"Connie Willis - Death on the Nile" - читать интересную книгу автора (Willis Connie)

Judgment.тАЩтАЭ

There is something in the water. Not a ripple, not even enough of a movement to shudder the image of
the sun, but I know there is something there.

тАЬ тАШSpells were also written on papyruses buried with the body,тАЩ тАЭ Zoe says.

It is long and dark, like a crocodile. I lean over farther, gripping the rail, trying to see into the transparent
water, and catch a glint of scales. It is swimming straight toward the boat.

тАЬ тАШThese spells took the form of commands,тАЩ тАЭ Zoe reads. тАЬ тАШGet back, you evil one! Stay away! I adjure
you in the name of Anubis and Osiris.тАЩтАЭ

The water glitters, hesitating.

тАЬ тАШDo not come against me,тАЩ тАЭ Zoe says. тАЬ тАШMy spells protect me. I know the way.тАЩ тАЭ

The thing in the water turns and swims away. The boat follows it, nosing slowly in toward the shore.

тАЬThere it is,тАЭ Zoe says, pointing past the reeds at a distant row of cliffs. тАЬThe Valley of the Kings.тАЭ

тАЬI suppose thisтАЩll be closed, too,тАЭ Lissa says, letting Neil help her off the boat. ,

тАЬTombs are never closed,тАЭ I say, and look north, across the sand, at the distant Pyramids.




CHAPTER SIX:

ACCOMMODATIONS


The Valley of the Kings is not closed. The tombs stretch along a sandstone cliff, black openings in the
yellow rock, and there are no chains across the stone steps that lead down to them. At the south end of
the valley a Japanese tour group is going into the last one.

тАЬWhy arenтАЩt the tombs marked?тАЭ Lissa asks. тАЬWhich one is King TutтАЩs?тАЭ and Zoe leads us to the north
end of the valley, where the cliff dwindles into a low wall. Beyond it, across the sand, I can see the
Pyramids, sharp against the sky.


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 Death on the Nile


Zoe stops at the very edge of a slanting hole dug into the base of the rocks. There are steps leading down
into it. тАЬTutankhamunтАЩs tomb was found when a workman accidentally uncovered the top step,тАЭ she says.

Lissa looks down into the stairwell. All but the top two steps are in shadow, and it is too dark to see the