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utmost of earthly splendour； which bore in its time so many barques of
gods and goddesses in procession behind the golden barge of Amen； and
knew in the dawn of the ages only an impeccable purity； alike of the
human form and of architectural design！ What a downfall is here！ To be
awakened from that disdainful sleep of twenty centuries and made to
carry the floating barracks of Thomas Cook & Son； to feed sugar
factories； and to exhaust itself in nourishing with its mud the raw
material for English cotton…stuffs。
CHAPTER XII
IN THE TEMPLE OF THE GODDESS OF LOVE AND JOY
It is the month of March； but as gay and splendid as in our June。
Around us are fields of corn； of lucerne； and the flowering bean。 And
the air is full of restless birds； singing deliriously for very joy in
the voluptuous business of their nests and coveys。 Our way lies over a
fertile soil； saturated with vital substancessome paradise for
beasts no doubt； for they swarm on every side： flocks of goats with a
thousand bleating kids； she…asses with their frisking young； cows and
cow…buffaloes feeding their calves； all turned loose among the crops；
to browse at their leisure； as if there were here a superabundance of
the riches of the soil。
What country is this that shows no sign of human habitation； that
knows no village； nor any distant spire？ The crops are like ours at
homewheat； lucerne； and the flowering bean that perfumes the air
with its white blossoms。 But there is an excess of light in the sky
and； in the distance； an extraordinary clearness。 And then these
fertile plains； that might be those of some 〃Promised Land；〃 seem to
be bounded far away； on left and right； by two parallel stone walls；
two chains of rose…coloured mountains； whose aspect is obviously
desertlike。 Besides； amongst the numerous animals that are familiar；
there are camels； feeding their strange nurslings that look like four…
legged ostriches。 And finally some peasants appear beyond in the
cornfields； they are veiled in long black draperies。 It is the East
then； an African land； or some oasis of Arabia？
The sun at this moment is hidden from us by a band of clouds； that
stretches； right above our head； from one end of the sky to the other；
like a long skein of white wool。 It is alone in the blue void； and
seems to make more peaceful； and even a little mysterious； the
wonderful light of the fields we traversethese fields intoxicated
with life and vibrant with the music of birds； while； by contrast； the
distant landscape； unshaded by clouds； is resplendent with a more
incisive clearness and the desert beyond seems deluged with rays。
The pathway that we have been following； ill defined as it is in the
grassy fields； leads us at length under a large ruinous porticoa
relic of goodness knows what olden dayswhich still rises here； quite
isolated； altogether strange and unexpected； in the midst of the green
expanse of pasture and tillage。 We had seen it from a great distance；
so pure and clear is the air； and in approaching it we perceive that
it is colossal； and in relief on its lintel is designed a globe with
two long wings outspread symmetrically。
It behoves us now to make obeisance with almost religious reverence；
for this winged disc is a symbol which gives at length an indication
of the place immediate and absolute。 It is Egypt； the countryEgypt；
our ancient mother。 And there before us must once have stood a temple
reverenced of the people； or some great vanished town； its fragments
of columns and sculptured capitals are strewn about in the fields of
lucerne。 How inexplicable it seems that this land of ancient
splendours； which never ceased indeed to be nutritive and prodigiously
fertile； should have returned； for some hundreds of years now； to the
humble pastoral life of the peasants。
Through the green crops and the assembled herds our pathway seems to
lead to a kind of hill rising alone in the midst of the plainsa hill
which is neither of the same colour nor the same nature as the
mountains of the surrounding deserts。 Behind us the portico recedes
little by little in the distance； its tall imposing silhouette； as
mournful and solitary； throws an infinite sadness on this sea of
meadows； which spread their peace where once was a centre of
magnificence。
The wind now rises in sharp； lashing guststhe wind of Egypt that
never seems to fall； and is bitter and wintry for all the burning of
the sun。 The growing corn bends before it； showing the gloss of its
young quivering leaves； and the herded beasts move close to one
another and turn their backs to the squall。
As we draw nearer to this singular hill it is revealed as a mass of
ruins。 And the ruins are all of a kind； of a brownish…red。 They are
the remains of the colonial towns of the Romans； which subsisted here
for some two or three hundred years （an almost negligible moment of
time in the long history of Egypt）； and then fell to pieces； to become
in time mere shapeless mounds on the fertile margins of the Nile and
sometimes even in the submerging sands。
A heap of little reddish bricks that once were fashioned into houses；
a heap of broken jars or amphoraemyriads of themthat served to
carry the water from the old nourishing river； and the remains of
walls； repaired at diverse epochs； where stones inscribed with
hieroglyphs lie upside down against fragments of Grecian obelisks or
Coptic sculptures or Roman capitals。 In our countries； where the past
is of yesterday； we have nothing resembling such a chaos of dead
things。
Nowadays the sanctuary is reached through a large cutting in this hill
of ruins； incredible heaps of bricks and broken pottery enclose it on
all sides like a jealous rampart。 Until recently indeed they covered
it almost to its roof。 From the very first its appearance is
disconcerting： it is so grand； so austere and gloomy。 A strange
dwelling； to be sure； for the Goddess of Love and Joy。 It seems more
fit to be the home of the Prince of Darkness and of Death。 A severe
doorway； built of gigantic stones and surmounted by a winged disc；
opens on to an asylum of religious mystery； on to depths where massive
columns disappear in the darkness of deep night。
Immediately on entering there is a coolness and a resonance as of a
sepulchre。 First； the pronaos； where we still see clearly； between
pillars carved with hieroglyphs。 Were it not for the large human faces
which serve for the capitals of the columns； and are the image of the
lovely Hathor； the goddess of the place； this temple of the decadent
epoch would scarcely differ from those built in this country two
thousand years before。 It has the same square massiveness。
And in the dark blue ceilings there are the same frescoes； filled with
stars； with the signs of the Zodiac； and series of winged discs； in
bas…relief on the walls； the same multitudinous crowd of people who
gesticulate and make signs to one another with their handseternally
the same mysterious signs； repeated to infinity； everywherein the
palaces； the hypogea； the syringes； and on the sarcophagi and papyri
of the mummies。
The Memphite and Theban temples； which preceded this by so many
centuries； and far surpassed it in grandeur； have all lost； in
consequence of the falling of the enormous granites of their roofs；
their cherished gloom； and； what is the same thing； their religious
mystery。 But in the temple of the lovely Hathor； on the contrary；
except for some figures mutilated by the hammers of Christians or
Moslems； everything has remained intact； and the lofty ceilings still
throw their fearsome shadows。
The gloom deepens in the hypostyle which follows the pronaos。 Then
come； one after another； two halls of increasing holiness； where the
daylight enters regretfully through narrow loopholes； barely lighting
the superposed rows of innumerable figures that gesticulate on the
walls。 And then； after ot