The second half of the reserve advances and vanishes in the sand cloud.
The shout increased for a moment, but no forward movement is visible.
"Those wretches fight desperately," said an old officer of the suite to
Ramses. "It is high time that Mentezufis were here."
The prince summoned the leader of the Asiatic cavalry.
"But look to the right," said he; "there must be a bend there."
"Go cautiously so as not to trample our warriors and attack those dogs in their central column, on the flank."
"They must be chained, for somehow they stand too long," replied the
Asiatic, smiling.
The prince has now about two hundred of his own cavalry, and these advance, with the others, at a trot, crying,
"May our chief live forever!"
The heat passes description. The prince strains eyes and ears to see through the sand cloud. He waits and waits. All at once he shouts with delight. The centre of the cloud quivers and moves forward slightly.
Again it stops, again it moves forward slowly, very slowly, but still it moves forward.