I found it with
some trouble, for the weather and the rubbing of the wind-stirred sand
had worn even the Ethiopian stone. Having found it, I pressed on it with
all my strength in a certain fashion. Even after the lapse of many years
the stone swung round, showing a little opening, through which a man
might scarcely creep. As it swung, a mighty bat, white in colour as
though with unreckoned age, and such as I had never seen before for
bigness, for his measure was the measure of a hawk, flew forth and for a
moment hovered over Cleopatra, then sailed slowly up and up in circles,
till at last he was lost in the bright light of the moon.
But Cleopatra uttered a cry of terror, and the eunuch, who was watching,
fell down in fear, believing it to be the guardian Spirit of the
pyramid. And I, too, feared, though I said nothing. For even now I
believe that it was the Spirit of Menkau-ra, the Osirian, who, taking
the form of a bat, flew forth from his holy House in warning.
I waited a while, till the foul air should clear from the passage. Then
I drew out the lamps, kindled them, and passed them, to the number
of three, into the entrance of the passage. This done, I went to the
eunuch, and, taking him aside, I swore him by the living spirit of Him
who sleeps at Abouthis that he should not reveal those things which he
was about to see.
Pages:
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216