elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第39章

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　I　knew　because　I　had　been　careful　to　keep　all　the　cash　in　the　house　under　lock　and　key。　Trust　is　a　beautiful　thing；　but　when　someone　has　done　you　an　injury；　you　are　a　fool　if　you　give　him　the　chance　to　do　you　another。
　〃It　is　beginning　to　look　as　if　he　has　found　another　tomb；〃　Ramses　said　thoughtfully。　〃It's　the　only　way　he　could　lay　his　hands　on　that　much　money；　by　selling　some　of　the　artifacts。　Mother；　what　did　you　do　with　that　cosmetic　jar　you　bought　in　Cairo？　I'd　like　to　have　a　closer　look　at　it。〃
　〃Wait　until　after　dinner；〃　I　said；　rising　with　a　suppressed　groan。　Those　long　hours　on　hands　and　knees　in　the　passage；　pulling　the　rubble　out；　had　taken　their　toll　on　my　back；　and　ruined　a　good　pair　of　leather　gloves。
　The　Vandergelts　stayed；　of　course。　Wild　horses　could　not　have　dragged　Cyrus　away；　and　nothing　made　Fatima　happier　than　having　more　people　to　feed。　Some　of　us　were　rather　inclined　to　gobble；　I　am　afraid；　but　I　noticed　that　Bertie　was　not　eating　with　his　usual　healthy　appetite。　Under　cover　of　the　animated　speculations　about　another　tomb；　I　said　softly；　〃Are　you　feeling　well；　Bertie？　How　is　your　ankle？〃
　〃It's　fine。　I　could　walk　or　climb　with　no　trouble；　if　everyone　would　stop　fussing　over　me。〃　Repenting　his　surly　tone　almost　at　once；　he　gave　me　an　apologetic　smile。　〃You　told　me　last　year　you'd　let　me　take　a　hand　in　your　next　adventure；　remember？　I　haven't　done　a　bl　…　…　blasted　thing　to　help！　It's　nobody's　fault　but　mine；　I　know　that；　I'm　so　confounded　clumsy　and　stupid　…〃
　〃Now　don't　say　that；　Bertie。　Anyone　could　suffer　an　accident　like　yours；　and　we　are　still　a　long　way　from　a　solution　to　this　matter。　Who　knows；　your　opportunity　may　e　at　any　moment。〃
　The　corners　of　his　mouth　drooped。　〃Yes；　ma'am；　I　hope　so。　I've　been　sitting　in　that　chair　staring　at　the　same　scenery　for　so　long；　it's　driving　me　crazy。　I　swear；　I　know　every　crack　in　that　cliff　face　and　every　brick　in　those　house　walls。〃
　〃We　will　have　another　look　at　your　foot；　Nefret　and　I；〃　I　promised。　〃Perhaps　with　a　little　strapping　you　can　begin　to　move　about　more。〃
　As　soon　as　we　had　finished　dinner　we　retired　to　the　drawing　room；　and　I　went　to　fetch　the　cosmetic　jar　and　lid　and　the　other　odds　and　ends　I　had　purchased　from　Aslimi。　Emerson　arranged　the　lamps　to　give　the　maximum　amount　of　light　and　Ramses　took　the　jar　in　his　long　fingers。
　〃There　was　a　cartouche；〃　he　said；　after　a　moment。　〃I　think　I　can　make　out　a　few　lines。〃　He　turned　the　jar　from　side　to　side；　so　that　the　light　came　at　it　from　different　angles。　〃Paper　and　pencil；　Nefret；　please。〃
　The　sketch　he　produced　was；　I　confess；　something　of　a　letdown。　There　was　a　great　expanse　of　blank　paper　and　a　few　random　lines；　some　horizontal；　some　perpendicular；　some　curved。　Ramses　studied　it　for　a　few　moments　and　then　began　filling　in　the　missing　spaces；　connecting　one　section　to　another；　as　one　does　in　a　certain　kind　of　child's　puzzle。　Finally　he　put　the　pencil　down。　〃That's　all　I　can　be　certain　of。　It's　enough；　though。〃
　Not　to　me；　I　thought；　studying　the　hypothetical　hieroglyphs　in　puzzlement。　There　were　only　a　few：　a　long；　thin；　squared…off　sign；　the　jagged　line　of　the　water　hieroglyph；　and　a　pair　of　curving　horns。
　〃Not　to　me；〃　said　Emerson。
　〃There　is　only　one　royal　cartouche　that　contains　those　particular　signs；〃　Ramses　said。　〃To　the　best　of　my　knowledge；　that　is。　This　is　how　the　rest　of　it　looks。〃　He　pleted　the　name　and　Emerson　let　out　a　gasp。
　〃Shepenwepet。　By　the　Almighty；　the　boy　has　found　one　of　the　Divine　Wives　of　Amon！〃
　
　　
　
