Chapter 16 Chapter Sixteen

Jericho didn't seem at all surprised to see us here, at least not from his expression.In this regard, his facial features can be said to be a major failure.His face is really no different from the human face statue on the handle of the umbrella, equally ruthless. Seeing us, he came over without putting down his open notebook and pen, bowed stiffly to us, and raised his hat in greeting.After shaking hands, stand aside, as if waiting for us to ask questions. "It is a pleasure to meet you here, Mr. Jericho," said Miss Birlingham. "You are too polite." Jericho remained expressionless.

"What a coincidence that we came here on the same day!" "Well, it's rare indeed!" he echoed, "but if we don't come—which isn't unusual—it's kind of a coincidence." "Maybe, I hope we haven't bothered you." "It's okay, I just finished it when I saw you." "I think you are collecting reference materials for the case!" I asked recklessly on purpose, just wanting to see his embarrassment due to trying to cover up and evade. "The case? Do you mean the case of Stephen and the Parish Council?" "I think Dr. Berry may be talking about my uncle's will case," broke in Miss Burlingham, with a faint smile on her lips.

"What kind of case is that, a lawsuit?" Jericho said. "I mean the one proposed by Mr. Herbert," I went on. "Oh, the case you said is closed. It's just an application to the court. Of course, this is just my personal understanding. Whether it is correct or not is open to debate. You also know that I am not Mr. Herbert's lawyer. .In fact—” Jericho continued, after a pause, “I was just thinking about the inscriptions on these tombstones, especially that of your grandfather—Francis Burlingham. I wondered if they What the court said is true—your uncle is dead, then we should erect a stone monument for him here, but this cemetery has been closed, and I am afraid there is no room for a new tombstone. However, if the existing There should be no problem adding another to the tombstone. If your grandfather's tombstone already says 'here lies Francis Burlingham', add the words 'his son John Burlingham is buried here' It seems a little inappropriate. But fortunately, it only says 'in memory of France', without specifying the specific name of the deceased. Ah, I seem to be bothering you!"

"No, you're too kind. We're going to the museum, so we'll stop by to have a look," said Miss Burlingham. Nothing, he simply ruined my good deed!Miss Bellingham was too kind.I thought to myself. "Well, I happen to be going to the museum too, to see Dr. Nobarry. Another coincidence, isn't it?" said Mr. Jericho. "That's right! If you don't mind, let's go together, shall we?" "Okay." That bastard actually agreed, damn it! So we went back to Gray Law School Road.The road is wide, and the three of us walked side by side. In order to avoid being interrupted by this guy, I raised the disappearance case again.

"Is there anything wrong with Mr. John Berlinham's health which has caused his sudden death?" "You seem to be interested in the matter of John Bellingham," replied Jericho, looking at me suspiciously. "Yes, not only I am interested, but my friend is also very concerned about his affairs. From a professional point of view, this case is not ordinary." "But does your question help in solving the case?" "Of course! If a missing person suffers from heart disease, aneurysm, or arteriosclerosis, sudden death is likely to occur." "I don't know much about medicine, but you're probably right. But I'm Mr. Burlingham's lawyer, not his doctor. His health is not my business. You've heard me, however. The testimony in court, from my cursory observation, is that the testator is in very good health," Jericho said.

"If the matter is so important, I don't see why the court didn't call in his doctor to find out. But he does appear to me to be in good health. At least he recovered very quickly after the accident." Miss Burlingham Take over. "What accident?" I asked. "Didn't my father tell you? He was living with us at the time, and once he tripped on the sidewalk and broke a bone in his left ankle, what's called a fracture—" "Potter's fracture?" "Yes, that's the name--Potter's fracture. He's bruised both kneecaps. Thankfully Dr. Morgan Burnett operated on him, or he'd be crippled. But a few weeks after the operation he's crippled." Already able to run around, only the left ankle is still a little uncomfortable."

