there； now； he's always trying to get me off。〃
〃We shall soon be at the Pyramids now； mamma。〃
〃How on earth I am ever to get back again I cannot think。 I am so
tired now that I can hardly sit。〃
〃You'll be better； mamma； when you get your luncheon and a glass of
wine。〃
〃How on earth we are to eat and drink with those nasty Arab people
around us； I can't conceive。 They tell me we shall be eaten up by
them。 But； Fanny； what has Mr。 Ingram been saying to you all the day？〃
〃What has he been saying； mamma？ Oh！ I don't know；a hundred things；
I dare say。 But he has not been talking to me all the time。〃
〃I think he has； Fanny； nearly； since we crossed the river。 Oh； dear！
oh； dear！ this animal does hurt me so！ Every time he moves he flings
his head about； and that gives me such a bump。〃 And then Fanny
commiserated her mother's sufferings； and in her commiseration
contrived to elude any further questionings as to Mr。 Ingram's
conversation。
〃Majestic piles； are they not？〃 said Miss Dawkins； who； having changed
her companion； allowed her mind to revert from Mount Sinai to the
Pyramids。 They were now riding through cultivated ground； with the
vast extent of the sands of Libya before them。 The two Pyramids were
standing on the margin of the sand； with the head of the recumbent
sphynx plainly visible between them。 But no idea can be formed of the
size of this immense figure till it is visited much more closely。 The
body is covered with sand； and the head and neck alone stand above the
surface of the ground。 They were still two miles distant； and the
sphynx as yet was but an obscure mount between the two vast Pyramids。
〃Immense piles！〃 said Miss Dawkins； repeating her own words。
〃Yes； they are large；〃 said Mr。 Ingram； who did not choose to indulge
in enthusiasm in the presence of Miss Dawkins。
〃Enormous！ What a grand idea！eh； Mr。 Ingram？ The human race does
not create such things as those nowadays！〃
〃No； indeed；〃 he answered； 〃but perhaps we create better things。〃
〃Better！ You do not mean to say； Mr。 Ingram； that you are an
utilitarian。 I do； in truth； hope better things of you than that。
Yes！ steam mills are better； no doubt； and mechanics' institutes and
penny newspapers。 But is nothing to be valued but what is useful？〃
And Miss Dawkins； in the height of her enthusiasm； switched her donkey
severely over the shoulder。
〃I might； perhaps； have said also that we create more beautiful
things；〃 said Mr。 Ingram。
〃But we cannot create older things。〃
〃No； certainly； we cannot do that。〃
〃Nor can we imbue what we do create with the grand associations which
environ those piles with so intense an interest。 Think of the mighty
dead； Mr。 Ingram； and of their great homes when living。 Think of the
hands which it took to raise those huge blocks〃
〃And of the lives which it cost。〃
〃Doubtless。 The tyranny and invincible power of the royal architects
add to the grandeur of the idea。 One would not wish to have back the
kings of Egypt。〃
〃Well； no； they would be neither useful nor beautiful。〃
〃Perhaps not； and I do not wish to be picturesque at the expense of my
fellow…creatures。〃
〃I doubt； even； whether they would be picturesque。〃
〃You know what I mean； Mr。 Ingram。 But the associations of such names；
and the presence of the stupendous works with which they are connected；
fill the soul with awe。 Such； at least； is the effect with mine。〃
〃I fear that my tendencies； Miss Dawkins； are more realistic than your
own。〃
〃You belong to a young country； Mr。 Ingram； and are naturally prone to
think of material life。 The necessity of living looms large before
you。〃
〃Very large； indeed； Miss Dawkins。〃
〃Whereas with us； with some of us at least； the material aspect has
given place to one in which poetry and enthusiasm prevail。 To such
among us the associations of past times are very dear。 Cheops； to me；
is more than Napoleon Bonaparte。〃
〃That is more than most of your countrymen can say； at any rate； just
at present。〃
〃I am a woman；〃 continued Miss Dawkins。
Mr。 Ingram took off his hat in acknowledgment both of the announcement
and of the fact。
〃And to us it is not givennot given as yetto share in the great
deeds of the present。 The envy of your sex has driven us from the
paths which lead to honour。 But the deeds of the past are as much ours
as yours。〃
〃Oh； quite as much。〃
〃'Tis to your country that we look for enfranchisement from this
thraldom。 Yes； Mr。 Ingram； the women of America have that strength of
mind which has been wanting to those of Europe。 In the United States
