elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第20章

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oup　and　letting　the　beef　dry　out。
　After　dinner；　when　we　had　retired　to　the　parlor；　and　Jumana　had　gone　to　her　room　to　study；　I　managed　to　get　Emerson　off　the　subject　of　archaeology。　〃I　hope　you　convinced　Selim　that　he　must　leave　Jamil　to　us。　If　he　and　the　other　men　injured　the　boy；　it　would　split　the　family　apart。　Not　all　of　them　take　the　matter　as　seriously　as　Selim　does；　some　may　even　sympathize　with　Jamil。〃
　〃Why　do　you　suppose　I　was　talking　so　loudly　to　Selim？　I　wanted　the　others；　especially　Jumana；　to　overhear。　The　boy　has　done　nothing　except　bully　his　sister　and　play　the　fool　…　if　it　was　he　we　saw。　We　don't　know　that。　We　don't　know　that　he　killed　that　fellow；　or　even　that　murder　was　mitted！　It　may　have　been　an　accident；　or　self…defense。　These　beggars　squabble　constantly　amongst　themselves。　All　we　know　for　certain　is　that　some　person　unknown　placed　the　body　in　position；　possibly　as　a　warning　or　a　threat；　possibly　only　to　hide　it。〃
　〃That　is　all　very　well；　Emerson；　but　two　of　the　original　thieves　have　met　a　violent　death。　In　criminal　investigation　…〃
　〃This　is　not　a　criminal　investigation；〃　said　Emerson；　with　a　snap　of　his　teeth。　〃We　have　no　proof　of　murder。〃
　Undeterred；　I　proceeded。　〃Then　how　do　you　explain　the　position　of　the　body？　It　is　a　most　inconvenient　hiding　place。　How　did　Jamil　…　oh；　very　well；　whoever　it　was　…　how　did　he　get　the　body　there？〃
　Emerson　replied　with　a　rhetorical　question。　〃How　did　the　ancient　workmen　get　that　damned　sarcophagus　of　Hatshepsut's　into　her　tomb　in　the　cliff？　That　tomb　is　even　less　accessible　than　this　one；　and　a　stone　sarcophagus　is　considerably　heavier　than　a　man。〃
　〃Perhaps　it　was　meant　to　warn　us；　and　others；　away　from　the　place。〃
　〃There　was　nothing　of　value　left　in　the　tomb；〃　Emerson　said。　〃Anyhow；　Jamil　knows　better　than　to　threaten　me。〃
　The　shrubbery　outside　rustled；　and　Horus　came　in　through　the　open　window。　He　was　carrying　something　in　his　mouth。
　〃Oh；　my　goodness；〃　I　exclaimed。　〃It's　not　a　mouse　…　it's　too　big。　A　rat。　Disgusting。　Emerson　…〃
　Emerson　was　too　slow。　Horus　darted　past　him　and　laid　the　object　at　Nefret's　feet。　He　then　sat　down　and　stared　fixedly　at　her。
　〃It's　not　a　rat；〃　Ramses　said。　He　reached　down　and　scooped　the　motionless　form　into　his　hands。　〃It's　a　cat　…　a　kitten。　I'm　afraid　it's　。　。　。〃
　A　faint　but　unmistakable　purr　contradicted　his　assumption。　The　small　creature　was　so　dirty　I　could　not　make　out　its　markings。
　Nefret　said　gently；　〃Cats　sometimes　purr　when　they　are　frightened　or　in　pain。　If　it　is　beyond　help；　we　had　better　put　it　out　of　its　misery。〃
　The　parlor　door　opened。　Sennia　stood　on　the　threshold；　rubbing　her　eyes。　〃Horus　woke　me　up。　He　had　。　。　。　Oh！〃
　Emerson　caught　hold　of　her。　〃Now；　child；　don't　touch　it。　It　is　sick；　or　hurt；　or　。　。　。〃
　Sennia　leaned　against　Emerson。　She　looked　charming；　her　hair　ruffled　with　sleep　and　the　hem　of　her　white　nightdress　baring　slim　brown　feet　and　ankles。　〃If　it　is　sick；　Aunt　Nefret　will　make　it　well。〃
　〃Oh；　Sennia　。　。　。〃　Nefret　glanced　at　the　motionless　body　Ramses　cradled　in　his　cupped　hands。　〃I'll　try。　I'll　do　my　best。　Go　back　to　bed；　darling。〃
　〃Yes；　Aunt　Nefret。　Horus；　you　are　a　good　boy。　e　to　bed　now；　Aunt　Nefret　will　take　care　of　the　kitty。〃
　Horus　considered　the　suggestion。　With　what　looked　alarmingly　like　a　nod　of　acquiescence；　he　got　up　and　followed　Sennia　out。
　〃Oh；　dear；〃　I　said。　〃Nefret；　do　you　think　you　can　。　。　。　What　is　wrong　with　it？〃
　〃I　don't　know　yet。〃　Nefret　shrugged　helplessly。　〃But　I'll　have　to　find　out；　won't　I？　Bring　it　along；　Ramses。〃
　As　I　might　have　expected；　Sennia　was　the　first　one　down　next　morning。　Gargery　was　trying　to　get　her　to　eat　her　porridge　…　never　an　easy　task　…　when　we　entered　the　dining　room。　She　bounced　up　from　her　chair　and　ran　to　me。　〃How　is　the　kitty？　When　can　I　see　it？〃
