elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第69部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ut　you　were　in　Khan　Yunus。　You　weren't　exactly　discreet；　were　you？〃
　〃The　disclosure　of　our　true　identities　was　unavoidable；〃　I　said。　〃And　if　I　may　say　so；　criticism　from　you　is　unwarranted；　under　the　circumstances。〃
　〃Possibly；〃　Sethos　admitted。　〃If　I　may　continue　my　narrative？〃
　〃Pray　do；〃　I　said。
　〃As　I　was　about　to　say；　the　disappearance　of　his　daughter　hit　him　hard　and　he　acted　instantly。　He　sent　orders　to　attack　your　house。　There　was　a　chance　the　girl　was　with　you。　If　she　wasn't；　he　hoped　to　acquire　a　hostage　…　one　or　all　of　you。〃
　〃How　do　you　know　all　that？〃　I　asked。
　〃He　told　me。〃　Sethos　had　been　eating　ravenously；　between　sentences。　He　swallowed　a　bite　of　fruit　and　went　on；　〃We　had　one　of　those　friendly　little　chats　…　you　know　what　they're　like；　Ramses。　He　explained　in　detail　what　he　meant　to　do；　and　added；　more　in　sorrow　than　in　anger；　that　he　was　going　to　lock　me　up；　since　he　had　been　forced　to　the　conclusion　that　my　conversion　was　not　sincere。〃
　He　bit　into　a　piece　of　bread。　The　pause　was　for　effect；　as　I　knew；　the　man　could　not　resist　making　a　dramatic　story　of　it。
　〃So　you　hit　him？〃　Ramses　was　as　intrigued　as　the　rest　of　us。　〃What　with？〃
　〃Not　my　fist；　I　assure　you。　He　was　waiting　for　that。　I　was　nibbling　daintily　on　a　nectarine。　I　shoved　it　in　his　face。　He　was　trying　to　claw　the　pulp　out　of　his　eyes　and　spit　it　out　of　his　mouth　when　I　broke　his　water　pipe　over　his　head。　It　made　a　frightful　mess　and　rather　a　loud　noise；　so　I　didn't　wait　to　tie　him　up。　I　calculated　I　had　about　sixty　seconds　before　a　servant　got　nerve　enough　to　investigate；　so　I　started　running　…　straight　out　of　the　house　and　past　the　guards。　If　you　don't　have　time　to　be　cautious；　speed　and　effrontery　are　your　only　hope。　It　was　a　spectacle　dreadful　enough　to　throw　most　people　into　a　panic；〃　he　added　with　a　grin。　〃The　holy　infidel；　waving　his　arms　and　screaming　broken　phrases　from　the　Koran。　Nobody　tried　to　stop　me。　Religious　frenzy　is　dangerous。　I　kept　running；　divesting　myself　of　my　elegant　ornaments　as　I　went　and　scattering　them　about　the　streets；　to　the　additional　confusion　of　those　I　encountered。　I　presented　the　last　…　a　very　handsome　emerald　brooch；　which　I　hated　to　give　up　…　to　the　officer　in　mand　of　one　of　the　guard　posts。　With　my　blessing。　May　I　have　more　tea？〃
　Ramses　was　the　first　to　break　the　fascinated　silence。　〃I'm　a　bloody　amateur；〃　he　murmured。　〃Excuse　me；　Mother。〃
　〃You　haven't　done　so　badly；〃　his　uncle　conceded。　〃This　last　escapade　wasn't　well　thought　out；　though。　You　ought　to　have　had　a　means　of　escape　arranged　before　you　shot　at　me。〃
　〃You　don't　suppose　Ramses　would　do　such　a　thing！〃　Nefret　said　indignantly。
　〃Now；　now；　keep　calm。　I　did　not　suppose　my　affectionate　nephew　really　intended　to　kill　me。　I　credited　him　with　realizing　that　an　attack　on　me；　presumably　by　my　erstwhile　employers；　would　establish　me　as　a　bona　fide　traitor。　I　didn't　expect　he　would　go　so　far　as　to　let　himself　be　caught。　That　was　a　plication　I　did　not　need。〃
　〃Accept　my　apologies；〃　said　Ramses；　scowling　at　his　uncle。　Sethos　did　have　a　gift　for　turning　people　against　him。
　〃Who　was　it；　then；　if　it　wasn't　you？〃
　〃A　fellow　named　Chetwode。　He's　the　general's　nephew。　His　superior　is　a　man　named　Cartright。〃
　〃Oh；　that　lot。　How　did　you　…〃
