Chapter 6
For two weeks, fear loomed over Shawqi, the guard of engineer Salah’s farm, and his family, as the English merchant was late in returning from his trip for another week, which increased the guard’s and his family’s suffering for another week. One night, in the middle of the night, Shawqi was surprised by the presence of engineer Salah with two men, one of them seemed a stranger to Shawqi, who opened the door of the farm for them after he saw engineer Salah in his car, pointing to him to open the door quickly then ordered him to close it after they enter, which is what exactly happened. Salah was determined to sell the coffin even for less money than he hoped for in order to get rid of these problems that kept him awake at night and frightened his guard and his family as well. Salah opened the room that contained the ancient coffin and turned on its lamp. When Shawqi came to him asking if he wanted anything from him, he told him to stay near the farm gate and not to open it for anyone, no matter who they were. When the guard left as Salah had ordered, he turned to the English merchant, Bank Ford, who began examining the coffin himself, where some words were written on it from several sides, but of course he did not understand them. He asked Salah and his friend Mansour, the commissioner, whom had brought them together to make that deal:
- Do any of you know the meaning of these words?
The merchant pointed to the strange words he didn't understand, he knew it must have been written in one of the ancient Egyptians languages.
Mansour said with a smile:
- I am just a means of communication between you and a mutual friend to bring viewpoints closer and speed up negotiations.
Mr. Ford said with a sly smile:
- With a handful of money, of course.
- That's the business, Mr. Ford.
- What about you, Mr. Salah?
Salah was just hurried to finish it and doesn't have time to study or revise such historical sessions. He tried to be calm and cute saying:
- The truth is, I do not know the meaning of these words, Mr. Ford. Perhaps you can ask one of the archaeologists here or in Britain, it will not be difficult.
- Yes, that's right, I thought one of you knew his ancient language, or the ancient writing of his ancestors.
- That ancient language or ancient hieroglyphic writing is not taught in our books except to those who specialize in this very ancient history.
- I know, but that is a big mistake and I hope it was not intentional.
- That doesn't matter much to us, sir. Would you take a look at the mummy itself?
- Yes, of course.
The three men opened the coffin and took a look at the beautiful mummy, which Mr. Ford realized was of an ancient noblewoman at first glance, with her hair, body, and feminine face, along with her relatively short stature. The foreign man seemed fascinated and attracted to the mummy and its coffin, decorated with bright colors that dazzled the eyes. Mr. Ford was an expert in evaluating things and knowing their true prices. He also knew how to sell valuable merchandise like the one in his hands now, and he knew very well that he would not sell it in Egypt, but would sell it in Europe, where many people compete to buy it. He certainly knew how to take such merchandise out of Egypt. Now it was Salah's turn to tell him the price he had estimated before meeting Mr. Ford, who said to him with a smile:
- Okay, how much do you want for your merchandise?
- I estimate it at...
Mr. Ford interrupted Salah before saying his estimated price saying firmly:
- Before you tell me its price, I want to tell you that I do not like to negotiate the price of my merchandise much, so that we do not waste a lot of time. Tell me a price I cannot refuse.
- Okay, five thousand pounds.
Mr. Ford looked deeply in Salah's eyes and determinedly said:
- Only two thousands.
- I can accept three thousand pounds.
- And I agree to that with you paying your friend Mansour's commission.
Mansour looked at Salah waiting for his response to the English buyer. Salah's thinking did not take long, but after a while he said:
- Okay, and I agree to that.
The deal was done as everyone wanted, and Salah put the coffin in the back of his car with everyone's help, and closed the room again and gave its key this time to Shawqi, who was given some money from Mr. Ford, which made him very happy. Then Salah drove his car to a place Mr. Ford had specified near one of the railway stations. There, he gave Salah the money they had agreed upon, and everyone went their separate ways.
Salah was completely happy with this profitable deal. He was like a successful merchant who bought goods of any kind and sold them for ten times the price he had paid for them, even though he had to pay two hundred pounds to his friend Mansour, who brought the English merchant to the door of his farm. This was a great deed that saved him a lot of time, effort, and expenses. Salah thought that he was done with the coffin forever, but he was surprised that this was not the case. That night, he returned to his house after receiving the price of his goods, entered his bedroom, took off his clothes, and took his place in his bed quietly. However, a few hours after sleeping, he felt a strange feeling overtaking him, which was the feeling of a weight like the weight of mountains on his chest. He did not know if this great burden was real or in his many dreams that had been coming to him at night for some time. All he had to do was opening his eyes to see this terrifying creature sitting on his chest, almost choking his breath, so he could not move or breathe freely.