. I did not want
any book whilst she was present. We sat close together and talked in a
whisper whilst the moments flew by. It was with surprise that I noted
the edge of the curtains changing from grey to yellow light. What we
talked of had nothing to do with the sick man, except in so far that
all which concerned his daughter must ultimately concern him. But it
had nothing to say to Egypt, or mummies, or the dead, or caves, or
Bedouin chiefs. I could well take note in the growing light that
Margaret's hand had not seven fingers, but five; for it lay in mine.

When Doctor Winchester arrived in the morning and had made his visit to
his patient, he came to see me as I sat in the dining-room having a
little meal--breakfast or supper, I hardly knew which it was--before I
went to lie down. Mr. Corbeck came in at the same time; and we resumed
out conversation where we had left it the night before. I told Mr.
Corbeck that I had read the chapter about the finding of the tomb, and
that I thought Doctor Winchester should read it, too. The latter said
that, if he might, he would take it with him; he had that morning to
make a railway journey to Ipswich, and would read it on the train. He
said he would bring it back with him when he came again in the evening.
I went up to my room to bring it down; but I could not find it
anywhere. I had a distinct recollection of having left it on the little
table beside my bed, when I had come up after Miss Trelawny's going on
duty into the sick-room. It was very strange; for the book was not of
a kind that any of the servants would be likely to take. I had to come
back and explain to the others that I could not find it.

When Doctor Winchester had gone, Mr. Corbeck, who seemed to know the
Dutchman's work by heart, talked the whole matter over with me. I told
him that I was interrupted by a change of nurses, just as I had come to
the description of the ring. He smiled as he said:

"So far as that is concerned, you need not be disappointed. Not in Van
Huyn's time, nor for nearly two centuries later, could the meaning of
that engraving have been understood. It was only when the work was
taken up and followed by Young and Champollion, by Birch and Lepsius
and Rosellini and Salvolini, by Mariette Bey and by Wallis Budge and
Flinders Petrie and the other scholars of their times that great
results ensued, and that the true meaning of hieroglyphic was known.

"Later, I shall explain to