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excess the heat and light。 The horizon trembles under the little
vapours of mirage like water ruffled by the wind。 The background；
which mounts gradually to the foot of the Libyan mountains； is strewn
with the debris of bricks and stonesshapeless ruins which； though
they scarcely rise above the sand； abound nevertheless in great
numbers； and serve to remind us that here indeed is a very ancient
soil； where men laboured in centuries that have drifted out of
knowledge。 One divines instinctively and at once the catacombs； the
hypogea and the mummies that lie beneath！
These necropoles of Abydos onceand for thousands of yearsexercised
an extraordinary fascination over this peoplethe precursor of
peopleswho dwelt in the valley of the Nile。 According to one of the
most ancient of human traditions； the head of Osiris； the lord of the
/other world/； reposed in the depths of one of the temples which
to…day are buried in the sands。 And men； as soon as their thought
commenced to issue from the primeval night； were haunted by the idea
that there were localities helpful； as if were； to the poor corpses
that lay beneath the earth； that there were certain holy places where
it behoved them to be buried if they wished to be ready when the
signal of awakening was given。 And in old Egypt； therefore； each one；
at the hour of death； turned his thoughts to these stones and sands；
in the ardent hope that he might be able to sleep near the remains of
his god。 And when the place was becoming crowded with sleepers； those
who could obtain no place there conceived the idea of having humble
obelisks planted on the holy ground； which at least should tell their
names； or even recommended that their mummies might be there for some
weeks； even if they were afterwards removed。 And thus； funeral
processions passed to and fro without ceasing through the cornfields
that separate the Nile from the desert。 Abydos！ In the sad human dream
dominated by the thought of dissolution； Abydos preceded by many
centuries the Valley of Jehosophat of the Hebrews； the cemeteries
around Mecca of the Moslems； and the holy tombs beneath our oldest
cathedrals！ 。 。 。 Abydos！ It behoves us to walk here pensively and
silently out of respect for all those thousands of souls who formerly
turned towards this place； with outstretched hands； in the hour of
death。
The first great templethat which King Seti raised to the mysterious
Prince of the Other World； who in those days was called Osirisis
quite closea distance of little more than 200 yards in the glare of
the desert。 We come upon it suddenly； so that it almost startles us；
for nothing warns us of its proximity。 The sand from which it has been
exhumed； and which buried it for 2000 years； still rises almost to its
roof。 Through an iron gate； guarded by two tall Bedouin guards in
black robes； we plunge at once into the shadow of enormous stones。 We
are in the house of the god； in a forest of heavy Osiridean columns；
surrounded by a world of people in high coiffures； carved in bas…
relief on the pillars and wallspeople who seem to be signalling one
to another and exchanging amongst themselves mysterious signs；
silently and for ever。
But what is this noise in the sanctuary？ It seems to be full of
people。 There； sure enough； beyond a second row of columns； is quite a
little crowd talking loudly in English。 I fancy that I can hear the
clinking of glasses and the tapping of knives and forks。
Oh！ poor； poor temple； to what strange uses are you come。 。 。 。 This
excess of grotesqueness in profanation is more insulting surely than
to be sacked by barbarians！ Behold a table set for some thirty guests；
and the guests themselvesof both sexesmerry and lighthearted；
belong to that special type of humanity which patronises Thomas Cook &
Son （Egypt Ltd。）。 They wear cork helmets； and the classic green
spectacles； drink whisky and soda； and eat voraciously sandwiches and
other viands out of greasy paper； which now litters the floor。 And the
women！ Heavens！ what scarecrows they are！ And this kind of thing； so
the black…robed Bedouin guards inform us； is repeated every day so
long as the season lasts。 A luncheon in the temple of Osiris is part
of the programme of pleasure trips。 Each day at noon a new band
arrives； on heedless and unfortunate donkeys。 The tables and the
crockery remain； of course； in the old temple！
Let us escape quickly； if possible before the sight shall have become
graven on our memory。
But alas！ even when we are outside； alone again on the expanse of
dazzling sands； we can no longer take things seriously。 Abydos and the
desert have ceased to exist。 The faces of those women remain to haunt
us； their faces and their hats； and those looks which they vouchsafed
us from over their solar spectacles。 。 。 。 The ugliness associated
with the name of Cook was once explained to me in this wise； and the
explanation at first sight seemed satisfactory： 〃The United Kingdom；
justifiably jealous of the beauty of its daughters； submits them to a
jury when they reach the age of puberty； and those who are classed as
too ugly to reproduce their kind are accorded an unlimited account at
Thomas Cook & Sons； and thus vowed to a course of perpetual travel；
which leaves them no time to think of certain trifles incidental to
life。〃 The explanation； as I say； seduced me for the time being。 But a
more attentive examination of the bands who infest the valley of the
Nile enables me to aver that all these good English ladies are of an
age notoriously canonical； and the catastrophe of procreation
therefore； supposing that such an accident could ever have happened to
them； must date back to a time long anterior to their enrolment。 And I
remain perplexed！
Without conviction now； we make our way towards another temple；
guaranteed solitary。 Indeed the sun blazes there a lonely sovereign in
the midst of a profound silence； and Egypt and the past take us again
into their folds。
Once more to Osiris； the god of heavenly awakening in the necropolis
of Abydos； this sanctuary was built by Ramses II。 But the sands have
covered it with their winding sheet in vain； and have been able to
preserve for us only the lower and more deeply buried parts。 Men in
their blind greed have destroyed the upper portions；＇*＇ and its ruins；
protected and cleared as they are to…day； rise only some ten or twelve
feet from the ground。 In the bas…reliefs the majority of the figures
have only legs and a portion of the body； their heads and shoulders
have disappeared with the upper parts of the walls。 But they seem to
have preserved their vitality： the gesticulations； the exaggerated
pantomime of the attitudes of these headless things； are more strange；
more striking； perhaps； than if their faces still remained。 And they
have preserved too； in an extraordinary degree； the brightness of
their antique paintings； the fresh tints of their costumes； of their
robes of turquoise blue； or lapis； or emerald…green； or golden…yellow。
It is an artless kind of fresco…work； which nevertheless amazes us by
remaining perfect after thirty…five centuries。 All that these people
did seems as if made for immortality。 It is true； however； that such
brilliant colours are not found in any of the other Pharaonic
monuments； and that here they are heightened by the white background。
For； notwithstanding the bluish； black and red granite of the
porticoes； the walls are all of a fine limestone； of exceeding
whiteness； and； in the holy of holies； of a pure alabaster。
＇*＇ Not long ago a manufacturer； established in the neighbourhood；
discovering that the limestone of its walls was friable； used this
temple as a quarry； and for some years bas…reliefs beyond price
served as aliment to the mills of the factory。
Above the truncated walls； with their bright clear colours； the desert
appears； and shows quite brown by contrast； one sees the great y