egypt-第36节

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souls；　they　understand　us；　for　all　that　we　have　imposed　silence　on

them。　The　darkness　increases　within；　although　the　place　is　open　to　the

sky；　and　the　icy　wind　blows　more　mournfully　than　it　did　outside。　A

penetrating　humiditya　humidity　altogether　unknown　in　this　country

before　the　inundationchills　us　to　the　bone。　We　are　now　in　that　part

of　the　temple　which　was　left　uncovered；　the　part　where　the　faithful

used　to　kneel。　The　sonority　of　the　granites　round　about　exaggerates

the　noise　of　the　oars　on　the　enclosed　water；　and　there　is　something

confusing　in　the　thought　that　we　are　rowing　and　floating　between　the

walls　where　formerly；　and　for　centuries；　men　were　used　to　prostrate

themselves　with　their　foreheads　on　the　stones。



And　now　it　is　quite　dark；　the　hour　grows　late。　We　have　to　bring　the

boat　close　to　the　walls　to　distinguish　the　hieroglyphs　and　rigid　gods

which　are　engraved　there　as　finely　as　by　the　burin。　These　walls；

washed　for　nearly　four　years　by　the　inundation；　have　already　taken　on

at　the　base　that　sad　blackish　colour　which　may　be　seen　on　the　old

Venetian　palaces。



Halt　and　silence。　It　is　dark　and　cold。　The　oars　no　longer　move；　and　we

hear　only　the　sighing　of　the　wind　and　the　lapping　of　the　water　against

the　columns　and　the　bas…reliefsand　then　suddenly　there　comes　the

noise　of　a　heavy　body　falling；　followed　by　endless　eddies。　A　great

carved　stone　has　plunged；　at　its　due　hour；　to　rejoin　in　the　black

chaos　below　its　fellows　that　have　already　disappeared；　to　rejoin　the

submerged　temples　and　old　Coptic　churches；　and　the　town　of　the　first

Christian　centuriesall　that　was　once　the　Isle　of　Philae；　the　〃pearl

of　Egypt；〃　one　of　the　marvels　of　the　world。



The　darkness　is　now　extreme　and　we　can　see　no　longer。　Let　us　go　and

shelter；　no　matter　where；　to　await　the　moon。　At　the　end　of　this

uncovered　hall　there　opens　a　door　which　gives　on　to　deep　night。　It　is

the　holy　of　holies；　heavily　roofed　with　granite；　the　highest　part　of

the　temple；　the　only　part　which　the　waters　have　not　yet　reached；　and

there　we　are　able　to　put　foot　to　earth。　Our　footsteps　resound　noisily

on　the　large　resonant　flags；　and　the　owls　take　to　flight。　Profound

darkness；　the　wind　and　the　dampness　freeze　us。　Three　hours　to　go

before　the　rising　of　the　moon；　to　wait　in　this　place　would　be　our

death。　Rather　let　us　return　to　Chelal；　and　shelter　ourselves　in　any

lodging　that　offers；　however　wretched　it　may　be。



*****



A　tavern　of　the　horrible　village　in　the　light　of　an　electric　lamp。　It

reeks　of　absinthe；　this　desert　tavern；　in　which　we　warm　ourselves　at　a

little　smoking　fire。　It　has　been　hastily　built　of　old　tin　boxes；　of

the　debris　of　whisky　cases；　and　by　way　of　mural　decoration　the

landlord；　an　ignorant　Maltese；　has　pasted　everywhere　pictures　cut　from

our　European　pornographic　newspapers。　During　our　hours　of　waiting；

Nubians　and　Arabians　follow　one　another　hither；　asking　for　drink；　and

are　supplied　with　brimming　glassfuls　of　our　alcoholic　beverages。　They

are　the　workers　in　the　new　factories　who　were　formerly　healthy　beings；

living　in　the　open　air。　But　now　their　faces　are　stained　with　coal

dust；　and　their　haggard　eyes　look　unhappy　and　ill。



*****



The　rising　of　the　moon　is　fortunately　at　hand。　Once　more　in　our　boat

we　make　our　way　slowly　towards　the　sad　rock　which　to…day　is　Philae。

The　wind　has　fallen　with　the　night；　as　happens　almost　invariably　in

this　country　in　winter；　and　the　lake　is　calm。　To　the　mournful　yellow

sky　has　succeeded　one　that　is　blue…black；　infinitely　distant；　where

