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kind of corridor； astonishingly poor and old； twists itself
suspiciously； and then issues into a narrow court； more than a
thousand years old； where offertory boxes； fixed on Oriental brackets；
invite our alms。 The odour of the incense becomes more pronounced； and
at last a door； hidden in shadow at the end of this retreat； gives
access to the venerable church itself。
The church！ It is a mixture of Byzantine basilica； mosque and desert
hut。 Entering there； it is as if we were introduced suddenly to the
na？ve infancy of Christianity； as if we surprised it； as it were； in
its cradlewhich was indeed Oriental。 The triple nave is full of
little children （here also； that is what strikes us first）； of little
mites who cry or else laugh and play； and there are mothers suckling
their new…born babesand all the time the invisible mass is being
celebrated beyond； behind the iconostasis。 On the ground； on mats；
whole families are seated in circle； as if they were in their homes。 A
thick deposit of white chalk on the defaced； shrunken walls bears
witness to great age。 And over all this is a strange old ceiling of
cedarwood； traversed by large barbaric beams。
In the nave； supported by columns of marble； brought in days gone by
from Pagan temples； there are； as in all these old Coptic churches；
high transverse wooden partitions； elaborately wrought in the Arab
fashion； which divide it into three sections： the first； into which
one comes on entering the church； is allotted to the women； the second
is for the baptistery； and the third； at the end adjoining the
iconostasis； is reserved for the men。
These women who are gathered this morning in their apportioned space
so much at home there with their suckling little oneswear； almost
all of them； the long black silk veils of former days。 In their
harmonious and endlessly restless groups； the gowns /a la franque/ and
the poor hats of carnival are still the exception。 The congregation；
as a whole； preserves almost intact its na？ve； old…time flavour。
And there is movement too； beyond； in the compartment of the men；
which is bounded at the farther end by the iconostasisa thousand…
year…old wall decorated with inlaid cedarwood and ivory of precious
antique workmanship； and adorned with strange old icons； blackened by
time。 It is behind this wallpierced by several doorwaysthat mass
is now being said。 From this last sanctuary shut off thus from the
people comes the vague sound of singing； from time to time a priest
raises a faded silk curtain and from the threshold makes the sign of
blessing。 His vestments are of gold； and he wears a golden crown； but
the humble faithful speak to him freely； and even touch his gorgeous
garments； that might be those of one of the Wise Kings。 He smiles； and
letting fall the curtain； which covers the entrance to the tabernacle；
disappears again into this innocent mystery。
Even the least things here tell of decay。 The flagstones； trodden by
the feet of numberless dead generations； are become uneven through the
settling of the soil。 Everything is askew； bent； dusty and worn…out。
The daylight comes from above； through narrow barred windows。 There is
a lack of air； so that one almost stifles。 But though the sun does not
enter； a certain indefinable reflection from the whitened walls
reminds us that outside there is a flaming； resplendent Eastern
spring。
In this； the old grandfather； as it were； of churches； filled now with
a cloud of odorous smoke； what one hears； more even than the chanting
of the mass； is the ceaseless movement； the pious agitation of the
faithful； and more even than that； the startling noise that rises from
the holy crypt belowthe sharp clashing of cymbals and those
multitudinous little wailings； that sound like the mewings of kittens。
But let me not harbour thoughts of irony！ Surely not。 If； in our
Western lands； certain ceremonies seem to me anti…Christianas； for
example； one of those spectacular high masses in the over…pompous
Cathedral of Cologne； where halberdiers overawe the crowdhere； on
the contrary； the simplicity of this primitive cult is touching and
respectable in the extreme。 These Copts who install themselves in
their church； as round their firesides； who make their home there and
encumber the place with their fretful little ones； have； in their own
way； well understood the word of Him who said： 〃Suffer the little
children to come unto Me； and do not forbid them； for of such is the
kingdom of God。〃
CHAPTER IX
THE RACE OF BRONZE
A monotonous chant on three notes； which must date from the first
Pharaohs； may still be heard in our days on the banks of the Nile；
from the Delta as far as Nubia。 At different places along the river；
half…made men； with torsos of bronze and voices all alike； intone it
in the morning when they commence their endless labours and continue
it throughout the day； until the evening brings repose。
Whoever has journeyed in a dahabiya up the old river will remember
this song of the water…drawers； with its accompaniment； in slow
cadence； of creakings of wet wood。
It is the song of the 〃shaduf；〃 and the 〃shaduf〃 is a primitive
rigging； which has remained unchanged since times beyond all
reckoning。 It is composed of a long antenna； like the yard of a
tartan； which is supported in see…saw fashion on an upright beam； and
carries at its extremity a wooden bucket。 A man； with movements of
singular beauty； works it while he sings； lowers the antenna； draws
the water from the river； and raises the filled bucket； which another
man catches in its ascent and empties into a basin made out of the mud
of the river bank。 When the river is low there are three such basins；
placed one above the other； as if they were stages by which the
precious water mounts to the fields of corn and lucerne。 And then
three 〃shadufs；〃 one above the other； creak together； lowering and
raising their great scarabaeus' horns to the rhythm of the same song。
All along the banks of the Nile this movement of the antennae of the
shadufs is to be seen。 It had its beginning in the earliest ages and
is still the characteristic manifestation of human life along the
river banks。 It ceases only in the summer； when the river； swollen by
the rains of equatorial Africa； overflows this land of Egypt； which it
itself has made in the midst of the Saharan sands。 But in the winter；
which is here a time of luminous drought and changeless blue skies； it
is in full swing。 Then every day； from dawn until the evening prayer；
the men are busy at their water…drawing； transformed for the time into
tireless machines； with muscles that work like metal bands。 The action
never changes； any more than the song； and often their thoughts must
wander from their automatic toil； and lose themselves in some dream；
akin to that of their ancestors who were yoked to the same rigging
four or five thousands years ago。 Their torsos； deluged at each rising
of the overflowing bucket； stream constantly with cold water； and
sometimes the wind is icy； even while the sun burns； but these
perpetual workers are； as we have said； of bronze； and their hardened
bodies take no harm。
These men are the fellahs； the peasants of the valley of the Nile
pure Egyptians； whose type has not changed in the course of centuries。
In the oldest of the bas…reliefs of Thebes or Memphis you may see many
such； with the same noble profile and thickish lips； the same
elongated eyes shadowed by heavy eyelids； the same slender figure；
surmounted by broad shoulders。
The women who from time to time descend to the river； to draw water
also； but in their case in the vases of potters' clay which they
carrythis fetching and carrying of the life…giving water is the one
primordial occupation in this Egypt； which has no rain； nor any living
spring； and subsists only by its riverthese women walk and posture
with an inimitable grace； draped in black veils； which even the
poorest allow to trail behind them； like the train of a court dress。
In this bright land； with its rose…coloured distances； it is strange
to see them； all so sombrely clothed； spots of mourning； as it were；
in the gay fields and the flaring desert。 Machine…like creatures； all
untaught； they yet possess by instinct； as did once the daughters of
Hellas； a sense of nobility in attitude and carriage。 None of the
women of Europe could wear these coarse black stuffs with such a
majestic harmony； and none surely could so raise their bare arms to
place on their heads the heavy jars filled with Nile water； and then；
departing； carry themselves so proudly； so upright and resilient under
their burden。
The muslin tunics which they wear are invariably black like the veils；
set off perhaps with some red embroidery or silver spangles。 They are
unfastened across the chest； and； by a narrow opening which descends
to the girdle； disclose the a