Погребённый с фараонами

           KnowingatleastthatIwasinaspaceofconsiderableextentreachedfromtheabovesurfacedirectlybyanopeningintherock, IdoubtfullyconjecturedthatmyprisonwasperhapstheburiedgatewaychapelofoldKhephren—theTempleoftheSphinx —perhapssomeinnercorridorswhichtheguideshadnotshownmeduringmymorningvisit,andfromwhichImighteasilyescapeifIcouldfindmywaytothebarredentrance. Itwouldbealabyrinthinewandering,butnoworsethanothersoutofwhichIhadinthepastfoundmyway. 

           Thefirststepwastogetfreeofmybonds,gag,andblindfold; andthisIknewwouldbenogreattask,sincesubtlerexpertsthantheseArabshadtriedeveryknownspeciesoffetteruponmeduringmylongandvariedcareerasanexponentofescape,yethadneversucceededindefeatingmymethods. 

           ThenitoccurredtomethattheArabsmightbereadytomeetandattackmeattheentranceuponanyevidenceofmyprobableescapefromthebindingcords,aswouldbefurnishedbyanydecidedagitationoftheropewhichtheyprobablyheld. This,ofcourse,wastakingforgrantedthatmyplaceofconfinementwasindeedKhephren’sTempleoftheSphinx. Thedirectopeningintheroof,whereveritmightlurk,couldnotbebeyondeasyreachoftheordinarymodernentranceneartheSphinx; ifintruthitwereanygreatdistanceatallonthesurface,sincethetotalareaknowntovisitorsisnotatallenormous. Ihadnotnoticedanysuchopeningduringmydaytimepilgrimage,butknewthatthesethingsareeasilyoverlookedamidstthedriftingsands.