The Mummy Case - Elizabeth Peters [123]
“And also,” Ramses added, “if we wish to apprehend de miscreants, we cannot wait. Dey are planning to leave at dawn. I heard dem say so.”
“But if the passage is blocked—”
“Dere is anodder way out, Papa.”
“I beg your pardon, Ramses?”
“It leads to a vestibule beside de pyramid containing several subsidiary tombs of members of de royal family. It was de means by which I originally entered dis pyramid. And,” Ramses added hastily, “if Mama will allow me to postpone de explanation of dat circumstance until a more propitious moment, we would be better employed in ascertaining whedder dat entrance is still open.”
“Quite right, my boy.” Emerson squared his shoulders and flexed his biceps. “Our first problem, then, is to find some object on which to stand. Your mama and I were about to begin that search when you—er—joined us.”
“No, Emerson,” I said. “We must first find the rope Ramses so carelessly let fall.”
“But, Peabody—”
“Think, Emerson. We lacked, initially, three feet of height. Here is an object over three feet long.” I indicated Ramses, who returned my gaze with an owlish stare.
“Ha!” Emerson cried. The echoes repeated the syllable in an eerie imitation of laughter. “Correct as always, my dear Peabody.”
Ramses’ offer of diving to look for the rope was unanimously refused. It did not take Emerson long to locate it. The rope, tied in a coil, had fallen straight down from the opening and sunk to the bottom of the mud, from which Emerson finally drew it. We could not dry it, but we rinsed off the worst of the slime, which would render it slippery and dangerous to climb. Then we once more formed our human ladder, with Ramses at the top. The procedure was almost laughably easy now. Ramses swarmed up our bodies with the agility of a monkey. Once his hands had closed over the rim of the hole, I was able to assist him by pushing on the most conveniently located portion of his anatomy, and he was soon in the passage.
It was then necessary for us to wait while Ramses lit the candle and attempted to locate some protruding stub of stone around which the rope could be tied; for it was clearly impossible for him to support my weight. This was the part of the business that worried me most. Given the decaying condition of the interior stonework, there was a danger that the wall might give way if excessive strain were put upon any of the stone that lined it. Unlike the larger pyramids of Dahshoor, this last structure was not built of stone throughout, but of brick faced with stone. The shapelessness of the exterior demonstrated what could happen when the facing stones were removed.
I could hear the boy moving cautiously along the passage and was happy to note that he was taking his time in selecting a suitable support. Glad as I was to be leaving the burial chamber, I was somewhat disappointed that Emerson and I had been foiled in our hopes of exploring that room. We would never have the chance now.
Ramses finally announced that he had located a protruding stone he considered suitable. “It won’t stand much strain Mama,” he called. “You will have to be quick.”
The section of rope that hung beside me twitched and wriggled, for all the world like a snake. Breathing a wordless prayer to whatever Deity guides our ends I seized the rope. Emerson flung me up as high as he could manage. For one long moment I hung supported only by the frail strand between my hands. I felt the line sag ominously; then my boot found a purchase, slight but sufficient, against the wall; my left hand closed over the edge of the opening; and after a brief but exciting scramble I drew myself into (temporary) safety.
I announced my success to Ramses and Emerson, both of whom replied with suitable congratulations. “You may give me the candle now, Ramses,” I said.
He dropped it, of course. After I had retrieved it, and the matches, I struck a light and turned to examine the support he had found.
It was not an encouraging sight. Several of the stones in the lower portion of the wall had buckled under the pressure