　〃I　don't　know；　Sennia。　Ramses　and　Nefret　have　not　e　yet。　Sit　down　and　eat　your　breakfast。　Where　is　Horus？〃
　〃Under　her　chair；〃　said　Gargery　grimly。　〃As　usual。　Madam；　what　is　all　this　about　another　cat？　We　don't　need　one。　We　don't　need　that　one；〃　he　added；　with　a　baleful　look　at　Horus。
　〃It　is　only　a　little　cat；〃　said　Sennia。　〃It　is　sick；　but　Aunt　Nefret　is　going　to　make　it　well。〃
　Her　bright；　confident　face　made　my　heart　sink。　What　she　expected；　in　her　innocent　fashion；　might　be　impossible；　even　for　Nefret。　Emerson　cleared　his　throat。　〃Er　…　Sennia；　the　cat　was　…　er　…　very　sick。　It　may　not　。　。　。〃
　〃There　they　are！〃　Sennia　was　out　of　her　chair　again；　running　to　them。　She　threw　her　arms　round　Nefret's　waist。　〃Why　didn't　you　bring　the　kitty；　Aunt　Nefret？〃
　〃It　needs　to　rest；〃　Nefret　said；　after　the　obligatory　grunt　of　expelled　breath。　〃But　it　is　better。　Much　better。〃
　Emerson's　face　displayed　his　relief。　He　is　such　a　sentimentalist　about　children；　he　could　not　bear　to　see　Sennia　disappointed。　He　did　not　even　object　when　the　entire　conversation　centered　on　the　cat；　for　Sennia　would　talk　of　nothing　else。　She　demanded　a　detailed　diagnosis。
　〃Malnutrition　and　dehydration；〃　Nefret　said。　〃With　the　attendant　infections。　The　little　creature　has　quite　a　will　to　live；　though。　The　first　thing　it　did　was　stagger　to　the　food　we　put　out　for　it　and　gulp　it　down。　Then　it　tried　to　climb　up　Ramses's　leg。〃
　Sennia　laughed。　〃Did　it　scratch；　Ramses？〃
　〃Not　really。　Its　claws　aren't　any　longer　than　your　eyelashes。〃
　〃It　thinks　Ramses　is　its　mother；〃　Nefret　said。　Sennia　chortled；　and　Nefret　added；　〃He　sat　up　most　of　the　night　holding　it。〃
　〃It　needed　to　be　kept　warm；〃　Ramses　mumbled；　looking　embarrassed。　〃And　it　wouldn't　stay　in　its　basket。〃
　〃I　am　going　to　see　it　now；〃　Sennia　announced。　〃You　want　to　see　it；　too；　don't　you；　Gargery？〃
　Gargery　tried　to　think　of　something　that　would　express　his　feelings　to　the　rest　of　us　without　betraying　them　to　Sennia。　He　failed。　〃Yes；〃　he　said　resignedly。
　The　kitten　served　one　useful　purpose。　I　did　not　want　to　take　Sennia　with　us　on　our　first　day　at　the　dig；　and　she　would　have　insisted　on　ing　but　for　the　distraction。　Nefret　offered　to　give　her　her　first　lesson　in　bones　after　the　patient　had　been　inspected；　and　Sennia　promised　to　leave　it　alone　the　rest　of　the　day。　A　convalescent　does　not　fare　well　with　an　enthusiastic　child　poking　at　it；　however　good　the　child's　motives；　and　I　took　it　for　granted　that　the　creature　was　not　housebroken。
　Naturally　Ramses　stayed　with　them；　and　Sennia　kindly　agreed　to　let　Jumana　join　her　biology　lesson。　They　were　to　bring　the　horses　and　meet　us　later　at　Deir　el　Medina；　where　Selim　and　Daoud　were　waiting　for　us　with　the　men　they　had　hired。
　Few　tourists　visit　the　site；　which　is　tucked　into　a　little　valley　in　the　hills　of　the　West　Bank。　The　only　attraction　for　them　is　the　Ptolemaic　temple　at　the　north　end　of　the　valley。　It　is　a　nice　enough　temple　in　its　way；　but　it　is　too　late　in　date　to　interest　us。　The　people　who　do　go　there　follow　the　route　that　includes　more　popular　tourist　attractions；　from　Deir　el　Bahri　to　Medinet　Habu。
　There　is　another　path；　however；　that　ascends　one　of　the　hills　enclosing　the　settlement　and　continues　at　a　considerable　elevation；　passing　above　the　temples　of　Deir　el　Bahri　on　its　way　to　the　Place　of　Truth；　as　the　Valley　of　the　Kings　was　called　in　ancient　times。　We　had　often　followed　part　of　this　route；　climbing　the　slope　behind　the　temple　and　going　on　to　the　Valley　…　or；　as　we　had　done　two　days　earlier；　striking　off　on　that　hair…raising　climb　over　the　plateau。
