elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第27部分
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II）； was still well preserved； and full of interest。 The fortified towers through which one entered the area were decorated in the conventional style； with reliefs of the king smiting various enemies； but the interior contained some charming scenes of his majesty dallying with ladies of the court。 （Let me hasten to add that there were no vulgarities depicted。） The first great pylon stood almost intact； its walls and the walls of the courts and colonnades covered with reliefs and inscriptions。 The place had been a residence as well as a religious edifice； a tumble of mud…brick walls indicated the site of what had once been a palace。 In addition to the monuments of Ramses III； there were two other structures； one of which； begun in the early Eighteenth Dynasty； had been added on to by successive rulers clear down to the Roman period。 Another； smaller； plex belonged to the God's Wives of Amon； who had held almost royal status in Thebes during the late dynasties。 It was this area Cyrus was excavating。
We passed through the towers of the gateway into the great open court。 Emerson's keen gaze swept the surroundings； from the smaller temple on our right； past the great pylons of Ramses III； and on to the left； where the chapels of the God's Wives stood。 His handsome countenance proclaimed his emotion： greed； pure and simple。 If Emerson has a particular Egyptological passion； it is for temples； as mine is for pyramids； and he had wanted for years to tackle Medinet Habu。 However； as he had admitted to me only this past year； it would be the work of a lifetime。 He said it again as he stared wistfully about … a man trying to convince himself of something he knows is true and does not want to believe。
〃We haven't a large…enough staff；〃 I said； as I had said before。 〃And there is no hope of hiring skilled persons at the present time。 Many of our younger colleagues are in the army。〃
〃Damned war；〃 Emerson muttered。 〃But with Lia and David； and Walter and Evelyn …〃
〃Yes； my dear； that would be very nice； and I hope with all my heart that one day they will join us。 Until then we must make the best of what fate has to offer； and accept the good with gratitude and the bad with fortitude。〃
〃Good Gad；〃 said Emerson； and went stamping off toward the rope…enclosed area where Cyrus's men were working。
Cyrus hailed us with pleasure and offered tea； which Emerson refused； without consulting anyone else。 〃I want to have a look round first； Vandergelt。〃
〃You wasted your time ing here if you expected I'd have anything new to show you；〃 Cyrus said grumpily； but he led the way toward the small building。 On the lintel of the doorway were several rows of hieroglyphs； which Ramses scanned with an expert eye。 The cat； which had climbed up onto his shoulder； leaned forward and stared as intently as he。 I caught myself on the verge of asking it for a translation。
〃What does it say？〃 I inquired； addressing Ramses。
〃It's an invocation to visitors； asking them to pray for the Adorer of the God Amenirdis and her successor； who built the chapel for her。 'O you living ones who are on earth 。 。 。 if you love your children and would leave to them your positions； your hopes； your lakes； and your canals 。 。 。 please say 。 。 。 ' The usual prayer； asking for bread and beer and every good thing for the lady's spirit。〃
〃How sweet！〃 I exclaimed。
Ramses gave me an amused look。 〃Not really。 The lady asks very nicely； but the inscription ends with what can only be described as a threat。 If a visitor doesn't speak the proper words； he and his wife will be afflicted with illness。〃
The open forecourt； with columns on either side； led to an enclosed sanctuary。 On the right of this building； which was both tomb and mortuary temple； were three smaller chapels； dedicated to a queen and two more of the God's Wives。 I had always been intrigued by these ladies； for their status was unusual。 Kings' daughters all； they were not kings' wives； but wives of the god Amon； who had apparently lost the ability to procreate as he had done in the Eighteenth Dynasty； when he visited the queen in the shape of her husband and fathered the royal heir。 These God's Wives； who also held the title of Adorer of the God； did not bear children but adopted their successors。 There were practical political reasons for this policy； the Late Period was a time of turmoil； with the throne of Egypt passing from pharaoh to usurper to conqueror and back； many of these men； residing in the north； sent royal daughters to Thebes to succeed the reigning God's Wife； achieving thereby continuity and a certain legitimacy。
The position was one of high honor； the occupant surrounded by luxury and prestige； but I had often wondered about the women themselves。 Doomed to lifelong celibacy； forbidden the joys of motherhood； they had not even the pleasures of power to pensate； for it is more than likely … men being what they are … that the ladies were mere figureheads； controlled by the king and the powerful nobles of Thebes。
