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！
e didn't give me time enough to make a determination。 I was taken prisoner； as Chetwode was good enough to inform my family； but I managed to free myself later that night。〃 Forestalling further questions； he added； 〃That's all I can tell you。 Chetwode's futile attack has made it virtually impossible for anyone to get near Ismail Pasha。 They will guard him even more closely from now on。〃
Cartright nodded grudgingly。 〃We certainly can't try the same stunt again。 Not for a while。 I suppose you'll be returning to Cairo at once； then。 I will make the necessary arrangements。〃
〃We will make our own arrangements；〃 said Emerson。 〃When we are ready。〃
The finality of his tone； and the inimical looks Cartright was getting from everyone in the room； should have convinced him that there was nothing more to be said。 No one had offered him a whiskey or even a seat。 Yet he lingered； shifting his weight nervously from one foot to the other。
〃Look here； old boy；〃 he exclaimed。 〃This is off the record； you know … but by Gad； that was well done！ Chetwode was man enough to admit that you risked yourself to help him escape … and then to break yourself loose from a Turkish prison； and get through their lines 。 。 。 It was … confound it； it was deuced well done。〃
〃Oh； you know the Turks；〃 Ramses said。 〃Careless beggars。〃
〃All the same； I … er …〃 Military discipline or an inadequate vocabulary brought him to a stuttering stop。 He straightened and snapped off a crisp salute。 Ramses did not return it； but he nodded in acknowledgment； the corners of his mouth pressed。
〃How absurd military persons are；〃 I remarked； after Cartright had marched stiffly out and Selim had slammed the door。
〃Don't underestimate him；〃 Ramses said softly。
〃I don't；〃 said Emerson。 〃He was trying to find out how long we mean to remain here。 Perhaps I ought to have e up with an excuse for staying on； but I couldn't think of one offhand； this isn't the place one would choose for a holiday； and there are no archaeological remains of any interest。〃
〃Good Gad；〃 I exclaimed indignantly。 〃Do you think he is still suspicious of us？ How insulting！〃
Ramses laughed and rose； taking my empty glass from my hand。 〃You ought to consider it a pliment； Mother。 'Suspicious' is perhaps too strong a word； but a good intelligence officer doesn't take chances with people whose behavior is； shall we say； unpredictable。 It poses a bit of a problem。 If we don't start making arrangements to leave within the next day or two； he will assume we're planning something underhanded and place us under surveillance。 That's what I would do。〃
〃Quite；〃 Emerson agreed。 〃Damnation！ It doesn't give us much time。 Let us hope my … er … Sethos makes his move soon。 Since you are on your feet； Ramses； another whiskey here； if you please。 How long till dinner； Selim？ That refreshing little episode has given me quite an appetite。〃
〃I do not know； Emerson。 I have been at the door all afternoon； and the cook …〃
〃Yes； yes； my boy； that is quite all right。 See what you can do to hurry him up； eh？ You need not stand guard； we won't have any more visitors tonight。〃
In that he was mistaken。 Not long after Selim had taken himself off； the aged doorman shuffled in to announce that another merchant had called。 He had a carpet for sale； a very fine carpet； a silk carpet； a …
〃Tell him to go away；〃 said Emerson。 〃We don't want any carpets。〃
The man bowed and wandered out。 He was too late and too ineffectual to intercept the seller of carpets； however。 The fellow had followed him。
He was a tall man with a grizzled beard and a squint。 The roll of carpet was slung over his shoulder。 Taking hold of the door； he shut it in the doorkeeper's face； lowered the rug to the floor； seized one end； and heaved。
A rich tapestry of crimson and azure and gold unrolled； and from the end rolled a human form … a female form； wearing a rather tasteless and very crumpled frock of bright pink silk。 Coughing and choking； it raised dirty hands to its eyes and rubbed them。
〃Christ Almighty；〃 said my son in a strangled voice。
