Seeing a Large Cat Read Online Free PDF Page A

time to time I like to put on a little show of being intimidated. "Proceed, my dear," I said apologetically.
    "Hmph," said Emerson. "I don't know why you should be surprised, Peabody. You know my views on scientific excavation. From the first, archaeology in Egypt has been a haphazard, slipshod business. There has been some improvement in recent years; however, much of the work that is being done is still scandalously inadequate, and nowhere is this more evident than in the Valley of the Kings. Everybody wants to find royal tombs. They go dashing from place to place, poking and probing, abandoning an excavation as soon as they become bored with it, ignoring the broken scraps of debris unless they find a royal cartouche. None of the smaller, uninscribed tombs has been properly cleared, measured, and recorded. This is what I propose doing. It will be hard, tedious work-unexciting and possibly unproductive. But one never knows. And at worst we will have a definitive record."
    Crimson and purple streaked the sky, and from a mosque in a nearby district the high, pure voice of the muezzin began the sunset call to prayer. "God is great! God is great! There is no God but God." As if responding, the cat rose and stretched and left Nefret's lap for that of David, who began stroking it.
    Ramses said, "So Maspero would not give you permission to look for unknown tombs in the Valley?"
    I had expected Emerson would be annoyed at this cynical and-I did not doubt-accurate guess. Instead he chuckled and splashed more whiskey into his glass. "Right on the mark, my boy. After Vandergelt decided to give up his concession in the Valley, Maspero handed it over to that arrogant ignoramus from New York, Theodore Davis. Our distinguished director of antiquities is infatuated with wealthy dilettantes. He would not have considered my application in any case; he is a trifle put out with me these days."
    "Small wonder," I said, holding out my own glass. "After you locked up Tetisheri's tomb, tore down the stairs to the entrance, and refused to hand over the key."
    "I misplaced it," said Emerson.
    "No, you didn't."
    "No, I didn't," Emerson said, showing his teeth. "But I am damned if I will allow the Service des Antiquites to open the tomb to hordes of tourists. Candle smoke and magnesium flares, idiots rubbing up against the paintings and prying at the plaster with their fingernails...." A shudder of genuine horror ran through his body. "We worked too hard to conserve and restore those paintings. What the devil, we handed over the entire contents of the tomb to the museum. Why won't Maspero be content with that?"
    "I agree with you, sir, of course," David said. "There is an additional danger; for if the tomb is opened, it won't be long before some of the men of Gurneh get into the place and start cutting out sections of the plastered walls to sell to tourists."
    "Not while I draw breath," Emerson muttered. "That is one of the reasons why I have decided to work in Thebes for the indefinite future, so I can keep an eye on my tomb. We will get under way tomorrow."
    A general outcry followed this statement. Even the cat let out a mournful wail.
    "Impossible, my dear," I said calmly.
    "Why?" Emerson demanded. "We are all here, ready for-"
    "We are not ready, Emerson. Good gracious, the boys have just now arrived after six months in the desert; Ramses has outgrown all his clothes and both lads undoubtedly require to have toilet articles and boots and heaven knows what else replaced. If you mean to stay in Luxor indefinitely, the house we built two years ago will have to be enlarged, and that means more furniture, more supplies, more of-er-everything. And furthermore-"
    I ran out of breath and Emerson said, "And furthermore, you have planned one of your confounded social affairs. Curse it, Peabody, you know how I hate them! When?"
    I had indeed arranged one of my popular dinner parties, at which we renewed old acquaintances with archaeological friends and got