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th。〃 Am I not beautiful？ And now you weep。 What a fool you are！ It was all your design； wasn't it？ You came into my tomb； you brought me back； and now you weep as if I were dead。 Well； you turned away from me when I was dying！ You let them pull the shroud over my face！〃
He sighed。〃 No。 I never did that。 You don't remember what happened。〃
〃Why did you do it？ Why did you bring me back？ What were we to each other； you and I？〃 How did all these little shimmering bits and pieces of memory fit together？ When would they make one cloth？
She drew closer； peering at his skin； touching it again。 Such resilient skin。
〃Don't you know the answer？〃 he asked。〃 Isn't it deep inside you？〃
〃I know only that you were there when I died。 You were someone I loved。 I remember。 You were there and I was frightened。 The poison from the snake had paralyzed me； and I wanted to cry out to you； but I couldn't… I struggled。 I said your name。 You turned your back。〃
〃No！ No； that could not have happened！ I stood there watching you。〃
The women weeping； she heard it again。 Move away from that room full of death； the room where Antony had died； beloved Antony。 She wouldn't let them take the couch away； though the blood from his wounds had soaked into the silk。
〃You let me die。〃
He look her by the arms again； roughly。 Was that always his way？
〃I wanted you to be with me； the way you are now。〃
〃As I am now。 And how is that？ What is this world？ Is it the Hades of myth？ Will we e upon the others 。。。 upon 。。。〃 But it had been right there a moment ago。〃 Upon Antony！〃 she said。〃 Where is Antony！〃 Oh 。。。 but she knew。
She turned away。 Antony was dead and gone； laid in the tomb。 And he would not give the magic to Antony； it was all there again。
He came up behind her； and embraced her。
〃When you called out to me；〃 he said；〃 what was it you wanted？ Tell me now。〃
〃To make you suffer！〃 She laughed。 She could see him in the mirrored door of the cabinet； and she laughed at the pain in his face。〃 I don't know why I called out to you！ I don't even know who you are！〃 She slapped him suddenly。 No effect。 Like slapping marble。
She wandered away from him into the dressing room。 She wanted something beautiful。 What was the finest dress that miserable woman had possessed？ Ah； this one of rose…colored silk with fragile cutwork trimming。 She took it up； slipped her arms into it and quickly snapped the little hooks up the front。 It flattered her breasts beautifully； and the skirt was full and beautiful； though she no longer had to hide her feet。
Once again she put on the sandals。
〃Where are you going？〃
〃Out in the city。 This is the city of Cairo。 Why should I not go out into it？〃
〃I must talk to you。 。。。〃
〃Must you？〃 She gathered up her canvas bag。 In the corner of her eye she could see a great sliver of broken glass on the marble dressing table top。 A shard from the bottle she'd smashed。
She moved lazily towards it。 Her hand played with the pearls there。 She should take these too。 Of course he followed her。
〃Cleopatra； look at me；〃 he said。
She turned abruptly and kissed him。 Could he be so easily fooled？ Yes； his lips told her that； oh； so delicious。 How splendidly he suffered！ Groping blindly at her side； she found that shard and； lifting it； gashed his throat。
She stepped backwards。 He stood staring at her。 The blood poured down his white robe。 But he wasn't afraid。 He did not move to stop the bleeding。 His face showed only sadness； not fear。
〃I cannot die either；〃 he whispered softly。
〃Ah！〃 She smiled。 〃Did someone wake you from the grave？〃
Again she rushed at him； kicking at him； clawing at his eyes。
〃Stop； I beg you。〃
She raised her knee； jamming him hard between his legs。 That pain he felt； oh； yes。 He doubled over with it； and she kicked him hard in the side of the head。
Through the courtyard she raced； gripping the canvas bag with her left hand； as with her right she reached for the top of the wall。 In a second she was over it and racing through the narrow unlighted street。
Within minutes she reached the motorcar。 Instantly she turned on the engine； gave it fuel with a stab of the pedal and roared out of the small alleyway and onto the main road。
Ah； the wind in her face again； the freedom； and the power of this great iron beast at her mand。
〃Take me to the bright lights of British Cairo；〃 she said；〃 dear sweet little beast。 Yes！〃
