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diff --git a/5456.txt b/5456.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4088363 --- /dev/null +++ b/5456.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2324 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook An Egyptian Princess, by Georg Ebers, v7 +#18 in our series by Georg Ebers + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**EBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These EBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers***** + + +Title: An Egyptian Princess, Volume 7. + +Author: Georg Ebers + +Release Date: April, 2004 [EBook #5456] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on May 7, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + + + + + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS, BY EBERS, V7 *** + + + +This eBook was produced by David Widger <widger@cecomet.net> + + + +[NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of the +file for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before making an +entire 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 had +happened and of what was still to happen had filled all Babylon. The +streets swarmed with people, waiting impatiently to see the strange +spectacle which the punishment of one of the king's wives, who had proved +false and faithless, promised to afford. The whip-bearers were forced to +use all their authority to keep this gaping crowd in order. Later on in +the day the news that Bartja and his friends were soon to be executed +arrived among the crowd; they were under the influence of the palm-wine, +which was liberally distributed on the king's birthday and the following +days, and could not control their excited feelings; but these now took +quite another form. + +Bands of drunken men paraded the streets, crying: "Bartja, the good son +of Cyrus, is to be executed!" The women heard these words in their quiet +apartments, eluded their keepers, forgot their veils, and rushing forth +into the streets, followed the excited and indignant men with cries and +yells. Their pleasure in the thought of seeing a more fortunate sister +humbled, vanished at the painful news that their beloved prince was +condemned to death. Men, women and children raged, stormed and cursed, +exciting one another to louder and louder bursts of indignation. The +workshops were emptied, the merchants closed their warehouses, and the +school-boys and servants, who had a week's holiday on occasion of the +king'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 insufficient +to cope with it, and a detachment of the body-guard was sent to patrol +the streets. At the sight of their shining armor and long lances, the +crowd retired into the side streets, only, however, to reassemble in +fresh 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 said +that through this gate, the one by which she had entered Babylon, the +Egyptian Princess was to be led out of the city in shame and disgrace. +For this reason a larger number of whipbearers were stationed here, in +order to make way for travellers entering the city. Very few people +indeed left the city at all on this day, for curiosity was stronger than +either business or pleasure; those, on the other hand, who arrived from +the country, took up their stations near the gate on hearing what had +drawn the crowd thither. + +It was nearly mid-day, and only wanted a few hours to the time fixed for +Nitetis' disgrace, when a caravan approached the gate with great speed. +The first carriage was a so-called harmamaxa, drawn by four horses decked +out with bells and tassels; a two-wheeled cart followed, and last in the +train was a baggage-wagon drawn by mules. A fine, handsome man of about +fifty, dressed as a Persian courtier, and another, much older, in long +white robes, occupied the first carriage. The cart was filled by a +number of slaves in simple blouses, and broad-brimmed felt hats, wearing +the hair cut close to the head. An old man, dressed as a Persian +servant, rode by the side of the cart. The driver of the first carriage +had great difficulty in making way for his gaily-ornamented horses +through the crowd; he was obliged to come to a halt before the gate and +call some whip-bearers to his assistance. "Make way for us!" he cried +to the captain of the police who came up with some of his men; "the royal +post has no time to lose, and I am driving some one, who will make you +repent every minute's delay." + +"Softly, my son," answered the official. "Don't you see that it's easier +to-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 way +for 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 the +traveller, whom he was scrutinizing very suspiciously. + +While the man in the Persian dress was feeling in his sleeve for the +passport, the whip-bearer turned to some comrades who had just come up, +and pointed out the scanty retinue of the travellers, saying: "Did you +ever see such a queer cavalcade? There's something odd about these +strangers, as sure as my name's Giv. Why, the lowest of the king's +carpet-bearers travels with four times as many people, and yet this man +has a royal pass and is dressed like one of those who sit at the royal +table." + +At this moment the suspected traveller handed him a little silken roll +scented with musk, sealed with the royal seal, and containing the king's +own handwriting. + +The whip-bearer took it and examined the seal. "It is all in order," he +murmured, and then began to study the characters. But no sooner had he +deciphered the first letters than be looked even more sharply than before +at 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 to +the stranger again and said: "You are using a pass which does not belong +to you. Gyges, the son of Croesus, the man you give yourself out for, is +in prison and is to be executed to-day. You are not in the least like +him, 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 broken +Persian, and begged the officer rather to take a seat by him in the +carriage, for that he had very important news to communicate. The man +hesitated 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 got +into the carriage. + +The stranger looked at him with a smile and said: "Now, do I look like an +impostor?" + +"No; your language proves that you are not a Persian, but yet you look +like a nobleman." + +"I am a Greek, and have come hither to render Cambyses an important +service. Gyges is my friend, and lent me his passport when he was in +Egypt, in case I should ever come to Persia. I am prepared to vindicate +my conduct before the king, and have no reason for fear. On the +contrary, 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 for +me, and will send back your men, of whom you seem to stand in great need +to-day. Distribute these gold pieces among them, and tell me without +further delay what my poor friend Gyges has done to deserve death, and +what is the reason of all this crowd and confusion." + +The stranger said this in bad Persian, but there lay so much dignity and +confidence in his tone, and his gifts were on such a large scale, that +the cringing and creeping servant of despotism felt sure he must be +sitting 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 the +prisoners the night before, and could therefore tell all that had +happened with tolerable accuracy. The Greek followed his tale eagerly, +with many an incredulous shake of his handsome head, however, when the +daughter of Amasis and the son of Cyrus were spoken of as having been +disloyal and false, that sentence of death had been pronounced, +especially on Croesus, distressed him visibly, but the sadness soon +vanished from his quickly-changing features, and gave place to thought; +this in its turn was quickly followed by a joyful look, which could only +betoken that the thinker had arrived at a satisfactory result. His +dignified gravity vanished in a moment; he laughed aloud, struck his +forehead 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 two +talents, if you can procure me an interview with the king before the +first 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 stranger +to obtain an audience of your king; but my errand brooks no delay, for I +can prove that Bartja and his friends are not guilty. Do you hear? I +can 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 able +to save his son." + +"Stranger, you are a wonderful being. You speak with so much confidence +that . . ." + +"That you feel you may believe me. Make haste then, and call some of +your men to make way for us, and escort us to the palace." + +There is nothing, except a doubt, which runs more quickly from mind to +mind, than a hope that some cherished wish may be fulfilled, especially +when 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 come +on purpose to prove Bartja's innocence, and must be taken to the king at +once. Follow me, my friends, and make way for him!" + +Just at that moment a troop of the guards appeared in sight. The captain +of the whip-bearers went up to their commander, and, seconded by the +shouts of the crowd, begged him to escort the stranger to the palace. + +During this colloquy the traveller had mounted his servant's horse, and +now followed in the wake of the Persians. + +The good news flew like wind through the huge city. As the riders +proceeded, the crowd fell back more willingly, and loader and fuller grew +the shouts of joy until at last their march was like a triumphal +procession. + +In a few minutes they drew up before the palace; but before the brazen +gates had opened to admit them, another train came slowly into sight. At +the head rode a grey-headed old man; his robes were brown, and rent, in +token of mourning, the mane and tail of his horse had been shorn off and +the creature colored blue.