nings of vengeance on his head.
But I know that thou desirest justice, not murder. Act then as those who
have to pronounce a sentence, and hear both sides before deciding. When
this has been done, if the criminal is proved guilty and confesses his
crime, the smoke of his blood will rise to heaven as a friendly shadow,
instead of a darkening cloud, and thou wilt have earned the fame of a
just judge instead of deserving the divine judgments."

Cambyses listened in silence, made a sign to Bischen to retire, and
commanded Boges to repeat his accusation.

The eunuch made an obeisance, and began: "I was ill and obliged to
leave the Egyptian and the Hanging-gardens in the care of my colleague
Kandaules, who has paid for his negligence with his life. Finding myself
better towards evening, I went up to the hanging-gardens to see if
everything was in order there, and also to look at the rare flower which
was to blossom in the night. The king, (Auramazda grant him victory!)
had commanded that the Egyptian should be more strictly watched than
usual, because she had dared to send the noble Bartja..."

"Be silent," interrupted the king, "and keep to the matter in hand."

"Just as the Tistar-star was rising, I came into the garden, and staid
some time there with these noble Achaemenidae, the high-priest and
the king Croesus, looking at the blue lily, which was marvellously
beautiful. I then called my colleague Kandaules and asked him, in
the presence of these noble witnesses, if everything was in order. He
affirmed that this was the case and added, that he had just come from
Nitetis, that she had wept the whole day, and neither tasted food nor
drink. Feeling anxious lest my noble mistress should become worse, I
commissioned Kandaules to fetch a physician, and was just on the point
of leaving the noble Achaemenidae, in order in person to ascertain my
mistress's state of health, when I saw in the moon-light the figure of
a man. I was so ill and weak, that I could hardly stand and had no one
near to help me, except the gardener.

"My men were on guard at the different entrances, some distance from us.

"I clapped my hands to call some of them, but, as they did not come,
I went nearer to the house myself, under the protection of these
noblemen.--The man was standing by the window of the Egyptian Princess's
apartment, and uttered a low whistle when he heard us coming up.
Another figure appeared directly--clearly recognizable in the br