Похований з фараонами
Chapter 1
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.