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g。 Mr。 Albion had adopted what he believed to be proper archaeologist's attire： riding breeches and boots； a tweed coat； and a very large solar topee。 His son was similarly attired； but since he was a good deal taller than Mr。 Albion； he did not so closely resemble a mushroom。
One of the workmen came trotting up to Mr。 Albion with a bit of stone in his hand。 Albion took it； glanced at it； and tossed it away。 He then condescended to notice us。
〃Morning； folks。 Out bright and early； are you？〃
〃Not so early as you；〃 said Emerson； advancing with shoulders squared and brows thunderous。 〃You have been told； I believe； that you are in violation of Lord Carnarvon's firman。 Close down your excavation at once。〃
〃Who's gonna make us？〃 Mr。 Albion inquired。 He looked even more cherubic； his eyes twinkling and his lips pursed。 〃You？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Emerson。 〃Oh； yes。〃
〃Father； if I may？〃 Sebastian Albion had got to his feet。 〃Not everyone appreciates your sense of humor。 Won't you sit down； ladies and gentlemen； and discuss the situation？ Mrs。 Emerson； please take my chair。 I'm afraid the rest of you will have to … er …〃
〃Squat；〃 said Nefret； doing so。 〃Let's hear what they have to say； Father。 It won't cause much of a delay and it might be amusing。〃
〃I agree；〃 said Ramses； subsiding with boneless ease onto the rug beside Nefret and crossing his legs。
〃Amusing；〃 Mr。 Albion repeated。 〃Yes； sirree； that's our aim in life； to amuse people and be polite。 Here； young lady； take my chair。 We heard you've been ailing。〃
Jumana started； and so； I believe； did we all。 Such gallantry was not only unexpected but was； in my opinion； highly suspicious。
〃No； thank you；〃 she stammered。 〃Sir。〃
〃I insist。〃 He was on his feet； his face wreathed in smiles。 〃Sebastian； you persuade her。〃
〃With pleasure。〃 The young man offered his hand。 Jumana blushed and ducked her head。
〃Sit down； Jumana；〃 I ordered。 〃Since Mr。 Albion is kind enough to offer。〃
Mrs。 Albion ignored this little byplay。 She was leaning forward with the first sign of amiable interest I had seen her display。 〃What a beautiful cat。 What is its name？〃
〃The Great Cat of Re；〃 I replied。 〃You would call it Fluffy； I suppose。〃
Mr。 Albion chuckled。 〃No； she gives her cats names like Grand Duchess Olga of Albion。 Fond of the creatures。 I put up with 'em because she's fond of 'em。〃
〃Now see here；〃 Emerson exclaimed。 〃I will be cursed if I will spend the morning talking about cats。 What do you people think you are doing？〃
Sebastian Albion removed his eyeglasses； wiped them on a handkerchief； and replaced them。 〃As you have no doubt observed； sir； we are clearing the tomb of Prince Mentuherkhepshef。 It was found by Belzoni and reexamined in 1905 by …〃
〃Don't tell me facts I know better than you；〃 Emerson interrupted。 Curiosity had weakened his wrath； however； the Albions were so blandly outrageous； it was difficult to remain angry with them。 And Sebastian had pronounced the prince's name correctly。 He knew more about Egyptology than we had supposed。
〃What do you hope to find？〃 Emerson went on。 〃The tomb is empty。 Ayrton； who was here in 1905； found only a few scraps。 The paintings 。 。 。 oh； good Gad！〃
He whirled round and ran toward the workmen。 A stentorian bellow stopped diggers and basket men； and as the cloud of dust subsided； Emerson vanished into the dark opening of the tomb。 He was out again in ten seconds； waving his fists。 〃Someone has been hacking at the walls。 There was a painting of the prince offering to Khonsu …〃
〃Defaced or missing？〃 Ramses asked。
〃Missing。 pletely cut out； leaving a great hole。 Probably in pieces。 Curse it！〃
〃We didn't do it；〃 Sebastian hastened to say。 〃We haven't touched the paintings。〃
〃You aren't doing them any good；〃 Emerson retorted furiously。 〃All that dust and debris floating about 。 。 。 My patience is at an end。 Stop work at once。〃
〃What are you going to do； carry us out of here bodily？〃 Mr。 Albion inquired。 〃There's nothing to stop us from ing back。〃
