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‘His daughter comes into a considerable fortune, I understand… Ah, pardon – perhaps it is not delicate what I say there.’
Andrew Pe
‘Oh, that’s pretty common knowledge. Yes, Li
‘I suppose, though, that the recent slump is bound to affect any stocks, however sound they may be?’
Pe
‘That, of course, is true to a certain extent. The position is very difficult in these days.’
Poirot murmured: ‘I should imagine, however, that Madame Doyle has a keen business head.’
‘That is so. Yes, that is so. Li
They came to a halt. The guide proceeded to instruct them on the subject of the temple built by the great Rameses. The four colossi of Rameses himself, one pair on each side of the entrance, hewn out of the living rock, looked down on the straggling little party of tourists.
Signor Richetti, disdaining the remarks of the dragoman, was busy examining the reliefs of African and Syrian captives on the bases of the colossi on either side of the entrance.
When the party entered the temple, a sense of dimness and peace came over them. The still vividly coloured reliefs on some of the i
Dr Bessner read sonorously in German from a Baedeker, pausing every now and then to translate for the benefit of Cornelia, who walked in a docile ma
‘A very nice maiden, that,’ he a
It fleeted across Poirot’s mind that it seemed to be Cornelia’s fate either to be bullied or instructed. In any case she was always the listener, never the talker.
Miss Bowers, momentarily released by the peremptory summons of Cornelia, was standing in the middle of the temple, looking about her with her cool, incurious gaze. Her reaction to the wonders of the past was succinct.
‘The guide says the name of one of these gods or goddesses was Mut. Can you beat it?’
There was an i
Before them stood Li
Simon said suddenly: ‘Let’s get out of here. I don’t like these four fellows – especially the one in the high hat.’
‘That’s Amon, I suppose. And that one is Rameses. Why don’t you like them? I think they’re very impressive.’
‘They’re a damned sight too impressive – there’s something unca
Li
They came out of the temple into the sunshine with the sand yellow and warm about their feet. Li
‘Hip, hip hurray! Hip, hip hurray! Very good, very nice. Thank you very much.’
‘How absurd! How do they do it? Are they really buried very deep?’
Simon produced some small change.
‘Very good, very nice, very expensive,’ he mimicked.
Two small boys in charge of the ‘show’ picked up the coins neatly.
Li
‘How lovely the sun is,’ thought Li
Her eyes closed. She was half asleep, half awake, drifting in the midst of thought that was like the sand drifting and blowing.
Simon’s eyes were open. They too held contentment. What a fool he’d been to be rattled that first night… There was nothing to be rattled about… Everything was all right… After all, one could trust Jackie-
There was a shout – people ru
Simon stared stupidly for a moment. Then he sprang to his feet and dragged Li
Not a minute too soon. A big boulder hurtling down the cliff crashed past them. If Li
White-faced they clung together. Hercule Poirot and Tim Allerton ran up to them.
‘Ma foi, Madame, that was a near thing.’
All four instinctively looked up at the cliff. There was nothing to be seen. But there was a path along the top. Poirot remembered seeing some locals walking along there when they had first come ashore.
He looked at the husband and wife. Li
‘God damn her!’ he ejaculated. He checked himself with a quick glance at Tim Allerton.
The latter said:
‘Phew, that was near! Did some fool bowl that thing over, or did it get detached on its own?’
Li
‘I think – some fool must have done it.’
‘Might have crushed you like an eggshell. Sure you haven’t got an enemy, Li
Li
Poirot said quickly: ‘Come back to the boat, Madame. You must have a restorative.’
They walked quickly, Simon still full of pent-up rage, Tim trying to talk cheerfully and distract Li
And then, just as they reached the gangplank, Simon stopped dead. A look of amazement spread over his face.
Jacqueline de Bellefort was just coming ashore. Dressed in blue gingham, she looked childish this morning.
‘Good God!’ said Simon under his breath. ‘So it was an accident, after all.’
The anger went out of his face. An overwhelming relief showed so plainly that Jacqueline noticed something amiss.
‘Good morning,’ she said. ‘I’m afraid I’m a little on the late side.’
She gave them all a nod and stepped ashore and proceeded in the direction of the temple.
Simon clutched Poirot’s arm. The other two had gone on.
‘My God, that’s a relief. I thought – I thought-’
Poirot nodded.
‘Yes, yes, I know what you thought.’ But he himself still looked grave and preoccupied. He turned his head and noted carefully what had become of the rest of the party from the ship.
Miss Van Schuyler was slowly returning on the arm of Miss Bowers.
A little farther away Mrs Allerton was standing laughing at the little row of heads. Mrs Otterbourne was with her.
The others were nowhere in sight.
Poirot shook his head as he followed Simon slowly onto the boat.
Chapter 10
‘Will you explain to me, Madame, the meaning of the word “fey”?’
Mrs Allerton looked slightly surprised. She and Poirot were toiling slowly up to the rock overlooking the Second Cataract. Most of the others had gone up on camels, but Poirot had felt that the motion of the camel was slightly reminiscent of that of a ship. Mrs Allerton had put it on the grounds of personal indignity.