"Will you be taking treasures from the land, Dr. Loder?"
There was none of the punkah-wallah "sahib" burlesque in his voice now. He spoke flawless English, with only the faintest trace of the Levant.
Loder looked at him. Yaffa's face was faintly lit by the dial glow from the dashboard. His features were sharper now; almost nothing left of the simpering pouch-cheeked caricature that had found them near the sphinx gate. "Perhaps," Loder answered. They rode in silence for a while, then Dennis said, "I was wondering when you'd divest yourself of the funnyface."
"A man must play many parts to survive, Doctor.
"And what will you do with these treasures ... should they exist?"
"I'll take them back and use them to help decipher the history of the land, and the people who came and went here."
"You know Hafez al-Assad has decreed death on the spot for archaeological pilferage. This does not frighten you?"
"Yes, it frightens me."
"But not as much as you are frightened by that glowing stone seal in your vest pocket, do I perceive correctly?"
Loder placed the little golden pipe mirror atop the bowl and puffed the tobacco to a cheery glow.
"That has a marvelous bouquet," Yaffa said, watching the ruts that served as road, skirting the talus at the foot of a steep declivity. "Oriental tobaccos? Latakia; perique, perhaps?"
Loder shook his head. "One whiff of latakia and I'm on my back. No, it's just some Virginia, and a nice toasted cavendish. Why have you revealed yourself to me, and not to my partner?"
"Because I think you have been duped by friendship. I think that you regret this expedition, that you are a decent sort of man; and I know you are frightened."
"You saw the glyph glowing?"
"Yes. When I found you. I was above you, studying you, for many minutes before I declared myself."
"And you don't much care for Bobby, is that it?"
Yaffa shrugged. "He is like most men. He lives on the edge of the moment. He is like the dust. It lies a while, then is blown away."
"He's my friend. We grew up together. I hope whoever hired you to guide us can count on your fidelity to both of us. We're in your hands, you know."
Yaffa turned his head for a moment. He looked at Loder, and said, "Yes, I know that. And we are all three in the hands of Allah."
)