　It　was　not　the　easiest　way　of　getting　to　Deir　el　Medina；　but　Emerson　proposed　we　follow　it　that　first　morning。　He　wanted　to　see　what　condition　the　southern　section　of　the　path　was　in；　he　explained。　I　was　reasonably　sure　it　was　in　exactly　the　same　condition　it　had　been　the　previous　year　and　for　countless　years　before；　but　I　did　not　demur。　When　we　reached　the　top　of　the　hill　above　Deir　el　Bahri　we　stopped　for　a　moment；　as　Abdullah　and　I　had　so　often　done。
　I　knew　that　Emerson　was　also　thinking　of　Abdullah　as　we　stood　looking　out　across　the　desert　and　the　cultivation。　The　air　was　clear　that　morning；　we　could　see　the　miniature　shapes　of　the　temples　on　the　East　Bank；　with　the　eastern　cliffs　behind　them。　However；　his　only　audible　expression　of　emotion　was　a　loud　clearing　of　his　throat。
　Instead　of　turning　south　toward　Deir　el　Medina；　Emerson　set　off　along　the　trail　that　led　to　the　Valley。　He　had　not　gone　far　before　he　stopped　with　a　grunt　of　satisfaction。　I　could　not　see　what　had　occasioned　the　satisfaction；　he　was　looking　at　what　appeared　to　be　a　row　of　tumbled　stones；　half…buried　in　sand。
　〃Emerson；　what　are　you　doing？〃　I　demanded；　as　he　knelt　and　began　scraping　away　sand。　〃Stop　that　at　once。　You　aren't　even　wearing　gloves。〃
　Emerson　rose；　not　because　I　had　told　him　to；　but　because　he　had　had　second　thoughts。　〃They　will　have　to　be　properly　excavated。〃
　〃Those　rocks？　Why？〃
　〃Good　Gad；　Peabody；　what　has　bee　of　your　trained　excavator's　eye？　That's　a　wall；　or　what　is　left　of　one；　and　there　are　others　hereabouts。　I　noticed　them　some　time　ago；　but　saw　no　reason　to　investigate　them。〃
　〃I　don't　see　any　reason　to　do　it　now。〃
　〃Think　about　it。　It's　quite　a　distance　from　the　Valley　to　Deir　el　Medina。　Wouldn't　it　be　logical　for　a　gang　of　workmen　to　camp　here；　close　to　the　job；　part　of　the　time？　A　few　smallish　huts；　such　as　these　appear　to　be；　would　not　be　difficult　to　construct。〃
　His　eyes　sparkled。　Emerson　is　one　of　the　few　excavators　in　the　business　who　derives　as　much　pleasure　from　the　humble　minutiae　of　archaeology　as　from　impressive　temples　and　rich　tombs。　If　he　was　correct；　a　small　bit　of　the　puzzle　of　the　past　would　be　filled　in　…　and　he　usually　was　correct　about　such　things。
　〃Well；　my　dear；　that　is　very　interesting；〃　I　said。　〃But　hadn't　we　better　be　getting　on？　Nobody　is　going　to　bother　your　…　er　…　huts。〃
　Emerson　tore　himself　away。　The　path　was　well　traveled；　we　met　goats　and　a　few　Egyptians　afoot　or　on　donkey…back。　Emerson　greeted　them　by　name　（except　for　the　goats）　but　did　not　stop；　though　it　was　clear　to　me　that　one　or　two　of　the　men　would　have　liked　to　have　gossiped　a　bit。　The　news　of　what　had　happened　the　day　before　must　be　all　over　the　West　Bank　by　now。　We　had　not　gone　far；　however；　before　we　came　upon　persons　of　quite　a　different　sort。　There　were　nine　of　them；　six　donkey　drivers　and　three　people　in　European　dress；　and　when　they　hailed　us　it　was　impossible　to　push　on　past。　I　recognized　the　American　party　we　had　encountered　on　board　ship　and　later　in　Cairo。
　Mrs。　Albion's　tall；　spare　frame　was　clad　in　garments　that　were；　I　supposed；　the　latest　in　American　notions　of　sporting　attire　for　ladies。　Her　linen　coat　had　the　fashionable　military　cut　and　her　skirts　were　calf…length。　Her　head　was　so　wrapped　in　veiling　that　her　features　were　only　a　blur。　She　was　sitting　sideways　on　the　donkey；　her　neat　boots　dangling。　A　true　lady；　of　course；　would　rather　fall　off　than　ride　astride。　It　probably　required　two　drivers　to　keep　her　in　the　saddle；　and　the　same　was　true　of　Mr。　Albion；　who　rolled　first　from　one　side　and　then　to　the　other；　with　his　drivers　shoving　him　back　and　forth。　The　process　seemed　to　entertain　him　quite　a　lot；　he　was　red…faced　with　heat　and　laughter　when　the　little　cavalcade　halted。　The　younger　man　was　red；　too；　but　with　sunburn；　not　amusement。　He　removed　his　hat　and　inspected　me　with　cool　curiosity。