Wehadchosenatimewhenthelightwasdoubtfulinorderthatwemightavoidthetourists，butasweapproachthefuneraldwellingofSultanBarkuk，theassassin，wesee，issuingfromit，awholeband，sometwentyinaline，whoemergefromthedarknessoftheabandonedwalls，eachtrottingonhislittledonkeyandeachfollowedbytheinevitableBedouindriver，whotapswithhisstickupontherumpofthebeast.TheyarereturningtoCairo，theirvisitended，andexchangeinaloudvoice，fromoneasstoanother，moreorlessineptimpressionsinvariousEuropeanlanguagesAndlook！Thereisevenamongstthemthealmostproverbialbelateddamewho，forprivatereasonsofherown，followsatarespectabledistancebehind.Sheisalittlematureperhaps，sofarascanbejudgedinthemoonlight，butneverthelessstillsympathetictoherdriver，who，withbothhands，supportsherfrombehindonhersaddle，withatouchingsolicitudethatispeculiartothecountry.Ah！theselittledonkeysofEgypt，soobservant，sophilosophicalandsly，whycannottheywritetheirmemoirs！WhatanumberofdrollthingstheymusthaveseenatnightintheoutskirtsofCairo！
Thisgoodladyevidentlybelongstothatextensivecategoryofhardyexplorerswho，despitetheirhighrespectabilityathome，donothesitate，oncetheyarelandedonthebanksoftheNile，tosupplementtheirtreatmentbythesunandthedrywindswithalittleofthe\"Bedouincure.\"
CHAPTERVIII
ARCHAICCHRISTIANITY
Dimlylightedbytheflamesofafewpoorslendertaperswhichflickeragainstthewallsinstonearches，adensecrowdofhumanfiguresveiledinblack，inaplaceoverpoweringandsuffocating——underground，nodoubt——whichisfilledwiththeperfumeoftheincenseofArabia;