　〃Never　mind　that　now；〃　I　interrupted。　〃If　we　keep　getting　off　onto　side　issues　we　will　never　make　sense　of　this　business。　What　happened　after　you　left　Gaza？〃
　〃I　decided　I　had　better　go　to　Khan　Yunus　and　warn　you。〃
　〃You　might　have　thought　of　that　earlier；〃　Emerson　grumbled。
　〃I　told　you；　I　didn't　know　what　Sahim　intended　to　do　until　he　informed　me。　I　barely　made　it　out　of　the　city　before　his　men　came　boiling　out　in　hot　pursuit；　I　had　to　lie　low　in　the　hills　until　they　tired　of　looking　for　me。〃　He　took　a　cigarette　from　the　tin　Ramses　offered　him　and　lit　it　before　he　went　on。　〃By　the　time　I　got　to　Khan　Yunus；　all　hell　had　broken　loose。　The　army　was　on　the　scene；　trying　to　suppress　the　riot；　without　the　vaguest　idea　of　who　had　started　it　or　why。　Your　place　had　been　broken　into；　and　some　of　the　locals　were　taking　advantage　of　the　confusion　to　carry　off　anything　they　could　lay　their　hands　on。〃
　〃The　motorcar！〃　Selim　exclaimed。　〃Did　they　damage　it？〃
　〃I　wasn't　given　the　opportunity　to　examine　it；〃　Sethos　said　dryly。　〃I　hung　about　trying　to　look　harmless　until　the　military　got　things　more　or　less　under　control。　You　hadn't　shown　yourselves；　so　I　could　only　hope　Edward　had　warned　you　in　time　for　you　to　escape。　It　was　after　midnight　by　then。　I　had　the　devil　of　a　time　getting　out　of　town；　since　I　had　to　avoid　not　only　soldiers　looking　for　rioters　but　rioters　who　might　be　Sahin's　lads。　The　whole　bloody　countryside　was　aroused　…　looking　for　a　pack　of　horse　thieves；　as　the　sergeant　who　collared　me　explained。　I　was　not　in　possession　of　a　horse；　so　he　let　me　go。　You　people　really　excel　at　stirring　up　trouble！　I　pushed　on　and；　of　course；　found　the　ruined　house　deserted。　You'd　been　there　…　you　left　an　empty　biscuit　tin　…　and　so　had　several　horses。　So　I　came　on　here。　I　couldn't　think　where　else　you　might　have　gone。　It　took　a　while；　since　I　was　on　foot。〃
　I　observed　the　faintest　tremor　in　the　hand　that　extinguished　his　cigarette。　It　was　not　the　only　sign　of　fatigue；　his　voice　was　flat　and　his　face　was　drawn。
　〃You　had　better　get　some　sleep；〃　I　said。　〃We　will　talk　again　later。〃
　〃As　you　mand；　Sitt　Hakim。〃　He　got　slowly　to　his　feet。　〃Is　someone　sleeping　in　my　bed？〃
　〃Miss　Sahin　is　in　one　of　the　beds。　I　will　make　up　the　other　one　for　you。〃
　〃There　is　no　need　for　that。〃
　〃Clearly　it　is　not　an　amenity　to　which　you　are　accustomed。　I　will　do　it　anyhow。　e　along。〃
　What　I　wanted；　as　the　Reader　must　have　surmised；　was　a　private　chat。　Even　Emerson　realized　the　reasonableness　of　this；　though　he　did　not　much　like　it。　He　had　never　pletely　conquered　his　jealousy　of　his　brother；　baseless　though　it　was　…　on　my　side；　at　any　rate。
　〃Allow　me　to　give　you　a　little　laudanum；〃　I　said。　〃You　won't　sleep　without　it；　you　are　too　tired　and　too　on　edge。〃
　〃Are　you　afraid　I'll　sneak　out　of　the　house？〃　He　watched　me　unfold　one　of　the　sheets　and　then　took　hold　of　the　other　end。　〃I　have　better　sense　than　that。　If　Edward　isn't　back　by　nightfall；　I　will　have　to　take　steps；　but　I　cannot　function　efficiently　without　sleep。〃
　He　had　tucked　the　sheet　in　any　which　way。　I　remade　that　end　of　the　bed。　Our　eyes　met；　and　he　smiled　a　little；　he　was　thinking；　as　was　I；　what　an　oddly　domestic　scene　this　was。　〃I　don't　need　your　laudanum；〃　he　went　on；　removing　a　container　from　one　of　the　shelves。
　〃How　long　have　you　been　taking　that？〃　I　asked；　as　he　swallowed　a　small　white　pill。
　〃Weeks。　Months。〃　He　stretched　out　on　the　bed。　〃It　works　quickly；　so　if　you　have　any　questions　…　which　you　undoubtedly　do　…　talk　fast。〃
