"But no one ever stopped us, Master," said Androcles. "Everyone at the palace seems to like us. Some of the guards even give us bits of sweets when they see us."
"Oh, yes!" said Mopsus. "Especially that guard who's stationed in the garden with the long reflecting pool. Sweet Tooth, we call him, because he always has the best sweets, little honey dabs thickened with flour and flavored with rosewater and rolled in crushed almonds. Delicious!"
I imagined the two of them, smiling and laughing, the picture of innocence, charming their way past every checkpoint in the palace. In time the guards had no doubt grown so used to them that they allowed them to come and go as they pleased, even allowing them to bring along their hulking, but harmless, friend, Rupa.
I shook my head. "So you've been here before?"
"Oh, yes," said Androcles. "We like to come after sunset, when the tomb is closed to visitors. They lock those doors to the foyer, and this room is completely empty."
"And dark!" added Mopsus.
"Yes, you have to bring your own lamp. But it's rather nice, being able to wander about and study the murals on the walls, and visit with Alexander the Great with no one else about. They put the lid on the sarcophagus at night, but Rupa is strong enough to lift it off. I think Alexander is in wonderful shape. I only hope that I'll look like that when I'm three hundred years old. You can almost imagine that he might sit up and start talking!"
"For better or worse," I said, "the high art of Egyptian embalming seems to have been lost in the centuries between Alexander's day and ours. They're no longer able to perform this kind of magic. Just as well. Can you imagine future generations lining up to have a look at Caesar's perfectly preserved body? But I still don't understand how you came to be here today. And where has everyone gone?"
"The three of us were in the palace," said Androcles, "minding our own business-in the rose garden, as it so happened, watching Alexander the cat chase a butterfly-when one of the courtiers ran by, telling everyone that the king was on the balcony at the Tomb of Alexander, rousing the people against the Romans. Suddenly the rose garden was empty, and there we were, sitting on the very bench with the false bottom that lifts up to let you into the secret passage. We had to come see what was happening for ourselves, and this was the quickest way. When we came out of the tunnel, this room was empty, except for a single Egyptian guard; everyone had gone outside to listen to the king. We were hiding in the shadows behind one of those big pillars, trying to think of a way to slip past the guard, when suddenly there was a commotion from the foyer, and then the king himself came rushing in. We could tell it was the king, even though he wasn't wearing his crown. I think he was heading for the secret tunnel. But there were Roman soldiers after him. The Egyptian guard tried to stand in their way. That's him over there, lying in a pool of blood. For a moment we thought the Roman soldiers were going to kill the king as well, and I think the king thought so, too. You should have seen the look on his face!"
"And heard the curses he was shouting against his sister and Caesar!" added Mopsus.
"Anyway, the soldiers fell into a tortoise formation around the king-shields up all around and overhead, and spear points poking out-and went marching out, taking the king with them. Heading back to the palace, I suppose. We stayed out of sight and followed them as far as the foyer, and then who do you think we ran into?"
"Merianis," I said.
"Exactly! And she told us that you'd been with her, but somehow you were separated, and with everything going on in the square, there was no telling what might happen to you. So we sent Rupa and Merianis to look for you, while Mopsus and I decided to stay right here, so as to be ready to take you straight back to the palace through the secret tunnel."
"Actually," said Mopsus, "we stayed here because Androcles was afraid to go out into the square. He said we might get trampled on, being so small, and it was better to send Rupa out looking for you, because Rupa is big enough to take care of himself."
"I was not afraid," insisted Androcles. "Staying here was just part of my plan, and now you can see how cleverly it all worked out."
"Indeed," I said. "But what happened to Merianis?"
I looked at Rupa, who shrugged.
"I suppose you lost her rather quickly in the crowd?"
He frowned and nodded.
"No need to look sheepish, Rupa. If finding me was her priority, Merianis would have been doing that instead of ducking into the foyer to see what was happening with Ptolemy and the Roman soldiers sent to fetch him. It was good of her to let you know that I might be in danger, but I'm not surprised she slipped off on her own instead of helping Rupa search for me. No doubt she's eager to run ahead of that Roman tortoise and report back to her mistress about everything that took place here. Curious; Merianis must not know about this tunnel leading back to the palace, or else she'd have gone that way." I frowned. "Merianis has been a good friend to us, boys-helpful, thoughtful, full of good humor-but we mustn't forget that her true allegiance lies elsewhere."
"You make her sound like a soldier, Master."
"Because I think she is one, Mopsus, no less than a man who carries a sword and shield."
"She'd never hurt you, Master!" said Androcles.
"I'm sure she won't-as long as I don't run afoul of her mistress. What a joke the gods have played on me this time! I've managed to survive one bloody civil war, only to find myself dropped into the midst of another, about which I care nothing. But from my experience of these conflicts, I know that even the most uncommitted bystander is seldom allowed to remain neutral. The palace is a battleground. Cleopatra and Ptolemy are rival generals, marshaling their forces. Caesar is the strategic stronghold they're both eager to claim; all other battles will count for nothing if one or the other can win over Caesar and the Roman might behind him."
"But, Master, you should have heard the curses the king was screaming against Caesar when the soldiers took him away!" said Androcles. "The king must hate Caesar with all his might."
"I suspect the exact opposite is true. The king may be a Ptolemy to his fingertips, with a regal bearing and a certainty of his own divine place in the world; but he's still a boy not in control of his emotions. When he railed against Caesar, he sounded less like a general rallying his troops, and more like a spurned suitor. As for Caesar, he'd like very much for the siblings to patch up their differences and get on with the business of ruling Egypt and repaying their debts to Rome; then he could congratulate himself on settling the Egyptian Question and go wrap up the loose ends left over from his own civil war. But neither the king nor the queen may be willing to settle for half of Egypt-or half of Caesar. Caesar may finally have to choose one over the other. Before that happens, we may all be forced to takes sides, whether we want to or-"
All four of us abruptly turned toward the alabaster antechamber that led up to the foyer, from whence came the sounds of footsteps, a scuffle, and loud shouting.
"Looters?" said Mopsus.
"Soldiers?" said Androcles.
"Or mere sightseers?" I suggested. "In any case, I think it's time for us to head back to the palace. Androcles, show me the passageway."
"Certainly, Master. Step around to the back of the statue."
I gazed into a black void at the foot of the statue. "Is there no light at all in the passage? No air?"
"The first part is rather dark," said Androcles, "but farther on there are grates and vents that let in little patches of light and puffs of fresh air. Here, I'll go first, and lead you by the hand. Mopsus can follow. Rupa can come last and close the panel behind us; it's rather heavy. Just be careful, Master, not to hit…"