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〃Let us go to luncheon；〃 I said。
〃Yes； I am starving；〃 Sennia announced； rolling her eyes dramatically。 〃I didn't mean to hurt you； Ramses。〃
Emerson detached her from Ramses and swung her up onto his shoulder。 〃We will go down now。〃
I let them go ahead。 〃Well； Ramses？〃 I inquired。
〃You shouldn't worry the child； Mother。〃
〃It wasn't Mother； it was me。〃 Nefret took his arm。 〃I'm sorry。〃
〃It's all right。〃 He offered me his other arm； and as we proceeded to the dining saloon he explained。
〃All he wanted was a consultation。 He's new at the job； and apparently nobody bothered to put him in the picture about certain matters。 The military and the civil administration have always been at odds。 He'd heard of some of our activities； and wanted to know the facts。〃
〃That's all？〃 Nefret demanded。 〃Nothing about 。 。 。〃
〃He wasn't mentioned。〃 Ramses grinned。 〃Under any of his pseudonyms。 Father agreed to stay on in Cairo for another day or two； and meet with Wingate again。 That should please you； you'll have more time at the hospital。〃
FROM MANUSCRIPT H
The second meeting with Wingate was shorter than the first； and somewhat more acrimonious。 Wingate wanted more details about a number of people Emerson was not anxious to discuss； and the roles they had played； when he asked about their dealings with 〃a certain gentleman named Smith；〃 Emerson lost his temper。 （He had been itching to do so for some time。）
〃Good Gad； man； if you don't know who the bastard is and what he's up to； how should we？ e； Ramses； we have wasted enough time telling people things they ought to have known anyhow and going over and over facts that are either self…explanatory or irrelevant。〃
The new high missioner took this rudeness better than Ramses had expected。 Now in his sixties； he had had a long and illustrious career as governor of the Sudan； and Ramses got the impression that he was finding it harder to deal with his peers in Cairo than with rebellious Sudanese。 As Emerson stalked out of the room； Wingate said mildly； 〃Thank you for your time； gentlemen；〃 and returned to his papers。
〃That's that；〃 Emerson declared。 〃It's high time we got out of this bloody city。 Is Nefret ready to leave？〃
On the morning of their departure Nefret and Ramses breakfasted alone in their room； at what struck Ramses as an obscenely early hour。
〃I need all the time I can get at the hospital；〃 she declared。 〃Since Father is determined on leaving today。〃
〃He'd have put it off again if you had asked him。〃
〃I couldn't do that。 He's on fire to get to Luxor and catch a few tomb robbers。 There was no need for you to get up so early。 You don't have to escort me。〃
〃Would you rather I didn't？〃
〃You can if you like。〃 Frowning slightly； she concentrated on the piece of toast she was cutting into strips。 〃It's boring for you； though。 You hardly said a word the other night when we dined with Sophia and Beatrice。〃
〃I'm sorry；〃 he began。
〃Don't apologize； damn it！〃 She put her knife down and gave him a rueful smile。 〃There's no need for you to be so defensive； darling。 I didn't mean it as a reproach。 You couldn't have got a word in anyhow！ It was rude of us not to include you in the conversation。〃
〃That's all right。〃 The pronouns jarred； though。 Us and you。 〃I think I will e along； if you don't mind。 There's someone I want to see； if I can find him。〃
〃Who？〃
He described his encounter with Musa as they walked through the ornate lobby and out the door of the hotel。
〃You didn't tell me；〃 Nefret said； and then laughed and took his arm。 〃You couldn't get a word in； could you？ Sophia told me about el…Gharbi's being arrested。 Did you know he had put the word out that we were not to be bothered？〃
〃I thought he might have done。〃
〃I never supposed I would regret the arrest of the worst procurer in Cairo。〃 Her face was troubled。 〃But Sophia says things have got worse。 More injuries； and fewer of the women are ing to us。〃
〃Musa wants me to intervene on behalf of el…Gharbi。 Shall I try to get him out？〃
〃Could you？〃
〃Do you want him out？〃
