The Scholar of the Sands: The Life of Victor Loret Victor Clement Georges Philippe Loret was a man whose destiny would be inextricably linked to the golden, sun-drenched sands of Egypt. Born in Paris in 1859, he emerged from a world of musical elegance; his father, Clément Loret, was a celebrated Belgian-born composer and professional organist who had brought the melodic traditions of his homeland to the heart of France. While his upbr…