He stared at her over the rim of his glass, and then slowly he began to
smile, 'Now that is very interesting indeed,' he admitted.
'Don't forget, I am coming with you,' she told him severely. 'Don't you
dare to even think of leaving me behind.'
Nicholas went to her hut again that evening after dinner. This was the
only place in camp where they could be sure of privacy, and where they
were safe from eavesdropping. However, this time he did not make the
mistake of sitting on her bed.
While she perched on the end of it, he took the stool opposite her.
'Before we start planning this thing, let me ask you one question. Have
you considered the possible consequences?'
'You mean, what happens if the monks catch us at it?' Royan asked.
'At the very least we can expect them to run us out of the valley. The
abbot has a tremendous amount of power.
At the worst we can be physically attacked,' Nicholas told her. 'This is
one of the most sacred sites in their religion, and don't underestimate
that fact. There is a great deal of danger involved. It could go as far
as a knife between the ribs, or something nasty in our food.'
'We would also alienate Tessay. She is a deeply religious woman,'Royan
added.
'Even more importantly, we would probably outrage Mek Nimmur as well.'
Nicholas looked distressed at the thought. 'I don't know what he would
do, but I don't think our friendship would stand the test.'
They were both quiet for a while, considering the cost that they might
have to pay. Nicholas broke the silence.
'Then again, have you considered your own position?
After all, it is your own Church that we will be desecrating.
You are a committed Christian. Can you justify this to yourself?'
'I have thought about it, she admitted. 'And I am not altogether happy
about it, but it isn't really my Church. It's a different branch of the
Coptic Church.'
'Splitting hairs, aren't we?'
'The Egyptian Church does not deny anyone access to even the most sacred
precincts of its church building. I do not feel myself bound by the
abbot's prohibition. I feel that as a believing Christian I have the
right to enter any part of the cathedral that I wish.'
He whistled softly, 'And you are the one who once said that I should
have been a lawyer.'
'Please don't, Nicky. It's not something you should joke about. All I
know is that, no matter what, I have to go in there. Even if I die to do
it.'
'You could let me do it for you,' he suggested. 'After all, I am an old
heathen. It would not spoil my chances of salvation. I don't have any.'
'No.' She shook her head firmly. 'If there is an inscription or
something of that nature, I need to see it.
You read hieroglyphics quite well, but not as well as I do, and you
don't know the hieratic script. I am the expert you are just a gifted
amateur. You need me. I am going in there with you.'
'All right. That is settled, then,' he said with finality.
'Let's start planning. We had better draw up a list of equipment that we
