[NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of thefile for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before making anentire meal of them. D. W. ]

AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS, Part 2. 

By Georg Ebers

Volume 7. 

CHAPTER V. 

Before the sun had reached his mid-day height, the news of what hadhappened and of what was still to happen had filled all Babylon. Thestreets swarmed with people, waiting impatiently to see the strangespectacle which the punishment of one of the king's wives, who had provedfalse and faithless, promised to afford. The whip-bearers were forced touse all their authority to keep this gaping crowd in order. Later on inthe day the news that Bartja and his friends were soon to be executedarrived among the crowd; they were under the influence of the palm-wine, which was liberally distributed on the king's birthday and the followingdays, and could not control their excited feelings; but these now tookquite another form. 

Bands of drunken men paraded the streets, crying: "Bartja, the good sonof Cyrus, is to be executed!" The women heard these words in their quietapartments, eluded their keepers, forgot their veils, and rushing forthinto the streets, followed the excited and indignant men with cries andyells. Their pleasure in the thought of seeing a more fortunate sisterhumbled, vanished at the painful news that their beloved prince wascondemned to death. Men, women and children raged, stormed and cursed, exciting one another to louder and louder bursts of indignation. Theworkshops were emptied, the merchants closed their warehouses, and theschool-boys and servants, who had a week's holiday on occasion of theking's birthday, used their freedom to scream louder than any one else, and often to groan and yell without in the least knowing why. 

At last the tumult was so great that the whip-bearers were insufficientto cope with it, and a detachment of the body-guard was sent to patrolthe streets. At the sight of their shining armor and long lances, thecrowd retired into the side streets, only, however, to reassemble infresh numbers when the troops were out of sight. 

At the gate, called the Bel gate, which led to the great western high-road, the throng was thicker than at any other point, for it was saidthat through this gate, the one by which she had entered Babylon, theEgyptian Princess was to be led out of the city in shame and disgrace. For this reason a larger number of whipbearers were stationed here, inorder to make way for travellers entering the city. Very few peopleindeed left the city at all on this day, for curiosity was stronger thaneither business or pleasure; those, on the other hand, who arrived fromthe country, took up their stations near the gate on hearing what haddrawn the crowd thither. 

It was nearly mid-day, and only wanted a few hours to the time fixed forNitetis' disgrace, when a caravan approached the gate with great speed. The first carriage was a so-called harmamaxa, drawn by four horses deckedout with bells and tassels; a two-wheeled cart followed, and last in thetrain was a baggage-wagon drawn by mules. A fine, handsome man of aboutfifty, dressed as a Persian courtier, and another, much older, in longwhite robes, occupied the first carriage. The cart was filled by anumber of slaves in simple blouses, and broad-brimmed felt hats, wearingthe hair cut close to the head. An old man, dressed as a Persianservant, rode by the side of the cart. The driver of the first carriagehad great difficulty in making way for his gaily-ornamented horsesthrough the crowd; he was obliged to come to a halt before the gate andcall some whip-bearers to his assistance. "Make way for us!" he criedto the captain of the police who came up with some of his men; "the royalpost has no time to lose, and I am driving some one, who will make yourepent every minute's delay. "

"Softly, my son, " answered the official. "Don't you see that it's easierto-day to get out of Babylon, than to come in? Whom are you driving?"

"A nobleman, with a passport from the king. Come, be quick and make wayfor us. "

"I don't know about that; your caravan does not look much like royalty. "

"What have you to do with that? The pass. . . . ""I must see it, before I let you into the city. " These words were halfmeant for thetraveller, whom he was scrutinizing very suspiciously. 

While the man in the Persian dress was feeling in his sleeve for thepassport, the whip-bearer turned to some comrades who had just come up, and pointed out the scanty retinue of the travellers, saying: "Did youever see such a queer cavalcade? There's something odd about thesestrangers, as sure as my name's Giv. Why, the lowest of the king'scarpet-bearers travels with four times as many people, and yet this manhas a royal pass and is dressed like one of those who sit at the royaltable. "

At this moment the suspected traveller handed him a little silken rollscented with musk, sealed with the royal seal, and containing the king'sown handwriting. 

The whip-bearer took it and examined the seal. "It is all in order, " hemurmured, and then began to study the characters. But no sooner had hedeciphered the first letters than be looked even more sharply than beforeat the traveller, and seized the horses' bridles, crying out: "Here, men, form a guard round the carriage! this is an impostor. "

When he had convinced himself that escape was impossible, he went up tothe stranger again and said: "You are using a pass which does not belongto you. Gyges, the son of Croesus, the man you give yourself out for, isin prison and is to be executed to-day. You are not in the least likehim, and you will have reason to repent leaving tried to pass for him. Get out of your carriage and follow me. "

The traveller, however, instead of obeying, began to speak in brokenPersian, and begged the officer rather to take a seat by him in thecarriage, for that he had very important news to communicate. The manhesitated a moment; but on seeing a fresh band of whip-bearers come up, he nodded to them to stand before the impatient, chafing horses, and gotinto the carriage. 

The stranger looked at him with a smile and said: "Now, do I look like animpostor?"

"No; your language proves that you are not a Persian, but yet you looklike a nobleman. "

"I am a Greek, and have come hither to render Cambyses an importantservice. Gyges is my friend, and lent me his passport when he was inEgypt, in case I should ever come to Persia. I am prepared to vindicatemy conduct before the king, and have no reason for fear. On thecontrary, the news I bring gives me reason to expect much from his favor. Let me be taken to Croesus, if this is your duty; he will be surety forme, and will send back your men, of whom you seem to stand in great needto-day. Distribute these gold pieces among them, and tell me withoutfurther delay what my poor friend Gyges has done to deserve death, andwhat is the reason of all this crowd and confusion. "

The stranger said this in bad Persian, but there lay so much dignity andconfidence in his tone, and his gifts were on such a large scale, thatthe cringing and creeping servant of despotism felt sure he must besitting opposite to a prince, crossed his arms reverentially, and, excusing himself from his many pressing affairs, began to relate rapidly. He had been on duty in the great hall during the examination of theprisoners the night before, and could therefore tell all that hadhappened with tolerable accuracy. The Greek followed his tale eagerly, with many an incredulous shake of his handsome head, however, when thedaughter of Amasis and the son of Cyrus were spoken of as having beendisloyal and false, that sentence of death had been pronounced, especially on Croesus, distressed him visibly, but the sadness soonvanished from his quickly-changing features, and gave place to thought;this in its turn was quickly followed by a joyful look, which could onlybetoken that the thinker had arrived at a satisfactory result. Hisdignified gravity vanished in a moment; he laughed aloud, struck hisforehead merrily, seized the hand of the astonished captain, and said:

"Should you be glad, if Bartja could be saved?"

"More than I can say. "

"Very well, then I will vouch for it, that you shall receive at least twotalents, if you can procure me an interview with the king before thefirst execution has taken place. "

"How can you ask such a thing of me, a poor captain? . . . "

"Yes, you must, you must!"

"I cannot. "

"I know well that it is very difficult, almost impossible, for a strangerto obtain an audience of your king; but my errand brooks no delay, for Ican prove that Bartja and his friends are not guilty. Do you hear? Ican prove it. Do you think now, you can procure me admittance?"

"How is it possible?"

"Don't ask, but act. Didn't you say Darius was one of the condemned?"

"Yes. "

"I have heard, that his father is a man of very high rank. "

"He is the first in the kingdom, after the sons of Cyrus. "

"Then take me to him at once. He will welcome me when he hears I am ableto save his son. "

"Stranger, you are a wonderful being. You speak with so much confidencethat . . . "

"That you feel you may believe me. Make haste then, and call some ofyour men to make way for us, and escort us to the palace. "

There is nothing, except a doubt, which runs more quickly from mind tomind, than a hope that some cherished wish may be fulfilled, especiallywhen this hope has been suggested to us by some one we can trust. 

The officer believed this strange traveller, jumped out of the carriage, flourishing his scourge and calling to his men: "This nobleman has comeon purpose to prove Bartja's innocence, and must be taken to the king atonce. Follow me, my friends, and make way for him!"

Just at that moment a troop of the guards appeared in sight. The captainof the whip-bearers went up to their commander, and, seconded by theshouts of the crowd, begged him to escort the stranger to the palace. 

During this colloquy the traveller had mounted his servant's horse, andnow followed in the wake of the Persians. 

The good news flew like wind through the huge city. As the ridersproceeded, the crowd fell back more willingly, and loader and fuller grewthe shouts of joy until at last their march was like a triumphalprocession. 

In a few minutes they drew up before the palace; but before the brazengates had opened to admit them, another train came slowly into sight. Atthe head rode a grey-headed old man; his robes were brown, and rent, intoken of mourning, the mane and tail of his horse had been shorn off andthe creature colored blue. --It was Hystaspes, coming to entreat mercy forhis son. 

The whip-bearer, delighted at this sight, threw himself down before theold man with a cry of joy, and with crossed arms told him what confidencethe traveller had inspired him with. 

Hystaspes beckoned to the stranger; he rode up, bowed gracefully andcourteously to the old man, without dismounting, and confirmed the wordsof the whip bearer. Hystaspes seemed to feel fresh confidence too afterhearing the stranger, for he begged him to follow him into the palace andto wait outside the door of the royal apartment, while he himself, conducted by the head chamberlain, went in to the king. 

When his old kinsman entered, Cambyses was lying on his purple couch, pale as death. A cup-bearer was kneeling on the ground at his feet, trying to collect the broken fragments of a costly Egyptian drinking-cupwhich the king had thrown down impatiently because its contents had notpleased his taste. At some distance stood a circle of court-officials, in whose faces it was easy to read that they were afraid of their ruler'swrath, and preferred keeping as far from him as possible. The dazzlinglight and oppressive heat of a Babylonian May day came in through theopen windows, and not a sound was to be heard in the great room, exceptthe whining of a large dog of the Epirote breed, which had just receiveda tremendous kick from Cambyses for venturing to fawn on his master, andwas the only being that ventured to disturb the solemn stillness. Justbefore Hystaspes was led in by the chamberlain, Cambyses had sprung upfrom his couch. This idle repose had become unendurable, he feltsuffocated with pain and anger. The dog's howl suggested a new idea tohis poor tortured brain, thirsting for forgetfulness. 

