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vier。 She felt chilled suddenly。
〃But this mausoleum；〃 he said； collecting himself； folding his arms and stepping back now as if he meant to say what he had to say。〃 It was a grand structure。 It was large and beautiful and covered with marble。〃
〃So the ancient writers tell us。 But it is gone。 Alexandria contains no trace of it。 No one knows where it stood。〃
He looked at her in silence。〃 I know； of course；〃 he said。
He walked away from her down the pavement。 He stopped under the street lamp and gazed up into the dim yellow incandescent light。 Tentatively； she followed。 Finally he turned to her； and put out his hand for her and drew her close。
〃You feel my pain；〃 he said calmly。〃 Yet you know so little of me。 What do I seem to you？〃
She reflected。〃 A man；〃 she said。〃 A beautiful and strong man。 A man who suffers as we all suffer。 And I know things 。。。 because you wrote them down yourself and you left the scrolls there。〃
Impossible to tell if this pleased him。
〃And your father read these things； too；〃 he said。
〃Yes。 He made some translations。〃
〃I watched him；〃 he whispered。
〃Was it true what you wrote？〃
〃Why should I lie？〃
Suddenly he moved to kiss her； and again she backed off。
〃Ah； but you choose the oddest moments for your little advances；〃 she said breathlessly。〃 We were talking of 。。。 of tragedy； were we not？〃
〃Of loneliness； perhaps； and folly。 And the things grief drives one to do。〃
His expression was softening。 There was that playfulness again； that smile。
〃Your temples are in Egypt。 They still stand；〃 she said。〃 The Ramasseum； at Luxor。 Abu Simbel。 Oh； these aren't the names by which you know them。 Your colossal statues！ Statues all the world has seen。 English poets have written of them。 Great generals have journeyed to see them。 I've walked past them； laid my hands on them。 I've stood in your ancient halls。〃
He continued to smile。〃 And now I walk these modern streets with you。〃
〃And it fills you with joy to do it。〃
〃Yes； that is very true。 My temples were old before I ever closed my eyes。 But the mausoleum of Cleopatra had only just been built。〃 He broke off； letting go her hand。〃 Ah； it is like yesterday to me； you see。 Yet it is dreamlike and distant。 Somehow I felt the passage of the centuries as I slept。 My spirit grew as I slept。〃
She thought of the words in her father's translation。
〃What did you dream； Ramses？〃
〃Nothing； my darling dear； that can touch the wonders of this century！〃 He paused。〃 When we are weary； we speak lovingly of dreams as if they embodied our true desires…what we would have when that which we do have so sorely disappoints us。 But for this wanderer； the concrete world has always been the true object of desire。 And weariness came only when the world seemed dreamlike。〃
He stared off into the driving rain。 She let his words sink in； trying in vain perhaps to grasp their full meaning。 Her brief life had been marked with just enough pain to make her cherish what she had。 The death of her mother years before had made her cleave all the more closely to her father。 She had tried to love Alex Savarell because he wanted her to； and her father hadn't minded it。 But what she really loved were ideas； and things； just as her father had。 Was that what he meant？ She wasn't certain。
〃You don't want to go back to Egypt； you don't need to see the old world for yourself？〃 she asked。
〃I am torn；〃 he whispered。
A gust of damp wind swept the forlorn pavements； dry leaves scuttered and banked along the high iron fence。 There came a dim zinging from the electric wires above； and Ramses turned to look at them。
〃Ever more vivid than a dream；〃 he whispered； staring again at the solitary yellow lamp above him。〃 I want this time； my darling dear；〃 he said。〃 You forgive me if I call you this？ My darling dear？ As you called your friend； Alex。〃
〃You may call me that；〃 she said。
For I love you more than I ever loved him！
He gave her one of those warm； generous smiles。 He came to her with his arms out and swept her up off her feet； suddenly。
〃Light little Queen；〃 he said。
〃Put me down； great King；〃 she whispered。
〃And why should I do that？〃
〃Because I mand you to do it。〃
He obeyed。 He set her down gently and gave her a deep bow。
〃And now where do we go； my Queen； home to the palace of Stratford； in the region of Mayfair； in the land of London； England； lately known as Britannia？〃
