iculous details of symbolical worship which it was to their advantage to imagine and maintain。 If I understand him right； he holds that religion pure and undefiled wells up spontaneously in the heart of man； and that afterwards it is smothered； and even killed； with the dross of ritual and controversy where professional theologians pitch their camps。
There has been much talk of late of a painted board on which a face is carved； which once rested on the mummy of a priestess of Amen who lived about 1500 B。C。 It has been supposed to bring misfortune to those who had anything to do with it； or who even looked upon it。
One day in the autumn of 1889 a gentleman was shown into Dr。 Budge’s room in the British Museum and； producing a photograph of the painted board； asked him to tell what the object represented was。 Budge saw at once that it was an object of which the Museum had few examples； and that it was in a good state of preservation； and also an antica of considerable value。 The visitor said； “Do you want it？” Budge said； “Yes； but we have no money。” Visitor： “I don’t want money。 I’ll give it to you。” Budge： “Very handsome of you。 Please give me your name and address； and I will report your generous gift to the Trustees。” The visitor did so； but lingered； and after a time said； “Could you send for it today？” There was difficulty； it then being three o’clock； in getting a van and men； but they were got and sent for the board。 The visitor asked if he might remain till the board came； and Budge gave him books to look at。 In due course the board arrived and the men brought it upstairs； and the visitor got up and thanked Budge profusely。 Said Budge； “The thanks are due to you from us。” Whereupon the visitor took Budge by the hand and said words to this effect： “Thank God you have taken the damned thing！ There is an evil spirit in it which appears in its eyes。 It was brought home by a friend of mine who was travelling with Douglas Murray； and he lost all his money when a bank in China broke； and his daughter died。 I took the board into my house。 The eyes frightened my daughter into a sickness。 I moved it to another room； and it threw down a china cabi and smashed a lot of Sevres china in it。 The cook saw it and fainted； and the other servants saw flashes of fire e from the eyes； and ran away from the house。 A friend suggested the giving it to the Museum； and； thank God！ you have accepted it。 I want no thanks。 I shall be ever in your debt。” With these words he left the room and Budge saw him no more。 The board was put into the mummy room； and Douglas Murray and W。 T。 Stead came and examined it and said it possessed psychic powers — that a soul in torment was chained up in the board； and so on。 All this got into the papers； and much nonsense besides。 Budge said that the board had given them no trouble； and published it in one of his books。
A certain mummy had many weird stories attached to it。 It was bought by “Midge” Ingram of the Illustrated London News and brought to London。 Budge was sent to report upon it by his chief； Dr。 Birch； and he said it belonged to the Ptolemaic Period and came from Akhmim in Upper Egypt。 Ingram bought it in Luxor； and was said to have carried it off without paying what the native wanted for it。 The native ran after the boat along the bank for miles； and cursed Ingram with all his might in the name of Allah。 Among the inscriptions on the coffin were extracts from a funerary work； and the copy of it in the British Museum had a curse attached。 The curse declared that the man who stole the work； or burnt it； or buried it； or drowned it； should be blotted out； his body and seed destroyed for ever； etc。 During a shooting tour in Somaliland Ingram shot at a huge she…elephant with buck…shot and enraged the beast。 He fired again； and the elephant pursued him among the palms； and finally caught him with her trunk and lifted him into the air and dashed him limb from limb。 Then she found the trunk and trod it with her feet to a pulp。 Sir Henry Meux； who was of the party； collected the remains； put them in a box and buried them； but a few days later the box was washed out of its bed； and the party decided to carry it to the sea…coast。 Before Ingram left England he gave the mummy — which he had agreed to sell to the British Museum — to Lady Meux of Theobalds Park； who placed it in her Egyptian collection。 There it lay for several years； and Lady Meux used to go the museum every day and pray by the side of the case containing it。 Budge published a full description of the mummy and coffin； and a splendid collotype reproduction of the coffin； in the “Catalogue” of the Meux Collection which he made for Lady Meux。 The collection was bequeathed to the British Museum by Lady Meux； but her conditions were such that the proposed gift could not be accepted。 The collection was then sold by auction and dispersed。