"We will go out hunting!" he shouted to the poor startled courtiers. The master of the hounds, the equerries, and huntsmen hastened to obeyhis orders. He called after them, "I shall ride the unbroken horseReksch; get the falcons ready, let all the dogs out and order every oneto come, who can throw a spear. We'll clear the preserves!"

He then threw himself down on his divan again, as if these words hadquite exhausted his powerful frame, and did not see that Hystaspes hadentered, for his sullen gaze was fixed on the motes playing in thesunbeams that glanced through the window. 

Hystaspes did not dare to address him; but he stationed himself in thewindow so as to break the stream of motes and thus draw attention tohimself. 

At first Cambyses looked angrily at him and his rent garments, and thenasked with a bitter smile; "What do you want?"

"Victory to the king! Your poor servant and uncle has come to entreathis ruler's mercy. "

"Then rise and go! You know that I have no mercy for perjurers and falseswearers. 'Tis better to have a dead son than a dishonorable one. "

"But if Bartja should not be guilty, and Darius . . . "

"You dare to question the justice of my sentence?"

"That be far from me. Whatever the king does is good, and cannot begainsaid; but still . . . "

"Be silent! I will not hear the subject mentioned again. You are to bepitied as a father; but have these last few hours brought me any joy?Old man, I grieve for you, but I have as little power to rescind hispunishment as you to recall his crime. "

"But if Bartja really should not be guilty--if the gods . . . "

"Do you think the gods will come to the help of perjurers and deceivers?"

"No, my King; but a fresh witness has appeared. "

"A fresh witness? Verily, I would gladly give half my kingdom, to beconvinced of the innocence of men so nearly related to me. "

"Victory to my lord, the eye of the realm! A Greek is waiting outside, who seems, to judge by his figure and bearing, one of the noblest of hisrace. "

The king laughed bitterly: "A Greek! Ah, ha! perhaps some relation toBartja's faithful fair one! What can this stranger know of my familyaffairs? I know these beggarly Ionians well. They are impudent enoughto meddle in everything, and think they can cheat us with their slytricks. How much have you had to pay for this new witness, uncle? AGreek is as ready with a lie as a Magian with his spells, and I knowthey'll do anything for gold. I'm really curious to see your witness. Call him in. But if he wants to deceive me, he had better remember thatwhere the head of a son of Cyrus is about to fall, a Greek head has butvery little chance. " And the king's eyes flashed with anger as he saidthese words. Hystaspes, however, sent for the Greek. 

Before he entered, the chamberlains fastened the usual cloth before hismouth, and commanded him to cast himself on the ground before the king. The Greek's bearing, as he approached, under the king's penetratingglance, was calm and noble; he fell on his face, and, according to thePersian custom, kissed the ground. 

His agreeable and handsome appearance, and the calm and modest manner inwhich he bore the king's gaze, seemed to make a favorable impression onthe latter; he did not allow him to remain long on the earth, and askedhim in a by no means unfriendly tone: "Who are you?"

"I am a Greek nobleman. My name is Phanes, and Athens is my home. Ihave served ten years as commander of the Greek mercenaries in Egypt, andnot ingloriously. "

"Are you the man, to whose clever generalship the Egyptians were indebtedfor their victories in Cyprus?"

"I am. "

"What has brought you to Persia?"

"The glory of your name, Cambyses, and the wish to devote my arms andexperience to your service. "

"Nothing else? Be sincere, and remember that one single lie may costyour life. We Persians have different ideas of truth from the Greeks. "

"Lying is hateful to me too, if only, because, as a distortion andcorruption of what is noblest, it seems unsightly in my eyes. "

"Then speak. "

"There was certainly a third reason for my coming hither, which I shouldlike to tell you later. It has reference to matters of the greatestimportance, which it will require a longer time to discuss; but to-day--"

"Just to-day I should like to hear something new. Accompany me to thechase. You come exactly at the right time, for I never had more need ofdiversion than now. "

"I will accompany you with pleasure, if. . . "

"No conditions to the king! Have you had much practice in hunting?"

"In the Libyan desert I have killed many a lion. "

"Then come, follow me. "

In the thought of the chase the king seemed to have thrown off all hisweakness and roused himself to action; he was just leaving the hall, whenHystaspes once more threw himself at his feet, crying with up-raisedhands: "Is my son--is your brother, to die innocent? By the soul of yourfather, who used to call me his truest friend, I conjure you to listen tothis noble stranger. "

Cambyses stood still. The frown gathered on his brow again, his voicesounded like a menace and his eyes flashed as he raised his hand and saidto the Greek: "Tell me what you know; but remember that in every untrueword, you utter your own sentence of death. "

Phanes heard this threat with the greatest calmness, and answered, bowinggracefully as he spoke: "From the sun and from my lord the king, nothingcan be hid. What power has a poor mortal to conceal the truth from oneso mighty? The noble Hystaspes has said, that I am able to prove yourbrother innocent. I will only say, that I wish and hope I may succeed inaccomplishing anything so great and beautiful. The gods have at leastallowed me to discover a trace which seems calculated to throw light onthe events of yesterday; but you yourself must decide whether my hopeshave been presumptuous and my suspicions too easily aroused. Remember, however, that throughout, my wish to serve you has been sincere, andthat if I have been deceived, my error is pardonable; that nothing isperfectly certain in this world, and every man believes that to beinfallible which seems to him the most probable. "

"You speak well, and remind me of . . . Curse her! there, speak andhave done with it! I hear the dogs already in the court. "

"I was still in Egypt when your embassy came to fetch Nitetis. At thehouse of Rhodopis, my delightful, clever and celebrated countrywoman, Imade the acquaintance of Croesus and his son; I only saw your brother andhis friends once or twice, casually; still I remembered the youngprince's handsome face so well, that some time later, when I was in theworkshop of the great sculptor Theodorus at Samos, I recognized hisfeatures at once. "

"Did you meet him at Samos?"

"No, but his features had made such a deep and faithful impression onTheodorus' memory, that he used them to beautify the head of an Apollo, which the Achaemenidae had ordered for the new temple of Delphi. "

"Your tale begins, at least, incredibly enough. How is it possible tocopy features so exactly, when you have not got them before you?"

"I can only answer that Theodorus has really completed this master-piece, and if you wish for a proof of his skill would gladly send you a secondlikeness of . . . "

"I have no desire for it. Go on with your story. "

"On my journey hither, which, thanks to your father's excellentarrangements, I performed in an incredibly short time, changing horsesevery sixteen or seventeen miles . . . "

"Who allowed you, a foreigner, to use the posthorses?"

"The pass drawn out for the son of Croesus, which came by chance into myhands, when once, in order to save my life, he forced me to changeclothes with him. "

"A Lydian can outwit a fox, and a Syrian a Lydian, but an Ionian is amatch for both, " muttered the king, smiling for the first time; "Croesustold me this story--poor Croesus!" and then the old gloomy expressioncame over his face and he passed his hand across his forehead, as iftrying to smooth the lines of care away. The Athenian went on: "I metwith no hindrances on my journey till this morning at the first hourafter midnight, when I was detained by a strange occurrence. "

The king began to listen more attentively, and reminded the Athenian, whospoke Persian with difficulty, that there was no time to lose. 

"We had reached the last station but one, " continued he, "and hoped to bein Babylon by sunrise. I was thinking over my past stirring life, andwas so haunted by the remembrance of evil deeds unrevenged that I couldnot sleep; the old Egyptian at my side, however, slept and dreamtpeacefully enough, lulled by the monotonous tones of the harness bells, the sound of the horses' hoofs and the murmur of the Euphrates. It was awonderfully still, beautiful night; the moon and stars were so brilliant, that our road and the landscape were lighted up almost with thebrightness of day. For the last hour we had not seen a single vehicle, foot-passenger, or horseman; we had heard that all the neighboringpopulation had assembled in Babylon to celebrate your birthday, gaze withwonder at the splendor of your court, and enjoy your liberality. At lastthe irregular beat of horses' hoofs, and the sound of bells struck myear, and a few minutes later I distinctly heard cries of distress. Myresolve was taken at once; I made my Persian servant dismount, spranginto his saddle, told the driver of the cart in which my slaves weresitting not to spare his mules, loosened my dagger and sword in theirscabbards, and spurred my horse towards the place from whence the criescame. They grew louder and louder. I had not ridden a minute, when Icame on a fearful scene. Three wild-looking fellows had just pulled ayouth, dressed in the white robes of a Magian, from his horse, stunnedhim with heavy blows, and, just as I reached them, were on the point ofthrowing him into the Euphrates, which at that place washes the rootsof the palms and fig-trees bordering the high-road. I uttered my Greekwar-cry, which has made many an enemy tremble before now, and rushed onthe murderers. Such fellows are always cowards; the moment they saw oneof their accomplices mortally wounded, they fled. I did not pursue them, but stooped down to examine the poor boy, who was severely wounded. Howcan I describe my horror at seeing, as I believed, your brother Bartja?Yes, they were the very same features that I had seen, first at Naukratisand then in Theodorus' workshop, they were . . . "

"Marvellous!" interrupted Hystaspes. 

"Perhaps a little too much so to be credible, " added the king. "Takecare, Hellene! remember my arm reaches far. I shall have the truth ofyour story put to the proof. "

"I am accustomed, " answered Phanes bowing low, "to follow the advice ofour wise philosopher Pythagoras, whose fame may perhaps have reached yourears, and always, before speaking, to consider whether what I am going tosay may not cause me sorrow in the future. "

"That sounds well; but, by Mithras, I knew some one who often spoke ofthat great teacher, and yet in her deeds turned out to be a most faithfuldisciple of Angramainjus. You know the traitress, whom we are going toextirpate from the earth like a poisonous viper to-day. "

"Will you forgive me, " answered Phanes, seeing the anguish expressed inthe king's features, "if I quote another of the great master's maxims?"

