pain in his hip biting deeply as he stretched out his legs.
Would he have been surprised to find that case empty, to discover that this was not a little game? On the contrary. He realized that he fully believed the case was empty. And he had been afraid to see that for himself.
Mr. Hancock of the British Museum was not a patient man. All his life he had used his devotion to Egyptian antiquities to bully people, to justify rudeness and downright meanness to others. This was part of his nature, as much as his genuine love for the relics and papyri which he had been studying ail his life.
He read aloud the headline before him to the three other gentlemen in the room.
" 'Mummy Walks in Mayfair.'" He folded the papers." This is perfectly disgusting. Is young Stratford out of his mind?"
The older gentleman who sat directly opposite on the other side of the desk merely smiled.
"Henry Stratford's a drunkard, and a gambler. The mummy climbed out of its case, indeed!"
"But the point is," said Hancock," we have entrusted a priceless collection of antiquities to a private household, and now we have this little scandal! With Scotland Yard coming and going and reporters from the gutter press on the steps."
"If you will forgive me," the elder gentleman countered. '"The matter of the stolen coin is much more disturbing."
"Yes," said Samir Ibrahaim quietly from the outer edge of the circle where he sat." But I tell you there were only five when I cataloged the collection, and none of us has seen this so-called stolen coin."
"Nevertheless," said Hancock," Mr. Taylor is a reputable coin dealer. He was certain the coin was authentic. And that it was Henry Stratford who offered it for sale."
"Stratford could have stolen it in Egypt," said the elder gentleman. There were a couple of nods from the circle.
"The collection should be in the museum," said Hancock." We should be making our examinations of the Ramses mummy now. The Cairo Museum is angry about this controversy. And now, this coin - "
"But, gentlemen," Samir interrupted." Surely we can make no decision about the safety of the collection until we've talked to Miss Stratford."
"Miss Stratford is very young," Hancock said snappishly." And she is in a state of grief which clouds her judgment."
"Yes," said the elder gentleman." But surely everyone present realizes that Lawrence Stratford contributed millions to this museum. No, I think Samir is right. We cannot move the collection until Miss Stratford gives her permission."
Hancock glanced again at the newspapers." 'Ramses Rises from the Grave,'" he read." I tell you I don't like it."
"Perhaps another guard should be posted," said Samir." Perhaps two."
The elder gentleman nodded." Good suggestion. But again, Miss Stratford's feelings are to be considered."
"Perhaps you should call on her!" Hancock said, glaring at Samir." You were her father's friend."
"Very well, sir," Samir answered in a low voice." I shall certainly do that."
Early evening: the Hotel Victoria. Ramses had been dining since four o'clock, when the sun was still slanting through the leaded glass, onto the white-draped tables. Now it was dark; candles blazed everywhere; the ceiling fans turned very slowly, barely stirring the fronds of the tall, elegant dark-green palms in their brass pots.
Liveried waiters brought plate after plate of food without comment, eyebrows arched as they opened the fourth bottle of Italian red wine.
Julie had finished her scant meal hours ago. They were deep in conversation now, the English flowing as easily as the wine flowed.
She had taught Ramses how to use the heavy silver, but he ignored it. In his time only a barbarian would have shoveled food into the mouth.
In fact, he had remarked after a little consideration, no one had shoveled food into the mouth. There was time for Julie to explain how silverware had come about. For now, she must agree that he was most, most ... fastidious, she volunteered. Elegant, civilized, deft at the breaking of bread and meat into small portions, and the placing of them on the tongue without the ringers touching the lips.
She was now deep into her discussion of revolution." The first machines were simple - for weaving, tilling the fields. It was the idea of the machine that caught the mind."
"Yes."
"If you make a machine to do one thing, then you can perfect a machine to do another. ..."