--It was Hystaspes, coming to entreat mercy for +his son. + +The whip-bearer, delighted at this sight, threw himself down before the +old man with a cry of joy, and with crossed arms told him what confidence +the traveller had inspired him with. + +Hystaspes beckoned to the stranger; he rode up, bowed gracefully and +courteously to the old man, without dismounting, and confirmed the words +of the whip bearer. Hystaspes seemed to feel fresh confidence too after +hearing the stranger, for he begged him to follow him into the palace and +to 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-cup +which the king had thrown down impatiently because its contents had not +pleased 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's +wrath, and preferred keeping as far from him as possible. The dazzling +light and oppressive heat of a Babylonian May day came in through the +open windows, and not a sound was to be heard in the great room, except +the whining of a large dog of the Epirote breed, which had just received +a tremendous kick from Cambyses for venturing to fawn on his master, and +was the only being that ventured to disturb the solemn stillness. Just +before Hystaspes was led in by the chamberlain, Cambyses had sprung up +from his couch. This idle repose had become unendurable, he felt +suffocated with pain and anger. The dog's howl suggested a new idea to +his 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 obey +his orders. He called after them, "I shall ride the unbroken horse +Reksch; get the falcons ready, let all the dogs out and order every one +to come, who can throw a spear. We'll clear the preserves!" + +He then threw himself down on his divan again, as if these words had +quite exhausted his powerful frame, and did not see that Hystaspes had +entered, for his sullen gaze was fixed on the motes playing in the +sunbeams that glanced through the window. + +Hystaspes did not dare to address him; but he stationed himself in the +window so as to break the stream of motes and thus draw attention to +himself. + +At first Cambyses looked angrily at him and his rent garments, and then +asked with a bitter smile; "What do you want?" + +"Victory to the king! Your poor servant and uncle has come to entreat +his ruler's mercy." + +"Then rise and go! You know that I have no mercy for perjurers and false +swearers. '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 be +gainsaid; but still . . ." + +"Be silent! I will not hear the subject mentioned again. You are to be +pitied 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 his +punishment 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 be +convinced 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 his +race." + +The king laughed bitterly: "A Greek! Ah, ha! perhaps some relation to +Bartja's faithful fair one! What can this stranger know of my family +affairs? I know these beggarly Ionians well. They are impudent enough +to meddle in everything, and think they can cheat us with their sly +tricks. How much have you had to pay for this new witness, uncle? A +Greek is as ready with a lie as a Magian with his spells, and I know +they'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 that +where the head of a son of Cyrus is about to fall, a Greek head has but +very little chance." And the king's eyes flashed with anger as he said +these words. Hystaspes, however, sent for the Greek. + +Before he entered, the chamberlains fastened the usual cloth before his +mouth, and commanded him to cast himself on the ground before the king. +The Greek's bearing, as he approached, under the king's penetrating +glance, was calm and noble; he fell on his face, and, according to the +Persian custom, kissed the ground. + +His agreeable and handsome appearance, and the calm and modest manner in +which he bore the king's gaze, seemed to make a favorable impression on +the latter; he did not allow him to remain long on the earth, and asked +him in a by no means unfriendly tone: "Who are you?" + +"I am a Greek nobleman. My name is Phanes, and Athens is my home. I +have served ten years as commander of the Greek mercenaries in Egypt, and +not ingloriously." + +"Are you the man, to whose clever generalship the Egyptians were indebted +for 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 and +experience to your service." + +"Nothing else? Be sincere, and remember that one single lie may cost +your life. We Persians have different ideas of truth from the Greeks." + +"Lying is hateful to me too, if only, because, as a distortion and +corruption of what is noblest, it seems unsightly in my eyes." + +"Then speak." + +"There was certainly a third reason for my coming hither, which I should +like to tell you later. It has reference to matters of the greatest +importance, 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 the +chase. You come exactly at the right time, for I never had more need of +diversion 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 his +weakness and roused himself to action; he was just leaving the hall, when +Hystaspes once more threw himself at his feet, crying with up-raised +hands: "Is my son--is your brother, to die innocent? By the soul of your +father, who used to call me his truest friend, I conjure you to listen to +this noble stranger." + +Cambyses stood still. The frown gathered on his brow again, his voice +sounded like a menace and his eyes flashed as he raised his hand and said +to the Greek: "Tell me what you know; but remember that in every untrue +word, you utter your own sentence of death." + +Phanes heard this threat with the greatest calmness, and answered, bowing +gracefully as he spoke: "From the sun and from my lord the king, nothing +can be hid. What power has a poor mortal to conceal the truth from one +so mighty? The noble Hystaspes has said, that I am able to prove your +brother innocent. I will only say, that I wish and hope I may succeed in +accomplishing anything so great and beautiful. The gods have at least +allowed me to discover a trace which seems calculated to throw light on +the events of yesterday; but you yourself must decide whether my hopes +have been presumptuous and my suspicions too easily aroused. Remember, +however, that throughout, my wish to serve you has been sincere, and +that if I have been deceived, my error is pardonable; that nothing is +perfectly certain in this world, and every man believes that to be +infallible which seems to him the most probable." + +"You speak well, and remind me of . . . curse her! there, speak and +have done with it! I hear the dogs already in the court." + +"I was still in Egypt when your embassy came to fetch Nitetis. At the +house of Rhodopis, my delightful, clever and celebrated countrywoman, I +made the acquaintance of Croesus and his son; I only saw your brother and +his friends once or twice, casually; still I remembered the young +prince's handsome face so well, that some time later, when I was in the +workshop of the great sculptor Theodorus at Samos, I recognized his +features at once." + +"Did you meet him at Samos?" + +"No, but his features had made such a deep and faithful impression on +Theodorus' 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 to +copy 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 second +likeness of . . ." + +"I have no desire for it. Go on with your story." + +"On my journey hither, which, thanks to your father's excellent +arrangements, I performed in an incredibly short time, changing horses +every 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 my +hands, when once, in order to save my life, he forced me to change +clothes with him." + +"A Lydian can outwit a fox, and a Syrian a Lydian, but an Ionian is a +match for both," muttered the king, smiling for the first time; "Croesus +told me this story--poor Croesus!" and then the old gloomy expression +came over his face and he passed his hand across his forehead, as if +trying to smooth the lines of care away. The Athenian went on: "I met +with no hindrances on my journey till this morning at the first hour +after midnight, when I was detained by a strange occurrence." + +The king began to listen more attentively, and reminded the Athenian, who +spoke Persian with difficulty, that there was no time to lose. + +"We had reached the last station but one," continued he, "and hoped to be +in Babylon by sunrise. I was thinking over my past stirring life, and +was so haunted by the remembrance of evil deeds unrevenged that I could +not sleep; the old Egyptian at my side, however, slept and dreamt +peacefully enough, lulled by the monotonous tones of the harness bells, +the sound of the horses' hoofs and the murmur of the Euphrates. It was a +wonderfully still, beautiful night; the moon and stars were so brilliant, +that our road and the landscape were lighted up almost with the +brightness of day. For the last hour we had not seen a single vehicle, +foot-passenger, or horseman; we had heard that all the neighboring +population had assembled in Babylon to celebrate your birthday, gaze with +wonder at the splendor of your court, and enjoy your liberality. At last +the irregular beat of horses' hoofs, and the sound of bells struck my +ear, and a few minutes later I distinctly heard cries of distress. My +resolve was taken at once; I made my Persian servant dismount, sprang +into his saddle, told the driver of the cart in which my slaves were +sitting not to spare his mules, loosened my dagger and sword in their +scabbards, and spurred my horse towards the place from whence the cries +came. They grew louder and louder. I had not ridden a minute, when I +came on a fearful scene. Three wild-looking fellows had just pulled a +youth, dressed in the white robes of a Magian, from his horse, stunned +him