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TO TRACEY
We praise the Golden One； the Lady of Heaven； Lady of Fragrance；Eye of the Sun； the Great Goddess；Mistress of All the Gods；Lady of Turquoise； Mistress of Joy； Mistress of Music 。 。 。that she may give us fine children；happiness； and a good husband。
… Epithets of Hathor；piled from various sources
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
To err is human； and I am and I do； despite the fact that I go to considerable effort to get even small details right。 I do not scruple to make use of my friends in this endeavor； several of them have read all or part of the manuscript and made suggestions。 I am particularly indebted to Tim Hardman and Ann Crispin； for setting me straight on the （to me） esoteric subject of horses and cavalry。 Catharine Roehrig； one of the few Egyptologists who have visited the area of the southwest wadis； was good enough to tell me where I went wrong in my initial description。 Donald Ryan； one of the few others； also corrected mistakes in his usual tactful manner。 Dennis Forbes； George Johnson； and Kristen Whitbread read the entire bulky manuscript and offered advice。 If errors remain； they are mine； and not those of my advisers。
PREFACE
The Editor is pleased to present another of the journals of Mrs。 Amelia Peabody Emerson； Egyptologist； adventurer； wife； and mother。 （She would； the Editor believes； approve that order。） Editing her prose is no easy task； for the original text contains some misinformation； a great deal of repetition； and certain omissions。 In order to repair the latter fault； the Editor has； as before； inserted sections from Manuscript H； begun by Ramses Emerson at approximately the age of sixteen； and continued by him and his wife after their marriage。 This manuscript describes events at which Mrs。 Emerson was not present； and gives a viewpoint differing in significant ways from hers。 She was an extremely opinionated lady。
The rest of the Emerson papers are still being studied； collated； and edited。 Material from these sources has appeared in earlier volumes （and may appear in the future）； but none of it adds anything relevant to the present volume。
PART ONE
The Cemeteryof the Monkeys
1
When I am in one of my philosophical moods； I am inclined to wonder whether all families are as difficult as mine。
I was in such a mood as I dressed for dinner on the penultimate evening of our voyage。 We would dock at Alexandria in two days； unless； of course； the ship was sunk by a German torpedo。 A winter voyage from England to Egypt is never fortable； but in that fateful December of 1916； after more than two years of war； the possibility of submarine attack had been added to the perils of rough seas and stormy weather。
I was not thinking of that danger … for I make it a habit never to worry about matters that are beyond my control … nor of the difficulty of trying to keep my footing while the floor of the cabin rose and fell and the oil lamps swung wildly on their brackets … for mine is the sort of mind that rises above such things … but perhaps these considerations did affect me more than I realized； giving a pessimistic cast to my normally cheerful reflections。
Mind you； I had no legitimate grounds for plaint about my immediate family。 My husband； Radcliffe Emerson； is the most distinguished Egyptologist of this or any other era。 His sapphirine…blue eyes； the cleft； or dimple； in his strong chin； his thick sable hair； and muscular but symmetrical frame are additional attractions to me and； I regret to say； to innumerable other females。
He has a few minor eccentricities： his mand of invective； which has earned him the Egyptian sobriquet of Father of Curses； his explosive temper； his autocratic； arbitrary method of dealing with the authorities of the Service des Antiquités； which had led in the past to our being barred from most of the interesting sites in Egypt 。 。 。
Well； but no proud mother could have asked for a better son than mine。 Ramses had been named for his Uncle Walter； but everyone called him by the nickname given him by his father in infancy。 He was as handsome and intellectually gifted as his father； idealistic； kind； and courageous 。 。 。 A little too courageous； perhaps？ He had been one of the most infuriating children I have ever had the misfortune to encounter； and his reckless disregard for danger； when he believed the cause he supported to be morally right； was one trait that I had been unable to eradicate。 The most terrifying of his adventures had occurred during the winter of 1914…15； when he had taken on a secret assignment for the War Office。 He and his best friend； David； had pleted their mission successfully； but both had been seriously injured； and Ramses's true identity had been exposed to agents of the Central Powers。 I had hoped his marriage would sober him； but although he was as passionately attached to his beautiful wife as Emerson was to my humble self； Nefret had not been the calming influence for which I had hoped。 She would have thrown herself in front of a charging lion if Ramses were its destined prey； but what I wanted was someone who would prevent him from provoking lions in the first place。
Nefret had been our ward； dear as a daughter； before she married our son。 As a firm believer in the equality of the female gender； I could only approve the determination with which she had achieved against considerable odds her goal of qualifying as a surgeon。 As a person of high moral principles I could only mend her for spending part of her large fortune in establishing in Cairo a hospital for women that served even the lowest and most despised members of that sex。 If only she would consent to settle down … devote her ardent energies to medicine and to archaeology； and to Ramses … and perhaps 。 。 。
The boat gave a great lurch and I dropped the earring I was endeavoring to insert。 With a muttered 〃Curse it〃 I lowered myself to hands and knees and began feeling about on the floor … without； I hardly need say； losing the track of my mental musing。
