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after offering up a prayerat night； horrible 〃forms〃 escape； not
only from the embalmed bodies that sleep in the glass cases above； but
also from the great statues； from the papyri； and the thousand and one
things that； at the bottom of the tombs； have long been impregnated
with human essence。 And these 〃forms〃 are like unto dead bodies； and
sometimes to strange beasts； even to beasts that crawl。 And； after
having wandered about the halls； they end by assembling for their
nocturnal conferences on the roofs。
We next ascend a staircase of monumental proportions； empty in the
whole extent； where we are delivered for a little while from the
obsession of those rigid figures； from the stares and smiles of the
good people in white stone and black granite who throng the galleries
and vestibules on the ground floor。 None of them； to be sure； will
follow us； but all the same they guard in force and perplex with their
shadows the only way by which we can retreat； if the formidable hosts
above have in store for us too sinister a welcome。
He to whose courtesy I owe the relaxation of the orders of the night
is the illustrious savant to whose care has been entrusted the
direction of the excavations in Egyptian soil； he is also the
comptroller of this vast museum； and it is he himself who has kindly
consented to act as my guide to…night through its mazy labyrinth。
Across the silent halls above we now proceed straight towards those of
whom I have demanded this nocturnal audience。
To…night the succession of these rooms； filled with glass cases； which
cover more than four hundred yards along the four sides of the
building； seems to be without end。 After passing； in turn； the papyri；
the enamels； the vases that contain human entrails； we reach the
mummies of the sacred beasts： cats； ibises； dogs； hawks； all with
their mummy cloths and sarcophagi； and monkeys； too； that remain
grotesque even in death。 Then commence the human masks； and； upright
in glass…fronted cupboards； the mummy cases in which the body； swathed
in its mummy cloths； was moulded； and which reproduced； more or less
enlarged； the figure of the deceased。 Quite a lot of courtesans of the
Greco…Roman epoch； moulded in paste in this wise after death and
crowned with roses； smile at us provokingly from behind their windows。
Masks of the colour of dead flesh alternate with others of gold which
gleam as the light of our lantern plays upon them momentarily in our
rapid passage。 Their eyes are always too large； the eyelids too wide
open and the dilated pupils seem to stare at us with alarm。 Amongst
these mummy cases and these coffin lids fashioned in the shape of the
human figure； there are some that seem to have been made for giants；
the head especially； beneath its cumbrous head…dress； the head stuffed
as it were between the hunchback shoulders； looks enormous； out of all
proportion to the body which； towards the feet； narrows like a
scabbard。
Although our little lantern maintains its light we seem to see here
less and less： the darkness around us in these vast rooms becomes
almost overpoweringand these are the rooms； too； that； leading one
into the other； facilitate the midnight promenade of those dread
〃forms〃 which； every evening； are released and roam about。 。 。 。
On a table in the middle of one of these rooms a thing to make you
shudder gleams in a glass box； a fragile thing that failed of life
some two thousand years ago。 It is the mummy of a human embryo； and
someone； to appease the malice of this born…dead thing； had covered
its face with a coating of goldfor； according to the belief of the
Egyptians； these little abortions became the evil genii of their
families if proper honour was not paid to them。 At the end of its
negligible body； the gilded head； with its great foetus eyes； is
unforgettable for its suffering ugliness； for its frustrated and
ferocious expression。
In the halls into which we next penetrate there are veritable dead
bodies ranged on either side of us as we pass； their coffins are
displayed in tiers one above the other； the air is heavy with the
sickly odour of mummies； and on the ground； curled always like some
huge serpent； the leather hoses are in readiness； for here indeed is
the danger spot for fire。
And the master of this strange house whispers to me： 〃This is the
place。 Look！ There they are。〃
In truth I recognise the place； having often come here in the daytime；
like other people。 In spite of the darkness； which commences at some
ten paces from usso small is the circle of light cast by our lantern
I can distinguish the double row of the great royal coffins； open
without shame in their glass cases。 And standing against the walls；
upright； like so many sentinels； are the coffin lids； fashioned in the
shape of the human figure。
We are there at last； admitted at this unseasonable hour into the
guest…chamber of kings and queens； for an audience that is private
indeed。
And there； first of all； is the woman with the baby； upon whom；
without stopping； we throw the light of our lantern。 A woman who died
in giving to the world a little dead prince。 Since the old embalmers
no one has seen the face of this Queen Makeri。 In her coffin there she
is simply a tall female figure； outlined beneath the close…bound
swathings of brown…coloured bandages。 At her feet lies the fatal baby；
grotesquely shrivelled； and veiled and mysterious as the mother
herself； a sort of doll； it seems； put there to keep her eternal
company in the slow passing of endless years。
More fearsome to approach is the row of unswathed mummies that follow。
Here； in each coffin over which we bend； there is a face which stares
at usor else closes its eyes in order that it may not see us； and
meagre shoulders and lean arms； and hands with overgrown nails that
protrude from miserable rags。 And each royal mummy that our lantern
lights reserves for us a fresh surprise and the shudder of a different
fearthey resemble one another so little。 Some of them seem to laugh；
showing their yellow teeth； others have an expression of infinite
sadness and suffering。 Sometimes the faces are small； refined and
still beautiful despite the pinching of the nostrils； sometimes they
are excessively enlarged by putrid swelling； with the tip of the nose
eaten away。 The embalmers； we know； were not sure of their means； and
the mummies were not always a success。 In some cases putrefaction
ensued； and corruption and even sudden hatchings of larvae； those
〃companions without ears and without eyes；〃 which died indeed in time
but only after they had perforated all the flesh。
Hard by are ranked according to dynasty； and in chronological order；
the proud Pharaohs in a piteous row： father； son； grandson； great…
grandson。 And common paper tickets tell their tremendous names； Seti
I。； Ramses II。； Seti II。； Ramses III。； Ramses IV。 。 。 。 Soon the
muster will be complete； with such energy have men dug in the heart of
the rocks to find them all； and these glass cases will no doubt be
their final resting…place。 In olden days； however； they made many
pilgrimages after their death； for in the troubled times of the
history of Egypt it was one of the harassing preoccupations of the
reigning sovereign to hide； to hide at all costs； the mummies of his
ancestors； which filled the earth increasingly； and which the
violators of tombs were so swift to track。 Then they were carried
clandestinely from one grave to another； raised each from his own
pompous sepulchre； to be buried at last together in some humble and
less conspicuous vault。 But it is here； in this museum of Egyptian
antiquities； that they are about to accomplish their return to dust；
which has been deferred； as if by miracle； for so many centuries。 Now；
stripped of their bandages； their days are numbered； and it behoves us
to hasten to draw these physiognomies of three or four thousand years
ago； which are about to perish。
In that coffinthe last but one of the row on the leftit is the
great Sesostris himself who awaits us。 We know of old that face of
ninety years； with its nose hooked like the beak of a falcon； and the
gaps between those old man's teeth； the meagre； birdlike neck； and the
hand raised in a gesture of menace。 Twenty years have elapsed since he
was brought back to the light； this master of the world。 He was
wrapped /thousands of times/ in a marvellous winding…sheet； woven of
aloe fibres； finer than the muslin of India； which must have taken
years in the making and measured more than 400 yards in length。 The
unswathing； done in the presence of the Khedive Tewfik and the great
personages of Egypt； lasted two hours； and after the last turn； when
the illustrious figure appeared； the emotion amongst the assistants
was such that they stampeded like a herd of cattle； and the Pharaoh
was overturned。 He has； moreover； given much cause for conversat