egypt-第13章

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Yet；　it　is　time　perhaps　to　wake　them　from　their　sleep　of　more　than

twenty　centuries；　to　put　them　on　their　guard；　and　to　see　what　yet　they

may　be　capable　of；　what　surprises　they　may　have　in　store　for　us　after

that　long　lethargy；　which　must　surely　have　been　restorative。　In　any

case　the　human　species；　in　course　of　deterioration　through　overstrain；

would　find　amongst　these　singers　of　the　shaduf　and　these　labourers

with　the　antiquated　plough；　brains　unclouded　by　alcohol；　and　a　whole

reserve　of　tranquil　beauty；　of　well…balanced　physique；　of　vigour

untainted　by　bestiality。







CHAPTER　X



A　CHARMING　LUNCHEON



We　are　making　our　way　through　the　fields　of　Abydos　in　the　dazzling

splendour　of　the　forenoon；　having　come；　like　so　many　pilgrims　of　old；

from　the　banks　of　the　Nile　to　visit　the　sanctuaries　of　Osiris；　which

lie　beyond　the　green　plains；　on　the　edge　of　the　desert。



It　is　a　journey　of　some　ten　miles　or　so；　under　a　clear　sky　and　a

burning　sun。　We　pass　through　fields　of　corn　and　lucerne；　whose

wonderful　green　is　piqued　with　little　flowers；　such　as　may　be　seen　in

our　climate。　Hundreds　of　little　birds　sing　to　us　distractedly　of　the

joy　of　life；　the　sun　shines　radiantly；　magnificently；　the　impetuous

corn　is　already　in　the　ear；　it　might　be　some　gay　pageant　of　our　days

of　May。　One　forgets　that　it　is　February；　that　we　are　still　in　the

winterthe　luminous　winter　of　Egypt。



Here　and　there　amongst　the　outspread　fields　are　villages　buried　under

the　thick　foliage　of　treesunder　acacias　which；　in　the　distance；

resemble　ours　at　home；　beyond　indeed　the　mountain　chain　of　Libya；　like

a　wall　confining　the　fertile　fields；　looks　strange　perhaps　in　its

rose…colour；　and　too　desolate；　but；　nevertheless　amidst　this　glad

music　of　the　fields；　these　songs　of　larks　and　twitterings　of　sparrows；

you　scarcely　realise　that　you　are　in　a　foreign　land。



Abydos！　What　magic　there　is　in　the　name！　〃Abydos　is　at　hand；　and　in

another　moment　we　shall　be　there。〃　The　mere　words　seem　somehow　to

transform　the　aspect　of　the　homely　green　fields；　and　make　this

pastoral　region　almost　imposing。　The　buzzing　of　the　flies　increases　in

the　overheated　air　and　the　song　of　the　birds　subsides　until　at　last　it

dies　away　in　the　approach　of　noon。



We　have　been　journeying　a　little　more　than　an　hour　amongst　the　verdure

of　the　growing　corn　that　lies　upon　the　fields　like　a　carpet；　when

suddenly；　beyond　the　little　houses　and　tress　of　a　village；　quite　a

different　world　is　disclosedthe　familiar　world　of　glare　and　death

which　presses　so　closely　upon　inhabited　Egypt：　the　desert！　The　desert

of　Libya；　and　now　as　ever　when　we　come　upon　it　suddenly　from　the　banks

of　the　old　river　it　rises　up　before　us；　beginning　at　once；　without

transition；　absolute　and　terrible；　as　soon　as　we　leave　the　thick

velvet　of　the　last　field；　the　cool　shade　of　the　last　acacia。　Its　sands

seem　to　slope　towards　us；　in　a　prodigious　incline；　from　the　strange

mountains　that　we　saw　from　the　happy　plain；　and　which　now　appear；

enthroned　beyond；　like　the　monarchs　of　all　this　nothingness。



The　town　of　Abydos；　which　has　vanished　and　left　no　wrack　behind；　rose

once　in　this　spot　where　we　now　stand；　on　the　very　threshold　of　the

solitudes；　but　its　necropoles；　more　venerated　even　than　those　of

Memphis；　and　its　thrice…holy　temples；　are　a　little　farther　on；　in　the

marvellously　conserving　sand；　which　has　buried　them　under　its　tireless

waves　and　preserved　them　almost　intact　up　till　the　present　day。



The　desert！　As　soon　as　we　put　foot　upon　its　shifting　soil；　which

smothers　the　sound　of　our　steps；　the　atmosphere　too　seems　suddenly　to

