raoh enters the balcony, the nobles
bow profoundly, and raise their arms as if in prayer to "the good god."
Then, in silent reverence, they wait until it shall please their lord to
speak.

Ramses sweeps his glance over the crowd, singles out the General in
command of the Theban troops, and puts a question to him as to the
readiness of his division--the picked division of the army. The soldier
steps forward with a deep bow; but it is not Court manners for him to
answer his lord's question directly. Instead, he begins by reciting a
little psalm of praise, which tells of the King's greatness, his valour
and skill in war, and asserts that wherever his horses tread his enemies
flee before him and perish. This little piece of flattery over, the
General begins, "O King, my master," and in a few sensible words gives
the information required. So the audience goes on, counsellor after
counsellor coming forward at the royal command, reciting his little
hymn, and then giving his opinion on such matters as his master suggests
to him. At last the council is over, the King gives orders to his
equerry to prepare his chariot for the procession to the temple, and, as
he turns to leave the audience chamber, the assembled nobles once more
bow profoundly, and raise their arms in adoration.

After a short delay, the great gates of the boundary wall of the palace
are opened; a company of spearmen, in quilted leather kilts and leather
skull-caps, marches out, and takes position a short distance from the
gateway. Behind them comes a company of the Sardinians of the guard,
heavily armed, with bright helmets, broad round shields, quilted
corselets, and long, heavy, two-edged swords. They range themselves on
either side of the roadway, and stand like statues, waiting for the
appearance of Pharaoh. There is a whir of chariot-wheels, and the royal
chariot sweeps through the gateway, and sets off at a good round pace
towards the temple. The spearmen in front start at the double, and the
guardsmen, in spite of their heavy equipment, keep pace with their royal
master on either side.

The waiting crowd bows to the dust as the sovereign passes; but Pharaoh
looks neither to the right hand nor to the left. He stands erect and
impassive in the swaying chariot, holding the crook and whip which are
the Egyptian royal emblems. On his head he wears the royal war helmet,
in the front of which a golden cobra rears its crest from its coils, as
if to threaten th