No disturbing consciousness of this incessant6 scrutiny7 muffled8 the serenity9 of the girl's appearance. Her hands lax in her lap, her blue eyes quietly intent upon the view, she lay back in her chair with as much confident unconcern as she might have shown in an opera box. As a matter of incredulous fact she was feeling incredulously at ease.
The terrible tension of those days in the palace was over—for the time, at least. She did not understand this new move, she had been bewildered ever since that early dawn, on Sunday, when the old woman and the eunuch had rushed her into the limousine10, driven her swiftly through the empty streets to a landing place on the river beyond the bridge, and hurried her on board this little boat, an old dahabiyeh reconstructed and given a new engine.
The Captain had not appeared except for a brief interview in the vestibule where he had told her that the quarantine was prolonged and that he was going to try to escape out of Cairo where the authorities would not be aware, and would first try to smuggle11 her out of the city, too. She must do exactly as the old woman indicated and everything would be all right.
And she had said, "How exciting!" and "What fun!" with lips that smiled pluckily12 in apparent acceptance of this flimsy excuse.
She had connected this flight with the pandemonium13 she had heard in the palace the night before, and she guessed that in some way her presence there had become embarrassing for the Turk. Perhaps her friends had traced her! Perhaps Robert Falconer—for after all it would only be Robert Falconer's flouted14 devotion, she thought, that would interest itself in her. He mistrusted Kerissen; he would suspect.
So hope rose high in her, and hopeful, too, was this new glimpse of freedom. Somewhere, soon, she thought confidently, the chance to escape would come. The old woman could not watch forever. The big eunuch was occupied with the boat. She could hear him now muttering angrily to the little brown boy at the engines, while over the sound of his muttering rose the rhythmic15, unconcerned chant of two other boys marching up and down the narrow passageways of deck outside the little staterooms with a scrubbing brush under each left foot. "Allah Illeh Lessah," they chanted monotonously16, with a scrub of the brush at each emphasis. "Allah Illeh Lessah."
"Allah help me," thought Arlee Beecher.
All day Sunday she had sat there in that chair watching the pyramids, at first so sharp-cut against the cloudless blue, wane18 imperceptibly and fade from sight, watching the golden Mokattan Hills and the pearly tinted19 Tura range slip softly from the horizon and all the old landmarks20 of the Egypt that she knew disappear and be replaced by strange, new sights. Other pyramids showed like child's toys upon the horizon; dense21 groves22 of palm trees appeared along the banks, then the banks grew higher and higher and upon them, silhouetted23 against the bright blue sky, showed a frieze-like procession of country folk driving camels or donkeys or bullocks.
All night long they had steamed, a search-light on the bow, and Arlee had lain in the little stateroom trying to sleep, but continually aware of the breathing of the old woman huddled24 outside against her door, of the soft thudding of bare feet about the deck, of the pulse of the engine, beating, beating steadily25, and of quick, muffled commands, of reversals, grinding of chains as some treacherous26 shallow appeared ahead, then of the onward27 drive and the steady rhythmic progress again.
Where were they taking her? South to some haunt where she would be farther than ever from the civilization which had flowed so unheedingly past that old palace of darkened windows, south toward the strange native cities and tiny villages and the grain fields and the deserts. But it was all better than that stifling28 palace and the absence of the Captain gave her a sense of temporary security.
Sunday had been hot and dry, but this Monday was cooler and the north wind, blowing freshly over the wide Nile, broke the amber-brown of the water into little waves of sparkling blue edged with silver ripples30. The river was beautiful to her, even in her sorry plight31, and to-day there were little clouds in the sky, furtive32, scuddy33 little clouds with wind-teased edges, and they cast soft shadows over the river and over the tender green of the fields and the flat, mirroring water standing34 level in the trenches35. In the fields brown men and women were working, and on the river banks the half-naked figures of fellaheen were ceaselessly bending, ceaselessly straightening, as they dipped up the water from the shadoufs to feed the thirsty land. Sometimes in the fields Arlee saw the red rusty36 bulk of the old engines, which the Mad Khedive had tried to install among his people, to do away with this back-breaking work, now lying useless and ignored. God forbid that we do otherwise than our fathers, said the people.
Across the water came the monotonous17 chant of their labor37 song, and sometimes the creak and squeak38 of some inland well-sweep drawn39 round and round by some patient camel. She felt herself to be in another world, as she sat in that boat guarded by that old woman and an eunuch, a world strange and remote, yet desperately40 real as it enmeshed her in its secret motives41, its incalculable forces....
As she watched, as the surface of her mind reflected these sights and was caught in the maze42 of fresh impressions, the back of that mind was forever at work on her own terrifying problem. She thought confidently of escape, not able to plan it but waiting intently upon opportunity, upon the passing of a boat perhaps, or the moment of tying to some bank.
There was in her a high spirit of undaunted pluck and an excitement in adventure, which made her heart quicken instead of flag at the odds43 before her. Only the thought of the desperate stakes and the reality of her hidden fears would often draw the color from her cheeks and stop an instant the beating of that hurrying heart.... If those hawk-like eyes were watching then they might see the slim hands pressed feverishly44 together before warning self-control turned them lax again.