with heavy blows, and, just as I reached them, were on the point of +throwing him into the Euphrates, which at that place washes the roots +of the palms and fig-trees bordering the high-road. I uttered my Greek +war-cry, which has made many an enemy tremble before now, and rushed on +the murderers. Such fellows are always cowards; the moment they saw one +of their accomplices mortally wounded, they fled. I did not pursue them, +but stooped down to examine the poor boy, who was severely wounded. How +can 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 Naukratis +and then in Theodorus' workshop, they were . . ." + +"Marvellous!" interrupted Hystaspes. + +"Perhaps a little too much so to be credible," added the king. "Take +care, Hellene! remember my arm reaches far. I shall have the truth of +your story put to the proof." + +"I am accustomed," answered Phanes bowing low, "to follow the advice of +our wise philosopher Pythagoras, whose fame may perhaps have reached your +ears, and always, before speaking, to consider whether what I am going to +say may not cause me sorrow in the future." + +"That sounds well; but, by Mithras, I knew some one who often spoke of +that great teacher, and yet in her deeds turned out to be a most faithful +disciple of Angramainjus. You know the traitress, whom we are going to +extirpate from the earth like a poisonous viper to-day." + +"Will you forgive me," answered Phanes, seeing the anguish expressed in +the 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 any +man than he can bear. Hast thou a wounded heart? touch it as seldom as +thou 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 of +Pythagoras, and smiled bitterly at the word "patience." Still the +Athenian's way of speaking pleased him, and he told him to go on with his +story. + +Phanes made another deep obeisance, and continued: "We carried the +unconscious 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 and +what had happened to him? The master of the station was standing by, so +I was obliged to give the name of Gyges in order not to excite his +suspicions by belying my pass, as it was only through this that I could +obtain fresh horses. + +"This wounded young man seemed to know Gyges, for he shook his head and +murmured: 'You are not the man you give yourself out for.' Then he closed +his eyes again, and a violent attack of fever came on. + +"We undressed, bled him and bound up his wounds. My Persian servant, who +had served as overlooker in Amasis' stables and had seen Bartja there, +assisted by the old Egyptian who accompanied me, was very helpful, and +asserted untiringly that the wounded man could be no other than your +brother. When we had cleansed the blood from his face, the master of the +station too swore that there could be no doubt of his being the younger +son of your great father Cyrus. Meanwhile my Egyptian companion had +fetched a potion from the travelling medicine-chest, without which an +Egyptian 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 at +sunrise 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 taken +to the palace in Babylon. This he refused vehemently, and asseverated +that he was not the man we took him for, but, . . ." + +"Who can be so like Bartja? tell me quickly," interrupted the king, "I am +very curious to know this." + +"He declared that he was the brother of your high-priest, that his name +was Gaumata, and that this would be proved by the pass which we should +find in the sleeve of his Magian's robe. The landlord found this +document and, being able to read, confirmed the statement of the sick +youth; he was, however, soon seized by a fresh attack of fever, and began +to speak incoherently." + +"Could you understand him?" + +"Yes, for his talk always ran on the same subject. The hanging-gardens +seemed to fill his thoughts. He must have just escaped some great +danger, and probably had had a lover's meeting there with a woman called +Mandane." + +"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 a +moment 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 the +hanging-gardens." + +The king was surprised at this speech but not angry. The free, +unrestrained, graceful manner of this Athenian towards himself produced +the same impression, that a fresh sea-breeze makes when felt for the +first time. The nobles of his own court, even his nearest relations, +approached him bowing and cringing, but this Greek stood erect in his +presence; the Persians never ventured to address their ruler without a +thousand flowery and flattering phrases, but the Athenian was simple, +open and straightforward. Yet his words were accompanied by such a charm +of action and expression, that the king could understand them, +notwithstanding the defective Persian in which they were clothed, better +than the allegorical speeches of his own subjects. Nitetis and Phanes +were the only human beings, who had ever made him forget that he was a +king. With them he was a man speaking to his fellow-man, instead of a +despot speaking with creatures whose very existence was the plaything of +his own caprice. Such is the effect produced by real manly dignity, +superior culture and the consciousness of a right to freedom, on the mind +even of a tyrant. But there was something beside all this, that had +helped to win Cambyses' favor for the Athenian. This man's coming seemed +as if it might possibly give him back the treasure he had believed was +lost and more than lost. But how could the life of such a foreign +adventurer be accepted as surety for the sons of the highest Persians in +the realm? The proposal, however, did not make him angry. On the +contrary, he could not help smiling at the boldness of this Greek, who in +his eagerness had freed himself from the cloth which hung over his mouth +and beard, and exclaimed: "By Mithras, Greek, it really seems as if you +were to prove a messenger of good for us! I accept your offer. If the +prisoners, notwithstanding your supposition, should still prove guilty +you are bound to pass your whole life at my court and in my service, but +if, 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 to +the 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 at +the king's table, entered, out of breath from his endeavors to hasten the +preparations, and announced that all was ready. + +"They must wait," was the king's imperious answer. "I am not sure, that +we 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 in +modern days by a minister of police, hurried from the room, returning in +a few minutes with the desired officer. These moments Phanes made use of +for putting various questions on important points to the nobles who were +present. + +"What news can you bring of the prisoners?" asked the king, as the man +lay prostrate before him. "Victory to the king! They await death with +calmness, 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 hear +them speak, would believe in their innocence, even as I the humblest of +your servants." + +The captain looked up timidly at the king, fearing lest these words +should have excited his anger; Cambyses, however, smiled kindly instead +of 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 his +forehead, and he could scarcely stammer the words: "He is.... he has.... +we thought...." + +"What did you think?" interrupted Cambyses, and a new light of hope +seemed to dawn in his mind. "Is it possible, that you did not carry out +my orders at once? Can Croesus still be alive? Speak at once, I must +know the whole truth." + +The captain writhed like a worm at his lord's feet, and at last stammered +out, raising his hands imploringly towards the king: "Have mercy, have +mercy, 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 was +doing wrong in allowing him to live a few hours longer, that he might..." + +"That is enough," said the king breathing freely. "This once your +disobedience shall go unpunished, and the treasurer may give you two +talents, as you have so many children.--Now go to the prisoners,--tell +Croesus to come hither, and the others to be of good courage, if they are +innocent." + +"My King is the light of the world, and an ocean of mercy." + +"Bartja and his friends need not remain any longer in confinement; they +can 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 defer +the execution of the sentence on the Egyptian Princess; and further, I +wish messengers sent to the post-station mentioned by the Athenian, and +the wounded man brought hither under safe escort." + +The " king's eye " was on the point of departure, but Phanes detained +him, saying: "Does my King allow me to make one remark?" + +"Speak." + +"It appears to me, that the chief of the eunuchs could give the most +accurate information. During his delirium the youth often mentioned his +name 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; and +Mandane, whom I have just been assured on the most positive authority, is +the 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 of +this woman's reproachful looks; he knew the captivating power that lay in +her eyes. So he pointed to the door, saying "Fetch Boges and Mandane; +the Egyptian Princess is to remain in the hanging-gardens, under strict +custody." + +The Athenian bowed deferentially; as if he would say: "Here no one has a +right 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 and +sank into deep thought. The picture of the woman he loved so dearly +refused to be banished; it came again and again, more and more vividly, +and the thought that these features could not have deceived him--that +Nitetis must be innocent--took a firmer root in his mind; he had already +begun to hope. If Bartja could be cleared, there was no error that might +not be conceivable; in that case he would go to the hanging-gardens, take +her