Part 16 (2/2)
”Which was precisely my intention,” exclaimed Ramses. ”You know my sentiments about blood sports, Mama; killing for food or in self-defense is one thing, but the slaughter of helpless fauna for the sake of simply counting the number of the slain is a process I cannot-''
”Your sentiments on that subject are known to me, Ramses,” said Emerson. ”But, dear boy-”
”Don't scold him,” Enid begged. ”The gallant little fellow was not thinking of his own safety. His action was reckless but n.o.ble! I might have done the same thing had I been there, for I share his abhorrence of men who find a perverse pleasure in killing.”
This statement was obviously directed at Donald, who flushed painfully. He got no chance to defend himself, for Enid continued to praise and admire Ramses, whose smug expression was really enough to try the patience of a saint. In a typical Ramsesian effort to show appreciation for her spirited defense, he offered to give her a lesson in hieroglyphic-the highest compliment in his power-and they went into the house, hand in hand.
Donald slammed his cup into his saucer with such force that it cracked. ”I resign my position, Mrs. Emerson. I have faced armed foes and fierce savages, but Ramses has defeated me.”
”Ramses? You mean Enid, don't you? Have more bread and b.u.t.ter, Donald.”
”I don't want any cursed ... Forgive me, Mrs. E. I only want to be left alone.”
”Alone with your pipe and your opium?” said Emerson. ”Give it up, my boy. You won't elude Mrs. Emerson; she has made up her mind to reform you, and reform you she will, whether you like it or not. Excuse me; I believe I will go in and work on my notes.” reform you she will, whether you like it or not. Excuse me; I believe I will go in and work on my notes.”
”Emerson is so tactful,” I said, as my husband's stalwart form vanished into the house. ”He knows I wanted a confidential chat with you, Ronald-I beg your pardon, Donald. No, don't go, for if you do, I will have Abdullah bring you back and sit on you until I am finished. Goodness, the stubbornness of the male s.e.x! Enid has told me everything, Donald.”
The young man sank back into his chair. ”Everything?”
' 'Well, almost everything. She did not say in so many words that she loves you, but it was not difficult for me to see it. I am constantly astonished-”
Donald leaped to his feet. ”Loves me?”
”-at the inability of men to see what is right under their noses. And you love her-”
”Love her? Love her!”
”You sound like a parrot. Do sit down and stop shouting, or you will have everyone coming round to see what is wrong.”
Slowly Donald subsided into his chair, like a man whose limbs will no longer support him. His eyes, wide as saucers, and blue as the best Egyptian turquoise, were fixed on my face.
I continued, ”Why else would she pursue you and attempt to persuade you to defend yourself? Why would she submit to the disgusting attentions of a man like Kalenischeff, if not to aid you? Why is she so furious with you? Mark my words, a woman does not go to such lengths for the sake of old friends.h.i.+p. She loves you! But she despises you too, and with reason. You do your brother no favor to take his punishment on yourself, and if you are foolish enough to submit to shame and disgrace for the sake of some absurd notion of gallantry, you have no right to make those who love you suffer. Proclaim your innocence and your brother's guilt; take the position that is rightly yours, and claim your bride!” shame and disgrace for the sake of some absurd notion of gallantry, you have no right to make those who love you suffer. Proclaim your innocence and your brother's guilt; take the position that is rightly yours, and claim your bride!”
”I can't believe you,” Donald muttered. ”She despises me. She-”
”Well, of course she does. That has nothing to do with her loving you. Now listen to me, Donald. You cannot desert us. I am unable to explain this to Emerson, for he is becoming so unreasonable about the Master Criminal that the mere mention of the name starts him shouting, but you, I dare hope, will understand. Enid is in grave danger, not from the police, but from that mysterious genius of crime. He meant her to be charged and convicted for the murder of Kalenischeff. Why else would he have selected her room as the scene of slaughter?”
”Possibly,” Donald suggested, ”because Kalenischeff was on his guard at all other times and was only vulnerable to attack when he believed he had been summoned to a romantic rendezvous.”
”My question was rhetorical,” I said sharply. ”Take my word for it; Enid is not safe. Who knows, she may have seen or heard something on that terrible night that would endanger Sethos, could she but recall it. Let her abuse you and insult you, but do not abandon her when she needs you. And, while I am on the subject of insults and abuses, let me inform you that your abject acceptance of Enid's contumely is not going to improve her opinion of you. I would be happy to give you one or two suggestions-”
Again Donald started up, so impetuously that his chair toppled over. ”I beg you, Mrs. Emerson-spare me. Your arguments have won me over; I will never desert Miss Debenham so long as she is in need of protection. But I cannot-I cannot endure-oh, G.o.d!” Whereupon he rushed into the house. me. Your arguments have won me over; I will never desert Miss Debenham so long as she is in need of protection. But I cannot-I cannot endure-oh, G.o.d!” Whereupon he rushed into the house.
Ten.
Abdullah had neglected to close the gates. I sat in rare and pleasurable solitude, listening to the distant voices of Ramses and Enid discussing ancient Egyptian (or rather, the voice of Ramses lecturing Enid about ancient Egyptian) and enjoying the splendor of the sunset. The grand palette of the heavens was streaked with colors no earthly painter could achieve, savage-glowing bronze and gleaming crimson, indigo and rose and soft blue-gray. I knew the lurid beauty of the sky was due to the amount of sand in the atmosphere, and hoped we were not in for a storm.