〃Yes； we do； because I am weary to the bone。〃
〃Yes； and I must study in your father's library； if you permit。 I must read the books now to 'put in order；' as you say； the things you've shown me。〃
Not a sound in the house。 Where had the girl gone？ The coffee Samir had finally accepted was now quite cold。 He could not drink this watery brew。 He had not wanted it in the first place。
He had stared fixedly at the mummy case for over an hour； it seemed； the clock chiming twice in the hallway； an occasional pair of headlights piercing the lace curtains and sweeping this high…ceilinged large room； and firing the mummy's gold face with life for an eerie instant。
Suddenly he rose。 He could hear the creak of the floor beneath the carpet。 He walked slowly towards the case。 Lift it。 And you will know。 Lift it。 Imagine。 Could it be empty？
He reached out for the gilded wood； his hands poised； trembling。
〃I wouldn't do that； sir！〃
Ah； the girl。 The girl again in the hallway with her hands clasped； the girl very afraid； but of what？
〃Miss Julie would be so angry。〃
He could think of nothing to say。 He gave an awkward little nod； and went back to the sofa。
〃Perhaps tomorrow you should e；〃 she said。
〃No。 I must see her tonight。〃
〃But； sir； it's so very late。〃
The clop of a horse outside； the low creak of the hansom's wheels。 He heard a sudden little laugh； very feint； but he knew it was Julie。
Rita hurried to the door and drew back the both。 He stared speechless as the pair entered the room； Julie； radiant； her hair studded with sparkling droplets of rain； and a man； a tall； splendid…looking man； with dark brown hair and glittering blue eyes； beside her。
Julie spoke to him。 She said his name。 But it did not register。
He could not take his eyes off this man。 The skin was pale； flawless。 And the features exquisitely moulded。 But the spirit inhabiting the man was the overwhelming characteristic。 The man exuded strength and a sudden wanness that was almost chilling。
〃I only wanted to 。。。 to look in on you；〃 he said to Julie without so much as glancing at her。 ' To see that you were well。 I worry on your account。 。。。〃
His voice trailed off。
〃Ah； I know who you are！〃 said the man suddenly； in a faultless British accent。〃 You are Lawrence's friend； are you not？ Your name is Samir。〃
〃We have met？〃 Samir said。〃 I do not remember。〃
His eyes moved tentatively over the figure that approached him now； and suddenly he was staring fixedly at the outstretched hand； at the ruby ring； and the ring with the cartouche of Ramses the Great； and it seemed the room had bee quite unreal； that the voices speaking to him were making no sense； and that there was no necessity to answer。
The ring he had seen through the mummy's wrappings！ There was no mistake。 He could not make such a mistake。 And what was Julie saying that could possibly matter now？ Words so politely spoken； but all lies； and this being was staring back at him； knowing full well that he recognized the ring； knowing full well that words just didn't matter。
〃I hope Henry didn't run to you with that nonsense of his。。。〃 Yes； that was the meaning。
But it was not nonsense at all。 And slowly he shifted his gaze and forced himself to see for himself that she was safe and sound and sane。 Then he closed his eyes； and when he opened them again； he looked not at the ring but at the King's face； at the steady blue eyes which understood everything。
When he spoke to her again； it was a meaningless murmur：
〃Your father would not have wanted for you to be unprotected。 Your father would have wanted me to e。 。。。〃
〃Ah； but Samir； friend of Lawrence；〃 the other said；〃 there is no danger now to Julie Stratford。〃 And dropping suddenly into the ancient Egyptian with an accent Samir had never heard：〃 This woman is loved by me and shall be protected from all harm。〃
Stunning； that sound。 He backed away。 Julie was talking again。 And again he wasn't listening。 He had gone to the mantel shelf and held on to it now as if he might fall。
〃Surely you know the ancient tongue of the Pharaohs； my friend；〃 said the tall blue…eyed man。〃 You are Egyptian； are you not？ All your life you have studied it。 You can read it as well as you read Latin or Greek。〃
Such a carefully modulated voice； it was trying to dispel all fear； civilized； courteous。 What more could Samir have wanted？
〃Yes； sir； you are right；〃 Samir said。〃 But I've never heard it spoken aloud； and the accent has always been a