However； I would be the last to deny that celibacy has its advantages； when the alternative is a state marriage to a man unloving and unloved。 As for the joys of motherhood 。 。 。 I glanced at Ramses； who was wandering about reading the inscriptions。 We were using torches； since the inner chamber was enclosed and unlighted。 Shadows outlined his well…cut features and the little half smile that betokened his total absorption。 Yes； it had been worth it； though there had been times when I had serious doubts。 However； not all children turned out as well as he had done。
We inspected the other chapels； which were not so well preserved。 In the floor of one an irregular hole gaped； where the stone flooring blocks had been taken up。
〃Not a durned thing down there；〃 Cyrus plained。
Emerson glared at him。 〃Curse it； Vandergelt； I told you the burial chambers were empty。 You had better replace the flooring before some damned fool tourist falls in。〃
〃I thought maybe there might be another burial；〃 Cyrus said defensively。 〃There are four chapels and five God's Wives。〃
〃More than five；〃 Ramses said。 He proceeded to reel off the names。 They had an exotic； almost poetic cadence。 〃Karomama； Tashakheper； Shepenwepet； Amenirdis； Nitocris； Ankhnesneferibre。〃
〃So where are the rest of 'em？〃 Cyrus demanded。 〃And the coffins and mummies of the ones who were buried here？〃
〃Jumana asked me that once；〃 Ramses said。 〃She had a romantic notion that they might have been hidden away to protect them from tomb robbers。〃
〃Nonsense；〃 grunted Emerson。
〃We know where two of the sarcophagi are； or were；〃 I explained。 〃At Deir el Medina； in tomb shafts high on the hillside。 They were dragged there by individuals who meant to usurp them for their own burials。 One had actually been reinscribed with the name and titles of … er …〃
〃Pamontu；〃 Ramses said。 〃A priest of the Ptolemaic or early Roman period； approximately five hundred years after the last God's Wife died and was buried。〃
〃Just what I was about to say； Ramses。〃
〃I beg your pardon； Mother。〃
〃It seems likely； therefore；〃 I continued； acknowledging his apology with a nod； 〃that by the first century a。d。 the original burial chambers here at Medinet Habu were empty except for the sarcophagi。 They were too heavy and of no value to ordinary …〃
〃Yes； yes； Peabody；〃 said Emerson。 〃Vandergelt； you're as bad as Jumana。 There is some excuse for her； but you ought to know better。 The brickwork west of here may be the remains of a fifth chapel。〃
〃Abu and Bertie are working there now；〃 Cyrus said； with a vague gesture toward the west。 〃So far； no luck。 I'm getting tired of this； Emerson。〃
〃Of what； the Saite chapels？ I hope you aren't thinking of shifting to another area。 You haven't the manpower to tackle the larger temples。〃
〃Well； I know that！〃 He glanced at Ramses； who was talking to Nefret； and lowered his voice。 〃The truth is； Emerson； none of us has got the skill for this job。 Oh； sure； we can clean the place up and make proper plans； but what's needed here is somebody to record the inscriptions and reliefs。〃
〃You can't have Ramses；〃 said Emerson。
〃Emerson；〃 I murmured。
〃Well； he can't！ I know； I said the boy could do anything he liked and work for anyone he chooses； but … er … confound it； Vandergelt； stealing another man's staff away is one of the lowest； most contemptible …〃
〃Gol…durn it； Emerson； I wouldn't do a thing like that！〃
Their raised voices had caught Ramses's attention。 〃What seems to be the trouble？〃 he asked。
〃No trouble；〃 Cyrus declared。 〃Um … see here； Emerson； I just got to thinking 。 。 。 How about if we trade places？ You take Medinet Habu and I'll take Deir el Medina。〃
Emerson opened his mouth； preparatory to delivering a cry of protest。 Then his scowl smoothed out。 He stroked his chin。 〃Hmmm；〃 he said。
〃Cyrus； that is an outrageous suggestion；〃 I exclaimed。 〃You can't go trading archaeological sites as if they were kitchen utensils！〃
〃I don't see who's gonna stop us；〃 Cyrus said stubbornly。 〃The Service des Antiquités has got too much on its plate to bother with two respectable excavators like us。 What do you say； Emerson； old pal？〃
Emerson's face widened in a grin。 〃You want to get at those tombs at Deir el Medina。〃
〃Any tomb's better than none；〃 Cyrus retorted。 〃There's none here。 What I'd really like to do is mount an expedition to the Cemetery of the Monkeys； but …〃
〃You'd break your neck climbing round those wadis；〃 Emerson declared forcibly。 〃And waste your time。 The most practical method of locating tombs in that area is to follow the Gurnawis … or go out after a heavy rainstorm； as they do。〃
〃Well； it doesn't look like rain。 e on； Emerson； this job is right up Ramses's alley。 Look at him。〃
He did appear to be enjoying himself。 He and Nefret were absorbed with the reliefs … and each other。 They were holding hands and talking in low voices as they moved slowly along the wall。 With my customary rapidity of thought； I considered the pros and cons of Cyrus's suggestion。 There were a good many things in its favor。 The reliefs needed to be recorded before time and vandals destroyed them。 This was a perfect place for the photographic technique of copying Ramses had de
