elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第60部分

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　〃I'm　all　right。　Just　a　little　tired。　I　haven't　had　much　sleep　in　the　past　forty…eight　hours。〃
　〃Did　you　e　in　through　the　secret　door？〃　Emerson　asked。
　Ramses　shook　his　head。　He　had　acquired　a　few　more　scrapes　and　bruises；　including　a　sizable　lump　on　his　temple。　〃There's　no　need　for　secrecy　now。　The　job　is　blown；　Father。　A　plete　disaster　from　start　to　finish。〃
　Nefret　studied　him　critically。　〃It　would　be　nice　if　just　once　you　could　e　back　from　one　of　your　expeditions　unbruised　and　unbloodied。〃
　〃It　wasn't　my　fault；〃　Ramses　said　defensively。
　〃According　to　Chetwode；　you　heroically　took　on　ten　men　so　that　he　could　get　away；〃　Emerson　said。
　〃So　he's　been　here。　It　was　only　six；〃　Ramses　added。
　〃Hmph；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Yes；　he's　been　here；　and　our　cover　is　also　blown。　He　insisted　on　delivering　his　message　in　person；　and　if　he　didn't　know　my　identity　when　he　came；　he　does　now。　I　…　er　…　I　forgot　myself　when　he　broke　the　news　that　you　had　been　captured　and　were　in　'the　merciless　grip　of　the　most　dangerous　man　in　the　Ottoman　Empire；'　as　he　put　it。　The　fellow　has　something　of　a　melodramatic　streak。〃
　〃Hmmm；〃　said　Ramses。　〃So　he　lingered　long　enough　to　see　that；　did　he？〃
　〃He　claimed　he　had　hoped　to　e　to　your　assistance；　but　the　odds　were　too　great；　and　he　was　obliged　to　follow　your　orders。　It　was　at　this　point　that　your　mother　and　Nefret　came　rushing　in　…〃
　〃We　were　in　one　of　the　secret　passages；〃　I　explained。　〃Very　useful　devices。　The　news　that　a　British　officer　had　e　here　with　a　message　naturally　aroused　our　interest；　so　we　…〃
　〃Also　forgot　yourselves；〃　said　Emerson。
　〃My　dear；　the　damage　was　already　done。　Lieutenant　Chetwode　did　not　seem　at　all　surprised　when　we　popped　out　of　that　cupboard。〃
　〃He's　going　to　put　you　in　for　a　DSO；〃　Nefret　said。
　〃How　nice；〃　said　Ramses；　with　sardonic　amusement。　〃So　you　sat　here　drinking　tea　while；　for　all　you　knew；　I　was　undergoing　hideous　tortures？〃
　〃We　were　discussing　what　steps　to　take　in　order　to　rescue　you；〃　I　explained。　〃And　how　to　go　about　them　in　the　most　efficient　manner。〃
　〃I　know；　Mother。　I　was　joking。〃
　〃I　would　be　the　last　to　deny　that　a　touch　of　humor　is　seldom　amiss；〃　I　said。　〃However　。　。　。　Lieutenant　Chetwode　told　us　what　transpired　up　till　the　time　he　ran　away。　So　you　need　not　repeat　that　part。〃
　〃Did　he　happen　to　mention　that　we　would　have　made　it　out　without　running　or　any　other　inconvenience　if　he　hadn't　tried　to　shoot　Ismail　Pasha？〃
　Nefret　gasped　and　Emerson　swore；　and　I　said　evenly；　〃I　take　it　he　did　not　succeed？〃
　〃No。　He　hadn't　a　chance　of　killing　him。　The　governor's　considerable　bulk　was　in　the　way　and　there　was　a　good　deal　of　motion。　It　was　my　fault；　really；〃　Ramses　went　on　wearily。　〃I　suspected　he　was　armed　and　took　one　pistol　away　from　him　before　we　left。　I　should　have　had　the　sense　to　realize　Cartright　would　anticipate　that　and　provide　him　with　a　second　weapon。　I　didn't　search　him。　I　ought　to　have　done。〃
　〃Stop　berating　yourself　and　tell　us　what　happened；〃　I　said。　〃From　the　beginning；　please；　and　in　proper　order。〃
　His　narrative　agreed　for　the　most　part　with　the　one　Chetwode　had　given　us；　up　to　the　point　where　Chetwode　had　fired　at　the　suspect。　He　had　then　fled　…　obeying　Ramses's　order；　as　he　had　claimed。