"Can he go up the stairs?" I asked. "Then there's no need to ask, it's fine to ride a bicycle or play golf!" "Are you sure he broke his kneecaps in both legs?" "I'm sure. I remember they said it would be a difficult operation and it would be very complicated, but Dr. Morgan also said he was happy to operate on him." "That sounds a bit sad. However, you should mean that Dr. Morgan is very happy with the good results of the operation!" At this point, the conversation came to an abrupt end.I tried to find a difficult problem to embarrass Mr. Jericho, but he took the opportunity to change the subject.

"Are you going to the Egyptian gallery?" Jericho asked. "No, we want to go to a china show," replied Miss Burlingham. "Porcelain? Ancient or modern?" "We are currently more interested in the seventeenth-century Fuerhan antique porcelain. I wonder if it should be considered ancient or modern?" "I don't know too well. In fact, ancient and modern are just relative terms, and there is no clear definition. To a furniture collector, Tudor chairs and James I chests are considered antiques; but when it comes to In the eyes of architects, these are all modern buildings, and only the churches of the eleventh century can be called ancient buildings; the same is true in the eyes of Egyptologists who are used to antiques.” Jericho paused for a moment, if Added thoughtfully, "For a geologist, the chaotic period when human beings began to prosper is also modern. The concept of time, like other concepts, is relative."

"You look a lot like Herbert Spencer, British nineteenth-century philosopher, father of Social Darwinism. Believers in philosophy," I interjected. "No, I'm a believer in myself, Doctor," Jericho retorted. By the time we arrived at the museum, Jericho's demeanor had changed, almost to friendliness.At least he stopped holding back when talking, and was even quite funny, so I couldn't help but want to continue teasing him.Let him talk about whatever topics he prefers!Because I found my female partner was listening quite attentively. After entering the museum, there was still no sign of Jericho saying goodbye to us, so we had to follow him silently. He led us past the statue of the divine bull in Niveh and many magnificent sitting statues.Suddenly we were in the upstairs room of mummies where my friendship with Miss Burlingham had germinated.

"Before I leave, I want to show you the mummy we discussed that night," Jericho said, "the one that John Bellingham donated to the museum shortly before his disappearance. Perhaps my The question seems insignificant now, but one day it may become an important clue." He led us to the exhibition cabinet of John Berlingham's donation, stopped, and then looked at it affectionately Looking at the mummy. "Miss Bellingham, we're talking about the asphalt coating on it. You've seen it, of course," Jericho said. "Yeah, it looks like an eyesore, doesn't it?" she replied.

