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〃I would prefer to go on at Deir el Medina； Father；〃 Ramses said； politely but firmly。 Emerson looked at him in surprise； and I gave Ramses an encouraging nod。 It had taken him a long time to get courage enough to disagree with his father。 〃The site is unique；〃 Ramses went on。 〃Do you realize what we might learn from it？ We've already e across a cache of papyri and a number of inscribed ostraca； they confirm my belief that the people who lived in the village were craftsmen and artists who worked on the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings。〃
〃They were servants in the Place of Truth；〃 Emerson interrupted。 〃Some scholars believe they were priests。〃
〃Their additional titles indicate otherwise。 Draftsman； architect； foreman …〃
〃Well； well； most interesting；〃 said Emerson； who had lost interest almost at once。 〃Your opinion is of course important to me； my boy。 We will discuss it later； eh？〃
He was set on his plan and had no intention of reconsidering it。 When Cyrus reminded him that we had agreed to attend one of his popular soirees that evening； he did not even swear。
I turned to Bertie； who appeared to be in a pensive mood； for he had not spoken after his initial greeting。
〃What do you think； Bertie？〃
His brown hair had bee sun…bleached and his face was tanned； so that he was a pale shade of brown all over。 One could not call him handsome； but his pleasant； guileless smile was very attractive。 〃Whatever you decide is fine with me； Mrs。 Emerson。 I'm just a hired hand； as Cyrus would say。〃
〃You appear to be in a pensive mood；〃 I persisted。 〃You are feeling well？〃
〃Oh； yes； ma'am。 Thank you。〃
〃You took up archaeology to please Cyrus；〃 I said； and patted his hand。 〃It was kind of you； Bertie； but he wouldn't want you to go on with it if you find it distasteful。〃
〃I'd do more than that for him。〃 Bertie blushed slightly； as Englishmen tend to do when they give vent to their emotions。 〃He's been jolly good to me； you know。 I only wish 。 。 。〃
〃What； Bertie？〃
〃Oh … that I could find something really first…rate for Cyrus。 Not that I'm likely to；〃 he added diffidently。 〃I really am keen； Mrs。 Emerson； but I'll never be as good as Ramses。 Or you； ma'am。〃
〃One never knows；〃 I said。 〃Many great discoveries are serendipitous。 There is no reason why you should not succeed as well as another。〃
After finishing our tea we returned to Deir el Medina to consult Selim and Daoud。 Daoud had no opinion on the subject； anything Emerson chose to do was acceptable to him。 Selim folded his arms and looked severely at Emerson。
〃We have made a good beginning here； Emerson。〃
〃Cyrus and Bertie can carry on；〃 Emerson replied blithely。 〃The boy is turning into a pretty fair excavator。〃
Selim glanced at Jumana； who was helping Ramses collect the ostraca that had been found that morning。 〃Will you leave her here with Vandergelt Effendi？〃
Emerson grinned。 〃Does she annoy you？〃
〃She talks very loudly all the time。 And I do not trust her。〃
〃You are being as cynical as your father；〃 I said。 〃I feel certain Jumana will tell us if Jamil attempts to reach her。 Your inquiries in Gurneh have not produced any new information； have they？〃
〃No；〃 Selim admitted。
〃Then if you have no further objections； Selim； we will proceed with our plan；〃 Emerson said。 〃You and Daoud with us at Medinet Habu； of course； and Jumana as well。〃
〃Vandergelt Effendi will want to look for tombs here；〃 Selim said dourly。
〃No doubt。〃 Emerson chuckled。 〃What's the harm in that？〃
Cyrus's soiree was like all his parties … elegant and genteel。 Since he was the most hospitable of men； he always invited everyone he could get hold of； so the pany was mixed： friends who lived year…round in Luxor； tourists； a few professional associates … too few； alas； in these terrible times … and members of the military。 I had got to the point where the very sight of a uniform depressed me； and I prayed that the day would soon e when the men who wore them could take them off and go back to their normal lives。
Those that survived。
