le at
the longing tone in which these words were spoken and the fresh burst of
sobs which succeeded them.

And this smile saved her life. But Cambyses would not have smiled, after
hearing such a story, if Mandane, with that instinct which always seems
to stand at a woman's command in the hour of her greatest danger, had
not known how to seize his weak side, and use it for her own interests,
by dwelling much longer than was necessary, on the delight which Nitetis
had manifested at the king's gifts.

"A thousand times" cried she, "did my mistress kiss the presents which
were brought from you, O King; but oftenest of all did she press her
lips to the nosegay which you plucked with your own hands for her, some
days ago. And when it began to fade, she took every flower separately,
spread out the petals with care, laid them between woollen cloths, and,
with her own hands, placed her heavy, golden ointment-box upon them,
that they might dry and so she might keep them always as a remembrance
of your kindness."

Seeing Cambyses' awful features grow a little milder at these words, the
girl took fresh courage, and at last began to put loving words into her
mistress's mouth which the latter had never uttered; professing that she
herself had heard Nitetis a hundred times murmur the word "Cambyses"
in her sleep with indescribable tenderness. She ended her confession by
sobbing and praying for mercy.

The king looked down at her with infinite contempt, though without
anger, and pushing her away with his foot said: "Out of my sight, you
dog of a woman! Blood like yours would soil the executioner's axe. Out
of my sight!"

Mandane needed no second command to depart. The words "out of my sight"
sounded like sweet music in her ears. She rushed through the courts
of the palace, and out into the streets, crying like a mad woman "I am
free! I am free!"

She, had scarcely left the hall, when Datis, the "king's eye" reappeared
with the news that the chief of the eunuchs was nowhere to be found. He
had vanished from the hanging-gardens in an unaccountable manner;
but he, Datis, had left word with his subordinates that he was to be
searched for and brought, dead or alive.

The king went off into another violent fit of passion at this news, and
threatened the officer of police, who prudently concealed the excitement
of the crowd from his lord, with a severe punishment, if Boges were not
in their hands by the next morning.

As he finishe