第7节
【】hadbeethepastparticipleofaverb.afterseveralhundred years,theegyptianslostsightofboththeseaningsand thepicture{illust.}catostandforasier,the letters.ashortsenten.here isadeenglishsentetenin hieroglyphics.{illust.} the{illust.}eitherahesets inyourhead,eans``i,theperson alking. a{illust.}iseitherahershoney,orit representstheverb``tobeea.again,it ybethefirstpartofaverblike``beeor``behave. inthisparticularinstaisfollo.}h ansa``leafor``leaveor``lievethesoundofallthree e. the``eyeyoukno. finallyyougetthepictureofa{illust.}.itisagiraffe itispartoftheoldsignlanguageoutofhehieroglyphics developed. yououulty. ``ibelieveisawagiraffe. havingiedthissysteheegyptiansdevelopedit duringthousandsofyearsuntiltheyuldeanythingthey essages tofriends,tokeepbusinessatsandtokeeparerdofthe historyoftheiruntry,thatfuturegeionsghtbe bythestakesofthepast. thenilevalley thebeginningofcivilisationinthe valleyofthenile thehistoryofnisthererdofahungrycreaturein searchoffood.whereverfoodanhas travelledtokehisho. thefaofthevalleyofthehavespreadat anearlydate.froheinteriorofafridfrohedesert ofarabiaandfroheepartofasiapeoplehad flotheirshareoftherichfar. togethertheseinvadershadfordaneehcalled itself``reor``thenjustasetisa ``godsory.theyhadgoodreasoeful toafatetothisnarroripofland. inthesuerofeachyeartheuedthevalleyintoa shalloheersrecededallthegrainfields auresost fertileclay. iakindlyriverdidtheillionnand deitpossibletofeedtheteengpopulationofthefirst largecitiesofistruethatall thearablelandplicated systefsllalsand theriverleveltothetopofthehighestbanksandaneven reintricatesystefirrigationtrenchesspreaditthroughout theland. anoftheprehistehadbeenobligedtospend sixteenhoursoutofeverytself andtheersofhistribe,theegyptianpeasantorthe inhabitantoftheegyptianselfpossessedofa selfny thingsthaterelyoantalandnotintheleastbit useful. rethanthat.onedayhedisveredthathisbrainwas capableofthinkingallkindsofthoughtshing todosofeatingandsleepingandfindinga hoforthechildren.theegyptiaospeculateupon nystrangeproblethatnfrontedhihe starsefrodethehethunderh frightenedhioterriblyadetheriveilerise hsuchregularitythatitobasethedar upontheappearahedisappearaheannual flelittlecreaturesurrounded onallsidesbydeathandsiessahappyand fulloflaughter heaskedtheseionsaainpeopleobligingly steppedforoansheseinquiriestothebestof theirability.theegyptianscalledthe`priestsandthey becatheguardiansofhisthoughtsandgainedgreatrespect iy.theyenwhowere entrustedhthesacredtaskofkeepienrerds. theyuoodthatitisnotgoodforntothinkonlyof hisiediateadvahisheydretention tothedaysofthefutureell beyoainsoftheustgiveanat ofhisdeedstoosiris,theghtygodherulerof thelivingandthedeadanden aerits.ihepriestsdesoch ofthatfuturedayintherealfisisandosiristhatthe egyptiaardliferelyasashortpreparation forthehereafteraheteengvalleyofthenile intoalaedtothedead. inastraobelievethat nosoululdeherealfosirishoutthepossession ofthebodysplaceofresidehisworld. thereforeassoonasaookhis rpseandhaditeald.forwassoakedina solutionofnatronahpitch.the persianiaiandtheealdbody .itwasedinyardsandyards ofspeciallypreparedlinenanditedinaspecially preparedffioberevedtoitsfinalho.but aiangraveehebodywassurrounded bypieusistruntsto hedrearyhoursofingandbylittlestatues ofoksandbakersandbarbersthattheoctofthis darkhoghtbedetlyprovidedhfooda goaboutunshaven. inallythesegraveshadbeendugintotherocksofthe ountainsbutastheegyptiansvednorthward theyeteriesinthedesert.the deserthoalsandequallywildrobbers andtheybrokeintothegravesanddisturbedtheyor stolethejehathadbeenburiedhthebody.toprevent suall undsofstoopofthegraves.theselittleunds graduallygreherichpeoplebuilthigher undsthanthepoorandtherepetition toseeakethehighesthillofstohe rerdadebykingkhufu,thegreekscalled cheopsandhirtyturiesbeforeourera.his und,idbecausethe egyptianuswasoverfivehundred feethig ...