hand and listen to her defence. When love has once taken firm hold +of a man in riper years, it runs and winds through his whole nature like +one of his veins, and can only be destroyed with his life. + +The entrance of Croesus roused Cambyses from his dream; he raised the old +man kindly from the prostrate position at his feet, into which he had +thrown himself on entering, and said: "You offended me, but I will be +merciful; I have not forgotten that my father, on his dying bed, told me +to make you my friend and adviser. Take your life back as a gift from +me, and forget my anger as I wish to forget your want of reverence. This +man says he knows you; I should like to hear your opinion of his +conjectures." + +Croesus turned away much affected, and after having heartily welcomed the +Athenian, asked him to relate his suppositions and the grounds on which +they were founded. + +The old man grew more and more attentive as the Greek went on, and when +he had finished raised his hands to heaven, crying: "Pardon me, oh ye +eternal gods, if I have ever questioned the justice of your decrees. Is +not this marvellous, Cambyses? My son once placed himself in great +danger to save the life of this noble Athenian, whom the gods have +brought hither to repay the deed tenfold. Had Phanes been murdered in +Egypt, this hour might have seen our sons executed." + +And as he said this he embraced Hystaspes; both shared one feeling; their +sons had been as dead and were now alive. + +The king, Phanes, and all the Persian dignitaries watched the old men +with deep sympathy, and though the proofs of Bartja's innocence were as +yet only founded on conjecture, not one of those present doubted it one +moment longer. Wherever the belief in a man's guilt is but slight, his +defender 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. How +could Bartja's dagger have come into the hanging-gardens except through +treachery? + +While he was telling the king his suspicions, Oropastes was led into the +hall. + +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 of +my father's old age." + +"Did you ever notice a remarkable likeness between him and one of my +relations?" + +"Yes, my King. Gaumata is so like your brother Bartja, that in the +school 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. You +may 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 for +thirty years, that I know nothing of my brother's presence in Babylon +yesterday." + +"Your face looks as if you were speaking the truth." + +"You know that I was not absent from your side the whole of that high +holiday." + +"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, that +the 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 to +the--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 we +adopted the little girl, remembering the words: 'If thou withhold help +from the man who is pure in heart and from his widow and orphans, then +shall the pure, subject earth cast thee out unto the stinging-nettles, +to painful sufferings and to the most fearful regions!' Thus I became +her foster-father, and had her brought up with my youngest brother until +he was obliged to enter the school for priests." + +The king exchanged a look of intelligence with Phanes, and asked: "Why +did not you keep the girl longer with you?" + +"When she had received the ear-rings I, as priest, thought it more +suitable to send such a young girl away from my house, and to put her in +a 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 with +her as with a sister; but on discovering later that the passionate love +of 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 nod +to retire. He then looked down on the prostrate girl, and said +imperiously: "Rise!" + +Mandane rose, trembling with fear. Her fresh young face was pale as +death, and her red lips were blue from terror. + +"Tell all you know about yesterday evening; but remember, a lie and your +death are one and the same." + +The girl's knees trembled so violently that she could hardly stand, and +her fear entirely took away the power of speaking. + +"I have not much patience," exclaimed Cambyses. Mandane started, grew +paler still, but could not speak. Then Phanes came forward and asked the +angry king to allow him to examine the girl, as he felt sure that fear +alone had closed her lips and that a kind word would open them. + +Cambyses allowed this, and the Athenian's words proved true; no sooner +had he assured Mandane of the good-will of all present, laid his hand on +her head and spoken kindly to her, than the source of her tears was +unlocked, she wept freely, the spell which had seemed to chain her +tongue, vanished, and she began to tell her story, interrupted only by +low sobs. She hid nothing, confessed that Boges had given her his +sanction and assistance to the meeting with Gaumata, and ended by saying: +"I know that I have forfeited my life, and am the worst and most +ungrateful creature in the world; but none of all this would have +happened, if Oropastes had allowed his brother to marry me." + +The serious audience, even the king himself, could not resist a smile at +the longing tone in which these words were spoken and the fresh burst of +sobs which succeeded them. + +And this smile saved her life. But Cambyses would not have smiled, after +hearing such a story, if Mandane, with that instinct which always seems +to stand at a woman's command in the hour of her greatest danger, had not +known how to seize his weak side, and use it for her own interests, by +dwelling much longer than was necessary, on the delight which Nitetis had +manifested at the king's gifts. + +"A thousand times" cried she, "did my mistress kiss the presents which +were brought from you, O King; but oftenest of all did she press her lips +to the nosegay which you plucked with your own hands for her, some days +ago. And when it began to fade, she took every flower separately, spread +out the petals with care, laid them between woollen cloths, and, with her +own hands, placed her heavy, golden ointment-box upon them, that they +might dry and so she might keep them always as a remembrance of your +kindness." + +Seeing Cambyses' awful features grow a little milder at these words, the +girl took fresh courage, and at last began to put loving words into her +mistress's mouth which the latter had never uttered; professing that she +herself had heard Nitetis a hundred times murmur the word "Cambyses" in +her sleep with indescribable tenderness. She ended her confession by +sobbing 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 a +woman! Blood like yours would soil the executioner's axe. Out of my +sight!" + +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 of +the 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" reappeared +with the news that the chief of the eunuchs was nowhere to be found. He +had vanished from the hanging-gardens in an unaccountable manner; but he, +Datis, had left word with his subordinates that he was to be searched for +and brought, dead or alive. + +The king went off into another violent fit of passion at this news, and +threatened the officer of police, who prudently concealed the excitement +of the crowd from his lord, with a severe punishment, if Boges were not +in their hands by the next morning. + +As he finished speaking, a eunuch was brought into the hall, sent by the +king's mother to ask an interview for herself with her son. + +Cambyses prepared at once to comply with his mother's wish, at the same +time giving Phanes his hand to kiss, a rare honor, only shown to those +that ate at the king's table, and saying: "All the prisoners are to be +set at liberty. Go to your sons, you anxious, troubled fathers, and +assure them of my mercy and favor. I think we shall be able to find a +satrapy a-piece for them, as compensation for to-night's undeserved +imprisonment. To you, my Greek friend, I am deeply indebted. In +discharge 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, bowing +low. + +"Then abuse it," said the king with a friendly smile, and calling out to +him, "We shall meet again at supper," he left the hall accompanied by his +court. + + ........................ + +In the meantime there had been sadness and mourning in the apartments of +the queen-mother. Judging from the contents of the letter to Bartja, +Kassandane had made up her mind that Nitetis was faithless, and her own +beloved son innocent. But in whom could she ever place confidence again, +now that this girl, whom she had looked upon as the very embodiment of +every womanly virtue, had proved reprobate and faithless--now that the +noblest 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, as +good as dead. And yet she durst not indulge her sorrow; she had to +restrain the despairing outbursts of grief of her impetuous child. + +Atossa behaved like one deprived of her senses when she heard of the +sentences of death. The self-control which she had learnt from Nitetis +gave way, and her old impetuosity burst forth again with double +vehemence. + +Nitetis, her only friend,--Bartja, the brother whom she loved with her +whole heart,--Darius, whom she felt now she not only looked up to as her +deliverer, but loved with all the warmth of a first affection--Croesus to +whom she clung like a father,--she was to lose every one she loved in one +day. + +She tore her dress and her hair, called Cambyses a monster, and every one +who could possibly believe in the guilt of such people, infatuated or +insane. Then her tears would burst out afresh, she would utter imploring +supplications to the gods for mercy, and a few minutes later, begin +conjuring her mother to take her to the hanging-gardens, that they might +hear Nitetis' defence of her own conduct. + +Kassandane tried to soothe the violent girl, and assured