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He hadn't explained himself very eloquently； and apparently his father's fascination with temples prevented him from seeing what Ramses saw： a unique opportunity to learn about the lives of ordinary Egyptians； not pharaohs； not noblemen； but men who worked hard for a living； and their wives and children。 The scraps of written material he had found contained work schedules and lists of supplies； and tantalizing hints of family relationships； friendly and not so friendly； extending over many generations。 He was certain there were more papyri to be found； one of the men had mentioned ing across a similar cache some years earlier； near the place where this one had turned up。 If his father would let him dig there 。 。 。
He didn't want to be here； but he'd had no choice。 Once Emerson got the bit in his teeth it was impossible to turn him aside； and wandering the western wadis alone was dangerous； even for an old hand like his father。 Paths wound all over the place； marked in some places by tumbles of stone that marked the ruins of ancient huts； used by the necropolis guards or by workmen。 Ramses could only marvel at his father's encyclopedic memory of the terrain； he did not pause before turning into a track that led downhill； following the eastern ridge of a deep wadi。 When he finally stopped； they were only twenty feet from the valley floor； and Ramses saw a flight of rough stone stairs going down。
〃Rest a bit；〃 Emerson said； unstrapping his knapsack。 He removed his coat； tossed it onto the ground； sat on it； and took his pipe from his pocket。 Ramses followed his example； except for the pipe。 He took advantage of the lull while his father fussed with the pipe to look round and try to get his bearings。
For the past half hour they had been going roughly southwest； and must now be near the mouth of one of the wadis that spread out northward from the plain。 It wasn't the one they had visited twice before； this configuration was quite different from that of the Cemetery of the Monkeys。 There was ample evidence of ancient occupation： several deep pits； too obvious to have been overlooked by modern tomb robbers； and more remains of ancient stone huts。
Once he had his pipe going； Emerson opened his knapsack and began fumbling in it。 〃Hmph；〃 he said； as if the idea had just struck him。 〃I suppose I ought to have thought of bringing some water。 Are you thirsty； my boy？〃
〃A little。〃 It was the understatement of the day； his mouth was so dry it felt like sand。 He unstrapped his own knapsack。 〃I asked Fatima for a few bottles of water。 And a packet of sandwiches。〃
〃Good thinking。 No； no …〃 Emerson waved the bottle away。 〃You first。〃
Ramses took a long pull and watched； with the admiring vexation his father continued to inspire； as Emerson went on rooting round in his knapsack。 He had flung his pith helmet aside and the sun beat down on his bare black head。 His pipe lay beside him； it was still glowing； and Ramses remembered a story his mother had once told him； about Emerson putting a lighted pipe in his pocket。 She had thought it very amusing。
〃Ah；〃 said Emerson； removing a long roll of paper from his knapsack。 〃Here it is。 Hold this end。〃
Once the paper was unrolled and held flat by rocks； Emerson said； 〃I did this some years ago。 Very rough； as you can see。〃
It was a map of the area； annotated in Emerson's decisive handwriting； and although it was obviously not to scale； it made the general layout of the wadis clear。 They resembled the fingers of a hand that stretched out to the north； penetrating deep into the rising cliffs； below the flatter 〃palm〃 was a mon entrance； very wide and fairly level； opening onto the plain below。 Emerson had labeled the separate wadis with their Arabic names。
〃We're here；〃 Emerson went on； jabbing at the paper with the stem of his pipe。 〃We'll have a look at Wadi Siqqet e Zeide first。 Hatshepsut's tomb is at the far end of it。〃
〃What are these x's？〃
〃Spots I thought worth investigating。〃
〃You never got round to doing it？〃
〃There isn't enough time！〃 Emerson's voice rose。 〃There never will be。 If I had ten lifetimes I couldn't do it all。〃
〃Have a sandwich；〃 Ramses said sympathetically。 〃I know how you feel； Father。 We must just do the best we can。〃
〃Don't talk like your mother；〃 Emerson growled。 He accepted a sandwich； but instead of biting into it he stared at the ground and said rapidly； 〃I've e round to your way of thinking； you know。 The most important aspect of our profession is recording。 At the rate the monuments are deteriorating； there won't be much left by the time your children are grown。〃
Considering that they aren't born yet； that will be a long time； Ramses thought。
The subject of children was one he and Nefret avoided； and so did everyone else in the family。 Some of them； including his mother … and himself … knew that her failure to conceive again after the miscarriage she had suffered a few years earlier grieved her more than she would admit。 He wanted a child； too； but his feelings weren't important； pared with hers。
His father appeared not to have noticed the gaffe； if it could be called that。 He went on； in mounting passion； 〃But； confound it； leaving undiscovered tombs to the tender mercies of thieves is inviting further destruction。 Finding them first is a variety of preservation； isn't it？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Don't agree with everything I say！〃 Emerson shouted。
〃No； sir。〃
〃You do agree； though。〃
〃Yes 。 。 。〃 He cut off the 〃sir。〃 Emerson's morose expression indicated that he was not in the mood for raillery。 Ramses went on； 〃In this case we have an additional； equally defensible motive for exploring the area。 One might even call it self…defense。〃
He hadn't succeeded in cheering his father。 Emerson's brow darkened even more。 〃It's ridiculous；〃 he grumbled。 〃I resent having to waste time tracking down a miserable little rat like Jamil。〃
Ramses understood how he felt。 They had faced a number of formidable enemies in the past。 To be defeated； even temporarily； by such a feeble adversary was what his father would call a damned insult。 It is easier to trap a lion than a rat； though。 He decided not to voice this forting adage aloud。 It sounded like something his mother might have said。
〃We'll find him； Father；〃 he said。
〃Hmmh。 Yes。 Er 。 。 。〃 His father patted him awkwardly on the arm。 〃You'll get a chance at your chapels； my boy。 I promise。〃
〃But； Father； I don't want …〃
〃This way。〃
They located two pit tombs which had been ransacked in antiquity； many shards of pottery； and a number of hieratic inscriptions scratched onto the rock by necropolis inspectors who had visited the area in pharaonic times。 Several of the names were known from similar graffiti in the Valley of the Kings。 It was additional evidence that there were tombs； probably royal tombs； in the wadis。 To Emerson's extreme annoyance； they found modern graffiti next to many of them： the initials 〃H。 C。〃 and the date 〃1916。〃
〃Carter； curse him；〃 he muttered。
〃You shouldn't hold it against him just because he got here before you；〃 Ramses said。
〃I was here thirty years ago；〃 Emerson retorted。 〃But I didn't scratch my name all over the scenery。〃
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