"Aesthetically, it's really ugly. But from the point of view of the protection of the specimen, maybe it's important. You should have observed that because of this black paint, the important decorations and all the inscriptions on the mummy are covered. Well preserved. However, it stands to reason that the inscription would not be carved on the feet and back of the mummy. For some reason, these two parts are also coated with a thick layer of pitch. If you squat down and look, you will find it The back was pitched over even unimportant areas, even the headband." Jericho stared puzzled at the mummy's back, which emerged from between the brackets. "Did Dr. Nobarry give any explanation?" asked Miss Birlingham. "No, he also thinks it's a mystery. He thinks that he may get a reasonable explanation from the director of the department. He is an authority in this field and has experience in excavating ancient relics, but that will only happen after he returns to China." Jie When Rico said this, his attitude changed, "It's time for me to leave. I'm sorry for delaying your time appreciating porcelain. I wish you a good time!" Jericho returned to his usual indifference and talked with us stiffly. Shake hands and salute, then walk towards the curator's office. "What a monster!" Seeing Jericho's back gradually disappearing from the corridor of the exhibition room, Miss Burlingham sighed, "No, it should be said that he is really a monster! He really doesn't look like a human being. I have never I've never seen anyone like him." "He's really queer and a bigot!" I agreed with her. "Yeah! Not only is he stubborn, he's also cold-blooded and indifferent to everything. He walks around in the crowd, just watching coldly, without a trace of emotion." "You're right, he's terribly cold, as you say, he's in the crowd, but he's always in his own world, like the 'Ghost of Mari' in "Stingy Fortuna." But when he talks about Egyptian antiquities, it's different, it comes alive." "Although alive, he was still not human. He was really impersonal, and even when he showed great interest and enthusiasm for something or something, it made people feel that he was just an intellectual freak. The Creator should have given him an ibis head like the Egyptian god of wisdom to satisfy his thirst for knowledge." "If that's the case, he's sure to cause a stir at Lincoln Law School." We couldn't help but imagine Jericho running back and forth between the lawyer's office and the courthouse with a sharp-billed, red-crowned ibis head on his head, and we couldn't help laughing. While joking, we came to the mummy of Yathmidorus.Miss Bellingham paused in front of the display case, and then gazed silently at the face looking at us.I looked at her secretly from the side, she looked so charming, in front of the object of her fascination, her sweet and lovely face became extremely devout, full of feminine dignity and elegance.I suddenly felt that she had changed a lot since we first met.She became younger, more charming, and much gentler.Originally she was a sad woman, indifferent, looking tired, sullen, almost depressed.But now, she has become a soft and lovely person, occasionally a little serious, but honest and lovely. Had our friendship changed her?I thought about this question, and my heart couldn't help jumping for joy.I really want to tell her how I feel, let her know what's on my mind, and hope she can do the same to me one day. Gathering my courage, I interrupted her meditation. "Honey, you are so focused, what are you thinking?" "I was wondering...whether he would be jealous of my new friend. Ah, what am I talking about!" She quickly turned around, showing a bright smile on her face, happy and shy, and met my eyes . "Why is he jealous?" "Well... it's like this. He used to be my friend, and he monopolized all of my life. Before that, except for my father, I never had a male friend, let alone a close friend. At home During the time when I was in trouble, I was very lonely. It can be said that I was born withdrawn. Unfortunately, I am not a philosopher, but just a girl. So, whenever I feel lonely, I will run here and ask Yatemidorus spoke his heart out, pretending he understood my sentimentality and pityed me. I know, it's kind of silly, but for me, there's nothing more comforting than that." "You are not stupid at all. As you can see in this painting, he is gentle and charming, he is a good man. You have entrusted the loneliness of your life to such a man who has lived through the centuries. The perfect man who still exudes charm, just proves your wisdom. You are not stupid at all, and I am sure Artemidorus is not at all jealous of your new friend." "Are you telling the truth?" she asked softly, with a smile on her lips. "I won't lie to you, I promise you." "If that's the case, then I'm relieved. I believe what you said is true. There is a strange man here who knows telepathy. Even a mummy can't trouble him. It's amazing. You say How did you know?" She laughed happily. "Of course I do. He made us friends, have you forgotten?" "I won't forget it." She replied softly, "I was so stupid that day, but luckily you came. From then on, I began to trust you and regard you as a true friend." "To each other. Thank you for your trust in me, thank you for telling me what you want in your heart, I cherish it more than anything else, always." She glanced at me uneasily, then lowered her head.After a moment of silence, she said: "I wonder if you noticed something very interesting, this portrait is divided into two parts." She deliberately changed the topic, as if to downplay the emotional element in our conversation. "Let's hear it!" The atmosphere that suddenly cooled down made me a little disappointed. "One part of it is sentimental and expressive, the other part is purely decorative. Its design and decoration, while outwardly Greek in sentiment, is in Egyptian tradition in form. But it still has a touch of Greek in the end. The traditional spirit, including this final farewell, is done in their