elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第34章
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nasty； when he visited the queen in the shape of her husband and fathered the royal heir。 These God's Wives； who also held the title of Adorer of the God； did not bear children but adopted their successors。 There were practical political reasons for this policy； the Late Period was a time of turmoil； with the throne of Egypt passing from pharaoh to usurper to conqueror and back； many of these men； residing in the north； sent royal daughters to Thebes to succeed the reigning God's Wife； achieving thereby continuity and a certain legitimacy。
The position was one of high honor； the occupant surrounded by luxury and prestige； but I had often wondered about the women themselves。 Doomed to lifelong celibacy； forbidden the joys of motherhood； they had not even the pleasures of power to pensate； for it is more than likely … men being what they are … that the ladies were mere figureheads； controlled by the king and the powerful nobles of Thebes。
However； I would be the last to deny that celibacy has its advantages； when the alternative is a state marriage to a man unloving and unloved。 As for the joys of motherhood 。 。 。 I glanced at Ramses； who was wandering about reading the inscriptions。 We were using torches； since the inner chamber was enclosed and unlighted。 Shadows outlined his well…cut features and the little half smile that betokened his total absorption。 Yes； it had been worth it； though there had been times when I had serious doubts。 However； not all children turned out as well as he had done。
We inspected the other chapels； which were not so well preserved。 In the floor of one an irregular hole gaped； where the stone flooring blocks had been taken up。
〃Not a durned thing down there；〃 Cyrus plained。
Emerson glared at him。 〃Curse it； Vandergelt； I told you the burial chambers were empty。 You had better replace the flooring before some damned fool tourist falls in。〃
〃I thought maybe there might be another burial；〃 Cyrus said defensively。 〃There are four chapels and five God's Wives。〃
〃More than five；〃 Ramses said。 He proceeded to reel off the names。 They had an exotic； almost poetic cadence。 〃Karomama； Tashakheper； Shepenwepet； Amenirdis； Nitocris； Ankhnesneferibre。〃
〃So where are the rest of 'em？〃 Cyrus demanded。 〃And the coffins and mummies of the ones who were buried here？〃
〃Jumana asked me that once；〃 Ramses said。 〃She had a romantic notion that they might have been hidden away to protect them from tomb robbers。〃
〃Nonsense；〃 grunted Emerson。
〃We know where two of the sarcophagi are； or were；〃 I explained。 〃At Deir el Medina； in tomb shafts high on the hillside。 They were dragged there by individuals who meant to usurp them for their own burials。 One had actually been reinscribed with the name and titles of … er …〃
〃Pamontu；〃 Ramses said。 〃A priest of the Ptolemaic or early Roman period； approximately five hundred years after the last God's Wife died and was buried。〃
〃Just what I was about to say； Ramses。〃
〃I beg your pardon； Mother。〃
〃It seems likely； therefore；〃 I continued； acknowledging his apology with a nod； 〃that by the first century a。d。 the original burial chambers here at Medinet Habu were empty except for the sarcophagi。 They were too heavy and of no value to ordinary …〃
〃Yes； yes； Peabody；〃 said Emerson。 〃Vandergelt； you're as bad as Jumana。 There is some excuse for her； but you ought to know better。 The brickwork west of here may be the remains of a fifth chapel。〃
〃Abu and Bertie are working there now；〃 Cyrus said； with a vague gesture toward the west。 〃So far； no luck。 I'm getting tired of this； Emerson。〃
〃Of what； the Saite chapels？ I hope you aren't thinking of shifting to another area。 You haven't the manpower to tackle the larger temples。〃
〃Well； I know that！〃 He glanced at Ramses； who was talking to Nefret； and lowered his voice。 〃The truth is； Emerson； none of us has got the skill for this job。 Oh； sure； we can clean the place up and make proper plans； but what's needed here is somebody to record the inscriptions and reliefs。〃
