itals of which were formed of a cube of hard sandstone,
on which rested the massive architrave. The imprint of indestructibility
marked the straight lines and the geometric forms of this architecture
built with pieces of mountains. The pillars and the columns seemed to
strike firmly into the ground in order to upbear the weight of the
mighty stones placed on the cubes of their capitals, the walls to slope
inwards so as to have a firmer foundation, and the stones to join
together so as to form but one block; but polychromous decorations and
_bassi-relievi_ hollowed out and enriched with more brilliant tints
added, in the daytime, lightness and richness to these vast masses,
which when night had fallen, recovered all their imposing effect.

Under the cornice, in the Egyptian style, the unchanging lines of which
formed against the sky a vast parallelogram of deep azure, quivered, in
the intermittent breath of the breeze, lighted lamps placed at short
distances apart. The fish-pond in the centre of the court mingled, as
it reflected them, their red flashes with the blue gleams of the moon.
Rows of shrubs planted around the basin gave out a faint, sweet perfume.
At the back opened the gate of the harem and of the private apartments,
which were decorated with peculiar magnificence.

Below the ceiling ran a frieze of uraeus snakes, standing on their tails
and swelling their hoods. On the entablature of the door, in the hollow
of the cornice, the mystic globe outspread its vast, imbricated wings;
pillars ranged in symmetrical lines supported heavy sandstone blocks
forming soffits, the blue ground of which was studded with golden stars.
On the walls vast pictures, carved in low, flat relief and coloured with
the most brilliant tints, represented the usual scenes of the harem and
of home life. The Pharaoh was seen on his throne, gravely playing at
draughts with one of his women who stood nude before him, her head bound
with a broad band from which rose a mass of lotus flowers. In another
the Pharaoh, without parting with any of his sovereign and sacerdotal
impassibility, stretched out his hand and touched the chin of a young
maid dressed in a collar and bracelet, who held out to him a bouquet of
flowers. Elsewhere he was seen undecided and smiling, as if he had
slyly put off making a choice, in the midst of the young queens, who
strove to overcome his gravity by all sorts of caressing and graceful
coquetries.

Other panels repr