egypt-第21章

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the　Libyan　desert；　which　every　morning　the　first　rays　of　the　sun　tint

with　a　rosy　coral　that　nothing　seems　to　dull；　and　in　the　east　that　of

the　desert　of　Arabia；　which　never　fails　in　the　evening　to　retain　the

light　of　the　setting　sun；　and　looks　then　like　a　mournful　girdle　of

glowing　embers。　Sometimes　the　two　parallel　walls　sheer　off　and　give

more　room　to　the　green　fields；　to　the　woods　of　palm…trees；　and　the

little　oases；　separated　by　streaks　of　golden　sand。　Sometimes　they

approach　so　closely　to　the　Nile　that　habitable　Egypt　is　no　wider　than

some　two　or　three　poor　fields　of　corn；　lying　right　on　the　water's

edge；　behind　which　the　dead　stones　and　the　dead　sands　commence　at

once。　And　sometimes；　even；　the　desert　chain　closes　in　so　as　to

overhang　the　river　with　its　reddish…white　cliffs；　which　no　rain　ever

comes　to　freshen；　and　in　which；　at　different　heights；　gape　the　square

holes　leading　to　the　habitations　of　the　mummies。　These　mountains；

which　in　the　distance　look　so　beautiful　in　their　rose…colour；　and

make；　as　it　were；　interminable　back…cloths　to　all　that　happens　on　the

river　banks；　were　perforated；　during　some　5000　years；　for　the

introduction　of　sarcophagi　and　now　they　swarm　with　old　dead　bodies。



And　all　that　passes　on　the　banks；　indeed；　changes　as　little　as　the

background。



First　there　is　that　gesture；　supple　and　superb；　but　always　the　same；

of　the　women　in　their　long　black　robes　who　come　without　ceasing　to

fill　their　long…necked　jars　and　carry　them　away　balanced　on　their

veiled　heads。　Then　the　flocks　which　shepherds；　draped　in　mourning；

bring　to　the　river　to　drink；　goats　and　sheep　and　asses　all　mixed　up

together。　And　then　the　buffaloes；　massive　and　mud…coloured；　who

descend　calmly　to　bathe。　And；　finally；　the　great　labour　of　the

watering：　the　traditional　noria；　turned　by　a　little　bull　with　bandaged

eyes　and；　above　all；　the　shaduf；　worked　by　men　whose　naked　bodies

stream　with　the　cold　water。



The　shadufs　follow　one　another　sometimes　as　far　as　the　eye　can　see。　It

is　strange　to　watch　the　movementconfused　in　the　distanceof　all

these　long　rods　which　pump　the　water　without　ceasing；　and　look　like

the　swaying　of　living　antennae。　The　same　sight　was　to　be　seen　along

this　river　in　the　times　of　the　Ramses。　But　suddenly；　at　some　bend　of

the　river；　the　old　Pharaonic　rigging　disappears；　to　give　place　to　a

succession　of　steam　machines；　which；　more　even　than　the　muscles　of　the

fellahs；　are　busy　at　the　water…drawing。　Before　long　their　blackish

chimneys　will　make　a　continuous　border　to　the　tamed　Nile。



Did　one　not　know　their　bearings；　the　great　ruins　of　this　Egypt　would

pass　unnoticed。　With　a　few　rare　exceptions　they　lie　beyond　the　green

plains　on　the　threshold　of　the　solitudes。　And　against　the　changeless；

rose…coloured　background　of　these　cliffs　of　the　desert；　which　follow

you　during　the　whole　of　this　tranquil　navigation　of　some　600　miles；

are　to　be　seen　only　the　humble　towns　and　villages　of　to…day；　which

have　the　neutral　colour　of　the　ground。　Some　openwork　minarets　dominate

themwhite　spots　above　the　prevailing　dullness。　Clouds　of　pigeons

whirl　round　in　the　neighbourhood。　And　amongst　the　little　houses；　which

are　only　cubes　of　mud；　baked　in　the　sun；　the　palm…trees　of　Africa；

either　singly　or　in　mighty　clusters；　rise　superbly　and　cast　on　these

little　habitations　the　shade　of　their　palms　which　sway　in　the　wind。

Not　long　ago；　although　indeed　everything　in　these　little　towns　was

mournful　and　stagnant；　one　would　have　been　tempted　to　stop　in　passing；

drawn　by　that　nameless　peace　that　belonged　to　the　Old　East　and　to

Islam。　But；　now；　before　the　smallest　hamletamongst　the　beautiful

primitive　boats；　that　still　remain　in　great　numbers；　pointing　their

yards；　like　very　long　reeds；　into　the　skythere　is　always；　for　the

meeting　of　the　tourist　boats；　an　enormous　black　pontoon；　which　spoils

the　whole　scene　by　its　presence　and　its　great　advertising　inscription：

