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〃Not with one arm； Emerson！〃
〃They will have to lower me； that's all；〃 said Emerson； his chin protruding in a manner that made remonstrance useless。 〃We've another rope； haven't we？〃
〃It will be a tight fit；〃 Bertie warned。 〃There's a roughish platform； about five feet square； with the passage going off into the cliff at a right angle。 It's partially filled with …〃
〃Plenty of room；〃 said Emerson； tossing one end of the rope to Selim and trying to knot the other end round his waist。
I said； 〃Oh； curse it；〃 and tied the knot myself。 Then I lay flat on the ground peering down into the crevice as Emerson was lowered。
With the rope anchored and held by both Selim and Ramses； I was not afraid Emerson would fall。 I was afraid he would try to crawl into the narrow passage and get stuck like a cork in a bottle。 It was quite dark down there except for the limited light of Emerson's torch。 I could see very little； and the auditory sense was not of much help either； thanks to the echoes that distorted every sound。 The rope went loose and Emerson yelled something； and I let out a small exclamation。
〃It's all right； Mother；〃 Ramses said。 〃He's reached the platform。〃
〃He won't be able to get through the passage；〃 I muttered。 〃He's twice the size of Jamil。〃
〃He'll get through；〃 Ramses said； passing his sleeve over his perspiring face。 〃If he has to dig the fill out with his bare hands。 One bare hand。〃
I could hear him doing it。 Loose rock began falling from the bottom of the cleft； rattling down the hillside。 It slowed and stopped。 After that there was nothing but silence； until a call from Cyrus brought us all to our feet。 Daoud seized the rope and pulled with all his might。 As soon as Cyrus's head appeared we fell on him and dragged him out。
〃Well？〃 I cried。
Cyrus shook his head。 His lips moved； but no words emerged。 Tears ran down his face。 His eyes were red…rimmed。
〃Dust；〃 said my practical son。 He handed Cyrus the water bottle； and then leaped for the other rope as it tightened。 With Daoud's help they soon had Emerson up； he hadn't even bothered tying the rope round his body； but was holding on with one hand。 We hauled him over the edge and he staggered to his feet； blinking bloodshot eyes。
〃There are four coffins；〃 he gasped。 〃Four。 Four of everything； packed into that room from floor to ceiling and side to side。 Four sets of canopic jars； four gold…inlaid boxes； four funerary papyri； four hundred ushebtis； four thousand …〃
Cyrus began jumping up and down and waving his arms。 〃The God's Wives；〃 he bellowed。 〃Four！ I never thought I'd live to see this day！ If I were struck dead tonight； I'd be the happiest man alive。〃
〃No； you wouldn't；〃 I said； catching hold of him。 〃You would be dead。 And you will be； if you fall off the cliff。〃
I wanted to take Emerson home； he had ruined another shirt squeezing through those tight spaces； and banged his head； and scraped most of the skin off both hands and cracked the cast。 Cyrus was in little better case； but neither of them heard a word I said； they kept shouting enthusiastically at each other and shaking hands。 I consigned them both to the devil （they didn't hear that either） and concluded I was entitled to satisfy my own curiosity。
We went down in turn； two at a time for safety's sake： Jumana and Bertie； Ramses and I； Selim and Daoud。 Emerson offered to take Nefret； but she said she believed she would wait。 The procedure was somewhat unfortable … crawling on hands and knees over rough fragments of stone； with dust choking one's mouth and an occasional bat squeaking past overhead； but the sight was so incredible I would not have wanted to miss it。
The opening of the chamber had been closed with mortared blocks。 Jamil had removed the upper layers； stacking the stones along the passage； which made the last few feet something of a squeeze。 Looking in； I saw at first only a dazzle of gold。 It was the end of an anthropoid coffin； inlaid with glass and semiprecious stones。 Packed all around it were smaller objects： woven baskets； caskets of ebony and cedar； tattered fragments of papyrus and linen。 Jamil had rummaged through the smaller boxes； dragging out anything he could reach。
