ABSTRACT
THEairhereisalreadylessoppressivethanat Saigon,lesschargedwithelectricityandmoisture. Onefeelsmorealive.
Andamelancholyofadifferentkindemanates fromthistown,lostasitisintheinteriorofa land-boundcountry,withoutships,without sailors,withoutaniinationofanysort.Itis comparativelybutafewyearssinceKing Norodmnconfidedhiscountryto:France,and alreadyeverythingthatwehavebuiltatPnomPenhhastakenonanairofoldageunderthe scorchingofthesun.Thefinestraightroads wetracedhere,alongwhichnoonepasses,are greenwithweeds.Itmightbeoneofthose ancientcolonies,thechat·mofwhichliesin desuetudeandsilence.
