it was reflected, and in another minute I found myself in that mysterious chamber of the dead. No words can say how rejoiced I was at the sight of that eternal flame. I approached it with joy, and with little of that awe I had felt when I saw it for the first time. My sense of the perils of my position was revived by the acute smarting of my face as the heat of the flame reached it, and I became frantically desirous of escaping to the open air. But, without a light, how could I effect this, and where was I to find the materials for a flame which would burn long enough to enable me to make my way through the tortuous passages. I looked round the chamber, but there was nothing there of which I could avail myself, except—and the very idea made me shudder at first—I used the body of one of the embalmed corpses for the purpose. I had more than once seen fragments of mummies used with substances of the foulest description to kindle a fire but there seemed something so sacrilegious in breaking up a perfect human body for such a purpose that nothing but the state of desperation in which I was could have given me the courage to do it. Shutting my senses to all considerations but that of my own condition, I dragged one of these noble-looking figures from its throne, tore off the robe, as though acting under a species of frenzy, and broke the body in pieces. Untying the piece of canvas which I had fastened round my waist, I shook out the glittering diadem on the pavement as though it were of no more value than the tawdry thing which that wretched dancing-girl yonder wears on her head, and with it I made a cord by which I slung the members from my shoulders. Taking one of them, I thrust it into the flame: it kindled instantly, burning so fiercely that there was little fear of its being extinguished by any accident. I hastened away as fast as my strength would enable me, and I had not got far into the labyrinth before I perceived the body of the count, who, had he only taken three steps to the left, instead of the right, would have been saved. I stopped an instant to look on him for the last time, and repeating the verse—
Il tempo verrà in cui tutti queigli che sono ne’ sepolcri udirnnuo la voce del Figliuolo di Dio e usciranno,
I continued my way, with all the speed which my condition and the necessity of carefully studying the direction in which the serpent pointed would permit. Sick, dizzy, and with eyes so dimmed that even with the strong light I carried, I could distinguish small objects only with great difficulty, I emerged from the maze into an apartment which was not that through which we had entered it for the first time. Whatever there may have been in it, I was but too anxious to escape while a little strength remained to me, and my attention was wholly directed to the discovery of the creeping reptile, which was the only barrier between me and death. Having discovered this, I followed it through passages and apartments till it led me to a chamber from which there was no apparent outlet. I felt that, in a few minutes, my strength would entirely give way. To lengthen my power of endurance, I had recourse to what was once considered an infallible restorative, which, disgusting as it was, I managed to swallow, and I have no doubt it was the means of keeping me alive long enough to get out of the horrible position in which I was placed. I examined the guiding representation with the utmost care, yet it was not till I had been twice round the chamber that I detected that in one of these the tip of the tongue was wanting. I divined at once that this was purposely to indicate an opening in the wall, and dashing myself recklessly against it, the stone moved heavily though smoothly outward, and admitted me into the chamber where still lay the skeletons the sight of which had so impressed me what appeared months before. Climbing these steps with hope once more strong in me, I dragged myself up to the hole we had made and emerged into the open air.
“It was night, and the stars were shining brightly in the dark blue sky. I could see a fire burning in the direction of our tent; but I preferred to lie down on the soft sand and sleep where I was, to attempting to reach it. The pure air and the sound sleep so refreshed me that I woke another man. There was nobody near me when I opened my eyes. Hastily heaping up a few stones against the hole, I covered them with sand, and then made my way to our tent. Here I found the Sheikh had taken up his quarters, and he did not appear at all gratified at seeing me. His first question was as to where I had left the count. I might have known that this question would be asked of me; but I had not thought of it, and I saw myself under the necessity of disregarding the count’s last request, or of being treated as a criminal who had murdered him. Under these circumstances I told the Sheikh of all that had occurred, and the day following I showed him the opening, and directed him how to reach the place where I had left the count’s body. Probably, fearing that I might lessen the amount of his gains, if I remained to enter the subterranean building with him, he gladly drew up, with me, a certificate of the circumstances under which the count had perished, and after a hasty settlement of the accounts of the labourers, I caused the luggage to be packed, and returned to Alexandria with the least delay possible, being anxious to place myself under the care of a medical man, fever having laid hold of me within a few hours after my escape.
“It was long before I recovered from it, and then I was offered a post by my friend the Pasha, there, with the sanction of the Viceroy, which suited me a great deal better than that of mere dragoman; and thanks to good friends, and perhaps a little to the conscientiousness and ability with which I discharged the functions of my office, my position improved till it became what you know it to be now. I have never had any occasion to ascend the Nile, beyond a short distance, since my unfortunate journey with the count; but from the experience I have had of the cunning and perseverance of the Arabs, when the discovery of treasure is in question, I know that very few days had passed before the whole of this subterranean building had been ravaged, so that I have never been tempted to make a journey to Thebes for the purpose of seeking to appropriate the treasures it contained.”
