Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-19
THE RING OF THOTH.
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have placed HIM in the very FIRST rank of
scientific Observers He was tho VICTIM,
however, Of universal ambition which
prompted him 10 aim OF distinction IN many
subjects rather than prominence in one.
In his early days he bad shown an aptitude
for zoology and for botany, which caused
his friends 10 look upon him az second
Darwin. but when q protesgofship. was
almost within his reach he had suddenly
discontinued his studies and turned his
whole attention TO chemistry. Here MS
researches upon the spectra OF tho metals
had won him his fellowship IN the hoyai
Society, but again he played the coquette
with his subject. and after ayear'e absence
from the laboratory he joined the oriental
Society and delivereda paper on the Hero,
Slvphic and Denote inscriptions, OF ~
ksb. thus giving GROWING example ootn
of the versatility and OF the INCONSISTENCY or
his talents.
The most fcke Of wooers. however, Is
ant to be caught OF last, and so IT was with
bhn Vansittart Smith. Tho more he bur-
rowed his way into Egyptology the more
impressed he became by the vast held
which IL opened 10 the inquirer, and by
the extreme importance OF SUBJECT
which promised TO throw light upon tho
6rst germs Of human civilization and
the origin Of the greater part OF our
arts and sciences. SO struck was Mr..
Smith that no straghtway married
an Psychological young iady who
had written upon the sixth dynasty.
and having thus secured a sound base or
operations. he set himself TO collect mate
rials for O work which should unite the
research Of Lepsius and tho ingenuity or
Champollion. The preparation OF TINS
sndqnum opus cntailed many buried VISITS
10 the magnificent Egyptian collections OF
the Louvre, upon the last OF which; no
longer ago than the middle OF last OCTOBER,
he became involved in the most strange
and noteworthy adventure.
The trains had been slow and the chan
mel had been rough, so that the student ar
rived in Paris IN a somewhat befoggcd and
feyerish condition. On reaching the Hotel
de France. in the Rue Lattice, he had
thrown himself upon o sofa for couple OF
hours, but, finding that he was unable 10
sleep, he determined in spite OF his IA
tigue, to make his way TO the Louvre. set
Gle the point which he had come to decide,
and take the evening train back 70 Dieppe.
Having come to this conclusion, he donned
his greatcoat, for it was raw, rainy day,
and made his way across the Boulevard des
ltaliens and down the Avenue dc POpera.
Once in the Louvre he was on familiar
ground. and he speedily made his way to
the collection of Papyri which IL was his
intention to consult. :.
The warmest admirers Of John Vansit-
tart Smith could hardly clam for him that
he was O handsome man. lis high-beaked
nose and prominent chin had something or
the same acute aud incisive character
which distinguished h!sintellect. He held
his head in bird-like fashion. and bird
like, too. was the pecking motion with
which, in conversation, he threw out ms
objections and retOrts. As he stood, with
the high collar Of his great-coat raised to
his ears, he might have seen from the re-
Fiction in the glass case before him that
his appearance was singular one Yet IL
came upon him as sudden jar when an
English voice behind him exclaimed IN very
audible tones. What queer-looking
MORTAL"
The student had a large amount of petty
VANITY in his composition which mani
tested itself by an ostentatious and over
done disregard of all personal cOnsidera-
tions. He Strengthened his lips and looked
yigidly at the roll Of papyrus, while his
heart filed with bitterness against the
whole RICE Of travelling Britons.
Yes" said another voice, he really ID
an extraordinary fellow"
DO you know" said the first speaker,
lone could almost believe that by the con
tinual contemplation OF mummles the
chap has become half mummy. himselt!"
"He has certainly All Egyptian cast OF
countenance." said the other.
John Nansittart Smith spun round upon
bis heel with the intention of shaming his
countrymen by corrosive remark or two.
TO his SURPRISE and relief the two young
fellows who had been cOnverslng had their
shoulders turned toward him, and were
gazing at one of the Louvre attendants
who was polishing some brass-work at the
other side of the room.
Garter viii DO waiting for US at the
Palais Royal" said one tourist to the other.
CHANGING at his watch, and they clattered
away, leaving the student to his labors.
II wonder what these chatterers call an
Egyptian cast of cOuntenance," thought
John Vansittart Smith, and he moved his
position slightly in order to catch glimpse
of the mans face. lie started as his ewes
fell upon it, IL was indeed the very face
with which his studies had made him
familiar. The regular statuosque features,
broad brow, well-rounded chin and dusky
complexion were the exact counterpart OF
the innumerable statues, mummy cases.
and pictures which adorned the walls OF
the apartment. The thing was beyond all
coincidence. The man must be an ESyp-
tian. The national angularity of the shout
ders and narroWness of the hips were alone
sufficient to identify him.
John Vansittart Smith shut1ed toward
the attendant with some intention OF adj
dressing him. lie was not light Of touch
IA conversation, and found II diihcult to
strike the happy mean between brusque-
ness of the superior and the geniality of
the equal As he came nearer tho man pre-
scented his side face TO him, but kept
his gaze still bent upon his work.
Vansittart Smith, fixing his eyes upon
the fellows skin, was conscious of
sudden impression that there was some
thing inhuman and preternatural about ITS
appearance. Over the temple and cheek
bone il was as glazed and as shiny as var
nished parchment There was no sugges-
ton of pores. One could not fancy drop
of moisture upon that arid surface. From
brow TO chin, however, it was croSs-hatch-
ed by million delicate wrinkles which
shot and Interlaced as though nature IN
some Maori mood had tried how wild and
intricate pattern she could devise.
"Ots est IA collection de Memphisy" asked
the student, with the awkward AIR OF man
who is devising a question merely for the
purpose of opening a conversation,
"Cest Ia" replied the man brusquely,
noddng his head at the other side Of the
room.
the Englishman.
The attendant looked up and turned his
strange dark eyes upon his questioner.
They were vitreous, with q mistry dry shl-
niness, such as Smith had never seen III
human head before. As he gazed into
them he saw some strong emotion gather
in their depths. which rose and deepened
until IL broke into a look of something akin
both TO horror and to hatred.
mon monsieur il suns Francois" The
man turned abruptly and bent low over hls
polishing. The student gazed at him for
moment in astonishment, and then turn
ing to chair in q retired corner, behind
one of the doors he proceeded TO make
notes Of his researches among the papyr.
ills thoughts. however, refused to return
into their former groove. They would run
upon the enigmatical attendant with the
sphinx-like face and the parchment skin.
"Where have seen such eyes?" said
Vansittart Smith TO himself. There is
something saurian about them-something
reptilian. There's tho membrane nictitans
Of the snakes" he unused. bethinking him.
self OF has geological studies. -" 1t gives a
shipy effect. But there was something
more here. There was q sense OF power,
of wisdom-so read them-and Of weari-
ness. utter WEAKNESS, and inefable despair:
IT may DO oil imagination, but never had
20 strong an impression. BY dove. must
have another look at themi" He rose and
paced round tho Egyptian rooms, but the
man who had excited his curiosity had dis