For once the
prescribed defense of the Pharaoh was ignored. "It is not the fault of
the Child of the Sun, but his advisers, who are evil men and full of
guile." And in the odd perversity of fate for once its observance
would have been just.
Having fulfilled the command and relieved their souls, the four arose
and went their way, soft of foot and stately of carriage, after the
manner of all their countrymen.
Next, descending with a volley of yells, a rout of the nomad tribes,
mounted on horses, came from the southwest.
They were chiefly Bedouins, their women perched behind them with the
tiniest members of their broods. But every child that could bestride a
horse was mounted independently. Whatever worldly possessions the
nomads owned were bound in numerous flat rolls on other horses which
they led.
"Hail!" they shouted to the warrior, for the desert races are prankish
and unabashed. A younger among them, without wife or goods, drew his
gaunt horse back upon its scarred haunches and saluted the soldier.
"Greeting, bearer of many arms!" he said, and then addressed a near-by
companion as if he were rods away. "Behold leaden-toed Egypt, cumbered
with defense! Bull-hide for shield instead of the safe remoteness of
distance, blade and pike for vulgar intimacy in combat instead of the
nice aloofness of the launched spear--"
"Go to, thou prater!" interrupted a companion.
Pages:
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555