Part 56 (1/2)
”Have you ridden far to-day?”
”Yes. I've been in the desert for some time now. We started this morning at dawn.” He put the gla.s.s down on the rough trestle-table.
”Thanks most awfully. I feel a lot better. You said there was no truth in the report about the gold and the jewels--what are you expecting?”
”We have seen no trace of gold so far, but you must remember that it was a native who brought the information. Any discoverer is bound to inform the Government, and any portable object accidentally found must be given up within six days.”
”But the finder receives half its value?”
”Yes, but if there was this treasure-trove of gold and jewels, it's doubtful if natives would hand that over. It would have been a different thing if it had been monumental objects, or even antiques, as they always run the risk of being caught trafficking in them. They would be inclined to think that half their value is better than none, with the added risk of the heavy penalty. The new rules are very stringent.”
”But the jewels? Is there no trace of any precious stones? Don't you think there's a little fire for all that smoke?”
”We heard all these wonderful reports, but we have found no trace of any treasure. What the native reported was that he, along with some other _fellahin_, had accidentally come across some traces of ancient masonry, not far from Akhnaton's tomb. After digging for a few days, they discovered an underground pa.s.sage, which led into a chamber; in it we came upon some papyri.”
”You have found papyri?” Michael said. His tired eyes suddenly glowed; his excitement was obvious.
”Yes, we have found papyri. They promise to be of exceptional interest.”
”Of what dynasty?” Michael could scarcely speak, or hide his anxiety while he waited for an answer to his question. To be able to a.s.sume an outward appearance of calmness, he was putting a great strain on his self-control. He held himself so well in hand that the stranger little guessed how much his answer meant to the exhausted traveller.
”Amenhotep IV.”
A cry rang through the room. ”Akhnaton! did you say? Then it is true!” Margaret, the old man in el-Azhar, and the saint, they had all seen and spoken the truth. For a moment the stranger was forgotten.
It was Margaret who was looking at him with glad triumphant eyes.
Happy Meg!
”Yes, the heretic Pharaoh,” the stranger said, as he gazed fixedly at Michael. Was this man more than a little touched with the sun? He felt nervous of how to proceed. Why was he so excited and pleased?
”These hills, you know, were the boundary of his capital. You appear interested in him? He certainly was a wonderful character.”
The more conventional and colder tones of his voice made Michael guarded. Kind as he was, he was just the type of man who would laugh to scorn anything he might have told him. Freddy's friendly laughter never troubled Michael; the scorn of a stranger was a different thing.
”Have they deciphered any of the papyri?”
”No, we haven't had the time. We've only gone into them sufficiently to discover their date. This is, of course, a temporary search. We can only do in a month what is absolutely necessary. If regular excavations are to be made, which I presume there will be, we shall, of course, have to wait for a bit, while the final regulations are gone through, and until the necessary money is forthcoming. These last new rules and restrictions are putting a stop to any private enterprise.
There is nothing left to pay the cost of the dig.”
”On the whole, I suppose, they do good?”
”They don't do what they were meant to do--and that is, stop the stealing and the selling of valuable antiques which the Government, rightly enough, does not wish to leave the country, and desires to have the disposal of.”
”I had hoped the new restrictions would stop that.”
”You see, the penalties only apply to the natives and the Turks, with the result that the native dealer simply puts an Italian or a Greek name over his door. To the foreigner, the native is only the agent, officially--the dealer is the Greek or Italian whose name is over the door.”
”They'd be sure to get out of the difficulty somehow,” Michael said.
”About antiques they have no conscience, and they are awfully clever.”
”An inspector may now raid their premises at any time of the day or night, and nothing is allowed to be sold outside authorized and licensed shops. Every dealer has to keep a day-book, with an entry of each object in his shop over five pounds in value, the purchaser's name must be filled in, and every page of the register sealed by the Inspector of Antiquities.”