"Speak. "

"Blessings go as quickly as they come. Therefore bear thy lot patiently. Murmur not, and remember that the gods never lay a heavier weight on anyman than he can bear. Hast thou a wounded heart? touch it as seldom asthou wouldst a sore eye. There are only two remedies for heart-sickness:--hope and patience. "

Cambyses listened to this sentence, borrowed from the golden maxims ofPythagoras, and smiled bitterly at the word "patience. " Still theAthenian's way of speaking pleased him, and he told him to go on with hisstory. 

Phanes made another deep obeisance, and continued: "We carried theunconscious youth to my carriage, and brought him to the nearest station. There he opened his eyes, looked anxiously at me, and asked who I was andwhat had happened to him? The master of the station was standing by, soI was obliged to give the name of Gyges in order not to excite hissuspicions by belying my pass, as it was only through this that I couldobtain fresh horses. 

"This wounded young man seemed to know Gyges, for he shook his head andmurmured: 'You are not the man you give yourself out for. ' Then he closedhis eyes again, and a violent attack of fever came on. 

"We undressed, bled him and bound up his wounds. My Persian servant, whohad served as overlooker in Amasis' stables and had seen Bartja there, assisted by the old Egyptian who accompanied me, was very helpful, andasserted untiringly that the wounded man could be no other than yourbrother. When we had cleansed the blood from his face, the master of thestation too swore that there could be no doubt of his being the youngerson of your great father Cyrus. Meanwhile my Egyptian companion hadfetched a potion from the travelling medicine-chest, without which anEgyptian does not care to leave his native country. 

 [A similar travelling medicine-chest is to be seen in the Egyptian Museum at Berlin. It is prettily and compendiously fitted up, and must be very ancient, for the inscription on the chest, which contained it stated that it was made in the 11th dynasty (end of the third century B. C. ) in the reign of King Mentuhotep. ]

The drops worked wonders; in a few hours the fever was quieted, and atsunrise the patient opened his eyes once more. We bowed down before him, believing him to be your brother, and asked if he would like to be takento the palace in Babylon. This he refused vehemently, and asseveratedthat he was not the man we took him for, but, . . . "

"Who can be so like Bartja? tell me quickly, " interrupted the king, "I amvery curious to know this. "

"He declared that he was the brother of your high-priest, that his namewas Gaumata, and that this would be proved by the pass which we shouldfind in the sleeve of his Magian's robe. The landlord found thisdocument and, being able to read, confirmed the statement of the sickyouth; he was, however, soon seized by a fresh attack of fever, and beganto speak incoherently. "

"Could you understand him?"

"Yes, for his talk always ran on the same subject. The hanging-gardensseemed to fill his thoughts. He must have just escaped some greatdanger, and probably had had a lover's meeting there with a woman calledMandane. "

"Mandane, Mandane, " said Cambyses in a low voice; "if I do not mistake, that is the name of the highest attendant on Amasis' daughter. "

These words did not escape the sharp ears of the Greek. He thought amoment and then exclaimed with a smile; "Set the prisoners free, my King;I will answer for it with my own head, that Bartja was not in thehanging-gardens. "

The king was surprised at this speech but not angry. The free, unrestrained, graceful manner of this Athenian towards himself producedthe same impression, that a fresh sea-breeze makes when felt for thefirst time. The nobles of his own court, even his nearest relations, approached him bowing and cringing, but this Greek stood erect in hispresence; the Persians never ventured to address their ruler without athousand flowery and flattering phrases, but the Athenian was simple, open and straightforward. Yet his words were accompanied by such a charmof action and expression, that the king could understand them, notwithstanding the defective Persian in which they were clothed, betterthan the allegorical speeches of his own subjects. Nitetis and Phaneswere the only human beings, who had ever made him forget that he was aking. With them he was a man speaking to his fellow-man, instead of adespot speaking with creatures whose very existence was the plaything ofhis own caprice. Such is the effect produced by real manly dignity, superior culture and the consciousness of a right to freedom, on the mindeven of a tyrant. But there was something beside all this, that hadhelped to win Cambyses' favor for the Athenian. This man's coming seemedas if it might possibly give him back the treasure he had believed waslost and more than lost. But how could the life of such a foreignadventurer be accepted as surety for the sons of the highest Persians inthe realm? The proposal, however, did not make him angry. On thecontrary, he could not help smiling at the boldness of this Greek, who inhis eagerness had freed himself from the cloth which hung over his mouthand beard, and exclaimed: "By Mithras, Greek, it really seems as if youwere to prove a messenger of good for us! I accept your offer. If theprisoners, notwithstanding your supposition, should still prove guiltyyou are bound to pass your whole life at my court and in my service, butif, on the contrary, you are able to prove what I so ardently long for, I will make you richer than any of your countrymen. "

Phanes answered by a smile which seemed to decline this munificent offer, and asked: "Is it permitted me to put a few questions to yourself and tothe officers of your court?"

"You are allowed to say and ask whatever you wish. "

At this moment the master of the huntsmen, one of those who daily ate atthe king's table, entered, out of breath from his endeavors to hasten thepreparations, and announced that all was ready. 

"They must wait, " was the king's imperious answer. "I am not sure, thatwe shall hunt at all to-day. Where is Bischen, the captain of police?"

Datis, the so-called "eye of the king, " who held the office filled inmodern days by a minister of police, hurried from the room, returning ina few minutes with the desired officer. These moments Phanes made use offor putting various questions on important points to the nobles who werepresent. 

"What news can you bring of the prisoners?" asked the king, as the manlay prostrate before him. "Victory to the king! They await death withcalmness, for it is sweet to die by thy will. "

"Have you heard anything of their conversation?"

"Yes, my Ruler. "

"Do they acknowledge their guilt, when speaking to each other?"

"Mithras alone knows the heart; but you, my prince, if you could hearthem speak, would believe in their innocence, even as I the humblest ofyour servants. "

The captain looked up timidly at the king, fearing lest these wordsshould have excited his anger; Cambyses, however, smiled kindly insteadof rebuking him. But a sudden thought darkened his brow again directly, and in a low voice he asked: "When was Croesus executed?"

The man trembled at this question; the perspiration stood on hisforehead, and he could scarcely stammer the words: "He is. . . . He has. . . . We thought. . . . "

"What did you think?" interrupted Cambyses, and a new light of hopeseemed to dawn in his mind. "Is it possible, that you did not carry outmy orders at once? Can Croesus still be alive? Speak at once, I mustknow the whole truth. "

The captain writhed like a worm at his lord's feet, and at last stammeredout, raising his hands imploringly towards the king: "Have mercy, havemercy, my Lord the king! I am a poor man, and have thirty children, fifteen of whom . . . "

"I wish to know if Croesus is living or dead. "

"He is alive! He has done so much for me, and I did not think I wasdoing wrong in allowing him to live a few hours longer, that he might. . . "

"That is enough, " said the king breathing freely. "This once yourdisobedience shall go unpunished, and the treasurer may give you twotalents, as you have so many children. --Now go to the prisoners, --tellCroesus to come hither, and the others to be of good courage, if they areinnocent. "

"My King is the light of the world, and an ocean of mercy. "

"Bartja and his friends need not remain any longer in confinement; theycan walk in the court of the palace, and you will keep guard over them. You, Datis, go at once to the hanging-gardens and order Boges to deferthe execution of the sentence on the Egyptian Princess; and further, Iwish messengers sent to the post-station mentioned by the Athenian, andthe wounded man brought hither under safe escort. "

The " king's eye " was on the point of departure, but Phanes detainedhim, saying: "Does my King allow me to make one remark?"

"Speak. "

"It appears to me, that the chief of the eunuchs could give the mostaccurate information. During his delirium the youth often mentioned hisname in connection with that of the girl he seemed to be in love with. "

"Go at once, Datis, and bring him quickly. "

"The high-priest Oropastes, Gaumata's brother, ought to appear too; andMandane, whom I have just been assured on the most positive authority, isthe principal attendant of the Egyptian Princess. "

"Fetch her, Datis. "

"If Nitetis herself could . . . "

At this the king turned pale and a cold shiver ran through his limbs. How he longed to see his darling again! But the strong man was afraid ofthis woman's reproachful looks; he knew the captivating power that lay inher eyes. So he pointed to the door, saying "Fetch Boges and Mandane;the Egyptian Princess is to remain in the hanging-gardens, under strictcustody. "

The Athenian bowed deferentially; as if he would say: "Here no one has aright to command but the king. "

Cambyses looked well pleased, seated himself again on the purple divan, and resting his forehead on his hand, bent his eyes on the ground andsank into deep thought. The picture of the woman he loved so dearlyrefused to be banished; it came again and again, more and more vividly, and the thought that these features could not have deceived him--thatNitetis must be innocent--took a firmer root in his mind; he had alreadybegun to hope. If Bartja could be cleared, there was no error that mightnot be conceivable; in that case he would go to the hanging-gardens, takeher hand and listen to her defence. When love has once taken firm holdof a man in riper years, it runs and winds through his whole nature likeone of his veins, and can only be destroyed with his life. 

The entrance of Croesus roused Cambyses from his dream; he raised the oldman kindly from the prostrate position at his feet, into which he hadthrown himself on entering, and said: "You offended me, but I will bemerciful; I have not forgotten that my father, on his dying bed, told meto make you my friend and adviser. Take your life back as a gift fromme, and forget my anger as I wish to forget your want of reverence. Thisman says he knows you; I should like to hear your opinion of hisconjectures. "

Croesus turned away much affected, and after having heartily welcomed theAthenian, asked him to relate his suppositions and the grounds on whichthey were founded. 

The old man grew more and more attentive as the Greek went on, and whenhe had finished raised his hands to heaven, crying: "Pardon me, oh yeeternal gods, if I have ever questioned the justice of your decrees. Isnot this marvellous, Cambyses? My son once placed himself in greatdanger to save the life of this noble Athenian, whom the gods havebrought hither to repay the deed tenfold. Had Phanes been murdered inEgypt, this hour might have seen our sons executed. "

And as he said this he embraced Hystaspes; both shared one feeling; theirsons had been as dead and were now alive. 

The king, Phanes, and all the Persian dignitaries watched the old menwith deep sympathy, and though the proofs of Bartja's innocence were asyet only founded on conjecture, not one of those present doubted it onemoment longer. Wherever the belief in a man's guilt is but slight, hisdefender finds willing listeners. 

