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On the Pyramids 321
cannot hold their tongues ; their vulgar babel breaks every
train of thought. As we were musing over the Sphinx, with
its throat gleaming white in the moonlight, and Orion's
sword hanging over its head like the fabled sword of
Damocles, we heard voices from assorted States. " Going
to get arf ? " " Isn't that fine ? " " That is ellegant ! " " Now,
then, one, two, three." " It's rather grand, you know." " That's
off our chests, anyhow." " What is the matter with my
camel ? " " Is that your camel playing funny tricks ? "
Arabs are always at their worst on these occasions, when
Americans are there, for nobody else is likely to pay them
for their silly games. While we were trying to take in the
Sphinx's points, as they appeared in this beautiful light,
an Arab climbed on to its glowing pink head, and screamed
to show people that he was there. The way he clambered
round to the bottom of the ear was astonishing. In spite
of his long gown he almost flew up, and came down more
astonishingly still, ending with a jump from about half the
height of the Sphinx on to the soft sand. There must have
been a hundred people round where we were standing : half
of them were fortune-tellers. The Sphinx, with its wise, sad,
inscrutable face, seemed to be taking in everything. I wonder
if it was really beautiful before its nose was broken, and
if Napoleon's soldiers really blew its nose off with artillery
by his orders. I don't think it can be true, because they
could not shoot straight enough in those days.
And the Americans who were trying to take it in honestly
were quite as distracting as the others who were only trying
to keep on their camels, or bargaining to have cheap fortunes
told. " You know, May, somehow or other it is full of
majesty, and it is gazing right over our heads into eternity."
May was not listening properly to this profound remark, for
she answered, "The biggest pyramid in the whole lot is here."
" I'd rather see it by this light than by any other," said the
first. " I'd like to see it by daylight too," said May. And
then the first one said : " Look at Osiris's sword and belt
hanging over its head like the sword of Damascus !
Gradually the donkey-train of Americans rattled off, with
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