； where Cyrus stood waiting to greet us。
He had； as promised； invited no other guests。 I asked after William Amherst； who had worked for Cyrus the previous year； and was told that he had left。
〃Finally wangled his way into the army；〃 Cyrus said rather enviously。 〃Some kind of office job。 Leaves me confounded shorthanded；〃 he added。 〃But Abu is a good reis； and Bertie's filling in real well。〃
Katherine gave her son a fond look。 She had grown a touch stouter； but the additional weight was； in my opinion； quite being。 She wore a long loose gown in the Egyptian style and an emerald necklace that matched her eyes。 Now that she was freed from worry about her son； who had been severely wounded in action the past year； her face had lost its haggard look and once again she resembled the pleasant； plump…cheeked tabby cat of which she had reminded me at our first meeting。
Bertie was looking well too。 He had taken up the study of Egyptology； partly to please his stepfather； but primarily to win favor with Jumana； and there is nothing like the vigorous pursuit of archaeology to give an individual healthy color and a sturdy frame。 I did notice； when he advanced to greet me； that one leg still dragged a little。 I had hoped that time would bring about a plete cure。 Evidently it had not。 Ah well； I thought； it will keep him from going back into the military。
The only other person present was Jumana； who sat as still as a little mouse until Emerson went to her。 Everyone was talking and laughing； I believe I was the only one who heard what he said to her。
〃You did the right thing； child。 The matter is in my hands now； and there is nothing to worry about。〃
I could only hope he was right。
It wasn't long before Cyrus turned the conversation to the subject that had obviously bee an idée fixe。 〃I want a crack at that treasure；〃 he declared。 〃Emerson； you're gonna have to help me with Mohassib。〃
Ramses glanced at me。 His dark brows tilted in an expression of amused skepticism； and I intervened before Emerson could answer。
〃Now； Cyrus； you know perfectly well that Emerson is the last person in whom Mohassib would confide。 Emerson has told him only too often and only too profanely what he thinks of dealers in antiquities。 I would like to hear more about the business。 How was the tomb found； has it been investigated； why hasn't the Service des Antiquités taken steps？〃
That ought to keep Emerson quiet for a while； I thought placently。
Nothing loath； Cyrus launched into a tale that was even more bizarre than the usual stories of such discoveries … and that； I assure you； Reader； is saying a good deal。
It does not often rain in Luxor； but when it does； the storms are severe。 One such storm had struck the previous summer； washing away houses and cutting deep channels through the land。 The canny thieves of Luxor knew that such downpours were more effective than excavation in removing accumulated debris and； perhaps； exposing tomb entrances。 Scrambling around the cliffs； they had found a place where a stream of falling water disappeared into a crevice and then came out again； forty feet away。
What they saw when they squirmed through the choked passageway into the tomb chamber must have left even those hardened thieves speechless。 Unrobbed tombs aren't found every day； and this one was spectacularly rich。 Astonishment did not render them less efficient； within a few hours the treasure had been removed and deposited with Mohassib； who paid them in gold coins。 The money was divided among the miscreants； who immediately began to spend it。
〃That old fool Mohammed Hammad bought himself a young wife；〃 Cyrus said。 〃It turned out to be a mistake。 The news of the tomb got around； as it always does； and a few weeks later the local mamur and his lads descended on the village。 Mohammed had time to hide the rest of his money in a basket of grain； and sent the girl off with it； but she hung around flirting with the guards； and one of them knocked the basket off her head。 Well； folks； you can imagine what happened after that。 There was a free…for…all； villagers and police rolling around the ground fighting each other for the gold pieces。 Mohammed ended up with nothing； not even the girl。 She went off with the mamur。〃
〃Disgusting；〃 Katherine murmured。
〃Poetic justice；〃 said Emerson with an evil grin。 〃Mohammed must be feeling hard done by。 He may be persuaded to show me the location of the tomb。 They can't have done a plete clearance。〃
〃Oh； it's been located；〃 Cyrus said。 〃In the Wadi Gabbanat el…Qirud … the Cemetery of the Monkeys。 I've been thinking I might spend a little time out there looking for more tombs。〃
〃You are supposed to be working at Medinet Habu；〃 Emerson said with a severe look at his friend。 〃Not going off on wild…goose chases。〃
〃It's all very well for you to talk；〃 Cyrus said indignantly。 〃You've had your big finds； but how about me？ All those years in the Valley of the Kings and not a durned tomb for my trouble！ There's got to be more of them in the southwest wadis。 With Carter's find that makes two tombs of royal females in those wadis。 What I figure is that that area could have been a kind of early queens' cemetery。〃
〃It is a strong possibility；〃 Ramses agreed。
Cyrus's eye brightened； but Emerson said firmly； 〃You'd be wasting your time； Vandergelt。 Carter didn't find that tomb of Hatshepsut's； he trailed a group of the locals who had discovered it。 You had better stop chasing rainbows and get to work； as I intend to do。 You have the firman for Medinet Habu； and you were damned lucky to get it。 It is one of the best…preserved temples on the West Bank。〃
〃At least there are some tombs at Deir el Medina；〃 Cyrus muttered。
〃Private tombs；〃 Emerson pointed out。 〃And I will not be searching for more。 I mean to finish excavating that settlement in its entirety。 In archaeological terms it is far more important than any cursed royal tomb。 Town sites are rare； and we will gain valuable information about the daily life； occupations； and amusements of the working classes 。 。 。〃
There are few aspects of Egyptology that do not interest Emerson； but in this case he was bravely disguising a certain degree of disappointment and envy。 He had always wanted to work at one of the great temples like Medinet Habu。 To be honest； I was not especially excited about the village either； but we would not have got even that site if the individual who had held the firman the previous year had not been taken into police custody。 According to Emerson； his excavation methods had been careless in the extreme； so there was a good chance we might e upon artifacts he had overlooked or discarded as worthless。
And I just might have a look round for more of the private tombs。 Some of them were beautifully decorated； and two had contained their original grave goods … not as rich as those of the princesses； but full of interest。
Emerson concluded his speech by remarking； 〃I trust； Vandergelt； that you will concentrate on Medinet Habu。 You cannot expect the Department of Antiquities to think well of you if you keep wandering off on fanciful quests。〃
When we took our departure； we were loaded down。 There was room for Jumana on the seat with Ramses and Nefret； but her boxes and bundles took up quite a lot of space。 Upon our arrival I showed the girl her room。 I had the distinct impression that she was not impressed by its amenities。 They were certainly inferior to the ones she had enjoyed as Cyrus's guest。
However； she expressed her appreciation very prettily。 I then informed her that Emerson wanted a word with her。
〃What about？〃 she asked。
〃I think you know what about； Jumana。 For goodness' sake； child； you look like a cornered rabbit。 You aren't afraid of him； surely。〃
〃Not of him；〃 Jumana murmured。 〃I have done nothing to be ashamed of； Sitt Hakim。〃
〃I didn't say you had。 e along。〃
We had agreed in advance that Emerson and I would have a private chat with Jumana； so I was somewhat surprised to find the children with him in the sitting room。
〃We only waited to say good night；〃 Nefret said； ing to give me a kiss。
〃I hope the house is satisfactory；〃 I said； addressing Ramses； who had not yet given me h