ribed to me how； when the royal bodies were borne from this resting…place and shipped for conveyance to Cairo； there to find a new tomb in the glass cases of a museum； the fellaheen women ran along the banks wailing because their ancient kings were being taken from among them。 They cast dust upon their hair； still dressed in a hundred plaits； as was that of those far…off mothers of theirs who had wailed when these Pharaohs were borne with solemn pomp to the homes they called eternal。 Poor kings！ who dreamed not of the glass cases of the Cairo Museum； and the gibes of tourists who find the awful majesty of their whithered brows a matter for jest and smiles。 Often I wonder how we dare to meddle with these hallowed relics； especially now in my age。 Then I did not think so much of it； indeed I have taken a hand at the business myself。
On that same visit I saw the excavation of some very early burials in the shadow of the pyramids of Ghizeh； so early that the process of mummification was not then practised。 The skeletons lay upon their sides in the prenatal position。 The learned gentleman in charge of the excavation read to me the inscription in the little ante…chamber of one of these tombs。
If I remember right； it ran as follows： “Here A。 B。 ＇I forget the name of the deceased＇； priest of the Pyramid of Khufu； sleeps in Osiris awaiting the resurrection。 He passed all his long life in righteousness and peace。”
That； at any rate； was the sense of it； and I bethought me that such an epitaph would have been equally fitting to； let us say； the dean of a cathedral in the present century。 Well； perhaps a day will e when Westminster Abbey and our other sacred burying…places will be ransacked in like manner； and the relics of our kings and great ones exposed