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rrot's cage。 As Malenka screamed in pure hysteria； the bird began to screech frantically； beating his wings against the bars。
Elliott tried to steady himself。 The girl must stop screaming。 This was a disaster。 Cleopatra； looking from the screeching bird to the screaming woman； appeared on the verge of hysteria herself。 Then she lunged at the woman； grabbing her by the throat and forcing her down on her knees as she had done to Henry only hours before。
〃No； stop it。〃 Elliott hurled himself at her。 This time he could not let it happen； and once again he felt her powerful blow knocking him yards across the room。 He fell against the wall；
his hand up on the plaster。 Then came that sound； that unspeakable sound。 The girl was dead。 Cleopatra had broken her neck。
The bird had ceased its screeching。 It stared with one round senseless eye into the room。 Malenka lay on her back on the carpet； her head wrenched to one side at an impossible angle； her brown eyes half…closed。
Cleopatra stood staring down at her。 Thoughtfully she looked at the girl。 Then she said in Latin：
〃She is dead。〃
Elliott didn't answer。 He gripped the edge of the marble…top cupboard and pulled himself to his feet。 The throbbing in his chest meant nothing to him。 Nothing could equal the pain in his soul。
〃Why did you do it！〃 he whispered。 Oh； but was he mad to ask such a question of this being？ This thing whose brain was damaged； without doubt； as her body was damaged； beautiful though she was。
Almost innocently she stared at Elliott。 Then she looked back at the dead woman。
〃Tell me； Lord Rutherford； how did I e to be here！〃 Her eyes narrowed。 She approached him。 In fact； she reached out and effortlessly helped him to stand upright。 She picked up the walking stick and put it in his left hand。〃 Where did I e from？〃 she asked。〃 Lord Rutherford！〃 She bent forward； her eyes growing wide and full of terror。〃 Lord Rutherford； was I dead？〃
She didn't wait for him to answer； her scream came in pulses。 He embraced her； and put his hand over her mouth。
〃Ramses brought you here。 Ramses！ You called out to him。 You saw him。〃
〃Yes！〃 She stood still； not struggling； merely clutching his wrist。〃 Ramses was there。 And when I 。。。 when I called out to him； he ran from me。 Like the woman； he ran from me！ That same look in his eyes。〃
〃He wanted to e back to you。 Others stopped him。 Now I must go to get him。 Do you understand？ You must stay here。 You must wait for me。〃 She stared past him。〃 Ramses has the medicine；〃 he said。〃 I shall bring it back here。〃
〃How long？〃
〃A few hours；〃 he said。〃 It's midaftemoon。 I'll be back before dark。〃
She moaned again； and pressed her curved thumb to her teeth；
staring at the floor。 She looked like a child suddenly； a child wrestling with an enormous puzzle。〃 Ramses；〃 she whispered。 Clearly she was not certain who he was。
He patted her shoulder gently； then with the aid of his cane； he approached the body of the girl。 What in the name of heaven was he to do with it？ Let it lie here and rot as the hours passed？ How could he bury it in the garden； when he could barely walk as it was？ He closed his eyes and laughed to himself bitterly。 It seemed a thousand years since he had seen his son； or Julie； or the civilized rooms of a mon place like Shepheard's Hotel。 It seemed a thousand years ago that he had done anything normal or loved anything normal； or believed in it； or made the sacrifices that normality required。
〃Go； get the medicine；〃 she said to him。 She stepped between him and the dead woman。 She reached down and lifted Malenka by her right arm。 Effortlessly she dragged the woman across the carpet； past the clucking bird； which had the good fortune to be silent； and threw the corpse of the woman out into the yard as if it were a stuffed doll。 The body landed on its face against the far wall。
Do not think now。 Go to Ramses。 Go！
〃Three hours；〃 he said to her； again using the two languages。〃 Bolt the door after me。 You see the bolt？〃
She turned and looked at the door。 She nodded。
〃Very well； Lord Rutherford；〃 she said in Latin。〃 Before dark。〃
She did not bolt the door。 She stood there； her hands on the bare wood； listening as he walked away。 It would take him a long time to move out of sight。
And she must get out of this place！ She must see where she was！ This could not be Egypt。 And she could not understand why she was here； or why she hungered so； and could not be satisfied； or why she felt this sharp； enervating desire to be in a man's arms。 She would have forced Lord Rutherford again if she had not wanted him to go on his errand。
