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〃Well；〃 Alex said。〃 If you were an immortal…an immortal who'd once been a great King； would you have fallen in love with a woman like Cleopatra？〃
〃Answer the question； Alex；〃 Julie said。〃 What is your passion？ It's not history； not Egyptology； not government。 What would you say it is that makes you want to wake up in the morning？〃 She could feel the blood rising in her face。
〃Yes； I would have fallen in love with Cleopatra；〃 said
Ramses。〃 She could have charmed a god。 Read between the lines of your Plutarch。 The truth is there。〃
〃And what is the truth？〃 Elliott asked。
〃That she was a brilliant mind； she had a gift for languages and for governing which defied reason。 The greatest men of the time paid court to her。 Hers was a royal soul in every sense of the word。 Why do you think your Shakespeare wrote about her？ Why do your schoolchildren know her name？〃
〃Oh； e now。 Divine right？〃 said Alex。〃 You sound much better when you are talking Marxist theory。〃
〃Which is what； precisely？〃
〃Alex；〃 Julie said sharply。〃 You wouldn't know a Marxist if one punched you in the face。〃
〃You must understand； my lord；〃 Samir said to Alex。〃 We Egyptians take our history rather seriously。 Cleopatra was by any standards a formidable Queen。〃
〃Yes； well said；〃 Ramses said。〃 And Egypt could use a Cleopatra now to rid it of British domination。 She'd send your soldiers packing； you can be sure。〃
〃Ah； there you see； a revolutionary。 And what about the Suez Canal？ I suppose she'd say 'No； thank you' for that？ You do know what the Suez Canal is； don't you！ Well； it was British financing that acplished that little miracle； my friend； I hope you understand。〃
〃Oh； yes； that little trench you dug between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean。 Did you whip the slaves in the hot sun to dig that trench？ Do tell me。〃
〃Touché； old fellow； touché。 Truth is； I haven't the foggiest notion。〃 Alex put down his fork and sat back； smiling at Henry。〃 This has been the most exhausting dinner。〃
Henry stared at him with the same expressionless glassy eyes with which he regarded everything else。
〃Tell me； Mr。 Ramsey；〃 said Elliott。〃 Your personal opinion； if you will。 Is this mummy truly Ramses the Great？ An immortal who lived until the time of Cleopatra？〃
Alex laughed softly。 He looked again at Henry； and this time apparently Henry's condition shocked him。 He was about to say something when Ramses went on。
〃And what do you think； Lord Rutherford？〃 Ramses asked。〃 You read the notes of your friend Lawrence。 Is there an immortal man in that mummy case in Julie's house in Mayfair？〃
Elliott smiled。〃 No； there isn't；〃 he said。
Julie stared at her plate。 Then slowly she looked up at Samir。
〃Of course not！〃 Alex said。〃 And it's about time somebody said so。 When they take him to the museum and cut him up； they'll discover he was a scribe with a lively imagination。〃
〃Forgive me；〃 Julie said。〃 But I am so weary of all this。 We'll be in Egypt soon enough； among the mummies and the monuments。 Must we go on？〃
〃I'm sorry； my dear；〃 Elliott said； lifting his fork and taking a small morse！ of chicken。〃 I've rather enjoyed our conversation； Mr。 Ramsey。 I find your perspective on ancient Egypt absolutely riveting。〃
〃Oh？ The present era is my fascination of late； Lord Rutherford。 Englishmen such as yourself intrigue me。 And as you were saying； you were a good friend of Lawrence； were you not？〃
Julie saw the change in Henry before she realized that Ramses was once again glaring at him。 Henry shifted； lifted the empty glass in his hand； then realized it was empty and stared at it as if he did not know what to do with it； and then stared just as stupidly at the waiter who took it from him and gave him another drink。
If Elliott noticed all this； he gave no sign。
〃We had our differences； Lawrence and I；〃 he answered；〃 but yes； we were very good friends。 And we did agree upon one thing。 We hoped mat our children would soon be happily married。〃
Julie was stunned。〃 Elliott； please。〃
〃But we needn't discuss this； you and I；〃 Elliott said quickly。 Obviously rudeness wasn't easy for him。〃 There are other things I should like to discuss with you。 Where you came from； who you really are。 All those same questions I ask myself when I look into the mirror。〃
Ramses laughed； but he was now angry。 Julie could feel it。
