Part 15 (1/2)

I abandoned the lecture. Ramses could always find a way to do what he wanted, if he had to burn the house down in order to justify it.

”Where is Enid?” I asked.

Then I saw her standing some distance away, her back turned. ”She wanted to stay at the house,” Donald said. ”But I insisted she come with us.”

”Quite right She must not be left alone for an instant.”

”Besides, I need every pair of hands,” Emerson announced. ”Listen to me, all of you. I intend to work without interruption this day. If all the powers of h.e.l.l were to choose this spot on which to wage the final battle of Armageddon, I would not be distracted. If one of you feels a mortal illness come over him, pray go off and die at a distance. Come along, Ramses. You too, Fraser.”

And he marched off, shouting for Abdullah.

”Well!” I said to Enid, who had approached me. ”He is in a temper today! We had better humor him, my dear. I have a great treat for you-we are going to explore the interior of the pyramid!”

Instead of mirroring the enthusiasm I expected, the girl's face lengthened. ”But Ramses said-”

”My dear girl, I hope you are not suggesting that a mere infant has my expertise in archaeology? There may be many important signs Ramses has missed.”

I set the men to work clearing away the debris and enlarging the entrance. A closer examination of the ceiling of the descending pa.s.sageway convinced me there was no danger of further collapse except in the section immediately adjoining the one that had already fallen. A few stout timbers were arranged to brace this; the fallen stones were removed; and I allowed myself the pleasure of being the first to penetrate the interior. We disturbed the usual number of bats, and the advent of these harmless creatures, squeaking and flapping, had a deleterious effect on Enid's nerves. She absolutely refused to accompany me any farther, so I went on alone. fallen stones were removed; and I allowed myself the pleasure of being the first to penetrate the interior. We disturbed the usual number of bats, and the advent of these harmless creatures, squeaking and flapping, had a deleterious effect on Enid's nerves. She absolutely refused to accompany me any farther, so I went on alone.

At the end of a series of pa.s.sages and corridors was a small chamber some seven and a half feet square, with a fine corbeled roof. It was entirely empty. A brief search through the debris on the floor disclosed nothing of interest, and, leaving Selim to sift through the dust to make sure nothing had been overlooked, I returned to the open air, heroically concealing my disappointment.

I found Enid outside, perched on one of the blocks on the side of the pyramid. Chin on her hands, the breeze ruffling her hair, she watched the others gather for the midmorning break. I indicated I was ready to join them, and as we scrambled down the steplike stones I remarked, ”It won't do, you know. You cannot go on forever treating him like a leper.”

”I can and will,” Enid said hotly. ”Unless he comes to his senses and confesses the truth.”

”He has already confessed to such a staggering variety of sins, I can't imagine what he could be concealing,” I remarked. ”Unless you believe he is the killer.”

”You misunderstand me.” We reached the ground and she turned to face me. ”It was Ronald,” she blurted. ”Not Donald at all. He took the blame for Ronald's fault, as he has always done.”

' 'Losing his commission, his honor, and his fortune? Come, Enid, I can't believe any man (even a man) would be so foolish. n.o.bility and self-sacrifice are the highest qualities of which humanity is capable, but when carried to excess, they are not so much admirable as idiotic.” when carried to excess, they are not so much admirable as idiotic.”

”I quite agree,” Enid said, with a bitter laugh. ”But you don't know Donald. Quixotic is too mild a word for him. Ronald was always his mother's darling-the younger and smaller and weaker of the two.”

”The runt of the litter,” I said musingly.

”I beg your pardon?”

”It is a slang expression, and a very pithy one. How often have I seen a mother cherish some pitiful crippled infant, to the neglect of the other children in the family. Weakness brings out the best in us, Enid, and I must say-”

”Yes, I have no doubt that in the abstract it is a n.o.ble quality. But in this case it resulted in terrible harm to both brothers. Ronald was never at fault, he was never punished. Instead of resenting this unfair treatment, Donald tried to win his mother's approval by appointing himself Ronald's defender and whipping boy. When Ronald did something wrong, he blamed Donald, and Donald took the beating. When Ronald taunted a hulking bully, Donald did the fighting. Their mother's last words to Donald were, 'Always love and protect your brother.' And he has done exactly that.”

