Погребённый с фараонами
Chapter 1
Theydidnotgetthisimpetus,thoughwedidletAbdultakeusup,thusobtainingaviewofunprecedentedmagnificencewhichincludednotonlyremoteandglitteringCairowithitscrownedcitadelbackgroundofgold-violethills, butallthepyramidsoftheMemphiandistrictaswell,fromAbuRoashonthenorthtotheDashuronthesouth. TheSakkarastep-pyramid,whichmarkstheevolutionofthelowmastabaintothetruepyramid,showedclearlyandalluringlyinthesandydistance. Itisclosetothistransition-monumentthatthefamedtombofPernebwasfound —morethanfourhundredmilesnorthoftheThebanrockvalleywhereTut–Ankh-Amensleeps. AgainIwasforcedtosilencethroughsheerawe. Theprospectofsuchantiquity,andthesecretseachhoarymonumentseemedtohold andbroodover,filledmewithareverence andsenseofimmensitynothingelseevergaveme.
Fatiguedbyourclimb,anddisgustedwiththeimportunateBedouinswhoseactionsseemedtodefyeveryruleoftaste,weomittedthearduousdetailofenteringthecrampedinteriorpassagesofanyofthepyramids, thoughwesawseveralofthehardiesttouristspreparingforthesuffocatingcrawlthroughCheops’mightiestmemorial. AswedismissedandoverpaidourlocalbodyguardanddrovebacktoCairowithAbdulReisundertheafternoonsun, wehalfregrettedtheomissionwehadmade.
