.

When night fell the travelers had reached that immense district of the
dead, which extends for a number of tens of miles on the heights along
the left side of the river.

Here during the Ancient Kingdom were buried, for endless ages,
Egyptians, the pharaohs in immense pyramids, princes and dignitaries in
smaller pyramids, common men in mud structures. Here were resting
millions of mummies, not only of people, but of dogs, cats, birds, in a
word, all creatures which, while they lived, were dear to Egyptians.

During the time of Ramses, the burial-ground of kings and great persons
was transferred to Thebes; in the neighborhood of Memphis were buried
only common persons and artisans from regions about there.

Among scattered graves, the prince and his escort met a number of
people, pushing about like shadows.

"Who are ye?" asked the leader of the escort.

"We are poor servants of the pharaoh returning from our dead. We took
to them roses, cakes, and beer."

"But maybe ye looked into strange graves?"

"O gods!" cried one of the party, "could we commit such a sacrilege? It
is only the wicked Thebans may their hands wither! who disturb the
dead, so as to drink away their property in dramshops?"

"What mean those fires at the north there?" interrupted the prince.

"It must be, worthiness, that Thou comest from afar if Thou know not,"
answered they. "Tomorrow our heir is returning with a victorious army.
He is a great chief! He conquered the Libyans in one battle. Those are
the people of Memphis who have gone out to greet him with solemnity.
Thirty thousand persons. When they shout."

"I understand," whispered the prince to Pentuer. "Holy Mentezufis has
sent me ahead so that I may not have a triumphal entry. But never mind
this time."

The horses were tired, and they had to rest. So the prince sent
horsemen to engage barges on the river, and the rest of the escort
halted under some palms, which at that time grew between the Sphinx and
the group of pyramids.

Those pyramids formed the northern limit of the immense cemetery. On
the flat, about a square kilometer in area, overgrown at that time with
plants of the desert, were tombs and small pyramids, above which
towered the three great pyramids: those of Cheops, Chafre, and Menkere,
and the Sphinx. These immense structures stand only a few hundred yards
from one another. The three pyramids are in a line from northeast to
southwest. East of this line and nearer