〃Oh； I don't know；〃 Nefret said despairingly。 〃How does one choose between two evils？ Leave it alone； darling。 I don't want you getting involved with the police again。 Russell would try to recruit you for some rotten job； and I won't allow it。〃
〃Russell's sticking to ordinary police work these days。 There's a new military intelligence organization … or will be； if they ever get it right。 They keep shuffling people around。 Clayton and the Arab Bureau are now …〃
〃How did you find that out？〃 Her eyes narrowed and her voice was sharp。
〃From Wingate； for the most part。 Plus odds and ends of gossip here and there。〃
〃Oh； very informative。 Ramses； I don't care who is doing what with whom； so long as 'whom' isn't you。 Promise me you'll stay away from them。 All of them。〃
〃Yes； ma'am。〃
Her tight lips relaxed into one of her most bewitching smiles； plete with dimples； and as a further inducement to good behavior； she told him she would be back in time for luncheon。 Ramses watched her run lightly up the steps and in the door before he turned away。
Could he get el…Gharbi paroled？ The answer was probably no。 Unless 。 。 。 the idea hadn't occurred to him until Nefret asked。 It had probably been Thomas Russell who reeled him in。 If he could persuade Russell that el…Gharbi had information that could be of use to him 。 。 。
The answer was still no。 Russell wouldn't make a deal with someone he despised as much as he did the procurer。 Anyhow； there were only two questions Ramses would like to have answered： the whereabouts of his infuriating uncle； and the identity of the man who had sold the artifacts to Aslimi。 El…Gharbi had once had contacts with every illegal activity in Cairo； but drugs and prostitution were his chief interests； he dealt with illegal antiquities and espionage only when they impinged on his primary business。
Musa was nowhere to be found； so Ramses spent a few hours wandering through the green groves of the Ezbekieh Gardens； to get the smells of el…Wasa out of his system。 It was a little after midday when he returned to the hotel。 Nefret was not there； so he went to see what his parents were doing。 He found his mother alone in the sitting room； placidly working at a piece of embroidery。 Wondering what had prompted this unusual exercise … she hated sewing and did it very badly … he joined her on the sofa。
〃Where is Father？〃 he asked。
〃He took Sennia for a walk； in order to work off some of her energy。 Have you finished packing？〃
〃No；〃 Ramses admitted。 〃Nefret told me I mustn't； she says I always make a mess of it。〃
〃Just like your father。 His notion of packing is to dump the entire contents of a drawer into a suitcase and then throw his boots on top。〃
〃What's wrong with that？〃 Ramses asked； and got a smile in return。
〃I'll ask Gargery to take care of it；〃 she promised。
〃That's all right； Nefret said she'd be back before luncheon。 I suppose you are all ready？〃
〃Certainly。〃 She looked searchingly at Ramses。 〃Is something wrong？ You seem somewhat pensive。〃
〃No； nothing is wrong。 I'm sorry if I 。 。 。〃 Her steely gray stare remained fixed on him； and he felt a sudden need to confess。 His mother's stare often had that effect on people。
〃I'm jealous … oh； not of another man； it's even worse。 Jealous of the hospital and the time she spends there。 Contemptible； isn't it； that I should resent Nefret's skills and interests？〃
〃Quite understandable；〃 his mother said calmly。 She poked her needle into the piece of fabric； muttered something； and wiped her finger on her skirt。 Ramses noticed that the skirt and the embroidered fabric were spotted with blood。 〃Do you want her to give up her medical work？〃
〃Good God； no！ I'd hate her to do that on my account。 I'd hate myself if she did。〃
〃She will have to make a choice； though。 While we were working at Giza she could spend a certain amount of time at the hospital； but it appears we will be in Luxor for some time to e。〃
〃Someone will have to make a choice。〃
His mother dropped her fancywork and stared at him。 〃You don't mean you would give up Egyptology！〃
〃Nothing so drastic。 I can always