CHAPTER XII

STRANGE as it may seem, when all the circum- stances attending it are taken into consideration, I am compelled to confess, in looking back upon jt now, that that voyage up the Nile was one of the most en- joyable I have ever undertaken. It is true, the weather was somewhat warmer than was altogether agreeable ; but if you visit Egypt at midsummer, you must be prepared for a little discomfort in that respect. From the moment of rising until it was time to retire to rest at night, our time was spent under the awning on deck, reading, conversing, and watching the scenery on either bank, and on my part in putting the finishing touches to the picture I had commenced the afternoon we left Cairo.
When it was completed to my satisfaction, which was on the seventh day of our voyage, and that upon which we expected to reach Luxor, I showed it to Pharos. He examined it carefully, and it was some time before he offered an opinion upon it.
" I will pay you the compliment of saying I consider it a striking example of your art," he said, when he did speak. " At the same time, I must confess it puzzles me. I do not understand whence you drew your in- spiration. There are things in this picture, important
200
PHAROS THE EGYPTIAN 201
details in the dress and architecture, that I feel certain have never been seen or dreamt of by this century. How, therefore, you could have known them passes my comprehension."
" I have already told you that that picture represents what I saw in my vision," I answered.
" So you still believe you saw a vision ? " he asked, with a return to his old sneering habit, as he picked the monkey up and began to stroke his ears.
" I shall always do so," I answered. " Nothing will ever shake my belief in that."
At this moment the Fraulein Valerie joined us, whereupon Pharos handed her the picture and asked for her opinion upon it. She looked at it steadfastly, while I waited with some anxiety for her criticism.
" It is very clever," she said, still looking at it, " and beautifully painted ; but, if you will let me say so, I do not know that I altogether like it. There is something about it that I do not understand. And see, you have given the central figure Monsieur Pharos's face."
She looked up from the picture at me as if to inquire the reason of this likeness, after which we both glanced at Pharos, who was seated before us, wrapped as usual in his heavy rug, with the monkey, Pehtes, looking out from his invariable hiding-place beneath his master's coat. For the moment I did not know what answer to return. To have told her in the broad light of day, with the prosaic mud banks of the Nile on either hand, and the Egyptian sailors washing paint-work at the farther end of the deck, that in my vision I had been convinced that Pharos and Ptahmes were one and the same person, would have been too absurd. Pharos,
202 PHAROS THE EGYPTIAN
however, relieved me of the necessity of my saying any- thing by replying for me.
" Mr. Forrester has done me great honour, my dear," he said gaily, " in choosing my features for the central figure. I had no idea before that my unfortunate person was capable of such dramatic effect. But now to more serious business. If at any time, Forrester, you should desire to dispose of that picture, I shall be de- lighted to take it off your hands."
" You may have it now," I answered. " If you think it worthy of your acceptance, I will gladly give it you. To tell the truth, I myself, like the Fraulein here, am a little frightened of it, though why I should be, seeing that it is my own work, Heaven only knows."
" As you say, Heaven only knows," returned Pharos solemnly, and then making the excuse that he would put the picture in a place of safety, he left us and went to his cabin, Pehtes hopping along the deck behind him.
For some time after he had left us the Fraulein and I sat silent. The afternoon was breathless, and even our progress through the water raised no breeze. At the time we were passing the town of Keneh, a miserable collection of buildings of the usual Nile type, and famous only as being a rallying place for Mecca pilgrims, and for the Kulal and Ballas (water bottles), which bear its name.
While her eyes were fixed upon it, I was permitted an opportunity of studying my companion's countenance. I noted the proud poise of her head, the beauty of her face, and the luxuriance of the hair coiled so gracefully above it. She was a queen among women, as I had so
PHAROS THE EGYPTL\.\ 203
often told myself ; one whom any man might be proud to love, and then I added, as another thought struck me, one for whom the man she loved would willingly lay down his life to save. That I loved her with a sincerity and devotion greater than I had ever felt for any other human being, I was fully aware by this time. If the truth must be told, I believe I had loved her from the moment I first saw her face. But was it possible that she could love me ? That was for time to show.
" I have noticed that you are very thoughtful to-day> Fniulein," I said, as the steamer dropped the town behind her and continued her journey up stream in a more westerly direction.
" Have I not good reason to be ? " she answered. "You must remember I have made this journey before."
" But why should that fact produce such an effect upon you ? " I asked. " To me it is a pleasure that has not yet begun to pall, and as you will, I am sure, admit, Pharos has proved a most thoughtful and charming host."
I said this with intention, for I wanted to see what reply she would make.
