course you could not hear your own voice for the din that was around you.

Of course the Sheiks said they were the only responsible parties; that

all contracts must be made with them, all moneys paid over to them, and

none exacted from us by any but themselves alone. Of course they

contracted that the varlets who dragged us up should not mention

bucksheesh once. For such is the usual routine. Of course we contracted

with them, paid them, were delivered into the hands of the draggers,

dragged up the Pyramids, and harried and be-deviled for bucksheesh from

the foundation clear to the summit. We paid it, too, for we were

purposely spread very far apart over the vast side of the Pyramid. There

was no help near if we called, and the Herculeses who dragged us had a

way of asking sweetly and flatteringly for bucksheesh, which was

seductive, and of looking fierce and threatening to throw us down the

precipice, which was persuasive and convincing.

Each step being full as high as a dinner-table; there being very, very

many of the steps; an Arab having hold of each of our arms and springing

upward from step to step and snatching us with them, forcing us to lift

our feet as high as our breasts every time, and do it rapidly and keep it

up till we were ready to faint, who shall say it is not lively,

exhilarating, lacerating, muscle-straining, bone-wrenching and perfectly

excruciating and exhausting pastime, climbing the Pyramids? I beseeched

the varlets not to twist all my joints asunder; I iterated, reiterated,

even swore to them that I did not wish to beat any body to the top; did

all I could to convince them that if I got there the last of all I would

feel blessed above men and grateful to them forever; I begged them,

710

The Innocents Abroad