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children in the form of a chain。 The periodical deposits of the Nile；
and the sand carried by the wind of the desert； had raised the soil by
about six yards since the time when Thebes ceased to live。 But now men
are endeavouring to restore the ancient level。 At first sight the task
seemed impossible； but they will achieve it in the end； even with
their simple means； these fellah toilers； who sing as they labour at
their incessant work of ants。 Soon the grand hypostyle will be freed
from rubbish； and its columns； which even before seemed so tremendous；
uncovered now to the base； have added another twenty feet to their
height。 A number of colossal statues； which lay asleep beneath this
shroud of earth and sand； have been brought back to the light； set
upright again and have resumed their watch in the intimidating
thoroughfares for a new period of quasi…eternity。 Year by year the
town…mummy is being slowly exhumed by dint of prodigious effort； and
is repeopled again by gods and kings who had been hidden for thousands
of years！＇*＇ Year in； year out； the digging continuesdeeper and
deeper。 It is scarcely known to what depth the debris and the ruins
descend。 Thebes had endured for so many centuries； the earth here is
so penetrated with human past； that it is averred that； under the
oldest of the known temples there are still others； older still and
more massive； of which there was no suspicion； and whose age must
exceed eight thousand years。
＇*＇ As is generally known； the maintenance of the ancient monuments of
Egypt and their restoration； so far as that may be possible； has
been entrusted to the French。 M。 Maspero has delegated to Thebes
an artist and a scholar； M。 Legrain by name； who is devoting his
life passionately to the work。
In spite of the burning sun； and of the clouds of dust raised by the
blows of the pickaxes； one might linger for hours amongst the dust…
stained； meagre fellahs； watching the excavations in this unique soil
where everything that is revealed is by way of being a surprise and
a lucky find； where the least carved stone had a past of glory； formed
part of the first architectural splendours； was /a stone of Thebes/。
Scarcely a moment passes but； at the bottom of the trenches； as the
digging proceeds； some new thing gleams。 Perhaps it is the polished
flank of a colossus； fashioned out of granite from Syene； or a little
copper Osiris； the debris of a vase； a golden trinket beyond price； or
even a simple blue pearl that has fallen from the necklace of some
waiting…maid of a queen。
This activity of the excavators； which alone reanimates certain
quarters during the day； ends at sunset。 Every evening the lean
fellahs receive the daily wage of their labour； and take themselves
off to sleep in the silent neighbourhood in their huts of mud； and the
iron gates are shut behind them。 At night； except for the guards at
the entrance； no one inhabits the ruins。
*****
Crumbling and dust。 。 。 。 Far around； on every side of these palaces
and temples of the central arterywhich are the best preserved and
remain proudly uprightstretch great mournful spaces； on which the
sun from morning till evening pours an implacable light。 There；
amongst the lank desert plants； lie blocks scattered at hazardthe
remains of sanctuaries； of which neither the plan nor the form will
ever be discovered。 But on these stones； fragments of the history of
the world are still to be read in clear…cut hieroglyphs。
To the west of the hypostyle hall there is a region strewn with discs；
all equal and all alike。 It might be a draught…board for Titans with
draughts that would measure ten yards in circumference。 They are the
scattered fragments； slices； as it were； of a colonnade of the Ramses。
Farther on the ground seems to have passed through fire。 You walk over
blackish scoriae encrusted with brazen bolts and particles of melted
glass。 It is the quarter burnt by the soldiers of Cambyses。 They were
great destroyers of the queen city； were these same Persian soldiers。
To break up the obelisks and the colossal statues they conceived the
plan of scorching them by lighting bonfires around them； and then；
when they saw them burning hot； they deluged them with cold water。 And
the granites cracked from top to base。
It is well known； of course； that Thebes used to extend for a
considerable distance both on this； the right； bank of the Nile； where
the Pharaohs resided； and opposite； on the Libyan bank； given over to
the preparers of mummies and to the mortuary temples。 But to…day；
except for the great palaces of the centre； it is little more than a
litter of ruins； and the long avenues； lined with endless rows of
sphinxes or rams； are lost； goodness knows where； buried beneath the
sand。
At wide intervals； however； in the midst of these cemeteries of
things； a temple here and there remains upright； preserving still its
sanctified gloom beneath its cavernous carapace。 One； where certain
celebrated oracles used to be delivered； is even more prisonlike and
sepulchral than the others in its eternal shadow。 High up in a wall
the black hole of a kind of grotto opens； to which a secret corridor
coming from the depths used to lead。 It was there that the face of the
priest charged with the announcement of the sibylline words appeared
and the ceiling of his niche is all covered still with the smoke from
the flame of his lamp； which was extinguished more than two thousand
years ago！
*****
What a number of ruins； scarcely emerging from the sand of the desert；
are hereabout！ And in the old dried…up soil； how many strange
treasures remain hidden！ When the sun lights thus the forlorn
distances； when you perceive stretching away to the horizon these
fields of death； you realise better what kind of a place this Thebes
once was。 Rebuilt as it were in the imagination it appears excessive；
superabundant and multiple； like those flowers of the antediluvian
world which the fossils reveal to us。 Compared with it how our modern
towns are dwarfed； and our hasty little palaces； our stuccoes and old
iron！
And it is so mystical； this town of Thebes； with its dark sanctuaries；
once inhabited by gods and symbols。 All the sublime； fresh…minded
striving of the human soul after the Unknowable is as it were
petrified in these ruins； in forms diverse and immeasurably grand。 And
subsisting thus down to our day it puts us to shame。 Compared with
this people； who thought only of eternity； we are a lot of pitiful
dotards； who soon will be past caring about the wherefore of life； or
thought； or death。 Such beginnings presaged； surely； something greater
than our humanity of the present day； given over to despair； to
alcohol and to explosives！
*****
Crumbling and dust！ This same sun of Thebes is in its place each day；
parching； exhausting； cracking and pulverising。
On the ground where once stood so much magnificence there are fields
of corn； spread out like green carpets； which tell of the return of
the humble life of tillage。 Above all； there is the sand； encroaching
now upon the very threshold of the Pharaohs； there is the yellow
desert； there is the world of reflections and of silence； which
approaches like a slow submerging tide。 In the distance； where the
mirage trembles from morning till evening； the burying is already
almost achieved。 The few poor stones which still appear； barely
emerging from the advancing dunes； are the remains of what men； in
their superb revolts against death； had contrived to make the most
massively indestructible。
And this sun； this eternal sun； which parades over Thebes the irony of
its durationfor us so impossible to calculate or to conceive！
Nowhere so much as here does one suffer from the dismay of knowing
that all our miserable little human effervescence is only a sort of
fermentation round an atom emanated from that sinister ball of fire；