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　We　sat　up　late　that　night；　going　over　and　over　the　astonishing　revelation　…　for　none　of　us　doubted　Ramses's　reconstruction　of　the　cartouche。　In　the　end　we　were　forced　to　the　conclusion　that　there　was　absolutely　no　way　of　knowing　where　in　the　immense　Theban　necropolis　Jamil's　hypothetical　tomb　might　be。　The　cosmetic　pot　in　itself　told　us　nothing；　except　that　Jamil　was　not　as　stupid　as　we　had　believed。
　〃It　is　a　mon　error；〃　I　admitted；　in　chagrin；　〃to　assume　that　because　someone　is　uneducated　and　illiterate　he　is　necessarily　ignorant。　There　are　ways　of　acquiring　knowledge　other　than　by　reading。　Jamil　had　worked　for　a　number　of　Egyptologists　and　he　knew　a　great　deal　about　tomb　robbing　…　more　than　we　know；　I　expect。　He　had　sense　enough　to　realize　that　such　a　cartouche　would　arouse　speculation；　so　he　removed　it；　even　though　he　lost　money　thereby。　Are　you　certain　it　was　done　recently；　Ramses；　not　in　ancient　times；　by　someone　who　wanted　to　reuse　the　jar？〃
　Ramses　was　certain。　The　little　pot　was　not　an　essential　part　of　the　funerary　equipment；　like　a　canopic　jar　or　a　sarcophagus。　Besides；　the　marks　were　fresh。　The　patina　…　
　Emerson　had　cut　him　off　at　that　point；　remarking　that　we　would　take　his　word　for　it。
　The　other　bits　and　pieces　I　had　purchased　from　Aslimi　were　even　less　informative。　As　we　all　knew；　the　same　techniques　and　motifs　had　been　used　throughout　pharaonic　history。　They　might　not　have　e　from　the　same　place　as　the　jar；　there　was　no　way　of　dating　them。
　〃So　where　are　we　gonna　look　next？〃　Cyrus　asked　hopefully。　〃The　western　wadis　again？〃
　〃We　certainly　are　not　going　off　on　a　series　of　random　searches；〃　Emerson　replied；　extracting　his　pipe　and　tobacco　pouch　from　his　shirt　pocket。　〃Damnation；〃　he　added；　acknowledging　the　difficulty　of　proceeding　with　the　process。
　〃Let　me　do　that　for　you；　my　dear。〃　I　took　them　from　him。
　Bertie　coughed　deprecatingly。　〃I　may　be　on　the　wrong　track　altogether；　but　if　I　were　trying　to　conceal　something　I　wouldn't　hang　about　the　place　howling　like　a　banshee　and　making　a　spectacle　of　myself。〃
　〃I　agree；〃　Ramses　said。　〃That's　the　one　area　we　can　forget　about。　If　he　wants　us　to　go　there；　it's　because　there's　nothing　to　find。〃
　The　men　all　nodded。　I　hoped　they　were　right；　since　I　had　not　much　enjoyed　our　excursions　to　that　remote　region；　but　I　was　not　entirely　convinced。　Jamil　obviously　enjoyed　taunting　people；　and　youth　suffers；　among　other　weaknesses；　from　overconfidence。　It　might　amuse　the　wretched　boy　to　lead　us　to　the　general　area　and　watch　us　wear　ourselves　out　looking　for　a　well…concealed　entrance。
　I　had　to　admit　that　thus　far　his　confidence　had　been　justified；　he　had　outwitted　us　on　every　occasion。
　Emerson　announced　that　we　would　return　to　Deir　el　Medina　next　morning。　〃We　will　finish　that　plan　of　yours；　Bertie；〃　he　said。　〃Fine　job；　my　boy。　There　are　only　a　few　more　details　to　be　added。〃
　〃Tomorrow's　Friday；〃　Cyrus　objected。　〃My　men　have　the　day　off；　and　you　ought　to　rest；　Emerson。〃
　〃We　can　finish　the　surveying　without　the　men；〃　Emerson　said　dogmatically。　〃And　I　have　no　intention　of　allowing　a　minor　injury　to　keep　me　from　my　usual　activities　…　all　my　usual　activities。〃
　Nor　did　it。　I　wished　Nefret　had　not　made　the　cast　quite　so　heavy。
　We　managed　to　get　off　next　morning　without　Sennia　or　the　Great　Cat　of　Re。　Nefret　did　not　acpany　us　either。　I　had　suggested　…　tactfully；　as　is　my　habit　…　that　she　might　want　to　give　a　little　luncheon　party；　since　she　had　not　had　the　opportunity　to　entertain　our　friends　in　her　new　abode。　Under　threat　of　losing　our　custom；　Abdul　Hadi　had　actually　finished　a　dining　table　and　several　chairs。　She　readily　consented；　but　added　with　a　knowing　smile；　〃I　won't　ask　what　you　are　up　to；　Mother；　since　I　know　you　enjoy　your　little　surprises。〃
