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birds； who live and sing therein in complete security； even during the
services； attracted by the little troughs which the imams fill for
their benefit each morning with water from the Nile。
As for the mosque itself it is rarely closed on all sides as are those
in the countries of the more sombre Islam of the north。 Here in Egypt
since there is no real winter and scarcely ever any rainone of the
sides of the mosque is left completely open to the garden； and the
sanctuary is separated from the verdure and the roses only by a simple
colonnade。 Thus the faithful grouped beneath the palm…trees can pray
there equally as well as in the interior of the mosque； since they can
see； between the arches； the holy Mihrab。＇*＇
＇*＇ The Mihrab is a kind of portico indicating the direction of Mecca。
It is placed at the end of each mosque； as the altar is in our
churches； and the faithful are supposed to face it when they pray。
Oh！ this sanctuary seen from the silent garden； this sanctuary in
which the pale gold gleams on the old ceiling of cedarwood； and
mosaics of mother…of…pearl shine on the walls as if they were
embroideries of silver that had been hung there。
There is no faience as in the mosques of Turkey or of Iran。 Here it is
the triumph of patient mosaic。 Mother…of…pearl of all colours； all
kinds of marble and of porphyry； cut into myriads of little pieces；
precise and equal； and put together again to form the Arab designs；
which； never borrowing from the human form； nor indeed from the form
of any animal； recall rather those infinitely varied crystals that may
be seen under the microscope in a flake of snow。 It is always the
Mihrab which is decorated with the most elaborate richness； generally
little columns of lapis lazuli； intensely blue； rise in relief from
it； framing mosaics so delicate that they look like brocades of fine
lace。 In the old ceilings of cedarwood； where the singing birds of the
neighbourhood have their nests； the golds mingle with some most
exquisite colourings； which time has taken care to soften and to blend
together。 And here and there very fine and long consoles of sculptured
wood seem to fall； as it were； from the beams and hang upon the walls
like stalactites； and these consoles； too； in past times； have been
carefully coloured and gilded。 As for the columns； always dissimilar；
some of amaranth…coloured marble； others of dark green； others again
of red porphyry； with capitals of every conceivable style； they are
come from far； from the night of the ages； from the religious
struggles of an earlier time and testify to the prodigious past which
this valley of the Nile； narrow as it is； and encompassed by the
desert； has known。 They were formerly perhaps in the temples of the
pagans； or have known the strange faces of the gods of Egypt and of
ancient Greece and Rome； they have been in the churches of the early
Christians； or have seen the statues of tortured martyrs； and the
images of the transfigured Christ； crowned with the Byzantine aureole。
They have been present at battles； at the downfall of kingdoms； at
hecatombs； at sacrileges； and now brought together promiscuously in
these mosques； they behold on the walls of the sanctuary simply the
thousand little designs； ideally pure； of that Islam which wishes that
men when they pray should conceive Allah as immaterial； a Spirit
without form and without feature。
Each one of these mosques has its sainted dead； whose name it bears；
and who sleeps by its side； in an adjoining mortuary kiosk； some
priest rendered admirable by his virtues； or perhaps a khedive of
earlier times； or a soldier； or a martyr。 And the mausoleum； which
communicates with the sanctuary by means of a long passage； sometimes
open； sometimes covered with gratings； is surmounted always by a
special kind of cupola； a very high and curious cupola； which raises
itself into the sky like some gigantic dervish hat。 Above the Arab
town； and even in the sand of the neighbouring desert； these funeral
domes may be seen on every side adjoining the old mosques to which
they belong。 And in the evening； when the light is failing； they
suggest the odd idea that it is the dead man himself； immensely
magnified； who stands there beneath a hat that is become immense。 One
can pray； if one wishes； in this resting…place of the dead saint as
well as in the mosque。 Here indeed it is always more secluded and more
in shadow。 It is more simple； too； at least up to the height of a man：
on a platform of white marble； more or less worn and yellowed by the
touch of pious hands； nothing more than an austere catafalque of
similar marble； ornamented merely with a Cufic inscription。 But if you
raise your eyes to look at the interior of the domethe inside； as it
were； of the strange dervish hatyou will see shining between the
clusters of painted and gilded stalactites a number of windows of
exquisite colouring； little windows that seem to be constellations of
emeralds and rubies and sapphires。 And the birds； you may be sure；
have their nests also in the house of the holy one。 They are wont
indeed to soil the carpets and the mats on which the worshippers
kneel； and their nests are so many blots up there amid the gildings of
the carved cedarwood； but then their song； the symphony that issues
from that aviary； is so sweet to the living who pray and to the dead
who dream。 。 。 。
*****
But yet； when all is said； these mosques seem somehow to be wanting。
They do not wholly satisfy you。 The access to them perhaps is too
easy； and one feels too near to the modern quarters of the town； where
the hotels are full of visitorsso that at any moment； it seems； the
spell may be broken by the entry of a batch of Cook's tourists； armed
with the inevitable /Baedeker/。 Alas！ they are the mosques of Cairo；
of poor Cairo； that is invaded and profaned。 The memory turns to those
of Morocco； so jealously guarded； to those of Persia； even to those of
Old Stamboul； where the shroud of Islam envelops you in silence and
gently bows your shoulders as soon as you cross their thresholds。
And yet what pains are being taken to…day to preserve these mosques；
which in olden times were such delightful retreats。 Neglected for
whole centuries； never repaired； notwithstanding the veneration of
their heedless worshippers； the greater part of them were fallen into
ruin； the fine woodwork of their interiors had become worm…eaten；
their cupolas were cracked and their mosaics covered the floor as with
a hail of mother…of…pearl； of porphyry and marble。 It seemed that to
repair all this was a task incapable of fulfilment； it was sheer
folly； people said； to conceive the idea of it。
Nevertheless； for nearly twenty years now an army of workers has been
at the task； sculptors； marble…cutters； mosaicists。 Already certain of
the sanctuaries； the most venerable of them indeed； have been entirely
renovated。 After having re…echoed for some years to the sounds of
hammers and chisels； during the course of these vast renovations； they
are restored now to peace and to prayer； and the birds have
recommenced to build their nests in them。
It will be the glory of the present reign that it has preserved；
before it was too late； all this magnificent legacy of Moslem art。
When the city of 〃The Arabian Nights；〃 which was formerly there； shall
have entirely disappeared； to give place to a vulgar /entrepot/ of
commerce and of pleasure； to which the plutocracy of the whole world
comes every winter to disport itself； so much at least will remain to
bear testimony to the lofty and magnificent thought that inspired the
earlier Arab life。 These mosques will continue to remain into the
distant future； even when men shall have ceased to pray in them； and
the winged guests shall have departed； for the want of those troughs
of water from the Nile； filled for them by the good imams； whose
hospitality they repay by making h