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In the hypostyle there is a little blue shade behind the monstrous
pillars； but even that shade is dusty and hot。 The columns too are
hot； and so are all the blocksand yet it is winter and the nights
are cold； even to the point of frost。 Heat and dust； a reddish dust；
which hangs like an eternal cloud over these ruins of Upper Egypt；
exhaling an odour of spices and mummy。
The great heat seems to augment the retrospective sensation of fatigue
which seizes you as you regard these stonestoo heavy for human
strengthwhich are massed here in mountains。 One almost seems to
participate in the efforts； the exhaustions and the sweating toils of
that people； with their muscles of brand new steel； who in the
carrying and piling of such masses had to bear the yoke for thirty
centuries。
Even the stones themselves tell of fatiguethe fatigue of being
crushed by one another's weight for thousands of years； the suffering
that comes of having been too exactly carved； and too nicely placed
one above the other； so that they seem to be riveted together by the
force of their mere weight。 Oh！ the poor stones of the base that bear
the weight of these awful pilings！
And the ardent colour of these things surprises you。 It has persisted。
On the red sandstone of the hypostyle； the paintings of more than
three thousand years ago are still to be seen； especially above the
central chamber； almost in the sky； the capitals； in the form of great
flowers； have kept the lapis blues； the greens and yellows with which
their strange petals were long ago bespeckled。
Decrepitude and crumbling and dust。 In broad daylight； under the
magnificent splendour of the life…giving sun； one realises clearly
that all here is dead； and dead since days which the imagination is
scarcely able to conceive。 And the ruin appears utterly irreparable。
Here and there are a few impotent and almost infantine attempts at
reparation； undertaken in the ancient epochs of history by the Greeks
and Romans。 Columns have been put together； holes have been filled
with cement。 But the great blocks lie in confusion； and one feels；
even to the point of despair； how impossible it is ever to restore to
order such a chaos of crushing； overthrown thingseven with the help
of legions of workers and machines； and with centuries before you in
which to complete the task。
And then； what surprises and oppresses you is the want of clear space；
the little room that remained for the multitudes in these halls which
are nevertheless immense。 The whole space between the walls was
encumbered with pillars。 The temples were half filled with colossal
forests of stone。 The men who built Thebes lived in the beginning of
time； and had not yet discovered the thing which to us to…day seems so
simplenamely； the vault。 And yet they were marvellous pioneers；
these architects。 They had already succeeded in evolving out of the
dark； as it were； a number of conceptions which； from the beginning no
doubt； slumbered in mysterious germ in the human brainthe idea of
rectitude； the straight line； the right angle； the vertical line； of
which Nature furnishes no example； even symmetry； which； if you
consider it well； is less explicable still。 They employed symmetry
with a consummate mastery； understanding as well as we do all the
effect that is to be obtained by the repetition of like objects placed
/en pendant/ on either side of a portico or an avenue。 But they did
not invent the vault。 And therefore； since there was a limit to the
size of the stones which they were able to place flat like beams； they
had recourse to this profusion of columns to support their stupendous
ceilings。 And thus it is that there seems to be a want of air； that
one seems to stifle in the middle of their temples； dominated and
obstructed as they are by the rigid presence of so many stones。 And
yet to…day you can see quite clearly in these temples； for； since the
suspended rocks which served for roof have fallen； floods of light
descend from all parts。 But formerly； when a kind of half night
reigned in the deep halls； beneath the immovable carapaces of
sandstone or granite； how oppressive and sepulchral it must all have
beenhow final and pitiless； like a gigantic palace of Death！ On one
day； however； in each year； here at Thebes； a light as of a
conflagration used to penetrate from one end to the other of the
sanctuaries of Amen； for the middle artery is open towards the north…
west； and is aligned in such a fashion that； once a year； one solitary
time； on the evening of the summer solstice； the sun as it sets is
able to plunge its reddened rays straight into the sanctuaries。 At the
moment when it enlarges its blood…coloured disc before descending
behind the desolation of the Libyan mountains； it arrives in the very
axis of this avenue； of this suite of aisles； which measures more than
800 yards in length。 Formerly； then； on these evenings it shone
horizontally beneath the terrible ceilingsbetween these rows of
pillars which are as high as our Colonne Vendomeand threw； for some
seconds； its colours of molten copper into the obscurity of the holy
of holies。 And then the whole temple would resound with the clashing
of music； and the glory of the god of Thebes was celebrated in the
depths of the forbidden halls。
*****
Like a cloud； like a veil； the continual red…coloured dust floats
everywhere above the ruins； and； athwart it； here and there； the sun
traces long； white beams； But at one point of the avenue； behind the
obelisks； it seems to rise in clouds； this dust of Egypt； as if it
were smoke。 For the workers of bronze are assembled there to…day and；
hour by hour； without ceasing； they dig in the sacred soil。
Ridiculously small and almost negligible by the side of the great
monoliths they dig and dig。 Patiently they clear the ruins； and the
earth goes away in little parcels in rows of baskets carried by
children in the form of a chain。 The periodical deposits of the Nile；
and the sand carried by the wind of the desert； had raised the soil by
about six yards since the time when Thebes ceased to live。 But now men
are endeavouring to restore the ancient level。 At first sight the task
seemed impossible； but they will achieve it in the end； even with
their simple means； these fellah toilers； who sing as they labour at
their incessant work of ants。 Soon the grand hypostyle will be freed
from rubbish； and its columns； which even before seemed so tremendous；
uncovered now to the base； have added another twenty feet to their
height。 A number of colossal statues； which lay asleep beneath this
shroud of earth and sand； have been brought back to the light； set
upright again and have resumed their watch in the intimidating
thoroughfares for a new period of quasi…eternity。 Year by year the
town…mummy is being slowly exhumed by dint of prodigious effort； and
is repeopled again by gods and kings who had been hidden for thousands
of years！＇*＇ Year in； year out； the digging continuesdeeper and
deeper。 It is scarcely known to what depth the debris and the ruins
descend。 Thebes had endured for so many centuries； the earth here is
so penetrated with human past； that it is averred that； under the
oldest of the known temples there are still others； older still and
more massive； of which there was no suspicion； and whose age must
exceed eight thousand years。
＇*＇ As is generally known； the maintenance of the ancient monuments of
Egypt and their restoration； so far as that may be possible； has
been entrusted to the French。 M。 Maspero has delegated to Thebes
an artist and a scholar； M。 Legrain by name； who is devoting his
life passionately to the work。
In spite of the burning sun； and of the clouds of dust raised by the
blows of the pickaxes； one might linger for hours amongst the dust…
stained； meagre fellahs； watching the excavations in this unique soil
where everything that is revealed is by way of being a surprise and
a lucky find； where the least carved stone had a past of glory； formed
part of the first architectural splendours； was /a stone of Thebes/。
Scarcely a moment passes but； at the bottom of the trenches； as the
digging proceeds； some new thing gleams。 Perhaps it is the polished
flank of a colossus； fashioned out of granite from Syene； or a little
copper Osiris； the debris of a vase； a golden trinket beyond price； or
even a simple blue pearl that has fallen from the necklace of some
waiting…maid of a queen。
This activity of the excavators； which alone reanimates certain
quarters during the day； ends at sunset。 Every evening the lean
fellahs receive the daily wage of their labour； and take themselves
off to sleep in the silent neighbourhood in their huts of mud； and the
iron gates are shut behind them。 At night； except for the guards at
the entrance； no one inhabits the ruins。
*****
Crumbling and dust。 。 。 。 Far around； o