordered。　〃There　is　Cyrus。〃
　Emerson　had　seen　him；　of　course。　He　had　hoped　he　would　not；　but　he　was　fairly　caught。　As　Cyrus　came　hurrying　up；　Emerson　burst　into　speech。
　〃Still　here？　I　was　under　the　impression　you　left　off　at　midday。　I　mend　your　ambition。　I　…　er　…〃
　〃I　took　your　little　lecture　to　heart；〃　Cyrus　said。　His　voice　had　its　usual　soft　drawl；　but　his　expression　was　neither　soft　nor　weling。　〃Gol…durn　you；　Emerson；　where've　you　been？　Not　at　Deir　el　Medina；　where　you're　supposed　to　be；　you're　ing　from　the　wrong　direction。　Did　you　have　the　consarned　audacity　to　warn　me　away　from　those　queens'　tombs　and　then　go　looking　for　them　yourself；　behind　my　back？〃
　The　rest　of　the　men　had　e　straggling　out　of　the　temple；　followed　by　Abu　and　Bertie。　The　latter　immediately　hastened　toward　us。　Abu　took　one　look　at　the　flushed　countenance　of　Emerson　and　the　scowling　countenance　of　his　employer；　and　discreetly　vanished。
　〃Good　evening；〃　Bertie　said；　removing　his　pith　helmet。　In　the　heat　of　exasperation　Cyrus　had；　for　once；　neglected　to　do　this。　He　remedi