CHAPTER VI. 

THE sharp-witted Athenian saw clearly how matters lay in this sad story;nor did it escape him that malice had had a hand in the affair. Howcould Bartja's dagger have come into the hanging-gardens except throughtreachery?

While he was telling the king his suspicions, Oropastes was led into thehall. 

The king looked angrily at him and without one preliminary word, asked:"Have you a brother?"

"Yes, my King. He and I are the only two left out of a family of six. My parents . . . "

"Is your brother younger or older than yourself?"

"I was the eldest of the family; my brother, the youngest, was the joy ofmy father's old age. "

"Did you ever notice a remarkable likeness between him and one of myrelations?"

"Yes, my King. Gaumata is so like your brother Bartja, that in theschool for priests at Rhagae, where he still is, he was always called"the prince. "

"Has he been at Babylon very lately?"

"He was here for the last time at the New Year's festival. "

"Are you speaking the truth?"

"The sin of lying would be doubly punishable in one who wears my robes, and holds my office. "

The king's face flushed with anger at this answer and he exclaimed:"Nevertheless you are lying; Gaumata was here yesterday evening. Youmay well tremble. "

"My life belongs to the king, whose are all things; nevertheless I swear--the high-priest-by the most high God, whom I have served faithfully forthirty years, that I know nothing of my brother's presence in Babylonyesterday. "

"Your face looks as if you were speaking the truth. "

"You know that I was not absent from your side the whole of that highholiday. "

"I know it. "

Again the doors opened; this time they admitted the trembling Mandane. The high-priest cast such a look of astonishment and enquiry on her, thatthe king saw she must be in some way connected with him, and therefore, taking no notice of the trembling girl who lay at his feet, he asked:"Do you know this woman?"

"Yes, my King. I obtained for her the situation of upper attendant tothe--may Auramazda forgive her!--King of Egypt's daughter. "

"What led you, --a priest, --to do a favor to this girl?"

"Her parents died of the same pestilence, which carried off my brothers. Her father was a priest, respected, and a friend of our family; so weadopted the little girl, remembering the words: 'If thou withhold helpfrom the man who is pure in heart and from his widow and orphans, thenshall the pure, subject earth cast thee out unto the stinging-nettles, to painful sufferings and to the most fearful regions!' Thus I becameher foster-father, and had her brought up with my youngest brother untilhe was obliged to enter the school for priests. "

The king exchanged a look of intelligence with Phanes, and asked: "Whydid not you keep the girl longer with you?"

"When she had received the ear-rings I, as priest, thought it moresuitable to send such a young girl away from my house, and to put her ina position to earn her own living. "

"Has she seen your brother since she has been grown up?"

"Yes, my King. Whenever Gaumata came to see me I allowed him to be withher as with a sister; but on discovering later that the passionate loveof youth had begun to mingle with the childish friendship of former days, I felt strengthened in my resolution to send her away. "

"Now we know enough, " said the king, commanding the high-priest by a nodto retire. He then looked down on the prostrate girl, and saidimperiously: "Rise!"

Mandane rose, trembling with fear. Her fresh young face was pale asdeath, and her red lips were blue from terror. 

"Tell all you know about yesterday evening; but remember, a lie and yourdeath are one and the same. "

The girl's knees trembled so violently that she could hardly stand, andher fear entirely took away the power of speaking. 

"I have not much patience, " exclaimed Cambyses. Mandane started, grewpaler still, but could not speak. Then Phanes came forward and asked theangry king to allow him to examine the girl, as he felt sure that fearalone had closed her lips and that a kind word would open them. 

Cambyses allowed this, and the Athenian's words proved true; no soonerhad he assured Mandane of the good-will of all present, laid his hand onher head and spoken kindly to her, than the source of her tears wasunlocked, she wept freely, the spell which had seemed to chain hertongue, vanished, and she began to tell her story, interrupted only bylow sobs. She hid nothing, confessed that Boges had given her hissanction and assistance to the meeting with Gaumata, and ended by saying:"I know that I have forfeited my life, and am the worst and mostungrateful creature in the world; but none of all this would havehappened, if Oropastes had allowed his brother to marry me. "

The serious audience, even the king himself, could not resist a smile atthe longing tone in which these words were spoken and the fresh burst ofsobs which succeeded them. 

And this smile saved her life. But Cambyses would not have smiled, afterhearing such a story, if Mandane, with that instinct which always seemsto stand at a woman's command in the hour of her greatest danger, had notknown how to seize his weak side, and use it for her own interests, bydwelling much longer than was necessary, on the delight which Nitetis hadmanifested at the king's gifts. 

"A thousand times" cried she, "did my mistress kiss the presents whichwere brought from you, O King; but oftenest of all did she press her lipsto the nosegay which you plucked with your own hands for her, some daysago. And when it began to fade, she took every flower separately, spreadout the petals with care, laid them between woollen cloths, and, with herown hands, placed her heavy, golden ointment-box upon them, that theymight dry and so she might keep them always as a remembrance of yourkindness. "

Seeing Cambyses' awful features grow a little milder at these words, thegirl took fresh courage, and at last began to put loving words into hermistress's mouth which the latter had never uttered; professing that sheherself had heard Nitetis a hundred times murmur the word "Cambyses" inher sleep with indescribable tenderness. She ended her confession bysobbing and praying for mercy. 

The king looked down at her with infinite contempt, though without anger, and pushing her away with his foot said: "Out of my sight, you dog of awoman! Blood like yours would soil the executioner's axe. Out of mysight!"

Mandane needed no second command to depart. The words "out of my sight"sounded like sweet music in her ears. She rushed through the courts ofthe palace, and out into the streets, crying like a mad woman "I am free!I am free!"

She, had scarcely left the hall, when Datis, the "king's eye" reappearedwith the news that the chief of the eunuchs was nowhere to be found. Hehad vanished from the hanging-gardens in an unaccountable manner; but he, Datis, had left word with his subordinates that he was to be searched forand brought, dead or alive. 

The king went off into another violent fit of passion at this news, andthreatened the officer of police, who prudently concealed the excitementof the crowd from his lord, with a severe punishment, if Boges were notin their hands by the next morning. 

As he finished speaking, a eunuch was brought into the hall, sent by theking's mother to ask an interview for herself with her son. 

Cambyses prepared at once to comply with his mother's wish, at the sametime giving Phanes his hand to kiss, a rare honor, only shown to thosethat ate at the king's table, and saying: "All the prisoners are to beset at liberty. Go to your sons, you anxious, troubled fathers, andassure them of my mercy and favor. I think we shall be able to find asatrapy a-piece for them, as compensation for to-night's undeservedimprisonment. To you, my Greek friend, I am deeply indebted. Indischarge of this debt, and as a means of retaining you at my court, I beg you to accept one hundred talents from my treasury. "

"I shall scarcely be able to use so large a sum, " said Phanes, bowinglow. 

"Then abuse it, " said the king with a friendly smile, and calling out tohim, "We shall meet again at supper, " he left the hall accompanied by hiscourt. 

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

In the meantime there had been sadness and mourning in the apartments ofthe queen-mother. Judging from the contents of the letter to Bartja, Kassandane had made up her mind that Nitetis was faithless, and her ownbeloved son innocent. But in whom could she ever place confidence again, now that this girl, whom she had looked upon as the very embodiment ofevery womanly virtue, had proved reprobate and faithless--now that thenoblest youths in the realm had proved perjurers?

Nitetis was more than dead for her; Bartja, Croesus, Darius, Gyges, Araspes, all so closely allied to her by relationship and friendship, asgood as dead. And yet she durst not indulge her sorrow; she had torestrain the despairing outbursts of grief of her impetuous child. 

Atossa behaved like one deprived of her senses when she heard of thesentences of death. The self-control which she had learnt from Nitetisgave way, and her old impetuosity burst forth again with doublevehemence. 

Nitetis, her only friend, --Bartja, the brother whom she loved with herwhole heart, --Darius, whom she felt now she not only looked up to as herdeliverer, but loved with all the warmth of a first affection--Croesus towhom she clung like a father, --she was to lose every one she loved in oneday. 

She tore her dress and her hair, called Cambyses a monster, and every onewho could possibly believe in the guilt of such people, infatuated orinsane. Then her tears would burst out afresh, she would utter imploringsupplications to the gods for mercy, and a few minutes later, beginconjuring her mother to take her to the hanging-gardens, that they mighthear Nitetis' defence of her own conduct. 

Kassandane tried to soothe the violent girl, and assured her everyattempt to visit the hanging-gardens would be in vain. Then Atossa beganto rage again, until at last her mother was forced to command silence, and as morning had already began to dawn, sent her to her sleeping-room. 

The girl obeyed, but instead of going to bed, seated herself at a tallwindow looking towards the hanging-gardens. Her eyes filled with tearsagain, as she thought of her friend--her sister-sitting in that palacealone, forsaken, banished, and looking forward to an ignominious death. Suddenly her tearful, weary eyes lighted up as if from some strongpurpose, and instead of gazing into the distance, she fixed them on ablack speck which flew towards her in a straight line from Nitetis'house, becoming larger and more distinct every moment; and finallysettling on a cypress before her window. The sorrow vanished at oncefrom her lovely face and with a deep sigh of relief she sprang up, exclaiming:

"Oh, there is the Homai, the bird of good fortune! Now everything willturn out well. "

It was the same bird of paradise which had brought so much comfort toNitetis that now gave poor Atossa fresh confidence. 

She bent forward to see whether any one was in the garden; and findingthat she would be seen by no one but the old gardener, she jumped out, trembling like a fawn, plucked a few roses and cypress twigs and tookthem to the old man, who had been watching her performances with adoubtful shake of the head. 

She stroked his cheeks coaxingly, put her flowers in his brown hand, andsaid: "Do you love me, Sabaces?"

"O, my mistress!" was the only answer the old man could utter, as hepressed the hem of her robe to his lips. 

