按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
forth and for a moment hovered over Cleopatra； then sailed slowly up
and up in circles； till at last he was lost in the bright light of the
moon。
But Cleopatra uttered a cry of terror； and the eunuch； who was
watching； fell down in fear； believing it to be the guardian Spirit of
the pyramid。 And I； too； feared； though I said nothing。 For even now I
believe that it was the Spirit of Menkau…ra； the Osirian； who； taking
the form of a bat； flew forth from his holy House in warning。
I waited a while； till the foul air should clear from the passage。
Then I drew out the lamps； kindled them； and passed them； to the
number of three； into the entrance of the passage。 This done； I went
to the eunuch； and； taking him aside； I swore him by the living spirit
of Him who sleeps at Abouthis that he should not reveal those things
which he was about to see。
This he swore； trembling sorely； for he was very much afraid。 Nor；
indeed； did he reveal them。
This done； I clambered through the opening； taking with me a coil of
rope； which I wound around my middle； and beckoned to Cleopatra to
come。 Making fast the skirt of her robe； she came； and I drew her
through the opening； so that at length she stood behind me in the
passage which is lined with slabs of granite。 After her came the
eunuch； and he also stood in the passage。 Then； having taken counsel
of the plan of the passage that I had brought with me； and which； in
signs that none but the initiated can read； was copied from those
ancient writings that had come down to me through one…and…forty
generations of my predecessors； the Priests of this Pyramid of /Her/；
and of the worship of the Temple of the Divine Menkau…ra； the Osirian；
I led the way through that darksome place towards the utter silence of
the tomb。 Guided by the feeble light of our lamps； we passed down the
steep incline； gasping in the heat and the thick； stagnated air。
Presently we had left the region of the masonry and were slipping down
a gallery hewn in the living rock。 For twenty paces or more it ran
steeply。 Then its slope lessened and shortly we found ourselves in a
chamber painted white； so low that I； being tall； had scarcely room to
stand； but in length four paces； and in breadth three； and cased
throughout with sculptured panels。 Here Cleopatra sank upon the floor
and rested awhile； overcome by the heat and the utter darkness。
〃Rise！〃 I said。 〃We must not linger here； or we faint。〃
So she rose； and passing hand in hand through that chamber； we found
ourselves face to face with a mighty door of granite； let down from
the roof in grooves。 Once more I took counsel of the plan； pressed
with my foot upon a certain stone； and waited。 Then； suddenly and
softly； I know not by what means； the mass heaved itself from its bed
of living rock。 We passed beneath； and found ourselves face to face
with a second door of granite。 Again I pressed on a certain spot； and
this door swung wide of itself； and we went through； to find ourselves
face to face with a third door； yet more mighty than the two through
which we had won our way。 Following the secret plan； I struck this
door with my foot upon a certain spot； and it sank slowly as though at
a word of magic till its head was level with the floor of rock。 We
crossed and gained another passage which； descending gently for a
length of fourteen paces； led us into a great chamber； paved with
black marble； more than nine cubits high； by nine cubits broad； and
thirty cubits long。 In this marble floor was sunk a great sarcophagus
of granite； and on its lid were graved the name and titles of the
Queen of Menkau…ra。 In this chamber； too； the air was purer； though I
know not by what means it came thither。
〃Is the treasure here？〃 gasped Cleopatra。
〃Nay；〃 I answered； 〃follow me；〃 and I led the way to a gallery； which
we entered through an opening in the floor of the great chamber。 It
had been closed by a trap…door of stone； but the door was open。
Creeping along this shaft； or passage； for some ten paces； we came at
length to a well； seven cubits in depth。 Making fast one end of the
rope that I had brought about my body and the other to a ring in the
rock； I was lowered； holding the lamp in my hand； till I stood in the
last resting…place of the Divine Menkau…ra。 Then the rope was drawn
up； and Cleopatra； being made fast to it； was let down by the eunuch；
and I received her in my arms。 But I bade the eunuch； sorely against
his will； since he feared to be left alone； await our return at the
mouth of the shaft。 For it was not lawful that he should enter whither
we went。
CHAPTER XI
OF THE TOMB OF THE DIVINE MENKAU…RA； OF THE WRITING ON THE
BREAST OF MENKAU…RA； OF THE DRAWING FORTH OF THE TREASURE；
OF THE DWELLER IN THE TOMB； AND OF THE FLIGHT OF CLEOPATRA
AND HARMACHIS FROM THE HOLY PLACE
We stood within a small arched chamber； paved and lined with great
blocks of the granite stone of Syene。 There before ushewn from a
single mass of basalt shaped like a wooden house and resting on a
sphinx with a face of goldwas the sarcophagus of the Divine
Menkau…ra。
We stood and gazed in awe； for the weight of the silence and the
solemnity of that holy place seemed to crush us。 Above us； cubit over
cubit in its mighty measure； the pyramid towered up to heaven and was
kissed of the night air。 But we were deep in the bowels of the rock
beneath its base。 We were alone with the dead； whose rest we were
about to break； and no sound of the murmuring air； and no sight of
life came to dull the awful edge of solitude。 I gazed on the
sarcophagus； its heavy lid had been lifted and rested at its side； and
around it the dust of ages had gathered thick。
〃See；〃 I whispered； pointing to a writing； daubed with pigment upon
the wall in the sacred symbols of ancient times。
〃Read it； Harmachis；〃 answered Cleopatra； in the same low voice； 〃for
I cannot。〃
Then I read： 〃I； Rameses Mi…amen； in my day and in my hour of need；
visited this sepulchre。 But； though great my need and bold my heart； I
dared not face the curse of Menkau…ra。 Judge； O thou who shalt come
after me； and； if thy soul is pure and Khem be utterly distressed；
take thou that which I have left。〃
〃Where； then； is the treasure？〃 she whispered。 〃Is that Sphinx…face of
gold？〃
〃Even there；〃 I answered； pointing to the sarcophagus。 〃Draw near and
see。〃
And she took my hand and drew near。
The cover was off； but the painted coffin of the Pharaoh lay in the
depths of the sarcophagus。 We climbed the Sphinx； then I blew the dust
from the coffin with my breath and read that which was written on its
lid。 And this was written：
〃Pharaoh Menkau…ra； the Child of Heaven。
〃Pharaoh Menkau…ra； Royal Son of the Sun。
〃Pharaoh Menkau…ra； who didst lie beneath the heart of Nout。
〃Nout； thy Mother； wraps thee in the spell of Her holy name。
〃The name of thy Mother； Nout； is t