An Egyptian Princess, Volume 6.

own hand, were driven home behind the sports men. At the palace-gates the latter dispersed to their several

the next day for Egypt in order to fetch Sappho and accompany her to Persia. At the same time he assigned him the revenues of Bactra, Rhagae

ambyses remained cold as ice, uttered a few farewell words, and th

he chase the prince in

us and Gyges to drink

as he had promised to visit the blue

the blue lily seemed now to offer him another chance of seeing and speaking to his beloved pupil. He wished for this very

royal gardens, cool fountains plashing round them. Araspes, a Persian of high rank, who had bee

man you love; while I, miserable old fellow, am blamed by everybody, and totter to my grav

repent that he ever took a wife. Be merry, old friend, and remember that it's all your own fault. If you thought a wife would make you happy, wh

smiled b

er man in appearance, strength, courage and perseverance. You are one of the king's nea

aspes. "In your place, I certainly should

as forbidden

the gods announce the future to men. I should have thought that your own father was exam

which you do not u

comprehension a miracle. And you place more confidence in anything that seems to you miraculous, than in the plain simple truth that lies before your face. An

e the gods to be blamed because

s, the necessary penetration for discovering their meaning. What good does a b

ulate every man on becoming a bridegroom, you yourself have so long submitted to be blamed by the priests, slighted

took a long draught from the wine-cup, and said, "I

ell them," wa

drain to the health of the charming Sappho, and thi

med Bartja, joyfully rais

w," muttered Darius,

"Dark looks like these don't sit well on a betrothed lover, who is to drink to the health of his dearest one. Is

r of the Achaemenidae ought to possess," was Darius's

e than that, you must

goblet and looked

ure as my name is Araspes

toms; another has been frightened out of marrying by an oracle; Bartja has determined to be content with only one wife; and Darius looks like a D

ed Araspes. "Darius is

d him, and feeling his own great happiness doubly in that moment, pressed Darius's hand, saying: "I am so sorry that

be able to show a second and

low such examples as Gyges and Araspes have set us. And your one wife, Bartja, is really not worth talking ab

o the women, for we expect them to remain faithful to us all our lives, and we, who are bound to respect truth

ell a he to a man, but our wives are so awfully deceitful, t

me of one, I think her name was Penelope, who waited twenty years faithfully and lovingly for h

back after twenty years. For then I could take some new wives into my harem, young and beautiful, instead of the unfaithful ones, who, besides, would

hear what you are s

t once, or, what is still worse,

ld that

see, that you have

the secrets of y

mine at least carry on an uninterrupted, mortal warfare. But I have accustomed myself to that, and their sprightliness even

re jes

fellow- sufferers. These former enemies rose up against me with the most touching unanimity, and so overwhelmed me with revilings and threats that I left the room. They closed their doors against me. The next morning the lamentations of the evening before were continued. I fled once more and went hunting with the king, and when I came back, tired, hungry and half-frozen-for it was in spring, we were already at Ecbatana, and the snow was lying an ell deep on the Orontes-there was no fire on the hearth and nothing to eat. These noble creatures had entered into a

yrus!" cr

y grow old, what is to hinder me from taking others, still handsomer, and who, by the side of the faded beauties, will be doubly ch

bor and gone out into the garden, was heard calling: "C

upted Araspes. "The flowery darts of love must have entered the

is the lovers' bird among all nations, for love has given her her beautiful song. Wha

istar-star rose so splendidly to-night, that I left the wine to watch it. The nightingales were si