"I believe you, my old friend, and I will show you how I trust myfaithful, old Sabaces. Hide these flowers carefully and go quickly tothe king's palace. Say that you had to bring fruit for the table. Mypoor brother Bartja, and Darius, the son of the noble Hystaspes, are inprison, near the guard-house of the Immortals. You must manage thatthese flowers reach them, with a warm greeting from me, but mind, themessage must be given with the flowers. "

"But the guards will not allow me to see the prisoners. "

"Take these rings, and slip them into their hands. "

"I will do my best. "

"I knew you loved me, my good Sabaces. Now make haste, and come backsoon. "

The old man went off as fast as he could. Atossa looked thoughtfullyafter him, murmuring to herself: "Now they will both know, that I lovedthem to the last. The rose means, 'I love you, ' and the evergreencypress, 'true and steadfast. '" The old man came back in an hour;bringing her Bartja's favorite ring, and from Darius an Indianhandkerchief dipped in blood. 

Atossa ran to meet him; her eyes filled with tears as she took thetokens, and seating herself under a spreading plane-tree, she pressedthem by turns to her lips, murmuring: "Bartja's ring means that he thinksof me; the blood-stained handkerchief that Darius is ready to shed hisheart's blood for me. "

Atossa smiled as she said this, and her tears, when she thought of herfriends and their sad fate, were quieter, if not less bitter, thanbefore. 

A few hours later a messenger arrived from Croesus with news that theinnocence of Bartja and his friends had been proved, and that Nitetiswas, to all intents and purposes, cleared also. 

Kassandane sent at once to the hanging-gardens, with a request thatNitetis would come to her apartments. Atossa, as unbridled in her joy asin her grief, ran to meet her friend's litter and flew from one of herattendants to the other crying: "They are all innocent; we shall not loseone of them--not one!"

When at last the litter appeared and her loved one, pale as death, withinit, she burst into loud sobs, threw her arms round Nitetis as shedescended, and covered her with kisses and caresses till she perceivedthat her friend's strength was failing, that her knees gave way, and sherequired a stronger support than Atossa's girlish strength could give. 

The Egyptian girl was carried insensible into the queen-mother'sapartments. When she opened her eyes, her head-more like a marble pieceof sculpture than a living head--was resting on the blind queen's lap, she felt Atossa's warm kisses on her forehead, and Cambyses, who hadobeyed his mother's call, was standing at her side. 

She gazed on this circle, including all she loved best, with anxious, perplexed looks, and at last, recognizing them one by one, passed herhand across her pale fore head as if to remove a veil, smiled at each, and closed her eyes once more. She fancied Isis had sent her a beautifulvision, and wished to hold it fast with all the powers of her mind. 

Then Atossa called her by her name, impetuously and lovingly. She openedher eyes again, and again she saw those loving looks that she fancied hadonly been sent her in a dream. Yes, that was her own Atossa--this hermotherly friend, and there stood, not the angry king, but the man sheloved. And now his lips opened too, his stern, severe eyes rested on herso beseechingly, and he said: "O Nitetis, awake! you must not--youcannot possibly be guilty!" She moved her head gently with a look ofcheerful denial and a happy smile stole across her features, like abreeze of early spring over fresh young roses. 

"She is innocent! by Mithras, it is impossible that she can be guilty, "cried the king again, and forgetful of the presence of others, he sank onhis knees. 

A Persian physician came up and rubbed her forehead with a sweet-scentedoil, and Nebenchari approached, muttering spells, felt her pulse, shookhis head, and administered a potion from his portable medicine-chest. This restored her to perfect consciousness; she raised herself withdifficulty into a sitting posture, returned the loving caresses of hertwo friends, and then turning to Cambyses, asked: "How could you believesuch a thing of me, my King?" There was no reproach in her tone, butdeep sadness, and Cambyses answered softly, "Forgive me. "

Kassandane's blind eyes expressed her gratitude for this self-renunciation on the part of her son, and she said: "My daughter, I needyour forgiveness too. "

"But I never once doubted you, " cried Atossa, proudly and joyfullykissing her friend's lips. 

"Your letter to Bartja shook my faith in your innocence, " addedKassandane. 

"And yet it was all so simple and natural, " answered Nitetis. "Here, mymother, take this letter from Egypt. Croesus will translate it for you. It will explain all. Perhaps I was imprudent. Ask your mother to tellyou what you would wish to know, my King. Pray do not scorn my poor, illsister. When an Egyptian girl once loves, she cannot forget. But I feelso frightened. The end must be near. The last hours have been so very, very terrible. That horrible man, Boges, read me the fearful sentence ofdeath, and it was that which forced the poison into my hand. Ah, myheart!"

And with these words she fell back into the arms of Kassandane. 

Nebenchari rushed forward, and gave her some more drops, exclaiming: "Ithought so! She has taken poison and her life cannot be saved, thoughthis antidote may possibly prolong it for a few days. " Cambyses stoodby, pale and rigid, following the physician's slightest movements, andAtossa bathed her friend's forehead with her tears. 

"Let some milk be brought, " cried Nebenchari, "and my large medicine-chest; and let attendants be called to carry her away, for quiet isnecessary, above all things. "

Atossa hastened into the adjoining room; and Cambyses said to thephysician, but without looking into his face: "Is there no hope?"

"The poison which she has taken results in certain death. "

On hearing this the king pushed Nebenchari away from the sick girl, exclaiming: "She shall live. It is my will. Here, eunuch! summon allthe physicians in Babylon--assemble the priests and Alobeds! She is notto die; do you hear? she must live, I am the king, and I command it. "

Nitetis opened her eyes as if endeavoring to obey her lord. Her face wasturned towards the window, and the bird of paradise with the gold chainon its foot, was still there, perched on the cypress-tree. Her eyes fellfirst on her lover, who had sunk down at her side and was pressing hisburning lips to her right hand. She murmured with a smile: "O, thisgreat happiness!" Then she saw the bird, and pointed to it with tierleft hand, crying: "Look, look, there is the Phoenix, the bird of Ra!"

After saying this she closed her eyes and was soon seized by a violentattack of fever. 

CHAPTER VII. 

Prexaspes, the king's messenger, and one of the highest officials atcourt, had brought Gaumata, Mandane's lover, whose likeness to Bartja wasreally most wonderful, to Babylon, sick and wounded as he was. He wasnow awaiting his sentence in a dungeon, while Boges, the man who had ledhim into crime, was nowhere to be found, notwithstanding all the effortsof the police. His escape had been rendered possible by the trap-door inthe hanging-gardens, and greatly assisted by the enormous crowdsassembled in the streets. 

Immense treasures were found in his house. Chests of gold and jewels, which his position had enabled him to obtain with great ease, wererestored to the royal treasury. Cambyses, however, would gladly havegiven ten times as much treasure to secure possession of the traitor. 

To Phaedime's despair the king ordered all the inhabitants of the harem, except his mother, Atossa and the dying Nitetis, to be removed to Susa, two days after the accused had been declared innocent. Several eunuchsof rank were deposed from their offices. The entire caste was to sufferfor the sins of him who had escaped punishment. 

Oropastes, who had already entered on his duties as regent of thekingdom, and had clearly proved his non-participation in the crime ofwhich his brother had been proved guilty, bestowed the vacant placesexclusively on the Magi. The demonstration made by the people in favorof Bartja did not come to the king's ears until the crowd had longdispersed. Still, occupied as he was, almost entirely, by his anxietyfor Nitetis, he caused exact information of this illegal manifestation tobe furnished him, and ordered the ringleaders to be severely punished. He fancied it was a proof that Bartja had been trying to gain favor withthe people, and Cambyses would perhaps have shown his displeasure by someopen act, if a better impulse had not told him that he, not Bartja, wasthe brother who stood in need of forgiveness. In spite of this, however, he could not get rid of the feeling that Bartja, had been, thoughinnocent, the cause of the sad events which had just happened, nor of hiswish to get him out of the way as far as might be; and he therefore gavea ready consent to his brother's wish to start at once for Naukratis. 

Bartja took a tender farewell of his mother and sister, and started twodays after his liberation. He was accompanied by Gyges, Zopyrus, and anumerous retinue charged with splendid presents from Cambyses for Sappho. Darius remained behind, kept back by his love for Atossa. The day toowas not far distant, when, by his father's wish, he was to marryArtystone, the daughter of Gobryas. 

Bartja parted from his friend with a heavy heart, advising him to be veryprudent with regard to Atossa. The secret had been confided toKassandane, and she had promised to take Darius' part with the king. 

If any one might venture to raise his eyes to the daughter of Cyrus, assuredly it was the son of Hystaspes; he was closely connected bymarriage with the royal family, belonged like Cambyses to the Pasargadae, and his family was a younger branch of the reigning dynasty. His fathercalled himself the highest noble in the realm, and as such, governed theprovince of Persia proper, the mother-country, to which this enormousworld-empire and its ruler owed their origin. Should the family of Cyrusbecome extinct, the descendants of Hystaspes would have a well-groundedright to the Persian throne. Darius therefore, apart from his personaladvantages, was a fitting claimant for Atossa's hand. And yet no onedared to ask the king's consent. In the gloomy state of mind into whichhe had been brought by the late events, it was likely that he mightrefuse it, and such an answer would have to be regarded as irrevocable. So Bartja was obliged to leave Persia in anxiety about the future ofthese two who were very dear to him. 

Croesus promised to act as mediator in this case also, and before Bartjaleft, made him acquainted with Phanes. 

The youth had heard such a pleasant account of the Athenian from Sappho, that he met him with great cordiality, and soon won the fancy of theolder and more experienced man, who gave him many a useful hint, and aletter to Theopompus, the Milesian, at Naukratis. Phanes concluded byasking for a private interview. 

Bartja returned to his friends looking grave and thoughtful; soon, however, he forgot his cause of anxiety and joked merrily with them overa farewell cup. Before he mounted his horse the next morning, Nebenchariasked to be allowed an audience. He was admitted, and begged Bartja totake the charge of a large written roll for king Amasis. It contained adetailed account of Nitetis' sufferings, ending with these words: "Thusthe unhappy victim of your ambitious plans will end her life in a fewhours by poison, to the use of which she was driven by despair. Thearbitrary caprices of the mighty can efface all happiness from the lifeof a human creature, just as we wipe a picture from the tablet with asponge. Your servant Nebenchari is pining in a foreign land, deprived ofhome and property, and the wretched daughter of a king of Egypt dies amiserable and lingering death by her own hand. Her body will be torn topieces by dogs and vultures, after the manner of the Persians. Woe untothem who rob the innocent of happiness here and of rest beyond thegrave!"