her every +attempt to visit the hanging-gardens would be in vain. Then Atossa began +to 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 tall +window looking towards the hanging-gardens. Her eyes filled with tears +again, as she thought of her friend--her sister-sitting in that palace +alone, forsaken, banished, and looking forward to an ignominious death. +Suddenly her tearful, weary eyes lighted up as if from some strong +purpose, and instead of gazing into the distance, she fixed them on a +black speck which flew towards her in a straight line from Nitetis' +house, becoming larger and more distinct every moment; and finally +settling on a cypress before her window. The sorrow vanished at once +from 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 will +turn out well." + +It was the same bird of paradise which had brought so much comfort to +Nitetis that now gave poor Atossa fresh confidence. + +She bent forward to see whether any one was in the garden; and finding +that 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 took +them to the old man, who had been watching her performances with a +doubtful shake of the head. + +She stroked his cheeks coaxingly, put her flowers in his brown hand, and +said: "Do you love me, Sabaces?" + +"O, my mistress!" was the only answer the old man could utter, as he +pressed the hem of her robe to his lips. + +"I believe you, my old friend, and I will show you how I trust my +faithful, old Sabaces. Hide these flowers carefully and go quickly to +the king's palace. Say that you had to bring fruit for the table. My +poor brother Bartja, and Darius, the son of the noble Hystaspes, are in +prison, near the guard-house of the Immortals. You must manage that +these flowers reach them, with a warm greeting from me, but mind, the +message 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 back +soon." + +The old man went off as fast as he could. Atossa looked thoughtfully +after him, murmuring to herself: "Now they will both know, that I loved +them to the last. The rose means, 'I love you,' and the evergreen +cypress, 'true and steadfast.'" The old man came back in an hour; +bringing her Bartja's favorite ring, and from Darius an Indian +handkerchief dipped in blood. + +Atossa ran to meet him; her eyes filled with tears as she took the +tokens, and seating herself under a spreading plane-tree, she pressed +them by turns to her lips, murmuring: "Bartja's ring means that he thinks +of me; the blood-stained handkerchief that Darius is ready to shed his +heart's blood for me." + +Atossa smiled as she said this, and her tears, when she thought of her +friends and their sad fate, were quieter, if not less bitter, than +before. + +A few hours later a messenger arrived from Croesus with news that the +innocence of Bartja and his friends had been proved, and that Nitetis +was, to all intents and purposes, cleared also. + +Kassandane sent at once to the hanging-gardens, with a request that +Nitetis would come to her apartments. Atossa, as unbridled in her joy as +in her grief, ran to meet her friend's litter and flew from one of her +attendants to the other crying: "They are all innocent; we shall not lose +one of them--not one!" + +When at last the litter appeared and her loved one, pale as death, within +it, she burst into loud sobs, threw her arms round Nitetis as she +descended, and covered her with kisses and caresses till she perceived +that her friend's strength was failing, that her knees gave way, and she +required a stronger support than Atossa's girlish strength could give. + +The Egyptian girl was carried insensible into the queen-mother's +apartments. When she opened her eyes, her head-more like a marble piece +of 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 had +obeyed 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 her +hand 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 beautiful +vision, and wished to hold it fast with all the powers of her mind. + +Then Atossa called her by her name, impetuously and lovingly. She opened +her eyes again, and again she saw those loving looks that she fancied had +only been sent her in a dream. Yes, that was her own Atossa--this her +motherly friend, and there stood, not the angry king, but the man she +loved. And now his lips opened too, his stern, severe eyes rested on her +so beseechingly, and he said: "O Nitetis, awake! you must not--you +cannot possibly be guilty!" She moved her head gently with a look of +cheerful denial and a happy smile stole across her features, like a +breeze 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 on +his knees. + +A Persian physician came up and rubbed her forehead with a sweet-scented +oil, and Nebenchari approached, muttering spells, felt her pulse, shook +his head, and administered a potion from his portable medicine-chest. +This restored her to perfect consciousness; she raised herself with +difficulty into a sitting posture, returned the loving caresses of her +two friends, and then turning to Cambyses, asked: "How could you believe +such a thing of me, my King?" There was no reproach in her tone, but +deep 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 need +your forgiveness too." + +"But I never once doubted you," cried Atossa, proudly and joyfully +kissing her friend's lips. + +"Your letter to Bartja shook my faith in your innocence," added +Kassandane. + +"And yet it was all so simple and natural," answered Nitetis. "Here, my +mother, take this letter from Egypt. Croesus will translate it for you. +It will explain all. Perhaps I was imprudent. Ask your mother to tell +you what you would wish to know, my King. Pray do not scorn my poor, ill +sister. When an Egyptian girl once loves, she cannot forget. But I feel +so frightened. The end must be near. The last hours have been so very, +very terrible. That horrible man, Boges, read me the fearful sentence of +death, and it was that which forced the poison into my hand. Ah, my +heart!" + +And with these words she fell back into the arms of Kassandane. + +Nebenchari rushed forward, and gave her some more drops, exclaiming: "I +thought so! She has taken poison and her life cannot be saved, though +this antidote may possibly prolong it for a few days." Cambyses stood +by, pale and rigid, following the physician's slightest movements, and +Atossa 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 is +necessary, above all things." + +Atossa hastened into the adjoining room; and Cambyses said to the +physician, 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 all +the physicians in Babylon--assemble the priests and Alobeds! She is not +to 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 was +turned towards the window, and the bird of paradise with the gold chain +on its foot, was still there, perched on the cypress-tree. Her eyes fell +first on her lover, who had sunk down at her side and was pressing his +burning lips to her right hand. She murmured with a smile: "O, this +great happiness!" Then she saw the bird, and pointed to it with tier +left 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 violent +attack of fever. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +Prexaspes, the king's messenger, and one of the highest officials at +court, had brought Gaumata, Mandane's lover, whose likeness to Bartja was +really most wonderful, to Babylon, sick and wounded as he was. He was +now awaiting his sentence in a dungeon, while Boges, the man who had led +him into crime, was nowhere to be found, notwithstanding all the efforts +of the police. His escape had been rendered possible by the trap-door in +the hanging-gardens, and greatly assisted by the enormous crowds +assembled 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, were +restored to the royal treasury. Cambyses, however, would gladly have +given 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 eunuchs +of rank were deposed from their offices. The entire caste was to suffer +for the sins of him who had escaped punishment. + +Oropastes, who had already entered on his duties as regent of the +kingdom, and had clearly proved his non-participation in the crime of +which his brother had been proved guilty, bestowed the vacant places +exclusively on the Magi. The demonstration made by the people in favor +of Bartja did not come to the king's ears until the crowd had long +dispersed. Still, occupied as he was, almost entirely, by his anxiety +for Nitetis, he caused exact information of this illegal manifestation to +be furnished him, and ordered the ringleaders to be severely punished. +He fancied it was a proof that Bartja had been trying to gain favor with +the people, and Cambyses would perhaps have shown his displeasure by some +open act, if a better impulse had not told him that he, not Bartja, was +the brother who stood in need of forgiveness. In spite of this, however, +he could not get rid of the feeling that Bartja, had been, though +innocent, the cause of the sad events which had just happened, nor of his +wish to get him out of the way as far as might be; and he therefore gave +a 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 two +days after his liberation. He was accompanied by Gyges, Zopyrus, and a +numerous retinue charged with splendid presents from Cambyses for Sappho. +Darius remained behind, kept back by his love for Atossa. The day too +was not far distant, when, by his father's wish, he was to marry +Artystone, the daughter of Gobryas. + +Bartja parted from his friend with a heavy heart, advising him to be very +prudent with regard to Atossa. The secret had been confided to +Kassandane, 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 by +marriage with the royal family, belonged like Cambyses to the Pasargadae, +and his family was a younger branch of the reigning