"These Mehrikans were not so unworthy as we think them."

"That may be," said Lev-el-Hedyd, "but the Persian rug is far the
freshest object we have seen, and that perchance was ancient when they
bought it."

On this floor we entered a dim chamber, spacious and once richly
furnished. When Lev-el-Hedyd pushed open the shutters and drew aside
the ragged curtains we started at the sight before us.

Upon a wide bed in the centre of the room lay a human form, the long,
yellow hair still clinging to the head. It was more a mummy than a
skeleton. Around, upon the bed, lay mouldering fragments of the once
white sheets that covered it. On the fingers of the left hand
glistened two rings which drew our attention. One held a diamond of
great price, the other was composed of sapphires and diamonds most
curiously arranged. We stood a moment in silence, gazing sadly upon
the figure.

"Poor woman," I said, "left thus to die alone."

"It is more probable," said Nofuhl, "she was already dead, and her
friends, departing perhaps in haste, were unable to burn the body."

"Did they burn their dead?" I asked. "In my history 'twas writ they
buried them in the earth like potatoes, and left them to rot."

And Nofuhl answered: "At one time it was so, but later on, as they
became more civilized, the custom was abandoned."