" I have not noticed his behaviour," she answered wearily. "It is always the same to me. But I do know this, that after each visit to the place for which we are now bound, great trouble has resulted for some one. Heaven grant it may not be so on this occasion."
" I do not see what trouble can result," I said. " Pharos is simply going to replace the mummy in the tomb from which it was taken, and after that I presume we shall return to Cairo, and probably to Europe."
204 PHAROS THE EGYPTIAN
"And then?" "After that "
But I could get no farther. The knowledge that in all likelihood as soon as we reached Europe I should have to bid her good-bye and return to London was too much for me, and for this reason I came within an ace of blurting out the words that were in my heart. For- tunately, however, I was able to summon up my pre- sence of mind in time to avert such a catastrophe", otherwise I cannot say what the result would have been. Had I revealed my love to her and asked her to be my wife and she had refused me, our position, boxed up together as we were on board the steamer, and with no immediate prospect of release, would have been uncomfortable in the extreme. So I crammed the words back into my heart, and waited for another and more favourable opportunity.
The sun was sinking behind the Arabian hills, in a wealth of gold and crimson colouring, as we obtained our first glimpse of the mighty ruins we had come so far to see. Out of a dark green sea of palms to the left rose the giant pylons of the Temple of Ammon at Karnak. A few minutes later Luxor itself was visible, and within a quarter of an hour our destination was reached, and the steamer was at a standstill.
We had scarcely come to an anchor before the vessel was surrounded by small boats, the occupants of which clambered aboard, despite the efforts of the officers and crew to prevent them. As usual, they brought with them spurious relics of every possible sort and descrip- tion, not one of which, however, our party could be induced to buy. The Fraulein Valerie and I were still
" Pushing, struggling, even jumping headlong into the water." I'hatos the Egyptian.] [Page 205
PHAROS THE EGYPTIAN 205
protesting when Pharos emerged from his cabin and approached us. Never shall I forget the change that came over the scene. From the expressions upon the rascals' faces as they recognised him, I gathered that he was well known to them ; at any rate, within five seconds of his appearance, not one of our previous persecutors remained aboard the vessel. Pushing, struggling, even jumping headlong into the water, they made their way over the side.
" They seem to know you," I said to Pharos, with a laugh, as the last of the gang took a header from the rail into the water.
" They do," he answered grimly. " I think I can safely promise you that, after this, not a man in Luxor will willingly set foot upon this vessel, not for all the wealth of Egypt. Would you care to try the experi- ment ? "
" Very much," I said, and taking an Egyptian pound piece from my pocket, I stepped to the side and invited the rabble to come aboard and claim it. But the respect they entertained for Pharos was evidently greater than thejr love of gold, at any rate not a man seemed inclined to venture.
" A fair test," said Pharos. " You may rest assured that, unless you throw it over to them, your money will remain in your own pocket. But see, some one of importance is coming off to us. I am expecting a messenger, and in all probability it is he."
A somewhat better boat than those clustered around us was putting off from the bank, and seated in her was an Arab, clad in white bernouse and wearing a black turban upon his head.
206 PHAROS TPIE EGYPTIAN
" Yes, it is he," said Pharos, as with a few strokes of their oars the boatmen brought their craft alongside.
Before I could inquire who the person might be whom he was expecting, the man I have just described had reached the deck, and, after looking about him, had approached the spot where Pharos was standing. Accustomed as I was to the deference shown by the Arabs towards their superiors, of whose rank they were aware, I was far from expecting the exhibition of servility I now beheld. So overpowered was the new- comer by the reverence he felt for Pharos, that he could scarcely stand upright.
" I expected thee, Salem A wad," said Pharos, in Arabic. "What tidings dost thou bring?"
" It was to tell thee," the man replied, " that he whom thou didst order to be here has heard of thy coming, and will await thee at the place of which thou hast spoken."
" It is well," continued Pharos, " and I am pleased. Has all that I wrote to thee of been prepared ? "
" All has been prepared and awaits thy coming."
" Return, then, and tell him who sent thee to me that I will be with him before he sleeps to-night."
The man bowed once more and made his way to his boat, in which he departed for the bank.
When he had gone, Pharos turned to me.
