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！
〃Did he blame you？〃 Ramses asked。
〃No； he thinks I am too stupid and too afraid of him。〃 She took another sip of tea。 〃He wanted to blame Ismail Pasha； but he could not； since they were together all that evening； and when Ismail Pasha went to his rooms； my father put guards at the door。 To protect him from assassins； he said。〃
〃Then how did he …〃
Nefret motioned Ramses to be silent。 〃How well do you know Ismail Pasha？〃 she asked。
〃I talked often with him。 He is an Englishman； you know。 I liked talking to him； he treated me like a person； not a woman； and let me practice my English and told me I was a clever girl。〃 She finished her tea and leaned back against the cushions。
〃I'm surprised your father let you talk freely with other men；〃 Nefret prodded。
〃He could not stop me。〃 Her dark eyes flashed。 〃In Constantinople many women are working now because of the war。 I helped with the Red Crescent； rolling bandages。 It was wonderful！ We talked about sensible things； books and what was in the newspapers； and many new ideas。 And we wore corsets and short skirts！〃
〃I heard about that；〃 Nefret said。 〃Didn't the government issue an order demanding that Moslem women lengthen their skirts； discard corsets； and wear thicker veils？〃
〃They had to take back the order；〃 said this young advocate of women's rights placently。 〃We made them do it。 The girls at the telephone pany and the post office threatened to strike； and the ladies said they would not work for the Red Crescent anymore。 But my father said I was keeping bad pany； and made me e to Gaza with him； and it was so dull there。 He tried to make me stay in the harem； but I got out whenever I could； it was fun； hiding from the men and exploring places where I was not supposed to be。〃
〃The cellars；〃 Ramses murmured； visibly chagrined。 He had underestimated her； and so had the rest of us。 I had a sudden image of Esin face…to…face with Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst。
Emerson had been listening in silence； his mouth ajar。 Now he cleared his throat and said； 〃What about your father； child？ He will be worried about you。 Did you leave a message for him？〃
〃No； why should I？ He doesn't care about me； I am only a piece of property to him。 I have lived in England； I won't go back to the veil and the harem and the selling of women。 When Ismail Pasha told me my father had captured an English spy； I wanted to see him； so I hid myself in the mandarah； hoping they would bring you there … and they did！ My father told them to take off your filthy clothing so they would not stain his cushions； and when they did； I saw that you were very beautiful。〃
Nefret choked。 〃I'm glad you find this amusing；〃 Ramses said sourly。
〃It is not amusing；〃 the girl insisted。 〃It is sad and very romantic。 I did not know who you were； and when my father said he would give me to you I was happy； because you were so beautiful and so brave； and then … then you said you were already married and my heart cracked in two； because I knew an English gentleman would never be unfaithful …〃
〃That's quite enough of that；〃 said Ramses to his wife； who had covered her mouth with her hands in an attempt to muffle her laughter。
〃Quite；〃 I said； getting a grip on myself。 The conversation had been extraordinary。 〃Nefret； take the … er … young lady off to the bath chamber and get her some clean clothing。 That rug is absolutely filthy。〃
〃Don't say anything important until I get back；〃 Nefret ordered。
The girl got to her feet。 〃Are you still angry with me？〃 she asked Ramses。
〃Good Lord； no。 I … er … I owe you a great deal。 More than I realized。〃 He smiled at her； and a blissful answering smile spread across her face。
〃You owe me nothing。 I will treasure the memory of that kiss forever； even if you can never be mine。〃
After Nefret had removed the girl； the rest of us sat in silence； reflecting upon what we had learned。 We were； in my opinion； being somewhat overburdened with strong…minded young women。 I fixed a critical gaze upon my son。
〃The kiss was； perhaps； a mistake。〃
〃It seemed the least I could do； Mother。〃
I think he was teasing me。 One cannot always be sure with Ramses。 I trusted he would find Nefret's ments equally entertaining。
〃A kindly error； however；〃 I conceded。 〃We will not speak of it again。〃
〃Extraordinary young woman；〃 said Emerson。 He added gloomily； 〃I suppose we're stuck with her。〃
〃For the time being；〃 I agreed。 〃And we certainly cannot plain； considering what we owe her。 We were dead wrong about her。 She managed the whole business by herself。〃
〃With a few hints from Ismail Pasha；〃 said Ramses。 〃Don't give me that steely stare； Mother。 I am not denying her intelligence and her courage； but I would be willing to wager that she went rushing off to her sympathetic English friend as soon as they removed my … er … beautiful self to the cells； and opened her heart to him。 That gave him his opening； and no one is better at putting ideas into people's heads。 I can almost hear him； can't you？ 'The cruelties of war 。 。 。 too young to die 。 。 。 your father forced against his will to destroy a gallant enemy 。 。 。 in his heart he'd be grateful to be relieved of that grim duty 。 。 。 ' 〃
〃She does seem to be a romantic young person；〃 I said。 〃And clever enough to work out the details； with； perhaps； a suggestion or two from Sethos。 He had probably explored the house； including the cells … 'just in case。' Like myself； he believes in anticipating potential dangers。 Nor would he have had any difficulty in persuading her to run away with him； to join the individual who had made such an impression on her susceptible heart。〃
〃Now； Mother；〃 Ramses protested。 〃She was bored and restless； and annoyed with her father for dragging her off to Gaza； and fascinated by Sethos。 It wouldn't have required more than that。〃
〃Hmm；〃 I said。 〃Admittedly her motives are less important than his。 Why did he do it？ Surely not to rescue a damsel in distress。〃
〃Not Sethos；〃 said Emerson … who might have been fool enough to do just that。 〃He means to use her against her father； somehow or other。 It would be confounded embarrassing for Sahin Bey … oh； very well； Pasha … to admit he had lost his daughter to the enemy。 What would he be willing to give to get her back？〃
〃We cannot be party to any such scheme；〃 I declared。 〃I will not force a young woman against her will； no matter what is offered in exchange。〃
〃Not even Sethos？〃 Ramses's eyes were on the unlit cigarette he was rolling between his long fingers。
〃Oh； good Gad；〃 I said。
11
The night passed without incident； but in some disfort。 I felt it incumbent upon myself to keep the girl with me。 She had been removed suddenly from her home and was in the pany of strangers； a motherly presence would fort her … and prevent her from leaving us； in case she changed her mind。 Emerson attempted to convince me to change my mind； declaring that my habit of foreseeing difficulties that never arose had bee； as he put it； deuced inconvenient。 Unable to prevail； he went off to one of the small sleeping chambers in a considerable state of aggravation。
Esin proved to be a noisy panion； breathing heavily through her nose and changing position every few minutes。 However； there is a silver lining to every cloud； wakefulness gave me ample time for reflection。 The situation had bee even more confusing than before； and the possible permutations were manifold。 If we did not make preparations to depart； Cartright might decide to place us under house arrest or remove us by force … for our own good； as he would explain。 I did not trust him one inch； or believe in his protestations。 Heaven only knew what Sethos would do next。 I had never believed he was a traitor； I did not believe it now； though his real purpose was still a mystery。 He had not exaggerated； however； when he spoke of a noose round his neck； a turncoat is automatically under suspicion； and Sahin； an old hand at the Game； was probably watching his every move。 Ramses's suggestion that Sethos had taken the girl as a possible bargaining counter； in case he was arrested； made a horribly convincing theory； in fact； it was the only reason I could think of why he might h