The garden has a very high wall for a private estate. It is evident that there must be great fear of thieves in that neighborhood.
But it is no wonder that some things about this house and its grounds strike us as peculiar, for it was built more than three thousand years ago.
It was the country residence of an Egyptian gentleman, and was, no doubt, replete with all the modern conveniences of the period. Even in the present day he might consider himself a very fortunate man who had so good a house and grounds as these. If the windows were made a little larger, a few changes effected in the interior of the establishment, and some chimneys and fire-places built, none of our rich men need be ashamed of such a house.
But, handsome as it is, it is not probable that this house cost the Egyptian gentleman very much.
It is very likely, indeed, that it was built, under the supervision of an architect, by his own slaves, and that the materials came from his own estates. But he may, of course, have spent large sums on its decoration and furniture, and it is very probable, judging from the outside of his house, that he did so. Some of those old Egyptians were most luxurious fellows.
If you wish to see how his slaves worked while they were building his house, just examine this picture.
To be sure, it is a temple which these men are building, but the bricklayers, hod-carriers, etc., worked in the same way when they were putting up a private house.
These poor men whom you see toiling here were probably not born slaves, and it is very likely that many of them are equal in birth and education to those who own them.