the　stars　of　Egypt　scintillate　in　myriads。



A　great　glimmering　light　shows　now　in　the　east　and　at　length　the　full

moon　rises；　not　blood…coloured　as　in　our　climates　but　straightway　very

luminous；　and　surrounded　by　an　aureole　of　a　kind　of　mist；　caused　by

the　eternal　dust　of　the　sands。　And　when　we　return　to　the　baseless

kiosklulled　always　by　the　Nubian　song　of　the　boatmena　great　disc

is　already　illuminating　everything　with　a　gentle　splendour。　As　our

little　boat　winds　in　and　out；　we　see　the　great　ruddy　disc　passing　and

repassing　between　the　high　columns；　so　striking　in　their　archaism；

whose　images　are　repeated　in　the　water；　that　is　now　grown　calmmore

than　ever　a　kiosk　of　dreamland；　a　kiosk　of　old…world　magic。



In　returning　to　the　temple　of　the　goddess；　we　follow　for　a　second　time

the　submerged　road　between　the　capitals　and　friezes　of　the　colonnade

which　emerge　like　a　row　of　little　reefs。



In　the　uncovered　hall　which　forms　the　entrance　to　the　temple；　it　is

still　dark　between　the　sovereign　granites。　Let　us　moor　our　boat

against　one　of　the　walls　and　await　the　good　pleasure　of　the　moon。　As

soon　as　she　shall　have　risen　high　enough　to　cast　her　light　here；　we

shall　see　clearly。



It　begins　by　a　rosy　glimmer　on　the　summit　of　the　pylons；　and　then

takes　the　form　of　a　luminous　triangle；　very　clearly　defined；　which

grows　gradually　larger　on　the　immense　wall。　Little　by　little　it

descends　towards　the　base　of　the　temple；　revealing　to　us　by　degrees

the　intimidating　presence　of　the　bas…reliefs；　the　gods；　goddesses　and

hieroglyphs；　and　the　assemblies　of　people　who　make　signs　among

themselves。　We　are　no　longer　alonea　whole　world　of　phantoms　has　been

evoked　around　us　by　the　moon；　some　little；　some　very　large。　They　had

been　hiding　there　in　the　shadow　and　now　suddenly　they　recommence　their

mute　conversations；　without　breaking　the　profound　silence；　using　only

their　expressive　hands　and　raised　fingers。　And　now　also　the　colossal

Isis　begins　to　appearthe　one　carved　on　the　left　of　the　portico　by

which　you　enter；　first；　her　refined　head　with　its　bird's　helmet；

surmounted　by　a　solar　disc；　then；　as　the　light　continues　to　descend；

her　neck　and　shoulders；　and　her　arm；　raised　to　make　who　knows　what

mysterious；　indicating　sign；　and　finally　the　slim　nudity　of　her　torso；

and　her　hips　close　bound　in　a　sheath。　Behold　her　now；　the　goddess；

come　completely　out　of　the　shadow。　。　。　。　But　she　seems　surprised　and

disturbed　at　seeing　at　her　feet；　instead　of　the　stones　she　had　known

for　two　thousand　years；　her　own　likeness；　a　reflection　of　herself；

that　stretches　away；　reversed　in　the　mirror　of　the　water。　。　。　。



And　suddenly；　in　the　mist　of　the　deep　nocturnal　calm　of　this　temple；

isolated　here　in　the　lake；　comes　again　the　sound　of　a　kind　of　mournful

booming；　of　things　that　topple；　precious　stones　that　become　detached

and　falland　then；　on　the　surface　of　the　lake；　a　thousand　concentric

circles　form；　close　one　another　and　disappear；　ruffling　indefinitely

this　mirror　embanked　between　the　terrible　granites；　in　which　Isis

regards　herself　sorrowfully。



/Postscript。/The　submerging　of　Philae；　as　we　know；　has　increased　by

no　less　than　seventy…five　millions　of　pounds　the　annual　yield　of　the

surrounding　land。　Encouraged　by　this　success；　the　English　propose　next

year　to　raise　the　barrage　of　the　Nile　another　twenty　feet。　As　a

consequence　this　sanctuary　of　Isis　will　be　completely　submerged；　the

greater　part　of　the　ancient　temples　of　Nubia　will　be　under　water；　and

fever　will　infect　the　country。　But；　on　the　other　hand；　the　cultivation

of　cotton　will　be　enormously　facilitated。　。　。　。










End