The Secret of Abdu El Yezdi Read Online Free PDF

you have it,” Burton said. “The fair sex identifies the crux of the matter.”
    They reached the staircase and started up it. Impatiently, and somewhat ungraciously, Burton was forced to accept Raghavendra’s supporting hand on his elbow.
    â€œA bloody invalid!” he grumbled. “Excuse my language.”
    She giggled. “I’ve been bloody well excusing it every bloody hour of every bloody day for well over a bloody year. Why must you insist on a display of strength when you know full well you have none?”
    â€œClimbing stairs is hardly a display of strength. And you should wash your mouth out with soap, young lady.”
    â€œDon’t worry. By the time we land in London I’ll be as timid as a mouse, won’t speak unless spoken to, and will allow nothing but meaningless platitudes to escape my lips. I may even indulge in a dramatic swoon or two, providing there’s a dashingly handsome young man standing close enough to catch me. Let’s stop a moment and rest.”
    â€œThere’s no need. It’s a small staircase between decks, not the confounded Kilima-Njaro Mountain.”
    â€œBe quiet, fathead! I can see your knees buckling. Good Lord, you’ve had malaria, Richard. My medicine has burned it out of you, but you require time to regain your health. For once in your life, stop trying to be a hero. Rest!”
    They halted. Burton fumed. A minute ticked by.
    â€œCan we please scale the remaining heights?” the explorer growled. “What is it? Six or seven blessed steps? I give you my solemn word they’ll not have me succumbing to a heart attack.”
    They continued, and at the top of the stairs entered a smartly decorated corridor leading to double doors of frosted glass. Burton pushed them open and ushered Raghavendra through into the airship’s sumptuous though modestly sized ballroom. Most of the crew was gathered inside. Nathaniel Lawless, standing with the tall and bony meteorologist, Christopher Spoolwinder, waved Burton and Raghavendra over. As they drew near, they noticed Spoolwinder’s hands were bandaged.
    â€œWhat happened?” Burton asked.
    â€œThe blithering telegraph has gone barmy!” Spoolwinder said in a plaintive tone. “Absolutely gaga! It’s been throwing out sparks, setting fire to paper, then—pow!—it sent such a shock through me I practically somersaulted across the bridge!”
    â€œWe disconnected it from the ship’s batteries,” Lawless added, “but it’s still operating.”
    â€œEh? How?” Burton asked.
    â€œWe don’t know!” Spoolwinder exclaimed. His naturally glum face lengthened into an expression of deep misery. “I mean to say—crikey!—it’s just not possible. The machine should be dead as a doornail. Instead, it’s churning out messages like there’s no tomorrow. Messages sent from nobody and nowhere!”
    Sister Raghavendra stifled a giggle. She’d often told Burton that she found Spoolwinder’s exaggerated mournfulness highly comical, especially when he was overwrought. “Nobody and nowhere?” she asked.
    Captain Lawless shrugged. “There’s no point of origin, Sister. No source. We don’t know who—or where—the messages are coming from.”
    Spoolwinder added, “But it’s always exactly the same gobbledegook. Have a gander at this.” He took a sheet of paper from his pocket, unfolded it, and passed it to Burton. The explorer read:
    THE BEAST . . . THE BEAST . . . THE BEAST . . . YOU SHALL BOW DOWN FOR . . . OL SONF VORSG . . . BORN FROM THE WRECK OF SS BRITANNIA AND . . . LONSH CALZ VONPHO SOBRA ZOL ROR I TA NAZPSAD . . . TO REND THE VEIL . . . FROM THE FALLEN EMPIRE . . . NOW . . . FARZM ZVRZA ADNA GONO IADPIL DS HOM TOH . . . FOR THE ROYAL CHARTER . . . WILL DELIVER HE . . . BALTOH IPAM VL IPAMIS . . .
    â€œEnglish mixed with random letters,” Burton