are flashing darkly again as I like to see them, my queen. And so
Cambyses shall see you when the tender flesh of the Egyptian shall have
become food for dogs and the birds of the air, and when for the first
time after long months of absence, I bring him once more to the door of
your apartments. Here, Armorges! tell the rest of the women to get ready
and enter their litters. I will go on and be there to show them their
places."

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

The great banqueting-hall was bright as day--even brighter, from the
light of thousands of candles whose rays were reflected in the gold
plates forming the panelling of the walls. A table of interminable length
stood in the middle of the hall, overloaded with gold and silver cups,
plates, dishes, bowls, jugs, goblets, ornaments and incense-altars, and
looked like a splendid scene from fairy-land.

"The king will soon be here," called out the head-steward of the table,
of the great court-lords, to the king's cup-bearer, who was a member of
the royal family. "Are all the wine-jugs full, has the wine been tasted,
are the goblets ranged in order, and the skins sent by Polykrates, have
they been emptied?"

"Yes," answered the cup-bearer, "everything is ready, and that Chian wine
is better than any I ever tasted; indeed, in my opinion, even the Syrian
is not to be compared to it. Only taste it."

So saying he took a graceful little golden goblet from the table in one
hand, raised a wine-pitcher of the same costly metal with the other,
swung the latter high into the air and poured the wine so cleverly into
the narrow neck of the little vessel that not a drop was lost, though the
liquid formed a wide curve in its descent. He then presented the goblet
to the head-steward with the tips of his fingers, bowing gracefully as he
did so.

The latter sipped the delicious wine, testing its flavor with great
deliberation, and said, on returning the cup: "I agree with you, it is
indeed a noble wine, and tastes twice as well when presented with such
inimitable grace. Strangers are quite right in saying that there are no
cupbearers like the Persian."

"Thanks for this praise," replied the other, kissing his friend's
forehead. "Yes, I am proud of my office, and it is one which the king
only gives to his friends. Still it is a great plague to have to stay so
long in this hot, suffocating Babylon. Shall we ever be off for the
summer, to Ecbatana or Pasargada?"

"I was talking to the king about it to-day. He had intended not to leave
before the Massagetan war, and to go straight from Babylon into the
field, but to-day's embassy has changed matters; it is probable that
there may be no war, and then we shall go to Susa three days after the
king's marriage--that is, in one week from the present time."

"To Susa?" cried the cup-bearer. "It's very little cooler there than
here, and besides, the old Memnon's castle is being rebuilt."

"The satrap of Susa has just brought word that the new palace is
finished, and that nothing so brilliant has ever been seen. Directly
Cambyses heard, it he said: Then we will start for Susa three days after
our marriage. I should like to show the Egyptian Princess that we
understand the art of building as well as her own ancestors. She is
accustomed to hot weather on the Nile, and will not find our beautiful
Susa too warm.' The king seems wonderfully fond of this woman."

"He does indeed! All other women have become perfectly indifferent to
him, and he means soon to make her his queen."

"That is unjust; Phaedime, as daughter of the Achaemenidae, has an older
and better right."

"No doubt, but whatever the king wishes, must be right."

"The ruler's will is the will of God."

"Well said! A true Persian will kiss his king's hand, even when dripping
with the blood of his own child."

"Cambyses ordered my brother's execution, but I bear him no more ill-will
for it than I should the gods for depriving me of my parents. Here, you
fellows! draw the curtains back; the guests are coming. Look sharp, you
dogs, and do your duty! Farewell, Artabazos, we shall have warm work
to-night."



ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:

Death is so long and life so short
No man was allowed to ask anything of the gods for himself
Take heed lest pride degenerate into vainglory




AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS.

By Georg Ebers

Volume 6.




CHAPTER I.

The principal steward of the banquet went forward to meet the guests as
they entered, and, assisted by other noble staff-bearers (chamberlains
and masters of the ceremonies), led them to their appointed places.

When they were all seated, a flourish of trumpets announced that the king
was near. As he entered the hall every one rose, and the multitude
received him with a thundering shout of "Victory to the king!" again and
again repeated.

