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！
〃Well done。〃 Emerson slapped him on the back。 〃Now … back to work； eh？〃
Not until later that day was Ramses able to arrange a private conversation with his mother。
〃Do you really intend to tell Cyrus about Khan Yunus？ You know； Mother； that the Official Secrets Act …〃
〃I do not consider myself bound by any document to which I did not agree in advance；〃 said his mother。 Her chin protruded even more than usual。 〃We must tell Cyrus something。 It isn't fair to him to keep him wholly in the dark。 Ramses 。 。 。 dear 。 。 。〃 She put her hand on his shoulder。 〃I know you would rather not talk or think of the affair again； but if you will brace yourself； one more time 。 。 。 You have my word that Selim's narrative will not get me in trouble with the War Office！〃
〃All right； Mother。 Dear；〃 he added； with a smile that brought a faint flush to her cheeks。
It had taken Katherine Vandergelt a while to bee fortable with their Egyptian friends。 She had had to e to terms with her prejudices； or at least conceal them … his mother hadn't left her any choice！ No one but a boor could have treated Selim with less than the courtesy his fine manners and inherent dignity deserved； Katherine's greeting was warm and friendly。 She displayed even more warmth toward Jumana； whose pallor and morose expression obviously shocked her； and kept pressing delicacies on her。 Jumana； who had not wanted to e； but had been made to； pushed the food around her plate and looked wistful。 Cyrus's majordomo had outdone himself … 〃to wele them home。〃 The table glittered with crystal； and the silverware shone。
After dinner they retired to the sitting room for coffee。 Selim knew what was on the agenda。 He had been perfectly at ease up till that time； now he began to fidget and tug at his beard。 Stage fright？ Or fear that he would forget the lines in which he had been coached by the great Sitt Hakim？
〃All right now； Amelia； we're ready；〃 Cyrus said； settling himself fortably in a deep armchair。 〃I've been looking forward to this all day。〃
She smiled placently and sipped her coffee。 〃Selim will tell it。 Go ahead； Selim。〃
All eyes turned toward Selim； pleting his disfiture。 As he confessed later to Ramses； he would rather have faced a horde of assailants； armed to the teeth； than those focused stares。 He cleared his throat。
〃I am no storyteller；〃 he began in a voice several tones higher than his usual baritone。 〃Not like Daoud。〃
〃All the better；〃 Cyrus said with a smile。 〃We know Daoud's tendency to … er … embroider。〃
〃Start with the motorcar；〃 Emerson suggested； seeing that Selim needed encouragement。 〃It was a fine motorcar； and you drove magnificently。〃
Once launched； Selim described the charms of the motorcar in loving detail and dwelled with excessive but pardonable enthusiasm on the perils of the long journey and his skill as a driver。 〃Khan Yunus is an ugly town； not like Luxor；〃 he declared。 〃There were many soldiers。 The house of the friend of the Father of Curses was where we stayed； it was very dirty。 It was there that the real adventure began！〃
〃About time；〃 muttered Cyrus。 〃Khan Yunus； eh？ What did you go there for？〃
Selim glanced at Ramses's mother； who gave him an encouraging nod。 He had got over his self…consciousness and was enjoying himself … as well he might； Ramses thought。 Never； not even from his mother or Daoud； had he heard such a wild story。
They had been summoned to Khan Yunus to rescue a beautiful maiden … the daughter of a Bedouin sheikh； their friend and ally … from the evil old man who had carried her off； with designs on her fortune and her virtue。 It was Ramses who had gone after the maiden and succeeded； after many dangers； in rescuing her。 Selim described some of the dangers； which included a duel with scimitars。 Ramses covered his face with his hand。
〃He does not like to have his courage praised；〃 said Selim。 〃But it was not over。 The evil old man sent men to take her back； and we had to fight them off and escape； in the night； with enemies pursuing us and the town in flames。 We stole horses from under the very noses of the Australians！ But I have not told you about the ragged beggar； who was a policeman in disguise … and a good disguise it was； he had fleas and smelled bad。 The evil old man was a thief； you see； who had stolen jewels from many rich ladies and important antiquities from the Cairo Museum。 The beggar was trying to catch him and bring him to justice； but in the end it was not he who captured the villain； it was Ramses。〃
〃It was not；〃 Ramses exclaimed； driven beyond endurance。 〃It was Father； with …〃
〃Hmph；〃 said Emerson loudly。 〃Very well told； Selim。 You see； Vandergelt； it was just another of our attempts to assist the police。 It is the duty of every citizen。〃
〃How about the maiden？〃 Cyrus inquired。 〃You didn't bring her home with you？〃
Selim sighed and looked soulful。
〃The … er … policeman took her away；〃 Ramses said。 He'd had as much as he could stand。
〃He was her lover； I think；〃 Selim added。
〃Oh； I see。 You mind if I ask a few questions； Selim？〃
Selim had enjoyed himself； once he got well under way； but he knew better than to risk an interrogation by Cyrus Vandergelt。 He got hastily to his feet。 〃I must go。 It is late。 Thank you for your kind hospitality。〃
〃Now see here； Amelia；〃 Cyrus exclaimed。
〃We mustn't detain him； Cyrus； he has other responsibilities。 Jumana； you are excused as well。 Selim will take you home。〃
〃But I want …〃
〃You have been ill。 You need your rest。〃
〃I feel much better！〃
She looked almost her old self； eyes bright； cheeks pink。 The eyes were fixed on Ramses； with an expression that made him want to run for cover。 His mother snapped； 〃Do as you are told。〃
Ramses went to the door with Selim while Jumana was collecting her wrap。 〃I owe you for that； Selim；〃 he murmured。
〃I only said what the Sitt Hakim told me to。 But why are you angry？ I know what you did； and if I had done such things I would tell everyone。 But；〃 Selim said； struck by a new idea； 〃we do it to make the men fear us and the women admire us； yes？ All men fear the Brother of Demons； and you have won the heart of the only woman you want。 When Nur Misur looks at you； it is as if the sun were shining in her eyes。〃
〃I'm not angry； Selim。〃 Ramses embraced him in the Egyptian manner。 〃You are a good friend … and a shameless romantic。〃
〃And what is wrong with that？〃
Selim's grin faded into a scowl when Jumana came out of the house。 He mounted his horse and hauled her up in front of him with no more ceremony than if she had been a sack of grain。 Ramses heard them exchanging insults as they rode off。 Serves them both right； he thought。
When he returned to the drawing room； his mother had taken charge of the proceedings。 〃Unbelievable or not； that story is what Selim told Daoud。 By the time Daoud finishes embellishing it； it will bear little resemblance to fact。〃
〃And I'll sound like even more of a posturing ass；〃 Ramses said sourly。
〃Stop plaining；〃 his mother said。 〃Goodness gracious； I did the best I could！ It was necessary to account for our absence in some way。 Our friends at Atiyeh saw the motorcar and realized we were preparing for a l