I took a sip of the champagne Cyrus handed me and told myself to cheer up！ No cloud shadowed Cyrus's lined countenance； and indeed he was one of the most fortunate of men。 Wealthy and respected； happily married； absorbed in work he loved； he had required only one thing to fill his cup； and Bertie had given him that … the devoted affection of a son； and a panion in his work。
〃What's on your mind； Amelia？〃 Cyrus asked。 〃You look kinda gloomy。 Has that young villain Jamil turned up again？〃
〃No； we have heard nothing of him。 I am sorry if I gave the impression I am not thoroughly enjoying myself； and I am ready to do my duty in entertaining your guests。 Is there anyone you would like to be soothed； amused； or stirred up？〃
Cyrus chuckled。 〃Especially the last。 Anything you like； Amelia； but if you want to pick on someone； have a go at Joe Albion。 He was a business rival of mine some years back； and he's got one of the best private collections of antiquities in the world。 I wouldn't like to guess how he acquired some of them。〃
〃I didn't know he was an acquaintance of yours；〃 I said； recognizing the rotund shape and round red face of Mr。 Albion。 〃He and his family were on the boat ing over； and we ran into them the other day near Deir el Bahri。 What an odd family they are； to be sure。 Mr。 Albion asked us to introduce him to some tomb robbers。〃
Cyrus let out an emphatic American ejaculation。 〃Gol…durn it！ Sounds like Joe； all right。〃
〃I thought he was joking。 He is such a jolly little man。〃
〃Jolly Joe。〃 Cyrus grinned； but he began tugging at his goatee … a sure sign of perturbation。 〃Don't let that fool you； Amelia。 He's got a reputation for going straight for the jugular。〃
〃His wife appears quite devoted to him。〃
〃It is an odd marriage；〃 Cyrus admitted。 〃She's from one of the best families in Boston and Joe is mon as dirt。 Nobody could figure out why she married him； but she's living like a queen now … and the boy was raised like a prince。〃
I had no particular interest in talking with any of the Albions； so I moved about from one group to another； paying particular attention to those who were strangers or seemed ill at ease。 It was my duty； but I cannot say I enjoyed it； most of the gentlemen would talk of nothing but the war。 Emerson had been correct； the Germans had announced they would begin unrestricted submarine warfare； on all vessels of Allied and neutral nations。 This put the tourists present in a somewhat awkward position。 One of them； a tall； distinguished American named Lubancic； took the matter philosophically。
〃They can't keep it up for long。 This is going to get the American government riled up； and I wouldn't be surprised to see us get into this business pretty soon。 Anyhow；〃 he added with a smile； 〃Egypt's not such a bad place to be stuck for the duration。 There's plenty to see and do； and prices are cheap； with the tourist trade down。 Do you suppose there's any chance of my doing a little digging； Mrs。 Emerson？ Plenty of local men for hire； I believe。〃
It was a mon enough question； few visitors understood the regulations that governed excavation and many of them naively believed that all they had to do was dig to find a rich tomb。 I was sorry to disillusion Mr。 Lubancic； for he seemed a very pleasant fellow； but I felt obliged to explain。
〃One must have permission from the Department of Antiquities； and all excavations must be supervised by a trained archaeologist。 At this particular time there aren't many such persons available。〃
〃The Brits and French have got something else on their minds besides archaeology；〃 said another gentleman。 〃The war on this front seems to be going well； though。 The Senussi are in retreat and the Turks have been driven out of the Sinai。〃
〃But the British advance has stalled outside Gaza；〃 Mr。 Lubancic objected。
〃It's only a matter of time before we take Gaza；〃 said a military officer； stroking his large mustache。 〃Johnny Turk isn't much of a threat。〃
His insignia identified him as a member of the staff； and his portly frame and flushed face suggested that he had fought the war from behind a desk in Cairo。 Another； younger； offic