At least three of them so gazed.

Of the fourth all that remained were the lower limbs to the knees and the huge hands resting on the knees.

At the feet of this one, ridiculously small, crouched a sphinx; yet this sphinx was taller than I.
I looked upon these carven images with contempt, and spat as I looked.

I knew not what they were, whether forgotten gods or unremembered kings.
But to me they were representative of the vanity of earth-men and earth- aspirations.
And over all this curve of river and sweep of water and wide sands beyond arched a sky of aching brass unflecked by the tiniest cloud.
The hours passed while I roasted in the sun.

Often, for quite decent intervals, I forgot my heat and pain in dreams and visions and in memories.