elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第39部分
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〃Don't be such a sentimentalist； Emerson。 She admitted she hadn't spoken to him for months … and why would she not tell us of her intentions； if they were innocent？ She has deliberately deceived me； the treacherous little creature。〃
The truth of this soon became apparent。 Shoulders hunched and bent； as if to make herself less conspicuous； Jumana cut off onto a rough track that wound around houses and hills toward the western cliffs south of Deir el Bahri。 Once or twice she glanced over her shoulder。 She must have seen us； but evidently our clumsy disguises were good enough to deceive； for she went on without pausing； scrambling nimbly up the rising slope at the base of the cliffs。 I could see the temple； below and to our right； as we climbed； the colonnades and tumbled stones shone in the morning light。
Quickly as the girl moved； Emerson kept up without difficulty； his breathing even； his stride slower than his usual pace。 Since my lower limbs were not much longer than Jumana's； I had to trot。
〃Where the devil is she going？〃 I panted。 〃Curse the girl …〃
〃Save your breath；〃 Emerson advised； offering me his hand。 〃By Gad； Peabody； you don't suppose 。 。 。 That's where she's headed； though。〃
With the help of his strong arm I found the going easier； and was able to look about。 I knew the place well。 The previous year we had removed the golden statue of the god Amon…Re from its hidden shrine at the back of a shallow bay。 Jamil was the original discoverer of that place。 Could he have selected it as his hiding place？ The shaft that led down to a small chamber cut out of the rock was only eight feet deep and it was unlikely that anyone would go there； the Gurnawis knew we had cleared the place of everything it contained。
Jumana stopped； her back to us； in the mouth of the little bay。 Her head turned from side to side。 Emerson pulled me down behind a heap of detritus。 We dared not risk going closer； we were only twenty feet from Jumana； and there was no one else in sight。
She called out。 〃Jamil； are you there？〃 Her voice cracked with nervousness。
I heard nothing。 She called again； 〃I am ing。〃
〃We've got him now；〃 Emerson whispered。 〃Let's go。〃
When I got to my feet； Jumana was no longer in sight。 Emerson ran toward the opening of the bay。 I ran after him。
The declivity was shallow and the morning sun shone directly into it。 At its far end the shaft we had cleared gaped open； a black square against the rock。 There was no sign of Jumana。
〃Where is she？〃 I demanded。
〃Never mind her。 He can't have got out； there wasn't time。〃 Kneeling on the rubble…strewn ground； Emerson took out his torch and shone it down into the shaft。
It was as empty as we had left it； and that in itself was confirmation of our theory。 Sand and pebbles would have partially filled it unless someone had kept it clear。 In the light of the torch I saw additional confirmation： a rough but sturdy wooden ladder。
Before I could stop him； Emerson； disdaining the ladder； had lowered himself by his hands and dropped； landing with a thump of booted feet。 Jamil must have heard that； even if he had not heard the sound of our approach。
〃Damnation； Emerson；〃 I exclaimed。 〃Wait for me！〃
He had already proceeded into the short passage that led to the chamber。 The roof was low； he would have to bend over； which would put his head at a particularly convenient level … convenient for a blow； that is … when he emerged。 I dropped my parasol into the shaft and descended the ladder。 Snatching up the parasol； I proceeded quickly into the passageway。
There was light at the end of it； but I could hear nothing； which did not lessen my anxiety； already Emerson might be unconscious and bleeding。 I removed my little gun from my pocket。
It was plucked from my hand the moment I reached the end of the passage。
〃I knew you'd be waving that damned pistol；〃 Emerson remarked； helping me to rise。 〃He's not here； Peabody。 He's been here； though。〃
He shone his torch round the small chamber。 A pile of rugs； forming a rough pallet； tins of food； jars of water； and 。 。 。 I lifted the saucer that covered one of them。 Beer。 He had made himself fortable。
〃He has eluded us again；〃 I said angrily。 〃How could she have warned him？〃
〃Obviously he was not in residence；〃 Emerson replied。 〃That's all to the good； Peabody； if he wasn't here he can't have seen us。 He will e back eventually … it's a cozy little den； isn't it？ We'll go for the others and stake the place out。 Once I get my hands on that girl I will make certain she cannot warn him。〃 His large square teeth； bared in a snarl； shone white in the torchlight。
〃Let us go；〃 I said uneasily。 〃I am not at all fortable here； Emerson。〃
〃One of your famous premonitions？〃 He chuckled； but perhaps he had one； too； for he added； 〃I'll go first。〃
He waited in the shaft while I crawled through the passage。
The ladder was no longer there。
Before I could stop him； Emerson reached up and gripped the rim of the shaft with both hands。 The muscles on his bare forearms tightened as he prepared to pull himself up。
