egypt-第30章

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is　already　illuminating　everything　with　a　gentle　splendour。　As　our

little　boat　winds　in　and　out；　we　see　the　great　ruddy　disc　passing　and

repassing　between　the　high　columns；　so　striking　in　their　archaism；

whose　images　are　repeated　in　the　water；　that　is　now　grown　calmmore

than　ever　a　kiosk　of　dreamland；　a　kiosk　of　old…world　magic。



In　returning　to　the　temple　of　the　goddess；　we　follow　for　a　second　time

the　submerged　road　between　the　capitals　and　friezes　of　the　colonnade

which　emerge　like　a　row　of　little　reefs。



In　the　uncovered　hall　which　forms　the　entrance　to　the　temple；　it　is

still　dark　between　the　sovereign　granites。　Let　us　moor　our　boat

against　one　of　the　walls　and　await　the　good　pleasure　of　the　moon。　As

soon　as　she　shall　have　risen　high　enough　to　cast　her　light　here；　we

shall　see　clearly。



It　begins　by　a　rosy　glimmer　on　the　summit　of　the　pylons；　and　then

takes　the　form　of　a　luminous　triangle；　very　clearly　defined；　which

grows　gradually　larger　on　the　immense　wall。　Little　by　little　it

descends　towards　the　base　of　the　temple；　revealing　to　us　by　degrees

the　intimidating　presence　of　the　bas…reliefs；　the　gods；　goddesses　and

hieroglyphs；　and　the　assemblies　of　people　who　make　signs　among

themselves。　We　are　no　longer　alonea　whole　world　of　phantoms　has　been

evoked　around　us　by　the　moon；　some　little；　some　very　large。　They　had

been　hiding　there　in　the　shadow　and　now　suddenly　they　recommence　their

mute　conversations；　without　breaking　the　profound　silence；　using　only

their　expressive　hands　and　raised　fingers。　And　now　also　the　colossal

Isis　begins　to　appearthe　one　carved　on　the　left　of　the　portico　by

which　you　enter；　first；　her　refined　head　with　its　bird's　helmet；

surmounted　by　a　solar　disc；　then；　as　the　light　continues　to　descend；

her　neck　and　shoulders；　and　her　arm；　raised　to　make　who　knows　what

mysterious；　indicating　sign；　and　finally　the　slim　nudity　of　her　torso；

and　her　hips　close　bound　in　a　sheath。　Behold　her　now；　the　goddess；

come　completely　out　of　the　shadow。　。　。　。　But　she　seems　surprised　and

disturbed　at　seeing　at　her　feet；　instead　of　the　stones　she　had　known

for　two　thousand　years；　her　own　likeness；　a　reflection　of　herself；

that　stretches　away；　reversed　in　the　mirror　of　the　water。　。　。　。



And　suddenly；　in　the　mist　of　the　deep　nocturnal　calm　of　this　temple；

isolated　here　in　the　lake；　comes　again　the　sound　of　a　kind　of　mournful

booming；　of　things　that　topple；　precious　stones　that　become　detached

and　falland　then；　on　the　surface　of　the　lake；　a　thousand　concentric

circles　form；　close　one　another　and　disappear；　ruffling　indefinitely

this　mirror　embanked　between　the　terrible　granites；　in　which　Isis

regards　herself　sorrowfully。



/Postscript。/The　submerging　of　Philae；　as　we　know；　has　increased　by

no　less　than　seventy…five　millions　of　pounds　the　annual　yield　of　the

surrounding　land。　Encouraged　by　this　success；　the　English　propose　next

year　to　raise　the　barrage　of　the　Nile　another　twenty　feet。　As　a

consequence　this　sanctuary　of　Isis　will　be　completely　submerged；　the

greater　part　of　the　ancient　temples　of　Nubia　will　be　under　water；　and

fever　will　infect　the　country。　But；　on　the　other　hand；　the　cultivation

of　cotton　will　be　enormously　facilitated。　。　。　。










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