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how to make the elixir。 What happens to the few vials I possess does not ultimately matter； for I can always brew more。〃
They looked at each other。 The full horror of it was impossible to enpass steadily。 One had to view it； draw away from it and then reexamine it again。
〃Now you understand why for a thousand years I shared the elixir with no one。 I knew the danger。 And then； with the weakness of a mortal man…to use your modern phrase…I fell in love。〃
Julie's eyes again filled with tears。 Samir waited patiently。
〃Yes； I know。〃 Ramses sighed。〃 I've been a fool。 Two thousand years ago； I watched my love die rather than give the elixir to her lover…Mark Antony； a dissolute man； who would have hounded me to the ends of the earth for the formula itself。 Can you imagine those two； immortal rulers？ 'Why can we not make an immortal army？' she said to me when his influence had thoroughly corrupted her。 When she had bee his pawn。 And now； in this day and age of astonishing wonders； I overruled her last words to me and brought her back to life。〃
Julie swallowed。 The tears poured down silently。 She no longer even wiped at them with the little handkerchief。 She reached across the table and touched the back of his hand。
〃No。 Ramses； it isn't Cleopatra。 Don't you see？ You've made a terrible mistake； yes； and we must find a way to undo it。 But it isn't Cleopatra。 It cannot possibly be。〃
〃Julie； I made no mistake on that account！ And she knew me！ Don't you understand？ She called my name！〃
Soft music drifted from the Mena House。 There were twinkling yellow lights in its windows。 Tiny figures moved back and forth on its broad terrace。
Cleopatra and the American stood in a dark tunnel； high up on the pyramid； the burial shaft。
Feverishly she embraced him； slipping her silk…covered fingers into his shirt。 Ah； the nipples of men； so tender； such a key to torment and ecstasy； how he writhed as she twisted them ever so gently； her tongue darting in and out of his mouth。
All the bravado and high spirits were gone now。 He was her slave。 She ripped the linen fabric back off his chest； and plunged her hand down under his leather belt to the root of his sex。
He moaned against her。 She felt him gathering up her skirts。 Then suddenly his hand stopped。 His whole body stiffened。 Awkwardly she turned her head； he was staring down at her naked leg； her foot。
He was staring at the great strip of bloody bone exposed in her leg； at the fan of bones in her foot。
〃Jesus Christ！〃 he whispered。 He drew back from her against the wall。〃 Jesus Christ！〃
A low growl of rage and hurt broke from her。〃 Take your eyes off me！〃 she screamed in Latin。〃 Turn your eyes away from me！ You will not look at me in disgust。〃
She sobbed as she grabbed his head with both hands and banged it against the stone wall。〃 You will die for this！〃 she spit at him。 And then the twist； the simple little twist。 And he was dead； too。
That was all that was required； and now there was blessed silence and his body lying there； like the body of the other； with the money showing under his sagging coat。
Her wounds could not kill her。 The blast of heat from the one called Henry had not killed her； the blast which made the horrible； unbearable noise。 But all it took to kill them was this。
She looked out of the opening of the shaft； down over the dark ocher sands towards the soft tights of the Mena House。 Again； she heard the music； so sweet； drifting on the cool air。
Always cool at night； the desert。 And almost dark； wasn't it？ Tiny stars above in the azure sky。 She felt a strange moment of peace。 Nice to walk alone； away from them in the desert。
But Lord Rutherford。 The medicine。 Almost dark。
She bent down now； took the American's money。 She thought of the beautiful yellow motor car。 Ah； that would take her back to where she'd e from very swiftly。 And now it was hers all alone。
Suddenly she was laughing； thrilled by the prospect。 She rushed down the side of the pyramid； dropping easily from one stone block to the one below it； so much strength now； and then she ran towards the car。
Simple。 Press the electric starter button。 Then push the〃 gas pedal。〃 At once it began to roar。 Then forward on the stick； as she had seen him do it； as she depressed the other pedal； and miracle of miracles； she was racing forward； giving a mad turn to the wheel。
She drove in a great circle before the Mena House。 A few terrified Arabs scurried out of her path。 She hit the throbbing〃 horn；〃 as he had called it。 It frightened their camels。