　〃I　did　tell　him　to　run；〃　Ramses　admitted。　〃The　damage　was　done；　and　in　the　confusion　no　one　could　tell　which　of　us　had　fired。　The　governor's　guards　went　after　me　and　matters　went　as　one　might　have　expected。　I　got　on　reasonably　well　until　someone　threw　a　stone。　They　were　about　to　escort　me　to　the　governor　when　who　should　appear　but　。　。　。　This　is　the　part　you'll　find　hard　to　believe。〃
　In　his　youth　Ramses　had　been　appallingly　verbose　and　given　to　an　excessive　use　of　adverbs；　adjectives；　and　other　descriptive　flourishes。　I　had　found　this　extremely　exasperating；　but　the　sparse；　uninformative　narrative　style　that　was　now　his　habit　sometimes　vexed　me　even　more。　Admittedly；　the　events　themselves　were　enough　to　hold　us　spellbound；　no　one　uttered　a　word　until　he　had　finished。
　〃So；〃　I　said。　〃He　attempted　at　first　to　win　you　over　with　kind　treatment　and　flattering　words。　When　you　refused　to　tell　him　what　he　wanted　to　know；　he　chained　you　to　the　wall　of　a　cell　and　left　you。　You　managed　to　free　yourself；　found　the　guard　had　left　his　post；　and　escaped。　As　simple　as　that。〃
　〃You　have　often　told　me；〃　said　Ramses；　〃to　stick　to　the　facts；　avoiding　rhetorical　flourishes　and　…〃
　〃Curse　it；〃　I　exclaimed。
　〃Er；　hmph；〃　said　Emerson　loudly；　while　Nefret　laughed　and　Ramses　gave　me　one　of　his　most　charming　smiles。　〃What　about　another　nice　cup　of　tea；　Peabody？　And　you；　my　boy。　Perhaps　just　a　few　words　of　additional　explanation　…〃
　〃There　was　a　woman　involved；〃　I　said。　〃Wasn't　there？　Who？〃
　Ramses's　smile　died　a　quick　death。　〃You'd　have　been　burned　at　the　stake　in　the　seventeenth　century。〃
　〃Quite　possibly；〃　I　agreed；　taking　the　cup　Emerson　handed　me。　〃Again；　Ramses；　from　the　beginning。〃
　So　we　were　treated　to　a　description　of　Sahin　Pasha's　beautiful；　desirable　daughter；　and　the　pasha's　remarkable　offer。　Once　he　had　been　forced　to　speak；　Ramses　made　an　entertaining　story　of　it；　and　even　Emerson　grinned　reluctantly　when　Ramses　quoted　the　Turk's　ments　about　multiple　wives。
　〃Excellent　advice；　my　boy。　It's　cursed　strange；　though。　He　couldn't　have　been　serious。〃
　〃You　think　not？〃　Nefret　asked。　It　was　the　first　time　she　had　spoken　since　Ramses　began　his　story。　He　gave　her　a　quick　look　and　shook　his　head。
　〃He　couldn't　have　supposed　I　would　agree　…　or　keep　my　word　if　I　did。〃
　〃Oh；　you'd　have　kept　your　word；〃　Nefret　murmured。
　〃I　didn't　give　it。　It　does　seem　to　me；〃　Ramses　said　emphatically；　〃that　I　am　entitled　to　some　credit　for　preferring　torture　and　death　to　infidelity。　She　was　a　damned　attractive　girl；　too。〃
　〃Now；　now；　don't　quarrel；〃　I　said。　〃It　was　the　girl　who　helped　you　escape？〃
　Ramses　nodded。　〃There　was　no　way　I　could　get　those　chains　off　by　myself。　She's　an　efficient　little　creature；〃　he　added　thoughtfully。　〃She'd　brought　me　a　caftan　and　headcloth；　and　even　a　knife。　She　also　offered　to　steal　a　horse　for　me；　but　I　pointed　out　…　somewhat　rudely；　now　that　I　think　about　it　…　that　it　would　only　have　made　me　more　conspicuous。〃
　Nefret　looked　as　if　she　wanted　to　say　something　…　I　knew　what　it　was　…　but　she　restrained　herself。　It　was　Emerson　who　voiced　the　same　thought　that　had；　of　course；　occurred　to　me。
　〃He　let　you　go。　The　girl　was　acting　under　his　orders　or　with　his　cooperation。〃
　〃That　idea　had；　of　course；　occurred　to　me；〃　I　said。　〃But　it　doesn't　make　sense。　He　might　have　intervened　to　take　you　from　the　governor's　men；　but　why　would　he　connive　in　your　escape　so　soon　thereafter？〃
　〃Damned　if　I　know；〃　Ramses　said。　〃No　doubt　you　are　prepared　to　speculate；　Mother。　It　is　a　useful　process　that　clears　away　the　underbrush　in　the　thickets　of　deduction。〃