The way to his seat was marked by a purple Sardian carpet, only to be
trodden by himself and Kassandane. His blind mother, led by Croesus, went
first and took her seat at the head of the table, on a throne somewhat
higher than the golden chair for Cambyses, which stood by it. The king's
lawful wives sat on his left hand; Nitetis next to him, then Atossa, and
by her side the pale, plainly-dressed Phaedime; next to this last wife of
Cambyses sat Boges, the eunuch. Then came the high-priest Oropastes, some
of the principal Magi, the satraps of various provinces (among them the
Jew Belteshazzar), and a number of Persians, Medes and eunuchs, all
holding high offices under the crown.

Bartja sat at the king's right hand, and after him Croesus, Hystaspes,
Gobryas, Araspes, and others of the Achaemenidae, according to their rank
and age. Of the concubines, the greater number sat at the foot of the
table; some stood opposite to Cambyses, and enlivened the banquet by
songs and music. A number of eunuchs stood behind them, whose duty it was
to see that they did not raise their eyes towards the men.

Cambyses' first glance was bestowed on Nitetis; she sat by him in all the
splendor and dignity of a queen, but looking very, very pale in her new
purple robes.

Their eyes met, and Cambyses felt that such a look could only come from
one who loved him very dearly. But his own love told him that something
had troubled her. There was a sad seriousness about her mouth, and a
slight cloud, which only he could see, seemed to veil the usually calm,
clear and cheerful expression of her eyes. "I will ask her afterwards
what has happened," thought he, "but it will not do to let my subjects
see how much I love this girl."

He kissed his mother, sister, brother and his nearest relations on the
forehead--said a short prayer thanking the gods for their mercies and
entreating a happy new year for himself and the Persians--named the
immense sum he intended to present to his countrymen on this day, and
then called on the staff bearers to bring the petitioners before his
face, who hoped to obtain some reasonable request from the king on this
day of grace.

As every petitioner had been obliged to lay his request before the
principal staff bearer the day before, in order to ascertain whether it
was admissible, they all received satisfactory answers. The petitions of
the women had been enquired into by the eunuchs in the same manner, and
they too were now conducted before their lord and master by Boges,
Kassandane alone remaining seated.

The long procession was opened by Nitetis and Atossa, and the two
princesses were immediately followed by Phaedime and another beauty. The
latter was magnificently dressed and had been paired with Phaedime by
Boges, in order to make the almost poverty-stricken simplicity of the
fallen favorite more apparent.

Intaphernes and Otanes looked as annoyed as Boges had expected, on seeing
their grandchild and daughter so pale, and in such miserable array, in
the midst of all this splendor and magnificence.

Cambyses had had experience of Phaedime's former extravagance in matters
of dress, and, when he saw her standing before him so plainly dressed and
so pale, looked both angry and astonished. His brow darkened, and as she
bent low before him, he asked her in an angry and tyrannical tone: "What
is the meaning of this beggarly dress at my table, on the day set apart
in my honor? Have you forgotten, that in our country it is the custom
never to appear unadorned before the king? Verily, if it were not my
birthday, and if I did not owe you some consideration as the daughter of
our dearest kinsman, I should order the eunuchs to take you back to the
harem, that you might have time to think over your conduct in solitude."

These words rendered the mortified woman's task much easier. . . .  She began
to weep loud and bitterly, raising her hands and eyes to her angry lord
in such a beseeching manner that his anger was changed into compassion,
and he raised her from the ground with the question: "Have you a petition
to ask of me?"

"What can I find to wish for, now that the sun of my life has withdrawn
his light?" was her faltering answer, hindered by sobs.

Cambyses shrugged his shoulders, and asked again "Is there nothing then
that you wish for? I used to be able to dry your tears with presents; ask
me for some golden comfort to-day."

"Phaedime has nothing left to wish for now. For whom can she put on
jewels when her king, her husband, withdraws the light of his
countenance?"

