"So that's why you came to Egypt."

"I travel to many places, but Egypt is a particular treasure store. You must come along to my warehouse one day. It's very small, little more than a shed. I rent it when I'm here so that I can store my purchases until I can get them shipped to England."

"And how long shall you stay here?" I asked.

"I am never sure of my movements. I can be here today and gone tomorrow. If I hear of a promising object in Cairo or Alexandria I should be off to see it. It makes life interesting, and, like you, I'm elated when a find comes my way. I had a disappointment a few weeks ago. It was a beautiful plaque which could have come straight from the wall of a tomb—a painted scene showing a funeral procession. The coffin was being carried on the shoulders of four bearers, preceded and followed by servants carrying items of furniture—a bed, a stool, boxes and vessels, the whole inlaid with silver and lapis. A beautiful piece, but a copy of course. When I first saw it I was wild with excitement. Alas, it had been made about thirty years ago. It was beautiful but a fake."

"How disappointing for you!" I cried, and Hadrian told them the story of my finding the bronze shield.

"And that," he finished, "is why she is where she is today."

"It is clearly where she enjoys being," said Leopold Harding. "You must do me the honor of visiting my little store room. I haven't a great deal there but some of the pieces are interesting."

We said we should enjoy that and with an au revoir we left him sitting on the terrace of the hotel.

The Pasha had sent a message that he would dine with us on his way to one of his palaces and he hoped, while with us, to hear something of the progress which was being made in this wonderful task to which he had given his full support.

With Tabitha and Theodosia I watched his arrival from an upper room of the palace. It was a magnificent sight. He traveled in a carriage drawn by four beautiful white horses in which he made slow progress preceded by a train of camels, each of which had bells about its neck so that they tinkled as they walked. Some of the camels were laden with his luggage, polished boxes set with stones and placed on cloths edged with deep gold fringe.

He dismounted at the gates of the palace where Tybalt, with some of the senior members of the party, was there to greet him. He was then taken into the inner courtyard. where he was seated on a special chair which had been brought for him. The back rest of this chair was inlaid with semiprecious stones and while it might have been a trifle uncomfortable it was decidedly grand.

Several of the servants were waiting with sweetmeats, large cakes made of wheat and flour and honey fried together, and glasses of tea. Three glasses must be drunk by each—the first very sweet, the second even more so, and the third with mint. All the glasses were filled to the brim and it was a breach of etiquette to spill any of the tea. I don't know what would have happened to any of the servants who did so. Fortunately on that occasion none did.

Tabitha told me what was taking place as of course we, as women, were not admitted to this ceremony.

But, out of respect for our European customs, we were allowed to sit at table and I was even accorded a place beside the great Pasha.

His fat hands were a-glitter with gems; and it was fortunate that the gem-studded chair was brought in for him, for it was wide and he was very plump. He was clearly delighted with his reception and rather pleased to see the women. He studied us intently, his eyes lingering on us as though he were assessing our worthiness in that field which for him would be the only one suitable for women. I think we all passed—Tabitha for her beauty, no doubt, which was undeniable from any standards, Theodosia for her femininity, and myself? I certainly hadn't Tabitha's looks or Theodosia's fragile charm, but I did possess a vitality which neither of them had, and perhaps this appealed to the Pasha, for of the three he seemed most taken with me. I suppose I was more unlike an Eastern woman than any of them and the difference amused or interested him.

He spoke tolerable English, for as a high official he had often come into contact with our countrymen.

Dinner went on for several hours. The servants knew what should be offered and they were also aware of the enormity of our Pasha's appetite. Unfortunately we were expected to eat with him. Kebab was followed by kuftas; and I believe they had never during our stay been served with such carefully prepared aromatic sauces. I noticed the expressions of fear on the faces of the silent-footed servants as they proffered the food to their master. He was served first, as the guest, and I, next to him, was appalled by the large quantities which he ate. Being a woman I was not expected to take such large portions. I was sorry for the men.

The Pasha led the conversation. He spoke glowingly of our country, our Queen, and the boon that the Suez Canal had brought to Egyptian trade.

