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s that gets the use of it。〃
〃I depend on you； Gargery； to keep a close eye out when you take Miss Sennia to the Castle for her lessons with Mrs。 Vandergelt。 I doubt there is any reason for concern； but it would be foolish to take chances。〃
〃I agree； madam；〃 said Gargery； standing stiff as a wooden soldier and smiling broadly。
〃How good of you to say so； Gargery。 Where the devil is that girl？ Gargery； please go and 。 。 。 Ah； there you are； Jumana。 Sit down and eat something and be quick about it。〃
We were to meet Daoud and Selim at Gurneh and go on from there to the Cemetery of the Monkeys； taking with us the necessary equipment for the ghoulish task that lay ahead。 Since no one was keen on carrying the dreadful burden any farther than they had to； we planned to go the long way round； by way of the road which would enable us to bring a donkey…drawn cart part of the distance。
The cart was ready when we arrived at Selim's house； to find him and Daoud and Hassan； another of our fellows； waiting。 I could see by their faces that they had been warned of what they were supposed to do； and I didn't blame them for looking gloomy。
〃I have everything we will need；〃 Selim announced。 〃But before we go； I think you will wish to talk with Mohammed Hammad。 He is here。〃
〃Ah；〃 said Emerson。 〃The disappointed bridegroom。 Have you told him of our discovery yesterday？〃
〃No； Father of Curses；〃 said Selim； looking as demure as a husky young man with a large black beard can look。
Emerson laughed aloud and clapped him on the back。 〃Good。 It will be an even greater shock ing from me。〃
Mohammed Hammad was a wiry little man with a face as wrinkled as a raisin and a graying beard。 Like most Egyptians of the fellahin class； he was probably younger than he looked。 Inadequate diet； insanitary living conditions； and an absence of proper medical care can age an individual rapidly。 Now there； I thought； is a cause that might attract Nefret； and allow her to use her medical skills in the place where I intended she should be … a clinic on the West Bank； to treat mon ailments such as parasites and infections。 Not a stimulating practice； perhaps； for a trained surgeon； but one thing might lead to another 。 。 。
I put the matter aside for the moment； so that I could concentrate on our suspect。 Expecting to be lectured by Emerson about the tomb； and prepared to deny everything； he greeted us with a certain reserve。 Emerson did not beat around the bush。
〃We found one of your friends yesterday； in the tomb you robbed。 Dead。 Murdered。〃
It was an effective； if somewhat brutal； method of shocking Mohammed into an admission。 I thought for a moment the poor man would have a stroke or a heart attack。 He finally managed to gasp out a word。 〃Who 。 。 。〃
〃You would know better than we；〃 Emerson said。 〃Selim tells me that Abdul Hassan has not been seen for a week。 He was one of your 。 。 。 Damnation；〃 he went on； in English。 〃He's about to have a fit。 Give him some brandy； Peabody。〃
Mohammed accepted the brandy （one of the little items I always carry attached to my belt） with an eagerness unbeing a good Moslem （which I had never thought he was）。 He was ready to talk； the words poured out of him； and a disturbing story it was。
Of the original thieves； two were now dead。 The other death had been attributed to accident； the body had been found at the base of the cliffs and it was assumed he had fallen。
〃The curse of the pharaohs；〃 said Emerson； unable to resist。 〃Death to those who defile the tombs。〃
The brandy had restored Mohammed's nerve。 He gave Emerson a cynical look。 〃It took the pharaohs a long time to act； Father of Curses。 Abdul has been robbing tombs since he was a boy。〃
〃He won't rob any more；〃 Emerson pointed out。 〃Who were the others？〃
Mohammed rattled the names off without hesitating。 Everyone in the village knew； including his rivals in the business； so there was no profit in reticence。 He demanded extralarge baksheesh for his candor； of course。 〃That is all I can tell you； Father of Curses。 Can I go now？〃
〃You have not told me everything；〃 Emerson said。 〃You gave me six names。 There was a seventh man； wasn't there？〃
〃He was not one of us；〃 Mohammed muttered。
〃I know who he was。〃
〃The Father of Curses knows all；〃 Daoud intoned。
Emerson acknowledged this tribute with a gracious nod； and went on； 〃Was it Jamil who found the tomb？〃
〃We all found it！ We shared with him … we were generous。〃
Mohammed's voice was shrill with unconvincing indignation。 The falsity of his claim was obvious。 Jamil was not a regular member of their little gang； they would never have shared the treasure with him unless he had been the one responsible for discovering it。
〃Have you seen or heard from him since you divided the money？〃 Emerson persisted。
A look of calculation； not unmixed with fear； sharpened Mohammed's features。 〃No； Father of Curses。〃 He clutched his chest and rolled his eyes。 〃Ah！ The pain！〃
He was not too feeble to hold out his hand。 Emerson dropped a few coins into it。 〃There will be more for you； Mohammed； if you bring us news of Jamil。 Tell the others the same … and warn them to watch out for accidents。〃
〃Hmmmm。〃 Mohammed scratched his neck。 〃Accidents。〃
〃You should have asked him to break the news to Abdul's family； Emerson；〃 I said； after Mohammed had scuttled off。
〃He will anyhow；〃 said Emerson。 〃Let's go before the bereaved relatives descend on us。〃
After all； there is nothing like an early…morning ride in the brisk desert air to raise the spirits。 We were taking the horses as far as they could safely go； and even the thought of the nasty job ahead of us faded as we went on。 Admittedly； the worst part of the business was not something I had to tackle。 I wondered what Abdullah would have thought of it。 He would probably have remarked that it served the fellow right； and that we should leave it to his family to have the body out； but if he had been asked to take the responsibility he would have carried it out with his usual efficiency。
I had not dreamed of him for a long time。 They were strange dreams； unlike most others … as vivid and consistent as a real…life encounter would have been。 I am not at all superstitious； but I had e to believe that in some way the profound affection Abdullah and I had felt for one another transcended the barrier of death； and I looked forward to those dreams as I would have anticipated another meeting with a distant friend。 Perhaps now that I was back in Luxor； where we had shared so many unforgettable experiences； Abdullah would e to me again。
After we passed Medinet Habu the road narrowed to a path and then to a track as it turned toward the hills。 It was Ramses who halted our caravan and Ramses who was the first to dismount； swinging himself off Risha's back in a single smooth movement。 The rest of us followed his lead。
It was over a mile to the end of the wadi。 Leaving the cart and the horses there； we proceeded on foot for a few hundred yards； to the place where the wide mouth of the canyon narrowed and the hills began to rise； dividing the southern branch of the wadi from another tongue that ran off to the north。 Ramses stripped off his coat and took one of the coils of knotted rope。
We had discussed the best method of proceeding the night before； and had agreed； or so I believed； Emerson had not liked it then and he did not like it now。
〃My turn；〃 he insisted。 〃You've been in the stinking place already。 Once was enough。〃
Ramses's mouth tightened with annoyance。 I knew how he felt； when there is a dirty job to be done； one wishes to get it over。 He wanted to spare his father； who wanted to spare him； and neither of them would give in without a struggle。 Then Bertie； who stood a little to one side； said suddenly； 〃I'll go。〃
Taken by surprise； all of us turned to stare at him。 Meeting my doubtful eye； he smiled。 〃I've almost certainly seen worse； you know。〃
It was almost certainly true。 He had been in the trenches in France for almost two years before he suffered the wounds that sent him home； ill and embittered。 I had heard stories 。 。 。
〃You are not a good climber；〃 said Jumana； arms folded。 〃Ramses is much better。〃
I co