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the same Pyramid；an overture which was not received quite in the same
spirit。 While Mr。 Damer was recovering his breath for the sake of
answering Miss Dawkins； Miss Damer had walked to the further corner of
the square platform on which they were placed； and there sat herself
down with her face turned towards Cairo。 Perhaps it was not singular
that Mr。 Ingram should have followed her。
This would have been very well if a dozen Arabs had not also followed
them。 But as this was the case； Mr。 Ingram had to play his game under
some difficulty。 He had no sooner seated himself beside her than they
came and stood directly in front of the seat； shutting out the view；
and by no means improving the fragrance of the air around them。
〃And this； then； Miss Damer； will be our last excursion together；〃 he
said； in his tenderest； softest tone。
〃De good Englishman will gib de poor Arab one little backsheish；〃 said
an Arab； putting out his hand and shaking Mr。 Ingram's shoulder。
〃Yes； yes； yes； him gib backsheish；〃 said another。
〃Him berry good man；〃 said a third； putting up his filthy hand； and
touching Mr。 Ingram's face。
〃And young lady berry good； too； she give backsheish to poor Arab。〃
〃Yes；〃 said a fourth； preparing to take a similar liberty with Miss
Damer。
This was too much for Mr。 Ingram。 He had already used very positive
language in his endeavour to assure his tormentors that they would not
get a piastre from him。 But this only changed their soft persuasions
into threats。 Upon hearing which； and upon seeing what the man
attempted to do in his endeavour to get money from Miss Damer； he
raised his stick； and struck first one and then the other as violently
as he could upon their heads。
Any ordinary civilised men would have been stunned by such blows； for
they fell on the bare foreheads of the Arabs； but the objects of the
American's wrath merely skulked away； and the others； convinced by the
only arguments which they understood； followed in pursuit of victims
who might be less pugnacious。
It is hard for a man to be at once tender and pugnaciousto be
sentimental； while he is putting forth his physical strength with all
the violence in his power。 It is difficult； also； for him to be gentle
instantly after having been in a rage。 So he changed his tactics at
the moment； and came to the point at once in a manner befitting his
present state of mind。
〃Those vile wretches have put me in such a heat；〃 he said； 〃that I
hardly know what I am saying。 But the fact is this； Miss Damer； I
cannot leave Cairo without knowing。 You understand what I mean； Miss
Damer。〃
〃Indeed I do not； Mr。 Ingram； except that I am afraid you mean
nonsense。〃
〃Yes； you do； you know that I love you。 I am sure you must know it。
At any rate you know it now。〃
〃Mr。 Ingram； you should not talk in such a way。〃
〃Why should I not？ But the truth is； Fanny； I can talk in no other
way。 I do love you dearly。 Can you love me well enough to go and be
my wife in a country far away from your own？〃
Before she left the top of the Pyramid Fanny Damer had said that she
would try。
Mr。 Ingram was now a proud and happy man； and seemed to think the steps
of the Pyramid too small for his elastic energy。 But Fanny feared that
her troubles were to come。 There was papathat terrible bugbear on
all such occasions。 What would papa say？ She was sure her papa would
not allow her to marry and go so far away from her own family and
country。 For herself； she liked the Americansalways had liked them；
so she said；would desire nothing better than to live among them。 But
papa！ And Fanny sighed as she felt that all the recognised miseries of
a young lady in love were about to fall upon her。
Nevertheless； at her lover's instance； she promised； and declared； in
twenty different loving phrases； that nothing on earth should ever make
her false to her love or to her lover。
〃Fanny； where are you？ Why are you not ready to come down？〃 shouted
Mr。 Damer； not in the best of tempers。 He felt that he had almost been
unkind to an unprotected female； and his heart misgave him。 And yet it
would have misgiven him more had he allowed himself to be entrapped by
Miss Dawkins。
〃I am quite ready； papa；〃 said Fanny； running up to himfor it may be
understood that there is quite room enough for a young lady to run on
the top of the Pyramid。
〃I am sure I don't know where you have been all the time；〃 said Mr。
Damer； 〃and where are those two boys？〃
Fanny pointed to the top of the other Pyramid； and there they were；