Bartja had not been told the contents of this letter, but promised totake it with him; he then, amid the joyful shouts of the people, set upoutside the city-gate the stones which, according to a Persiansuperstition, were to secure him a prosperous journey, and left Babylon. 

Nebenchari, meanwhile, prepared to return to his post by Nitetis' dying-bed. 

Just as he reached the brazen gates between the harem-gardens and thecourts of the large palace, an old man in white robes came up to him. The sight seemed to fill Nebenchari with terror; he started as if thegaunt old man had been a ghost. Seeing, however, a friendly and familiarsmile on the face of the other, he quickened his steps, and, holding outhis hand with a heartiness for which none of his Persian acquaintanceswould have given him credit, exclaimed in Egyptian: "Can I believe myeyes? You in Persia, old Hib? I should as soon have expected the sky tofall as to have the pleasure of seeing you on the Euphrates. But now, inthe name of Osiris, tell me what can have induced you, you old ibis, toleave your warm nest on the Nile and set out on such a long journeyeastward. "

While Nebenchari was speaking, the old man listened in a bowing posture, with his arms hanging down by his side, and when he had finished, lookedup into his face with indescribable joy, touched his breast withtrembling fingers, and then, falling on the right knee, laying one handon his heart and raising the other to heaven, cried: "Thanks be untothee, great Isis, for protecting the wanderer and permitting him to seehis master once more in health and safety. Ah, child, how anxious I havebeen! I expected to find you as wasted and thin as a convict from thequarries; I thought you would have been grieving and unhappy, and hereyou are as well, and handsome and portly as ever. If poor old Hib hadbeen in your place he would have been dead long ago. "

"Yes, I don't doubt that, old fellow. I did not leave home of my ownwill either, nor without many a heartache. These foreigners are all thechildren of Seth. The good and gracious gods are only to be found inEgypt on the shores of the sacred, blessed Nile. "

"I don't know much about its being so blessed, " muttered the old man. 

"You frighten me, father Hib. What has happened then?"

"Happened! Things have come to a pretty pass there, and you'll hear ofit soon enough. Do you think I should have left house and grandchildrenat my age, --going on for eighty, --like any Greek or Phoenician vagabond, and come out among these godless foreigners (the gods blast and destroythem!), if I could possibly have staid on in Egypt?"

"But tell me what it's all about. "

"Some other time, some other time. Now you must take me to your ownhouse, and I won't stir out of it as long as we are in this land ofTyphon. "

The old man said this with so much emphasis, that Nebenchiari could nothelp smiling and saying: "Have they treated you so very badly then, oldman?"

"Pestilence and Khamsin!" blustered the old man. 

 [The south-west wind, which does so much injury to the crops in the Nile valley. It is known to us as the Simoom, the wind so perilous to travellers in the desert. ]

"There's not a more good-for-nothing Typhon's brood on the face of theearth than these Persians. I only wonder they're not all red-haired andleprous. Ah, child, two whole days I have been in this hell already, andall that time I was obliged to live among these blasphemers. They saidno one could see you; you were never allowed to leave Nitetis' sick-bed. Poor child! I always said this marriage with a foreigner would come tono good, and it serves Amasis right if his children give him trouble. His conduct to you alone deserves that. "

"For shame, old man!"

"Nonsense, one must speak one's mind sometimes. I hate a king, who comesfrom nobody knows where. Why, when he was a poor boy he used to stealyour father's nuts, and wrench the name-plates off the house-doors. Isaw he was a good-for-nothing fellow then. It's a shame that such peopleshould be allowed to. . . "

"Gently, gently, old man. We are not all made of the same stuff, and ifthere was such a little difference between you and Amasis as boys, it, isyour own fault that, now you are old men, he has outstripped you so far. 

"My father and grandfather were both servants in the temple, and ofcourse I followed in their footsteps. "

"Quite right; it is the law of caste, and by that rule, Amasis oughtnever to have become anything higher than a poor army-captain at most. "

"It is not every one who's got such an easy conscience as this upstartfellow. "

"There you are again! For shame, Hib! As long as I can remember, andthat is nearly half a century, every other word with you has been anabusive one. When I was a child your ill-temper was vented on me, andnow the king has the benefit of it. "

"Serves him right! All, if you only knew all! It's now seven monthssince . . . "

"I can't stop to listen to you now. At the rising of the seven stars Iwill send a slave to take you to my rooms. Till then you must stay inyour present lodging, for I must go to my patient. "

"You must?--Very well, --then go and leave poor old Hib here to die. I can't possibly live another hour among these creatures. "

"What would you have me do then?"

"Let me live with you as long as we are in Persia. "

"Have they treated you so very roughly?"

"I should think they had indeed. It is loathsome to think of. Theyforced me to eat out of the same pot with them and cut my bread with thesame knife. An infamous Persian, who had lived many years in Egypt, andtravelled here with us, had given them a list of all the things andactions, which we consider unclean. They took away my knife when I wasgoing to shave myself. A good-for-nothing wench kissed me on theforehead, before I could prevent it. There, you needn't laugh; it willbe a month at least before I can get purified from all these pollutions. I took an emetic, and when that at last began to take effect, they allmocked and sneered at me. But that was not all. A cursed cook-boynearly beat a sacred kitten to death before my very eyes. Then anointment-mixer, who had heard that I was your servant, made that godlessBubares ask me whether I could cure diseases of the eye too. I said yes, because you know in sixty years it's rather hard if one can't pick upsomething from one's master. Bubares was interpreter between us, and theshameful fellow told him to say that he was very much disturbed about adreadful disease in his eyes. I asked what it was, and received foranswer that he could not tell one thing from another in the dark!"

"You should have told him that the best remedy for that was to light acandle. "

"Oh, I hate the rascals! Another hour among them will be the death ofme!"

"I am sure you behaved oddly enough among these foreigners, " saidNebenchiari smiling, "you must have made them laugh at you, for thePersians are generally very polite, well-behaved people. Try them again, only once. I shall be very glad to take you in this evening, but I can'tpossibly do it before. "

"It is as I thought! He's altered too, like everybody else! Osiris isdead and Seth rules the world again. "

"Farewell! When the seven stars rise, our old Ethiopian slave, Nebununf, will wait for you here. "

"Nebununf, that old rogue? I never want to see him again. "

"Yes, the very same. "

"Him--well it's a good thing, when people stay as they were. To be sureI know some people who can't say so much of themselves, and who insteadof minding their own business, pretend to heal inward diseases, and whena faithful old servant . . . "

"Hold your tongue, and wait patiently till evening. " These last wordswere spoken seriously, and produced the desired impression. The old manmade another obeisance, and before his master left him, said: "I camehere under the protection of Phanes, the former commander of the Greekmercenaries. He wishes very much to speak with you. "

"That is his concern. He can come to me. "

"You never leave that sick girl, whose eyes are as sound as . . . "

"Hib!"

"For all I care she may have a cataract in both. May Phanes come to youthis evening?"

"I wished to be alone with you. "

"So did I; but the Greek seems to be in a great hurry, and he knowsnearly everything that I have to tell you. "

"Have you been gossiping then?"

"No--not exactly--but . . . "

"I always thought you were a man to be trusted. "

"So I was. But this Greek knows already a great deal of what I know, andthe rest . . . "

"Well?"

"The rest he got out of me, I hardly know how myself. If I did not wearthis amulet against an evil eye, I should have been obliged . . . "

"Yes, yes, I know the Athenian--I can forgive you. I should like him tocome with you this evening. But I see the sun is already high in theheavens. I have no time to lose. Tell me in a few words what hashappened. "

"I thought this evening . . . "

"No, I must have at least a general idea of what has happened before Isee the Athenian. Be brief. "

"You have been robbed!"

"Is that all?"

"Is not that enough?"

"Answer me. Is that all?"

"Yes!"

"Then farewell. "

"But Nebenchari!"

The physician did not even hear this exclamation; the gates of the haremhad already closed behind him. 

When the Pleiades had risen, Nebenchari was to be found seated alone inone of the magnificent rooms assigned to his use on the eastern side ofthe palace, near to Kassandane's apartments. The friendly manner inwhich he had welcomed his old servant had given place to the seriousexpression which his face usually wore, and which had led the cheerfulPersians to call him a morose and gloomy man. 

Nebenchari was an Egyptian priest through and through; a member of thatcaste which never indulged in a jest, and never for a moment forgot to bedignified and solemn before the public; but when among their relationsand their colleagues completely threw off this self-imposed restraint, and gave way at times even to exuberant mirth. 

Though he had known Phanes in Sais, he received him with cold politeness, and, after the first greeting was ended, told Hib to leave them alone. 

"I have come to you, " said the Athenian, "to speak about some veryimportant affairs. "

"With which I am already acquainted, " was the Egyptian's curt reply. 

"I am inclined to doubt that, " said Phanes with an incredulous smile. 

"You have been driven out of Egypt, persecuted and insulted by Psamtik, and you have come to Persia to enlist Cambyses as an instrument ofrevenge against my country. "

"You are mistaken. I have nothing against your country, but all the moreagainst Amasis and his house. In Egypt the state and the king are one, as you very well know. "

"On the contrary, my own observations have led me to think that thepriests considered themselves one with the state. "

"In that case you are better informed than I, who have always looked onthe kings of Egypt as absolute. So they are; but only in proportion asthey know how to emancipate themselves from the influence of your caste. --Amasis himself submits to the priests now. "

"Strange intelligence!"

"With which, however, you have already long been made acquainted. "

"Is that your opinion?"

