Book 4, Nefernefernefer Summary

Twice more Nefer's servants mistreat Sinuhe and she for a new day's pleasure demands new presents: first his parents' house and then their tomb and prepaid embalming. Each time, she withholds his pleasure. Sinuhe finds Kaptah disguised as a Syrian, planning to run away and guard Sinuhe from his naiveté. Only after Nefer's second refusal, when she has her slaves throw him out and beat him senseless, does Sinuhe listen. First, however, he learns from Kaptah that his parents are dead, borrows money, and barters his services in the House of the Dead in exchange for the corpse washers' services. Senmut's suicide note exonerates Sinuhe, commiserates with his bad luck, and assures him that they die an easy death.

In the House of the Dead, Sinuhe sees and smells things horrible even to a physician. The poor simply soak in a...