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It was wonderful to see those paintings of her late Majesty as fresh as the day that the artist left them。 In one of them； I remember； she is represented playing chess。 The tomb had been robbed a couple of thousand years or so ago。 When the ancient thief broke in it had recently been flooded by a rain…storm； and there on the walls were the marks of his hand printed on the paint which then was wet。 Also a hermit bee had built its nest upon the roof — two thousand or so of years ago！ The sarcophagus had been broken up for its costly granite； which doubtless was worked into statues by some old…world sculptor； and the body of the beautiful favourite queen of Rameses destroyed。 Some bones lay about in the tomb…chamber； probably those of the funeral offerings； and among them ushapti figures； laid there to serve her Majesty in the other world。
I wrote a series of articles for the Daily Mail about these Egyptian experiences； which have never been republished； for such newspaper matter must needs be very scrappy。 In one of these； however； I dwelt upon the wholesale robbery of the ancient Egyptian tombs and the consequent desecration of the dead who lie therein。 It does indeed seem wrong that people with whom it was the first article of religion that their mortal remains should lie undisturbed until the Day of Resurrection should be haled forth； stripped and broken up； or sold to museums and tourists。 How should we like our own bodies to be treated in such a fashion； or to be left lying； as I have often see those of the Egyptians； naked and unsightly on the sand at the mouths of the holy sepulchres which with toil and cost they had prepared for themselves in their life…days？ If one puts the question to those engaged in excavation； the answer is a shrug of the shoulders and a remark to the effect that they died a long while ago。 But what is time to the dead？ To them； waking or sleeping； ten thousand years and a nap after dinner must be one and the same thing。 I have tried to emphasise this point in a little story that I have recently written under the title of “Smith and the Pharaohs。”
Now I must dwell no more on Egypt with all its history and problems； which； whenever I can find time； it is my greatest recreation to study。 Truly its old inhabitants were a mysterious and fascinating folk and； across the gulf of ages — largely； it must be admitted； through these very excavations — they have e very near to us again。 I confess I know more of her kings； her queens； and her social conditions than I do of those of early England。
From Egypt we went to Naples and from Naples to the south of Spain； which I now visited for the first time in preparation for a tale which I wrote afterwards and named “Fair Margaret。”
At Granada we saw that wondrous building； the Alhambra； and in the cathedral the tomb of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic。 I descended into a vault and was shown the coffins of these great people； also those of Philip le Bel and his wife Joanna。 Readers of Prescott will remember that the man Joanna insisted upon opening the coffin of her husband after he had been some while dead。 I procured a candle and examined it； and there I could see the line where the lead had been cut through and soldered together again。
Of all the buildings that I saw upon this journey I think the mosque at Cordova； with its marvellous shrine and its forest of pillars of many…coloured marbles； struck me as the most impressive。 The great cathedral at Seville； however； with its vast cold spaces runs it hard in majesty。
On my return to England I wrote “The Way of the Spirit；” an Anglo…Egyptian book which is dedicated to Kipling； and one that interested him very much。 Indeed he and I hunted out the title together in the Bible； as that of “Renunciation；” by which it was first called； did not please him。 Or perhaps this had been used before。 I was glad to receive many letters from strangers thanking me for it。
In July 1904 there happened to me a very extraordinary incident。 The story is contained in a letter from me which appeared in The Times for July 21； 1904； together with letters from various other persons testifying to the facts of the case。 These letters and other matter were included in the Journal of the Society for Psychical Research for October 1904； from which I make short extracts relating the facts。 Should any one wish to study it in detail； with the corroborating letters； they are referred to the number of the Society’s Journal。
On the night of Saturday； July 9； I went to bed about 12。30； and suffered from what I took to be a nightmare。 I was awakened by my wife’s voice calling to me from her own bed upon the other side of the room。 I dreamed that a black retriever dog； a most amiable and intelligent beast named Bob； which was the property of my eldest daughter； was lying on its side among brushwood； or rough growth of some sort； by water。 In my vision the dog was trying to speak to me in words； and； failing； transmitted to my mind in an undefined fashion the knowledge that it was dying。 Then everything vanished； and I woke to hear my wife asking me why on earth I was making those horrible and weird noises。 I replied that I had had a nightmare about a fearful struggle； and that I had dreamed that old Bob was in a dreadful way； and was trying to talk to me and to tell me about it。
On the Sunday morning Mrs。 Rider Haggard told the tale at breakfast； and I repeated my story in a few words。
Thinking that the whole thing was nothing more than a disagreeable dream； I made no inquiries about the dog and never learned even that it was missing until that Sunday night； when my little girl； who was in the habit of feeding it； told me so。 At breakfast…time； I may add； nobody knew that it was gone； as it had been seen late on the previous evening。 Then I remembered my dream； and the following day inquiries were set on foot。
To be brief； on the morning of Thursday； the 14th； my servant； Charles Bedingfield； and I discovered the body of the dog floating in the Waveney against a weir about a mile and a quarter away。
On Friday； the 15th； I was going into Bungay when at the level crossing on the Bungay road I was hailed by two plate…layers； who a