The Eye of the Serpent Read Online Free PDF

extended a hand towards Ethan. ‘Wilfred Llewellyn,’ he said. ‘
Cairo Examiner
.’
    Alec looked at him. ‘I thought, on the boat, you said the
Cairo Herald
.’
    Llewellyn didn’t even bother to look at him. ‘No, don’t believe so,’ he said. ‘You must have misheard me, young man. I’m with the
Examiner
.’ He fixed his attention on Ethan. ‘And you must be Mr Wade,’ he said, directing an oily smile at the American while completely blanking out Alec’s puzzled expression. ‘The gentleman whohas taken over the directorship of the site while Sir William Devlin is . . . incapacitated?’ Llewellyn still had his hand out, but Ethan either hadn’t noticed or had chosen to ignore the gesture.
    â€˜You’re well informed, Mr Llewellyn. What can I do for ya?’
    Llewellyn snatched back the hand, but his smile never faltered. ‘I take it you’re on your way up to the archaeological dig? I’ve been sent here to do a story about it and I was wondering if you might have room for one more in your fine automobile.’
    Now Ethan turned to look at Llewellyn, his face expressionless. ‘Nobody said anything to me about a newspaper,’ he said.
    â€˜My editor
did
send a telegram. Oh dear, it must have gone astray. You know how communications are in this godforsaken country.’
    Ethan shrugged his broad shoulders. ‘Well now, see, Mr Llewellyn, we got a problem.’ He jerked a thumb back at the Crossley Mickey was driving. ‘Ain’t no room in there, what with the luggage and all – and me and Alec here, we’re heading somewhere else entirely.’
    Llewellyn mopped his brow. ‘That’s all right,’ he said. ‘I don’t mind tagging along. It might make for a more interesting story.’
    Ethan shook his head. ‘Sorry, but where we’re headed, the press ain’t invited.’ He gestured back towards the dock entrance. ‘If you ask around in there, there’s a guy called Mohammed Hansa – he has an automobile for hire. Not a very good one, but I expect he’ll take you out to the dig if you offer him enough
baksheesh
.’
    â€˜Yes, but surely you could . . .’
    The rest of Llewellyn’s words were lost in the throaty roar of the Crossley’s engine as Ethan let out the clutch and they drove off, flinging up a great cloud of sand in their wake. Alec glanced back and saw Llewellyn, half choking in the thick red dust.
    â€˜Coates doesn’t trust that chap,’ said Alec.
    â€˜Coates is a good judge of character,’ said Ethan. ‘I don’t like him neither and I only just met him.’
    â€˜He definitely told me the
Cairo Herald
back on the boat. Coates says he’s never heard of it.’
    â€˜Me neither. We’re gonna have to keep an eye on that guy if he comes sniffing around the dig.’
    The Crossley coasted through the narrow streets of Luxor, passing coffee houses, street markets and whitewashed colonial buildings. Whenever they paused at a crossroads, small groups of Arabsappeared beside them, brandishing pieces of pottery, amulets and figurines.
    â€˜
Effendi
, you buy, you buy! Very good price!’
    Alec looked at the items they were offering, all of which appeared to be authentically aged pieces.
    â€˜Is that stuff genuine?’ he asked Ethan as they drove away from one raucous group.
    Ethan shook his head. ‘Not much of it,’ he said. ‘Oh, you’ll find the odd piece looted from some burial site or other, but most of it they make themselves – they’ve got real smart at getting it to look authentic. It’s got worse since Carter found King Tut. Suddenly every tourist wants to take home a piece of the real Egypt and, for the right price, those boys are more than happy to supply it.’
    They soon left the outskirts of the old town and headed out into the desert,