e would observe that
even Persians of high rank were sometimes deprived of their ears.
In the Behistan inscription (Spiegel p. 15 and 21.) the ears, tongue
and nose of the man highest in rank among the rebels, were cut off.
Similar punishments are quoted by Brisson.]

Oropastes did not dare to intercede for his brother, though this
ignominious punishment mortified his ambitious mind more than even a
sentence of death could have done. As he was afraid that his own
influence and consideration might suffer through this mutilated brother,
he ordered him to leave Babylon at once for a country-house of his own on
Mount Arakadris.

During the few days which had just passed, a shabbily-dressed and
closely-veiled woman had watched day and night at the great gate of the
palace; neither the threats of the sentries nor the coarse jests of the
palace-servants could drive her from her post. She never allowed one of
the less important officials to pass without eagerly questioning him,
first as to the state of the Egyptian Princess, and then what had become
of Gaumata. When his sentence was told her as a good joke by a chattering
lamp-lighter, she went off into the strangest excitement, and astonished
the poor man so much by kissing his robe, that he thought she must be
crazed, and gave her an alms. She refused the money, but remained at her
post, subsisting on the bread which was given her by the compassionate
distributors of food. Three days later Gaumata himself, with his head
bound up, was driven out in a closed harmamaxa. She rushed to the
carriage and ran screaming by the side of it, until the driver stopped
his mules and asked what she wanted. She threw back her veil and showed
the poor, suffering youth her pretty face covered with deep blushes.
Gaumata uttered a low cry as he recognized her, collected himself,
however, in a moment, and said: "What do you want with me, Mandane?"

The wretched girl raised her hands beseechingly to him, crying: "Oh, do
not leave me, Gaumata! Take me with you! I forgive you all the misery you
have brought on me and my poor mistress. I love you so much, I will take
care of you and nurse you as if I were the lowest servant-girl."

A short struggle passed in Gaumata's mind. He was just going to open the
carriage-door and clasp Mandane-his earliest love-in his arms, when the
sound of horses' hoofs coming nearer struck on his ear, and looking round
he saw, a carriage full of Magi, among w