So hour after hour the boat went on. On the left now the long mountain of Gebel-el-Tayr stretched golden and tawny45 like a lion of stone basking46 in the sun. They passed Beni-Hassan, where a Nile steamer lay staked to the shore, the passengers streaming gaily47 out and starting off on donkeys for an excursion to the tombs. If only it had been a little nearer, close enough to risk a desperate hail—! But the very sight of it was comforting.
Toward dusk the engine failed. That night the boat lay by the bank, tied to long stakes which the boys had driven in. The big Nubian sat at one end, cross-legged, a rifle on his knees. At the stern sat a brown boy. And so Arlee sank into the tired sleep that claimed her, and did not wake until the warm sunshine in her tiny window and the ripple29 of water against the sides told her that another morning was at hand and that they were on the move again.
Stepping out on deck for breakfast, she found the boat was sailing. Two lanteen sails were hoisted48; a great one in the bow, a small one in the stern, and the boat was running swiftly before the north wind that blew fresher than ever. But the course was variable now as the river curved and as sand-banks threatened, and Arlee watched the waters eagerly for a near-passing boat. But when they did draw close to a dahabiyeh upon whose deck she saw some white-clad loungers, the Nubian gave a low order to the old woman who rose and gripped Arlee on the wrist and led her to the stateroom, sitting in silence opposite her like a squat2 gargoyle49, till the Nubian's voice permitted them to emerge.
And now they came to a city upon the right bank and the domes50 and minarets51, the crowded building and high flat roofs pierced Arlee with a terrible sense of loneliness. And when her eyes caught the gleam of flags over a building and she saw her own stars and stripes blowing against this Egyptian sky, the tears could not be fought back. With wet eyes and working mouth she stood there and looked and looked. She thought she could endure no more and that her heart was breaking.
Leaden discouragement was upon her as the boat made in toward the shore. It did not approach the city landings; it came in south near a shallow bank, and one of the brown boys jumped overboard and splashed to the shore while the boat went on. But by and by it turned in its course and came beating back against the wind till opposite it was the city; then it tacked52 in to that same place near the bank, and there the boy was waving at them. Skillfully the dahabiyeh was brought about close to the high bank; and ropes thrown from bow and stern were quickly staked and made fast.
A plank53 was put over the side and with the eunuch ahead and the old woman behind Arlee was taken ashore54 and mounted on one of the camels the boys had brought, with the old woman behind, gripping her about the waist. The eunuch, on another camel, held the bridle55 rope, and led them at a terrific pace along the river road and then across the fields, thudding down the narrow, beaten paths, till the lush green was past and the dry desert lands began.
Ahead of them a low, tawny mass of mountain seemed to shimmer56 and waver in the hot sun, and as they drew nearer and nearer the mass was resolved into many masses broken into small foothills at the base, through which the Nubian threaded a rapid, circuitous57 way that led out on a rolling ground. A wide detour58, still at the same urgent speed which jolted59 the breath from the girl and made her cling to the carpeted pummel of the saddle with both hands, led them at last within sight of palm trees and mud walls.
Arlee had no means of guessing whether these houses were the outskirts60 of that city she had glimpsed or whether they were a separate village. She only saw that they were being taken to the largest house of the place, which stood a little apart from the others and was half-surrounded by mud walls. Into this walled-in court her camel was led and halted and jerkingly it accomplished61 its collapsing62 descent, and Arlee found herself on her feet again, quite breathless, but very alert.
Her fleet glance saw a number of black-robed figures about a stair; the next instant a mantle64 was flung over her head and that compelling hand upon her wrist urged her swiftly forward, and up a flight of steps. Within were more steps and then a door. Thrusting back the mantle she found herself in the sudden twilight65 of a small, low-ceiled chamber66. There was no other door to it but the one she heard bolted behind her; there was one window completely covered with brown mashrubiyeh. She flew to it; it looked out over wide sands, with a glimpse, toward the right, of a mud wall and pigeon houses. The room was musty and dusty and dirty; but the rugs in it were beautiful, and a divan67 was filled with pillows and hung with embroidered68 cotton hangings. Other pillows were on the floor about the walls. A green silk banner embroidered in gold hung upon one of those walls and a laquered table stood by the divan.
And as Arlee Beecher stood there in that strange, stifling room, the mutterings of foreign voices, the squeals69 of the camels, the bray70 of a donkey coming through that screened window, a sudden rage came over her which was too hot to bear. Her heart burned; her hands clenched71; she could have beaten upon those walls with her helpless fists and screamed at the top of her unavailing lungs. It was a fury of despair that seized her, a fury that she fought back with every breath of sanity72 within her. Then suddenly the air was black. The room seemed to swim before her eyes and the ground came swaying dizzily up to meet her, and receive her spent unconsciousness.
