The Parliament of Blood Read Online Free

mind, but George felt embarrassed and uncomfortable as he looked out over the mass of people standing watching. He felt that almost everyone was looking at him, though he knew that could not really be the case.
    Right at the front of the spectators was the woman in the red dress. George was sure she was watching him rather than Brinson. But he forced himself to look away, to pay attention to the professor who was now coming to the end of his short speech.
    â€˜His name seems to have been Orabis,’ Brinson was saying. ‘I’m afraid beyond that we know little about him. Judging by the ornate sarcophagus he was an important fellow.’ Brinson paused to wave his hand across the carved figure on the top of the sarcophagus, despite the fact that only those on the stage had a good view of it. ‘Look at this gold leaf. Very expensive, and not to be wasted on just anyone, you know. There is also a lot of silver, here in the details, which I am told is unusual. Perhaps in a moment we will find out more about Orabis.’ Brinson stepped back from the sarcophagus. ‘I shall now remove the lid, and we will see what lies inside.’
    Sir Harrison Judd volunteered to assist Brinson in lifting the heavy lid. It was a struggle, even with the two of them,and Lord Ruthven rose to help. Together they swung the lid away from the coffin and set it down at the side of the stage, close to where George and Eddie were standing. The painted eyes of Orabis, long-dead Egyptian, watched George as closely as he imagined the woman in the scarlet dress had done.
    Brinson stood at the head of the sarcophagus, looking down at the mummy. It was a crude man-shaped figure, wrapped tight in grey strips of linen. The wrappings were discoloured and stained with age, frayed and torn and ragged. The coverings over the face seemed to have sunk into the rough shape of the dead features beneath. There were shadowy indentations for the eyes, a bump of a nose. The strips of cloth over the mouth had torn and broken, as if to let out the cries of the figure within.
    â€˜Exactly as we would expect,’ Brinson said to the hushed audience. ‘Although there appears to be sand under the body, and I think the lining of the casket is perhaps rather unusual.’
    â€˜Unprecedented,’ Sir William said, loud enough for everyone to hear. ‘The sarcophagus is lined with silver.’
    It made the inside of the casket seem to shine with reflected light. George moved slightly so the glare was not in his eyes. He could see the gleaming sides of the inside of the casket quite clearly, but the mummy itself still seemed wreathed in shadows as well as cloth.
    The dignitaries on the stage were leaning forward in their seats to get the best possible view. Lord Ruthven and Harrison Judd stood beside Brinson.
    â€˜There is, I see, a chain around the neck. Is that also silver, would you say?’
    â€˜It is,’ Lord Ruthven said. His voice sounded strained and nervous.
    â€˜And on the chain is a device, a piece of jewellery or adornment. A simple loop of what seems to be gold with a stem. The device is called an ankh, I believe.’ Brinson cleared his throat. ‘Sometimes, jewellery and precious stones were placed between the wrappings. We shall soon discover if that was the case with our friend Orabis.’
    He produced a knife from where it had been resting on the end of one of the trestles that supported the sarcophagus. The blade gleamed as it caught the light, and Brinson made a great show of holding it up for everyone to see.
    â€˜Oh do hurry up,’ Sir William said quietly.
    â€˜I am now cutting, very carefully, through the outer wrappings,’ Brinson announced, leaning into the sarcophagus.
    George had a good view of the knife as it sliced through the decaying wrappings. Brinson started at the feet, cutting a straight line up between the legs and to the chest.
    â€˜We must be extremely careful when we fold back