"Then I can do nothing for you," exclaimed Cambyses, turning away angrily
from the kneeling woman. Boges had been quite right in advising Phaedime
to paint herself with white, for underneath the pale color her cheeks
were burning with shame and anger. But, in spite of all, she controlled
her passionate feelings, made the same deep obeisance to Nitetis as to
the queen-mother, and allowed her tears to flow fast and freely in sight
of all the Achaemenidae.

Otanes and Intaphernes could scarcely suppress their indignation at
seeing their daughter and grandchild thus humbled, and many an
Achaemenidae looked on, feeling deep sympathy with the unhappy Phaedime
and a hidden grudge against the favored, beautiful stranger.

The formalities were at last at an end and the feast began. Just before
the king, in a golden basket, and gracefully bordered round with other
fruits, lay a gigantic pomegranate, as large as a child's head.

Cambyses noticed it now for the first time, examined its enormous size
and rare beauty with the eye of a connoisseur, and said: "Who grew this
wonderful pomegranate?"

"Thy servant Oropastes," answered the chief of the Magi, with a low
obeisance. "For many years I have studied the art of gardening, and have
ventured to lay this, the most beautiful fruit of my labors, at the feet
of my king."

"I owe you thanks," cried the king: "My friends, this pomegranate will
assist me in the choice of a governor at home when we go out to war, for,
by Mithras, the man who can cherish and foster a little tree so carefully
will do greater things than these. What a splendid fruit! Surely it's
like was never seen before. I thank you again, Oropastes, and as the
thanks of a king must never consist of empty words alone, I name you at
once vicegerent of my entire kingdom, in case of war. For we shall not
dream away our time much longer in this idle rest, my friends. A Persian
gets low-spirited without the joys of war."

A murmur of applause ran through the ranks of the Achaemenidae and fresh
shouts of "Victory to the king" resounded through the hall. Their anger
on account of the humiliation of a woman was quickly forgotten; thoughts
of coming battles, undying renown and conqueror's laurels to be won by
deeds of arms, and recollections of their former mighty deeds raised the
spirits of the revellers.

The king himself was more moderate than usual to-day, but he encouraged
his guests to drink, enjoying their noisy merriment and overflowing
mirth; taking, however, far more pleasure still in the fascinating beauty
of the Egyptian Princess, who sat at his side, paler than usual, and
thoroughly exhausted by the exertions of the morning and the unaccustomed
weight of the high tiara. He had never felt so happy as on this day. What
indeed could he wish for more than he already possessed? Had not the gods
given him every thing that a man could desire? and, over and above all
this, had not they flung into his lap the precious gift of love? His
usual inflexibility seemed to have changed into benevolence, and his
stern severity into good-nature, as he turned to his brother Bartja with
the words: "Come brother, have you forgotten my promise? Don't you know
that to-day you are sure of gaining the dearest wish of your heart from
me? That's right, drain the goblet, and take courage! but do not ask
anything small, for I am in the mood to give largely to-day. Ah, it is a
secret! come nearer then. I am really curious to know what the most
fortunate youth in my entire kingdom can long for so much, that he
blushes like a girl when his wish is spoken of."

Bartja, whose cheeks were really glowing from agitation, bent his head
close to his brother's ear, and whispered shortly the story of his love.
Sappho's father had helped to defend his native town Phocaea against the
hosts of Cyrus, and this fact the boy cleverly brought forward, speaking
of the girl he loved as the daughter of a Greek warrior of noble birth.
In so saying he spoke the truth, but at the same time he suppressed the
facts that this very father had acquired great riches by mercantile
undertakings.

[The Persians were forbidden by law to contract debts, because
debtors were necessarily led to say much that was untrue. Herod. I.
For this reason they held all money transactions in contempt, such
occupations being also very uncongenial to their military tastes.
They despised commerce and abandoned it to the conquered nations.]

He then told his brother how charming, cultivated and loving his Sappho
was, and was just going to call on Croesus for a confirmation of his
words, when Cambyses interrupted him by kissing his forehead and saying:
"You need say no more, brother; do what your heart bids you. I know the
power of love too, and I will help you to gain our mother's consent."
Bartja threw himself at his brother's feet, overcome with gratitude and
joy, but Cambyses raised him kindly and, looking especially at Nitetis
and Kassandane, exclaimed: "Listen, my dear ones, the stem of Cyrus is
going to blossom afresh, for our brother Bartja has resolved to put an
end to his single life, so displeasing to the gods.