Cyrus's long patient wait had been rewarded at last。 This was another cache； like that of the royal mummies； loyal followers of the Adorers of the God had rescued them and their funerary goods from tomb robbers； and hidden them away in this remote spot。 Time and careless handling had destroyed some of the artifacts； but it was still one of the richest finds ever made in Egypt。
We could not even begin excavating the tomb chamber that day。 The passage and the platform had to be pletely cleared first and a method of stabilizing and removing the objects determined upon。 Needless to say； all work came to a standstill； the men danced and sang and cheered and Daoud told them all extravagant lies about the treasures in the chamber。 It was necessary to make arrangements for guards； by day and by night； for the news would spread like wildfire。
〃We might stop at Gurneh and have a word with Mohammed Hassan；〃 I suggested。 〃A curse or two； perhaps？〃
Emerson chuckled。 〃He will probably cry like a baby。 Yes； I will point out the moral advantages of honesty。 If he had not cheated Jamil； he'd have had a chance at this tomb。〃
〃It would have been a bit tricky；〃 Ramses said。 〃Even if they worked only at night； they would have left traces of their activities； and we might have observed those signs。 That was why Jamil tried to lure us out into the western wadis。 He wanted everyone away from Deir el Medina。〃
Since the tomb must not be left unguarded for an instant； Daoud and several of the other men volunteered to stay until evening； when they would be relieved。
〃I suppose you plan to sleep here every night；〃 I said to Cyrus。
〃Every night and every day till we can get a steel door in place。 Jumping Jehoshaphat； Amelia； you don't know what this means to me！ Katherine！ I've got to tell Katherine。 She'll be so durned proud of this boy！ And then；〃 Cyrus went on； grinning fiendishly； 〃maybe I'll just run over to Luxor and break the news to Joe Albion。 I want to see his face when he hears。〃
We sent Selim off with a list of the equipment we would need； and dismissed the men for the day。 A celebration was definitely in order； Cyrus had promised the greatest fantasia ever seen in Luxor； but that would have to wait。 Excitement and exertion had left everyone weary； and Bertie and Jumana both showed the effects of several sleepless nights。 I instructed Bertie to go home and rest。
We had an early night too。 Tea and biscuits and Sennia's excited questions revived Jumana temporarily； but I sent her off to bed immediately after dinner。 Sennia would not go to bed until Emerson promised to take her into the tomb。
〃Emerson； I absolutely forbid it；〃 I exclaimed； after she had gone dancing off with Horus in her arms。
〃Oh； e； Peabody； don't be a spoilsport。 Ramses was in and out of worse places when he was her age。 I won't take her until we've made sure it's safe。〃 He threw his napkin on the table and stood up。 〃I'm late。 Vandergelt will be there already。〃
〃Emerson；〃 I said。 〃This is Cyrus's tomb。 He is in charge； not you。〃
Emerson looked unfortable。 〃I suppose I am allowed to offer my expert advice？〃
〃Not unless he asks for it。 He is generously allowing you to participate； which is more than you ever did for him！〃
〃Hmph；〃 said Emerson； stroking his chin。
〃You might quite properly offer him the assistance of your staff；〃 Ramses suggested。
〃Oh。 Hmmm。 Certainly。 Including myself？〃 He gave me a questioning look。
I pretended to consider。 Emerson had really behaved quite well； for him。 〃If he asks you；〃 I conceded。
〃He asked me to stand guard with him tonight。〃
〃Then you may go。〃
Emerson burst out laughing and gave me a bruising hug。 〃Thank you for giving me permission； my dear。 Ramses； are you ing？〃
〃No；〃 I said； before Ramses could reply。 〃He won't be needed。 Nefret； you might have another look at his injury。 In my opinion he overdid it today。〃
FROM MANUSCRIPT H
Nefret had also noticed that her husband seemed abstracted。 He submitted without men