3. “In a whisper, the doctor said, ‘Better. Uncle Abd el-Hamid el-Talbi has died.'
Zeita's eyes lit up- in the gloom as he asked with interest, ‘When? Is he buried yet?'
‘He was buried yesterday evening.'
‘Did you find out where the grave is?'
‘Between the Gate of Victory and the desert road' (Mahfouz 210).
Bab Al-Nasr, or the Gate of Victory, stands as one of the relics of old Cairo. It stands as one of the three gates that made up the primary fortification for the city. The Gate of Victory in Midaq Alley represents Egypt's past. It is used to carry on the theme of old versus new, especially concerning respect for the dead. This pa**age pits more pious people, those who bury the dead in the traditional manner, against Dr. Bushi and Zeita, the grave robbers. The fact that the two men go against ancient practice while surrounded by ancient architecture shows the dramatic shift in culture between the traditional and the modern. Mahfouz uses the wall's ancient past to shed light upon the transformation from old Egypt to new Egypt.
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/babnasr.htm