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rising impetuously at the bidding of Amenophis and the great Ramses。
And how beautiful it must have been even yesterday； dominating in its
superb disarray this surrounding country； vowed for centuries to
neglect and silence！
But to…day； with all these things that men have built around it； you
might say that it no longer exists。
We reach an iron…barred gate and； to enter； have to show our permit to
the guards。 Once inside the immense sanctuary； perhaps we shall find
solitude again。 But； alas； under the profaned columns a crowd of
people passes； with /Baedekers/ in their hands； the same people that
one sees here everywhere； the same world as frequents Nice and the
Riviera。 And； to crown the mockery； the noise of the dynamos pursues
us even here； for the boats of Messrs。 Cook are moored to the bank
close by。
Hundreds of columns； columns which are anterior by many centuries to
those of Greece； and represent； in their na？ve enormity； the first
conceptions of the human brain。 Some are fluted and give the
impression of sheaves of monstrous weeds； others； quite plain and
simple； imitate the stem of the papyrus； and bear by way of capital
its strange flower。 The tourists； like the flies； enter at certain
times of the day； which it suffices to know。 Soon the little bells of
the hotels will call them away and the hour of midday will find me
here alone。 But what in heaven's name will deliver me from the noise
of the dynamos？ But look！ beyond there； at the bottom of the
sanctuaries； in the part which should be the holy of holies； that
great fresco； now half effaced； but still clearly visible on the wall
how unexpected and arresting it is！ An image of Christ！ Christ
crowned with the Byzantine aureole。 It has been painted on a coarse
plaster； which seems to have been added by an unskilful hand； and is
wearing off and exposing the hieroglyphs beneath。 。 。 。 This temple；
in fact； almost indestructible by reason of its massiveness； has
passed through the hands of diverse masters。 Its antiquity was already
legendary in the time of Alexander the Great； on whose behalf a chapel
was added to it； and later on； in the first ages of Christianity； a
corner of the ruins was turned into a cathedral。 The tourists begin to
depart； for the lunch bell calls them to the neighbouring /tables
d'hote/； and while I wait till they shall be gone； I occupy myself in
following the bas…reliefs which are displayed for a length of more
than a hundred yards along the base of the walls。 It is one long row
of people moving in their thousands all in the same directionthe
ritual procession of the God Amen。 With the care which characterised
the Egyptians to draw everything from life so as to render it eternal；
there are represented here the smallest details of a day of festival
three or four thousand years ago。 And how like it is to a holiday of
the people of to…day！ Along the route of the procession are ranged
jugglers and sellers of drinks and fruits； and negro acrobats who walk
on their hands and twist themselves into all kinds of contortions。 But
the procession itself was evidently of a magnificence such as we no
longer know。 The number of musicians and priests； of corporations； of
emblems and banners； is quite bewildering。 The God Amen himself came
by water； on the river； in his golden barge with its raised prow；
followed by the barques of all the other gods and goddesses of his
heaven。 The reddish stone； carved with minute care； tells me all this；
as it has already told it to so many dead generations； so that I seem
almost to see it。
And now everybody has gone： the colonnades are empty and the noise of
the dynamos has ceased。 Midday approaches with its torpor。 The whole
temple seems to be ablaze with rays； and I watch the clear…cut shadows
cast by this forest of stone gradually shortening on the ground。 The
sun； which just now shone； all smiles and gaiety； upon the quay of the
new town amid the uproar of the stall…keepers； the donkey drivers and
the cosmopolitan passengers； casts here a sullen； impassive and
consuming fire。 And meanwhile the shadows shortenand just as they do
every day； beneath this sky which is never overcast； just as they have
done for five and thirty centuries； these columns； these friezes and
this temple itself； like a mysterious and solemn sundial； record
patiently on the ground the slow passing of the hours。 Verily for us；
the ephemerae of thought； this unbroken continuity of the sun of Egypt
has more of melancholy even than the changing； overcast skies of our
climate。
And now； at last； the temple is restored to solitude and all noise in
the neighbourhood has ceased。
An avenue bordered by very high columns； of which the capitals are in
the form of the full…blown flowers of the papyrus； leads me to a place
shut in and almost terrible； where is massed an assembly of colossi。
Two； who； if they were standing； would be quite ten yards in height；
are seated on thrones on either side of the entrance。 The others；
ranged on the three sides of the courtyard； stand upright behind
colonnades； but look as if they were about to issue thence and to
stride rapidly towards me。 Some broken and battered； have lost their
faces and preserve only their intimidating attitude。 Those that remain
intactwhite faces beneath their Sphinx's headgearopen their eyes
wide and smile。
This was formerly the principal entrance； and the office of these
colossi was to welcome the multitudes。 But now the gates of honour
flanked by obelisks of red granite； are obstructed by a litter of
enormous ruins。 And the courtyard has become a place voluntarily
closed； where nothing of the outside world is any longer to be seen。
In moments of silence； one can abstract oneself from all the
neighbouring modern things； and forget the hour； the day； the century
even； in the midst of these gigantic figures； whose smile disdains the
flight of ages。 The granites within which we are immuredand in such
terrible companyshut out everything save the point of an old
neighbouring minaret which shows now against the blue of the sky： a
humble graft of Islam which grew here amongst the ruins some centuries
ago； when the ruins themselves had already subsisted for three
thousand yearsa little mosque built on a mass of debris； which it
new protects with its inviolability。 How many treasures and relics and
documents are hidden and guarded by this mosque of the peristyle！ For
none would dare to dig in the ground within its sacred walls。
Gradually the silence of the temple becomes profound。 And if the
shortened shadows betray the hour of noon； there is nothing to tell to
what millennium that hour belongs。 The silences and middays like to
this； which have passed before the eyes of these giants ambushed in
their colonnadeswho could count them？
High above us； lost in the incandescent blue； soar the birds of prey
and they were there in the times of the Pharaohs； displaying in the
air identical plumages； uttering the same cries。 The beasts and
plants； in the course of time； have varied less than men； and remain
unchanged in the smallest details。
Each of the colossi around mestanding there proudly with one leg
advanced as if for a march； heavy and sure； which nothing should
withstandgrasps passionately in his clenched fist； at the end of the
muscular arm； a kind of buckled cross； which in Egypt was the symbol
of eternal life。 And this is what the decision of their movement
symbolises： confident all of them in this poor bauble which they hold
in their hand； they cross with a triumphant step the threshold of
death。 。 。 。 〃Eternal Life〃the thought of immortalityhow the human
soul has been obsessed by it； particularly in the periods marked by
its greatest strivings！ The tame submission to the belief that the
rottenness of the grave is the end of all is characteristic of ages of
decadence and mediocrity。
The three similar giants； little