ed Libya, there was not an excess
of provisions; water in the wells dug out quickly, was exhausted; the
heat of the sun burned their bodies, and the ruddy sand wounded their
lungs and their eyeballs. The warriors were falling ill of dysentery
and a malignant inflammation of the eyelids.

Ramses commanded to raise the camp. He sent three native Egyptian
regiments to Libya, commanding the soldiers to treat people mildly and
never wander from the camp singly. The army proper he turned toward
Memphis, leaving a small garrison at the glass huts and in the
fortress.

About nine in the morning, in spite of the heat, both armies were on
the road; one going northward, the other toward the south.

The holy Mentezufis approached the heir then, and said,

"It would be well, worthiness, couldst Thou reach Memphis earlier.
There will be fresh horses half-way."

"Then my father is very ill?" cried out Ramses.

The priest bent his head.

The prince gave command to Mentezufis, begging him to change in no way
commands already made, unless he counseled with lay generals. Taking
Pentuer, Tutmosis, and twenty of the best Asiatic horsemen, he went
himself on a sharp trot toward Memphis.

In five hours they passed half the journey; at the halt, as Mentezufis
had declared, were fresh horses and a new escort. The Asiatics remained
at that point, and after a short rest the prince with his two
companions and a new escort went farther.

"Woe to me!" said Tutmosis. "It is not enough that for five days I have
not bathed and know not rose perfumed oil, but besides I must make in
one day two forced marches. I am sure that when we reach Memphis no
dancer will look at me."

"What! Art Thou better than we?" asked the prince.

"I am more fragile," said the exquisite. "Thou, prince, art as
accustomed to riding as a Hyksos, and Pentuer might travel on a red-hot
sword. But I am so delicate."

At sunset the travelers came out on a lofty hill, whence they saw an
uncommon picture unfolded before them. For a long distance the green
valley of Egypt was visible, on the background of it, like a row of
ruddy fires, the triangular pyramids stood gleaming. A little to the
right of the pyramids the tops of the Memphis pylons, wrapped in a
bluish haze, seemed to be flaming upward.

"Let us go; let us go!" said Ramses.

A moment later the reddish desert surrounded them again, and again the
line of pyramids gleamed until all was dissolved in the twilight