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〃Do you realize what you're saying？〃
〃If it's too dangerous to consume it； then find someplace far out in the desert sands； and make a deep shaft into which to pour it！ But get rid of it。〃
〃Let me put a question to you。〃
〃No。〃 She turned her back again。 She covered her ears。 When she looked up she saw in the mirror that he was right at her shoulder。 There was that awareness again of her own world destroyed； of a brilliant light having thrown all else into hopeless shadow。
Gently； he took her hands； and lowered them from her ears。 He looked into her eyes through the mirror； his body warm and close to her。
〃Julie； last night。 If instead of taking the elixir with me to the museum； if instead of pouring it over Cleopatra's remains… if instead； I'd offered it to you； wouldn't you have taken it？〃
She refused to answer。 Roughly he grabbed her wrist and turned her around。
〃Answer me！ If I had never seen her lying there in that glass case 。。。〃
〃But you did。〃
She meant to hold firm； but he surprised her with his kiss； with the roughness and the desperation of his embrace； with his hands moving over her face and her cheek almost cruelly。 He was saying her name like a prayer。 He murmured something in the ancient Egyptian tongue； she didn't know what it was。 And then he said softly in Latin that he loved her。 He loved her。 It seemed both explanation and apology； somehow； the reason for all this suffering。 He loved her。 He said it as if he were just realizing it； and now her tears were ing again； stupidly。 It infuriated her。
She pulled back； then kissed him and let him kiss her again； and sank against his chest； merely letting him hold her。
Then softly she said：
〃What does she look like？〃
He sighed。
〃Is she beautiful？〃
〃She always was。 She is now。 She is the woman who seduced Caesar； and Mark Antony； and the whole world。〃
She stiffened； drawing away from him。
〃She is as beautiful as you are；〃 he said。〃 But you are right。 She is not Cleopatra。 She is a stranger in Cleopatra's body。 A monster looking through Cleopatra's eyes。 And struggling to use Cleopatra's wits to her own purposeless advantage。〃
What more was there to say？ What could she do？ It was in his hands； it had been since the beginning。 She forced him to release her and then she sat down and leaned her elbow on the arm of the chair and rested her forehead in her hand。
〃I'll find her；〃 he said。〃 And I will undo this awful error。 I will put her back into the darkness from which I took her。 And she will suffer only a little while。 And then she will sleep。〃
〃Oh； but it's too awful！ There must be some other way。 。。。〃 She broke into sobs。
〃What have I done to you； Julie Stratford？〃 he said。〃 What have I done to your life； all your tender dreams and ambitions？〃
She took her handkerchief out of her pocket and pressed it to her mouth。 She forced herself to stop this foolish crying。 She wiped her nose； then looked up at him； the great handsome dreamy figure he was standing there with that tragic expression。 A man； only a man。 Immortal； yes； a ruler once； a teacher always； perhaps； but human as we all are。 Fallible as we all are。 Lovable as we all are。
〃I cannot live without you； Ramses；〃 she said。〃 Well； I could。 But I don't want to。〃 Ah； tears from him now。 If she didn't look away； she'd be weeping again。〃 Reason has nothing to do with it anymore；〃 she went on；〃 But it's this creature you've wronged。 It's this thing you've resurrected that will be hurt。 You speak of burying her alive。 I cannot 。。。 I cannot 。。。〃
〃Trust in me that I shall find a painless way；〃 he whispered。
She couldn't speak。 She couldn't look at him。
〃And know this； for what it's worth。 Know it now because later it may bring contusion。 Your cousin Henry is dead。 Cleopatra killed him。〃
〃What！〃
〃It was to Henry's abode in the old Cairo that Elliott took her。 He did follow me to the museum。 And when the soldiers took me away； Elliott gave shelter to the creature I 'd resurrected。 He took her there； and there she killed both Henry and the woman； Malenka。〃
She shook her head； and once again her hands went up to her ears。 All the things she knew of Henry； of her father's death； of
his attempt on her life； somehow could not help her now； they could not touch her。 She heard only the horror。
〃Trust in me when I say that I shall find a painless way。 For that I must do before more innocent blood is shed。 I cannot turn my back until it's finished。〃
〃My son left no message？〃 Elliott had not forsaken the leather chair； or the gin； and had no intention of doing so。 But he knew he had to call Alex before he got any drunker。 And so he'd sent for the telephone。〃 But he wouldn't go out without telling me。 All right。 Samir Ibrahaim； where is he？ Can you ring his room for me？〃
〃He's in Miss Stratford's suite； sir。 Two…oh…three。 He requests that any messages be sent there。 Shall I ring？ It is eleven of the clock； sir。〃
〃No； I'll go up； thank you。〃
She leaned over the marble lavatory。 She slapped the cold water on her face。 She didn't want to look into the mirror。 Then slowly she wiped her eyes with the towel。 When she turned around； she saw him standing in the sitting room。 She could hear Samir's low； forting voice。
〃Of course I will help you； sire； but where do we begin？〃
There was a sharp rap on the hall door。
Ramses stepped back into the bedroom。 Samir went to answer。 It was Elliott。 Their eyes met for only a moment； and then she looked away； unable to judge him and unable to face him。 She thought only； He has had a hand in this。 He knows it all； he knows more than I know。 And suddenly her revulsion for the whole nightmare was insupportable。
She went into the sitting room； and took the chair in the far corner。
〃I shall e right to the point；〃 Elliott said； looking directly at Ramses。〃 I have a plan and I need your cooperation。 But before I begin； let me remind you that it isn't safe here for you。〃
