Погребённый с фараонами

           OldCairoisitselfastory-bookandadream—labyrinthsofnarrowalleysredolentofaromaticsecrets; Arabesquebalconiesandorielsnearlymeetingabovethecobbledstreets; maelstromsofOrientaltrafficwithstrangecries,crackingwhips, rattlingcarts,jinglingmoney,andbrayingdonkeys; kaleidoscopesofpolychromerobes,veils,turbans,andtarbushes; water-carriersanddervishes,dogsandcats,soothsayersandbarbers; andoverallthewhiningofblindbeggarscrouchedinalcoves, andthesonorouschantingofmuezzinsfromminarets limneddelicatelyagainstaskyofdeep,unchangingblue. 

           Theroofed,quieterbazaarswerehardlylessalluring. Spice,perfume,incensebeads,rugs,silks,andbrass —oldMahmoudSuleimansquatscross-leggedamidsthisgummybottles whilechatteringyouthspulverizemustardinthehollowed-outcapitalofanancientclassiccolumn—aRomanCorinthian, perhapsfromneighboringHeliopolis, whereAugustusstationedoneofhisthreeEgyptianlegions. Antiquitybeginstominglewithexoticism.Andthenthemosquesandthemuseum—wesawthemall, andtriednottoletourArabianrevelsuccumbtothedarkercharmofPharaonicEgypt whichthemuseum’spricelesstreasuresoffered. Thatwastobeourclimax,andforthepresentweconcentratedonthemediaevalSaracenicgloriesoftheCalifs whosemagnificenttomb-mosquesformaglitteringfaerynecropolisontheedgeoftheArabianDesert.