〃You can't have Ramses；〃 said Emerson。
〃Emerson；〃 I murmured。
〃Well； he can't！ I know； I said the boy could do anything he liked and work for anyone he chooses； but … er … confound it； Vandergelt； stealing another man's staff away is one of the lowest； most contemptible …〃
〃Gol…durn it； Emerson； I wouldn't do a thing like that！〃
Their raised voices had caught Ramses's attention。 〃What seems to be the trouble？〃 he asked。
〃No trouble；〃 Cyrus declared。 〃Um … see here； Emerson； I just got to thinking 。 。 。 How about if we trade places？ You take Medinet Habu and I'll take Deir el Medina。〃
Emerson opened his mouth； preparatory to delivering a cry of protest。 Then his scowl smoothed out。 He stroked his chin。 〃Hmmm；〃 he said。
〃Cyrus； that is an outrageous suggestion；〃 I exclaimed。 〃You can't go trading archaeological sites as if they were kitchen utensils！〃
〃I don't see who's gonna stop us；〃 Cyrus said stubbornly。 〃The Service des Antiquités has got too much on its plate to bother with two respectable excavators like us。 What do you say； Emerson； old pal？〃
Emerson's face widened in a grin。 〃You want to get at those tombs at Deir el Medina。〃
〃Any tomb's better than none；〃 Cyrus retorted。 〃There's none here。 What I'd really like to do is mount an expedition to the Cemetery of the Monkeys； but …〃
〃You'd break your neck climbing round those wadis；〃 Emerson declared forcibly。 〃And waste your time。 The most practical method of locating tombs in that area is to follow the Gurnawis … or go out after a heavy rainstorm； as they do。〃
〃Well； it doesn't look like rain。 e on； Emerson； this job is right up Ramses's alley。 Look at him。〃
He did appear to be enjoying himself。 He and Nefret were absorbed with the reliefs … and each other。 They were holding hands and talking in low voices as they moved slowly along the wall。 With my customary rapidity of thought； I considered the pros and cons of Cyrus's suggestion。 There were a good many things in its favor。 The reliefs needed to be recorded before time and vandals destroyed them。 This was a perfect place for the photographic technique of copying Ramses had developed； and Nefret would work at his side … close by him； in a nice； safe； enclosed area。 And while they were doing that； Emerson could root around the ruins to his heart's content。 However 。 。 。
〃Are we agreed？〃 Cyrus asked hopefully。
〃Agreed on what？〃 Nefret asked； turning。
〃e and have some tea with Bertie and me； and we'll tell you all about it；〃 Cyrus said。
As we left the chapel I lingered； looking up at the carved lintel。 〃An offering which the King gives； a thousand of bread and beer and every good thing 。 。 。〃
〃Did you say something； Mother？〃 Ramses inquired。
〃Just … er … humming a little tune； Ramses。〃
〃What is Father up to now？〃
〃I will leave it to him to tell you； my dear。〃
And tell us he did； without asking anyone else's opinion or voicing a single reservation。 Having had time to reconsider the matter； I had thought of several。 M。 Lacau； who had replaced Maspero as head of the Antiquities Department； might not find out about our violation of the rules for some time； he had returned to France for war work； leaving his second…in…mand； Georges Daressy； to carry on。 Daressy was a genial soul； whom we had known for years； but even he might be offended by our proceeding without his permission。
Considerations of this sort did not enter Emerson's mind。 He had always done precisely as he liked； and had taken the consequences （though not without a great deal of grumbling）。 Realizing that Ramses had fixed me with a pointed stare； brows tilted； I was reminded of certain of those consequences； such as the time we had been barred forever from the Valley of the Kings after Emerson had insulted M。 Maspero and everybody else in the vicinity。
I cleared my throat。 〃Perhaps we ought to give the matter a little more thought before we decide； Emerson。〃
〃Why？〃 Emerson demanded。 〃It is an excellent idea。 Ramses will enjoy copying the inscriptions …〃
〃I would prefer to go on at Deir el Medina； Father；〃 Ramses said； politely but firmly。 Emerson looked at him in surprise； and I gave Ramses