〃Your workmen won't e back。 I am about to put a curse on the place。 They won't dare go near it after that； and neither will any of the other men on the West Bank。〃
〃You better listen； Joe；〃 Cyrus advised。 〃The Professor's curses are famous around here。〃
〃That so？〃 Mr。 Albion's eyes narrowed until they virtually disappeared。 Then they resumed their normal appearance and a smile fattened his cheeks。 〃Well； I guess we know how to give in gracefully； eh； Sebastian？ It's a shame about those fellows； they really need the work。〃
That aspect of the matter had not occurred to Emerson。 It did not affect his decision； but I could see he was moved by it。 He stood for a moment in thought； fingering the cleft in his chin。 〃It's a new tomb you're after； I presume？ That's what every dilettante wants。 There are one or two areas I've been meaning to explore for some time。 Very promising sites。〃
Mrs。 Albion had been stroking the Great Cat of Re； who politely permitted the liberty。 （I had hoped it would hiss or scratch。） She looked up at Emerson。 〃Where are these sites； Professor？〃
We delayed long enough to see the men begin to dismantle the fortable little tent； and Mrs。 Albion lifted； armchair and all； onto the shoulders of the servants。 She was extremely gracious； though not to me； she thanked Emerson for his advice； spared a frosty smile for Jumana； and shook a playful finger at Ramses when he rose and settled the Great Cat of Re more securely onto his shoulder。 〃You really ought to select a more appropriate name for that charming creature； Mr。 Emerson。 The name of a lovely Egyptian goddess； perhaps？ Hathor or Isis。〃
〃I fear that would not be appropriate； ma'am；〃 Ramses replied。 〃The cat is not of the female sex … uh … gender。〃
〃I may have been mistaken about Mrs。 Albion；〃 I admitted； as we walked away。 〃Cats are generally good judges of character。 Playfulness does not bee her； however。 What on earth were you thinking of； Emerson； proposing other sites for them？ You have no right to do anything of the sort。〃
〃Good Gad； Peabody； I expected you would approve of my mild methods。〃 Striding along； hands in his pockets； Emerson glanced at me in feigned surprise。 〃I am familiar with men of Albion's character； if I had not offered them alternatives； they would simply have moved to some other forbidden area。 I can't put curses on every site on the West Bank。〃
〃But the southwest wadis？ The Valley of the Queens？〃
〃The entrance to the Valley of the Queens；〃 Emerson corrected。 〃There's nothing of interest there。 If they mount an expedition to the southwest wadis I will be surprised； it's too far and too unfortable。 Besides； you heard my condition。 They will hire Soleiman Hassan as their reis。 I will make sure he reports to me the instant they find anything … which is； in my opinion； unlikely。 Why are you looking so glum； Vandergelt？〃
〃I kinda hoped for more fireworks；〃 Cyrus admitted。 〃Don't count on Joe doing what you told him； Emerson。 He holds a grudge against people who try to order him around。〃
〃Bah；〃 said Emerson。
〃They were very polite；〃 Jumana murmured。
〃Yes；〃 I said thoughtfully。
We collected Sennia and the picnic basket … and a reluctant but dogged Gargery … and went on to Deir el Medina； where we were forced to listen to another lecture； this one from Daoud。 Selim had regaled him and a select audience with an edited version of our recent adventures； and Daoud was vibrating with indignation。
We had to apologize for leaving him behind and promise never to do it again。
〃So Daoud knows all about it；〃 Cyrus remarked。 His voice was mild but his expression was severe。 The same look of reproach marked Bertie's features。
〃You promised me； ma'am；〃 he began。
〃My dear boy； you must not take it personally。 We don't plan these things； you know； most of them just … well； they just happen。〃
〃This one didn't；〃 Cyrus said。 〃You were in the war zone； I got that much from what Daoud said。 Do you have less confidence in us than you do in him？〃
〃My sentiments exactly； ma'am；〃 said Bertie。
〃Of course not；〃 I said heartily。 〃We will tell you all about it this evening； how's that？〃
〃Precisely what are we going to tell them？〃