t to be afraid.
"How he rose and how he fell. Thou hast seen how the mortal body of him
who was once so mighty that he stood before Pharaoh unafraid, was buried
by night, having been forbidden to cross the sacred Lake of the Dead.
For more than three thousand years, by thy calculation, that body has
rested in an unconsecrated tomb, it has been carried to a far country,
and throughout that time his soul has known no peace. But the gods are
not vengeful for ever, and it is decreed that by thy hand, inasmuch as
thou art not of his country or of his blood, he shall find rest at last.
Follow me, for there is much for thee to see."

Leading the way across the large hall, he conducted me down another
flight of steps into yet another hall, larger than any I had yet seen,
the walls of which were covered with frescoes, in every case having some
connection with the services rendered to the dead. On a stone slab in
the centre of this great place was the mummy case which had for so many
years stood in the alcove of my studio, and which was undoubtedly the
cause of my being where I now was. I looked again and could scarcely
believe my eyes, for there, seated at its head, gazing from the old man
to myself, was the monkey Pehtes, with an expression of terror upon his
wizened little face.

I must leave you to imagine what sort of effect the solemnity of this
great hall, the solitary mummy case lying in the centre, and the
frightened little monkey seated at its head had upon me.

At a signal from my companion the men who had anointed me on my arrival
in this ghostly place made their appearance, but whence I could not
discover. Lifting the lid of the case, despite the monkey's almost human
protests, they withdrew the body, swaddled up as it was, and laid it
upon the table. One by one the cloths were removed until the naked flesh
(if flesh it could be called) lay exposed to view. To the best of my
belief it had never seen the light, certainly not in my time, since the
day, so many thousand years before, when it had been prepared for the
tomb. The effect it had upon me was almost overwhelming. My guide,
however, permitted no sign of emotion to escape him. When everything had
been removed the men who had done the work withdrew as silently as they
had come, and we three were left alone together.

"Draw near," said the old man solemnly, "and if thou wouldst lose
conceit in thy strength, and learn how feeble a thing is man, gaze upon
the fo