“By all means, Peabody,” Emerson said with a smirk. “He is emerging from the cultivation. Tackle him, tie him to a tree, have a donkey sit on him until he squeals. In any case, do not invite him for tea!” On that emphatic note, he strode away briskly to resume supervision of the excavation of the underground chamber. I could only pray that he would not be devastated after the lid was removed.

“Mrs. Emerson,” Mr. Dullard began in his grating, high-pitched voice, “I must have a word with you. I fear I became somewhat inebriated last night and behaved in an uncouth manner. I beg your forgiveness, yours and Professor Emerson’s.”

“You saved us from what might have been a fatal encounter with the horseman. For that, I must offer my gratitude. Have you had the opportunity to speak with Miss Smith? She was, shall we say, agitated by the event.”

Mr. Dullard shuffled his feet. “I have not approached her dwelling. Although I was impaired by the excess of alcohol, I recall harsh words from her. Have I sabotaged our budding relationship, Mrs. Emerson? Should I crawl to her on my knees and plead my case? Would such a gesture be futile?”

I shook my head. “I have no idea if she will forgive you or not. She and I are not close confidantes, and we have not spoken this morning. You must make your own decisions, Mr. Dullard—just like when you decided to follow Morgenstern to Cairo. Do you have any idea where he was going?”

“Why would you think I followed him to Cairo?”

“Linear ratiocination. When you went to the dig house with him, you saw the bust of Nefertiti. Perhaps he told you his plan to have a forgery made so that he could keep the original for himself. He was besotted with it, was he not? After he found transport across the Nile and went to the train station, you followed him.”

Mr. Dullard’s eyes narrowed. “He needed protection from thieves. When we arrived at the station in Cairo, he ordered a cab to take him to the Deutsche Orient-Gesellschaft. I found an inexpensive hotel for the night, and the next morning spent a few hours purchasing small gifts for my Coptic friends before I departed that afternoon. As for the bust of Nefertiti, he did show it to me before he placed it in a carpet bag. I assumed he was delivering it to the German embassy.”

“He never went to the D.O.G.,” I said flatly, “or the embassy.”

“Then I have no idea where he did go. I am only repeating what I heard him say to the driver.”

“You did not appear at this site for a week. Where were you, Mr. Dullard? Are you certain you did not remain in Cairo to keep an eye on Morgenstern?”

“No, I did not.” Droplets of perspiration appeared above his thick black eyebrows. “I went to Deir el-Mowass to deliver my gifts. The Copts were grateful and thanked me for my generosity. You are very inquisitive, Mrs. Emerson.”