[The Persians were commanded by their religion to marry, and the
unmarried were held up to ridicule. Vendid. IV. Fargard. 130.
The highest duty of man was to create and promote life, and to have
many children was therefore considered praiseworthy. Herod. I.
136.]

In a few days the young lover will leave us for your country, Nitetis,
and will bring back another jewel from the shores of the Nile to our
mountain home."

"What is the matter, sister?" cried Atossa, before her brother had
finished speaking. Nitetis had fainted, and Atossa was sprinkling her
forehead with wine as she lay in her arms.

"What was it?" asked the blind Kassandane, when Nitetis had awakened to
consciousness a few moments later.

"The joy--the happiness--Tachot," faltered Nitetis. Cambyses, as well as
his sister, had sprung to the fainting girl's help. When she had
recovered consciousness, he asked her to take some wine to revive her
completely, gave her the cup with his own hand, and then went on at the
point at which he had left off in his account: "Bartja is going to your
own country, my wife--to Naukratis on the Nile--to fetch thence the
granddaughter of a certain Rhodopis, and daughter of a noble warrior, a
native of the brave town of Phocaea, as his wife."

"What was that?" cried the blind queen-mother.

"What is the matter with you?" exclaimed Atossa again, in an anxious,
almost reproachful tone.

"Nitetis!" cried Croesus admonishingly. But the warning came too late;
the cup which her royal lover had given her slipped from her hands and
fell ringing on the floor. All eyes were fixed on the king's features in
anxious suspense. He had sprung from his seat pale as death; his lips
trembled and his fist was clenched. Nitetis looked up at her lover
imploringly, but he was afraid of meeting those wonderful, fascinating
eyes, and turned his head away, saying in a hoarse voice: "Take the women
back to their apartments, Boges. I have seen enough of them--let us begin
our drinking-bout--good-night, my mother; take care how you nourish
vipers with your heart's blood. Sleep well, Egyptian, and pray to the
gods to give you a more equal power of dissembling your feelings.
To-morrow, my friends, we will go out hunting. Here, cup-bearer, give me
some wine! fill the large goblet, but taste it well--yes, well--for
to-day I am afraid of poison; to-day for the first time. Do you hear,
Egyptian? I am afraid of poison! and every child knows--ah-ha--that all
the poison, as well as the medicine comes from Egypt."

Nitetis left the hall,--she hardly knew how,--more staggering than
walking. Boges accompanied her, telling the bearers to make haste.

When they reached the hanging-gardens he gave her up to the care of the
eunuch in attendance, and took his leave, not respectfully as usual, but
chuckling, rubbing his hands, and speaking in an intimate and
confidential tone: "Dream about the handsome Bartja and his Egyptian
lady-love, my white Nile-kitten! Haven't you any message for the
beautiful boy, whose love-story frightened you so terribly? Think a
little. Poor Boges will very gladly play the go-between; the poor
despised Boges wishes you so well--the humble Boges will be so sorry when
he sees the proud palm-tree from Sais cut down. Boges is a prophet; he
foretells you a speedy return home to Egypt, or a quiet bed in the black
earth in Babylon, and the kind Boges wishes you a peaceful sleep.
Farewell, my broken flower, my gay, bright viper, wounded by its own
sting, my pretty fir-cone, fallen from the tall pine-tree!"

"How dare you speak in this impudent manner?" said the indignant
princess.

"Thank you," answered the wretch, smiling.

"I shall complain of your conduct," threatened Nitetis.

"You are very amiable," answered Boges. "Go out of my sight," she cried.

"I will obey your kind and gentle hints;" he answered softly, as if
whispering words of love into her ear. She started back in disgust and
fear at these scornful words; she saw how full of terror they were for
her, turned her back on him and went quickly into the house, but his
voice rang after her: "Don't forget my lovely queen, think of me now and
then; for everything that happens in the next few days will be a keepsake
from the poor despised Boges."

