ossa would have been sent after
Croesus and Bartja into the other world, if fear of Cyrus's spirit had
not prevented the son, even in this furious rage, from laying hands
on his father's widow. Kassandane, however, did not say one word for
Nitetis. She seems as fully convinced of her guilt as you and I can be.
Neither have we anything to fear from the enamored Gaumata. I have hired
three men to give him a cool bath in the Euphrates, before he gets back
to Rhagae. Ah, ha! the fishes and worms will have a jolly time!"

Phaedime joined in Boges' laughter, bestowed on him all the flattering
names which she had caught from his own smooth tongue, and in token of
her gratitude, hung a heavy chain studded with jewels round his neck
with her own beautiful arms.

CHAPTER V.

Before the sun had reached his mid-day height, the news of what had
happened and of what was still to happen had filled all Babylon. The
streets swarmed with people, waiting impatiently to see the strange
spectacle which the punishment of one of the king's wives, who had
proved false and faithless, promised to afford. The whip-bearers were
forced to use all their authority to keep this gaping crowd in order.
Later on in the day the news that Bartja and his friends were soon to be
executed arrived among the crowd; they were under the influence of the
palm-wine, which was liberally distributed on the king's birthday and
the following days, and could not control their excited feelings; but
these now took quite another form.

Bands of drunken men paraded the streets, crying: "Bartja, the good son
of Cyrus, is to be executed!" The women heard these words in their quiet
apartments, eluded their keepers, forgot their veils, and rushing forth
into the streets, followed the excited and indignant men with cries and
yells. Their pleasure in the thought of seeing a more fortunate sister
humbled, vanished at the painful news that their beloved prince was
condemned to death. Men, women and children raged, stormed and cursed,
exciting one another to louder and louder bursts of indignation. The
workshops were emptied, the merchants closed their warehouses, and the
school-boys and servants, who had a week's holiday on occasion of the
king's birthday, used their freedom to scream louder than any one else,
and often to groan and yell without in the least knowing why.

At last the tumult was so great that the whip-bearers were insufficient
to cope with it, and a detac