I asked Budge if he believed in the efficacy of curses。 He hesitated to answer。 At length he said that in the East men believed that curses took effect； and that he had always avoided driving a native to curse him。 A curse launched into the air was bound to have an effect if coupled with the name of God； either on the person cursed or on the curser。 Budge mentioned the case of Palmer； who cursed an Arab of Sinai； and the natives turned the curse on him by throwing him and his panions down a precipice； and they were dashed to pieces。 Budge added； “I have cursed the fathers and female ancestors of many a man； but I have always feared to curse a man himself。”
Two other stories of Budge’s are worth preserving。
When he was at Cambridge Dr。 Peile of Christ’s offered him an exhibition if he would be examined in Assyrian； and as Budge’s funds were exiguous he was very anxious to get the exhibition。 An examiner； Professor Sayce of Oxford； was found to set the papers — four in all — and the days for the examination were fixed。 The night before the day of the examination Budge dreamed a dream in which he saw himself seated in a room that he had never seen before — a room rather like a shed with a skylight in it。 The tutor came in with a long envelope in his hand； and took from it a batch of green papers； and gave one of these to Budge for him to work at that morning。 The tutor locked him in and left him。 When he looked at the paper he saw it contained questions and extracts from bilingual Assyrian and Akkadian texts for translation。 The questions he could answer； but he could not translate the texts； though he knew them by sight； and his emotions were so great that he woke up in a fright。 At length he fell asleep； but the dream repeated itself twice； and he woke up in a greater fright than before。 He then got up — it was about 2 A。M。 — went downstairs to his room； lighted a fire； and； finding the texts in the second volume of Rawlinson’s great work； found the four texts and worked at them till breakfast…time； when he was able to make passable renderings of them。 He went to College at nine； and was informed that there was no room in the Hall； it being filled by a class
Chapter 14 MEXICO
J。 Gladwyn Jebb — His character — Mr。 and Mrs。 H。 R。 H。 visit him in Mexico — Death of their only son while absent — New York on way to Mexico — Reports — Their loyalty to each other — Mexico City — Don Anselmo — Golden Head of Montezuma — Treasure hunt — Zumpango — Journey to silver mine — Chiapas — Vera Cruz — Frontera — Millions of mosquitoes — A mule load of silver — Attempt of robbers to steal it — Silver mine — Tarantulas — Mishap on journey back — Return to England。
During the year 1889 I made the acquaintance of my late friend J。 Gladwyn Jebb； one of the most delightful persons whom I have ever known。 Some irony of fate brought it about that Jebb should devote his life to the pursuit of mining and mercial ventures — a career for which he was utterly unsuited。 The result may be imagined： he worked very hard in many evil climates； broke down his health； dissipated his large private means in supporting unremunerative enterprises； and died saddened and impoverished。
I have described his character in my introduction to “The Life and Adventures of J。 G。 Jebb；” by his widow； from which I quote a short passage。
In the city of Mexico； where business men are — business men； he was respected universally； and by the Indians he was adored。 “He is a good man； Jebb；” said an honourable old Jewish trader of that city to me — “a man among a thousand； whom I would trust anywhere。 See； I will prove it to you； amigo： he has lived in this town doing business for years； yet； with all his opportunities； he leaves it poorer than he came here。 Did you ever hear the like of that； amigo？”
Would that there existed more of such noble failures — the ignoble are sufficiently abundant — for then the world might be cleaner than it is。 It matters little now： his day is done； and he has journeyed to that wonderful Hereafter of which during life he had so clear a vision； and that was so often the subject of his delightful and suggestive talk。 But his record remains； the record of a brave and generous man who； as I firmly believe； never did； never even contemplated； a mean or doubtful act。 To those who knew him and have lost sight of him there remain also a bright and chivalrous example and the memory of a most perfect gentleman。
Unfortunately for myself； a connection in the City had introduced me to certain Mexican enterprises in which he was concerned that in due course absorbed no small sum out of my hard earnings。 Also he introduced me to Jebb； which good deed I set against the matter of the unlucky investments。
Jebb urged me to e to Mexico and write a novel about Montezuma； both of which things I did in due course； also as a bait he told me a wonderful and； as I believe； perfectly true tale of hidden treasure which we were to proceed to dig up together。 Of this treasure I will write hereafter。
Jebb and Mrs。 Jebb returned to Mexico during the year 1890； where my wife and I made arrangements to visit them at the mencement of 1891。
And now I e to a very sad and terrible event that pierced me with a sudden thrust which has left my heart bleeding to this day。 Yes； still it bleeds； nor will the issue of its blood