But the errand； it was not clear to her suddenly。 He meant to get the medicine； but what was the medicine！ How could she live with the great gaping wounds she had？
Yet only a moment ago she'd realized something about this； something to do with that dead woman； that shrieking slave girl whose neck she'd snapped。
Ah； but the thing to do was leave here； while Lord Rutherford was not here to scold her like a teacher and tell her to remain。
In a haze； she remembered the streets she had glimpsed earlier； full of great rumbling monstrous things made from metal； full of foul smoke and deafening noise。 Who were the people she had seen around her？ Women in dresses such as she wore。
She'd been terrified then； but her body had been full of aches and misery。 Now her body was full of cravings。 She must not be terrified。 She must go。
She went back into the bedchamber。 She opened the〃 magazine〃 called Harper's Weekly and looked at the drawings of pretty women in these strange dresses that pinched them in the middle like insects。 Then she looked at herself in the mirror on the cabinet door。
She needed a covering for her head； and sandals。 Yes； sandals。 Quickly she searched the bedchamber； and found them in a wooden closet…sandals with gold worked into the leather； and small enough for her feet； and a great strange thing with silk flowers all over it； a thing such as one would wear to keep off rain。
She laughed as she looked at it。 Then she put it on her head； and tied the ribbons under her chin。 Now she looked very much like the women in the pictures。 Except for her hands。 What was she to do about her hands！
She stared at the naked bones of the first right finger。 A thin covering of skin overlaid them； but it was like silk； more sheer than the dress。 She could see blood in it； but it was transparent。 And the mere sight of the bones caused her to bee dizzy； confused again。
A memory…someone standing above her。 No； don't let it begin again。 She must wrap her hand in something； a bandage。 The left hand would do well enough。 She turned and began to search through the cabinet of female clothes。
And then she made the loveliest discovery！ Here were two little silk garments made for hands。 They were white； they had pearls sewn on them！ Each had five fingers and had been cut to fit closely over the hand。 This was perfect。 She slipped them on； they hid the naked bone pletely。
Ah； the wonder of what Lord Rutherford had called these〃 modern times。〃 These times of music boxes and〃 motor cars；〃 as he called them； the things she had seen this morning； all around her； like great roaring hippopotami from the river。
What would Lord Rutherford call these things； these clothes for hands？
She was wasting tune。 She went to the dressing table； gathered up a few small coins that lay there and put these in the deep hidden side pocket of the heavy skirt。
As she opened the front door of the house； she glanced over at the dead body； out in the courtyard； heaped against the wall。 Something； what was it； she had to understand it； but it simply would not e clear to her。 Something 。。。
She saw again that hazy figure standing over her。 She heard again those sacred words。 A tongue she knew speaking to her。 This was the tongue of your forefathers； you must learn it。 No； but that had been another time。 They had been in a bright room full of Italian marble； and he had been teaching her。 This time； it had been dark and hot and she'd been struggling upwards as if from deep water； her limbs weak； the water crushing her； her mourn full of water so that she couldn't scream。
〃Your heart beats again； you e to life！ You are young and strong once more； you are now and forever。〃
No； do not weep again！ Do not struggle to grasp it； to see it。 The figure moving away； blue eyes。 She had known those blue eyes。 As soon as I drank it； it happened。 The priestess showed me in the mirror ； 。 。 blue eyes。 Ah； but whose voice was this！ This voice that had said the prayer in the darkness； the ancient sacred prayer for the opening of the mummy's mouth。
She had called out his name！ And here； in （his strange little house； Lord Rutherford had spoken the name also。 Lord Rutherford was going 。。。
Be back before dark。
It was no use。 She stared through the archway at the dead body。 She must get out into this strange land。 And she must remember that it was extremely easy to kill them； to s