a faithful friend to
whom we can tell every joy and sorrow without fear of disclosure, the
thankfulness with which we behold this beautiful world and all the
rich blessings we have received--these are the feelings which we call
piety--devotion.

"These you must hold fast; remembering, however, at the same time, that
the world is ruled neither by the Egyptian, the Persian, nor the Greek
divinities apart from each other, but that all these are one; and
that one indivisible Deity, how different soever may be the names and
characters under which He is represented, guides the fate of men and
nations."

The two Persian women listened to the old man in amazement. Their
unpractised powers were unable to follow the course of his thoughts.
Nitetis, however, had understood him thoroughly, and answered: "My
mother Ladice was the pupil of Pythagoras, and has told me something
like this already; but the Egyptian priests consider such views to be
sacrilegious, and call their originators despisers of the gods. So I
tried to repress such thoughts; but now I will resist them no longer.
What the good and wise Croesus believes cannot possibly be evil or
impious! Let Oropastes come! I am ready to listen to his teaching. The
god of Thebes, our Ammon, shall be transformed into Ormuzd,--Isis or
Hathor, into Anahita, and those among our gods for whom I can find no
likeness in the Persian religion, I shall designate by the name of 'the
Deity.'"

Croesus smiled. He had fancied, knowing how obstinately the Egyptians
clung to all they had received from tradition and education, that it
would have been more difficult for Nitetis to give up the gods of her
native land. He had forgotten that her mother was a Greek, and that the
daughters of Amasis had studied the doctrines of Pythagoras. Neither
was he aware how ardently Nitetis longed to please her proud lord and
master. Even Amasis, who so revered the Samian philosopher, who had so
often yielded to Hellenic influence, and who with good reason might be
called a free-thinking Egyptian, would sooner have exchanged life for
death, than his multiform gods for the one idea "Deity."

"You are a teachable pupil," said Croesus, laying his hand on her head,
"and as a reward, you shall be allowed either to visit Kassandane, or
to receive Atossa in the hanging-gardens, every morning, and every
afternoon until sunset."

This joyful news was received with loud rejoicings by Atossa, and with a
grateful smil