Honesty pels me to admit that the propensity of my son and daughter to bee engaged with individuals who desired to wreak grave bodily harm upon them was not entirely their fault。 Emerson and I tended to attract such individuals too。 Over the years we had dealt … effectively； I hardly need add … with murderers； forgers； tomb robbers； and criminals of various sorts。 Several of them had been related to us。
As I crawled under the dressing table in pursuit of the elusive earring； I remembered something Emerson had said about my side of the family； to the effect that not one of them had any redeeming qualities whatever。 This was rude； but undeniably correct。 One of my nephews had been … I am happy to employ the past tense … a thoroughly repellent human being。 Sennia； his little daughter by a Cairo prostitute； who had been callously abandoned by her father； was now part of our family。
The boat bounced again and the top of my head came into painful contact with the underside of the dressing table。 Since I was alone； with no one to overhear； I permitted myself a few expletives。 I do not approve of bad language； but everybody else in the family employs it freely。 It is Emerson's fault。 He cannot or will not restrain himself and of course the children emulate him。 There are times when Nefret's language 。 。 。
The cursed earring continued to elude me； but I endeavored； as is my habit； to look on the bright side。 Emerson's kin were exemplary human beings： his brother Walter； a true scholar and gentle man； Walter's wife； my close friend Evelyn； and their fine brood of children； in which category I must include the husband of their daughter Lia。 David； a talented artist and trained Egyptologist； and Ramses's best friend； was the grandson of our dear departed reis Abdullah。 We had missed him terribly the year before； in both his professional and personal capacities。
However； there was Emerson's other brother。
The door burst open and Emerson staggered in。 Observing my position； he let out a bellow of alarm； seized me round the waist； and lifted me to my feet … and off them。 〃Did you fall； sweetheart？ The cursed boat is bouncing like a rubber ball。 Speak to me； Peabody。〃
I was touched by his use of my maiden name； which he employs as a term of approbation and endearment； and by his tender concern； but disfort pelled me to utter a mild plaint。 〃I cannot breathe； Emerson； you are squeezing me too tightly。〃
〃Oh。〃 Emerson removed one arm and caught hold of the doorframe。
〃I dropped an earring；〃 I explained； after drawing a long breath。 〃Pray put me down； my dear。 I don't want to lose it； it was one of the pair you gave me last Christmas。〃
〃I will find it。〃 Emerson deposited me on the bed and began crawling round the floor。 〃Stay still or you will brain yourself。 Ah … here you are； my love。〃
The gem winked and sparkled in his big brown hand。 As a general rule I do not care for diamonds … an antique scarab or a string of mummy beads is much more to my taste … but Emerson had selected the stones and designed the settings。 Having observed that other women seemed to like diamonds … it had only taken him thirty years to notice this … he had decided I should have some； too。
〃Why have you got yourself up so formally？〃 he demanded。 〃No one will dress for dinner tonight； the sea is too rough。〃
〃It is necessary to keep up appearances； especially in times such as these。 Have you forgotten the date？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Emerson； in … I could only suppose … a desperate attempt to forestall my suggestion that he assume evening dress。 Emerson dislikes the confinement of tightly fitting garments； and I would be the first to admit that his impressive form never shows to better advantage than when he is attired in the wrinkled flannels and open…necked shirts he wears on the dig。 I felt obliged to persevere； however。
〃It is December the thirty…first； Emerson。 We must toast the New Year and pray that 1917 will bring better hopes。〃
〃Bah；〃 said Emerson。 〃It is an artificial distinction with no meaning。 The only significance of January the first is that we will be one day closer to Alexandria。 You are fine enough for both of us。 That gown bees you； my love。 Is it new？〃
It was not； and he knew it … at least I think he did … it is difficult to be certain with Emerson； since he remains happily oblivious to things one expects him to notice； and sees things one hopes he will not。
A glance in the mirror gave me little in the way of confirmation of his pliment； for my image was distorted by movement and shadow。 However； I know my own appearance well enough … a form perhaps slightly more rounded than in the distant past； a rather too prominent chin； eyes of steely gray； and black hair that is long and thick but not sleekly shining； despite the hundred strokes of a brush it receives each evening。 （In the pages of my private journal I will confess that its color owes a little something to art rather than to nature。 Emerson is unaware of this small deception and I have seen no reason to enlighten him。） In short； beautiful I am not … except in the eyes of my husband。
Softened by this touching thought； I smiled affectionately at him。 〃No； Emerson； you would be the only person not in evening dress。 On this occasion especially it is necessary to display a stiff upper lip and …〃
〃Damnation！〃 Emerson shouted。
With my assistance and a good deal of grumbling； he did as he was told。 He then offered me his arm； and the remnants of his ill humor vanished as I clung tightly to it。 Emerson likes me to cling to him。 I do not do it often； but I doubt I could have kept my footing that night without his support。
We had not seen much of our fellow passengers； of whom there were far fewer than in the happy past。 The inclement weather had kept most persons in their bunks。 Thanks to the judicious application of whiskey and soda； which is； among other things； an excellent remedy for mal de mer； we had been unaffected； but there was little pleasure in walking the deck in a howling gale。
More people than usual were at dinner that evening。 The celebration of the New Year was no doubt the occasion； but few of them looked as if they were in a mood to celebrate。 The tightly curtained windows of the dining saloo