Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-08-11
CURSE OF VASARTAS,
lBelgravial

of miles down the river. but he had told
me he would come back in time for table
d'hotC dinner az z; so that now as the
clock struck and he had not vet put in an
appearance, l began 10 feel q little uneasy.
Perhaps he had met with some accident or
had fallen among n m8raudlng band OF
Arabs OF had tramped by mistake on
crocodile living sleeping by the rivers edge.
The night was dark. for tho new moon was
mere half-ho0pcd luo ~ silver, and ~
far A. knew, Mr.. Blake had not taken a
lantern with him.
HAD come 10 the end Of my cigar. and
was revolving tho question as 20 whether
81 would be any use my going in the direc-
SION of tho RUNS IN case any mischence
Lad befallcn him, when / heard his voice
from within the window behind me OK
claim cxcifcdly: Montague, Montague,
! have found
Then re stopped Suddenly as ne rcmem-
hcrcd there might he other listeners be-
sides myself
Any Of those Arab devils about?" he
Whispered. n,,,a.,.-
turn mp and down tho vcranda 90 satisfy
Come in and shut the window ito
safer" be- said. and be himself closed the
door. first making sure there was no one in
The passage outside % oveThear bis COM
Then he came close 20 mo, and. lowering
his voice, said II have found tomb
WAS 80 much taken Gback at the nature
OF the communication that did not AT
first understand the full significance OF tho
remark.
II have found n t0mb-A royal tomb"
he repeated: then be sank down on a chair
o. 4 thcre WAS mo- more 90 be SAID.
became Interested. for knew that Mr..
Blake'- dc0rest wish was 10 discover some
thing belonging 30 the hidden past, some
thing Of the far-aw0y glory OF Egypt lost
for Goodness knows how many centuries.
Nj Blake was an archgOlOglst, hut IN
i iike most oloCists.' he WAS not taken up
wholly and solely with hls fad. " 10 tho
exclusion - every other interest IN life. lie
was the most agreeable companion | had
ever met. and 10 man whom 10 know was 20
love Ho was Il gentleman and real good
fellow iu the true sense 81 the word II had
been mv good fortune total ~ with him on
board the H. and O. steamer Egyptian on the
voyage ont % AlexGudria, for which place
we were both bound fOrp pleasure OF sight
seeing or cniarg.ng my knowledge of men
and things. and hc eI yO,Ac for the interior,
where he was - super.ntend some cxcaya-
tIors Why we became friends know not,
seeing that We had not many points M COM
mou 70 begin with. Mr.. Blake was a
widower Of fifty. with "a daughter at ~
Loatdiue-schOol in London. ! was twenty
years youngor-gav, careless, without any
particular object in life save that OF
making tho best OF 10. Mr.. Blake was
learned in the lore # the ancicnts. where
as my accomplishments were distinctly
modern. / could play the banjo fairly,
sing d comic song. and tie an evening te
nf tnc first trial. Whether II j that on
hoard ship people traternize moro than
UrdDr auv other conditions IF life 1 eau
1.f .ly. anyhow before the Egyptian was
ut of the English Channel Mr. Blake and
iln.ncd the hands If friendship.
'Io Mr.. Blake Egypt was rs familiar as
g.. llud of his birth so when he offered 10
become my guide and philosopher until
tlc time came for him TO start on his expe-
di'fou fe.t that tho pleasure Of my trip
v4-a asurcd. / agree with Tom Moore that
Slice beauty of "a place doesn't depend 50
rueh ou the brightness of its waters and
o.. green of its verdure as on the presence
q, frieul~-the beloved Of ones bosom.
or course / went straight 10 work for 10
isWork. and hard work, too 10 do the
lun.-the Pyramids and the Sphinx and
Memphis and al that and at the end of a
week had seen all that was 10 ho seem
"t.c least interesting part, as Dir. Blake
r.mark,d.
"How5" asked, not quito understand
What about All the ancient splendor?"
