Through the living-room one passed into the antiquities-room where all the finds from the dig were brought in and stored on shelves and in pigeon-holes, and also laid out on big benches and tables.
From the antika-room there was no exit save through the living-room.
Beyond the antika-room, but reached through a door which gave on the courtyard, was Mrs Leidners bedroom.
This, like the other rooms on that side of the house, had a couple of barred windows looking out over the ploughed countryside.
Round the corner next to Mrs Leidners room, but with no actual communicating door, was Dr Leidners room.
This was the first of the rooms on the east side of the building.
Next to it was the room that was to be mine. Next to me was Miss Johnsons, with Mr and Mrs Mercados beyond. After that came two so-called bathrooms. (When I once used that last term in the hearing of Dr Reilly he laughed at me and said a bathroom was either a bathroom or not a bathroom!
All the same, when youve got used to taps and proper plumbing, it seems strange to call a couple of mud-rooms with a tin hip-bath in each of them, and muddy water brought in kerosene tins,bathrooms!) All this side of the building had been added by Dr Leidner to the original Arab house.
The bedrooms were all the same, each with a window and a door giving on to the courtyard.
Along the north side were the drawing-office, the laboratory and the photographic rooms.
To return to the verandah, the arrangement of rooms was much the same on the other side. There was the dining-room leading into the office where the files were kept and the cataloguing and typing was done.
Corresponding to Mrs Leidners room was that of Father Lavigny, who was given the largest bedroom; he used it also for the decoding or whatever you call it of tablets.
In the south-west corner was the staircase running up to the roof.
On the west side were first the kitchen quarters and then four small bedrooms used by the young men Carey, Emmott, Reiter and Coleman.
At the north-west corner was the photographic-room with the dark-room leading out of it.
Next to that the laboratory. Then came the only entrance the big arched doorway through which we had entered.
Outside were sleeping quarters for the native servants, the guard-house for the soldiers, and stables, etc., for the water horses.
The drawing-office was to the right of the archway occupying the rest of the north side.
I have gone into the arrangements of the house rather fully here because I dont want to have to go over them again later.
As I say, Mrs Leidner herself took me round the building and finally established me in my bedroom, hoping that I should be comfortable and have everything I wanted.
The room was nicely though plainly furnished a bed, a chest of drawers, a washstand and a chair.
The boys will bring you hot water before lunch and dinner and in the morning, of course.
If you want it any other time, go outside and clap your hands, and when the boy comes say, jib mai har.
Do you think you can remember that?
I said I thought so and repeated it a little haltingly.
Thats right.
And be sure and shout it.
Arabs dont understand anything said in an ordinary English voice.
Languages are funny things, I said.
It seems odd there should be such a lot of different ones.
Mrs Leidner smiled.
There is a church in Palestine in which the Lords Prayer is written up in ninety, I think it is different languages.
Well! I said.
I must write and tell my old aunt that. She will be interested.
Mrs Leidner fingered the jug and basin absently and shifted the soap-dish an inch or two.
I do hope youll be happy here, she said, and not get too bored.
Im not often bored, I assured her.
Lifes not long enough for that.
She did not answer. She continued to toy with the washstand as though abstractedly.
Suddenly she fixed her dark violet eyes on my face.
What exactly did my husband tell you, nurse?
Well, one usually says the same thing to a question of that kind.
I gathered you were a bit run-down and all that, Mrs Leidner, I said glibly.
And that you just wanted someone to look after you and take any worries off your hands.
She bent her head slowly and thoughtfully.
Yes, she said.
Yes that will do very well.
That was just a little bit enigmatic, but I wasnt going to question it.
Instead I said: I hope youll let me help you with anything there is to do in the house.
You mustnt let me be idle.