," said Araspes laughing. "Your e

ting wearisome. "I really must beg you to leave off making a

f. If you were not in love, you would have laughed instead of getting angry. Still

llation hanging over the horizon. Zopyrus watched him and called out to his friends, "Something

e other. "Bartja, I have so

eps his own counsel, and from the r

ti

ak o

ould come into th

his friend's hands, and said: "To-day is the third time that things have happened in the heavens, which bode no good for you. Your evil star has approached your favorable constellation so nearly, t

ve implicitly

ly. They

y to try and avoid wha

like a fencing-master-his favorite pupils are those who have the cour

taken leave of my

d tell Croesus to explain the rea

d call me

y mortal, but to go out of the

ius. What would the fencing-m

, by which an isolated individual

tooth aches, I have it drawn at once, instead of tormenting and making myself miserable for weeks by putting off the painful operation as a coward or

know how ser

afraid fo

N

, what you ar

He knew more about the heavens, than any man I ever saw. I learnt a great deal from him, and

did not

sy beforehand? Now that your des

ened to such a warning, but now that I love Sappho, I feel as if my l

nd this fee

Then Araspes was rig

ithout any hope

oman could

fus

ldest sportsman, the strongest wrestler-the wisest of all t

more, than I would tel

es

f Cyrus, your sister a

stars again, for instead of the danger with which they threatened me, here comes an unexpected happiness. Embrace me, my brother

to escort the carriages containing the king's mother and sister, and his wives. In going through the narrow pass which leads over the Orontes, the horses of your moth

arriage, which was fastened on to the backs of the horse

iages and the dead bodies of its inmates, but the gods had taken them into their almighty protection, and there lay the carriage, with broken wheels, in the

was frightful, for the sides of the carriage had been so shattered by the fall, that they threatened every moment to give way, in which case those inside it must

idea what had taken place within me. I dragged the trembling women out of the carriage, and one minute later it rolled down the abyss crashing into a thousand pieces. I am a strong man, but I confess that all my strength was required to keep myself and the two women from falling over the prec

ne allowed me to kiss her forehead, and gave me all the jewels she had worn at the time of the accident, as a present for my future wife. Atossa took a ring from her finger, put it on mine and kissed my hand in the warmth of her emotion- you know how eager and excitable

nswer for that. As to the king, your father must apply to him; he is our

am? You know that Cambyses has always loo

only eighteen then, would try to gain the crown. Cambyses thought of this dream too; but, when you saved my mother and sister, Croesus explained to him that this mu

lease your brother. He chooses to be the only eagle

roesus be al

y father and Gobryas have

ll, I call that polite! Bartja invites us to a wine-party and leav

ssa. I shall stay here till the day after to-morrow, let the stars threaten me with all the dangers in the world. To-morrow I will f

or Bartja!" His friends called him, and he was on the point of returning to them, when he caught sight of a new star, and began to examine its position carefully. His serious looks gave way to a triumph

om their seats to welcome the old man, but when he saw Bartja's face by

her?" asked Gyges, seiz

appy boy, you are still here? don't delay any longer,-fly at once! the whip-bearers are close at my heels, and I as

sus, I ha

of the court, and, in appearance at least, hav

speakin

so innocently meant, you are still in the greatest danger. You know Cambyses'

t under

yses has long been jealous of you, and that

in the hanging-gardens, si

ie to your off

wear to

into a crime by adding the guilt of per

n here, and ab

ce I myself, Hystaspes, and others of the Acha

led his friends and said "Croesus says he met me an hour ago in the hanging-gardens, you know that since the sun set I have no

Gyges, "that Bartja has not le

" added Araspes, Zopyrus

mad? Do you think that your witness will outweigh the words of such men as Hystaspes, Gobryas, Artaphernes and the high priest, Oropa

y me," said Araspes inte

ing-gardens two hours

any longer, if we have

ision of the bodyguard is coming into the garden. I am to be arrested; I cannot escape because I am innocent, and to fly would lay me open

is I do know, you must fly, and fly at once. You know Cambyses. My carriage is waiting at the gate. Don't spare the horses, save yourself even if you drive them to death. The Soldiers

g: "Fly, Bartja, and remember the warning that th

ground to-day. Cowardice is worse than death in my opinion, and I would rather suffer wrong at the hands of others than disgrace myself.

d fought by his side in the war with the Tapuri, and loved him as if he were his own son. He interrupted him, saying: "There is no need to take

ur life. You must fly. My men will do what I tell them blindfold; they will not pursue you; and

our offer, because I am innocent, and I know that though Cambyses is hasty, he is not