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lso。 It's damned cold in this city after dark。〃
Walter fetched the stick immediately。 He had the cloak over his arm。 He put it over Elliott's shoulders； adjusting it snugly。
〃Father；〃 Alex pleaded；〃 for the love of…〃〃Good…bye； Alex。 Remember。 Julie needs you。 She needs you here。〃
〃Sire； it's past six now；〃 Samir said。〃 I must show you how to find this tavern。〃
〃I can find it on my own； Samir；〃 Ramses answered。〃 Go back to the hotel； both of you。 I must see for myself 。。。 the state of things。 And then I shall get word to you as soon as I can。〃
〃No；〃 Julie said；〃 let me go with you。〃
〃Unthinkable；〃 Ramses said。〃 It's much too dangerous。 And this is something I must face alone。〃
〃Ramses； I'm not leaving you；〃 she insisted。
〃Julie； we must return now；〃 Samir said。〃 We must be seen before they start searching for us。〃
Ramses rose to his feet slowly。 He turned away from the flickering light of the candle； which was now the only illumination in the dark room。 He lifted his hands as if in prayer。 He looked for all the world like one of the Moslems in the mosque as he stood there； a tiny speck of light shining in his eyes。
〃Julie；〃 he said； turning back to her with a deep sigh。〃 If you go home to England now； you can still recover your old life。〃
〃Oh； you hurt me； Ramses！〃 she said。〃 You wound me to the quick。 Do you love her； Ramses？ Do you love this thing you've raised from the grave？〃
She had not meant to say this。 She stopped； defeated； and now it was she who turned away。
〃I know I love you； Julie Stratford；〃 he whispered。〃 I've loved you from the first moment I saw you。 I braved discovery to save you。 And I want your love now。〃
〃Then don't speak of my leaving you；〃 she said； her voice breaking。〃 Ramses； if I never see you again after this night； my life is destroyed。〃
〃On my honour； you shall see me。〃
He took her in his arms。
〃My love； my brave love；〃 he whispered； caressing her。〃 I need you…both of you…more than I can say。〃
〃May the old gods be with you； sire；〃 Samir whispered。〃 We will count the minutes until we receive some word。〃
Only a dim light burned in Winthrop's office。 He was staggered by the report on his desk。 The young official standing before him waited for orders。
〃And his head was crushed； you said？〃
〃Neck broken also。 Like the maid in the museum。 And all his money had been taken； though his passport had been left in the mud。〃
〃Double the watch on Shepheard's；〃 said Winthrop。〃 And get the Earl of Rutherford over here immediately。 We know he's there； I don't care what his son says。 We saw him go in。〃
Out of the back door of the wing； Elliott walked swiftly； stiffening his left leg to take the weight off the knee。 He crossed the dark parking lot and headed towards old Cairo。 Only when he was two streets away from Shepheard's did he hail a passing cab。
Julie slipped into her suite； and locked the door。 The Arab robe was folded tightly under her arm。 She had removed it in the cab； and she stuffed it now in the bottom of die wardrobe behind her trunk。
Going into the bedroom； she drew the small suitcase down from the wardrobe shelf。 What few things did she need？ So much she possessed did not matter to her。 Only freedom mattered now； freedom with Ramses； to somehow escape this hideous tangle of events。
But what if she never again laid eyes upon this man who had thrown her entire past life into shadow？ What was the point of packing this suitcase until she knew what had happened？
Suddenly the entire thing overwhelmed her。 She lay down on the bed； weak； sick at heart。
She was crying softly when Rita came in。
The Babylon。 He could hear the drums and cymbals as he hurried down the crooked little stone street。 How odd that at this moment he would remember Lawrence so keenly； his beloved Lawrence。
Suddenly a soft collection of sounds behind him forced him to stop。 Someone had dropped down off the roof！ He turned around。
〃Keep walking；〃 said die tall Arab。 It was Ramsey！〃 There
is a bar around the corner which I prefer for this meeting。 It is quiet。 Go in ahead of me and sit down。〃
Elliott was weak with relief。 He obeyed immediately。 Whatever happened； he was no longer alone in this nightmare。 Ramsey would know what to do。 He pushed on to the little bar； and went inside。
Beaded curtains； low flickering oil lamps； wooden tables； the usual collection of disreputable Europeans。 An indifferent serving boy swabbing a table with a filthy rag。
A tall blue…eyed Arab in handsome robes sat at the last table； his back to the right wall。 Ramsey。 He must have entered from the rear。
Several patrons eyed Elliott arrogantly as he made his way to the back。 He was conspicuous in his proper clothes。 The least of his worries。
He took the chair to the right of Ramsey； with its back to the rear door。
The sputtering little lamp on the table reeked of scented oil。 Ramses already had a drink in his hand。 There was a bottle without a label and a clean glass。
〃Where is she？〃 Ramsey said。
〃I have no intention of telling you；〃 Elliott said。
〃Oh？ What are the rules of this game？ Or am I to remain at a major disadvantage？〃
Elliott was quiet for a moment。 He reflected upon his decision again。 Worth it。 Worth the shame of the moment。 He cleared his throat。
〃You know what I want；〃 he said to Ramsey。〃 You've known since the beginning。 I didn't make this journey to Egypt to protect my future daughter…in…law's chastity。 That's absurd。〃
〃I believed you were an honorable man。〃
〃I am； though today I've witnessed things that would sicken a monster。〃
〃You should never have followed me to the museum。〃
Elliott nodded。 He picked up the bottle； uncorked it and filled the glass。 Whisky。 Ah； yes。 He took a stiff drink。
〃I know I shouldn't have followed you；〃 he said。〃 It was a young man's folly。 And maybe I would be young again 。。。 forever。〃