As soon as she had disappeared he changed his tone, and commanded the
sentries in the severest and most tyrannical manner, to keep a strict
watch over the hanging-gardens. "Certain death," said he, "to whichever
of you allows any one but myself to enter these gardens. No one,
remember--no one--and least of all messengers from the queen-mother,
Atossa or any of the great people, may venture to set foot on these
steps. If Croesus or Oropastes should wish to speak to the Egyptian
Princess, refuse them decidedly. Do you understand? I repeat it, whoever
is begged or bribed into disobedience will not see the light of
to-morrow's sun. Nobody may enter these gardens without express
permission from my own mouth. I think you know me. Here, take these gold
staters, your work will be heavier now; but remember, I swear by Plithras
not to spare one of you who is careless or disobedient."

The men made a due obeisance and determined to obey; they knew that
Boges' threats were never meant in joke, and fancied something great must
be coming to pass, as the stingy eunuch never spent his staters without
good reason.

Boges was carried back to the banqueting-hall in the same litter, which
had brought Nitetis away.

The king's wives had left, but the concubines were all standing in their
appointed place, singing their monotonous songs, though quite unheard by
the uproarious men.

The drinkers had already long forgotten the fainting woman. The uproar
and confusion rose with every fresh wine-cup. They forgot the dignity of
the place where they were assembled, and the presence of their mighty
ruler.

They shouted in their drunken joy; warriors embraced one another with a
tenderness only excited by wine, here and there a novice was carried away
in the arms of a pair of sturdy attendants, while an old hand at the work
would seize a wine-jug instead of a goblet, and drain it at a draught
amid the cheers of the lookers-on.

The king sat on at the head of the table, pale as death, staring into the
wine-cup as if unconscious of what was going on around hint. But at the
sight of his brother his fist clenched.

He would neither speak to him, nor answer his questions. The longer he
sat there gazing into vacancy, the firmer became his conviction that
Nitetis had deceived him,--that she had pretended to love him while her
heart really belonged to Bartja. How shamefully they had made sport of
him! How deeply rooted must have been the faithlessness of this clever
hypocrite, if the mere news that his brother loved some one else could
not only destroy all her powers of dissimulation, but actually deprive
her of consciousness!

When Nitetis left the hall, Otanes, the father of Phaedime had called
out: "The Egyptian women seem to take great interest in the love-affairs
of their brothers-in-law. The Persian women are not so generous with
their feelings; they keep them for their husbands."

Cambyses was too proud to let it be seen that he had heard these words;
like the ostrich, he feigned deafness and blindness in order not to seem
aware of the looks and murmurs of his guests, which all went to prove
that he had been deceived.

Bartja could have had no share in her perfidy; she had loved this
handsome youth, and perhaps all the more because she had not been able to
hope for a return of her love. If he had had the slightest suspicion of
his brother, he would have killed him on the spot. Bartja was certainly
innocent of any share in the deception and in his brother's misery, but
still he was the cause of all; so the old grudge, which had only just
been allowed to slumber, woke again; and, as a relapse is always more
dangerous than the original illness, the newly-roused anger was more
violent than what he had formerly felt.

He thought and thought, but he could not devise a fitting punishment for
this false woman. Her death would not content his vengeance, she must
suffer something worse than mere death!

Should he send her back to Egypt, disgraced and shamed? Oh, no! she loved
her country, and she would be received by her parents with open arms.
Should he, after she had confessed her guilt, (for he was determined to
force a confession from her) shut her up in a solitary dungeon? or should
he deliver her over to Boges, to be the servant of his concubines? Yes!
now he had hit upon the right punishment. Thus the faithless creature
should be disciplined, and the hypocrite, who had dared to make sport of
him--the All-powerful--forced to atone for her crimes.

Then he said to himself: "Bartja must not stay here; fire and water have
more in common than we two--he always fortunate and happy, and I so
miserable. Some day or other his descendants will divide my treasures,
and wear my crown; but as yet I am king, and I will show that I am."

