tress. 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, borr