Guardian of the Horizon by Elizabeth Peters

Author:Elizabeth Peters
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, pdf
Tags: Mystery
ISBN: 9780061804014
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2011-09-24T17:23:00+00:00

It was something of an anticlimax to observe, on the right-hand side of the pylon, a smaller male figure presenting an ankh—the symbol of life—to the nose of a seated king. The smaller person had the braided side lock that indicated youth, and its nose was considerably larger than that of the king.

Zekare appeared quite pleased at the effect of his little surprise. When he indicated that the audience was over, we went unresisting. Emerson kept muttering, “Good Gad! Good Gad!”

After we had gone a little way down the entrance corridor I said thoughtfully, “I wonder that the new king would leave that relief. Surely it must be the one Tarek promised he would commission in order to honor us, and therefore the royal image must be his.”

Ramses had been somewhat disconcerted by his own image—the nose was really a bit much—but he had the answer to my question. He usually does.

“The cartouche has been changed, Mother. That was standard procedure in Egypt, if you recall, whenever a monarch usurped the representation of a predecessor. The name in itself conferred identity; it wasn’t even necessary to remodel the features.”

“Hmmm, yes,” said Emerson. “I am beginning to get an idea—”

“Let’s not discuss it now, Father,” Ramses cut in. He gestured at Amenislo, who was trotting along ahead of us. Emerson glared. “Quite right, my boy, we don’t want to be overheard. He has obviously turned his coat. Against his own brother!”

“All the members of the upper classes are closely related,” I said. “I expect the new king is a first or second or third cousin of Tarek’s. He must have had some connection with the royal family in order to claim a right to the throne.”

None of us spoke again until we had reached our own quarters. “Ramses, fetch Daoud and Selim,” Emerson said. “You”—he pointed at Amenislo, who was bowing and smiling—“get out. Go. Leave us.”

“Well!” I exclaimed. “We are in a pretty fix.”

“Get rid of them too,” grunted Emerson, indicating the servants.

“They don’t understand English,” I replied. “Unlike Amenislo. I will tell them to serve luncheon. I expect Daoud is hungry, and I am a bit peckish myself.”

“How can you think of food at a time like this?” Emerson demanded.

“It is necessary to keep up one’s strength,” I replied. “At least we know the girls are in no danger.”

Daoud settled down to eat with his usual placidity, but Selim was in a considerable state of agitation. “Ramses says they have taken Nur Misur to be a priestess of their false god,” he exclaimed. “What are we to do?”

“The Sitt Hakim will make a plan,” Daoud said.

“Yes, of course,” I said with a little cough. “But we must think very carefully about how to proceed. These people take their religion quite seriously, and—”

“Don’t be a credulous fool, Peabody,” growled Emerson, who never takes religion seriously. “In this society, as in all the others with which I am familiar, religion among the ruling classes is only a cloak for politics. If

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.