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

bottom. тАЬAre there snakes?тАЭ she asks.

тАЬNo,тАЭ Zoe, who knows everything, says. тАЬTutankhamunтАЩs tomb is the smallest of the pharaohsтАЩ tombs in
the Valley.тАЭ She fumbles in her bag for her flashlight. тАЬThe tomb consists of three roomsтАФan
antechamber, the burial chamber containing TutankhamunтАЩs coffin, and the Hall of Judgment.тАЭ

There is a slither of movement in the darkness below us, like a slow uncoiling, and Lissa steps back
from the edge. тАЬWhich room is the stuff in?тАЭ

тАЬStuff?тАЭ Zoe says uncertainly, still fumbling for her flashlight. She opens her guidebook. тАЬStuff?тАЭ she
says again, and flips to the back of it, as if she is going to look тАЬstuffтАЭ up in the index.

тАЬStuff,тАЭ Lissa says, and there is an edge of fear in her voice. тАЬAll the furniture and vases and stuff they
take with them. You said the Egyptians buried their belongings with them.тАЭ

тАЬKing TutтАЩs treasure,тАЭ Neil says helpfully.

тАЬOh, the treasureтАЭ Zoe says, relieved. тАЬThe belongings buried with Tutankhamun for his journey into
the afterworld. TheyтАЩre not here. TheyтАЩre in Cairo in the museum.тАЭ

тАЬIn Cairo?тАЭ Lissa says. тАЬTheyтАЩre in Cairo? Then what are we doing here?тАЭ

тАЬWeтАЩre dead,тАЭ I say. тАЬArab terrorists blew up our plane and killed us all.тАЭ

тАЬI came all the way out here because I wanted to see the treasure,тАЭ Lissa says.

тАЬThe coffin is here,тАЭ Zoe says placatingly, тАЬand there are wall paintings in the antechamber,тАЭ but Lissa
has already led Neil away from the steps, talking earnestly to him.

тАЬThe wall paintings depict the stages in the judgment of the soul, the weighing of the soul, the recital of
the deceasedтАЩs confession,тАЭ Zoe says.

The deceasedтАЩs confession. I have not taken that which belongs to another. I have not caused any pain. I
have not committed adultery.

Lissa and Neil come back, Lissa leaning heavily on NeilтАЩs arm. тАЬI think weтАЩll pass on this tomb thing,тАЭ
Neil says apologetically. тАЬWe want to get to the museum before it closes. Lissa had her heart set on

file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry%20kruiswi...ar/Connie%20Willis%20-%20Death%20on%20the%20Nile.html (17 of 24)19-2-2006 4:07:47
 Death on the Nile

seeing the treasure.тАЭ

тАЬ тАШThe Egyptian Museum is open from 9 A.M. to 4 p.m. daily, 9 to 11:15 A-M- and 1:30 to 4 P.M.
Fridays,тАЩ тАЭ Zoe says, reading from the guidebook. тАЬ тАШAdmission is three Egyptian pounds.тАЩ тАЭ

тАЬItтАЩs already four oтАЩclock,тАЭ I say, looking at my watch. тАЬIt will be closed before you get there.тАЭ I look up.

Neil and Lissa have already started back, not toward the boat but across the sand in the direction of the
Pyramids. The light behind the Pyramids is beginning to fade, the sky going from white to gray blue.