〃They find me； I escape again；〃 Ramses said with a shrug。〃 What is this plan？〃
〃A plan to get Julie and my son out of here；〃 Elliott said。〃 But what happened after I left？ You want to tell me？〃
〃She is as you described her。 Mad； incalculably strong； and dangerous。 Only she is whole now。 No longer disfigured。 And her eyes are die colour of the blue sky； just as mine are。〃
〃Ah。〃
Elliott fell silent； as if he'd felt a sharp pain inside and had to hold his breath to let it pass。 Julie realized suddenly he was drunk； really drunk。 It was perhaps the first time she'd seen him this way。 He was dignified； restrained； but drunk。 He reached out for Samir's glass； still half…full of brandy； and drank it almost absently。
Quietly Samir went to the small rattan drinks cupboard in the corner and got a bottle for him。
〃You saved my life；〃 Elliott said to Ramses。〃 I thank you format。〃
Ramses shrugged。 But the tone of all this struck Julie as curious。 It was intimate； as though these two men knew each other quite well。 There was no animosity。
〃What is this plan？〃 Ramses said。
〃You must cooperate。 You must tell lies。 You must do that effectively。 And the end result will be that you are cleared of the crimes of which you're suspected； and Julie and Alex will be free to leave here； Samir also will no longer be under suspicion。 Then other matters can be attended to。 。。。〃
〃I'm not going anywhere； Elliott；〃 Julie said wearily。〃 But Alex must be allowed to go home as soon as possible。〃
Samir poured another drink of brandy for Elliott； and Elliott took it mechanically and drank it。〃 Any gin； Samir？ I prefer gin for getting drunk；〃 he said。
〃e to the point； my lord；〃 said Ramses。〃 I must be taking my leave。 The last Queen of Egypt roams this city alone； with a penchant for killing； I must find her。〃
〃This will take a strong stomach；〃 Elliott said；〃 but there's a way that all of this can be pinned on Henry。 He laid the ground himself。 But Ramsey； you have to lie as I told you。 。。。〃
The quiet of the night。 Alex Savarell lay naked and asleep on the snow…white sheets of the soft feather bed； the thin wool blanket covering him only to the waist； his face smooth and waxen in the moonlight。
In the sweet stillness； she had undone her many parcels quiedy； examining the fine robes； gowns； slippers。 She had laid out the little rectangular stolen opera papers which said〃 Admit One〃 on the dressing table。
The moon shone on the rich silks。 It sparkled in the rope of pearls； coiled like a snake on the table。 And beyond the sheer finespun curtains on the window； it shone upon the Nile flowing into the soft tangle of rounded roofs and towers that was Cairo。
Cleopatra stood at the window； her back to die soft bed and the godlike young man who lay there。 Divinely he had pleasured her； divinely she had pleasured him。 His innocence and simple male power were treasures to her； her mystery and skill had overwhelmed him。 Never had he placed himself in the hands of a woman thus； he had said。 Never had he given vent to all his whims with such abandon。
And now he slept the sleep that children sleep； safe in the bed； as she stood at the window。。。
。。。 As dreams came to her； pretending to be memories。 It occurred to her that she had not known the night since she'd been awakened。 She had not known the cool mystery of the night； when thoughts tend naturally to deepen。 And what came to her now were images of other nights； of real palaces； resplendent with marble floors and pillars； and tables laden with fruit and roasted meat and wine in silver pitchers。 Of Ramses speaking to her； as they lay together in the dark。
〃I love you； as I've loved no other woman。 To live without you 。。。 it would not be life。〃
〃My King； my only King；〃 she had said。〃 What are the others； but toys on a child's battlefield？ Little wooden emperors moved by chance from place to place。〃
It dimmed； it moved away from her。 She lost it as she had lost the other memories。 And what was real was the voice of Alex stirring in his sleep。
〃Your Highness； where are you？〃
Misery like a spell had descended upon her； and he could not pierce the veil。 It was too heavy； too dark。 She sang to herself； that song； mat sweet song from the music box；〃 Celeste Aida。〃 And men when she turned and saw his face in the moonlight； his eyes closed； his hand open on the sheet； she felt a deep and soulful longing。 She hummed the song； her lips closed as she approached the bed and looked down at him。
Tenderly she stroked his hair。 Tenderly her fingertips touched his eyelids。 Ah； sleeping god； my sweet Endymion。 Her hand moved down； lazily； and touched his throat； touched the tender bones she had broken in the others。
Frail and mortal thing for all your strength； your finely muscled arms； your smooth flat chest； powerful hands that pleasure me。
She didn't want him to know death！ She didn't want him to suffer。 A great protectiveness rose in her。 She lifted the white blanket and snuggled down into the warm bed beside him。 She would never harm this one； never； that she knew。 And suddenly death itself seemed a frightful and unjust thing。
But why am I immortal when he is not？ Ye gods。 For one second it seemed a great portal opened on a vast place of light and all answers were revealed； her past； who she was； what had happened； all those things were clear。 But it was dark and quiet in this room。 There was no such illumination。
〃My love； my pretty young love；〃 she said； kissing him again。 At once he stirred； responded。 He opened his arms to her。
〃Your Highness。〃
She felt the hardness again between his legs； she wanted it to fill her again； to bruise her。 She smiled to herself。 If one cannot be immortal； one should at least be young； she thought ruefully。
Ramses had listened silently for a long time before he spoke。
〃So what you are saying is that we must tell this elaborate tale to the authorities； that I argued with him； followed him inside； saw him take the mummy