　Early　morning　in　Luxor；　particularly　at　that　season　of　the　year；　is　always　beautifully　cool　and　stimulating。　I　was　even　more　keenly　aware　of　it　that　day；　after　those　long　hours　in　the　stifling　darkness　of　the　buried　chamber。　Truth　pels　me　to　admit　that　I　had　wondered　at　times　whether　I　would　ever　again　behold　the　shining　cliffs　of　western　Thebes　and　feel　the　morning　breeze　against　my　face。　Logic　had　informed　me　that　Jamil　could　not　continue　pouring　stones　into　the　shaft　indefinitely；　but　the　space　in　the　passage　and　the　chamber　itself　was　limited；　and　so　was　the　air。
　I　had　not；　and　would　not；　confess　this　weakness　to　any　other。　After　all；　it　had　turned　out　right　in　the　end。
　When　we　arrived　at　Deir　el　Medina；　Bertie　was　working　on　his　plan；　and　Selim　had　also　turned　up。　He　was　not　as　devout　as　his　Uncle　Daoud；　who　always　attended　Friday　services　when　he　could。
　〃That　is　very　well　done；　Bertie；〃　I　exclaimed。　〃Obviously　you　didn't　spend　all　the　time　staring　at　the　cliffs！　But　where　is　Cyrus？　Didn't　he　e　with　you？〃
　〃Up　there。〃　Bertie　gestured。　〃I　offered　to　go　with　him；　but　he　said　…〃
　〃Damnation！〃　Emerson　exclaimed　loudly。　Cyrus　was　high　on　the　hillside；　north　of　the　area　where　most　of　the　tombs　were　located。　Hearing　Emerson's　shout；　he　straightened　and　waved。
　〃What's　he　doing　up　there？〃　Ramses　asked。
　〃He　wanted　to　have　a　look　at　the　tombs　of　the　Saite　princesses；〃　Bertie　explained。
　〃Why；　for　Heaven's　sake？〃　I　demanded。　〃They　aren't　the　original　tombs　of　the　princesses　…　the　God's　Wives；　to　be　more　precise　…　or　even　their　reburials。　Two　of　their　sarcophagi　were　…〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　Peabody；〃　said　Emerson。　〃Damned　old　fool　climbing　around　up　there　。　。　。〃　He　set　off　toward　the　slope　with　his　usual　brisk　stride。
　Ramses　caught　my　eye；　nodded；　and　went　trotting　after　him。　The　rest　of　us　followed　more　slowly。　Bertie　was　determined　to　acpany　us；　so　I　walked　with　him；　giving　him　little　suggestions　as　to　where　to　place　his　feet。
　The　shafts　…　tombs；　I　should　say　…　were　not　in　the　main　cemetery　on　the　western　hill；　but　on　the　northern　slope；　closer　to　the　temple；　so　we　did　not　have　far　to　go。　We　found　Emerson　on　his　hands　and　knees　…　one　hand　and　both　knees；　that　is　…　peering　down　into　a　dark　opening　while　Ramses　directed　his　torch　into　it。　It　did　not　look　much　like　a　tomb　entrance；　the　edges　were　broken　and　irregular。
　〃Are　you　sure　this　is　it？〃　I　inquired。　〃It　doesn't　look　like　a　tomb　entrance。〃
　〃Of　course　I'm　sure〃　was　the　querulous　reply。　A　chunk　of　rock　broke　off　from　under　his　hand。　〃Curse　it；〃　said　Emerson；　recovering　his　balance　without　difficulty。　〃The　whole　place　is　falling　in。　Nobody　has　been　down　there　for　a　while。〃
　〃Which　one　of　the　princesses'　tombs　is　it？〃　Cyrus　asked　eagerly。
　Emerson　got　to　his　feet。　〃None；　as　a　matter　of　fact。　This　is　the　tomb　where　they　found　the　reused　sarcophagus　of　Ankhnesneferibre。　Another　sarcophagus　was　found　nearby。〃
　〃Here；〃　said　Ramses；　a　little　distance　away。
　We　must　have　looked　somewhat　absurd　clustered　round　that　hole　in　the　ground　peering　intently　at　nothing。　There　was　nothing　to　be　seen；　not　even　rubble。　The　shaft　was　fairly　clear；　but　so　deep；　the　light　of　our　torches　did　not　reach　the　bottom。
　〃Nobody　has　been　down　there　either；〃　Ramses　said。　〃Not　since　…　1885；　wasn't　it；　that　the　sarcophagus　was　removed？〃
　Emerson　grunted　agreement。　〃I　cannot　imagine　what　prompted　this　performance；　Vandergelt；〃　he　said　severely。　〃You　might　have　done　yourself　an　injury。〃
　〃Idle　curiosity；〃　said　Cyrus　with　a　sheepish　grin。
　〃The　view　is　worth　the　climb；〃　Bertie　said；　shading　his　eyes　with　his　hand。
　We　were　about　halfway　up　the　sloping　ground　that　ended　at　the　base　of　a　precipitous　cliff。　It　dropped　abruptly　to　the　level；　opposite　lay　another　high　range　of　hills；　and　in　the　cleft　between　them　we　could　see　the　Theban　plain；　misty　green　in　the　morning　light；　stretching　down　toward　the　distant　sparkle　of　the　river。
　〃Quite　beautiful；〃　I　agreed。　〃Now　that