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I thought how envious some antiquarian friends of my
own at Cambridge would be if ever I got an opportunity
of describing these wonderful remains to them。
Probably they would say that I was exaggerating；
notwithstanding that every page of this history must
bear so much internal evidence of its truth that it
would obviously have been quite impossible for me to
have invented it。
To return。 As soon as I had hastily examined these
sculptures； which I think I omitted to mention were
executed in relief； we sat down to a very excellent
meal of boiled goat's…flesh； fresh milk； and cakes
made of meal； the whole being served upon clean wooden
platters。
When we had eaten we returned to see how poor Leo was
getting on； Billali saying that he must now wait upon
_i_ She _i_ ； and hear her commands。 On reaching Leo's
room we found the poor boy in a very bad way。 He had
woke up from his torpor； and was altogether off his
head； babbling about some boat…race on the Cam； and
was inclined to be violent。 Indeed； when we entered
the room Ustane was holding him down。 I spoke to him；
and my voice seemed to soothe him； at any rate he grew
much quieter； and was persuaded to swallow a dose of
quinine。
I had been sitting with him for an hour； perhapsat
any rate I know that it was getting so dark that I
could only just make out his head lying like a gleam
of gold upon the pillow we had extemporized out of a
bag covered with a blanketwhen suddenly Billali
arrived with an air of great importance； and informed
me that _i_ She _i_ herself had deigned to express a
wish to see mean honor； he added； accorded to but
very few。 I think that he was a little horrified at my
cool way of taking the honor； but the fact was that I
did not feel overwhelmed with gratitude at the
prospect of seeing some savage； dusky queen； however
absolute and mysterious she might be； more especially
as my mind was full of dear Leo； for whose life I
began to have great fears。 However； I rose to follow
him； and as I did so I caught sight of something
bright lying on the floor； which I picked up。 Perhaps
the reader will remember that with the potsherd in the
casket was a composition scarabaeus marked with a
round O； a goose； and another curious hieroglyphic；
the meaning of which signs is 〃Suten se Ra^；〃 or
〃Royal Son of the Sun。〃 This scarab； which is a very
small one； Leo had insisted upon having set in a
massive gold ring； such as is generally used for
signets； and it was this very ring that I now picked
up。 He had pulled it off in the paroxysm of his fever；
at least I suppose so； and flung it down upon the
rock…floor。 Thinking that if I left it about it might
get lost； I slipped it on to my own little finger； and
then followed Billali； leaving Job and Ustane with
Leo。
We passed down the passage； crossed the great aisle…
like cave； and came to the corresponding passage on
the other side； at the mouth of which the guards stood
like two statues。 As we came they bowed their heads in
salutation； and then lifting their long spears placed
them transversely across their foreheads； as the
leaders of the troop that had met us had done with。
their ivory wands。 We stepped between them； and found
ourselves in an exactly similar gallery to that which
led to our own apartments； only this passage was；
comparatively speaking； brilliantly lighted。 A few
paces down it we were met by four mutestwo men and
two womenwho bowed low and then arranged themselves；
the women in front and the men behind us； and in this
order we continued our procession past several
doorways hung with curtains resembling those leading
to our own quarters； and which I afterwards found
opened out into chambers occupied by the mutes who
attended on _i_ She _i_ 。 A few paces more and we came
to another doorway facing us； and not to our left like
the others； which seemed to mark the termination of
the passage。 Here two more white； or rather yellow；
robed guards were standing； and they too bowed；
saluted； and let us pass through heavy curtains into a
great ante…chamber； quite forty feet long by as many
wide； in which some eight or ten women； most of them
young and handsome； with yellowish hair； sat on
cushions working with ivory needles at what had the
appearance of being embroidery…frames。 These women
were also deaf and dumb。 At the farther end of this
great lamp lit apartment was another doorway closed in
with heavy Oriental…looking curtains； quite unlike
those that hung before the doors of our own rooms； and
here stood two particularly handsome girl mutes； their
heads bowed upon their bosoms and their hands crossed
in an attitude of the humblest submission。 As we
advanced they each stretched out an arm and drew back
the curtains。 Thereupon Billali did a curious thing。
Down he went； that venerable…looking old gentleman
for Billali is a gentleman at the bottomdown on to
his hands and knees； and in this undignified position；
with his long white beard trailing on the ground； he
began to creep into the apartment beyond。 I followed
him； standing on my feet in the usual fashion。 Looking
over his shoulder； he perceived it。
〃Down； my son； down； my Baboon； down on to thy hands
and knees。 We enter the presence of _i_ She _i_ ； and；
if thou art not humble； of a surety she will blast
thee where thou standest。〃
I halted； and felt scared。 Indeed； my knees began to
give way of their own mere motion； but reflection came
to my aid。 I was an Englishman； and why； I asked
myself； should I creep into the presence of some
savage woman as though I were a monkey in fact as well
as in name？ I would not and could not do it； that is；
unless I was absolutely sure that my life or comfort
depended upon it。 If once I began to creep upon my
knees I should always have to do so； and it would be a
patent acknowledgment of inferiority。 So； fortified by
an insular prejudice against 〃kootooing；〃 which has；
like most of our so…called prejudices； a good deal of
common…sense to recommend it； I marched in boldly
after Billali。 I found myself in another apartment；
considerably smaller than the ante…room； of which the
walls were entirely hung with rich…looking curtains of
the same make as those over the door； the work； as I
subsequently discovered； of the mutes who sat in the
ante…chamber and wove them in strips； which were
afterwards sewn together。 Also； here and there about
the room； were settees of a beautiful black wood of
the ebony tribe； inlaid with ivory； and all over the
floor were other tapestries； or rather rugs。 At the
top end of this apartment was what appeared to be a
recess； also draped with curtains； through which shone
rays of light。 There was nobody in the place except
ourselves。
Painfully and slowly old Billali crept up the length
of the cave； and with the most dignified stride that I
could command I followed after him。 But I felt that it
was more or less of a failure。 To begin with； it is
not possible to look dignified when you are following
in the wake of an old man writhing along on his
st