stopped him.
"No! Don't touch it," he cried out excitedly, and then immediately
apologetic. "Forgive me, Herr von Schiller, was im but this is
fascinating. It strongly supports the theory of an exchange of bodies. I
think we should study it, before we proceed with the unwrapping. With
your permission of Herr von Schiller."
course, Von Schiller hesitated. He was anxious to discover what lay
beneath this rat's nest of old rags, but he realized the virtue of
caution and prudence now. A hasty move might do irreparable damage. He
straightened up and stepped down from his block.
"Very well," he grunted. He pulled a handkerchief from the breast pocket
of his dark blue doublebreasted suit jacket, and mopped the heavy sweat
from his face. His voice was shaky as he asked, "Is it possible? Could
this be Mamose himself?"
Stuffing the handkerchief back into his trouser pocket, he discovered
with mild surprise that he had a painful erection. With his hand in his
pocket he rearranged it to lie flat against his stomach. "Remove the
loose wrapp
"With your permission, Herr von Schiller, we should take the photographs
first," Reeper suggested tactfully.
Of course," von Schiller agreed at once. "We are scientists,
archaeologists, not common looters, Take the photographs."
They worked slowly, and von Schiller found the delay tantalizing. There
was no sense of the passage of time down here in the vault, but at one
stage von Schiller, now in his shirtsleeves, glanced at his gold
wrist-watch and was surprised to see' that it was past nine 'clock at
night. He unknotted his necktie, threw it on the bench where his jacket
already lay, and reapplied himself to the task.
Gradually the shape of a human body emerged from under the compacted
mass of ancient bindings, but it was after midnight when at last Nahoot
teased away the last untidy clump of old cloth from the mummy's torso.
They blinked at the glimpse of gold just visible through the neat layers
of bandages laid upon the corpse by the meticulous and skilful hands of
the embalmers.
"Originally, of course, there would have been several massive outer
coffins. These are missing, as are the masks.
Those must still be in Pharaoh's original sarcophagus, covering the body
of Tanus in the royal -tomb that still awaits discovery. What we have
left here is only the inner dressing of the royal mummy."
With long forceps he peeled away the top layer of bandage asVon
Schiller, perched on his block, grunted and shuffled his feet.
"The pectoral medallion of the royal house of Mamose," Nahoot whispered
reverently. The great jewel blazed under the arc light. Resplendent in
blue lapis lazuli and red carrielian and gold, it covered the entire
chest of the mummy. The central motif was of a vulture in flight,
soaring on wide pinions, and in its talons it clutched the golden
cartouche of the king. The craftsmanship was marvelous, the design
splendid.
"There is no doubt now," von Schiller whispered. "This proves the
identity of the body." cartOUc xt they unwrapped the king's hands,
clasped over the the great medallion. The fingers were long and
sensitive, each of them loaded with circle after circle of magnificent
rings. Clasped in his dead hands were the flail and sceptre of majesty,
and Nahoot exulted when they saw them.
"The symbols of kingship. Proof on proof that this is Mamose the Eighth,
ruler of the Upper and Lower Kingdoms of ancient Egypt."
He moved up to the king's still veiled head, but von Schiller stopped
him. "Leave that until last!" he ordered. "I am not yet ready to look
upon the face of Pharaoh."
So Nahoot and Reeper transferred their attention to the king's lower
body. As they lifted away each layer of linen, so were revealed scores
of amulets that the embalmers had placed beneath the bandages as charms
to protect the dead man. They were of gold and carved jewels and ceramic
in glowing colours and marvelous shapes - all the birds of the air and
the creatures of the land and the fish of the Nile waters. They
photographed each amulet in situ before working it free and placing it
into a numbered slot in the trays that had been set out upon the
workbench.
Pharaoh's feet were as small and delicate as his hands, and each toe was
laden with precious rings. Only his head was still covered, and both men
looked enquiringly at von Schiller. "It is very late, Herr von
Schiller," Reeper said, if you wish to rest-'
"Continue!" he ordered brusquely. So they moved up each side of the
mummy's head, while von Schiller on remained on his stand between them.
Gradually the king's face was exposed to the light, for the first time
in nearly four thousand years. His hair was thin and wispy, still red
with the henna dye he had used in his lifetime. His skin had been cured
with aromatic resins until it was hard as polished amber. His nose was
thin and beaked. His lips were drawn back in a soft, almost dreamy smile
which exposed the gap in his front teeth.
The resin coated his eyelashes, so that they seemed wet with tears and
the lids only half-shut. Life seemed to gleam there still, and only when
von Schiller leaned closer did he realize that the light in those
ancient sockets was the reflection from the white porcelain discs that
the undertakers had placed in the empty sockets during the embalming.
On his brow the Pharaoh wore the sacred uraeus crown. Every detail of
the cobra head was still perfect, There was no wearing or abrading of
the soft metal. The I serpent fangs were sharp and recurved, and the
long forked tongue curled between them. The eyes were of shining blue
glass. On the band of gold beneath the hooded asp was engraved the royal
cartouche of Mamose.
"I want that crown." Von Schiller's voice was choking with passion.
"Remove it, so that I can hold it in my own hands."
"We may not be able to lift it without damaging the head of the royal
mummy," Nahoot protested.
"Do not argue with me. Do as I tell you."
"Immediately, Herr von Schiller," Nahoot capitulated.
"But it will take time to free it. If Herr von Schiller wishes to rest
now, we will inform you when we have loosened the crown and have it
ready for you."
The circle of gold had adhered to the resin-soaked skin of the king's
forehead. In order to remove it Nahoot and Reeper first had to lift the
complete body out of the coffin and lay it on the stainless steel
mortuary stretcher which already waited to receive it. Then the resin
had to be softened and removed with specially prepared solvents.
The whole process took as long as Nahoot had predicted, but finally it
was completed.
They laid the golden uraeus upon a blue velvet cushion, as if for a
coronation ceremony. They dimmed all the other lights in the main
chamber of the vault, anded a single spot to fall upon the crown. Then
they arrang both went upstairs to inform von Schiller.
He would not let the two archaeologists accompany him when he returned
to the vaults to view the crown.
Only Utte Kemper was with him when he keyed the lock to the armoured
door of the vault, and the heavy door slid open.