midnight
Pharaoh might command , but his servants would not obey . Moreover , the story spread , and that night many deserted from the host of Pharaoh and encamped about us , or fled back towards the cities whence they came . Also with them were not a few councillors and priests who had talked secretly with Bakenkhonsu . So it chanced that even if Pharaoh desired to make an end of us , as perhaps he purposed to do in the midnight watches , he thought it wisest to let the matter lie until he had finished with the people of Israel . It was a very strange night , silent , with a heavy , stirless air . There were no stars , but the curtain of black cloud which seemed to hang beyond the camp of the Egyptians was alive with lightnings which appeared to shape themselves to letters that I could not read . `` Behold the Book of Fate written in fire by the hand of God ! ''