|
I had always wished a proper education in my father’s field, even though my sex
precluded a full degree. Our family tradition led me to study at Oxford; but it was
not at the University that I first met Mr Knight. Rather, it was in the Egyptian Room
of the British Museum. We did not speak, of course; but I could not help but notice the
way he lingered over the inscriptions. Most casual visitors are drawn to the obvious:
he seemed…perhaps a student, or at least an aficionado.
We next met at a lecture given by Professor Grenfell on Egyptian papyri. My attendance
was expected: Mr Knight’s was not. He somehow obtained permission, nevertheless, though
he was not at any of the colleges. (Before we became better acquainted, I suspected
a considerable donation had eased his path into university life.) I noted his presence
at the lecture, and remembered him from the Museum. He was a memorable man. Professor
Griffith introduced me to him as one of his most promising pupils, which was unexpected
and gratifying. (Later, when I returned to my rooms, I feared it might have been no
more than a tribute to my late father; but—no. I think not. Of some in the University
I might believe it; but Professor Griffith was as purely scientific in his focus as
any man I have met in these halls of learning, and had no regard for the sex of his
pupils provided their abilities met his standards, which were always exacting.)
My third encounter with Mr Knight came at one of Professor Griffith’s tea parties,
held monthly for all his pupils and, occasionally, a junior fellow in need of a
little academic polish. From the conversation, it was clear that Mr Knight had gained
his entrée legitimately: his knowledge of the field of archæology was
considerable, to put it mildly, though his principal area of expertise was the ruins of
Central America. We chatted about hieroglyphs, and the chance of, some day, discovering
a Rosetta Stone to the glyphs of the Mayan civilization.
After that, I seemed to encounter Mr Knight at every turn. That winter was, I
must admit, made delightful not only by my progress in my studies but also by scones
and cakes at the better of the local tea shops and, later, dinner at the City’s best
restaurants—far beyond my means, and further evidence of Mr Knight’s comfortable
situation. The thought did cross my mind, once or twice, that we might, one day, work
in tandem on the ancient sites of Egypt (or of Mexico, if he should prefer).
Alas, it was not to be. As the days grew longer and the gardens brightened with
the early flowers of spring, Mr Knight intimated his intention shortly to make a
departure for the New World. I had been offered, upon the successful completion
of my studies, the opportunity to join a dig south of Memphis. He congratulated me on
my good fortune.
I have not seen him since. The occasional letter makes it clear that, as I
advance in my career, he keeps himself aware of my progress; but, unfortunately,
I lack a forwarding address, and cannot reciprocate the correspondence. Yet, I
must admit, I still have lingering hopes that, one day, he may turn up in Cairo
with an invitation to engage in mutual study of some new discovery.
|
This story was written as a thank-you to “brightknightie” for organizing
FK Fic Fest. It was
written to her prompt, “Nick and Helen Ruskin-Slater from "Faithful Followers. So often, we
come in at the tragic end of Nick's friendships. I would love to read an incident from
the beginning or middle of one of them. (It could be a flashback inside another scenario,
or it could be the whole piece.)”
|
|
|
|
Notes:
Oxford is known as ‘the city of dreaming spires’.
Helen Ruskin-Slater appeared in the flashback to the episode,
“Faithful Followers”, A noted Egyptologist, she was persuaded by
Nick to come to a dig near Khartoum to translate the hieroglyphs in a scroll that he believed
to be a new discovery. However, all proved to be yet another plot of
LaCroix's; and Helen was killed.
It was only in 1920 that women were granted the right
to take degrees at Oxford University.
Bernard Pyne Grenfell was a Professor of Papyrology, and Francis
Llewellyn Griffith a Professor of Egyptology at Oxford University in the early twentieth century.
Nick's interest in archæology was established in the first episode of
Forever Knight, in which it was revealed that he took part
in the excavation of a Mayan site at Altun Kinal in the nineteenth century. In addition,
as shown in the episode, “Spin Doctor”, he was an associate
professor in the Department of Archeology at the University of Chicago in the early 1950s.
|