Doc replied. Where is II Z Not lost. Where
SIS u,l the wealth of the Egyptian kings? 1t
,.Is not taken out Of the country or we
should have traced 1t. il is buried, and,
f.r all we know, we may be AZ tins
moment standing on perfect nine OF
wealth.
Iuyelun,ariy glanced down rs he spoke.
but saw nothing save yellow sand.
When / had done" the place began TO
take matters more easily. After all said
and done, life ia pretty much the same
cyervwhere-W eat. we drink, we smoke,
and we sleep. only IN hot climates variety
is given 90 sleep 10y the ganbOls of the
mosquitoes.
Nh Blake's expedition was not to start
for some weeks. owing 60 foundations, SO
l- spent his time In potterlng about among
RUNS in tho ucighhOrhood Of Cairo; spent
Uroftahly. too. since the result was the
llluc of a roval tomb.
When, after telling me Of his great good
fortune. he had recovered somewhat his
.lupo-ura and had swallowed some break
tl-'. for he had eaten nothing since morn
frr he proceeded 10 relate the manner of
Oh. discovery of the tomb. He had come
upon 10 quite by chance, 10y what indeed
l.llt have proved an unhappy chance for
Iu ~ descending a wall of rock be- had
ppei and fallen heavily 10 the ground
beneath. All he was conscious Of at the
moment WAS "a slight, blinking noise. as
t.Yueh ONE stone knocked against another.
i.r some time he had lain senseless,
rurr.l iv the force of the fall; then
ODD flc cool II the evening breeze he recov-
o.. 3. and A. he rose 20 his feet and tried
O.. recall the circumstances OF hlS acci-
d .rt. bee remembered the slight. blinking
r.-.. and maryelled that a fall IN the
..nt should have been SO heavy. The par
r.uar pot where be fell was hollow,
caused hy the wind having blown away the
-lnl aud, as he glanced down, he caught
a GLIMPSE of little lst of dark surface on
Vi..'. the sand lay spaTselv. In an instant
l. Was ON hIs knees and had LAID bare
. -llof stone about two feet square, IN
or,rornor ofwhich was ruiely cut q dragon
g.. tae sign of an ancient royal house.
fs0le to move the stone unaidcd, he had
d..nei 10 wiscst TO hide II from view once
r.r. hv covering IL with sand, and had /
remained i'm the neighbOrhood until dusk, /
m a-- the Arabs should come on his
Treasure.
.Ia, how do YOU know it's tomb?"
asked.
what else could II hep" he answered. |
really didn't know, so l asked him /
" Of bee meant 20 do about H..
anu going 20 sit and watch IL all day /
Tomorrow. for fear the sand should be |
iaNu oN 10 again and the Arabs should /
sft 90. VIII show YOU the spot. and when /
t +. dusk v0u VIII bring some Enghshmen /
l.u ftt tomorrow night az a village four /
or Eve miles on, 10 which all the Arabs wall 1
l.. -1 vs.. shall not be observed. once |
ftr-, fellows get wind OF q tomb they !
mould murder us TO get the amulets."
II. needless 10 relate how, IN the guise !
g. irt lists. IN order 10 divert attention, and !
t.a.rouut for our presence IN one spot, /
". a4tched that hollow IN hesand through I
60 heat Of the dav; or how, as the /
s.. 49,. 81 the evening deepened and the /
O.. palms grew dim and indistinct, and 1
al hero and there black glrmmer showed /
v.,re the Nile pursued It's course between
te.l. 90 rice and maize, little band OF /
English workmcn. bearing ropes and IAN
tsr.. crossed the black waters IN
tnck-ioat,f and crossed back again ere
tao hours had passed. carrying in their
"a long and very heavy Object-the
t.ae .arcophagus found IN the tomb.
Iir next day. in the presence OF several
r.,trineu Interested ia antiquarian re-
search. the sarcOphaCus was opened. IL
Contained the embalmed body OF woman
.n perfect preservation. She was apparehl'
. be-. ,.vtrra q life and her thick. DARK