woman will at last learn to exercise her proper mission。〃
Mr。 Ingram expressed a sincere wish that such might be the case； and
then wondering at the ingenuity with which Miss Dawkins had travelled
round from Cheops and his Pyramid to the rights of women in America； he
contrived to fall back； under the pretence of asking after the ailments
of Mrs。 Damer。
And now at last they were on the sand； in the absolute desert； making
their way up to the very foot of the most northern of the two Pyramids。
They were by this time surrounded by a crowd of Arab guides； or Arabs
professing to be guides； who had already ascertained that Mr。 Damer was
the chief of the party； and were accordingly driving him almost to
madness by the offers of their services； and their assurance that he
could not possibly see the outside or the inside of either structure；
or even remain alive upon the ground； unless he at once accepted their
offers made at their own prices。
〃Get away； will you？〃 said he。 〃I don't want any of you； and I won't
have you！ If you take hold of me I'll shoot you！〃 This was said to
one specially energetic Arab； who； in his efforts to secure his prey；
had caught hold of Mr。 Damer by the leg。
〃Yes； yes； I say！ Englishmen always take me；meme； and then no
break him leg。 Yesyesyes；I go。 Master； say yes。 Only one
leetle ten shillings！〃
〃Abdallah！〃 shouted Mr。 Damer； 〃why don't you take this man away？ Why
don't you make him understand that if all the Pyramids depended on it；
I would not give him sixpence！〃
And then Abdallah； thus invoked； came up； and explained to the man in
Arabic that he would gain his object more surely if he would behave
himself a little more quietly； a hint which the man took for one
minute； and for one minute only。
And then poor Mrs。 Damer replied to an application for backsheish by
the gift of a sixpence。 Unfortunate woman！ The word backsheish means；
I believe； a gift； but it has come in Egypt to signify money； and is
eternally dinned into the ears of strangers by Arab suppliants。 Mrs。
Damer ought to have known better； as； during the last six weeks she had
never shown her face out of Shepheard's Hotel without being pestered
for backsheish； but she was tired and weak； and foolishly thought to
rid herself of the man who was annoying her。
No sooner had the coin dropped from her hand into that of the Arab；
than she was surrounded by a cluster of beggars； who loudly made their
petitions as though they would； each of them； individually be injured
if treated with less liberality than that first comer。 They took hold
of her donkey； her bridle； her saddle； her legs； and at last her arms
and hands； screaming for backsheish in voices that were neither sweet
nor mild。
In her dismay she did give away sundry small coinsall； probably； that
she had about her； but this only made the matter worse。 Money was
going； and each man； by sufficient energy； might hope to get some of
it。 They were very energetic； and so frightened the poor lady that she
would certainly have fallen； had she not been kept on her seat by the
pressure around her。
〃Oh； dear！ oh； dear！ get away；〃 she cried。 〃I haven't got any more；
indeed I haven't。 Go away； I tell you！ Mr。 Damer！ oh； Mr。 Damer！〃 and
then； in the excess of her agony； she uttered one loud； long； and
continuous shriek。
Up came Mr。 Damer； up came Abdallah； up came M。 Delabordeau； up came
Mr。 Ingram； and at last she was rescued。 〃You shouldn't go away and
leave me to the mercy of these nasty people。 As to that Abdallah； he
is of no use to anybody。〃
〃Why you bodder de good lady； you dem blackguard？〃 said Abdallah；
raising his stick； as though he were going to lay them all low with a
blow。 〃Now you get noting； you tief！〃
The Arabs for a moment retired to a little distance； like flies driven
from a sugar…bowl； but it was easy to see that； like the flies； they
would return at the first vacant moment。
And now they had reached the very foot of the Pyramids and proceeded to
dismount from their donkeys。 Their intention was first to ascend to
the top； then to come down to their banquet； and after that to
penetrate into the interior。 And all this would seem to be easy of
performance。 The Pyramid is undoubtedly high； but it is so constructed
as to admit of climbing without difficulty。 A lady mounting it would
undoubtedly need some assistance； but any man possessed of moderate
activity would require no aid at all。
But our friends were at once imbued with the tremendous nature of the
task before them。 A sheikh of the A