〃Watch out！〃 I shrieked； an instant too late。 The heavy stick struck Emerson's arm； causing him to loosen his grip and fall down。 I had heard the bone crack。
A trifle unnerved； I took out my pistol and fired twice。 The bullets went ricocheting round the walls。 The only response was a laugh。 I had heard that laugh before； in the Gabbanat el…Qirud。
〃A waste of ammunition；〃 remarked Emerson； who was sitting on the floor with his back against the wall； cradling his left arm with his right。 His face shone with perspiration。
〃Don't move your arm；〃 I ordered； fumbling with the implements hanging from my belt。 〃Confound it！ From now on I will carry some bits of wood with me。 Why did we clear the place so thoroughly？ There is nothing to serve as a splint。 I will go and …〃
〃Don't even think of it； Peabody。 I might be able to lift you up with one arm； but as soon as your head is within range； he'll strike。 He's got us in a pretty pickle； my dear。〃
〃He cannot stay there all day；〃 I said； and ducked my head as a rain of small stones descended。
〃He appears to have another plan in mind；〃 Emerson said coolly。 More rocks fell； including a fist…sized boulder。 It landed on my head； which was quite painful； since I was not wearing my pith helmet。 〃We had better get back into the tunnel；〃 Emerson continued。
I rigged up a rough sling with my shirt； fastening it in place with safety pins from my sewing kit。 It was the best I could do in a hurry。 If we stayed where we were； one of us would be brained by a boulder eventually。 It took Jamil a little while to get his next load of rocks collected； we made it into the passage before another shower descended。
〃Well！〃 I said； drawing a deep breath。 〃Now we have time to think of a plan。〃
〃Go right ahead；〃 said Emerson through tightly set lips。 〃At the moment my mind is a blank。〃
〃And no wonder； my dear。 I am sure you are in considerable pain。 Have a little brandy。〃
〃My disfort is more mental than physical；〃 Emerson muttered； but he accepted the brandy and took a long swallow。 〃Peabody； this is ridiculous。 We've been in uglier places before； with opponents far more dangerous than that miserable boy； and yet he's managed to get us in an exceedingly tight spot。 No one knows where we are 。 。 。 except Jumana。 Have we been so mistaken in her character？ I can't believe she would connive in murder。〃
〃No；〃 I said。 〃She wouldn't。〃 The strained voice； the odd； bent walk 。 。 。 〃That wasn't Jumana； Emerson。 It was Jamil。〃
7
FROM MANUSCRIPT H
When the citizens of Deir el Medina abandoned their houses they took their most valued possessions with them … except for the most valuable of all； the goods devoutly deposited with the dead。 Looking for tombs was a gamble； with approximately the same odds as any game of chance。 The great majority of them were empty and vandalized； but every now and then a lucky winner would find a prize； with some of the grave goods still intact； and the grand prize； the unrobbed tomb of a king or king's wife； was a will…o'…the…wisp that tantalized the imagination of every excavator； whether he admitted it or not。 However slim the odds； the temptation to search for treasure was hard to resist； especially when the alternative was a clutter of unimpressive mud…brick walls； or the tedious tasks of measuring and recording。
Jumana was supposed to be helping Bertie and Cyrus finish the surveying； but Ramses wasn't surprised to see her halfway up the hillside； squatting； her head bent； her hands busy。 He let out a shout that made Nefret jump and brought Jumana to her feet。 She waved vigorously and started down。
〃She shouldn't be doing that；〃 he said in exasperation。 〃Look at her； grinning and cavorting。 She knows she is violating orders。〃
〃Don't be too hard on her；〃 Nefret said tolerantly。 〃Mother would be up there too。 She's found something。〃
She was holding a small stela。 It was not an unusual discovery； a good many of them had been found by earlier excavators； in or near the chapels of the tombs。 She offered it to Ramses； raising shining eyes to him。
〃You were told not to remove objects from their place；〃 Ramses said severely。 The way she was looking at him made him nervous。
〃I tagged the place；〃 Jumana protested。 〃As you showed me。 I made the measurements； I know exactly where it should go on the plan。 There is no chapel there； Ramses； it must have fallen from its place and tumbled down the hillside。 See … isn't it pretty？〃
Mollified； and regretting his hard tone； he took the stone from her。 The curved top and straight sides； the rows of hieroglyphs that praised the deities worshiped by the male and female figures； were of a standard type； but the deities were somewhat unusual … two plump cats； facing each other across an offering table。
〃I've seen other stelae from Deir el Medina that depict cats；〃 he said。 〃They were identified with several goddesses； including Amon's wife Mut。〃
〃Not with the Great Cat of Re？〃 Jumana asked。
〃Not these。〃 They were rather charming animals； fatter and less aloof than the usual lean Egyptian cat。 He indicated the appropriate hieroglyphs。 〃 'Giving praise
