elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第43部分
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As soon as we had finished dinner we retired to the drawing room； and I went to fetch the cosmetic jar and lid and the other odds and ends I had purchased from Aslimi。 Emerson arranged the lamps to give the maximum amount of light and Ramses took the jar in his long fingers。
〃There was a cartouche；〃 he said； after a moment。 〃I think I can make out a few lines。〃 He turned the jar from side to side； so that the light came at it from different angles。 〃Paper and pencil； Nefret； please。〃
The sketch he produced was； I confess； something of a letdown。 There was a great expanse of blank paper and a few random lines； some horizontal； some perpendicular； some curved。 Ramses studied it for a few moments and then began filling in the missing spaces； connecting one section to another； as one does in a certain kind of child's puzzle。 Finally he put the pencil down。 〃That's all I can be certain of。 It's enough； though。〃
Not to me； I thought； studying the hypothetical hieroglyphs in puzzlement。 There were only a few： a long； thin； squared…off sign； the jagged line of the water hieroglyph； and a pair of curving horns。
〃Not to me；〃 said Emerson。
〃There is only one royal cartouche that contains those particular signs；〃 Ramses said。 〃To the best of my knowledge； that is。 This is how the rest of it looks。〃 He pleted the name and Emerson let out a gasp。
〃Shepenwepet。 By the Almighty； the boy has found one of the Divine Wives of Amon！〃
8
We sat up late that night； going over and over the astonishing revelation … for none of us doubted Ramses's reconstruction of the cartouche。 In the end we were forced to the conclusion that there was absolutely no way of knowing where in the immense Theban necropolis Jamil's hypothetical tomb might be。 The cosmetic pot in itself told us nothing； except that Jamil was not as stupid as we had believed。
〃It is a mon error；〃 I admitted； in chagrin； 〃to assume that because someone is uneducated and illiterate he is necessarily ignorant。 There are ways of acquiring knowledge other than by reading。 Jamil had worked for a number of Egyptologists and he knew a great deal about tomb robbing … more than we know； I expect。 He had sense enough to realize that such a cartouche would arouse speculation； so he removed it； even though he lost money thereby。 Are you certain it was done recently； Ramses； not in ancient times； by someone who wanted to reuse the jar？〃
Ramses was certain。 The little pot was not an essential part of the funerary equipment； like a canopic jar or a sarcophagus。 Besides； the marks were fresh。 The patina …
Emerson had cut him off at that point； remarking that we would take his word for it。
The other bits and pieces I had purchased from Aslimi were even less informative。 As we all knew； the same techniques and motifs had been used throughout pharaonic history。 They might not have e from the same place as the jar； there was no way of dating them。
〃So where are we gonna look next？〃 Cyrus asked hopefully。 〃The western wadis again？〃
〃We certainly are not going off on a series of random searches；〃 Emerson replied； extracting his pipe and tobacco pouch from his shirt pocket。 〃Damnation；〃 he added； acknowledging the difficulty of proceeding with the process。
〃Let me do that for you； my dear。〃 I took them from him。
Bertie coughed deprecatingly。 〃I may be on the wrong track altogether； but if I were trying to conceal something I wouldn't hang about the place howling like a banshee and making a spectacle of myself。〃
〃I agree；〃 Ramses said。 〃That's the one area we can forget about。 If he wants us to go there； it's because there's nothing to find。〃
The men all nodded。 I hoped they were right； since I had not much enjoyed our excursions to that remote region； but I was not entirely convinced。 Jamil obviously enjoyed taunting people； and youth suffers； among other weaknesses； from overconfidence。 It might amuse the wretched boy to lead us to the general area and watch us wear ourselves out looking for a well…concealed entrance。
I had to admit that thus far his confidence had been justified； he had outwitted us on every occasion。
Emerson announced that we would return to Deir el Medina next morning。 〃We will finish that plan of yours； Bertie；〃 he said。 〃Fine job； my boy。 There are only a few more details to be added。〃
〃Tomorrow's Friday；〃 Cyrus objected。 〃My men have the day off； and you ought to rest； Emerson。〃
〃We can finish the surveying without the men；〃 Emerson said dogmatically。 〃And I have no intention of allowing a minor injury to keep me from my usual activities … all my usual activities。〃
Nor did it。 I wished Nefret had not made the cast quite so heavy。
We managed to get off next morning without Sennia or the Great Cat of Re。 Nefret did not acpany us either。 I had suggested … tactfully； as is my habit … that she might want to give a little luncheon party； since she had not had the opportunity to entertain our friends in her new abode。 Under threat of losing our custom； Abdul Hadi had actually finished a dining table and several chairs。 She readily consented； but added with a knowing smile； 〃I won't ask what you are up to； Mother； since I know you enjoy your little surprises。〃