”In childhood, perhaps. But how can you be certain Donald took the blame for his brother this time? A beating is one thing; to admit responsibility for a debt one has not incurred-”

”It would not be the first time,” Enid said. ”Donald has paid a number of Ronald's debts in the past. This time the situation was more serious. Ronald would have been publicly disgraced and perhaps sent to prison if the gentleman whose signature had been forged had decided to press the matter. He was willing to let Donald off more lightly because of the respect and affection felt for Donald by all who know him-a consideration that would a.s.suredly not have been extended to Ronald. For that reason Donald agreed to take the blame on himself. I am as certain of that fact as I am that we are standing here, but I cannot prove it. The only ones who know the truth are the brothers themselves. Ronald won't betray himself, and if Donald is determined to play the martyr ... That was why I had to come to Egypt. Ronald had already set out, ostensibly to find Donald and bring him home. I knew he would not press the search, and of course I was right. When I reached Cairo I learned that Ronald had gone off on some pleasure trip. It was up to me to locate Donald and beg him-threaten him-” for Donald by all who know him-a consideration that would a.s.suredly not have been extended to Ronald. For that reason Donald agreed to take the blame on himself. I am as certain of that fact as I am that we are standing here, but I cannot prove it. The only ones who know the truth are the brothers themselves. Ronald won't betray himself, and if Donald is determined to play the martyr ... That was why I had to come to Egypt. Ronald had already set out, ostensibly to find Donald and bring him home. I knew he would not press the search, and of course I was right. When I reached Cairo I learned that Ronald had gone off on some pleasure trip. It was up to me to locate Donald and beg him-threaten him-”

”Bribe him?” I inquired delicately.

A deep flush stained the girl's rounded cheeks. ”He has never given the slightest indication that an offer of the sort to which you refer would influence him.”

”I see. Well, men are strange creatures, Enid; it requires experience like mine, which extends over many nations and two separate continents, to understand their foibles. Did it ever occur to you that Ronald might have taken steps to prevent you from finding Donald?”

”Such a suspicion did enter my mind,” Enid murmured. ”I even wondered whether Kalenischeff might not have been sent to lead me astray. But I cannot believe that, even of Ronald....”

”Believe it,” I said firmly. ”Kalenischeff was up to something; he told me he intended to leave Egypt, and he would never abandon a lucrative scheme until he had collected every possible penny first. He meant to betray someone, I am certain of that. The only question is- who? Well, my dear, you have raised several interesting and suggestive issues, which I must mull over. Now we had better join the others. I believe I hear Emerson calling me.” had better join the others. I believe I hear Emerson calling me.”

There was no doubt about it, in fact. Emerson's voice, as I have had occasion to remark, is notable for its carrying quality.

Ramses was the first to greet us. He asked whether I had found anything interesting inside the pyramid.

I changed the subject.

We had almost finished our repast when the sound of voices from afar warned us that another party of tourists was approaching. The absurd little caravan came trotting toward us, and after one look at the formidable figure leading the procession, Emerson dived headlong into the trench that had been dug. After the episode with the empress, he was wary of old ladies.

I sent the others back to work and advanced to meet the intruders, hoping I could head them off and spare my poor Emerson. The rider on the lead donkey looked familiar, and I realized that it was indeed the elderly American lady I had seen at Shepheard's. Her voluminous black skirts practically swallowed up the little donkey. Nevertheless, he proceeded at a brisk trot, which caused the old lady to roll perilously from side to side. Two donkey boys took turns shoving her back into the saddle.