change；　it　burns　with　a　strange　new　heat；　as　if　great　fires　had　been

lighted　in　the　neighbourhood。



And　this　whole　domain　of　light　and　drought；　right　away　into　the

distance；　is　shaded　and　streaked　with　the　familiar　brown；　red　and

yellow　colours。　The　mournful　reflection　of　adjacent　things　augments　to

excess　the　heat　and　light。　The　horizon　trembles　under　the　little

vapours　of　mirage　like　water　ruffled　by　the　wind。　The　background；

which　mounts　gradually　to　the　foot　of　the　Libyan　mountains；　is　strewn

with　the　debris　of　bricks　and　stonesshapeless　ruins　which；　though

they　scarcely　rise　above　the　sand；　abound　nevertheless　in　great

numbers；　and　serve　to　remind　us　that　here　indeed　is　a　very　ancient

soil；　where　men　laboured　in　centuries　that　have　drifted　out　of

knowledge。　One　divines　instinctively　and　at　once　the　catacombs；　the

hypogea　and　the　mummies　that　lie　beneath！



These　necropoles　of　Abydos　onceand　for　thousands　of　yearsexercised

an　extraordinary　fascination　over　this　peoplethe　precursor　of

peopleswho　dwelt　in　the　valley　of　the　Nile。　According　to　one　of　the

most　ancient　of　human　traditions；　the　head　of　Osiris；　the　lord　of　the

/other　world/；　reposed　in　the　depths　of　one　of　the　temples　which

to…day　are　buried　in　the　sands。　And　men；　as　soon　as　their　thought

commenced　to　issue　from　the　primeval　night；　were　haunted　by　the　idea

that　there　were　localities　helpful；　as　if　were；　to　the　poor　corpses

that　lay　beneath　the　earth；　that　there　were　certain　holy　places　where

it　behoved　them　to　be　buried　if　they　wished　to　be　ready　when　the

signal　of　awakening　was　given。　And　in　old　Egypt；　therefore；　each　one；

at　the　hour　of　death；　turned　his　thoughts　to　these　stones　and　sands；

in　the　ardent　hope　that　he　might　be　able　to　sleep　near　the　remains　of

his　god。　And　when　the　place　was　becoming　crowded　with　sleepers；　those

who　could　obtain　no　place　there　conceived　the　idea　of　having　humble

obelisks　planted　on　the　holy　ground；　which　at　least　should　tell　their

names；　or　even　recommended　that　their　mummies　might　be　there　for　some

weeks；　even　if　they　were　afterwards　removed。　And　thus；　funeral

processions　passed　to　and　fro　without　ceasing　through　the　cornfields

that　separate　the　Nile　from　the　desert。　Abydos！　In　the　sad　human　dream

dominated　by　the　thought　of　dissolution；　Abydos　preceded　by　many

centuries　the　Valley　of　Jehosophat　of　the　Hebrews；　the　cemeteries

around　Mecca　of　the　Moslems；　and　the　holy　tombs　beneath　our　oldest

cathedrals！　。　。　。　Abydos！　It　behoves　us　to　walk　here　pensively　and

silently　out　of　respect　for　all　those　thousands　of　souls　who　formerly

turned　towards　this　place；　with　outstretched　hands；　in　the　hour　of

death。



The　first　great　templethat　which　King　Seti　raised　to　the　mysterious

Prince　of　the　Other　World；　who　in　those　days　was　called　Osirisis

quite　closea　distance　of　little　more　than　200　yards　in　the　glare　of

the　desert。　We　come　upon　it　suddenly；　so　that　it　almost　startles　us；

for　nothing　warns　us　of　its　proximity。　The　sand　from　which　it　has　been

exhumed；　and　which　buried　it　for　2000　years；　still　rises　almost　to　its

roof。　Through　an　iron　gate；　guarded　by　two　tall　Bedouin　guards　in

black　robes；　we　plunge　at　once　into　the　shadow　of　enormous　stones。　We

are　in　the　house　of　the　god；　in　a　forest　of　heavy　Osiridean　columns；

surrounded　by　a　world　of　people　in　high　coiffures；　carved　in　bas…

relief　on　the　pillars　and　wallspeople　who　seem　to　be　signalling　one

to　another　and　exchanging　amongst　themselves　mysterious　signs；

silently　and　for　ever。



But　what　is　this　noise　in　the　sanctuary？　It　seems　to　be　full　of

people。　There；　sure　enough；　beyond　a　second　row　of　columns；　is　quite　a

