Part 27 (1/2)
Whilst we talked I caused the wounded to be carried to the shi+ps before it grew too dark toswiftly
”Master,” he said, ”the evening wind is blowing strong and stirs the sand, but froht of Peroa's banners
The ars away Now charge and those Easterns will be caught between the ha us they will not look behind”
So I went down the lines of our little force telling the them my plan They listened and understood We formed up, those ere left of us, not more than a thousand hed when they saw us coht that ereas they did that Peroa had no other arh sparingly, for but few arroere left Galled by our archery they ain With a shout we leapt forward to round I saw the chariots of Peroa rushi+ng to our rescue
Wesince the days of Thotmes and Rameses the Great Still they drove us back till unseen and unsuspected the chariots and the footmen of Peroa broke on theave, they fled this way and that, soht of the setting sun we finished it and ere the darkness closed in the Great King's aritives e hunted down next day
Yes, in that battle perished ten thousand of the Easterns and their mercenaries, and upon its field at dae crowned Peroa Pharaoh of Egypt, and he naeneral of his ar theer with the Great King and brought with hout the fray they servedfuriously, who knew that they could hope for no mercy from their own people One by one they were slain, the last two of thee at sunset Well, they were brave and faithful to me, so peace be on their spirits Better to die thus than in the den of lions
In triuuard and the spoils Before Pharaoh and I parted a s had cos had been driven by revolt in his dohty ith Syria, Greece and Cyprus and other half-conquered countries, in which, doubtless by agreement, the fires of insurrection had suddenly burned up Also already Peroa'son the Nile
”If this be true,” said Peroa when he had heard all, ”the Great King will have no new arypt”
”It is so, Pharaoh,” I answered ”Yet I think he will conquer in this great war and that within two years you must be prepared to , Shabaka, and in them, by your help, much may be done”
But as it chanced he was destined to be robbed of that help, and this by the work of Woreat rejoicings Pharaoh reached Memphis and in the vast temple of Amen laid down our spoils in the presence of the God, thousands of right hands hewn from the fallen, thousands of swords and other weapons and tens of chariots, together with iven to the God The high priests blessed us in the name of Amen and of the other Gods; the people blessed us and threers in our path; all the land rejoiced because once more it was free
There too that day in the temple with ancient forypt Sceptres and jewels that had been hid for generations were brought out by those who knew the secret of their hiding-places; the crowns that had been worn by old Pharaohs, were set upon his head; yes, the double crown of the Upper and the Lower Land
Thus in a Men yoke, he was anointed the first of a new dynasty, and with him his queen
I too received honours, for the story of the slaying of Idernes at one abroad, so that next to Pharaoh, I was looked upon as the greatest otten, since ht that he was a spirit in the form of a dho Indeed at the close of the ceremony voices cried out in thethat I as to ypt should be named next in succession to the throne
The Pharaoh heard and glanced first at his son and then at me, doubtfully, whereon, covered with confusion, I slipped away
The portico of the teuards, had crowded into the vast court to watch the coronation Only in the shadow, seated against the pedestal of one of the two colossal statues in front of the outer pylon gate and looking very sreatness, was a uely I took to be a beggar As I passed him, he plucked at ive to hi, Father,” I said laughing, ”except the gold hilt of my sword”
”Do not part with that, Son,” answered a deep voice, ”for I think you will need it before all is over”
Then while I stared at him he threw back his hood and I saw that beneath was the ancient withered face and the long white beard of ician
”Great things happen yonder, Shabaka So great that I have co blind, to listen, who thrice in my life days have known the like before,” and he pointed to the glittering throng in the court within ”Yes,” he went on, ”I have seen Pharaohs crowned and Pharaohs die--one of them at the hand of a conqueror What will happen to this Pharaoh, think you, Shabaka?”
”You should be better able to answer that question than I, who a that your dwarf has borne away e her to hiood prop to you, as he has done before, and to Egypt also But she has gone and the new vessel is not yet shaped toSo how can I answer?”
”Out of the store of wisdoathered in your breast”
”So! my Nephew Well, my store of wisdom tells s by sorrow and victories by defeat, and splendid sins by repentance and slow cli journey Where is the Royal Lady A those who passed in to the Crowning But even rown soht, Shabaka”
”I do not know, my Uncle, who have only been in Memphis one hour But what do you mean? Doubtless she prepares herself for the feast where I shall meet her”