"Think of this great achievement," he said. "A canal one hundred miles in length flowing through Lake Timsah and the great Bitter Lakes—from Port Said to Suez. What an undertaking. Moreover it has brought the British in force to Egypt." His eyes glinted slyly. "And what could be a greater pleasure to all concerned. And what has happened since we had the canal? People come here as never before. You British . . . what a flair for trade, eh! Your Thomas Cook with his steamers up the Nile. Chartering them from our Khedive for the purpose. What a clever man, eh! And what good for Egypt! Now he has a steamer to go between Aswan and the Second Cataract. Such good business for Egypt and we owe it to your country."

I said that Egypt had so much to offer the discerning visitors in the remains of an ancient civilization which was one of the wonders of the world.

"And who knows what else may be discovered!" he said, his eyes alight with joy. "Let us hope Allah smiles on your endeavors."

Tybalt said that he and the members of the party could never adequately express their gratitude for all the help he had given them.

"Oh, it is well that I help. It is right that I should place my house at your disposal." He turned to me. "My ancestors have amassed great wealth and there is a story in the family of how we began to build up our fortunes. Would you like to hear how we began?"

"I should very much like to know," I told him.

"It will shock you. It is said that long, long ago we were tomb robbers I"

I laughed.

"That is the story that has been handed down for hundreds of years. A thousand years ago my ancestors robbed the tombs here and so became rich men. Now we must expiate the sins of our fathers by giving all the help possible to those who would open tombs for posterity."

"I hope one day the whole world will be as grateful to you as we of this party are," said Tybalt.

"So I continue to placate the gods," said the Pasha. "And for my family sign I take the head of Anubis who embalmed the body of Osiris when his wicked brother Set murdered him. Osiris rose again and I honor his sacred embalmer, and he gives my house its sign."

Conversation then turned to the matter which I was sure was uppermost in the Pasha's mind—the expedition.

"The good Sir Edward suffered a great tragedy," he said. "This gives me much unhappiness. But you, Sir Tybalt, will, I know, find what you seek."

"It is good of you to show such sympathy. I cannot express my gratitude."

The Pasha patted Tybalt's hand.

"You believe that you will find what you come to seek, eh?"

"It is what I am working for," replied Tybalt.

"And you will do it, with the help of your genies." He laughed. It was an expression I had heard often since arriving in Egypt.

"I shall hope my genies will give me his assistance."

"And then you will leave us, and take away with you these beautiful ladies."

He smiled at me and it was my turn to be patted by the plump ringed fingers. He bent towards me. "Why I could wish that you do not succeed."

"We should have to depart in any case," said Tybalt with a laugh.

"Then I should be tempted to find some means of keeping you here." The Pasha was waggish. "You think I could do it, eh?" he asked me.

"Why yes," I replied, "with the help of your genies."

There was a brief silence at the table. I guessed I had erred. However, the Pasha decided to be amused and he laughed, which was the sign for everyone including the servants to join in.

Then he talked to me about my impressions of the country and asked what I thought of the palace and if all the servants had pleased me.

We had quite an animated conversation and it was clear that although a few of my answers to the Pasha's questions might have been somewhat unconventional I had made a success.

There was some talk about the excavations in which I did not join. The Pasha having eaten a tremendous meal was nibbling a sweet rather like that which at home we called Turkish Delight. Here it was stuffed with savory nuts and was quite delicious, or would have been if one had not eaten such a large meal.

The Pasha was to continue his journey to another of his palaces by moonlight as it was too hot to travel by day and before he left he would be taken to the site by Tybalt on a rather ceremonious inspection.

While they were preparing to leave there was a heartrending scream from without and hurrying into the courtyard I saw one of the Pasha's servants writhing in agony.

I asked what had happened and heard that he had been bitten by a scorpion. We had been warned to be careful when near piles of stones for this was where scorpions lurked and their stings were poisonous. I had seen many a chameleon and lizard basking on the hot stones and the geckos came inside the palace, but I had not yet seen a scorpion.