The thought of his proud, powerful position flashed through him like
lightning. He woke from his dreams into new life, flung his golden goblet
far into the hall, so that the wine flew round like rain, and cried: "We
have had enough of this idle talk and useless noise. Let us hold a
council of war, drunken as we are, and consider what answer we ought to
give the Massagetae. Hystaspes, you are the eldest, give us your opinion
first."

[Herod. I. 134. The Persians deliberated and resolved when they
were intoxicated, and when they were sober reconsidered their
determinations. Tacitus tells the same of the old Germans. Germ,
c. 22.]

Hystaspes, the father of Darius, was an old man. He answered: "It seems
to me, that the messengers of this wandering tribe have left us no
choice. We cannot go to war against desert wastes; but as our host is
already under arms and our swords have lain long in their scabbards, war
we must have. We only want a few good enemies, and I know no easier work
than to make them."

At these words the Persians broke into loud shouts of delight; but
Croesus only waited till the noise had ceased to say: "Hystaspes, you and
I are both old men; but you are a thorough Persian and fancy you can only
be happy in battle and bloodshed. You are now obliged to lean for support
on the staff, which used to be the badge of your rank as commander, and
yet you speak like a hot-blooded boy. I agree with you that enemies are
easy enough to find, but only fools go out to look for them. The man who
tries to make enemies is like a wretch who mutilates his own body. If the
enemies are there, let us go out to meet them like wise men who wish to
look misfortune boldly in the face; but let us never try to begin an
unjust war, hateful to the gods. We will wait until wrong has been done
us, and then go to victory or death, conscious that we have right on our
side."

The old man was interrupted by a low murmur of applause, drowned however
quickly by cries of "Hystaspes is right! let us look for an enemy!"

It was now the turn of the envoy Prexaspes to speak, and he answered
laughing: "Let us follow the advice of both these noble old men. We will
do as Croesus bids us and not go out to seek an enemy, but at the same
time we will follow Hystaspes' advice by raising our claims and
pronouncing every one our enemy, who does not cheerfully consent to
become a member of the kingdom founded by our great father Cyrus. For
instance, we will ask the Indians if they would feel proud to obey your
sceptre, Cambyses. If they answer no, it is a sign that they do not love
us, and whoever does not love us, must be our enemy."

"That won't do," cried Zopyrus. "We must have war at any price."

"I vote for Croesus," said Gobryas. "And I too," said the noble
Artabazus.

"We are for Hystaspes," shouted the warrior Araspes, the old Intaphernes,
and some more of Cyrus's old companions-in-arms.

"War we must have at any price," roared the general Megabyzus, the father
of Zopyrus, striking the table so sharply with his heavy fist, that the
golden vessels rang again, and some goblets even fell; "but not with the
Massagetac--not with a flying foe."

"There must be no war with the Massagetae," said the high-priest
Oropastes. "The gods themselves have avenged Cyrus's death upon them."

Cambyses sat for some moments, quietly and coldly watching the
unrestrained enthusiasm of his warriors, and then, rising from his seat,
thundered out the words: "Silence, and listen to your king!"

The words worked like magic on this multitude of drunken men. Even those
who were most under the influence of wine, listened to their king in a
kind of unconscious obedience. He lowered his voice and went on: "I did
not ask whether you wished for peace or war--I know that every Persian
prefers the labor of war to an inglorious idleness--but I wished to know
what answer you would give the Massagetan warriors. Do you consider that
the soul of my father--of the man to whom you owe all your greatness--has
been sufficiently avenged?"

A dull murmur in the affirmative, interrupted by some violent voices in
the negative, was the answer. The king then asked a second question:
"Shall we accept the conditions proposed by their envoys, and grant peace
to this nation, already so scourged and desolated by the gods?" To this
they all agreed eagerly.

"That is what I wished to know," continued Cambyses. "To-morrow, when we
are sober, we will follow the old custom and reconsider what has been
resolved on during our intoxication. Drink on, all of you, as long as the
night lasts. To-morrow, at the last crow of the sacred bird Parodar, I
shall expect you to meet me for the chase, at the gate of the temple of
Bel."

