THE KING'S HOUSE 111 



tion till further orders, and accordingly I went 

 off to Egypt for the winter. 



Before I left, however, I pointed out that my 

 one clerk, with so little assistance, was much worse 

 off and more worn out than I was, and I received 

 the sop of a promise that all work should be re- 

 duced, and he should he as little pressed as possible 

 till I returned, and could reorganise matters. 



But it was with no little shame and com- 

 punction that I received at Assuan on Christmas 

 Day the news of the death of my unfortunate 

 clerk worked to death in the service of his 

 country if ever a man was, but without com- 

 plaint from him and wholly without necessity 

 or excuse. Naturally, on my return, business 

 accounts and books were in a state of chaos. 

 However, I made it clear that as one man, and 

 very nearly another, had been killed by the 

 recent condition of affairs, I would not carry on 

 the office unless I was given at least one 

 additional clerk and provided with a new office 

 that would hold my papers and books of account, 

 and also provide room for correspondence. The 

 Treasury, something alarmed by the fact that 

 they had done a man to death by the conditions 

 of their service, were unusually malleable, and 

 authorised me to engage two clerks at once. 

 I was not long in doing this and first-rate men 