"Certainly it is. And I know with still greater certainty that once--youhear me--once, he succeeded in bending the will of these rulers of his tohis own. "

"I very seldom hear news from home, and do not understand what you arespeaking of. "

"There I believe you, for if you knew what I meant and could stand therequietly without clenching your fist, you would be no better than a dogwho only whimpers when he's kicked and licks the hand that torments him. "

The physician turned pale. "I know that Amasis has injured and insultedme, " he said, "but at the same time I must tell you that revenge is fartoo sweet a morsel to be shared with a stranger. "

"Well said! As to my own revenge, however, I can only compare it to avineyard where the grapes are so plentiful, that I am not able to gatherthem all myself. "

"And you have come hither to hire good laborers. "

"Quite right, and I do not even yet give up the hope of securing you totake a share in my vintage. "

"You are mistaken. My work is already done. The gods themselves havetaken it in hand. Amasis has been severely enough punished for banishingme from country, friends and pupils into this unclean land. "

"You mean by his blindness perhaps?"

"Possibly. "

"Then you have not heard that Petammon, one of your colleagues, hassucceeded in cutting the skin, which covered the pupil of the eye and sorestoring Amasis' sight?"

The Egyptian started and ground his teeth; recovered his presence ofmind, however, in a moment, and answered: "Then the gods have punishedthe father through the children. "

"In what way? Psamtik suits his father's present mood very well. It istrue that Tachot is ill, but she prays and sacrifices with her father allthe more for that; and as to Nitetis, you and I both know that her deathwill not touch him very closely. "

"I really do not understand you. "

"Of course not, so long as you fancy that I believe your beautifulpatient to be Amasis' daughter. "

The Egyptian started again, but Phanes went on without appearing tonotice his emotion: "I know more than you suppose. Nitetis is thedaughter of Hophra, Amasis' dethroned predecessor. Amasis brought herup as his own child-first, in order to make the Egyptians believe thatHophra had died childless; secondly, in order to deprive her of herrights to the throne; for you know women are allowed to govern on theNile. "

"These are mere suppositions. "

"For which, however, I can bring irrefragable proofs. Among the paperswhich your old servant Hib brought with him in a small box, there must besome letters from a certain Sonnophre, a celebrated accoucheur, your ownfather, which . . . "

 [To judge from the pictures on the monuments and from the 1st Chap. Of Exodus, it would seem that in ancient, as in modern Egypt, midwives were usually called in to assist at the birth of children; but it is also certain, that in difficult cases physicians were employed also. In the hieratic medical papyrus in Berlin, women are often spoken of as assisting at such times. In the medical Papyrus Ebers certain portions are devoted to diseases peculiar to women. "There were special rooms set aside in private houses for the birth of children, as symbolical ones were reserved in the temples. These chambers were called meschen, and from them was derived the name given to midwives, to meschennu. ]

"If that be the case, those letters are my property, and I have not theslightest intention of giving them up; besides which you might searchPersia from one end to the other without finding any one who coulddecipher my father's writing. "

"Pardon me, if I point out one or two errors into which you have fallen. First, this box is at present in my hands, and though I am generallyaccustomed to respect the rights of property, I must assure you that, inthe present instance, I shall not return the box until its contents haveserved my purpose. Secondly, the gods have so ordained, that just atthis moment there is a man in Babylon who can read every kind of writingknown to the Egyptian priests. Do you perhaps happen to know the name ofOnuphis?"

For the third time the Egyptian turned pale. "Are you certain, " he said, "that this man is still among the living?"

"I spoke to him myself yesterday. He was formerly, you know, high-priestat Heliopolis, and was initiated into all your mysteries there. My wisecountryman, Pythagoras of Samos, came to Egypt, and after submitting tosome of your ceremonies, was allowed to attend the lessons given in theschools for priests. His remarkable talents won the love of the greatOnuphis and he taught him all the Egyptian mysteries, which Pythagorasafterwards turned to account for the benefit of mankind. My delightfulfriend Rhodopis and I are proud of having been his pupils. When the restof your caste heard that Onuphis had betrayed the sacred mysteries, theecclesiastical judges determined on his death. This was to be caused bya poison extracted from peach-kernels. The condemned man, however, heardof their machinations, and fled to Naukratis, where he found a safeasylum in the house of Rhodopis, whom he had heard highly praised byPythagoras, and whose dwelling was rendered inviolable by the king'sletter. Here he met Antimenidas the brother of the poet Alcarus ofLesbos, who, having been banished by Pittakus, the wise ruler ofMitylene, had gone to Babylon, and there taken service in the army ofNebuchadnezzar, the King of Assyria. Antimenidas gave him letters to theChaldians. Onuphis travelled to the Euphrates, settled there, and wasobliged to seek for some means of earning his daily bread, as he had leftEgypt a poor man. He is now supporting himself in his old age, by theassistance which his superior knowledge enables him to render theChaldoeans in their astronomical observations from the tower of Bel. Onuphis is nearly eighty, but his mind is as clear as ever, and when Isaw him yesterday and asked him to help me, his eyes brightened as hepromised to do so. Your father was one of his judges, but he bears youno malice and sends you a greeting. "

Nebenchari's eyes were fixed thoughtfully on the ground during this tale. When Phanes had finished, he gave him a penetrating look and said: "Whereare my papers?"

They are in Onuphis' hands. He is looking among them for the document Iwant. "

"I expected to hear that. Be so good as to tell me what the box is like, which Hib thought proper to bring over to Persia?"

"It is a small ebony trunk, with an exquisitely-carved lid. In thecentre is a winged beetle, and on the four corners . . . "

"That contains nothing but a few of my father's notices and memorandums, "said Nebenchari, drawing a deep breath of relief. 

"They will very likely be sufficient for my purpose. I do not knowwhether you have heard, that I stand as high as possible in Cambyses'favor. "

"So much the better for you. I can assure you, however, that the paper. Which would have been most useful to you have all been left behind inEgypt. "

"They were in a large chest made of sycamore-wood and painted in colors. "

"How do you know that?"

"Because--now listen well to what I am going to say, Nebenchari--becauseI can tell you (I do not swear, for our great master Pythagoras forbadeoaths), that this very chest, with all it contained, was burnt in thegrove of the temple of Neith, in Sais, by order of the king "

Phanes spoke slowly, emphasizing every syllable, and the words seemed tostrike the Egyptian like so many flashes of lightning. His quietcoolness and deliberation gave way to violent emotion; his cheeks glowedand his eyes flashed. But only for one single minute; then the strongemotion seemed to freeze, his burning cheeks grew pale. "You are tryingto make me hate my friends, in order to gain me as your ally, " he said, coldly and calmly. "I know you Greeks very well. You are so intriguingand artful, that there is no lie, no fraud, too base, if it will onlyhelp to gain your purpose. "

"You judge me and my countrymen in true Egyptian fashion; that is, theyare foreigners, and therefore must be bad men. But this time yoursuspicions happen to be misplaced. Send for old Hib; he will tell youwhether I am right or not. "

Nebenchari's face darkened, as Hib came into the room. 

"Come nearer, " said he in a commanding tone to the old man. 

Hib obeyed with a shrug of the shoulders. 

"Tell me, have you taken a bribe from this man? Yes or no? I must knowthe truth; it can influence my future for good or evil. You are an oldand faithful servant, to whom I owe a great deal, and so I will forgiveyou if you were taken in by his artifices, but I must know the truth. I conjure you to tell me by the souls of your fathers gone to Osiris!"

The old man's sallow face turned ashy pale as he heard these words. Hegulped and wheezed some time before he could find an answer, and at last, after choking down the tears which had forced their way to his eyes, said, in a half-angry, half-whining tone: "Didn't I say so? they'vebewitched him, they've ruined him in this wicked land. Whatever a manwould do himself, he thinks others are capable of. Aye, you may look asangry as you like; it matters but little to me. What can it matterindeed to an old man, who has served the same family faithfully andhonestly for sixty years, if they call him at last a rogue, a knave, atraitor, nay even a murderer, if it should take their fancy. "

And the scalding tears flowed down over the old man's cheeks, sorelyagainst his will. 

The easily-moved Phanes clapped him on the shoulder and said, turning toNebenchari: "Hib is a faithful fellow. I give you leave to call me arascal, if he has taken one single obolus from me. "

The physician did not need Phanes' assurance; he had known his oldservant too well and too long not to be able to read his simple, openfeatures, on which his innocence was written as clearly as in the pagesof an open book. "I did not mean to reproach you, old Hib, " he saidkindly, coming up to him. "How can any one be so angry at a simplequestion?"

"Perhaps you expect me to be pleased at such a shameful suspicion?"

"No, not that; but at all events now you can tell me what has happened atour house since I left. "

"A pretty story that is! Why only to think of it makes my mouth asbitter, as if I were chewing wormwood. "

"You said I had been robbed. "

"Yes indeed: no one was ever so robbed before. There would have beensome comfort if the knaves had belonged to the thieves' caste, for thenwe should have got the best part of our property back again, and shouldnot after all have been worse off than many another; but when . . . "

 [The cunning son of the architect, who robbed the treasure-house of Rhampsinitus was, according to Herodotus, (II. 120), severely punished; but in Diod. I. 80. We see that when thieves acknowledged themselves to the authorities to be such, they were not punished, though a strict watch was set over them. According to Diodorus, there was a president of the thieves' caste, from whom the stolen goods could be reclaimed on relinquishment of a fourth part of the same. This strange rule possibly owed its rise to the law, which compelled every Egyptian to appear once in each year before the authorities of his district and give an account of his means of subsistence. Those who made false statements were punished with death. Diod. I. 77. Thus no one who valued his life could escape the watchful eye of the police, and the thief sacrificed the best part of his gains in order to save his life. ]

"Keep to the point, for my time is limited. "

