Chapter 2 Summary

Staying at Shepheard's Hotel in Cairo is a common event for European travelers coming to Egypt, where it is said that one may meet all of one's acquaintances if one sits there long enough. Amelia has the means to travel in style, and she sees no need to stint on matters of comfort. Once in Cairo, Amelia determines that they will hire a boat and travel up the Nile for the remaining four months of the winter season. The country is narrow, and all the antiquities she desires to see are in close proximity to the river. Once Amelia hires Michael as their dragoman, she sets about selecting a boat of an appropriate size and minimum cleanliness standards. She especially wishes to find an appropriate piano to take on the trip, for she understands that Evelyn is a gifted musician. Hiring a dahabeeyah...