Then she made for the road； pulling the stick back again to make it go faster； then shoving it forwards； just as she had seen him do。
When she came to the metal pathway； she stopped。 She clutched the wheel； trembling。 But no sound came from the great empty reaches of the desert to right and left。 And ahead lay the lights of Cairo； such a sweet spectacle under the paling； star…filled sky。
〃 'Celeste Aida！'〃 she sang as she started up and raced forward once more。
〃You asked for our help；〃 Julie said。〃 You asked for our forgiveness。 Now I want you to listen to me。〃
〃Yes； I want to；〃 Ramses said in a heartfelt voice； but he was puzzled。 〃Julie； it is she 。。。 beyond question。〃
〃The body； yes；〃 Julie responded。〃 It was hers； without doubt。 But the being who lives now？ No。 It is not the same woman you once loved。 That woman； wherever she is； has no consciousness now of what is happening to this body。〃
〃Julie； she knew me！ She recognized me！〃
〃Ramses； the brain in that body knew you。 But think about what you are saying。 Think about the implications。 The implications are every thing； Ramses。 Our intellects…our souls； if you will…they don't reside in the flesh； slumbering for centuries as our bodies rot。 Either they go on to higher realms or they cease to exist altogether。 The Cleopatra you loved ceased to exist in that body the day it died。〃
He stared at her； trying to grasp this。
〃Sire； I think there is wisdom here；〃 Samir said。 But he too was confused。〃 The Earl says that she knows who she is。〃
〃She knows who she is supposed to be；〃 Julie said。〃 The cells！ They are there； revitalized； and possibly some memory is encoded within them。 But this thing is a monstrous twin of your lost love。 How can it be more than that？〃
〃This could be true；〃 Samir murmured。〃 If you do what the Earl suggests…if you give her more of the drug； you may only be revitalizing a 。。。 a demon。〃
〃This is beyond my understanding！〃 Ramses confessed。〃 It is Cleopatra！〃
Julie shook her head。〃 Ramses； my father has been dead no more than two months。 There was no autopsy performed on his remains。 The only embalming done upon him was the age…old miracle of the Egyptian heat and desert dryness。 He lies； intact； in a crypt here in Egypt。 But do you think I'd take this elixir； if I had it in my hands； and raise him from the dead？〃
〃God in heaven；〃 Samir whispered。
〃No！〃 Julie said。〃 Because it wouldn't be my father。 The connection has been fatally broken！ A duplicate of my father would rise。 A duplicate who knew perhaps all that my father had known。 But my father wouldn't be there。 He wouldn't know the duplicate was walking about。 And what you have brought back to life is a duplicate of Cleopatra！ Your lost love is not there。〃
Ramses was silent。 This seemed to shake him as profoundly as everything else。 He looked at Samir。
〃What religion； sire； holds that the soul remains in the rotted flesh？ It was not so with our forefathers。 It is not so in any land in the world。〃
〃You are truly immortal； my beloved；〃 Julie said。〃 But Cleopatra has been dead for twenty centuries。 She is still dead。 The thing you resurrected must be destroyed。〃
O； I'm sorry； Miles。 My father's not here。 Yes； I will。 Immediately。〃 Alex hung up the telephone。 Elliott watched him from the desk in the corner of the room。〃 Thank you； Alex。 Lying is actually an underrated social skill。 Some clever person should write a polite guide to lying。 And all the charitable principles which justify lying so well。〃
〃Father； I am not letting you go out alone。〃
Elliott turned back to the work at hand。 His bath and brief rest had done much to restore his strength； even though it had been impossible to really sleep。 He had had a quiet hour to think out what he meant to do now； and he had made his decision； though he had little hope that his scheme would work。 Nevertheless the elixir was worth it。 If only Samir had reached Ramses。 And everything in the man's manner had indicated to him that Samir knew where Ramses was。
He sealed the last of the three envelopes； which he had just addressed； and turned again to his son。
〃You will do exactly as I've told you；〃 he said firmly。〃 If I do not return by tomorrow noon； post these letters。 To your mother and to Randolph。 And leave Cairo as soon as you possibly can。 Now give me my walking stick。 And I need my cloak； also。 It's damned cold in this city after dark。〃
Walter fetched the stick immediately。 He had