One of the paths from the village pa.s.sed in front of the gates, and my vigil was further enlivened by the forms of fellahin returning home from the fields, donkeys loaded with wood for the cookfires, women m.u.f.fled in black and carrying heavy water jars on their heads. The procession of eternal Egypt, I thought to myself-for poetic fancies come to me at such times. myself-for poetic fancies come to me at such times.
An alien shape broke into the slow-moving parade, the very speed of its approach an intrusion. The shape was that of a mounted man, who rode straight through the open gates. Seeing me, he dismounted, sweeping off his hat.
”Mrs. Emerson, I am Ronald Fraser. We met the other day-''
”I know,” I said. ”Are you by chance the person who put a hole in my son's hat this afternoon?”
”No, indeed! At least I hope not.” His smile made him look so much like his brother, I glanced involuntarily over my shoulder. Donald was nowhere in sight, but Emerson was. His broad shoulders filled the open doorway and a scowl darkened his face.
”You hope not,” he repeated ironically. ”I hope not too, young man; for if you were the one who committed that little error, you would have to answer to me.”
”It is in order to explain and apologize for the incident that I do myself the honor to call on you and your charming lady,” Ronald said smoothly. ”May I-”
”You may,” I said, indicating the chair Donald had overturned in his hasty departure. ”I would offer you a cup of tea, but I am afraid it is cold.”
Ronald righted the chair and deposited himself in it. He was a graceful creature, more elegant and less manly than his brother. Knowing them as I now did, I could never have mistaken one for the other. The younger man's countenance betrayed the weakness of his character; his lips were thin, his chin was irresolute, his brow narrow and receding. Even his eyes, of the same sea-blue, were paler in color. They met mine with a clear candor I could not help but find highly suspicious.
In the most charming manner he disclaimed any intention of troubling me, even to the extent of a cup of tea. ”I came,” he went on, ”only to make certain that no harm had been done the lad. He ran out in front of our guns, Professor and Mrs. Emerson-I a.s.sure you he did. I honestly don't know whose bullet it was that struck the hat out of his hand. He had retrieved it and retreated before we could go after him. Though we searched for some time, we found no sign of him, or of anyone else-though I thought I caught a glimpse of another person, an Arab, by his clothing....” tea. ”I came,” he went on, ”only to make certain that no harm had been done the lad. He ran out in front of our guns, Professor and Mrs. Emerson-I a.s.sure you he did. I honestly don't know whose bullet it was that struck the hat out of his hand. He had retrieved it and retreated before we could go after him. Though we searched for some time, we found no sign of him, or of anyone else-though I thought I caught a glimpse of another person, an Arab, by his clothing....”
He ended on a questioning note, but I was not tempted to inform him that the other person present had been his brother. Nor was Emerson; in fact, my husband's response was direct to the point of rudeness. There were references, as I recall, to young idiots who could find nothing better to do with their time than blast away at birds who could not shoot back, and to his (Emerson's) sincere hope that the shooters would end up riddling themselves and each other.
Mr. Ronald's fixed smile remained in place. ”I don't blame you, Professor; in your place I would say much the same.”
”I doubt that,” Emerson replied haughtily. ”If you think your powers of invective can equal mine, you are sadly mistaken.”
”I will make any amends in my power,” the young man insisted. ”A gift to the little chap-a profound apology-”
I had been wondering why Ramses had not made an appearance. It was most unlike him to refrain from interrupting. Yet even this conciliatory and tempting offer did not bring him out of the house. The most profound silence filled that edifice; even the murmur of Ramses' lecture had ceased.
”That is not necessary,” I said. ”But thank you for coming.”
I had no intention of allowing him to leave as yet, but it was not easy to introduce the topic I wanted to question him about. ”Did you forge your brother's signature?” or ”Do you believe Miss Debenham is a murderess?” seemed a trifle abrupt, especially since I was not supposed to be acquainted with the persons in question. However, the young man saved me the trouble by an inquiry almost as direct as the ones I had rejected.
”I had another reason for coming,” he said gravely. ”May I have a word, please, with Miss Debenham?”
I rallied at once without, I am sure, indicating how surprised I was by the question. ”Miss Debenham? I don't believe I know-”
”I cannot believe she has succeeded in deceiving you, Mrs. Emerson, no matter what name she has a.s.sumed. You are too astute to be gulled. Your kind heart and gentle sympathy are well known; everyone talks of it; it is impossible to spend more than a few days in Egypt without knowing your reputation-and, of course, that of your distinguished husband. You took her in, a helpless fugitive, and for that you will always have my grat.i.tude. Do you suppose I would betray her- I, who hold her above all living creatures? Only let me see her, speak to her-a.s.sure myself she is unharmed- learn what I can do to serve her....”
Unwillingly impressed by his eloquence, I listened without either confirming or denying his a.s.sumption. How long he would have gone on I cannot say, but his speech was halted by Enid herself. She had to push Emerson out of the way; he had been listening with an expression of incredulous disgust.
”You see me,” she said icily. ”I am unharmed. You know what you can do to serve me. That answers all your questions, I believe.”
”Enid!” He rushed toward her, overturning the chair for the second time that afternoon. I heard a crack as one of the legs gave way. for the second time that afternoon. I heard a crack as one of the legs gave way.
Enid waited until he was almost upon her, then raised one hand with a solemn dignity that stopped him in his tracks. ”Enid,” he repeated, in tones of gentle reproach. ' 'How could you do this? If you knew what agonies I have endured, being ignorant of where you were or how you fared-”
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