I was too thunderstruck to object to this expletive； and the others were equally stupefied。 Naturally I was the first to recover。 I looked from the girl； who seemed to be suffering nothing worse than the effects of being bundled up in a rug smelling of camel； to the merchant； who stood with hands on hips staring at me。
〃Back again； are you？〃 I inquired unnecessarily。
〃Not from the dead this time；〃 said Sethos。 〃I have brought you a little gift。〃
〃In a rug？〃
〃It worked for Cleopatra；〃 said my brother…in…law。 The unfortunate female sneezed violently。 Automatically I handed her a handkerchief。
〃I'm leaving her in your care for a few days；〃 Sethos went on。 〃Make certain no one gets to her。〃
Without further ado； he turned and strode toward the door。 Emerson made a leap for him； caught him by the arm and spun him round； so vigorously that he staggered。
〃Not so fast。 You have a lot of explaining to do。〃
Instead of trying to free himself from the hand that gripped his shoulder； Sethos stared at Emerson's left sleeve； which had fallen back； exposing the cast。
〃How did that happen？〃 he asked。
〃An encounter with a tomb robber in Luxor；〃 Emerson replied。 〃One of yours？〃
〃At present I have no business arrangements in Luxor。 It's like you；〃 he added in exasperation； 〃to go dashing into a war zone with a broken arm。 Just sit tight for a few days； all of you。 I can't explain now； lowly merchants do not linger to chat with customers。〃
〃Then we will meet you elsewhere；〃 I said firmly。 〃Later this evening。 Where and when？〃
〃For God's sake； Amelia； be reasonable！ There's a noose round my neck and it's getting tighter by the minute。 If my absence is discovered 。 。 。 Oh； very well。 I'll try to meet you tomorrow night。 Midnight … romantic； isn't it？ … at the ruined house in Dir el Balah。 Ramses knows it。〃
〃What？〃 Ramses tore his horrified gaze from the 〃gift。〃 〃Yes； I know it。 What the devil …〃
〃Later。 You shouldn't have any trouble for another day or two。 Oh … I almost forgot。 You owe me four hundred and twenty piastres。 That's four and a half Turkish pounds；〃 he added helpfully。 〃Quite a bargain。〃
After he had bowed himself out； I was at leisure to turn my attention to the young woman。 Nefret had led her to the divan and was helping her smooth the tangled strands of her long hair。
〃Would you like to freshen up a bit before we chat？〃 I inquired。
〃For God's sake； Mother； this isn't a social encounter！〃 Ramses burst out。 〃You let him get away without answering any questions； let's hear what she has to say。〃
She raised reproachful black eyes to his face。 〃Are you angry？ I thought you would be happy to see me。〃
〃He is；〃 said Nefret。 A dimple appeared at the corner of her mouth。 〃He just has an odd way of showing it。 Mother； get her something to drink。〃
〃Thank you； I would like that。 And something to clean my face and hands。〃
She had the instincts of a lady； at any rate。 The requested objects having been supplied； she wiped her face； and drank deeply of the cold tea。 I had to keep telling Ramses to be quiet； he was fairly hopping with annoyance； but we owed the girl a little time to recover from her unusual and unfortable trip。
〃Now；〃 I said； after she had refreshed herself； 〃perhaps you can tell us； Miss 。 。 。 What is your name？ Ramses didn't mention it。〃
〃We were never properly introduced；〃 Ramses said through his teeth。
〃Esin。〃
〃How do you do。〃
〃How do you do；〃 she repeated。 〃Are you his mother？〃
Another one； I thought。 Ramses has that effect on susceptible young women。 I had suspected as much； even from Ramses's expurgated version of their encounter； the way she pronounced the masculine pronoun was a dead giveaway。
〃Yes；〃 I said。 〃And this is his father； Professor Emerson。 And his wife。〃
〃How do you do；〃 the girl said； with only the barest nod for Emerson。 She examined Nefret carefully； and her dirty face fell。
〃Anyhow； I am glad to be here；〃 she said with a sigh。 〃My father has been very angry since you escaped。〃
〃Did he blame you？〃 Ramses asked。
〃No； he thinks I am too stupid and too afraid of him。〃 She took anothe