conspicuous with their red caps。
〃And M。 Delabordeau？〃
〃Oh！ he has gone down； I think；no； he is there with Miss Dawkins。〃
And in truth Miss Dawkins was leaning on his arm most affectionately；
as she stooped over and looked down upon the ruins below her。
〃And where is that fellow； Ingram？〃 said Mr。 Damer； looking about him。
〃He is always out of the way when he's wanted。〃
To this Fanny said nothing。 Why should she？ She was not Mr。 Ingram's
keeper。
And then they all descended； each again with his proper number of Arabs
to hurry and embarrass him； and they found Mr。 Damer at the bottom；
like a piece of sugar covered with flies。 She was heard to declare
afterwards that she would not go to the Pyramids again； not if they
were to be given to her for herself； as ornaments for her garden。
The picnic lunch among the big stones at the foot of the Pyramid was
not a very gay affair。 Miss Dawkins talked more than any one else；
being determined to show that she bore her defeat gallantly。 Her
conversation； however； was chiefly addressed to M。 Delabordeau； and he
seemed to think more of his cold chicken and ham than he did of her wit
and attention。
Fanny hardly spoke a word。 There was her father before her and she
could not eat； much less talk； as she thought of all that she would
have to go through。 What would he say to the idea of having an
American for a son…in…law？
Nor was Mr。 Ingram very lively。 A young man when he has been just
accepted； never is so。 His happiness under the present circumstances
was； no doubt； intense； but it was of a silent nature。
And then the interior of the building had to be visited。 To tell the
truth none of the party would have cared to perform this feat had it
not been for the honour of the thing。 To have come from Paris； New
York； or London； to the Pyramids； and then not to have visited the very
tomb of Cheops； would have shown on the part of all of them an
indifference to subjects of interest which would have been altogether
fatal to their character as travellers。 And so a party for the
interior was made up。
Miss Damer when she saw the aperture through which it was expected that
she should descend； at once declared for staying with her mother。 Miss
Dawkins； however； was enthusiastic for the journey。 〃Persons with so
very little command over their nerves might really as well stay at
home；〃 she said to Mr。 Ingram； who glowered at her dreadfully for
expressing such an opinion about his Fanny。
This entrance into the Pyramids is a terrible task； which should be
undertaken by no lady。 Those who perform it have to creep down； and
then to be dragged up； through infinite dirt； foul smells； and bad air；
and when they have done it； they see nothing。 But they do earn the
gratification of saying that they have been inside a Pyramid。
〃Well； I've done that once；〃 said Mr。 Damer； coming out； 〃and I do not
think that any one will catch me doing it again。 I never was in such a
filthy place in my life。〃
〃Oh； Fanny！ I am so glad you did not go； I am sure it is not fit for
ladies；〃 said poor Mrs。 Damer； forgetful of her friend Miss Dawkins。
〃I should have been ashamed of myself；〃 said Miss Dawkins； bristling
up； and throwing back her head as she stood； 〃if I had allowed any
consideration to have prevented my visiting such a spot。 If it be not
improper for men to go there； how can it be improper for women？〃
〃I did not say improper； my dear；〃 said Mrs。 Damer； apologetically。
〃And as for the fatigue； what can a woman be worth who is afraid to
encounter as much as I have now gone through for the sake of visiting
the last resting…place of such a king as Cheops？〃 And Miss Dawkins； as
she pronounced the last words； looked round her with disdain upon poor
Fanny Damer。
〃But I meant the dirt；〃 said Mrs。 Damer。
〃Dirt！〃 ejaculated Miss Dawkins； and then walked away。 Why should she
now submit her high tone of feeling to the Damers； or why care longer
for their good opinion？ Therefore she scattered contempt around her as
she ejaculated the last word； 〃dirt。〃
And then the return home！ 〃I know I shall never get there；〃 said Mrs。
Damer； looking piteously up into her husband's face。
〃Nonsense； my dear； nonsense； you must get there。〃 Mrs。 Damer groaned；
and acknowledged in her heart that she must；either dead or alive。
〃And； Jefferson；〃 said Fanny； whisperingfor there had been a moment
since their descent in which she had been instructed to call him by his
Christian name〃never mind talking to me going home。 I will ride by
mamma。 Do you go with papa and put him in good humour； and it he says