HE FRONT lounge at Shepheard's。 Good gin from the bar； with plenty of ice and just a little lemon。 He was grateful mat they had allowed him that。 What a drunkard he had bee。 A lovely realization came over him。 When he got back to England； he was going to drink himself to death。
But would they never stop？ Surely they had realized he would tell them nothing。 They looked like mannequins to him； their mouths jerking as if worked by wires。 Every gesture seemed artificial。 Even the handsome little boy who came in and out with the ice and the gin appeared to be acting。 All of it false。 Grotesque the figures moving past in the lobby； and the music drifting from the bars and the ballroom； why； it sounded like what they might be playing tonight in hell。
Sometimes the words they said made no sense。 He knew the definition of each word； but what was the meaning？ Dead men with their necks broken。 Had she done it in the short tune that he had absented himself？
〃I'm tired； gentlemen；〃 he said finally。〃 The heat here does not agree with me。 I took a bad fall today。 I need my rest now。 You must allow me to go to my room。〃
The two men looked at each other。 Mock frustration。 Nothing was real here。 What was real？ Cleopatra's hands closing on his throat； the white…draped figure behind her； catching hold of her？
〃Lord Rutherford； we are now dealing with several murders！
Clearly； the stabbing in London was only the beginning。 Now we must ask for your full cooperation。 These two young men murdered this afternoon。 。。。〃
〃I have told you。 I know nothing about it！ What is it you want from me； young man； that I spin fancies for you？ This is absurd。〃
〃Henry Stratford。 Do you know where we can find him？ He was here at Shepheard's to see you two days ago。〃
〃Henry Stratford frequents the worst parts of Cairo。 He walks dark streets alone at night。 I don't know where he is； God help him。 Now； I really must go。〃
He rose from his chair。 Where was that damned walking stick now？
〃Do not attempt to leave Cairo； sir；〃 said the young one； the arrogant one； the one with the pinched nose。〃 We have your passport。〃
〃You what！ That's outrageous；〃 Elliott whispered。
〃I'm afraid the same applies to your son。 And to Miss Stratford。 I've already collected their passports from the desk as well。 Lord Rutherford； we must get to the bottom of this。〃
〃You idiot；〃 Elliott said。〃 I'm a British citizen！ You dare do this to me！〃
The other man stepped in。
〃My lord； let me speak to you candidly！ I know of your close relationship with the Stratford family； but do you think Henry Stratford could be connected to these killings？ He knew this man in London； the one who was stabbed。 As for the American found out at the pyramids； the fellow had been robbed of quite a good deal of money。 Now we know Stratford had his ups and downs with regard to money。〃
Elliott held his gaze without speaking。 Pinning it on Henry。 That had not occurred to him。 Oh； but it was obvious！ Pinning it all on Henry； of course。 And Henry knew the fellow in London。 What luck。 What supremely marvellous luck。 He eyed the two gentlemen who stood now before him； awkwardly。 What if this could work！
〃My lord； there's even more to it than that。 We have two mysterious thefts as well。 Not only the mummy stolen from the Cairo museum； but it seems the mummy's been stolen from Miss Stratford's house in Mayfair too。〃
〃Really。〃
〃And a bit of priceless Egyptian jewelry was found in the possession of Henry Stratford's mistress； a Daisy Banker； a music hall singer。 。。。〃
〃Yes。。。〃 Elliott eased back down into his chair。
〃Well； what I'm driving at； my lord； is perhaps Stratford was involved in something； you know； some sort of smuggling arrangement 。。。 the jewelry and the coins and the mummies。 。。。〃
〃Mummies 。。。 Henry and mummies 。。。〃 Oh； it was too beautiful； and Henry； poor Henry； who had murdered Lawrence； was floating in the bitumen right now。 He would begin to laugh； thinly； hysterically； if he weighed it all too deeply。
〃You see； Lord Rutherford； we might be looking for the wrong man。〃
〃But then what was Ramsey doing at the museum？〃 said the younger official a bit impatiently。
〃Trying to stop Henry；〃 Elliott murmured。〃 He must have followed him。 He was desperate to talk to Henry； for Julie's sake。 Of course。〃
〃But how do we explain the coins！〃 asked the young man； getting a little steamed now。〃 We found seven gold Cleopatra coins in Ramsey's room。〃
〃But that's obvious；〃 said Elliott； looking up； the light just dawning。〃