Погребённый с фараонами

           Inallthisplanningtherewasmuchwhichexcitedmyinterest. Thefightitselfpromisedtobeuniqueandspectacular, whilethethoughtofthesceneonthathoarypileoverlookingtheantediluvianplateauofGizeh underthewanmoonofthepallidsmallhoursappealedtoeveryfiberofimaginationinme. ArequestfoundAbdulexceedinglywillingtoadmitmetohispartyofseconds;sothatalltherestoftheearlyeveningIaccompaniedhimtovariousdensinthemostlawlessregionsofthetown—mostlynortheastoftheEzbekiyeh —wherehegatheredonebyoneaselectandformidablebandofcongenialcutthroatsashispugilisticbackground. 

           Shortlyafternineourparty,mountedondonkeysbearingsuchroyalortourist-reminiscentnamesas ‘Rameses,’‘MarkTwain,’‘J.P.Morgan,’and‘Minnehaha,’edgedthroughstreetlabyrinthsbothOrientalandOccidental, crossedthemuddyandmast-forestedNilebythebridgeofthebronzelions,andcanteredphilosophicallybetweenthelebbakhsontheroadtoGizeh. Slightlyovertwohourswereconsumedbythetrip,towardtheendofwhichwepassedthelastofthereturningtourists, salutedthelastinboundtrolley-car,andwerealonewiththenightandthepastandthespectralmoon. 

           Thenwesawthevastpyramidsattheendoftheavenue,ghoulishwithadimatavisticalmenacewhichIhadnotseemedtonoticeinthedaytime.