He looked at Ramsey。 There was more than a touch of majesty to the man in these white robes。 He looked biblical； larger
than Hie。 His blue eyes were rimmed with red； however。 And he was weary； and suffering。 That was quite clear。
〃I want the elixir；〃 Elliott said politely。〃 Once You've given it to me； once I've drunk it； then I'll tell you where she is。 And she shall bee your responsibility。 And believe you me； I don't envy you。 Though I have done all that I could。〃
〃What state is she in？ I want to know precisely。〃
〃Healed； but not enough。 She is beautiful and she is deadly。 She killed Henry； and his Egyptian mistress； Malenka。〃
Ramsey said nothing for a moment； then：
〃Well； young Stratford got what he deserved； to use your modem expression。 He murdered his uncle。 He tried to murder his cousin。 I rose from the grave to stop him。 The story he told you of my trying to strangle him was true。〃
Elliott sighed。 Another great wash of relief passing through him； but not without bitterness； deep bitterness。〃 I knew it。。。 the part about Lawrence。 About Julie I never guessed。〃
〃With my poisons；〃 Ramses sighed。
〃I loved Lawrence Stratford；〃 Elliott whispered。〃 He was my 。。。 my lover； once； and always my friend。〃
Ramses gave a small nod of respect。
〃This killing； was it easy for her？ How did it e about？〃
〃She is incalculably strong。 I'm not sure she fully understands what death is。 She killed Henry because he was firing a gun at her。 Malenka she killed because the girl was frightened and had begun to scream。 She broke the necks of these two people。 The maid in the museum； the same。〃
〃She speaks？〃
〃Clearly。 She picks up English from me as if imbibing it。 She told me who she was。 But something's wrong with her； something profound。 She does not really know where she is； or what's happening to her。 And she suffers。 She suffers unspeakably because of the great gaping sores on her body； through which the bones are visible。 She suffers anguish and physical pain。〃 Elliott took another drink of the whisky。〃 The damage to her body…surely there is similar damage to her brain。〃
〃You must take me to her immediately！〃
〃I gave her what was left in the vial； the one you so carelessly dropped in the museum。 I applied it to her face and her hands。 But much more is needed。〃
〃You saw it work？ It shrank these wounds？〃
〃Yes。 But the sunlight had already healed her enormously。〃
Elliott paused； he studied Ramsey's seemingly impassive face； the blue eyes staring forward。〃 But surely this is no mystery to you！〃
〃You're wrong。〃
Mechanically Ramses lifted the glass and drank。
〃A quarter of the vial； that's all that was left；〃 Elliott said。〃 Would it have been enough for me； if I had drunk it instead of giving it to her？〃
〃I don't know。〃
Elliott smiled bitterly。
〃I am not a scientist。 Only a King。〃
〃Well； you have my proposition； Your Royal Highness。 You give me the elixir。 And in a quantity sufficient to resolve all doubts。 And I shall give you Cleopatra； Queen of Egypt； to do with as you like。〃
Ramses looked at him directly。〃 And suppose I told you I would kill you if you did not tell me where she was？〃
〃Kill me。 Without the elixir I'll die anyway。 Those are the only two things I think of now： death and the elixir。 I'm not sure I can distinguish between the two any longer。〃 One more glass of whisky； that was all he could handle。 He drank it down and made a faint bitter face。〃 Look； I'll be frank with you。 I have no stomach for what I've seen today。 But I want that potion。 And all else collapses in the face of mat desire。〃
〃Yes； how well I remember。 Yet it didn't for her。 She chose death。 To be with her beloved Mark Antony； though I held it out to her。 That was her choice。〃
〃Then she didn't really know what death was。〃
Ramses smiled。
〃In any case； that； I am certain； she doesn't remember。 And if she does； I doubt she cares。 She's alive now； suffering； struggling with her wounds； her hungers 。。。〃 He stopped。
Ramses leaned forward。〃 Where is she！〃
〃Give it to me。 And I will help you with her。 I will do anything that I can。 We won't be enemies； you and I。 We aren't enemies now； are we？〃
〃No； not enemies！〃 Ramses whispered。 His voice was soft； but his eyes were full of anger。〃 But I can't give it to you。 It's far too dangerous。 You simply do not understand。〃
〃Yet you raised her from the dead like a bloody alchemist！〃 Elliott said heatedly。〃 And you will give it to Julie Stratford； will you not？ And your devoted friend； Samir？〃
Ramses didn't answer。 He rested back against the wall； eyes forward again。
Elliott stood up。
〃I'll be at Shepheard's。 When you've brewed the elixir； call me there。 I'll know your voice when you call。 But be careful。 Then we shall arrange another meeting。〃
Gathering up his walking stick； he started for the door。 He did not look back； hard as that was for him。 His face was burning with shame。 But this was the only feeble chance that remained to him； and he played it out； miserable though he was。
There was a moment of fear as he walked in the dark alleyway alone。 He was keenly aware not only of all the familiar aches and pains that plagued him； but also of the general weakness from which he was suffering； the premature curse of old age。 Then it occurred to him that Ramses would follow！
He stopped； listened。 Not a sound in the darkness。 He went on。
She stood in the front room； she had not made up her mind whether or not she should kill this noisy bird。 It was being quiet at this moment； clucking； dancing on its perch。 And it was beautiful。 If it did not scream； she would not kill it。 That seemed fair enough。
The body of the dancing girl had begun to rot。 She had dragged it into the farthest corner of the garden and there thrown a great cloth over it； but still she could smell it。
Even in the back kitchen she could smell it。 But that had not stopped her from consuming all the food she could find。 A few lemons； very s