language and their familiar script." "Yes. They were able to hide the engraved text so skillfully without destroying the beauty of the painting. It's really amazing." "I think so, too," she agreed, gazing at the portrait, absently, as if thinking of something else.I looked at her quietly, she had a pretty face, and her soft long hair was elegantly scattered from her temples. She was really a rare stunner in the world.Suddenly, she cast her gaze on me. "You know what I'm thinking? I'm thinking why I told you about Jatemidorus, it's silly and childish in retrospect. I'm not going to tell anyone until now. , including my father. I don't understand why I believed in you so much at the beginning, knowing that you must understand and understand me. " She asked so frankly, and a pair of affectionate eyes looked over inquiringly, my heart beat wildly. "Let me tell you the reason!" I couldn't help but blurted out, "That's because I love you, no one in this world loves you more than me. You feel my love, but you treat it as sympathy." Suddenly, she blushed, looked at me suspiciously, and looked at me suspiciously. "Don't you believe it, Ruth? Did I say it too abruptly? Excuse me, but I'll tell you it's true. When I first saw you, I loved Fucking you. Maybe I shouldn't be in such a rush to confess, but Ruth, if you know how good you are, I don't think you'll blame me." "I don't blame you, I can only blame myself. You've been so good to me, you've been so sincere and kind, and I've treated you so badly. It shouldn't have happened—because it shouldn't have happened between us. I can't say what you want to hear, Paul, we can only be friends forever." Her voice was a little light. A fear that I had never felt before took possession of my heart, it seemed to be grasped by a cold hand, and the most precious things in my life were being taken away from me. "Why can't we be together, why can't you accept my love? Does your heart belong to someone else?" I was a little unwilling. "No, of course I didn't mean that." "Then you mean you don't love me, right? That's understandable, why should you love me? But I believe that one day you will change your mind, and I will patiently wait for that day to come. I I will not pester you endlessly, I will wait for you like Jacob waited for Rachel. Because I love her so much, for Jacob, three years and five years are like a moment. It is the same for me, as long as you Don't leave me." She lowered her head, her face looked a little pale, and her expression was extremely painful: "You will not understand, and you will never understand, and you will never be able to. There is no future between us, please believe me. I don't want to say more said." "Is there no chance, no solution, Ruth? I can wait, and I will not give up on you, even if there are insurmountable obstacles ahead." I pleaded almost desperately. "I'm afraid it's very difficult, even hopeless. Really, Paul, I can't bear to say it, but it's true, there's no chance between us. Well, I must go, so let's say good-bye! Don't meet again, maybe one day we can continue to be friends, if you will forgive me." "Forgive you? Why do you say that, Ruth?" I was a little surprised. "There is nothing to forgive. No matter what happens, you will always be my best and dearest friend." "Thank you, Paul! You've been so kind to me. Let me go, I want to be alone." She seemed to be collapsing, and she held out her trembling hand as she spoke.It was only when I shook her hand that I realized with horror how agitated she was. "Shall I go with you, Ruth?" I couldn't help feeling a little worried. "No, don't!" She screamed, "I don't want you to accompany me, I just want to go alone, goodbye!" Her lips trembled, as if hesitating to speak. "You must promise me that if one day the mountains between us disappear, you must tell me immediately. Remember, I love you, love you forever, and will always be waiting for you in my lifetime." I am in hot pursuit. She took a deep breath, suppressed tears, and shook my hand hard. "Okay, I promise you. Goodbye, Paul." She squeezed my hand again and turned to leave. I stared blankly at her walking all the way to the end of the corridor. Through the reflection in the glass, I suddenly noticed that she was gently wiping the corners of her eyes as she passed the landing.For some reason, I felt that it was inappropriate to do so, so I turned my head hastily.However, her sad eyes and the feelings she told me gave me a selfish sense of satisfaction. After she left, a sudden sense of loneliness took over me.It is only at this moment that I truly feel the meaning of this love that has quietly entered my life.It illuminates my present and ignites a glimmer of hope for my ambiguous future.All my joys, sorrows, longings, and desires revolve around it. It is the only real existence in my life, and everything else is just a dispensable background.Now this love is gone, and it can no longer be retrieved, leaving only a lonely picture frame without a picture. I can't remember how long I stayed where she left, but I just feel groggy.The events of the last few days kept flashing in my mind like dreams: our happy time together in the library, our first visit to the museum, and this chat that should have been full of romance.These happy times come and go like ghosts.The exhibit room is mostly empty, with the occasional visitor coming in, casting a curious look at me, and continuing on their way.I feel more and more an unbearable pain in my chest, maybe this is the only feeling I have left! Then I raised my eyes and looked at the figures in the portrait.The handsome and wise face of the ancient Greek smiled at me, as if to comfort me, telling me that he had been through the same pain when he was still living in sunny Fayoum.A faint comfort, like the faint fragrance of ancient roses, wafted from that delicate face.This face, which once witnessed my happiness, now looks at me withered and sad.I turned away, and in the silent silence I saw that he seemed to be saying goodbye to me.