"You need not tell me that; I see old Hib can't do anything right here inPersia. Well, be it so, you're master; you must give orders; I am onlythe servant, I must obey. I won't forget it. Well, as I was saying, itwas just at the time when the great Persian embassy came over to Sais tofetch Nitetis, and made everybody stare at them as if they were monstersor prodigies, that this shameful thing happened. I was sitting on themosquito-tower just as the sun was setting, playing with my littlegrandson, my Baner's eldest boy--he's a fine strapping little lad now, wonderfully sharp and strong for his age. The rogue was just telling mehow his father, the Egyptians do that when their wives leave the childrentoo much alone--had hidden his mother's shoes, and I was laughingheartily, because my Baner won't let any of the little ones live with me, she always says I spoil them, and so I was glad she should have the trickplayed her--when all of a sudden there was such a loud knocking at thehouse-door, that I thought there must be a fire and let the child dropoff my lap. Down the stairs I ran, three steps at a time, as fast as mylong legs would carry me, and unbarred the door. Before I had time toask them what they wanted, a whole crowd of temple-servants andpolicemen--there must have been at least fifteen of them--forced theirway into the house. Pichi, --you know, that impudent fellow from thetemple of Neith, --pushed me back, barred the door inside and told thepolice to put me in fetters if I refused to obey him. Of course I gotangry and did not use very civil words to them--you know that's my waywhen I'm put out--and what does that bit of a fellow do--by our godThoth, the protector of knowledge who must know all, I'm speaking thetruth--but order them to bind my hands, forbid me--me, old Hib--to speak, and then tell me that he had been told by the high-priest to order mefive-and-twenty strokes, if I refused to do his bidding. He showed methe high-priest's ring, and so I knew there was nothing for it but toobey the villain, whether I would or no. And what was his modest demand?Why, nothing less than to give him all the written papers you had leftbehind. But old Hib is not quite so stupid as to let himself be caughtin that way, though some people, who ought to know better, do fancy hecan be bribed and is no better than the son of an ass. What did I dothen? I pretended to be quite crushed into submission by the sight ofthe signet-ring, begged Pichi as politely as I could to unfasten myhands, and told him I would fetch the keys. They loosened the cords, Iflew up the stairs five steps at a time, burst open the door of yoursleeping-room, pushed my little grandson, who was standing by it, intothe room and barred it within. Thanks to my long legs, the others wereso far behind that I had time to get hold of the black box which you hadtold me to take so much care of, put it into the child's arms, lift himthrough the window on to the balcony which runs round the house towardsthe inner court, and tell him to put it at once into the pigeon-house. Then I opened the door as if nothing had happened, told Pichi the childhad had a knife in his mouth, and that that was the reason I had runupstairs in such a hurry, and had put him out on the balcony to punishhim. That brother of a hippopotamus was easily taken in, and then hemade me show him over the house. First they found the great sycamore-chest which you had told me to take great care of too, then the papyrus-rolls on your writing-table, and so by degrees every written paper in thehouse. They made no distinction, but put all together into the greatchest and carried it downstairs; the little black box, however, lay safeenough in the pigeon-house. My grandchild is the sharpest boy in allSais!

"When I saw them really carrying the chest downstairs, all the anger I'dbeen trying so hard to keep down burst out again. I told the impudentfellows I would accuse them before the magistrates, nay, even before theking if necessary, and if those confounded Persians, who were having thecity shown them, had not come up just then and made everybody stare atthem, I could have roused the crowd to take my side. The same evening Iwent to my son-in-law-he is employed in the temple of Neith too, youknow, --and begged him to make every effort to find out what had become ofthe papers. The good fellow has never forgotten the handsome dowry yougave my Baner when he married her, and in three days he came and told mehe had seen your beautiful chest and all the rolls it contained burnt toashes. I was so angry that I fell ill of the jaundice, but that did nothinder me from sending in a written accusation to the magistrates. Thewretches, --I suppose only because they were priests too, --refused to takeany notice of me or my complaint. Then I sent in a petition to the king, and was turned away there too with the shameful threat, that I should beconsidered guilty of high treason if I mentioned the papers again. Ivalued my tongue too much to take any further steps, but the ground burntunder my feet; I could not stay in Egypt, I wanted to see you, tell youwhat they had done to you, and call on you, who are more powerful thanyour poor servant, to revenge yourself. And besides, I wanted to see theblack box safe in your hands, lest they should take that from me too. And so, old man as I am, with a sad heart I left my home and mygrandchildren to go forth into this foreign Typhon's land. Ah, thelittle lad was too sharp! As I was kissing him, he said: 'Stay with us, grandfather. If the foreigners make you unclean, they won't let me kissyou any more. ' Baner sends you a hearty greeting, and my son-in-law toldme to say he had found out that Psamtik, the crown-prince, and yourrival, Petammon, had been the sole causes of this execrable deed. Icould not make up my mind to trust myself on that Typhon's sea, so Itravelled with an Arabian trading caravan as far as Tadmor, --[Palmyra]--the Phoenician palm-tree station in the wilderness, " and then on toCarchemish, on the Euphrates, with merchants from Sidon. The roads fromSardis and from Phoenicia meet there, and, as I was sitting very weary inthe little wood before the station, a traveller arrived with the royalpost-horses, and I saw at once that it was the former commander of theGreek mercenaries. "

"And I, " interrupted Phanes, "recognized just as soon in you, the longestand most quarrelsome old fellow that had ever come across my path. Oh, how often I've laughed to see you scolding the children, as they ranafter you in the street whenever you appeared behind your master with themedicine-chest. The minute I saw you too I remembered a joke which theking once made in his own way, as you were both passing by. 'The oldman, ' he said, reminds me of a fierce old owl followed by a flight ofsmall teazing birds, and Nebenchari looks as if he had a scolding wife, who will some day or other reward him for healing other people's eyes byscratching out his own!'"

"Shameful!" said the old man, and burst into a flood of execrations. 

Nebenchari had been listening to his servant's tale in silence andthought. He had changed color from time to time and on hearing that thepapers which had cost him so many nights of hard work had been burnt, hisfists clenched and he shivered as if seized by biting frost. Not one ofhis movements escaped the Athenian. He understood human nature; he knewthat a jest is often much harder to bear than a grave affront, andtherefore seized this opportunity to repeat the inconsiderate joke whichAmasis had, it is true, allowed himself to make in one of his merrymoods. Phanes had calculated rightly, and had the pleasure of seeing, that as he uttered the last words Nebenchari pressed his hand on a rosewhich lay on the table before him, and crushed it to pieces. The Greeksuppressed a smile of satisfaction, and did not even raise his eyes fromthe ground, but continued speaking: "Well, now we must bring thetravelling adventures of good old Hib to a close. I invited him to sharemy carriage. At first he refused to sit on the same cushion with such agodless foreigner, as I am, gave in, however, at last, had a goodopportunity at the last station of showing the world how many cleverprocesses of manipulation he had learnt from you and your father, in histreatment of Oropastes' wounded brother; he reached Babylon at last safeand sound, and there, as we could not get sight of you, owing to themelancholy poisoning of your country-woman, I succeeded in obtaining hima lodging in the royal palace itself. The rest you knew already. "

Nebenchari bowed assent and gave Hib a sign to leave the room, which theold man obeyed, grumbling and scolding in a low tone as he departed. When the door had closed on him, Nebenchari, the man whose calling was toheal, drew nearer to the soldier Phanes, and said: "I am afraid wecannot be allies after all, Greek. "

"Why not?"

"Because I fear, that your revenge will prove far too mild when comparedwith that which I feel bound to inflict. "

"On that head there is no need for solicitude, " answered the Athenian. "May I call you my ally then?"

"Yes, " answered the other; "but only on one condition. "

"And that is--?"

"That you will procure me an opportunity of seeing our vengeance with myown eyes. "

"That is as much as to say you are willing to accompany Cambyses' army toEgypt?"

"Certainly I am; and when I see my enemies pining in disgrace and miseryI will cry unto them, 'Ah ha, ye cowards, the poor despised and exiledphysician, Nebenchari, has brought this wretchedness upon you!' Oh, mybooks, my books! They made up to me for my lost wife and child. Hundreds were to have learnt from them how to deliver the blind from thedark night in which he lives, and to preserve to the seeing the sweetestgift of the gods, the greatest beauty of the human countenance, thereceptacle of light, the seeing eye. Now that my books are burnt I havelived in vain; the wretches have burnt me in burning my works. O mybooks, my books!" And he sobbed aloud in his agony. Phanes came up andtook his band, saying: "The Egyptians have struck you, my friend, but methey have maltreated and abused--thieves have broken into your granaries, but my hearth and home have been burnt to ashes by incendiaries. Do youknow, man, what I have had to suffer at their hands? In persecuting me, and driving me out of Egypt, they only did what they had a right to do;by their law I was a condemned man; and I could have forgiven all theydid to me personally, for I loved Amasis, as a man loves his friend. Thewretch knew that, and yet he suffered them to commit a monstrous, anincredible act--an act that a man's brain refuses to take in. They stolelike wolves by night into a helpless woman's house--they seized mychildren, a girl and boy, the pride, the joy and comfort of my homeless, wandering life. And how think you, did they treat them? The girl theykept in confinement, on the pretext that by so doing they should preventme from betraying Egypt to Cambyses. But the boy--my beautiful, gentleboy--my only son--has been murdered by Psamtik's orders, and possiblywith the knowledge of Amasis. My heart was withered and shrunk withexile and sorrow, but I feel that it expands--it beats more joyfully nowthat there is a hope of vengeance. "

Nebenchari's sullen but burning glance met the flashing eye of theAthenian as he finished his tale; he gave him his hand and said: "We areallies. "

The Greek clasped the offered hand and answered: "Our first point now isto make sure of the king's favor. "

"I will restore Kassandane's sight. "

"Is that in your power?"

"The operation which removed Amasis' blindness was my own discovery. Petammon stole it from my burnt papers. "

"Why did you not exert your skill earlier?"

"Because I am not accustomed to bestow presents on my enemies. "

Phanes shuddered slightly at these words, recovered himself, however, ina moment, and said: "And I am certain of the king's favor too. TheMassagetan envoys have gone home to-day; peace has been granted themand. . . "

While he was speaking the door was burst open and one of Kassandane'seunuchs rushed into the room crying: "The Princess Nitetis is dying!Follow me at once, there is not a moment to lose. "

The physician made a parting sign to his confederate, and followed theeunuch to the dying-bed of the royal bride. 

ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:

Blessings go as quickly as they comeHast thou a wounded heart? touch it seldomNothing is perfectly certain in this worldOnly two remedies for heart-sickness:--hope and patienceRemember, a lie and your death are one and the sameScarcely be able to use so large a sum--Then abuse itWhatever a man would do himself, he thinks others are capable ofWhen love has once taken firm hold of a man in riper years