little　crowd　talking　loudly　in　English。　I　fancy　that　I　can　hear　the

clinking　of　glasses　and　the　tapping　of　knives　and　forks。



Oh！　poor；　poor　temple；　to　what　strange　uses　are　you　come。　。　。　。　This

excess　of　grotesqueness　in　profanation　is　more　insulting　surely　than

to　be　sacked　by　barbarians！　Behold　a　table　set　for　some　thirty　guests；

and　the　guests　themselvesof　both　sexesmerry　and　lighthearted；

belong　to　that　special　type　of　humanity　which　patronises　Thomas　Cook　&

Son　（Egypt　Ltd。）。　They　wear　cork　helmets；　and　the　classic　green

spectacles；　drink　whisky　and　soda；　and　eat　voraciously　sandwiches　and

other　viands　out　of　greasy　paper；　which　now　litters　the　floor。　And　the

women！　Heavens！　what　scarecrows　they　are！　And　this　kind　of　thing；　so

the　black…robed　Bedouin　guards　inform　us；　is　repeated　every　day　so

long　as　the　season　lasts。　A　luncheon　in　the　temple　of　Osiris　is　part

of　the　programme　of　pleasure　trips。　Each　day　at　noon　a　new　band

arrives；　on　heedless　and　unfortunate　donkeys。　The　tables　and　the

crockery　remain；　of　course；　in　the　old　temple！



Let　us　escape　quickly；　if　possible　before　the　sight　shall　have　become

graven　on　our　memory。



But　alas！　even　when　we　are　outside；　alone　again　on　the　expanse　of

dazzling　sands；　we　can　no　longer　take　things　seriously。　Abydos　and　the

desert　have　ceased　to　exist。　The　faces　of　those　women　remain　to　haunt

us；　their　faces　and　their　hats；　and　those　looks　which　they　vouchsafed

us　from　over　their　solar　spectacles。　。　。　。　The　ugliness　associated

with　the　name　of　Cook　was　once　explained　to　me　in　this　wise；　and　the

explanation　at　first　sight　seemed　satisfactory：　〃The　United　Kingdom；

justifiably　jealous　of　the　beauty　of　its　daughters；　submits　them　to　a

jury　when　they　reach　the　age　of　puberty；　and　those　who　are　classed　as

too　ugly　to　reproduce　their　kind　are　accorded　an　unlimited　account　at

Thomas　Cook　&　Sons；　and　thus　vowed　to　a　course　of　perpetual　travel；

which　leaves　them　no　time　to　think　of　certain　trifles　incidental　to

life。〃　The　explanation；　as　I　say；　seduced　me　for　the　time　being。　But　a

more　attentive　examination　of　the　bands　who　infest　the　valley　of　the

Nile　enables　me　to　aver　that　all　these　good　English　ladies　are　of　an

age　notoriously　canonical；　and　the　catastrophe　of　procreation

therefore；　supposing　that　such　an　accident　could　ever　have　happened　to

them；　must　date　back　to　a　time　long　anterior　to　their　enrolment。　And　I

remain　perplexed！



Without　conviction　now；　we　make　our　way　towards　another　temple；

guaranteed　solitary。　Indeed　the　sun　blazes　there　a　lonely　sovereign　in

the　midst　of　a　profound　silence；　and　Egypt　and　the　past　take　us　again

into　their　folds。



Once　more　to　Osiris；　the　god　of　heavenly　awakening　in　the　necropolis

of　Abydos；　this　sanctuary　was　built　by　Ramses　II。　But　the　sands　have

covered　it　with　their　winding　sheet　in　vain；　and　have　been　able　to

preserve　for　us　only　the　lower　and　more　deeply　buried　parts。　Men　in

their　blind　greed　have　destroyed　the　upper　portions；＇*＇　and　its　ruins；

protected　and　cleared　as　they　are　to…day；　rise　only　some　ten　or　twelve

feet　from　the　ground。　In　the　bas…reliefs　the　majority　of　the　figures

have　only　legs　and　a　portion　of　the　body；　their　heads　and　shoulders

have　disappeared　with　the　upper　parts　of　the　walls。　But　they　seem　to

have　preserved　their　vitality：　the　gesticulations；　the　exaggerated

pantomime　of　the　attitudes　of　these　headless　things；　are　more　strange；

more　striking；　perhaps；　than　if　their　faces　still　remained。　And　they

have　preserved　too；　in　an　extraordinary　degree；　the　brightness　of

their　antique　paintings；　the　fresh　tints　of　their　costumes；　of　their

robes　of　turquoise