Погребённый с фараонами
Chapter 1
WestoppedatShepheard’sHotel, reachedinataxithatspedalongbroad,smartlybuilt-upstreets; andamidsttheperfectserviceofitsrestaurant, elevatorsandgenerallyAnglo–AmericanluxuriesthemysteriousEast andimmemorialpastseemedveryfaraway.
Thenextday,however,precipitatedusdelightfullyintotheheartoftheArabianNightsatmosphere; andinthewindingwaysandexoticskylineofCairo, theBagdadofHarun-al-Rashidseemedtoliveagain. GuidedbyourBaedeker,wehadstruckeastpasttheEzbekiyehGardens alongtheMouskiinquestofthenativequarter, andweresooninthehandsofaclamorousciceronewho —notwithstandinglaterdevelopments—wasassuredlyamasterathistrade.
NotuntilafterwarddidIseethatIshouldhaveappliedatthehotelforalicensedguide. Thisman,ashaven,peculiarlyhollow-voiced andrelativelycleanlyfellowwholookedlikeaPharaohandcalledhimself‘AbdulReiselDrogman’ appearedtohavemuchpoweroverothersofhiskind; thoughsubsequentlythepoliceprofessednottoknowhim, andtosuggestthatreisismerelyanameforanypersoninauthority, whilst‘Drogman’isobviouslynomorethanaclumsymodificationofthewordforaleaderoftouristparties—dragoman.
Abdulledusamongsuchwondersaswehadbeforeonlyreadanddreamedof.