　〃I　only　wanted　to　ask　about　Margaret。　Have　you　heard　from　her？〃
　He　hadn't　expected　such　a　harmless　subject。　〃Margaret？　No；　not　for　months。　I　couldn't　very　well　carry　on　a　frequent　correspondence；　could　I？〃
　〃Does　she　know　what　you　are　doing？〃
　〃She　knows　everything　about　me。〃　He　closed　his　eyes。
　〃Including　…〃
　〃Everything。〃
　〃You　have　plete　confidence　in　her；　then。　Are　you　going　to　marry　her？〃
　Sethos　opened　his　eyes　and　clasped　his　hands　behind　his　head。　〃You　aren't　going　to　leave　me　in　peace　until　I　invite　you　into　my　innermost　heart；　are　you？　The　question　is　not　whether　I　am　going　to　marry　her；　but　whether　she　will　consent　to　marry　me。　I　asked　her。　I　hadn't　intended　to；　it　…　er　…　came　into　my　head　at　a　particularly　…　er　…　personal　moment。　She　said　no。〃
　〃A　flat；　unconditional　no？〃
　〃There　were　conditions。　You　can　guess　what　they　were。　She　was　in　the　right。　I　told　her　…　I　promised　her　…　this　would　be　my　last　assignment。　As　it　well　may　be。〃
　〃Not　in　the　way　you　mean；〃　I　said　firmly。　〃We　are　here；　and　on　the　job！　We　could　be　more　useful；　however；　if　you　would　tell　me　the　purpose　of　your　mission。　What　are　you　after？〃
　〃Sahin。〃　His　eyelids　drooped。　The　sedative　had　loosened　his　tongue。　〃He's　their　best　man。　Their　only　good　man。　Once　he's　out　of　the　way；　we　can　proceed　with　。　。　。　He　loves　the　girl。　I　didn't　know　that。　I　thought　he'd　go　to　some　lengths　to　get　her　back；　but　I　didn't　realize　。　。　。　Paternal　affection　isn't　one　of　my　strong　points。　I　told　you　about　Maryam；　didn't　I？〃
　〃Who？〃　I　had　to　repeat　the　question。　He　was　half　asleep；　wandering　a　little　in　his　mind。
　〃Maryam。　Molly。　That's　the　name　you　knew　。　。　。　She's　gone。〃
　〃Dead？〃　I　gasped。　〃Your　daughter？〃
　〃No。　Gone。　Left。　Ran　away。　Hates　me。　Because　of　her　mother。　She's　living　proof　of　heredity。　Got　the　worst　of　both　parents。　Poor　little　devil　。　。　。　She　is；　you　know。　Amelia　。　。　。〃
　〃It's　all　right；〃　I　said　softly；　taking　the　hand　that　groped　for　mine。　〃Everything　will　be　all　right。　Sleep　now。〃
　I　sat　by　him　until　his　hand　relaxed　and　the　lines　on　his　face　smoothed　out。　I　had　intended　…　oh；　I　admit　it　…　to　take　advantage　of　his　drowsy　state　to　wring　information　out　of　him；　but　I　had　not　expected　revelations　so　intimate；　so　personal；　so　painful。
　His　daughter　had　been　fourteen　years　of　age　when　I　knew　her。　She　must　be　sixteen　now。　Her　mother　had　been　Sethos's　lover　and　partner　in　crime；　but　her　tigerish　affection　had　turned　to　jealous　hatred　when　she　realized　his　heart　belonged　to　another。　（Me；　in　fact；　or　so　he　claimed。）　She　tried　several　times　to　kill　me　and　succeeded　in　assassinating　one　of　my　dearest　friends　before　she　met　her　end　at　the　hands　of　those　who　had　been　an　instant　too　late　to　save　him。
　How　much　of　that　terrible　story　did　the　child　know？　If　she　blamed　her　father　for　her　mother's　death；　she　could　not　know　the　whole　truth。　He　had　not　even　been　present　when　she　died；　and　she　had　led　a　life　of　crime　and　depravity　before　she　met　Sethos。　A　moralist　might　hold　him　guilty　of　failing　to　redeem　her；　but　in　my　opinion　even　a　saint；　which　Sethos　was　not；　would　have　found　Bertha　hard　going。
　I　do　not　believe　that　the　dead　hand　of　heredity　is　the　sole　determinant　of　character。　Remembering　Molly　as　I　had　last　seen　her；　looking　even　younger　than　her　actual　age；　the　picture　of　freckled；　childish　innocence　。　。　。　But　she　hadn't　looked　so　innocent　the　day　I　found　her　in　Ramses's　room　with　her　dress　half　off　…　by　her　own　act；　I　should　add。　If　I