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〃Every time you say that； something disastrous occurs；〃 I exclaimed。
〃Now； Mother； don't exaggerate。 It doesn't always。〃 He was back to normal； his smile broad and carefree； but the concern of a mother informed me he was holding something back。
〃What other orders do you have？〃 I asked。
Emerson； who had been deep in thought； looked up。 〃Oh； nothing much；〃 he said sarcastically。 〃Scout the Turkish defenses； look for weak points； and while you're at it； sound out the governor to see if he would accept a bribe。〃
〃Hold your fire； Mother； I've no intention of doing anything of the sort；〃 Ramses said quickly。 〃The chaps in charge still labor under the delusion that 'Johnny Turk' is a white…livered coward。 You'd think they'd have learned better after Rafah and Gallipoli。〃
〃But the military mind is slow to accept new ideas；〃 I agreed。 〃Are they planning a direct assault on Gaza？〃
〃I have not been taken into their confidence；〃 Ramses said dryly。 〃I'd bribe the damned governor if I could。 It would save countless lives。〃
〃You can't；〃 Emerson said positively。 〃Anyhow； von Kressenstein is the one in mand of the Gaza defenses。 He'd have you shot if you offered him a bribe。 Stick to your primary aim； my boy； and get the hell out of Gaza as soon as you can。〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 Ramses said。
〃When do you leave？〃 Nefret asked steadily。
〃It will take a while to make the necessary arrangements；〃 Ramses said。 She gave him a reproachful look； and he went on； 〃I'm not being deliberately evasive； dear。 I need to learn all I can about our present dispositions in south Palestine before I decide on the best way of getting into the city。 Then there's the little matter of transport。 They've pushed the rail lines as far as Rafah； but most of the traffic is military； and if I tried to pass as a British officer； it would mean being subject to orders from people who didn't know who I was； or letting too many military types in on the secret。 I don't want even Cartright to know my plans： I politely refused several of his suggestions。〃
〃You don't trust him？〃 I asked。
Ramses began pacing restlessly up and down the room。 〃I don't trust any of the bas … … any of them。 I still don't know how Bracegirdle…Boisdragon fits into this； he's made no further attempt to municate with us； and when I posed a carefully phrased question to Cartright； he stiffly informed me that I was taking orders from him and no one else。〃
〃It's the usual interservice rivalry； as I said；〃 remarked Emerson； with a curling lip。 〃They keep more secrets from one another than from the enemy。〃
Ramses shrugged。 He had said all he was going to say on the subject。
〃What makes them suppose Sethos … if it is he … will stay in Gaza？〃 I asked。 〃Ramses； you won't go haring off to Constantinople or Jerusalem after him？〃
〃Even if he's left by the time I arrive； there will be news of him。 We'll just have to wait and see。〃
He was being deliberately evasive now； and we all knew it。 He was right； though； it was impossible to plan ahead。
For the next several days we were all busy about our different affairs。 At my insistence； we kept up the pretense that we were in Cairo for personal reasons … a little holiday away from the family； the need to do a little research at the Museum。 We dined out every evening； at one of the hotels； with as carefree a mien as we could manage； and if Emerson shouted at the waiters more often than usual； no one thought anything of it。
I remember one of those evenings with a particular poignancy。 We were lingering over coffee after an excellent dinner at Shepheard's and listening to the orchestra render a selection from The Merry Widow。 Emerson came out of his fog of frowning introspection when he heard the familiar strains of the waltz； and asked if I would like to dance。 I pointed out to him that the dancing had not yet begun。 It did soon thereafter； and several couples took the floor。 Emerson asked me again； and I pointed out to him that the tune was not a waltz。 It was another of the ballads that had bee popular in the past few years … the kind of song Ramses had once described as tools of the warmonger； with their sentimental references to love and duty and sacrifice。 I knew this one very well。 Nefret had played it the night we got the news of the death in battle of our beloved nephew Johnny。
Ramses rose and offered Nefret his hand。 I don't know what had moved him to want to dance to that song； perhaps the memory of Johnny； who had loved music and gaiety and laughter； perhaps a sudden need to take her in his arms。 In my opinion the new dances were not nearly so pretty as the waltz； but they certainly offered the opportunity for close embraces。
It was always a pleasure to watch them dance together； they moved with such matching grace； even in the clumsy （in my opinion） two…step。 She was wearing a gown of pale blue voile printed with little flowers； a copy of a favorite garment of Ramses's that had been worn to shreds and discarded。 Her skirts floated out as he turned her。
My sentimental husband cleared his throat and reached for my hand。 There was no need for speech； we were both thinking the same thoughts： of Johnny； only one of the millions of gallant young men who were lost forever； and of another young man； even dearer； who was about to disappear into the dark underworld of war。 Would we ever see our children dance together again？
〃Yes；〃 I said emphatically。
So closely attuned are my dear Emerson and I （some of the time） that he required no explanation。 He squeezed my hand。 〃Yes；〃 he repeated。 〃How are your arrangements ing along； Peabody？〃
〃Very well。 And yours？〃
〃I will be ready when the time es。〃
Ramses was in and out at odd hours； all he would say； when I questioned him； was that he was exploring various sources of information。 He spent a good deal of time alone with Nefret。 I did not begrudge them this； but I could not help asking her； one morning when we were alone； whether he had told her anything I wasn't supposed to know。
〃If I had promised not to tell you； I wouldn't；〃 she said with a smile that took any possible sting out of the words。 〃But there's nothing。〃
〃Are you all right； Nefret？〃
〃Yes； of course。 Why do you ask？〃
〃You are too calm。 More than calm … serene。 Misty…eyed。〃
〃Good Gad； Mother！〃 She burst out laughing。 〃You do have a way with words。 Perhaps I've bee a fatalist。 If I could go with him I would； but I'm beginning to realize … finally！ … that my whining and my clinging only make it harder for him。 There are some dangers one must face alone。〃
〃True；〃 I said thoughtfully。 〃However； there is nothing wrong with attempting to minimize the danger if one can。〃
〃You've got something in mind； haven't you？〃 She looked alarmed。 〃Mother； don't tell me unless you want Ramses to know。 We keep nothing from one another。〃
〃And quite right； too。 Perhaps I had better not； then。 He would only fuss。 Fear not； my dear； I won't do anything that might endanger him。〃
I had not expected Ramses would give us much notice of his departure； so I went ahead with my own schemes as quickly as was possible。 Sure enough； my son turned up one afternoon in time for tea； with the news that he would be leaving immediately。
〃There's a new batch of Labour Corps 'volunteers' going off tomorrow。 I'll stay with them as far as Rafah； where I am to meet Chetwode。〃
At the beginning of the war； Britain had promised the Egyptians they would not be asked to take part in the conflict。 That promise； like so many others； had been broken。 Some of the poor fellows who made up the Labour Corps had volunteered； but most had been conscripted by local magistrates to fill their quotas。 I didn't doubt Ramses could blend in perfectly； for a man who had played the parts of beggars； camel drivers； and mad dervishes； a peasant from Upper Egypt presented no difficulty。 It sounded like a very unfortable method of getting where he wanted to go； but there was no use asking Ramses to explain。
〃Ah；〃 I said。 〃In that case； we had better start packing。〃
Ramses must have known there wasn't a hope of persuading us to remain in Cairo； but he tried。
〃Mother； too many people already know about this supposedly secret expedit