Seeing me, she changed course. ”I know you,” she said, in a piercing nasal voice. ”Saw you at the hotel. Friend of Baehler's? Most improper, a lady dining alone.”

”I was not dining, I was lunching,” I reminded her, and then introduced myself.

”Huh,” said the old lady. ”And who's that, then?”

She pointed with her parasol. I turned. ' 'Allow me to present my son,” I said. ”Ramses, go back-”

”Ramses?” The old lady trumpeted. ”What kind of name is that? Sickly-looking child. Not long for this world.” name is that? Sickly-looking child. Not long for this world.”

”Thank you for your concern, madam,” I said with frigid courtesy. ”I a.s.sure you it is unwarranted. Ramses, will you please-”

The old lady distracted me by dismounting. Indeed, the process would have seriously alarmed someone of a nervous temperament, accompanied as it was by infuriated screams and wild waving of her parasol. I thought she was going to topple over onto one of the small donkey boys and mash him flat. However, the action was eventually completed and the old lady, straightening her skirts and her black veil, addressed me again.

”Show me the pyramid, ma'am. I came a long way to see it, and see it I will. Mrs. Axhammer of Des Moines, Iowa, don't do things by halves. I've got a list....” She plucked it from her pocket and waved it like a flag. ”And I'm not going home till I've seen everything that's writ down here.”

”What about your companions?” I asked. Both had dismounted. The pale young man leaned weakly against his donkey, mopping his brow. The woman had collapsed onto the ground, her face as green as the palms in the background.

Mrs. Axhammer of Des Moines, Iowa (wherever that barbaric location may be), emitted the evillest laugh I had ever heard. ”Let 'em sit. Poor weak critters, they can't keep up with me-and I'm sixty-eight years old, ma'am, not a day less. That's my nephew-Jonah's his name-I brung him along so he could tend to things, but he ain't worth a plugged nickel. Thinks he'll get cut out of my will if he ain't nice to me. Doesn't know he's already cut out of it. I hired that fool woman for a companion, but she ain't holding up either. A lady's got to have a chaperone, though. What's that boy staring at me for? Ain't you taught him any manners?” have a chaperone, though. What's that boy staring at me for? Ain't you taught him any manners?”

”I venture to say,” said Ramses, in his most pedantic manner, ”that most people would forget their manners when confronted with someone as remarkable in appearance as yourself. However, I do not wish any opprobrium to attach to my mama. She has endeavored to correct my behavior, and if the result is not as it should be, the blame is mine, not hers.”

It was difficult to a.s.sess the effect of this speech on Mrs. Axhammer, for the veil blurred her features. Personally, I thought it rather a handsome effort. Ramses advanced and held out his hand. ”May I escort you, madam?” he asked.

The old lady brandished her parasol. ”Get away, get away, you young rascal. I know boys; trip you up, boys do, and put spiders on you.”

Ramses began, ”Madam, rest a.s.sured I had no intention-”

”Now how could you be any use to me?” the old lady demanded irascibly. ”Puny little critter like you. ... Here, ma'am, I'll take your arm. You're short, but you look strong.”

She caught me by the shoulder. She was wearing dainty black lace mittens, but there was nothing delicate about her hand, which was as heavy as a man's. I permitted the liberty, however. Courtesy to the elderly is a trait I endeavor to instill in my son-and the lady's grip was too strong to be easily dislodged.

As we walked slowly toward the pyramid, Mrs. Axhammer subjected me to a searching and impertinent interrogation. She asked how old I was, how long I had been married, how many children I had, and how I liked my husband. I returned the compliment as soon as I could get a word in, asking her how she liked Egypt.

After a long diatribe about the heathen customs and unsanitary habits of the modern Egyptian, she added in an equally vitriolic tone, ”Not that civilized folks act much better, ma'am. The scandals I heard in Cairo would make a lady blush, I do a.s.sure you. Why, there was a young English lady murdered her inamorato a few days ago; cut his throat ear to ear, they say, in her very room.”