" We are expected," he said, " and, as you heard him say, preparations have been made to enable us to carry out the work we have come to do. After all his journey- ing, Ptahmes has at last returned to the city of his birth and death. It is a strange thought, is it not? Look about you, Mr. Forrester, and remember that you are
PHAROS THE EGYPTIAN 207
among the mightiest ruins the world has known. Yonder is the Temple of Luxor, away to the north you can see the remains of the Temple of Ammon at Karnak, both of which, five thousand years ago, were connected by a mighty road. On the west bank is the Necropolis of Thebes, with the tombs that once contained the mortal remains of the mighty ones of Egypt. Where are those mighty ones now ? Scattered to the uttermost parts of the earth, stolen from their resting-places to adorn glass cases in European museums, and to be sold by auction by Jew salesmen at so much per head, according to their dates and state of preservation. But there ! time is too short to talk of 9-uch indignity. The gods will avenge it in their own good time. Let it suffice that to-night we shall fulfil our errand. Am I right in presuming that you desire to accompany me ? "
" I should be sincerely disappointed if I could not do so," I answered. " But if you would prefer to go alone, I will not force my presence upon you."
" I shall only be too glad of your company," he answered. " Besides, you have a right to be present, since it is through you I am permitted an opportunity of replacing my venerable ancestor in his tomb. In that case, perhaps you will be good enough to hold yourself in readiness to start about eleven o'clock? Owing to the publicity now given to anything that happens in the ruins of this ancient city, the mere fact that we are returning a mummy to its tomb, of the existence of which the world has no knowledge, would be sufficient to attract a concourse of people, whose presence would be in the highest degree objectionable to me."
208 PHAROS THE EGYPTIAN
must excuse my interrupting you," I said, thinking I had caught him tripping, " but you have just said that you are going to open a tomb of the existence of which the world has no knowledge. Surely my father opened it many years ago, otherwise how did he become possessed of the mummy ? "
"Your father discovered it, it is true, but he stumbled upon it quite by chance, and it was reburied within a few hours of his extracting the mumrny. If he were alive now, I would defy him to find the place again."
" And you are going to open it to-night ? "
"That is my intention. And when I have done so, it will once more be carefully hidden, and may woe light upon the head of the man who shall again disturb it!"
I do not know whether this speech was intended to have any special significance for me, but, as he said it, he looked hard at me, and never since I have known him had I seen a more diabolical expression upon his countenance. I could scarcely have believed that the human face was capable of such an exhibition of malignity. He recovered himself as quickly, however, and then once more bidding me prepare for the excur- sion of the evening, took himself off to his cabin, and left me to ponder over all he had said.
It was well after eleven o'clock that night when the tall Arab, my acquaintance of the Pyramids, came along the deck in search of me. I was sitting with the Fraulein Valerie at the time, but as soon as he told me that Pharos was waiting and that it was time for us to start, I made haste to rise. On hearing our errand, my companion became uneasy.
PHAROS THE EGYPTIAN 209
" I do not like it," she said. " Why could he not do it in the daytime ? This going off under cover of the night savours too much of the conspirator, and I beg you to be careful of what you do. Have you a revolver ? "
I answered in the affirmative, whereupon she earnestly advised me to carry it with me — a course which I resolved to adopt. Then bidding her good-bye, I left her and went to my cabin, little dreaming that upwards of a week would elapse before I should see her again.
When I joined Pharos on deck, I discovered that he had made no difference in his attire, but was dressed just as I had always seen him, even to the extent of his heavy coat, which he wore despite the heat of the night.
"If you are ready," he said, "let us lose no time in starting." Then turning to the tall Arab, who stood by his side, he bade him call the boat up, and as soon as it was at the ladder we descended into it and took our places in the stern. A few strokes of the oars brought us to the bank. Here we found two camels awaiting us. On closer inspection I discovered that the individual in charge of them was none other than the man who had boarded the steamer that afternoon, and whom I have particularized as having shown such obsequious respect to Pharos.
At a sign from the latter, one of the camels was brought to his knees, and I was invited to take my place in the saddle. I had never in my life ridden one of these ungainly brutes, and it was necessary for the driver to instruct me in the art. Pharos, however, seemed quite at home, and as soon as he had mounted,
o
210 PHAROS THE EGYPTIAN
and the camels had raised themselves to their feet once more, we set off.
If my drive to the Pyramids, a week before, had been a singular experience, this camel ride among the ruins of ancient Thebes at midnight was much more so. On every side were relics of that long-departed age when the city, through the remains of which we were now making our way, had been the centre of the civilized world. Leaving the river on our left, and skirting the modern town, we set off in a northerly direction along what might very well once have been a properly built road.
After the heat of the day the coolness of the night was most refreshing. Overhead the stars shone more brilliantly than I had ever seen them, while from the desert a little lonely wind came up and sighed over the desolation of the place. Nothing could have been in better keeping with the impressiveness of the occasion. One thing, however, puzzled me, for so far I had seen nothing of the chief, and indeed the only, reason of the expedition ; namely, the mummy of the dead Magician. I questioned Pharos on the subject, who answered briefly that it had been sent on ahead to await our coming at the tomb, and, having given this explanation, lapsed into silence once more.
