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sing around us in the impetuous spring of this land of Thebes。
And now beyond two menhirs； as it were； become gradually distinct。 Of
the same height and shape； alike indeed in every respect； they rise
side by side in the clear distance in the midst of these green plains；
which recall so well our fields of France。 They wear the headgear of
the Sphinx； and are gigantic human forms seated on thronesthe
colossal statues of Memnon。 We recognise them at once； for the
picture…makers of succeeding ages have popularised their aspect； as in
the case of the pyramids。 What is strange is that they should stand
there so simply in the midst of these fields of growing corn； which
reach to their very feet； and be surrounded by these humble birds we
know so well； who sing without ceremony on their shoulders。
They do not seem to be scandalised even at seeing now； passing quite
close to them； the trucks of a playful little railway belonging to a
local industry； that are laden with sugar…canes and gourds。
The chain of Libya； during the last hour； has been growing gradually
larger against the profound and excessively blue sky。 And now that it
rises up quite near to us； overheated； and as it were incandescent；
under this ten o'clock sun； we begin to see on all sides； in front of
the first rocky spurs of the mountains； the debris of palaces；
colonnades； staircases and pylons。 Headless giants； swathed like dead
Pharaohs； stand upright； with hands crossed beneath their shroud of
sandstone。 They are the temples and statues for the manes of
numberless kings and queens； who during three or four thousand years
had their mummies buried hard by in the heart of the mountains； in the
deepest of the walled and secret galleries。
And now the cornfields have ceased； there is no longer any herbage
nothing。 We have crossed the desolate threshold； we are in the desert；
and tread suddenly upon a disquieting funereal soil； half sand； half
ashes； that is pitted on all sides with gaping holes。 It looks like
some region that had long been undermined by burrowing beasts。 But it
is men who； for more than fifty centuries； have vexed this ground；
first to hide the mummies in it； and afterwards； and until our day； to
exhume them。 Each of these holes has enclosed its corpse； and if you
peer within you may see yellow…coloured rags still trailing there； and
bandages； or legs and vertebrae of thousands of years ago。 Some lean
Bedouins； who exercise the office of excavators； and sleep hard by in
holes like jackals； advance to sell us scarabaei； blue…glass trinkets
that are half fossilised； and feet or hands of the dead。
And now farewell to the fresh morning。 Every minute the heat becomes
more oppressive。 The pathway that is marked only by a row of stones
turns at last and leads into the depths of the mountain by a tragical
passage。 We enter now into that 〃Valley of the Kings〃 which was the
place of the last rendezvous of the most august mummies。 The breaths
of air that reach us between these rocks are become suddenly burning；
and the site seems to belong no longer to earth but to some calcined
planet which had for ever lost its clouds and atmosphere。 This Libyan
chain； in the distance so delicately rose； is positively frightful now
that it overhangs us。 It looks what it isan enormous and fantastic
tomb； a natural necropolis； whose vastness and horror nothing human
could equal； an ideal stove for corpses that wanted to endure for
ever。 The limestone； on which for that matter no rain ever falls from
the changeless sky； looks to be in one single piece from summit to
base； and betrays no crack or crevice by which anything might
penetrate into the sepulchres within。 The dead could sleep； therefore；
in the heart of these monstrous blocks as sheltered as under vaults of
lead。 And of what there is of magnificence the centuries have taken
care。 The continual passage of winds laden with dust has scaled and
worn away the face of the rocks； so as to leave only the denser veins
of stone； and thus have reappeared strange architectural fantasies
such as Matter； in the beginning； might have dimly conceived。
Subsequently the sun of Egypt has lavished on the whole its ardent
reddish patines。 And now the mountains imitate in places great organ…
pipes； badigeoned with yellow and carmine； and elsewhere huge
bloodstained skeletons and masses of dead flesh。
Outlined upon the excessive blue of the sky； the summits； illumined to
the point of dazzling； rise up in the lightlike red cinders of a
glowing fire； splendours of living coal； against the pure indigo that
turns almost to darkness。 We seem to be walking in some valley of the
Apocalypse with flaming walls。 Silence and death； beneath a
transcendent clearness； in the constant radiance of a kind of mournful
apotheosisit was such surroundings as these that the Egyptians chose
for their necropoles。
The pathway plunges deeper and deeper in the stifling defiles； and at
the end of this 〃Valley of the Kings；〃 under the sun now nearly
meridian； which grows each minute more mournful and terrible； we
expected to come upon a dread silence。 But what is this？
At a turning； beyond there； at the bottom of a sinister…looking
recess； what does this crowd of people； what does this uproar mean？ Is
it a meeting； a fair？ Under awnings to protect them from the sun stand
some fifty donkeys； saddled in the English fashion。 In a corner an
electrical workshop； built of new bricks； shoots forth the black
smoke； and all about； between the high blood…coloured walls； coming
and going； making a great stir and gabbling to their hearts' content；
are a number of Cook's tourists of both sexes； and some even who
verily seem to have no sex at all。 They are come for the royal
audience； some on asses； some in jaunting cars； and some； the stout
ladies who are grown short of wind； in chairs carried by the Bedouins。
From the four points of Europe they have assembled in this desert
ravine to see an old dried…up corpse at the bottom of a hole。
Here and there the hidden palaces reveal their dark； square…shaped
entrances； hewn in the massive rock； and over each a board indicates
the name of a kingly mummyRamses IV。； Seti I。； Thothmes III。； Ramses
IX。； etc。 Although all these kings； except Amenophis II。； have
recently been removed and carried away to Lower Egypt； to people the
glass cases of the museum of Cairo； their last dwellings have not
ceased to attract crowds。 From each underground habitation are
emerging now a number of perspiring Cooks and Cookesses。 And from that
of Amenophis； especially； they issue rapidly。 Suppose that we have
come too late and that the audience is over！
And to think that these entrances had been walled up； had been masked
with so much care； and lost for centuries！ And of all the perseverance
that was needed to discover them； the observation； the gropings； the
soundings and random discoveries！
But now they are being closed。 We loitered too long around the colossi
of Memnon and the palaces of the plain。 It is nearly noon； a noon
consuming and mournful； which falls perpendicularly upon the red
summits； and is burning to its deepest recesses the valley of stone。
At the door of Amenophis we have to cajole； beseech。 By the help of a
gratuity the Bedouin Grand Master of Ceremonies allows himself to be
persuaded。 We are to descend with him； but quickly； quickly； for the
electric light will soon be extinguished。 It will be a short audience；
but at least it will be a private one。 We shall be alone with the
king。
In the darkness； where at first； after so much sunlight； the little
electric lamps seem to us scarcely more than glow…worms； we expected a
certain amount of chilliness as in the undergrounds of our climate。
But here there is only a more oppressive heat； stifling and withering；
and we long to return to the open air； which was burning indeed； but
was at least the air of life。
Hastily we descend： by steep staircases； by passages which slope so
rapidly that they hurry us along of themselves； like slides； and it
seems that we shall never ascend again； any more than the great mummy
who passed here so long ago on his way to his eternal chamber。 All
this brings us； first of all； to a deep welldug there to swallow up
the desecrators in their passageand it is on one of the sides of
this oubliette； behind a casual stone carefully sealed； that the
continuation of these funeral galleries was discovered。 Then； when we
have passed the well； by a narrow bridge that has been thrown across
it； the stairs begin again； and the steep passages that almost make
you run； but now； by a sharp bend； they have changed their direction。
And still we descend； descend。 Heavens！ how deep down this king
dwells！ And at each step of our descent we feel more and more
imprisoned under the sovereign mass of stone； in the centre of all
this compact and silent thickness。