The Curse of the Pharaohs

***The Curse of the Pharaohs*** [Excavation season 1892-93]

> *I therefore took a firm grip on my parasol and went in pursuit.* - Amelia Peabody
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"When Lady Baskerville’s husband Sir Henry dies after discovering what may be an undisturbed royal tomb in Luxor, she appeals to eminent archaeologist Radcliffe Emerson and his wife Amelia to take over the excavation. Amid rumors of a curse haunting all those involved with the dig, the intrepid couple proceeds to Egypt, where they begin to suspect that Sir Henry did not die a natural death, and they are confident that the accidents that plague the dig are caused by a sinister human element, not a pharaoh’s curse."

## Characters

*in alphabetical order*

* Abdullah ibn Hassan al Wahhab
* Ali Hassan Abd er Rasul
* Amelia Peabody
* Atiyah
* Cyrus Vandergelt
* Evelyn Barton-Forbes
* Karl von Bork
* Kevin O'Connell
* Lady Baskerville
* Radcliffe Emerson
* Rose
* Selim ibn Hassan al Wahhab
* Walter "Ramses" Emerson

## Locations

* Kent, England
* Cairo, Egypt
* Luxor, Egypt

### Amelia Describes Egypt

Picture yourself sitting with me on the terrace of Shepheard’s Hotel in Cairo. The sky is a brilliant porcelain blue. The sun casts its benevolent rays impartially on rich merchants and ragged beggars, on turbaned imams and tailored European tourists--on all the infinitely varied persons who compose the busting crowds that traverse the broad thoroughfare before us. - Amelia Peabody

It was a typically glorious Upper Egyptian morning. The rising orb of the sun lifted majestically over the eastern mountains, and its golden rays seemed to caress us with loving arms, as the arms of the god Aten embraced the divine king who was his son. - Amelia Peabody

A magnificent sunset turned the reflecting water to a shimmering scarf of crimson and gold as we set sail for the east bank and our appointment with Lady Baskerville. - Amelia Peabody

On the day we were to dock at Luxor I was on the deck at dawn, hanging over the rail and gaping like any ignorant Cook’s tourist. The Luxor temple had been cleared of the shacks and huts that had so long marred its beauty; its columns and pylons glowed rosy pink in the morning light as the steamer glided in to the dock. - Amelia Peabody

How many blissful hours did I spend there, under the billowing sails, drinking tea and listening to the songs of the sailors while the magnificent panorama of Egyptian life glided by on either side--villages and temples, palm trees, camels, and holy hermits perched precariously on pillars. How fond were my memories of that journey, which had culminated in my betrothal to my spouse! How gladly I would have repeated that glorious experience! - Amelia Peabody

## Archaeological Fever

Let me be candid. Emerson would cheerfully consign the entire globe and its inhabitants (with a few exception) to the nethermost pits to save one dingy fragment of history from extinction. - Amelia Peabody

Egyptian Museum: Since we were last in Egypt the Museum had been moved from its overcrowded quarters at Boulaq to the Palace of Gizeh. - Amelia Peabody

## Historical Cameos

* Charles Wilbour
* Reverend Mr. Sayce (Archibald Sayce)

## Budge Trash Talk

Budge is a scoundrel and Grebaut is an idiot. - Radcliffe Emerson

## Cultural References

### George Leybourne's The Flying Trapeze

Emerson followed me; and I smiled to myself as his voice rose in song. It had to do, I believe, with a young man on a trapeze. - Amelia Peabody

### "Champagne Charlie"

Emerson began to hum. He has a perfectly appalling singing voice and no idea whatever of pitch, but I made no objection, even when words emerged from his drone.

*. . .from Coffee and from*

*supper rooms, from Poplar to Pall Mall,*

*The girls on seeing me exclaim, “O what a*

*champagne swell!”*

### H. Rider Haggard

...I would have thought it one of the ingenious inventions of Herr Ebers or Mr. Rider Haggard--to whose romances, I must confess, I was addicted.

## First Line

> The events I am about to relate began on a December afternoon, when I had invited Lady Harold Carrington and certain of her friends to tea. - Amelia Peabody
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## Quotes to Remember

I must say that I consider my marriage a sterling example of what that condition can and should be. My feelings for Emerson, and his for me, are too deep to be concealed. I am the most fortunate of women. And he considers himself the most fortunate of men. I am sure he would say so, if he ever discussed such matters. - Amelia Peabody

In fact we should call it a draw. You tried to shoot me, I tried to poison you. As I said before, Peabody, we are well matched. - Radcliffe Emerson

Emerson was unreasonably annoyed with me for what he called my unwarranted interference. - Amelia Peabody

It is a misconception that the innocent sleep well. The worse a man is, the more profound his slumber; for if he had a conscience he would not be a villain. - Amelia Peabody

Amelia, you must overcome your ridiculous weakness for young lovers. - Radcliffe Emerson

Young men commonly suffer from the delusion that the rest of the world is absorbed in their love affairs. - Amelia Peabody

It occurred to me that possibly I might have been guilty of a slight error in judgment. - Amelia Peabody

At least change your shirt, will you, please? That one is ruined. - Amelia Peabody

I am always pleased to pass on the benefit of my age and experience to the young, and at the risk of hubris I must say that I consider my marriage a sterling example of what that condition can and should be. My feelings for Emerson, and his for me, are too deep to be concealed. I am the most fortunate of women. And he considers himself the most fortunate of men. I am sure he would say so, if he ever discussed such matters. - Amelia Peabody

## Amelia Words

Bucolic peace is not my ambience, and the giving of tea parties is by no means my favorite amusement. - Amelia Peabody

I do not scruple to employ mendacity and a fictitious appearance of female incompetence when the occasion demands it. - Amelia Peabody

Yet the day, which began so auspiciously, turned out to be replete with disasters. - Amelia Peabody

Good Gad, Amelia, will you attempt to control your rampageous imagination? - Radcliffe Emerson

## Fashion

...in my last season I had taken the bull by the horns and ordered a costume that seemed to me to combine utility with womanly modestly...The costume was completed by a broad-brimmed hat and a stout belt equipped with hooks for knife, pistol, and other implements. - Amelia Peabody

## Foreshadowing

### King Tut

I then asked my husband where he wished to form the refuse dump, since my basket would have the honor of being the first to be deposited there.

Emerson looked up over the rim of the staircase and stroked his chin thoughtfully. “There,” he said, pointing to a spot to the southwest, near the entrance to Ramses the Sixth’s tomb. “There can be nothing of interest in that area; the ruins are only the remains of ancient workmen’s huts.”

**Emerson**: Ha, Ha. Impossible, of course. That part of the Valley cannot contain any other tombs. All the same, Peabody, I have a strange feeling that I have missed something.

**Amelia**: Impossible, my dear Emerson.

**Emerson**: Quite, my dear Peabody.

### The Nightly Ritual

“Good night, Papa. One of the ladies of the hawem did it, I think.”

I seized Emerson by the arm and pushed him toward the door, before he could pursue this interesting suggestion. After carrying out my part of the nightly ritual (a description of which would serve no useful purpose in the present narrative), I followed Emerson out.

## References

1. ↑ "Amelia Peabody Books". barbarmertz.org. May 1, 2023.