Погребённый с фараонами

           Theirapparentleader,aninsolentyouthwithheavyfeaturesandsaucilycockedtarbush, tooksomenoticeofus,andevidentlyrecognizedwithnogreatfriendliness mycompetentbutadmittedlysuperciliousandsneeringlydisposedguide. 

           Perhaps,Ithought,heresentedthatoddreproductionoftheSphinx’shalf-smile whichIhadoftenremarkedwithamusedirritation;orperhapshedidnotlikethehollowandsepulchralresonanceofAbdul’svoice. Atanyrate,theexchangeofancestrallyopprobriouslanguagebecameverybrisk; andbeforelongAliZiz,asIheardthestrangercalledwhencalledbynoworsename,begantopullviolentlyatAbdul’srobe, anactionquicklyreciprocatedandleadingtoaspiritedscuffleinwhichbothcombatantslosttheirsacredlycherishedheadgear andwouldhavereachedanevendirerconditionhadInotintervenedandseparatedthembymainforce. 

           Myinterference,atfirstseeminglyunwelcomeonbothsides,succeededatlastineffectingatruce. Sullenlyeachbelligerentcomposedhiswrathandhisattire,andwithanassumptionofdignityasprofoundasitwassudden, thetwoformedacuriouspactofhonorwhichIsoonlearnedisacustomofgreatantiquityinCairo—apactforthesettlementoftheirdifferencebymeansofanocturnalfistfightatoptheGreatPyramid, longafterthedepartureofthelastmoonlightsightseer. Eachduelistwastoassembleapartyofseconds,andtheaffairwastobeginatmidnight,proceedingbyroundsinthemostcivilizedpossiblefashion.