egypt-第4章

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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　heard　in　the　courts；　beneath　the

arched　roofs；　beneath　the　ceilings　of　cedarwood；　the　sweet；　piping

music　of　birds。







CHAPTER　IV



THE　HALL　OF　THE　MUMMIES



There　are　two　of　us；　and　as　we　light　our　way　by　the　aid　of　a　lantern

through　these　vast　halls　we　might　be　taken　for　a　night　watch　on　its

round。　We　have　just　shut　behind　us　and　doubly　locked　the　door　by　which

we　entered；　and　we　know　that　we　are　alone；　rigorously　alone；　although

this　place　is　so　vast；　with　its　endless；　communicating　halls；　its　high

vestibules　and　great　flights　of　stairs；　mathematically　alone；　one

might　say；　for　this　palace　that　we　are　in　is　one　quite　out　of　the

ordinary；　and　all　its　outlets　were　closed　and　sealed　at　nightfall。

Every　night　indeed　the　doors　are　sealed；　on　account　of　the　priceless

relics　that　are　collected　here。　So　we　shall　not　meet　with　any　living

being　in　these　halls　to…night；　in　spite　of　their　vast　extent　and

endless　turnings；　and　in　spite　too　of　all　these　mysterious　things　that

are　ranged　on　every　side　and　fill　the　place　with　shadows　and　hiding…

places。



Our　round　takes　us　first　along　the　ground　floor　over　flagstones　that

resound　to　our　footsteps。　It　is　about　ten　of　the　clock。　Here　and　there

through　some　stray　windows　gleams　a　small　patch　of　luminous　blue　sky；

lit　by　the　stars　which　for　the　good　folk　outside　lend　transparency　to

the　night；　but　there；　none　the　less；　the　place　is　filled　with　a　solemn

gloom；　and　we　lower　our　voices；　remembering　perhaps　the　dead　that　fill

the　glass　cases　in　the　halls　above。



And　these　things　which　line　the　walls　on　either　side　of　us　as　we　pass

also　seem　to　be　in　the　nature　of　receptacles　for　the　dead。　For　the

most　part　they　are　sarcophagi　of　granite；　proud　and　indestructible：

some　of　them；　in　the　shape　of　gigantic　boxes；　are　laid　out　in　line　on

pedestals；　others；　in　the　form　of　mummies；　stand　upright　against　the

walls　and　display　enormous　faces；　surmounted　by　equally　enormous　head…

dresses。　Assembled　there　they　look　like　a　lot　of　malformed　giants；

with　oversized　heads　sunk　curiously　in　their　shoulders。　There　are；

besides；　some　that　are　merely　statues；　colossal　figures　that　have

never　held　a　corpse　in　their　interiors；　these　all　wear　a　strange；

scarcely　perceptible　smile；　in　their　huge　sphinxlike　headgear　they

reach　nearly　to　the　ceiling　and　their　set　stare　passes　high　above　our

heads。　And　there　are　others　that　are　not　larger　than　ourselves；　some

even　quite　little；　with　the　stature　of　gnomes。　And；　every　now　and

then；　at　some　sudden　turning；　we　encounter　a　pair　of　eyes　of　enamel；

wide…open　eyes；　that　pierce　straight　into　the　depths　of　ours；　that

seem　to　follow　us　as　we　pass　and　make　us　shiver　as　if　by　the　contact

of　a　thought　that　comes　from　the　abysm　of　the　ages。



We　pass　on　rapidly；　however；　and　somewhat　inattentively；　for　our

business　here　to…night　is　not　with　these　simulacra　on　the　ground

floor；　but　with　the　more　redoubtable　hosts　above。　Besides　our　lantern

sheds　so　little　light　in　these　great　halls　that　all　these　people　of

granite　and　sandstone　and　marble　appear　only　at　the　precise　moment　of

our　passage；　appear　only　to　disappear；　and；　spreading　their　fantastic

shadows　on　the　walls；　mingle　the　next　moment　with　the　great　mute

crowd；　that　grows　ever　more　numerous　behind　us。



Placed　at　intervals　are　apparatus　for　use　in　case　of　fire；　coils　of

hose　and　standpipes　that　shine　with　the　warm　glow　of　burnished　copper；

and　I　ask　my　companion　of　the　watch：　〃What　is　there　that　could　burn

here？　Are　not　these　good　people　all　of　stone？〃　And　he　answers：　〃Not

here　indeed；　but　consider　how　the　things　that　are　above　would　blaze。〃

Ah！　yes。　The　〃things　that　are　above〃which　are　indeed　the　object　of

my　visit　to…night。　I　had　no　thought　of　fire　catching　hold　in　an

assembly　of　mummies；　of　the　old　withered　flesh；　the　dead；　dry　hair；

the　venerable　carcasses　of　kings　and　queens；　soaked　as