dynasty. His father +called himself the highest noble in the realm, and as such, governed the +province of Persia proper, the mother-country, to which this enormous +world-empire and its ruler owed their origin. Should the family of Cyrus +become extinct, the descendants of Hystaspes would have a well-grounded +right to the Persian throne. Darius therefore, apart from his personal +advantages, was a fitting claimant for Atossa's hand. And yet no one +dared to ask the king's consent. In the gloomy state of mind into which +he had been brought by the late events, it was likely that he might +refuse it, and such an answer would have to be regarded as irrevocable. +So Bartja was obliged to leave Persia in anxiety about the future of +these two who were very dear to him. + +Croesus promised to act as mediator in this case also, and before Bartja +left, 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 the +older and more experienced man, who gave him many a useful hint, and a +letter to Theopompus, the Milesian, at Naukratis. Phanes concluded by +asking 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 over +a farewell cup. Before he mounted his horse the next morning, Nebenchari +asked to be allowed an audience. He was admitted, and begged Bartja to +take the charge of a large written roll for king Amasis. It contained a +detailed account of Nitetis' sufferings, ending with these words: "Thus +the unhappy victim of your ambitious plans will end her life in a few +hours by poison, to the use of which she was driven by despair. The +arbitrary caprices of the mighty can efface all happiness from the life +of a human creature, just as we wipe a picture from the tablet with a +sponge. Your servant Nebenchari is pining in a foreign land, deprived of +home and property, and the wretched daughter of a king of Egypt dies a +miserable and lingering death by her own hand. Her body will be torn to +pieces by dogs and vultures, after the manner of the Persians. Woe unto +them who rob the innocent of happiness here and of rest beyond the +grave!" + +Bartja had not been told the contents of this letter, but promised to +take it with him; he then, amid the joyful shouts of the people, set up +outside the city-gate the stones which, according to a Persian +superstition, 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 the +courts 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 the +gaunt old man had been a ghost. Seeing, however, a friendly and familiar +smile on the face of the other, he quickened his steps, and, holding out +his hand with a heartiness for which none of his Persian acquaintances +would have given him credit, exclaimed in Egyptian: "Can I believe my +eyes? You in Persia, old Hib? I should as soon have expected the sky to +fall as to have the pleasure of seeing you on the Euphrates. But now, in +the name of Osiris, tell me what can have induced you, you old ibis, to +leave your warm nest on the Nile and set out on such a long journey +eastward." + +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, looked +up into his face with indescribable joy, touched his breast with +trembling fingers, and then, falling on the right knee, laying one hand +on his heart and raising the other to heaven, cried: "Thanks be unto +thee, great Isis, for protecting the wanderer and permitting him to see +his master once more in health and safety. Ah, child, how anxious I have +been! I expected to find you as wasted and thin as a convict from the +quarries; I thought you would have been grieving and unhappy, and here +you are as well, and handsome and portly as ever. If poor old Hib had +been 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 own +will either, nor without many a heartache. These foreigners are all the +children of Seth. The good and gracious gods are only to be found in +Egypt 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 of +it soon enough. Do you think I should have left house and grandchildren +at my age,--going on for eighty,--like any Greek or Phoenician vagabond, +and come out among these godless foreigners (the gods blast and destroy +them!), 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 own +house, and I won't stir out of it as long as we are in this land of +Typhon." + +The old man said this with so much emphasis, that Nebenchiari could not +help smiling and saying: "Have they treated you so very badly then, old +man?" + +"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 the +earth than these Persians. I only wonder they're not all red-haired and +leprous. Ah, child, two whole days I have been in this hell already, and +all that time I was obliged to live among these blasphemers. They said +no 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 to +no 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 comes +from nobody knows where. Why, when he was a poor boy he used to steal +your father's nuts, and wrench the name-plates off the house-doors. I +saw he was a good-for-nothing fellow then. It's a shame that such people +should be allowed to..." + +"Gently, gently, old man. We are not all made of the same stuff, and if +there was such a little difference between you and Amasis as boys, it, is +your 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 of +course I followed in their footsteps." + +"Quite right; it is the law of caste, and by that rule, Amasis ought +never 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 upstart +fellow." + +"There you are again! For shame, Hib! As long as I can remember, and +that is nearly half a century, every other word with you has been an +abusive one. When I was a child your ill-temper was vented on me, and +now the king has the benefit of it." + +"Serves him right! All, if you only knew all! It's now seven months +since . . ." + +"I can't stop to listen to you now. At the rising of the seven stars I +will send a slave to take you to my rooms. Till then you must stay in +your 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. They +forced me to eat out of the same pot with them and cut my bread with the +same knife. An infamous Persian, who had lived many years in Egypt, and +travelled here with us, had given them a list of all the things and +actions, which we consider unclean. They took away my knife when I was +going to shave myself. A good-for-nothing wench kissed me on the +forehead, before I could prevent it. There, you needn't laugh; it will +be 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 all +mocked and sneered at me. But that was not all. A cursed cook-boy +nearly beat a sacred kitten to death before my very eyes. Then an +ointment-mixer, who had heard that I was your servant, made that godless +Bubares 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 up +something from one's master. Bubares was interpreter between us, and the +shameful fellow told him to say that he was very much disturbed about a +dreadful disease in his eyes. I asked what it was, and received for +answer 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 a +candle." + +"Oh, I hate the rascals! Another hour among them will be the death of +me!" + +"I am sure you behaved oddly enough among these foreigners," said +Nebenchiari smiling, "you must have made them laugh at you, for the +Persians 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't +possibly do it before." + +"It is as I thought! He's altered too, like everybody else! Osiris is +dead 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 sure +I know some people who can't say so much of themselves, and who instead +of minding their own business, pretend to heal inward diseases, and when +a faithful old servant . . ." + +"Hold your tongue, and wait patiently till evening." These last words +were spoken seriously, and produced the desired impression. The old man +made another obeisance, and before his master left him, said: "I came +here under the protection of Phanes, the former commander of the Greek +mercenaries. 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 you +this evening?" + +"I wished to be alone with you." + +"So did I; but the Greek seems to be in a great hurry, and he knows +nearly 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, and +the rest . . ." + +"Well?" + +"The rest he got out of me, I hardly know how myself. If I did not wear +this amulet against an evil eye, I should have been obliged . . ." + +"Yes, yes, I know the Athenian--I can forgive you. I should like him to +come with you this evening. But I see the sun is already high in the +heavens. I have no time to lose. Tell me in a few words what has +happened." + +"I thought this evening . . ." + +"No, I must have at least a general idea of what has happened before I +see 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 harem +had already closed behind him. + +When the Pleiades had risen, Nebenchari was to be found seated alone in +one of the magnificent rooms assigned to his use on the eastern side of +the palace, near to Kassandane's apartments. The friendly manner in +which he had welcomed his old servant had given place to the serious +expression which his face usually wore, and which had led the cheerful +Persians to call him a morose and gloomy man. + +Nebenchari was an Egyptian priest through and through; a member of that +caste which never indulged in a jest, and never for a moment forgot to be +dignified and solemn before the public; but when among their relations +and 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 very +important 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 of +revenge against my country." + +"You are mistaken. I have nothing against your country, but all the more +against 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 the +priests considered themselves one with the state." + +"In that case you