〃Thomas　Cook　&　Son　（Egypt　Ltd。）。〃　And；　what　is　more；　one　hears　the

whistling　of　the　railway；　which　runs　mercilessly　along　the　river；

bringing　from　the　Delta　to　the　Soudan　the　hordes　of　European　invaders。

And　to　crown　all；　adjoining　the　station　is　inevitably　some　modern

factory；　throned　there　in　a　sort　of　irony；　and　dominating　the　poor

crumbling　things　that　still　presume　to　tell　of　Egypt　and　of　mystery。



And　so　now；　except　at　the　towns　or　villages　which　lead　to　celebrated

ruins；　we　stop　no　longer。　It　is　necessary　to　proceed　farther　and　for

the　halt　of　the　night　to　seek　an　obscure　hamlet；　a　silent　recess；

where　we　may　moor　our　dahabiya　against　the　venerable　earth　of　the

bank。



And　so　one　goes　on；　for　days　and　weeks；　between　these　two　interminable

cliffs　of　reddish　chalk；　filled　with　their　hypogea　and　mummies；　which

are　the　walls　of　the　valley　of　the　Nile；　and　will　follow　us　up　to　the

first　cataract；　until　our　entrance　into　Nubia。　There　only　will　the

appearance　and　nature　of　the　rocks　of　the　desert　change；　to　become　the

more　sombre　granite　out　of　which　the　Pharaohs　carved　their　obelisks

and　the　great　figures　of　their　gods。



We　go　on　and　on；　ascending　the　thread　of　this　eternal　current；　and　the

regularity　of　the　wind；　the　persistent　clearness　of　the　sky；　the

monotony　of　the　great　river；　which　winds　but　never　ends；　all　conspire

to　make　us　forget　the　hours　and　days　that　pass。　However　deceived　and

disappointed　we　may　be　at　seeing　the　profanation　of　the　river　banks；

here；　nevertheless；　isolated　on　the　water；　we　do　not　lose　the　peace　of

being　a　wanderer；　a　stranger　amongst　an　equipage　of　silent　Arabs；　who

every　evening　prostrate　themselves　in　confiding　prayer。



And；　moreover；　we　are　moving　towards　the　south；　towards　the　sun；　and

every　day　has　a　more　entrancing　clearness；　a　more　caressing　warmth；

and　the　bronze　of　the　faces　that　we　see　on　our　way　takes　on　a　deeper

tint。



And　then　too　one　mixes　intimately　with　the　life　of　the　river　bank；

which　is　still　so　absorbing　and；　at　certain　hours；　when　the　horizon　is

unsullied　by　the　smoke　of　pit…coal；　recalls　you　to　the　days　of　artless

toil　and　healthy　beauty。　In　the　boats　that　meet　us；　half…naked　men；

revelling　in　their　movement；　in　the　sun　and　air；　sing；　as　they　ply

their　oars；　those　songs　of　the　Nile　that　are　as　old　as　Thebes　or

Memphis。　When　the　wind　rises　there　is　a　riotous　unfurling　of　sails；

which；　stretched　on　their　long　yards；　give　to　the　dahabiyas　the　air　of

birds　in　full　flight。　Bending　right　over　in　the　wind；　they　skim　along

with　a　lively　motion；　carrying　their　cargoes　of　men　and　beasts　and

primitive　things。　Women　are　there　draped　still　in　the　ancient　fashion；

and　sheep　and　goats；　and　sometimes　piles　of　fruit　and　gourds；　and

sacks　of　grain。　Many　are　laden　to　the　water's　edge　with　these

earthenware　jars；　unchanged　for　3000　years；　which　the　fellaheens　know

how　to　place　on　their　heads　with　so　much　graceand　one　sees　these

heaps　of　fragile　pottery　gliding　along　the　water　as　if　carried　by　the

gigantic　wings　of　a　gull。　And　in　the　far…off；　almost　fabulous；　days

the　life　of　the　mariners　of　the　Nile　had　the　same　aspect；　as　is　shown

by　the　bas…reliefs　on　the　oldest　tombs；　it　required　the　same　play　of

muscles　and　of　sails；　was　accompanied　no　doubt　by　the　same　songs；　and

was　subject　to　the　withering　caress　of　this　same　desert　wind。　And

then；　as　now；　the　same　unchanging　rose　coloured　the　continuous　curtain

of　the　mountains。



But　all　at　once　there　is　a　noise　of　machinery；　and　whistlings；　and　in

the　air；　which　was　just　now　so　pure；　rise　noxious　columns　of　black

smoke。　The　modern　steamers　are　coming；　and　throw　into　disorder　the

flotillas　of　the　past；　colliers　that　leave　great　eddies　in　their　wake；

or　perhaps　a　wearisome　lot　of　those　three…decked　tourist　boats；　which

make　a　great　noise　as　they　plough　the　water；　and　are　laden　for　the

most　part　with　ugly　women；　snobs　and　imbeciles。



Poor；　poor　Nile！　which　reflected　formerly　on　its　warm　mirror　the

utmost　of　earthly　splendour；　which　bore　in　its　time　so　many　ba