Water had been brought; she woke to find herself upon the couch, the old woman woodenly sopping73 her head and hands. She smiled weakly into that strange dark face; it was as unchanged as if it had been carved from bronze. The business of reviving finished, the old woman left her a handkerchief damp with a keen scent63 and went about the work of unpacking74 a hamper75 that she brought in.
Dully, Arlee saw the preparations for a meal advancing. She shook her head at it; a cup of tea was all that she could touch. A lethargy had seized her; even the anger of revolt was gone. She closed her eyes languidly, grateful when the old woman went away, grateful when the darkness deepened. When it was quite night, she thought, she would break open the wooden screen and fling herself through the wood into the sands. She lay there passively waiting; her heavy eyes closed, and she slept.
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1
awning
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| n.遮阳篷；雨篷 | |
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2
squat
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| v.蹲坐，蹲下；n.蹲下；adj.矮胖的，粗矮的 | |
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3
squatting
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的现在分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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4
puckered
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| v.（使某物）起褶子或皱纹( pucker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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5
hawk
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| n.鹰，骗子；鹰派成员 | |
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incessant
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| adj.不停的，连续的 | |
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7
scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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8
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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9
serenity
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| n.宁静，沉着，晴朗 | |
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10
limousine
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| n.豪华轿车 | |
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smuggle
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| vt.私运；vi.走私 | |
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pluckily
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| adv.有勇气地，大胆地 | |
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13
pandemonium
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| n.喧嚣，大混乱 | |
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14
flouted
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| v.藐视，轻视( flout的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
rhythmic
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| adj.有节奏的，有韵律的 | |
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16
monotonously
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| adv.单调地，无变化地 | |
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17
monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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18
wane
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| n.衰微，亏缺，变弱；v.变小，亏缺，呈下弦 | |
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19
tinted
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| adj. 带色彩的 动词tint的过去式和过去分词 | |
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20
landmarks
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| n.陆标( landmark的名词复数 )；目标；（标志重要阶段的）里程碑 ~ (in sth)；有历史意义的建筑物（或遗址） | |
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21
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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22
groves
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| 树丛，小树林( grove的名词复数 ) | |
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23
silhouetted
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| 显出轮廓的，显示影像的 | |
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24
huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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25
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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26
treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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27
onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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28
stifling
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| a.令人窒息的 | |
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29
ripple
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| n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进 | |
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30
ripples
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| 逐渐扩散的感觉( ripple的名词复数 ) | |
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31
plight
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| n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定 | |
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32
furtive
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| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的 | |
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33
scuddy
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| v.（尤指船、舰或云彩）笔直、高速而平稳地移动( scud的第三人称单数 ) | |
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34
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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35
trenches
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| 深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕 | |
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36
rusty
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| adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的 | |
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37
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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38
squeak
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| n.吱吱声，逃脱；v.（发出）吱吱叫，侥幸通过；（俚）告密 | |
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39
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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40
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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41
motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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42
maze
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| n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑 | |
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43
odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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44
feverishly
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| adv. 兴奋地 | |
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45
tawny
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| adj.茶色的，黄褐色的；n.黄褐色 | |
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46
basking
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| v.晒太阳，取暖( bask的现在分词 )；对…感到乐趣；因他人的功绩而出名；仰仗…的余泽 | |
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47
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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48
hoisted
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| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49
gargoyle
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| n.笕嘴 | |
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50
domes
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| n.圆屋顶( dome的名词复数 )；像圆屋顶一样的东西；圆顶体育场 | |
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51
minarets
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| n.（清真寺旁由报告祈祷时刻的人使用的）光塔( minaret的名词复数 ) | |
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52
tacked
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| 用平头钉钉( tack的过去式和过去分词 )； 附加，增补； 帆船抢风行驶，用粗线脚缝 | |
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53
plank
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| n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目 | |
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54
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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55
bridle
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| n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒 | |
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56
shimmer
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| v./n.发微光，发闪光；微光 | |
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57
circuitous
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| adj.迂回的路的，迂曲的，绕行的 | |
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58
detour
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| n.绕行的路，迂回路；v.迂回，绕道 | |
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59
jolted
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| （使）摇动， （使）震惊( jolt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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60
outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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61
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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62
collapsing
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| 压扁[平]，毁坏，断裂 | |
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63
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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64
mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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65
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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66
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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67
divan
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| n.长沙发；（波斯或其他东方诗人的）诗集 | |
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68
embroidered
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| adj．绣花的 | |
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69
squeals
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| n.长而尖锐的叫声( squeal的名词复数 )v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的第三人称单数 ) | |
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70
bray
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| n.驴叫声, 喇叭声；v.驴叫 | |
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71
clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72
sanity
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| n.心智健全，神智正常，判断正确 | |
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73
sopping
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| adj. 浑身湿透的 动词sop的现在分词形式 | |
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74
unpacking
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| n.取出货物，拆包[箱]v.从（包裹等）中取出（所装的东西），打开行李取出( unpack的现在分词 )；拆包；解除…的负担；吐露（心事等） | |
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75
hamper
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| vt.妨碍，束缚，限制；n.(有盖的)大篮子 | |
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