ok at a distant hill, on the summit of
which was a thorn bush. Ramses looked at that point and shaded his eyes
on a sudden. In the bush something flashed brightly.

"What unendurable glitter is that?" cried he. "It might blind a man."

"That is the priest who is aiding the worthy Patrokles; he is giving us
signs," replied Pentuer. "Thou seest, then, worthy lord, that we, too,
can be useful in war time."

He was silent. From the distance of the valley came a certain sound; at
first low, gradually it grew clearer. At this sound the Egyptian
soldiers hidden at the sides of the hill began to spring up, look at
their weapons, and whisper. But the sharp commands of officers quieted
them, and again the silence was deathlike along the cliffs on the north
side.

Meanwhile that distant sound in the valley increased and passed into an
uproar in which, on the bases of thousands of voices a man could
distinguish songs, sounds of flutes, squeaks of chariots, the neighing
of horses, and the cries of commanders. The prince's heart was now
beating with violence; he could not resist his curiosity, and he
clambered up to a rocky height whence a large part of the valley was
visible.

Surrounded by rolls of yellow dust the Libyan corps was approaching
deliberately, and seemed like a serpent some miles in length, with
blue, white, and red spots on its body.

At its head marched from ten to twenty horsemen, one of whom, wearing a
white mantle, was sitting on his horse as on a bench, both his legs on
the left side of the animal. Behind the horsemen marched a crowd of
slingers in gray shirts, then some dignitary in a litter, over whom a
large parasol was carried. Farther was a division of spearmen in blue
and red shirts, then a great band of men almost naked, armed with
clubs, again slingers and spearmen, behind them a red division with
scythes and axes. They came on more or less in ranks of four; but in
spite of shouts of officers, that order was interrupted, and each four
treading on others, broke ranks continually.

Singing and talking loudly, the Libyan serpent crawled out into the
broadest part of the valley, opposite the huts and the Soda Lakes.
Order was disturbed now more considerably. Those marching in advance
stopped, for it had been said that there would be a halt at that point;
the columns behind hurried so as to reach the halt and rest all the
earlier. Some ran out of the ranks, and laying down their weapons,
rushed into t