〃You'll probably find my answers brief and disappointing。 As for the marriage of Julie to your son； Lawrence believed it was Julie's choice。 Let me see。 How did he put it？〃 He turned his eyes on Henry again。〃 English is rather new to me； but my memory is exceptional。 Ah； yes。 'Julie's marriage can wait forever。' My dear Henry； were those not the words？〃
Henry's lips worked silently； but only a faint moan came out of his lips。 Alex was red…faced； hurt； looking at Ramses。 Julie had to do something to stop this； but what？
〃Well； you certainly do seem to have been a close friend of Julie's father；〃 Alex said almost sadly。〃 Closer perhaps than we realized。 Was there anything else that Lawrence made known to you before he died？〃
Poor； poor Alex！ But this was all aimed at Henry； and in another moment things were going to explode。
〃Yes；〃 Ramses said。 Julie grabbed his hand and squeezed it； but he did not acknowledge this。〃 Yes； that he thought his nephew was a bastard。〃 Again he glared at Henry。〃 Am I right？ 'You bastard。' Weren't those his last words？〃
Henry rose from the chair； upsetting it。 He stumbled backwards as the chair went over with a thud on the carpeted floor。 He stared at Ramses； his mouth open； a low sound ing from him； half gasp； half moan。
〃Good God；〃 said Alex。〃 Mr。 Ramsey； you go too far。〃
〃Do I？〃 asked Ramses； watching Henry。
〃Henry； you're drunk； old man；〃 Alex said。〃 I should help you to your room。〃
〃Please do not do this；〃 Julie whispered。 Elliott was studying both of them。 He had not so much as looked up at Henry； who turned now and half stumbled towards the far door。
Alex stared at his plate； his face reddening。
〃Mr。 Ramsey； I think there's something you must understand；〃 Alex said。
〃What is that； young man？〃
〃Julie's father was plainspoken with those he loved。〃 Then something dawned on him。〃 But 。。。 you weren't there when he died； were you？ I thought Henry was with him。 Alone。〃
Elliot was silent。
〃My； but this is going to be a very interesting trip；〃 Alex said lamely。〃 I must confess…〃
〃It's going to be a disaster！〃 Julie said。 She could take this no more。〃 Now； listen to me。 All of you。 I don't want any more talk of marriage； or of my father's death。 I've had quite enough of both。〃 She rose to her feet。〃 You must forgive me； but I'm leaving you now。 I'll be in my cabin if you should need me。〃 She looked down at Ramses。〃 But no more talk of these things； is that clear？〃
She gathered up her small evening bag and walked slowly through the dining room； ignoring those who were staring。
〃Oh； this is dreadful；〃 she heard Alex say behind her。 And
then he was at her side。〃 I am so sorry； darling； really！ Things just got out of hand。〃
〃I want to go to my room； I told you；〃 she said； walking faster。
Nightmare。 You are going to wake up； back in London； safe； and none of this will have happened。 You did what you had to do。 That creature is a monster and must be destroyed。
He stood at the bar waiting for the Scotch； which seemed to be taking forever； and then he looked up and saw him…that thing； that thing that wasn't human； standing in the door。
〃Never mind；〃 he growled under his breath。 He turned and rushed through the little carpeted corridor to the deck。 Slam of the door behind him； the thing was ing after him。 He turned； his face stung by the wind； and almost fell on the narrow metal steps。 The thing was only a few feet away from him； those big glassy blue eyes staring at him。 He ran up the steps； the wind working against him as he ran along the deserted deck。
Where was he going？ How would he get away from it？ He pushed open another door into a little corridor。 Numbers he didn't recognize on the polished doors of the staterooms。 He looked back； the thing had entered the corridor； it was pounding after him。
〃Damn you。〃 His voice was a whimper。 Out on the deck again and this time the wind was so damp it was like rain。 He couldn't see where he was going。 He clutched the railing for a moment； looking down at the boiling grey sea。
No！ Get away from the railing。 He rushed along until he saw another doorway； and ducked inside again。 He felt the vibration right behind him； heard the thing breathing。 His gun； where the hell was his gun？
Turning； he fumbled in his pocket。 The thing had hold of him。 Dear God！ He felt a large warm hand close over his。 The gun was wrenched out of his fingers。 Groaning； he slumped against the wall； but the thing held him up by his lapel； peering into his face。 An ugly light flashed through the porthole of the door； illuminating the thing in irregular burs