are better informed than I, who have always looked on +the kings of Egypt as absolute. So they are; but only in proportion as +they 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--you +hear me--once, he succeeded in bending the will of these rulers of his to +his own." + +"I very seldom hear news from home, and do not understand what you are +speaking of." + +"There I believe you, for if you knew what I meant and could stand there +quietly without clenching your fist, you would be no better than a dog +who only whimpers when he's kicked and licks the hand that torments him." + +The physician turned pale. "I know that Amasis has injured and insulted +me," he said, "but at the same time I must tell you that revenge is far +too sweet a morsel to be shared with a stranger." + +"Well said! As to my own revenge, however, I can only compare it to a +vineyard where the grapes are so plentiful, that I am not able to gather +them 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 to +take a share in my vintage." + +"You are mistaken. My work is already done. The gods themselves have +taken it in hand. Amasis has been severely enough punished for banishing +me 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, has +succeeded in cutting the skin, which covered the pupil of the eye and so +restoring Amasis' sight?" + +The Egyptian started and ground his teeth; recovered his presence of +mind, however, in a moment, and answered: "Then the gods have punished +the father through the children." + +"In what way? Psamtik suits his father's present mood very well. It is +true that Tachot is ill, but she prays and sacrifices with her father all +the more for that; and as to Nitetis, you and I both know that her death +will not touch him very closely." + +"I really do not understand you." + +"Of course not, so long as you fancy that I believe your beautiful +patient to be Amasis' daughter." + +The Egyptian started again, but Phanes went on without appearing to +notice his emotion: "I know more than you suppose. Nitetis is the +daughter of Hophra, Amasis' dethroned predecessor. Amasis brought her +up as his own child-first, in order to make the Egyptians believe that +Hophra had died childless; secondly, in order to deprive her of her +rights to the throne; for you know women are allowed to govern on the +Nile." + +"These are mere suppositions." + +"For which, however, I can bring irrefragable proofs. Among the papers +which your old servant Hib brought with him in a small box, there must be +some letters from a certain Sonnophre, a celebrated accoucheur, your own +father, 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 the +slightest intention of giving them up; besides which you might search +Persia from one end to the other without finding any one who could +decipher 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 generally +accustomed to respect the rights of property, I must assure you that, in +the present instance, I shall not return the box until its contents have +served my purpose. Secondly, the gods have so ordained, that just at +this moment there is a man in Babylon who can read every kind of writing +known to the Egyptian priests. Do you perhaps happen to know the name of +Onuphis?" + +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-priest +at Heliopolis, and was initiated into all your mysteries there. My wise +countryman, Pythagoras of Samos, came to Egypt, and after submitting to +some of your ceremonies, was allowed to attend the lessons given in the +schools for priests. His remarkable talents won the love of the great +Onuphis and he taught him all the Egyptian mysteries, which Pythagoras +afterwards turned to account for the benefit of mankind. My delightful +friend Rhodopis and I are proud of having been his pupils. When the rest +of your caste heard that Onuphis had betrayed the sacred mysteries, the +ecclesiastical judges determined on his death. This was to be caused by +a poison extracted from peach-kernels. The condemned man, however, heard +of their machinations, and fled to Naukratis, where he found a safe +asylum in the house of Rhodopis, whom he had heard highly praised by +Pythagoras, and whose dwelling was rendered inviolable by the king's +letter. Here he met Antimenidas the brother of the poet Alcarus of +Lesbos, who, having been banished by Pittakus, the wise ruler of +Mitylene, had gone to Babylon, and there taken service in the army of +Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Assyria. Antimenidas gave him letters to the +Chaldians. Onuphis travelled to the Euphrates, settled there, and was +obliged to seek for some means of earning his daily bread, as he had left +Egypt a poor man. He is now supporting himself in his old age, by the +assistance which his superior knowledge enables him to render the +Chaldoeans in their astronomical observations from the tower of Bel. +Onuphis is nearly eighty, but his mind is as clear as ever, and when I +saw him yesterday and asked him to help me, his eyes brightened as he +promised to do so. Your father was one of his judges, but he bears you +no 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: "Where +are my papers?" + +They are in Onuphis' hands. He is looking among them for the document I +want." + +"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 the +centre 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 know +whether 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 in +Egypt." + +"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--because +I can tell you (I do not swear, for our great master Pythagoras forbade +oaths), that this very chest, with all it contained, was burnt in the +grove of the temple of Neith, in Sais, by order of the king " + +Phanes spoke slowly, emphasizing every syllable, and the words seemed to +strike the Egyptian like so many flashes of lightning. His quiet +coolness and deliberation gave way to violent emotion; his cheeks glowed +and his eyes flashed. But only for one single minute; then the strong +emotion seemed to freeze, his burning cheeks grew pale. "You are trying +to 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 intriguing +and artful, that there is no lie, no fraud, too base, if it will only +help to gain your purpose." + +"You judge me and my countrymen in true Egyptian fashion; that is, they +are foreigners, and therefore must be bad men. But this time your +suspicions happen to be misplaced. Send for old Hib; he will tell you +whether 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 know +the truth; it can influence my future for good or evil. You are an old +and faithful servant, to whom I owe a great deal, and so I will forgive +you 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. He +gulped 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've +bewitched him, they've ruined him in this wicked land. Whatever a man +would do himself, he thinks others are capable of. Aye, you may look as +angry as you like; it matters but little to me. What can it matter +indeed to an old man, who has served the same family faithfully and +honestly for sixty years, if they call him at last a rogue, a knave, a +traitor, nay even a murderer, if it should take their fancy." + +And the scalding tears flowed down over the old man's cheeks, sorely +against his will. + +The easily-moved Phanes clapped him on the shoulder and said, turning to +Nebenchari: "Hib is a faithful fellow. I give you leave to call me a +rascal, if he has taken one single obolus from me." + +The physician did not need Phanes' assurance; he had known his old +servant too well and too long not to be able to read his simple, open +features, on which his innocence was written as clearly as in the pages +of an open book. "I did not mean to reproach you, old Hib," he said +kindly, coming up to him. "How can any one be so angry at a simple +question?" + +"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 at +our house since I left." + +"A pretty story that is! Why only to think of it makes my mouth as +bitter, as if I were chewing wormwood." + +"You said I had been robbed." + +"Yes indeed: no one was ever so robbed before. There would have been +some comfort if the knaves had belonged to the thieves' caste, for then +we should have got the best part of our property back again, and should +not 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 in +Persia. Well, be it so, you're master; you must give orders; I am only +the servant, I must obey. I won't forget it. Well, as I was saying, it +was just at the time when the great Persian embassy came over to Sais to +fetch Nitetis, and made everybody stare at them as if they were monsters +or prodigies, that this shameful thing happened. I was sitting on the +mosquito-tower just as the sun was setting, playing with my little +grandson, 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 me +how his father, the Egyptians do that when their wives leave the children +too much alone--had hidden his mother's shoes, and I was laughing +heartily, 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 trick +played her--when all of a sudden there was such a loud knocking at the +house-door, that I thought there must be a fire and let the child drop +off my lap. Down the stairs I ran, three steps at a time, as fast as my +long legs would carry me, and unbarred the door. Before I had time to +ask them what they wanted, a whole crowd of temple-servants and +policemen--there must have been at least fifteen of them--forced their +way into the house. Pichi,--you know, that impudent fellow from the +temple of Neith,--pushed me back, barred the door inside and told the +police to put me in fetters if I refused to obey him. Of course I got +angry and did not use very civil words to them--you know that's my way +when I'm