It must have been upwards of half an hour later when the tall Arab, who had all the way walked in front of the camel upon which Pharos was seated, stopped and held up his hand. The animals imme- diately came to a standstill. Peering into the darkness ahead, I found that we were standing before a gigantic building, which measured at least a hundred feet from
PHAROS THE EGYPTIAN 211
end to end, and towered into the starlight to a height of possibly a hundred and fifty feet. This proved to be the main pylon of the great Temple of Ammon, the most stupendous example of human architecture ever erected on the surface of our globe. On either side of the open space upon which we stood rows of krio- sphinxes showed where a noble road had once led from the temple to the river.
At a signal from Pharos the man who had come aboard the steamer that afternoon left us and entered the building, while we remained outside.
Fully five minutes must have elapsed before he re- turned, and said something to Pharos in a low voice, who immediately descended from his camel and signed to me to do the same. Then we, in our turn, ap- proached the gigantic pylon, at the entrance of which we were met by a man carrying a lighted torch. Viewed by this dim and uncertain light, the place ap- peared indescribably mysterious. Overhead the walls towered up and up until I lost sight of them in the general darkness. Presently we entered a large court, so large indeed that even with the assistance of the guide's torch we could not see the farther end of it Then passing through a doorway formed of enormous blocks of stone, the architrave of which could scarcely have been less than a hundred feet from the ground, we found ourselves standing in another and even greater hall. Here we paused, while Pharos went forward into the darkness alone, leaving me in the charge of the tall Arab and the man who bore the torch. Where he had gone, and his reason for thus leaving me, I could not imagine, and my common-sense told me it
212 PHAROS THE EGYPTIAN
would only be waste of time on my part to inquire. Minutes went by until perhaps half an hour had elapsed, and still he did not return. I was about to make some remark upon this, when I noticed that the man holding the torch, who had hitherto been leaning against a pillar, suddenly drew himself up and looked towards another side of the great hall. I followed the direction of his eyes, and saw approaching me an old man, clad in white from head to foot, and with a long white beard descending to within a few inches of his waist. As soon as he was certain that I saw him, he signed to me with his hand to follow him, and then turning, led me across the hall in the direction he had come. I followed close at his heels, threaded my way among the mighty pillars carved all over with hieroglyphics, and so passed into yet another court. Here it was all black darkness, and so lonely that I found my spirits sink- ing lower and lower with every step I took. Reaching the centre of the court, my guide stopped and bade me pause. I did so, whereupon he also departed, but in what direction he went I could not tell.
Had it been possible, I think at this stage of the proceedings I should have left Pharos to his own devices, and have made my way out of the ruins and back to the steamer without further ado. Under the circumstances I have narrated, however, I had no option but to remain where I was, and in any case I doubt whether I should have had time to make my escape, for the old man presently returned, this time with a torch, and once more bade me follow him. I accordingly accompanied him across the court, and among more pillars, to a small temple, which must have been situated
PHAROS THE EGYPTIAN 213
at some considerable distance from the main pylon through which we had entered the ruins.
Approaching the farther corner of this temple, he stooped and, when he had brushed away an amount of sand with his hand, either touched some hidden spring or lifted a ring, for I distinctly heard the jar of iron on stone. Then a large block of masonry wheeled round on its own length and disappeared into the earth, revealing a cavity possibly four feet square at our feet As soon as my eyes became accustomed to the dark- ness, I was able to detect a flight of steps leading down into a dark vault below. These the old man descended, and, feeling certain that I was intended to accompany him, I followed his example. The steps were longer than I expected them to be, and were possibly some fifty in number. Reaching the bottom, I found myself standing in a subterranean hall, which perhaps describes it more fully than the word vault would do. The roof or ceiling was supported by a number of elegantly sculptured papyrus-bud columns, while the walls were covered with paintings, every one of which was in a perfect state of preservation. For what purpose the hall had been used in bygone days I could not, of course, tell, but that it had some connection with the mysterious rites of the god Ammon was shown, not only by the frescoes, but by the trouble which had been taken to conceal the entrance to the place.
When we had reached the centre of the hall, the old man turned and addressed me.
" Stranger," he said, in a voice as deep and resonant as the tolling of a bell, " by reason of the share that has been allotted thee in the vengeance of the gods, it has
214 PHAROS THE EGYPTIAN
been decreed that thou shalt witness a portion of the mysteries of this holy place, the like of which not one of thy race or people has ever yet beheld. Fear not that evil will befall thee ; thou art in the hands of the mighty ones of Egypt. They will protect thee. Fol- low me."