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appears； and shows quite brown by contrast； one sees the great yellow
swell of sand and stones above the pictures of these decapitated
people。 It rises like a colossal wave and stretches out to bathe the
foot of the Libyan mountains beyond。 Towards the north and west of the
solitudes； shapeless ruins of tawny…coloured blocks follow one another
in the sands until the dazzling distance ends in a clear…cut line
against the sky。 Apart from this temple of Ramses； where we now stand；
and that of Seti in the vicinity； where the enterprise of Thomas Cook
& Son flourishes； there is nothing around us but ruins； crumbled and
pulverised beyond all possible redemption。 But they give us pause；
these disappearing ruins； for they are the debris of that ageless
temple； where sleeps the head of the god； the debris of the tombs of
the Middle and Ancient Empires； and they indicate still the wide
extent and development of the necropoles of Abydos； so old that it
almost makes one giddy to think of their beginning。
Here； as at Thebes and Memphis； the tombs of the Egyptians are met
with only amongst the sands and the parched rocks。 The great ancestral
people； who would have shuddered at our black trees； and the
corruption of the damp graves； liked to place its embalmed dead in the
midst of this luminous； changeless splendour of death； which men call
the desert。
*****
And what is this now that is happening in the holy neighbourhood of
unhappy Osiris？ A troupe of donkeys； belaboured by Bedouin drivers； is
being driven in the direction of the adjacent temple； dedicated to the
god by Seti！ The luncheon no doubt is over and the band about to
depart； sharp to the appointed hour of the programme。 Let us watch
them from a prudent distance。
To be brief； they all mount into their saddles； these Cooks and
Cookesses； and opening； not without a conscious air of majesty； their
white cotton parasols； take themselves off in the direction of the
Nile。 They disappear and the place belongs to us。
When we venture at last to return to the first sanctuary； where they
had lunched their fill in the shade； the guardians are busy clearing
away the leavings and the dirty paper。 And they pack the dubious
crockery； which will be required for to…morrow's luncheon； into large
chests on which may be read in large letters of glory the names of the
veritable sovereigns of modern Egypt： 〃Thomas Cook & Son （Egypt
Ltd。）。〃
All this happily ends with the first hypostyle。 Nothing dishonours the
halls of the interior； where silence has again descended； the vast
silence of the noon of the desert。
In the reign of the Emperor Tiberius； men already marvelled at this
temple； as at a relic of the most distant and nebulous past。 The
geographer Strabo wrote in those days： 〃It is an admirable palace
built in the fashion of the Labyrinth save that it has fewer
galleries。〃 There are galleries enough however； and one can readily
lose oneself in its mazy turnings。 Seven chapels； consecrated to
Osiris and to different gods and goddesses of his suite； seven vaulted
chambers； seven doors for the processions of kings and multitudes；
and； at the sides； numberless halls； corridors； secondary chapels；
dark chambers and hidden doorways。 That very primitive column；
suggestive of reeds； which is called in architecture the 〃plant
column〃 and resembles a monstrous stem of papyrus； rises here in a
thick forest； to support the stones of the blue ceilings； which are
strewn with stars； in the likeness of the sky of this country。 In many
cases these stones are missing and leave large openings on to the real
sky above。 Their massiveness； which one might have thought would
secure them an endless duration； has availed them nothing； the sun of
so many centuries has cracked them； and their own weight； then； has
brought them headlong to the ground。 And floods of light now enter
through the gaps； into the very chapels where the men of old had
thought to ensure a holy gloom。
Despite the disaster which has overtaken the ceilings； this is
nevertheless one of the most perfect of the sanctuaries of ancient
Egypt。 The sands； those gentle sextons； have here succeeded
miraculously in their work of preservation。 They might have been
carved yesterday； these innumerable people； who； everywhereon the
walls； on this forest of columnsgesticulate and； with their arms and
long hands； continue with animation their eternal mute conversation。
The whole temple； with the openings which give it light； is more
beautiful perhaps than in the time of the Pharaohs。 In place of the
old…time darkness； a transparent gloom now alternates with shafts of
sunlight。 Here and there the subjects of the bas…reliefs； so long
buried in the darkness； are deluged with burning rays which detail
their attitudes； their muscles； their scarcely altered colours； and
endow them again with life and youth。 There is no part of the wall； in
this immense place； but is covered with divinities； with hieroglyphs
and emblems。 Osiris in high coiffure； the beautiful Isis in the helmet
of a bird； jackal…headed Anubis； falcon…headed Horus； and ibis…headed
Thoth are repeated a thousand times； welcoming with strange gestures
the kings and priests who are rendering them homage。
The bodies； almost nude； with broad shoulders and slim waist； have a
slenderness； a grace； infinitely chaste； and the features of the faces
are of an exquisite purity。 The artists who carved these charming
heads； with their long eyes； full of the ancient dream； were already
skilled in their art； but through a deficiency； which puzzles us； they
were only able to draw them in profile。 All the legs； all the feet are
in profile too； although the bodies； on the other hand； face us fully。
Men needed yet some centuries of study before they understood
perspectivewhich to us now seems so simpleand the foreshortening
of figures； and were able to render the impression of them on a plane
surface。
Many of the pictures represent King Seti； drawn without doubt from
life； for they show us almost the very features of his mummy；
exhibited now in the museum at Cairo。 At his side he holds
affectionately his son； the prince…royal； Ramses （later on Ramses II。；
the great Sesostris of the Greeks）。 They have given the latter quite a
frank air； and he wears a curl on the side of his head； as was the
fashion then in childhood。 He； also； has his mummy in a glass case in
the museum； and anyone who has seen that toothless； sinister wreck；
who had already attained the age of nearly a hundred years before
death delivered him to the embalmers of Thebes； will find it difficult
to believe that he could ever have been young； and worn his hair
curled so； that he could ever have played and been a child。
*****
We thought we had finished with the Cooks and Cookesses of the
luncheon。 But alas！ our horses； faster than their donkeys； overtake
them in the return journey amongst the green cornfields of Abydos； and
in a stoppage in the narrow roadway； caused by a meeting with a number
of camels laden with lucerne； we are brought to a halt in their midst。
Almost touching me is a dear little white donkey； who looks at me
pensively and in such a way that we at once understand each other。 A
mutual sympathy unites us。 A Cookess in spectacles surmounts himthe
most hideous of them all； bony and severe。 Over her travelling
costume； already sufficiently repulsive； she wears a tennis jersey；
which accentuates the angularity of her figure； and in her person she
seems the very incarnation of the respectability of the British Isles。
It would be more equitable； tooso long are those legs of hers；
which； to be sure； have scant interest for the touristif she carried
the donkey。
The poor little white thing regards me with melancholy。 His ears
twitch restlessly and his beautiful eyes； so fine； so observant of
everything； say to me as plain as words：
〃She is a beauty；