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night； under a strange； copper…coloured sky。
Incontestably it is the desert； with its chaos of granite and sand；
its warm tones and reddish colour。 But there are telegraph poles and
the lines of a railroad； which traverse it in company； and disappear
in the empty horizon。 And then too how paradoxical and ridiculous it
seems to be travelling here on full security and in a carriage！ （The
most commonplace of hackney…carriages； which I hired by the hour on
the quay of Assouan。） A desert indeed which preserves still its
aspects of reality； but has become domesticated and tamed for the use
of the tourists and the ladies。
First； immense cemeteries surrounded by sand at the beginning of these
quasi…solitudes。 Such old cemeteries of every epoch of history。 The
thousand little cupolas of saints of Islam are crumbling side by side
with the Christian obelisks of the first centuries； and； underneath；
the Pharaonic hypogea。 In the twilight； all these ruins of the dead；
all the scattered blocks of granite are mingled in mournful groupings；
outlined in fantastic silhouette against the pale copper of the sky；
broken arches； tilted domes； and rocks that rise up like tall
phantoms。
Farther on； when we have left behind this region of tombs； the
granites alone litter the expanse of sand； granites to which the usury
of centuries has given the form of huge round beasts。 In places they
have been thrown one upon the other and make great heaps of monsters。
Elsewhere they lie alone among the sands； as if lost in the midst of
the infinitude of some dead sea…shore。 The rails and the telegraph
poles have disappeared； by the magic of twilight everything is become
grand again； beneath one of those evening skies of Egypt which； in
winter； resemble cold cupolas of metal。 And now it is that you feel
yourself verily on the threshold of the profound desolations of
Arabia； from which no barrier； after all separates you。 Were it not
for the lack of verisimilitude in the carriage that has brought us
hither； we should be able now to take this desert quite seriouslyfor
in fact it has no limits。
After travelling for about three…quarters of an hour； we see in the
distance a number of lights； which have already been kindled in the
growing darkness。 They seem too bright to be those of an Arab
encampment。 And our driver turning round and pointing to them says：
〃Chelal！〃
Chelalthat is the name of the Arab village； on the riverside； where
you take the boat for Philae。 To our disgust the place is lighted by
electricity。 It consists of a station； a factory with a long smoking
chimney； and a dozen or so suspicious…looking taverns； reeking of
alcohol； without which； it would seem； our European civilisation could
not implant itself in a new country。
And here we embark for Philae。 A number of boats are ready： for the
tourists allured by many advertisements flock hither every winter in
docile herds。 All the boats； without a single exception； are profusely
decorated with little English flags； as if for some regatta on the
Thames。 There is no escape therefore from this beflagging of a foreign
holidayand we set out with a homesick song of Nubia； which the
boatmen sing to the cadence of the oars。
The copper…coloured heaven remains so impregnated with cold light that
we still see clearly。 We are amid magnificent tragic scenery on a lake
surrounded by a kind of fearful amphitheatre outlined on all sides by
the mountains of the desert。 It was at the bottom of this granite
circus that the Nile used to flow； forming fresh islets； on which the
eternal verdure of the palm…trees contrasted with the high desolate
mountains that surrounded it like a wall。 To…day； on account of the
barrage established by the English； the water has steadily risen； like
a tide that will never recede； and this lake； almost a little sea；
replaces the meanderings of the river and has succeeded in submerging
the sacred islets。 The sanctuary of Isiswhich was enthroned for
thousands of years on the summit of a hill； crowded with temples and
colonnades and statuesstill half emerges； but it is alone and will
soon go the way of the others； There it is； beyond； like a great rock；
at this hour in which the night begins to obscure everything。
Nowhere but in Upper Egypt have the winter nights these transparencies
of absolute emptiness nor these sinister colourings。 As the light
gradually fails； the sky passes from copper to bronze； but remains
always metallic。 The zenith becomes brownish like a brazen shield；
while the setting sun alone retains its yellow colour； growing slowly
paler till it is almost of the whiteness of latten； and； above； the
mountains of the desert edge their sharp outlines with a tint of burnt
sienna。 To…night a freezing wind blows fiercely in our faces。 To the
continual chant of the rowers we pass slowly over the artificial lake；
which is upheld as it were in the air by the English masonry；
invisible now in the distance； but divined nevertheless and revolting。
A sacrilegious lake one might call it； since it hides beneath its
troubled waters ruins beyond all price； temples of the gods of Egypt；
churches of the first centuries of Christianity； obelisks；
inscriptions and emblems。 It is over these things that we now pass；
while the spray splashes in our faces； and the foam of a thousand
angry little billows。
We draw near to what was once the holy isle。 In places dying palm…
trees； whose long trunks are to…day under water； still show their
moistened plumes and give an appearance of inundation； almost of
cataclysm。
Before coming to the sanctuary of Isis； we touch at the kiosk of
Philae； which has been reproduced in the pictures of every age； and is
as celebrated even as the Sphinx and the pyramids。 It used to stand on
a pedestal of high rocks； and around it the date…trees swayed their
bouquets of aerial palms。 To…day it has no longer a base； its columns
rise separately from this kind of suspended lake。 It looks as if it
had been constructed in the water for the purpose of some royal
naumachy。 We enter with our boata strange port indeed； in its
ancient grandeur； a port of a nameless melancholy； particularly at
this yellow hour of the closing twilight； and under these icy winds
that come to us mercilessly from the neighbouring deserts。 And yet how
adorable it is； this kiosk of Philae； in this the abandonment that
precedes its downfall！ Its columns placed； as it were； upon something
unstable； become thereby more slender； seem to raise higher still the
stone foliage of their capitals。 A veritable kiosk of dreamland now；
which one feels is about to disappear for ever under these waters
which will subside no more！
And now； for another few moments； it grows quite light again； and
tints of a warmer copper reappear in the sky。 Often in Egypt when the
sun has set and you think the light is gone； this furtive recoloration
of the air comes thus to surprise you； before the darkness finally
descends。 The reddish tints seem to return to the slender shafts that
surround us； and also； beyond； to the temple of the goddess； standing
there like a sheer rock in the middle of this little sea； which the
wind covers with foam。
On leaving the kiosk our boaton this deep usurping water； among the
submerged palm…treesmakes a detour in order to lead us to the temple
by the road which the pilgrims of olden times used to travel on foot
by that way which； a little while ago； was still magnificent； bordered
with colonnades and statues。 But now the road is entirely submerged；
and will never be seen again。 Between its double row of columns the
water lifts us to the height of the capitals； which alone emerge and
which we could touch with our hands。 It seems like some journey of the
end of time； in a kind of deserted Venice； which is about to topple
over； to sink and be forgotten。
We arrive at the temple。 Above our heads rise the enormous pylons；
ornamented with figures in bas…relief： an Isis who stretches out her
arms as if she were making signs to us； and numerous other divinities
gesticulating mysteriously。 The door which opens in the thickness of
these walls is low； besides being half flooded； and gives on to depths
already in darkness。 We row on and enter the sanctuary； and as soon as
one boat has crossed the sacred threshold the boatmen stop their song
and suddenly give voice to the new cry that has been taught them for
the benefit of the tourists： 〃Hip！ Hip！ Hip！ Hurrah！〃 Coming at this
moment； when； with heart oppressed by all the utilitarian vandalism
that surrounds us； we were entering the sanctuary； what an effect of
gross and imbecile profanation this bellowing of English joy produces！
The boatmen know； moreover； that they have been displaced； that their
day has gone for ever； perhaps even； in the depths of their Nubian
souls； they understand us； for all that we have imposed silence on
them。