earing and
the revenues of an entire satrapy, and then took me to his mother and
sister. They expressed their gratitude very warmly; Kassandane 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 she is. Since that happy
day--the happiest in my life--I have never seen your sister, till
yesterday evening, when we sat opposite to each other at the banquet.
Our eyes met. I saw nothing but Atossa, and I think she has not
forgotten the man who saved her. Kassandane..."

"Oh, my mother would be delighted to have you for a son-in-law; I will
answer for that. As to the king, your father must apply to him; he is
our uncle and has a right to ask the hand of Cyrus's daughter for his
son."

"But have you forgotten your father's dream? You know that Cambyses has
always looked on me with suspicion since that time."

"Oh, that has been long forgotten. My father dreamt before his death
that you had wings, and was misled by the soothsayers into the fancy
that you, though you were 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 must have been its
fulfilment, as no one but Darius or a winged eagle could possibly have
possessed strength and dexterity enough to hang suspended over such an
abyss."

"Yes, and I remember too that these words did not please your brother.
He chooses to be the only eagle in Persia; but Croesus does not spare
his vanity--"

"Where can Croesus be all this time?"

"In the hanging-gardens. My father and Gobryas have very likely detained
him."

Just at that moment the voice of Zopyrus was heard exclaiming, "Well,
I call that polite! Bartja invites us to a wine-party and leaves us
sitting here without a host, while he talks secrets yonder."

"We are coming, we are coming," answered Bartja. Then taking the hand of
Darius heartily, he said: "I am very glad that you love Atossa. 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 find out what Atossa
feels, and when every thing is in the right track I shall go away, and
leave my winged Darius to his own powers."

So saying Bartja went back into the arbor, and his