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Cigars of the Pharaoh: B&W version a stand-alone book?

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mct16
Member
#11 · Posted: 23 Nov 2017 18:59
I found the page you mention which includes the letter and here it is roughly translated from the French:

"...Tintin and his dog Snowy. Asleep in their respective sarcophagi, they were awaiting their final mummification.
"Following an unbelievable mix-up, they were mistaken in the darkness for two boxes of 'cacao' and loaded upon the camels.
"It was not until the following morning that this mistake was discovered.
"Questioned, the camel driver stated that he had helped transport the packages to the launch of the 'City of Doodlecastle'.
"I hope, O Very Powerful..."

That shows that even in the black-and-white version it was a case of a mix-up between drugs and victims-to-be-mummified.

But here's another curious fact: in the B&W version, when the boxes have been loaded on board the ship, a sailor informs the unseen captain who says "Fine... All right!... I'm coming... And you're for it if you let yourself be conned!"

When he sees the sarcophagi, he dismisses them as antiques and not "merchandise" and has them thrown overboard.

This would suggest that the people who keep the drugs in the tomb and those who deliver it to other parts of the world act independently of each other; or that the "City of Doodlecastle" was from a gang which traded with that of Rastapopoulos but which was separate. I actually believe that a lot of drugs smuggling gangs work separately but often do business with one another; though in this case the mix-up could have led to conflict between gangs.
Roby
Member
#12 · Posted: 24 Nov 2017 18:44
mct16

Thank you very much for the translation. Certainly ties things together and makes it sensible. Would've been quite reckless if no explanation had been given by Herge.

I agree with your analysis that both factions work independently.

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