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worn away the face of the rocks； so as to leave only the denser veins
of stone； and thus have reappeared strange architectural fantasies
such as Matter； in the beginning； might have dimly conceived。
Subsequently the sun of Egypt has lavished on the whole its ardent
reddish patines。 And now the mountains imitate in places great organ…
pipes； badigeoned with yellow and carmine； and elsewhere huge
bloodstained skeletons and masses of dead flesh。
Outlined upon the excessive blue of the sky； the summits； illumined to
the point of dazzling； rise up in the lightlike red cinders of a
glowing fire； splendours of living coal； against the pure indigo that
turns almost to darkness。 We seem to be walking in some valley of the
Apocalypse with flaming walls。 Silence and death； beneath a
transcendent clearness； in the constant radiance of a kind of mournful
apotheosisit was such surroundings as these that the Egyptians chose
for their necropoles。
The pathway plunges deeper and deeper in the stifling defiles； and at
the end of this 〃Valley of the Kings；〃 under the sun now nearly
meridian； which grows each minute more mournful and terrible； we
expected to come upon a dread silence。 But what is this？
At a turning； beyond there； at the bottom of a sinister…looking
recess； what does this crowd of people； what does this uproar mean？ Is
it a meeting； a fair？ Under awnings to protect them from the sun stand
some fifty donkeys； saddled in the English fashion。 In a corner an
electrical workshop； built of new bricks； shoots forth the black
smoke； and all about； between the high blood…coloured walls； coming
and going； making a great stir and gabbling to their hearts' content；
are a number of Cook's tourists of both sexes； and some even who
verily seem to have no sex at all。 They are come for the royal
audience； some on asses； some in jaunting cars； and some； the stout
ladies who are grown short of wind； in chairs carried by the Bedouins。
From the four points of Europe they have assembled in this desert
ravine to see an old dried…up corpse at the bottom of a hole。
Here and there the hidden palaces reveal their dark； square…shaped
entrances； hewn in the massive rock； and over each a board indicates
the name of a kingly mummyRamses IV。； Seti I。； Thothmes III。； Ramses
IX。； etc。 Although all these kings； except Amenophis II。； have
recently been removed and carried away to Lower Egypt； to people the
glass cases of the museum of Cairo； their last dwellings have not
ceased to attract crowds。 From each underground habitation are
emerging now a number of perspiring Cooks and Cookesses。 And from that
of Amenophis； especially； they issue rapidly。 Suppose that we have
come too late and that the audience is over！
And to think that these entrances had been walled up； had been masked
with so much care； and lost for centuries！ And of all the perseverance
that was needed to discover them； the observation； the gropings； the
soundings and random discoveries！
But now they are being closed。 We loitered too long around the colossi
of Memnon and the palaces of the plain。 It is nearly noon； a noon
consuming and mournful； which falls perpendicularly upon the red
summits； and is burning to its deepest recesses the valley of stone。
At the door of Amenophis we have to cajole； beseech。 By the help of a
gratuity the Bedouin Grand Master of Ceremonies allows himself to be
persuaded。 We are to descend with him； but quickly； quickly； for the
electric light will soon be extinguished。 It will be a short audience；
but at least it will be a private one。 We shall be alone with the
king。
In the darkness； where at first； after so much sunlight； the little
electric lamps seem to us scarcely more than glow…worms； we expected a
certain amount of chilliness as in the undergrounds of our climate。
But here there is only a more oppressive heat； stifling and withering；
and we long to return to the open air； which was burning indeed； but
was at least the air of life。
Hastily we descend： by steep staircases； by passages which slope so
rapidly that they hurry us along of themselves； like slides； and it
seems that we shall never ascend again； any more than the great mummy
who passed here so long ago on his way to his eternal chamber。 All
this brings us； first of all； to a deep welldug there to swallow up
the desecrators in their passageand it is on one of the sides of
this oubliette； behind a casual stone carefully sealed； that the
continuation of these funeral galleries was discovered。 Then； when we
have passed the well； by a narrow bridge that has been thrown across
it； the stairs begin again； and the steep passages that almost make
you run； but now； by a sharp bend； they have changed their direction。
And still we descend； descend。 Heavens！ how deep down this king
dwells！ And at each step of our descent we feel more and more
imprisoned under the sovereign mass of stone； in the centre of all
this compact and silent thickness。
*****
The little electric globes； placed apart like a garland； suffice now
for our eyes which have forgotten the sun。 And we can distinguish
around us myriad figures inviting us to solemnity and silence。 They
are inscribed everywhere on the smooth； spotless walls of the colour
of old ivory。 They follow one another in regular order； repeating
themselves obstinately in parallel rows； as if the better to impose
upon our spirit； with gestures and symbols that are eternally the
same。 The gods and demons； the representatives of Anubis； with his
black jackal's head and his long erect ears； seem to make signs to us
with their long arms and long fingers： 〃No noise！ Look； there are
mummies here！〃 The wonderful preservation of all this； the vivid
colours； the clearness of the outlines； begin to cause a kind of
stupor and bewilderment。 Verily you would think that the painter of
these figures of the shades had only just quitted the hypogeum。 All
this past seems to draw you to itself like an abyss to which you have
approached too closely。 It surrounds you； and little by little masters
you。 It is so much at home here that it has /remained the present/。
Over and above the mere descent into the secret bowels of the rock
there has been a kind of seizure with vertigo； which we had not
anticipated and which has whirled us far away into the depths of the
ages。
These interminable； oppressive passages； by which we have crawled to
the innermost depths of the mountain； lead at length to something
vast； the walls divide； the vault expands and we are in the great
funeral hall； of which the blue ceiling； all bestrewn with stars like
the sky； is supported by six pillars hewn in the rock itself。 On
either side open other chambers into which the electricity permits us
to see quite clearly； and opposite； at the end of the hall； a large
crypt is revealed； which one divines instinctively must be the
resting…place of the Pharaoh。 What a prodigious labour must have been
entailed by this perforation of the living rock！ And this hypogeum is
not unique。 All along the 〃Valley of the Kings〃 little insignificant
doorswhich to the initiated reveal the 〃Sign of the Shadow；〃
inscribed on their lintelslead to other subterranean places； just as
sumptuous and perfidiously profound； with their snares； their hidden
wells； their oubliettes and the bewildering multiplicity of their
mural figures。 And all these tombs this morning were full of people；
and； if we had not had the good fortune to arrive after the usual
hour； we should have met here； even in this dwelling of Amenophis； a
battalion equipped by Messrs。 Cook。
In this hall； with its blue ceiling； the frescoes multiply their
riddles： scenes from the book of Hades； all the funeral ritual
translated into pictures。 On the pillars and walls crowd the different
demons that an Egyptian soul was likely to meet in its passage through
the country of shadows； and underneath the passwo