"If memory serves me right," Elliott said, "Brutus fell on his sword. Mark Antony later tried the same trick, and made a mess of it. He then climbed a rope to Cleopatra's bedchamber. And there managed somehow to kill himself again, or to die finally. She chose the poison of a snake. But yes, to answer your question, Romans did from time to time slit their wrists, that's true. But will you allow me to observe that no amount of money is worth a man's life. And you must stop thinking of this."
Randolph smiled. Elliott tasted the wine. Very good. The Stratfords always drank good wine. Day in and day out, they drank vintages that others saved for momentous occasions.
"Is that so?" Randolph said." No amount of money. And where am I going to get the amount of money I need to prevent my niece from understanding the full extent of my perfidy?"
The Earl shook his head." If you take your life, she will undoubtedly find out everything."
"Yes, and I shall not be there to answer her questions."
"A small point, and not worth the price of your remaining years. You're talking nonsense."
"Am I? She isn't going to marry Alex. You know she isn't. And she wouldn't turn her back on Stratford Shipping even if she did. There's nothing standing between me and the final disaster."
"Oh, yes, there is."
"And what is that?"
"Give it a few days and see if I'm not right. Your niece has herself a new distraction. Her guest from Cairo, Mr. Reginald Ramsey. Alex is miserable about it, of course, but Alex will recover. And this Reginald Ramsey may very well sweep Julie away from Stratford Shipping as well as from my son. And your problems may find a very simple solution. She may forgive you everything."
"I saw that fellow!" Randolph said." Saw him this morning when Henry made that asinine scene. You don't mean to tell me..."
"I have a hunch, as Americans say. Julie and this man ..."
"Henry ought to be in that house!"
"Forget it. What you're saying doesn't matter."
"Well, you sound downright cheerful about this! I should have thought you'd be more upset than I am."
"It's unimportant."
"Since when?"
"Since I began to think, really think, about what our lives consist of. Old age and death await us all. And we cannot face that simple truth, so we look for endless distractions."
"Good God, Elliott! You're not talking to Lawrence, you're talking to Randolph. I wish I could share your grand perspective. At the moment I'd sell my soul for one hundred thousand pounds. And so would a lot of other men."
"I wouldn't," Elliott said." And I don't have one hundred thousand pounds and I never will. If I had it, I'd give it to you."
"You would?"
"Yes, I believe so. But let me take this conversation in another direction. Julie may not wish to be questioned about her friend Mr. Ramsey. She may want some time alone, some real independence. And you might find everything in your hands again."
"You mean this?"
"Yes, and now I'm going home. I'm tired, Randolph. Don't slit your wrists. Drink all you want, but don't do anything so dreadful to all of us. Tomorrow night, come to my house for dinner. I've invited Julie and this mysterious man. Don't fail me. And when it's all over, perhaps we'll have a better idea as to where things stand. You may get everything you want. And I may have the solution to a mystery. Can I count on you for tomorrow night?"
"Dinner, tomorrow night?" Randolph said." You came here at one in the morning to ask me this?"
Elliott laughed. He set down the glass and stood up.
"No," he said." I came to save your life. Believe me, it's not worth it, one hundred thousand pounds. Just being alive ... not being in pain ... but then why try to explain?"
"Yes, don't put yourself out."
"Good night, my friend. Don't forget. Tomorrow night. I'll see myself to the door. Now go to bed like a good man, will you?"
With an electric torch, Samir had led Ramses rapidly through the entire collection. Whatever the King felt, the King did not confess. He studied each large object - mummy, sarcophagus, statue - in turn, barely observing the multitude of tiny relics that filled cases galore.
Their footsteps echoed carelessly on the stone floor. The lone guard, long used to Samir's nocturnal wanderings, left them alone.