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〃I will not be distracted； Emerson；〃 I informed him。
〃No？〃 He stepped out of the bath and reached for me。 He has very long arms。
After a time I said； 〃Turn round and let me dry your back。〃
〃I can think of another way of …〃
〃No； Emerson！ I am soaking wet already and we have a great deal to do if we are to get everything ready for tomorrow。 I sent a message to Selim； inviting him to dinner。〃
〃Good thought；〃 said Emerson； sufficiently distracted by this reminder to release me。 〃I wonder what he will say about the latest development。〃
Seated next to me … a delicate attention I always paid him when he condescended to favor us with his pany … Selim listened in frowning silence to Emerson's account of the day's adventure。 Then he shook his head。
〃I am surprised； Emerson； that you should have been so thoughtless；〃 he said severely。 〃The temples and the workmen's village are more important than searching for tombs in that dangerous place。 And you； Ramses； ought not have let him go。〃
Emerson had bee accustomed to Selim's occasional criticisms； but having his own words quoted back at him silenced him momentarily。 Ramses said meekly； 〃You are absolutely right； Selim； but when the Father of Curses speaks； the whole world obeys。〃
〃Huh；〃 said Selim； just as Abdullah might have done。 A thought occurred to him； and he said in a milder voice； 〃Well； perhaps it was meant to be。 Had you not gone there； Mr。 Bertie and that foolish girl might have e to harm。〃
〃That's one way of looking at it；〃 Emerson agreed； as Jumana glared at her cousin。
〃As for Jamil；〃 Selim continued； returning Jumana's glare with interest； 〃he has caused us enough trouble and kept us from our work。 Leave him to me。〃
Even Emerson was silenced by that flat demand； which had been delivered with a dignity and authority as great as Abdullah's had been。 Selim was being more and more like his father； his handsome； strongly defined features framed by a neatly trimmed beard and mustache。 Perhaps it is not surprising that I should have dreamed of Abdullah that night。
He was waiting for me in the place we both loved best； the top of the cliff above Deir el Bahri； where the path went on to the Valley of the Kings； and the sun was rising over the eastern mountains。 As I mounted the last steep slope； I wondered why I was beginning to find the ascent as difficult as I would have done in waking life。 If it was a touch of realism； it was one I could have done without。 I was extremely short of breath when Abdullah gave me his hand and assisted me to attain the summit。
〃They are all well in England；〃 he said。 〃My next grandchild grows strong in the womb of her mother。〃
〃A girl this time？〃 I panted。
Abdullah nodded。 〃Sit down； Sitt； and rest。 Yes； it is a girl； that is already determined。〃
〃Er … speaking of grandchildren； Abdullah 。 。 。〃
He threw his head back and laughed heartily。 As always in these dreams； he was youthfully handsome； without a single gray thread in his beard； his laughter was as merry as Selim's。
〃What about them； Sitt？〃
〃You aren't going to tell me； are you？〃
〃There is a time for all things； Sitt Hakim。 When that time es you will be among the first to know。 How could it be otherwise？〃
Annoyed as I was at his teasing； I could not help smiling a little。 He had said 〃when；〃 not 〃if〃！ That was hopeful。 〃I expect I will；〃 I said。 〃How could it be otherwise？〃
〃There are other things I will tell you： The boy who is in France is safe still； but David is troubled because he feels he should be here with you。 Do not let him e。 The underwater boats will sink many ships this winter。 You are wise to stay in Egypt until that danger is over。〃
Having recovered my breath； I rose from the extremely lumpy rock on which I had been sitting and stood beside him； watching the slow spread of sunlight across the landscape。 Below us the columns of Hatshepsut's temple were ivory…pale in the morning shadows。
〃I know better than to press you when you are determined to keep silent；〃 I grumbled。 〃But you haven't said anything about our current plans。 Where is that cursed boy； Abdullah； and what are we going to do about him？〃
〃It is a matter of shame to me that Jamil is a member of my family。〃 Abdullah's face was as stern as a bronze mask。 〃He will be punished； Sitt； but not by you。 Leave him to me。 Do not take foolish chances； here or elsewhere。〃
〃Where else would I be？ If you are referring to the submarine menace； we have already decided 。 。 。 Curse it； Abdullah； you are trying to get me off the track again。 Where is the confounded tomb？〃
〃It would be tangling the web of the future to tell you that；〃 Abdullah said dreamily。 〃Now； Sitt； do not swear。 It will e right in the end； though not； perhaps； as you expect。〃
He took my hand and held it for a moment。 Then he turned away。
〃Wait；〃 I said。 〃Please。〃
〃No more questions； Sitt。 I have told you all I am allowed。〃
〃I only wondered how you liked your new tomb。〃
Abdullah turned back to face me。 〃It is well enough。〃
〃Is that all you can say？ David designed the structure； you know； and Selim got the men to work as soon as you asked me for it。〃
〃I should not have had to ask；〃 said Abdullah； sounding as sulky as Sennia。
It was so like him … so human … so like a man！ Laughing； I threw my arms around him in an impetuous embrace。 It was the first time I had ever done so； and for the first time he held me close … only for a moment； before he gently loosened my hands and stepped back。
〃Is there anything else you would like？〃 I asked。
〃No。〃 The corners of his mouth twitched； and he said； 〃It is a very fine tomb； Sitt。 Fine enough for a pasha。〃
I did not follow him。 I never had。 Something held me back； perhaps it was the sure knowledge that I would see him again； or the fort I always gained from speaking with him； even when he was at his most irritatingly vague。
〃Good…bye for now；〃 I called。 〃Maassalameh； my friend。〃
I had； of course； arrived at the logical solution to our dilemma … or； to be more accurate； Emerson and Cyrus's impractical plan。 I had said nothing to Emerson； for in my opinion he did not deserve my confidence after playing such a trick on me。 He was therefore in a state of happy ignorance when we got to Deir el Medina； where we found Cyrus and Abu and their crew awaiting us。 Bertie was not there； as I had expected she would； Katherine wanted to keep him under her wing for a few days。 Sennia had gone off to her lessons with less fuss than usual； since she looked forward to 〃taking care of Bertie。〃
We all gathered round Emerson； and a sizable audience we were： Selim and Daoud； Cyrus and Abu； Jumana； Nefret； Ramses； and of course the Great Cat of Re； who had climbed up onto Ramses's shoulder and was staring at Emerson with round green eyes。 I waited until Emerson had drawn a deep breath and opened his mouth before I spoke。
〃The solution to our problem is obvious。〃
Caught off…balance； figuratively speaking； Emerson forgot what he had been about to say。 〃I 。 。 。 Curse it； Peabody； what are you talking about？ What problem？ We have no problem。 We …〃
〃Several problems； I should have said。 First； the distinct possibility that your plan will enrage M。 Daressy and result in our being forbidden to work in Egypt。 Second； the fact that although Bertie has bee a petent supervisor； he knows nothing of hieratic and cannot cope with the inscribed materials we have been finding。 Third； Ramses's desire to continue working here。 Are you so indifferent to the feelings of your son； Emerson； that you will ride roughshod over them？ I had not supposed you would be so unkind。〃
I managed to get through this entire speech without interruption； since I had learned the trick of pausing for breath； not at the end of sentences； but at random intervals the listeners did not expect。 Emerson would not have been reluctant to interrupt at any interval； but as he explained later； my tone of voice warned him he had better not。 And by the time I had finished； the alteration of his expression assured me that the last point； at least； had made the desired impression。
He turned to his son； his handsome features sober。 〃Do you feel that strongly about it； Ramses？