"Higgins, Jack - Sheba" - читать интересную книгу автора (Higgins Jack)

Skiros turned to Kane. 'I'm sure you won't object. After all, this sort of work is more in your line.'

Kane tried to think of something to say, but for the moment, he was beaten. 'I guess this is your round.'

Skiros grinned good-humouredly. 'That's it, Kane. Be philosophical about the thing.' All at once, his manner changed and he became brisk and businesslike. 'And now you must excuse me. I have much to do.'

He swung round in his chair and picked up the earphones. Muller touched Kane on the arm and led the way outside. He turned to the right and walked along a broad ledge to where two armed men squatted before the entrance to another cave. It was no more than four feet high and Kane bent down to peer inside.

Muller wiped sweat from his face with a handkerchief and said awkwardly, 'I'm sorry about this, Kane.'

'I'm not in the mood to take confession today,' Kane told him. 'What am I supposed to do in here?'

Just inside the entrance was a spot-lamp, and the German switched it on and led the way in. The cave was only thirty or forty feet across, and the roof a couple of feet above their heads. The powerful beam moved slowly across the wall, and with startling suddenness, the outlines of two human figures with bows in their hands sprang into life.

Kane went forward and examined the figures with interest. 'Polychrome wall painting,' he said, touching them gently with his fingers. 'Remarkably well preserved.'

'What date would you give them?" Muller asked.

Kane shrugged, his animosity for the moment forgotten. 'It's hard to tell. I've seen the same sort of thing in the Hoggar Mountains in the Sahara, but comparisons are difficult. I'd say at least eight thousand years old. Are there any more?'

The German swung the lamp, picking out several rock etchings, and the beam came to rest upon a pile of rubble at the rear of the cave beside a narrow opening. 'I think you will find this much more interesting.'

It was obviously the work of man, and blocks of drafted masonry had been removed to open a passage beyond.

'And you think this is the entrance to a tomb?' Kane said.

'What else could it be?' Muller asked. 'The temple is Sabean if not older. If this valley was some sort of holy place, it would be natural to assume that burials took place here.'

Since entering the cave, Kane had been conscious of faint sounds, and now a light appeared in the dark passage and Jamal emerged, a lamp in one hand, dragging a large basket filled with rubble. He stood for a moment and looked at them calmly, his great body streaked with dust and sweat, and then he emptied the basket and disappeared back into the darkness.

'Presumably Cunningham is in there also,' Kane said.

Muller nodded. 'His help, although unwillingly given, has been of great assistance over the past few weeks.'

'There's just one thing I can't understand,' Kane said. 'You've plenty of Bedouins in camp. Why haven't you used a few of them as labourers?'

Muller sighed. 'In the first place, Skiros is not exactly sympathetic to my work and refuses his permission. In any case, they are all incurably superstitious. They believe these caves to be haunted by evil spirits.'

Before Kane could reply, a voice interrupted from behind. 'If you care to examine the roof, you'll find a much more cogent reason for their reluctance to work in here. The whole damned lot is ready to fall as soon as anyone coughs.'

The man who emerged from the passage was of medium height and wiry, stripped to the waist, and like Jamal, coated with dust from head to foot.

Muller ignored the remark. 'How are things progressing today, Cunningham?'

'No better than yesterday or the day before,' Cunningham replied. 'As far as I'm concerned, we're getting nowhere fast. You'll need a squad of labourers and pneumatic drills if you want to get anywhere with this lot.'

'I agree with you, my friend, but what can I do?' Muller said. 'However, I've brought you a new recruit. Kane here has had a great deal of experience at this sort of thing. I'm sure you'll be able to work something out between you.'

'I'd like to point out that I haven't eaten for some considerable time now,' Kane said.