Page:The Writings of Prosper Merimee-Volume 3.djvu/169

147 THE ETRUSCAN VASE 147

Jules. " When will he make himself indepen- dent ? Have you seen a head cut off with a single stroke of the sabre? "

" And the almies" said Roquantin. " Are the Cairo women beautiful? "

" Did you meet General L ? " asked

Colonel Beaujeu. " Has he organised the army

of the Pasha? Did Colonel C give you a

sword for me? "

"And the Pyramids? The cataracts of the Nile? And the statue of Memnon? Ibrahim Pasha?" etc. They all talked at once; Saint- Clair only brooded on the Etruscan vase.

Theodore sat cross-legged. He had learnt that habit in Egypt, and did not wish to lose it in France. He waited tiU his questioners were tired, and then spoke as fast as he could to save himself from being easily interrupted.

" The Pyramids! upon my word they are a regular humbug. They are not so high as I expected. Strasburg Cathedral is only four yards lower. I passed by the antiquities. Do not talk to me about them. The very sight of hieroglyphics makes me faint. There are plenty of travellers who worry themselves over these things! My object was to study the nature and manners of all the strange people that jostle against each other in the streets of Alexandria