He Shall Thunder in the Sky - Elizabeth Peters [82]
“Hmph.” Emerson fingered the cleft in his chin. “Good of you to offer, Selim, but I don’t think that will be necessary. I will just have a few words with the head gaffir.”
“Including the words ‘tear out your liver’? ” Nefret inquired. Her blue eyes sparkled and a rosy flush warmed her tanned cheeks. Ah yes, I thought fondly; archaeological fever runs strong in all of us. Perhaps this development would keep the child out of mischief for a while.
Emerson gave her an affectionate smile. “I may just mention something of the sort. I want you and Ramses back in the tomb, Nefret; the sooner you finish photographing and copying the reliefs, the happier I will be. Selim can get the men started emptying the shaft. Stop them instantly if they come across any object whatever, and make certain . . .”
He went on for some time giving Selim unnecessary instructions; the young man had been trained by his father, the finest reis Egypt had ever known, and by Emerson himself. Selim’s beard kept twitching, but I could not tell whether the movements of his lips were caused by repressed amusement or repressed impatience. He knew better than to interrupt, but when Emerson paused for breath, he said, “Yes, Father of Curses, it shall be done as you say.”
I could have wished that morning that there were three of me: the archaeologist wanted to hover over Selim and his men, watching for artifacts; the detective (for I believe I have some modest claim to that title) would have preferred to keep a keen eye out for suspicious visitors; the mother yearned to watch over her impulsive offspring and prevent him from doing something foolish. It was as well the last identity won out. As I scrambled down the slope of sand toward the tomb entrance I heard voices raised in heated discussion. The voices were those of Ramses and Nefret, and they were arguing with all their old vivacity.
“Now what is going on?” I demanded, entering the chamber.
They were standing side by side before the wall. Nefret swung round and brandished the sheet of copying paper she held. The room was shadowed, but I could see the bright spots of temper on her cheeks.
“I told him there is absolutely no need to go over my emendations!”
“They are all wrong.” Ramses sounded like a sulky child.
“No, they aren’t. Aunt Amelia, just look here—”
“Mother, tell her—”
“Goodness gracious,” I said. “I would have thought you two had got over that childish habit of bickering. Give me the copy, Nefret, and I will check it myself, while you get on with the photography.”
Daoud, who had been standing by with one of the mirrors we used to light the interior, moved into position. Directed by his skilled hands, the patch of reflected sunlight centered and steadied on a section of the wall. The elaborately carved and painted shape was that of a door, through which the soul of the deceased could emerge to partake of offerings. The lintels and architrave bore the prince’s name and titles, and a cylindrical shape over the false opening represented a rolled matting, which in a real door would have been lowered and raised as required. Archaeological fever momentarily overcame my other concerns; I sucked in my breath appreciatively.
“It is one of the finest false doors I have ever seen, and there is a surprising amount of paint remaining. A pity we cannot preserve it.”
“What about the new preservative you’ve been working on?” Nefret inquired of her brother. “If its effectiveness is in proportion to its pervasive smell, it should work well. Every time I passed your door I held my breath.”
Ramses’s rigid features relaxed into a more affable expression. “Sorry about that. I have high hopes for the formula, but I don’t want to try it out on something as fine as this. The real test is how it holds up over time, without darkening or destroying the paint.”
She smiled back at him, her face softening. Pleased that I had brought about a temporary truce, I said briskly, “Back to work, eh?” and took the copy of the offering scene to the wall.
I had not been at it long, however, before