put out--and what does that bit of a fellow do--by our god +Thoth, the protector of knowledge who must know all, I'm speaking the +truth--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 me +five-and-twenty strokes, if I refused to do his bidding. He showed me +the high-priest's ring, and so I knew there was nothing for it but to +obey 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 left +behind. But old Hib is not quite so stupid as to let himself be caught +in that way, though some people, who ought to know better, do fancy he +can be bribed and is no better than the son of an ass. What did I do +then? I pretended to be quite crushed into submission by the sight of +the signet-ring, begged Pichi as politely as I could to unfasten my +hands, and told him I would fetch the keys. They loosened the cords, I +flew up the stairs five steps at a time, burst open the door of your +sleeping-room, pushed my little grandson, who was standing by it, into +the room and barred it within. Thanks to my long legs, the others were +so far behind that I had time to get hold of the black box which you had +told me to take so much care of, put it into the child's arms, lift him +through the window on to the balcony which runs round the house towards +the 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 child +had had a knife in his mouth, and that that was the reason I had run +upstairs in such a hurry, and had put him out on the balcony to punish +him. That brother of a hippopotamus was easily taken in, and then he +made 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 the +house. They made no distinction, but put all together into the great +chest and carried it downstairs; the little black box, however, lay safe +enough in the pigeon-house. My grandchild is the sharpest boy in all +Sais! + +"When I saw them really carrying the chest downstairs, all the anger I'd +been trying so hard to keep down burst out again. I told the impudent +fellows I would accuse them before the magistrates, nay, even before the +king if necessary, and if those confounded Persians, who were having the +city shown them, had not come up just then and made everybody stare at +them, I could have roused the crowd to take my side. The same evening I +went to my son-in-law-he is employed in the temple of Neith too, you +know,--and begged him to make every effort to find out what had become of +the papers. The good fellow has never forgotten the handsome dowry you +gave my Baner when he married her, and in three days he came and told me +he had seen your beautiful chest and all the rolls it contained burnt to +ashes. I was so angry that I fell ill of the jaundice, but that did not +hinder me from sending in a written accusation to the magistrates. The +wretches,--I suppose only because they were priests too,--refused to take +any 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 be +considered guilty of high treason if I mentioned the papers again. I +valued my tongue too much to take any further steps, but the ground burnt +under my feet; I could not stay in Egypt, I wanted to see you, tell you +what they had done to you, and call on you, who are more powerful than +your poor servant, to revenge yourself. And besides, I wanted to see the +black 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 my +grandchildren to go forth into this foreign Typhon's land. Ah, the +little 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 kiss +you any more.' Baner sends you a hearty greeting, and my son-in-law told +me to say he had found out that Psamtik, the crown-prince, and your +rival, Petammon, had been the sole causes of this execrable deed. I +could not make up my mind to trust myself on that Typhon's sea, so I +travelled with an Arabian trading caravan as far as Tadmor,--[Palmyra]-- +the Phoenician palm-tree station in the wilderness," and then on to +Carchemish, on the Euphrates, with merchants from Sidon. The roads from +Sardis and from Phoenicia meet there, and, as I was sitting very weary in +the little wood before the station, a traveller arrived with the royal +post-horses, and I saw at once that it was the former commander of the +Greek mercenaries." + +"And I," interrupted Phanes, "recognized just as soon in you, the longest +and 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 ran +after you in the street whenever you appeared behind your master with the +medicine-chest. The minute I saw you too I remembered a joke which the +king once made in his own way, as you were both passing by. 'The old +man,' he said, reminds me of a fierce old owl followed by a flight of +small 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 by +scratching 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 and +thought. He had changed color from time to time and on hearing that the +papers which had cost him so many nights of hard work had been burnt, his +fists clenched and he shivered as if seized by biting frost. Not one of +his movements escaped the Athenian. He understood human nature; he knew +that a jest is often much harder to bear than a grave affront, and +therefore seized this opportunity to repeat the inconsiderate joke which +Amasis had, it is true, allowed himself to make in one of his merry +moods. Phanes had calculated rightly, and had the pleasure of seeing, +that as he uttered the last words Nebenchari pressed his hand on a rose +which lay on the table before him, and crushed it to pieces. The Greek +suppressed a smile of satisfaction, and did not even raise his eyes from +the ground, but continued speaking: "Well, now we must bring the +travelling adventures of good old Hib to a close. I invited him to share +my carriage. At first he refused to sit on the same cushion with such a +godless foreigner, as I am, gave in, however, at last, had a good +opportunity at the last station of showing the world how many clever +processes of manipulation he had learnt from you and your father, in his +treatment of Oropastes' wounded brother; he reached Babylon at last safe +and sound, and there, as we could not get sight of you, owing to the +melancholy poisoning of your country-woman, I succeeded in obtaining him +a lodging in the royal palace itself. The rest you knew already." + +Nebenchari bowed assent and gave Hib a sign to leave the room, which the +old 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 to +heal, drew nearer to the soldier Phanes, and said: "I am afraid we +cannot be allies after all, Greek." + +"Why not?" + +"Because I fear, that your revenge will prove far too mild when compared +with 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 my +own eyes." + +"That is as much as to say you are willing to accompany Cambyses' army to +Egypt?" + +"Certainly I am; and when I see my enemies pining in disgrace and misery +I will cry unto them, 'Ah ha, ye cowards, the poor despised and exiled +physician, Nebenchari, has brought this wretchedness upon you!' Oh, my +books, 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 the +dark night in which he lives, and to preserve to the seeing the sweetest +gift of the gods, the greatest beauty of the human countenance, the +receptacle of light, the seeing eye. Now that my books are burnt I have +lived in vain; the wretches have burnt me in burning my works. O my +books, my books!" And he sobbed aloud in his agony. Phanes came up and +took his band, saying: "The Egyptians have struck you, my friend, but me +they have maltreated and abused--thieves have broken into your granaries, +but my hearth and home have been burnt to ashes by incendiaries. Do you +know, 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 they +did to me personally, for I loved Amasis, as a man loves his friend. The +wretch knew that, and yet he suffered them to commit a monstrous, an +incredible act--an act that a man's brain refuses to take in. They stole +like wolves by night into a helpless woman's house--they seized my +children, 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 they +kept in confinement, on the pretext that by so doing they should prevent +me from betraying Egypt to Cambyses. But the boy--my beautiful, gentle +boy--my only son--has been murdered by Psamtik's orders, and possibly +with the knowledge of Amasis. My heart was withered and shrunk with +exile and sorrow, but I feel that it expands--it beats more joyfully now +that there is a hope of vengeance." + +Nebenchari's sullen but burning glance met the flashing eye of the +Athenian as he finished his tale; he gave him his hand and said: "We are +allies." + +The Greek clasped the offered hand and answered: "Our first point now is +to 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, in +a moment, and said: "And I am certain of the king's favor too. The +Massagetan envoys have gone home to-day; peace has been granted them +and..." + +While he was speaking the door was burst open and one of Kassandane's +eunuchs 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 the +eunuch to the dying-bed of the royal bride. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +Blessings go as quickly as they come +Hast thou a wounded heart? touch it seldom +Nothing is perfectly certain in this world +Only two remedies for heart-sickness:--hope and patience +Remember, a lie and your death are one and the same +Scarcely be able to use so large a sum--Then abuse it +Whatever a man would do himself, he thinks others are capable of +When love has once taken firm hold of a man in riper years + + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AN EGYPTIAN PRINCESS, BY EBERS, V7 *** + +************This file should be named 5456.txt or 5456.zip ************ + +This eBook was produced by David Widger + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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