Part 20 (1/2)
”You'll let me give you another cup of tea?--I'm allowed to do that much. Well, I had my fortune told two days ago by a man at the Pyramids. He's supposed to be very clever. He said I was going on a journey into the desert with a man I loved; he spoke of some great thing that was going to happen on the journey. He described you accurately. He was really very funny--I wish you could have heard him.
He saw great wealth for you and some misfortunes.”
Michael looked into her mischievous eyes. ”They talk a lot of rot.”
”Then you don't believe in that sort of thing? He saw sickness and gold and love. We were in the desert. He saw gold.”
”Hush,” Michael said. ”You must forget all that.”
”It was odd, wasn't it? You know how I have urged you to go with me.
I never saw the man before, he has never seen you.”
Again Michael said ”Hush.” Again Millicent paid no attention to him, beyond saying that it was funny that he would never allow her to talk of her love for him, when he had often told her all about his religion of love.
Again Michael said, ”I refuse absolutely to be drawn into a discussion upon the subject. You are frivolous. You and I know quite well that yours is not love.”
”Perhaps not your kind of love, with a big L. But call a rose by whatsoever name you will, it smells as sweet. I can't quote, but you know what I mean, and that true love without pa.s.sion and pa.s.sion without love are both worthless. Every fanatic has pa.s.sion in his or her love. That is why they enjoy it--the scourging of the flesh, the self-denial--the body enjoys this form of self-torture for the object of its adoration. There,” she said, ”I will behave like the dear little innocent you first thought I was if you will come and see the Pyramids at sunset.” The swift transition of her thoughts was typical of her personality.
Michael's train did not leave the station for Luxor until nine-thirty.
He had nothing to do.
”If you'll come,” she said, ”I'll not do or say one thing to hurt you.
I'll be my very nicest--and I can be nice and good now, can't I?”
”Then come,” he said. ”I've not been there since the 'Great Weeping.'”
He used the old man's picturesque term for the inundation of the Nile.
Millicent Mervill was no fool. She meant to keep to her word, and did.
The evening's excursion proved a great success and restored Michael to a more normal state of mind.
CHAPTER XI
When Michael got back to the camp there was so much genuine pleasure in being one of the trio again that he felt that it had been well worth the trouble of the journey, to be received back again so warmly and to see unclouded happiness in Margaret's smile. Her character was transparently sincere.
How radiant she looked, as Freddy and she hurried to meet him! A glad picture for tired eyes.
”Things are 'piping'!” she said eagerly, when he inquired about the ”dig.” ”Freddy has only been waiting for you to come back before he clears out the last few days' debris from the shaft. He has been tidying up the site--it looks much more important.”
Tired as Michael was after his hot journey, instinctively they turned their steps to the excavation. Things had certainly advanced greatly during Michael's absence. The deep shaft was almost cleared of rubbish; the site was tidied up and in spick-and-span order.
Michael was very soon drawn into the feeling of excitement and antic.i.p.ation. Freddy, he thought, looked tired and anxious, which was, of course, only natural, for Michael knew that on his shoulders rested the entire responsibility of the ”dig” and that anything might happen during the time they were waiting for the photographer and the Chief Inspector.
Michael's imagination was ever too vivid. He could see a hundred plundering hands stretched out in the darkness to seize the buried treasure. He could visualize the poisoning of the watch-dogs and the silent killing of the guards, and Freddy waking up to find that his ”pet tomb” had been burgled and robbed of its ancient treasures.
A good deal of discussion ensued between Michael and Freddy which was above Margaret's head. The approximate date of the tomb and a hundred different suggestions and problems which were still beyond her knowledge were gone into by the two Egyptologists. The soothsayer's predictions were not improbable; there were evidences which suggested that the tomb was one of great importance.
”Let's get back to dinner,” Freddy said. ”I scarcely had any lunch--I couldn't leave the men. I'm ready for some food.”
Instantly they retraced their steps. Margaret was humming softly the air of some popular song. Both she and Michael were always anxious to administer to Freddy's wishes.