"Into ranks with you!" he commanded, pressing forward upon the Hebrews.
The men obeyed sullenly.
"I have said there was to be no use of the knouts," he said sharply,
turning upon the drivers. "Forward with them!"
The first driver muttered.
"What sayest thou?" Atsu demanded.
The man's mouth opened and closed, and his eyes drew up, evilly, but he
made no answer.
"Forward with them," Atsu repeated, without removing his gaze from the
driver.
Slowly, and now silently, the hereditary slaves of the Pharaoh moved
out of Pa-Ramesu. And of all the departing numbers and of all that
remained behind, none was more stricken in heart than Atsu, the stern
taskmaster over Israel.
[1] Moses.
CHAPTER II
UNDER BAN OF THE RITUAL
Holy Memphis, city of Apis, habitat of Ptah!
Not idly was she called Menefer, the Good Place. Not anywhere in Egypt
were the winds more gentle, the heavens more benign, the environs more
august.
To the south and west of her, the Libyan hills notched the horizon. To
the east the bald summits of the Arabian desert cut off the traveling
sand in its march on the capital. To the north was a shimmering level
that stretched unbroken to the sea. Set upon this at mid-distance, the
pyramids uplifted their stupendous forms.
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