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Egypt （La Mort De Philae）
by Pierre Loti
Translated from the French by W。 P。 BAINES
CHAPTER I
A WINTER MIDNIGHT BEFORE THE GREAT SPHINX
A night wondrously clear and of a colour unknown to our climate； a
place of dreamlike aspect； fraught with mystery。 The moon of a bright
silver； which dazzles by its shining； illumines a world which surely
is no longer ours； for it resembles in nothing what may be seen in
other lands。 A world in which everything is suffused with rosy color
beneath the stars of midnight； and where granite symbols rise up；
ghostlike and motionless。
Is that a hill of sand that rises yonder？ One can scarcely tell； for
it has as it were no shape； no outline； rather it seems like a great
rosy cloud； or some huge； trembling billow； which once perhaps raised
itself there； forthwith to become motionless for ever。 。 。 。 And from
out this kind of mummified wave a colossal human effigy emerges； rose…
coloured too； a nameless； elusive rose； emerges； and stares with fixed
eyes and smiles。 It is so huge it seems unreal； as if it were a
reflection cast by some mirror hidden in the moon。 。 。 。 And behind
this monster face； far away in the rear； on the top of those undefined
and gently undulating sandhills； three apocalyptic signs rise up
against the sky； those rose…coloured triangles； regular as the figures
of geometry； but so vast in the distance that they inspire you with
fear。 They seem to be luminous of themselves； so vividly do they stand
out in their clear rose against the deep blue of the star…spangled
vault。 And this apparent radiation from within； by its lack of
likelihood； makes them seem more awful。
And all around is the desert； a corner of the mournful kingdom of
sand。 Nothing else is to be seen anywhere save those three awful
things that stand there upright and stillthe human likeness
magnified beyond all measurement； and the three geometric mountains；
things at first sight like exhalations； visionary things； with
nevertheless here and there； and most of all in the features of the
vast mute face； subtleties of shadow which show that /it/ at least
exists； rigid and immovable； fashioned out of imperishable stone。
Even had we not known； we must soon have guessed； for these things are
unique in the world； and pictures of every age have made the knowledge
of them commonplace： the Sphinx and the Pyramids！ But what is strange
is that they should be so disquieting。 。 。 。 And this pervading colour
of rose； whence comes it； seeing that usually the moon tints with blue
the things it illumines？ One would not expect this colour either；
which； nevertheless； is that of all the sands and all the granites of
Egypt and Arabia。 And then too； the eyes of the statue； how often have
we not seen them？ And did we not know that they were capable only of
their one fixed stare？ Why is it then that their motionless regard
surprises and chills us； even while we are obsessed by the smile of
the sealed lips that seem to hold back the answer to the supreme
enigma？ 。 。 。
It is cold； but cold as in our country are the fine nights of January；
and a wintry mist rises low down in the little valleys of the sand。
And that again we were not expecting； beyond question the latest
invaders of this country； by changing the course of the old Nile； so
as to water the earth and make it more productive； have brought hither
the humidity of their own misty isle。 And this strange cold； this
mist； light as it still is； seem to presage the end of ages； give an
added remoteness and finality to all this dead past； which lies here
beneath us in subterranean labyrinths haunted by a thousand mummies。
And the mist； which； as the night advances； thickens in the valleys；
hesitates to mount to the great daunting face of the Sphinx； and
covers it with the merest and most transparent gauze； and； like
everything else here to…night； this gauze； too； is rose…colored。 And
meanwhile the Sphinx； which has seen the unrolling of all the history
of the world； attends impassively the change in Egypt's climate；
plunged in profound and mystic contemplation of the moon； its friend
for the last 5000 years。
Here and there on the soft pathway of the sandhills are pigmy figures
of men that move about or sit squatting as if on the watch； and small
as they are； low down in the hollows and far away； this wonderful
silver moon reveals even their slightest gestures； for their white
robes and black cloaks stand sharply out against the monotonous rose
of the desert。 At times they call to one another in a harsh； aspirate
tongue； and then go off at a run； noiselessly； barefooted； with
burnous flying； like moths in the night。 They lie in wait for the
parties of tourists who arrive from time to time。 For the great
symbols； during the hundreds and thousands of years that have elapsed
since men ceased to venerate them； have nevertheless scarcely ever
been alone； especially on nights with a full moon。 Men of all races；
of all times； have come to wander round them； vaguely attracted by
their immensity and mystery。 In the days of the Romans they had
already become symbols of a lost significance； legacies of a fabulous
antiquity； but people came curiously to contemplate them； and tourists
in toga and in peplus carved their names on the granite of their bases
for the sake of remembrance。
The tourists who have come to…night； and upon whom have pounced the
black…cloaked Bedouin guides； wear cap and ulster or furred greatcoat；
their intrusion here seems almost an offence； but； alas； such visitors
become more numerous in each succeeding year。 The great town hard by
which sweats gold now that men have started to buy from it its dignity
and its soulis become a place of rendezvous and holiday for the
idlers and upstarts of the whole world。 The modern spirit encompasses
the old desert of the Sphinx on every side。 It is true that up to the
present no one has dared to profane it by building in the immediate
neighbourhood of the great statue。 Its fixity and calm disdain still
hold some sway； perhaps。 But little more than a mile away there ends a
road travelled by hackney carriages and tramway cars； and noisy with
the delectable hootings of smart motor cars； and behind the pyramid of
Cheops squats a vast hotel to which swarm men and women of fashion；
the latter absurdly feathered； like Redskins at a scalp dance； and
sick people； in search of purer air； and consumptive English maidens；
and ancient English dames； a little the worse for wear； who bring
their rheumatisms for the treatment of the dry winds。
Passing on our way hither； we had seen this road and this hotel and
these people in the glare of the electric lights； and from an
orchestra that was playing there we caught the trivial air of a
popular refrain of the music halls； but when in a dip of the ground
all this had disappeared； what a sense of deliverance possessed us；
how far off this turmoil seemed！ As soon as we commenced to tread upon
the sand of centuries； where all at once our footsteps made no sound；
nothing seemed to have existence； save only the great calm and the
religious awe of this world into which we were come； of this world
with its so crushing commentary upon our own； where all seemed silent；
undefined； gigantic and suffused with rose…colour。
And first there is the pyramid of Cheops； whose immutable base we had
to skirt on our way hither。 In the moonlight we could see the separate
blocks； so enormous； so regular； so even in their layers； which lie
one above the other to infinity； getting ever smaller and smaller； and
mounting； mounting in diminishing perspective； until at last high up
they form the apex of this giddy triangle。 And the pyramid seemed to
be illumined by some sad dawn of the end of the world； a dawn which
made ruddy only the sands and the granites of earth； and left the
heavens； pricked with their myriad stars； more awf