benchari, 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 o