Early morning in Luxor； particularly at that season of the year； is always beautifully cool and stimulating。 I was even more keenly aware of it that day； after those long hours in the stifling darkness of the buried chamber。 Truth pels me to admit that I had wondered at times whether I would ever again behold the shining cliffs of western Thebes and feel the morning breeze against my face。 Logic had informed me that Jamil could not continue pouring stones into the shaft indefinitely； but the space in the passage and the chamber itself was limited； and so was the air。
I had not； and would not； confess this weakness to any other。 After all； it had turned out right in the end。
When we arrived at Deir el Medina； Bertie was working on his plan； and Selim had also turned up。 He was not as devout as his Uncle Daoud； who always attended Friday services when he could。
〃That is very well done； Bertie；〃 I exclaimed。 〃Obviously you didn't spend all the time staring at the cliffs！ But where is Cyrus？ Didn't he e with you？〃
〃Up there。〃 Bertie gestured。 〃I offered to go with him； but he said …〃
〃Damnation！〃 Emerson exclaimed loudly。 Cyrus was high on the hillside； north of the area where most of the tombs were located。 Hearing Emerson's shout； he straightened and waved。
〃What's he doing up there？〃 Ramses asked。
〃He wanted to have a look at the tombs of the Saite princesses；〃 Bertie explained。
〃Why； for Heaven's sake？〃 I demanded。 〃They aren't the original tombs of the princesses … the God's Wives； to be more precise … or even their reburials。 Two of their sarcophagi were …〃
〃Yes； yes； Peabody；〃 said Emerson。 〃Damned old fool climbing around up there 。 。 。〃 He set off toward the slope with his usual brisk stride。
Ramses caught my eye； nodded； and went trotting after him。 The rest of us followed more slowly。 Bertie was determined to acpany us； so I walked with him； giving him little suggestions as to where to place his feet。
The shafts … tombs； I should say … were not in the main cemetery on the western hill； but on the northern slope； closer to the temple； so we did not have far to go。 We found Emerson on his hands and knees … one hand and both knees； that is … peering down into a dark opening while Ramses directed his torch into it。 It did not look much like a tomb entrance； the edges were broken and irregular。
〃Are you sure this is it？〃 I inquired。 〃It doesn't look like a tomb entrance。〃
〃Of course I'm sure〃 was the querulous reply。 A chunk of rock broke off from under his hand。 〃Curse it；〃 said Emerson； recovering his balance without difficulty。 〃The whole place is falling in。 Nobody has been down there for a while。〃
〃Which one of the princesses' tombs is it？〃 Cyrus asked eagerly。
Emerson got to his feet。 〃None； as a matter of fact。 This is the tomb where they found the reused sarcophagus of Ankhnesneferibre。 Another sarcophagus was found nearby。〃
〃Here；〃 said Ramses； a little distance away。
We must have looked somewhat absurd clustered round that hole in the ground peering intently at nothing。 There was nothing to be seen； not even rubble。 The shaft was fairly clear； but so deep； the light of our torches did not reach the bottom。
〃Nobody has been down there either；〃 Ramses said。 〃Not since … 1885； wasn't it； that the sarcophagus was removed？〃
Emerson grunted agreement。 〃I cannot imagine what prompted this performance； Vandergelt；〃 he said severely。 〃You might have done yourself an injury。〃
〃Idle curiosity；〃 said Cyrus with a sheepish grin。
〃The view is worth the climb；〃 Bertie said； shading his eyes with his hand。
We were about halfway up the sloping ground that ended at the base of a precipitous cliff。 It dropped abruptly to the level； opposite lay another high range of hills； and in the cleft between them we could see the Theban plain； misty green in the morning light； stretching down toward the distant sparkle of the river。
〃Quite beautiful；〃 I agreed。 〃Now that we have seen it； shall we go？ Nefret is expecting us for luncheon； and I want to call on Yusuf sometime today。〃
We retraced our steps； down the hill toward the temple。 Emerson； who had disdained assistance from Ramses； allowed me to take his arm； under the impression that he was assisting me。 〃Are you planning to question Yusuf？〃 he inquired。 〃I suppose we ought to。〃
〃I will interrogate him； yes … subtly and indirectly … but my primary motive is to be of help to the poor old fellow。 I ought to have gone before。〃
〃Hmph；〃 said Emerson。 It was an expression of doubt or derision； but I did not know whether he was being sarcastic about my motives or my ability to carry out a subtle interrogation。 I did not ask。
〃I will e with you to see Yusuf；〃 Selim announced。
〃I would rather you did not； Selim。 In fact；〃 I added； inspecting my escort； 〃I don't want any of you to e with me。 Goodness gracious； the five of you looming over him would frighten the poor old man into a fit。〃
〃I guess you don't need Bertie and me；〃 Cyrus conceded。 〃We may a
