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Authors: Agatha Christie
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retraced her steps towards the house, walking with energy.
Renisenb followed her slowly. Curiously enough, Nofret's words had not made her angry. They had opened before her eyes a black abyss of hate and misery - something quite unknown as yet in her own experience, and in her mind was only a confused, groping thought of how dreadful it must be to feel like that.
Death Comes as the End
II
As Nofret entered the gateway and crossed the courtyard, one of Kait's children came running across her path, chasing a ball.
Nofret pushed the child out of her way with an angry thrust that sent the little girl sprawling on the ground. The child set up a wail and Renisenb ran to her and picked her up, saying indignantly:
“You should not have done that, Nofret! You have hurt her, see. She has cut her chin.”
Nofret laughed stridently.
“So I should be careful not to hurt these spoiled brats? Why? Are their mothers so careful of my feelings?”
Kait had come running out of the house at the sound of her child's wails. She ran to it, examining the injured face.
Then she turned on Nofret.
“Devil and serpent! Evil one! Wait and see what we will do to you.”
With all the force of her arm she struck Nofret in the face. Renisenb gave a cry and caught her arm before she could repeat the blow.
“Kait - Kait - you must not do that.”
“Who says so? Let Nofret look to herself. She is only one here among many.”
Nofret stood quite still. The print of Kait's hand showed clear and red on her check. By the corner of the eye, where a bangle Kait wore on her wrist had cut the skin, a small trickle of blood was running down her face.
But it was Nofret's expression that puzzled Renisenb - yes, and frightened her. Nofret showed no anger. Instead there was a queer, exultant look in her eyes, and once more her mouth was curving up in its catlike, satisfied smile.
“Thank you, Kait,” she said.
Then she walked on into the house.
Death Comes as the End
III
Humming softly under her breath, her eyelids lowered, Nofret called Henet.
Henet came running, stopped, exclaimed. Nofret cut short her exclamations.
“Fetch me Kameni. Tell him to bring his pen case and ink and papyrus. There is a letter to be written to the master.” Henet's eyes were fixed on Nofret's cheek.
“To the master - I see...”
Then she asked:
“Who did - that?”
“Kait.” Nofret smiled quietly and reminiscently.
Henet shook her head and clicked her tongue.
“All this is very bad - very bad... Certainly the master must know of it.” She darted a quick, sideways look at Nofret. “Yes, certainly Imhotep must know.”
Nofret said smoothly:
“You and I, Henet, think alike... I thought that we should do so.”
From the corner of her linen robe she detached a jewel of amethyst set in gold and placed it in the woman's hand.
“You and I, Henet, have Imhotep's true welfare at heart.”
“This is too good for me, Nofret... You are too generous... such a lovely bit of workmanship.”
“Imhotep and I appreciate fidelity.”
Nofret was still smiling, her eyes narrow and catlike.
“Fetch Kameni,” she said. “And come with him. You and he together are witnesses of what has occurred.”
Kameni came a little unwillingly, his brow puckered.
Nofret spoke imperiously:
“You remember Imhotep's instructions - before he left?”
“Yes,” said Kameni.
“The time has come,” said Nofret. “Sit and take ink and write as I tell you.” Then as Kameni still hesitated, she said impatiently, “What you write shall be what you have seen with your own eyes and heard with your own ears - and Henet shall confirm all I say. The letter must be dispatched with all secrecy and speed.”
Kameni said slowly: “I do not like -”
Nofret flashed out at him:
“I have no complaint against Renisenb. Renisenb is soft, weak and a fool, but she has not tried to harm me. Does that content you?”
The color of Kameni's bronze face deepened.
“I was not thinking of
Renisenb followed her slowly. Curiously enough, Nofret's words had not made her angry. They had opened before her eyes a black abyss of hate and misery - something quite unknown as yet in her own experience, and in her mind was only a confused, groping thought of how dreadful it must be to feel like that.
Death Comes as the End
II
As Nofret entered the gateway and crossed the courtyard, one of Kait's children came running across her path, chasing a ball.
Nofret pushed the child out of her way with an angry thrust that sent the little girl sprawling on the ground. The child set up a wail and Renisenb ran to her and picked her up, saying indignantly:
“You should not have done that, Nofret! You have hurt her, see. She has cut her chin.”
Nofret laughed stridently.
“So I should be careful not to hurt these spoiled brats? Why? Are their mothers so careful of my feelings?”
Kait had come running out of the house at the sound of her child's wails. She ran to it, examining the injured face.
Then she turned on Nofret.
“Devil and serpent! Evil one! Wait and see what we will do to you.”
With all the force of her arm she struck Nofret in the face. Renisenb gave a cry and caught her arm before she could repeat the blow.
“Kait - Kait - you must not do that.”
“Who says so? Let Nofret look to herself. She is only one here among many.”
Nofret stood quite still. The print of Kait's hand showed clear and red on her check. By the corner of the eye, where a bangle Kait wore on her wrist had cut the skin, a small trickle of blood was running down her face.
But it was Nofret's expression that puzzled Renisenb - yes, and frightened her. Nofret showed no anger. Instead there was a queer, exultant look in her eyes, and once more her mouth was curving up in its catlike, satisfied smile.
“Thank you, Kait,” she said.
Then she walked on into the house.
Death Comes as the End
III
Humming softly under her breath, her eyelids lowered, Nofret called Henet.
Henet came running, stopped, exclaimed. Nofret cut short her exclamations.
“Fetch me Kameni. Tell him to bring his pen case and ink and papyrus. There is a letter to be written to the master.” Henet's eyes were fixed on Nofret's cheek.
“To the master - I see...”
Then she asked:
“Who did - that?”
“Kait.” Nofret smiled quietly and reminiscently.
Henet shook her head and clicked her tongue.
“All this is very bad - very bad... Certainly the master must know of it.” She darted a quick, sideways look at Nofret. “Yes, certainly Imhotep must know.”
Nofret said smoothly:
“You and I, Henet, think alike... I thought that we should do so.”
From the corner of her linen robe she detached a jewel of amethyst set in gold and placed it in the woman's hand.
“You and I, Henet, have Imhotep's true welfare at heart.”
“This is too good for me, Nofret... You are too generous... such a lovely bit of workmanship.”
“Imhotep and I appreciate fidelity.”
Nofret was still smiling, her eyes narrow and catlike.
“Fetch Kameni,” she said. “And come with him. You and he together are witnesses of what has occurred.”
Kameni came a little unwillingly, his brow puckered.
Nofret spoke imperiously:
“You remember Imhotep's instructions - before he left?”
“Yes,” said Kameni.
“The time has come,” said Nofret. “Sit and take ink and write as I tell you.” Then as Kameni still hesitated, she said impatiently, “What you write shall be what you have seen with your own eyes and heard with your own ears - and Henet shall confirm all I say. The letter must be dispatched with all secrecy and speed.”
Kameni said slowly: “I do not like -”
Nofret flashed out at him:
“I have no complaint against Renisenb. Renisenb is soft, weak and a fool, but she has not tried to harm me. Does that content you?”
The color of Kameni's bronze face deepened.
“I was not thinking of
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