I knew that the hand was not badly hurt, and had perhaps been grazed purposely. He had something of importance to tell me.
"Yasmin will never come back," he said. 'Yasmin is dead. Yasmin was thrown into the river."
"Yes, I know that now."
"But, Lady, you do not know why."
"Tell me."
"Yasmin was found in the tomb. I was not with her that day, or I would be dead. Because she was found where she should not be she was taken away and killed. I know because I have confession from the man who did it. He dared do nothing else. It was the order. And then there came another order. There must be an accident. There must be a warning because it is important to some . . . that you go away."
"I see," I said. "And who gave these orders?"
The boy began to tremble visibly. He looked over his shoulder.
"You may tell me," I said. "Your secret would be safe with me."
"I dare not tell," he said. "It would be death."
"Who should know you told?"
"His servants are everywhere."
"Everywhere. Not here."
"Yes, Lady, here, in this house. You see their mark. . . ."
"The Jackal?"
"It is the sign of Anubis—the first embalmer."
I said: "The Pasha?"
The boy looked so frightened that I knew I was right.
"So," I said, "he gave orders that Yasmin should be killed; and then that one of us should have an accident which could be fatal on the bridge. One of his servants could easily have tampered with the bridge. But why should he?"
"He want you away, Lady. He want you leave it all. He fears . . ."
But he would not go on.
"So Yasmin died," I said, "and my sister died."
"Your sister, Lady. She your sister?"
I nodded.
He was horrified. I think more by the fact that he had betrayed this information to me than by the death of Theodosia, and that she should turn out to be my sister might mean that I would want to take a personal vengeance.
He said suddenly: "Yasmin, she wait for me in a secret place . . .
"A secret place?" I said quickly.
"Inside the tomb. There is small opening not far from the bridge. We have not worked in that small opening so I thought that is our spot. That was where she would have been waiting for me. That was where we lay together."
I tied the bandage and he said: "I tell you, Lady, because you good, good to me, good to Yasmin. And there are orders that there should be more accidents, that all may know the Curse is alive, and the kings are angry with those who defile their resting places."
I said: "Thank you for telling me."
"You will tell the Sir. But not tell that I told. But you will tell him and go away, and then you will be safe."
I said: "I will tell him."
"He will go then for fear it should be you who will die next, for you are his beloved."
I felt sick with horror. I wanted to be alone to think.
I wished Tybalt were here so that I could tell him what I had discovered. He should have listened to me, I told myself angrily. When Yasmin disappeared he had not appeared to be interested. But her disappearance concerned us all.
The Pasha! He wanted us out of the way. Why? I thought of his sitting at the table, eating, paying compliments, assessing our feminine attributes. He had lent us his palace. Why, if he did not want to help us? To have us under his eyes; that was why. His servants waited on us and reported everything we did. It was becoming very clear. And little Yasmin, what had she done to deserve death? She had been found in the tomb waiting for her lover. In the little alcove, which I had not noticed but which Yasmin's lover had described.
I remembered suddenly that the soothsayer had the brand of the Jackal on his arm. So he too was the servant of the Pasha. Was it his task to predict death and disaster, to drive us away?
I must talk to Tybalt. I must tell him what I had heard. But he was at the conference. I would have to wait for his return.
The palace had become really sinister. How did we know who was watching us, listening to every word we uttered? Silent-footed servants following us, reporting on everything we did!
All the servants were the Pasha's servants. They would all have their duties. There were only two we had brought with us: Mustapha and Absalam.
And what of them?
I must find out. I went to my room and rang the bell. Mustapha came and I asked him to bring me mint tea.
I stood beside him as he laid it on the table. I said: "There is an insect. Oh dear! It's gone up your arm." Before he could move I drew up his loose sleeve. It would be on the forearm where I had seen the others.
My little ruse had told me what I wanted to know. On Mustapha's forearm was the brand of the Jackal.
I said calmly: "I don't see it now. The insects here are a pest, and their stings can be so poisonous. People are always coming for my ointment. However, it's gone."
Mustapha's suspicions had not been aroused, I was sure.
He thanked me and left me with my tea.
I sat there sipping it and thinking that if Mustapha was the Pasha's man so must Absalam be.
Then my thoughts went to Sir Edward. He had died in the palace. He had eaten food prepared by Mustapha or Absalam or both and he had died.
If he had a doctor to attend him that doctor could have been the Pasha's man.
Tybalt was in danger as his father had been. We were all in danger.
Sir Edward had discovered something in the tomb and that had necessitated his immediate death. So far it seemed that Tybalt had not found what his father had, as no attempt had been made on his life. But if Tybalt were to make that discovery . . .
I began to shiver. I must see him. I must make him listen, for I was sure that what I had learned was of the utmost importance.
X
Within the Tomb
How quiet the palace seemed. How long would the conference go on? There was no one about. I might have tried to find Tabitha, but I had no desire to confide in her for I no longer trusted her. I no longer knew whom to trust.
I went to my favorite seat on the terrace and as I sat there I saw someone coming up the steps towards me. To my surprise it was Leopold Harding.
"I thought you had gone," I said.
"No, there was a slight hitch. Business, you know. I have just come from the hotel. I have a message from your husband."
I stood up. "He wants me to go there?"
"No. He wants you to meet him at the site."
"Now?"
"Yes, now. At once. He has gone on."
"Then the conference is over."
"I don't know, but he asked me to give you this message as I had a few hours to spare before leaving."
"Did he say where at the site?"
"He told me exactly. I said I would take you there."
"But where was it?"
"It's better if I show you."
I picked up my hat which was on the seat beside me and without which I never went out.
I said: "I'm ready. I'll come now."
He was already leading the way out to the river. We took one of the boats and went to the site.
The Valley looked grim under the glare of the late afternoon sun. In spite of the windlessness there always seemed to be a fine dust in the air.
The place seemed deserted because the men were not working today. I had understood from Tybalt that they were awaiting the outcome of the conference.
We came to the opening in the hillside which was the way into the tomb, but to my surprise Leopold led me past that.
"But surely," I began.
"No," he said. "I am quite sure. I was here yesterday and your husband was showing me something. It is here . . ."
He led me into what looked like a natural cave but which could well have been hollowed out. To my amazement there was a hole in the side of this cave.