At sight of his enemy, the king put Kenkenes between him and the
fan-bearer. At sight of Kenkenes, Har-hat stopped in his tracks.
Behind followed Kephren and Seneferu, the two generals, who, with the
exception of Har-hat, the commander-in-chief, were the only
arms-bearing men away from their places among the soldiers; after
these, Hotep and Nechutes, Menes of the royal body-guard, the lesser
fan-bearers, the many minor attaches to the king's person--in all a
score of nobles.
They came upon a portentous scene.
The tumult of preparation had subsided and the hush of readiness lay
over the desert. The orders were to move the army at sunrise, and that
time was past. The pioneers, or path-makers for the army, were already
far in advance. Horses had been bridled and each soldier stood by his
mount. Captains with their eyes toward the royal pavilion moved about
restlessly and wondered. The high commanding officers absent, the next
in rank began to weigh their chances to assume command. Soldiers began
to surmise to one another the cause of the delay, which manifestly
found its origin in the quarters of the king.
All this was the environment of a hollow square formed by the royal
guard.
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