So saying, the king left the hall, followed by a thundering "Victory to
the king!" Boges had slipped out quietly before him. In the forecourt he
found one of the gardener's boys from the hanging-gardens.

"What do you want here?" asked Boges. "I have something for the prince
Bartja."

"For Bartja? Has he asked your master to send him some seeds or slips?"

The boy shook his sunburnt head and smiled roguishly.

"Some one else sent you then?" said Boges becoming more attentive.

"Yes, some one else."

"Ah! the Egyptian has sent a message to her brother-in-law?"

"Who told you that?"

"Nitetis spoke to me about it. Here, give me what you have; I will give
it to Bartja at once."

"I was not to give it to any one but the prince himself."

"Give it to me; it will be safer in my hands than in yours."

"I dare not."

"Obey me at once, or--"

At this moment the king came up. Boges thought a moment, and then called
in a loud voice to the whip-bearers on duty at the palace-gate, to take
the astonished boy up.

"What is the matter here?" asked Cambyses.

"This fellow," answered the eunuch, "has had the audacity to make his way
into the palace with a message from your consort Nitetis to Bartja."

At sight of the king, the boy had fallen on his knees, touching the
ground with his forehead.

Cambyses looked at him and turned deadly pale. Then, turning to the
eunuch, he asked: "What does the Egyptian Princess wish from my brother?"

"The boy declares that he has orders to give up what has been entrusted
to him to no one but Bartja." On hearing this the boy looked imploringly
up at the king, and held out a little papyrus roll.

Cambyses snatched it out of his hand, but the next moment stamped
furiously on the ground at seeing that the letter was written in Greek,
which he could not read.

He collected himself, however, and, with an awful look, asked the boy who
had given him the letter. "The Egyptian lady's waiting-woman Mandane," he
answered; "the Magian's daughter."

"For my brother Bartja?"

"She said I was to give the letter to the handsome prince, before the
banquet, with a greeting from her mistress Nitetis, and I was to tell him
. . ."

Here the king stamped so furiously, that the boy was frightened and could
only stammer: "Before the banquet the prince was walking with you, so I
could not speak to him, and now I am waiting for him here, for Mandane
promised to give me a piece of gold if I did what she told me cleverly."

"And that you have not done," thundered the king, fancying himself
shamefully deceived. "No, indeed you have not. Here, guards, seize this
fellow!"

The boy begged and prayed, but all in vain; the whip-bearers seized him
quick as thought, and Cambyses, who went off at once to his own
apartments, was soon out of reach of his whining entreaties for mercy.

Boges followed his master, rubbing his fat hands, and laughing quietly to
himself.

The king's attendants began their work of disrobing him, but he told them
angrily to leave him at once. As soon as they were gone, he called Boges
and said in a low voice: "From this time forward the hanging-gardens and
the Egyptian are under your control. Watch her carefully! If a single
human being or a message reaches her without my knowledge, your life will
be the forfeit."

"But if Kassandane or Atossa should send to her?"

"Turn the messengers away, and send word that every attempt to see or
communicate with Nitetis will be regarded by me as a personal offence."

"May I ask a favor for myself, O King?"

"The time is not well chosen for asking favors."

"I feel ill. Permit some one else to take charge of the hanging-gardens
for to-morrow only."

"No!--now leave me."

"I am in a burning fever and have lost consciousness three times during
the day--if when I am in that state any one should . . ."

But who could take your place?"

"The Lydian captain of the eunuchs, Kandaules. He is true as gold, and
inflexibly severe. One day of rest would restore me to health. Have
mercy, O King!"

"No one is so badly served as the king himself. Kandaules may take your
place to-morrow, but give hum the strictest orders, and say that the
slightest neglect will put his life in danger.--Now depart."

"Yet one word, my King: to-morrow night the rare blue lily in the
hanging-gardens will open. Hystaspes, Intaphernes, Gobyras, Croesus and
Oropastes, the greatest horticulturists at your court, would very much
like to see it. May they be allowed to visit the gardens for a few