　I　did　not　at　all　mind　his　teasing　me。　It　was　such　a　relief　to　have　him　back　with　us；　alive　and　relatively　undamaged。　〃Certainly；〃　I　said。　〃Let　us　begin　with　the　assumption　that　he　intended　to　save　your　life。　If　he　had　not　taken　you　from　the　governor's　guards　you　would　have　been　treated　far　less　courteously。〃
　〃I　would　be　extremely　surprised　to　discover　that　Sahin　Bey　…　Pasha；　I　should　say　…　acted　out　of　kindness；〃　Ramses　said。　〃He　had　an　ulterior　motive；　and　I　doubt　it　was　finding　a　husband　for　his　daughter。〃
　〃Why；　then？〃　Emerson　grunted。　〃If　he　wants　to　turn　his　coat　and　e　over　to　us　…　unlikely　on　the　face　of　it　…　he　wouldn't　need　a　good　word　from　you。　The　War　Office　would　sell　their　souls　and　those　of　all　their　mothers　and　grandmothers　to　get　the　head　of　the　Turkish　secret　service　on　our　side。〃
　Ramses　scratched　absently　at　the　scraped　flesh　on　his　jaw。　〃I　agree；　Father。〃
　〃All　the　same；　HQ　must　be　notified。〃
　〃I've　already　done　so。　Why　do　you　suppose　I'm　wearing　this　bloody　damned　uniform？　I　was　in　the　water　long　enough　to　wash　the　dye　off　my　skin；　but　I　hadn't　any　clothes　except　the　bare　necessities；　and　I'd　never　have　got　to　General　Chetwode　looking　the　way　I　did。〃　Ramses　added；　〃I　expect　the　officer　I　waylaid　holds　a　bit　of　a　grudge；　I　had　to　borrow　his　uniform　without　his　consent。　He　oughtn't　wander　so　far　from　camp。〃
　Emerson　knew　his　son　too　well　to　misinterpret　his　lighthearted　manner。　〃What　did　General　Chetwode　say？〃
　Ramses　shrugged。　〃What　could　he　say　but　'Bad　luck；　old　boy；　glad　you　made　it　back　after　all'？　Our　Chetwode　had　already　left　for　Cairo　to　make　his　report。〃
　〃He　was　in　something　of　a　hurry　to　get　out　of　town；　wasn't　he？〃　Emerson　mused。　〃How　much　did　you　tell　the　general？〃
　〃I　am　not　telling　anyone　any　more　than　I　have　to；〃　Ramses　said　tightly。　〃Nobody　is　telling　me　anything。　I'll　be　damned　if　I　can　understand　who　is　actually　running　this　stunt。　Apparently　General　Chetwode　didn't　know　what　his　nephew　intended　to　do；　he　was　only　told　we　were　going　to　investigate　and　reconnoiter。　I　didn't　mention　the　girl；　or　Sahin's　proposition。　The　general　is　under　the　impression　that　I　cleverly　escaped　all　by　my　little　self。　I'm　sorry；　I　ought　to　have　e　here　straightaway；　but　…〃
　〃Bah；〃　said　Emerson　gruffly。　〃You　did　what　you　had　to　do。　I　still　say　the　girl　couldn't　have　managed　it　on　her　own。　The　young；　spoiled　daughter　of　an　aristocrat；　raised　in　the　harem　…〃
　〃She'd　been　exposed　to　Western　ideas　and　Western　schooling；〃　Ramses　interrupted。　〃Your　basic　point　is　well　taken；　however。　Someone　helped　her；　but　it　need　not　have　been　her　father。〃
　〃Ah；〃　said　Emerson。
　〃I'm　sorry；　Father。　I　ought　to　have　made　a　greater　effort　to　find　him。〃
　〃Don't　be　absurd；〃　I　said　forcibly。　〃You　could　not　have　eluded　recapture　for　long；　and　if　you　had　not　turned　up；　your　father　would　have　gone　into　Gaza　looking　for　you。〃
　〃Perhaps　I　ought　to　have　let　him　go　in　my　place。〃　Ramses　leaned　back　against　the　cushions　and　closed　his　eyes。　The　dark　stains　of　exhaustion　under　his　eyes　were　very　visible。　〃I　made　a　thorough　muckup　of　the　whole　business。　I'm　sorry　。　。　。〃
　Nefret　was　sitting　cross…legged　on　the　divan　next　to　him。　She　stood　up；　the　bracelets　on　her　ankles　and　wrists　jingling　musically。　〃Stop　saying　you're　sorry！〃
　〃Quite　right；〃　Emerson　exclaimed。　〃I　am　the　one　who　should　apologize；　my　boy；　for　badgering　you。　Go　and　get　some　rest。〃
　Ramses　sat　up；　propping　his