o Persia!' Psamtik
was evidently annoyed at this remark and said to the king, 'Father,
remember Phanes.'"

"Phanes!"

"Yes, my Sovereign," answered the Athenian. "Once, when he was
intoxicated, Amasis let out his secret to me, and Psamtik was warning
him not to forget himself a second time."

"Tell the story as it occurred."

"On my return from Cyprus to Sais as a conqueror, a great entertainment
was given at court. Amasis distinguished me in every way, as having won
a rich province for him, and even, to the dismay of his own countrymen,
embraced me. His affection increased with his intoxication, and at last,
as Psamtik and I were leading him to his private apartments, he stopped
at the door of his daughter's room, and said: 'The girls sleep there.
If you will put away your own wife, Athenian, I will give you Nitetis.
I should like to have you for a son-in-law. There's a secret about that
girl, Phanes; she's not my own child.' Before his drunken father could
say more, Psamtik laid his hand before his mouth, and sent me roughly
away to my lodging, where I thought the matter over and conjectured
what I now, from reliable sources, know to be the truth. I entreat
you, command this old man to translate those parts of the physician
Sonnophre's journal, which allude to this story."

Cambyses nodded his consent, and the old man began to read in a voice
far louder than any one could have supposed possible from his infirm
appearance "On the fifth day of the month Thoth, I was sent for by the
king. I had expected this, as the queen was near her confinement. With
my assistance she was easily and safely delivered of a child--a weakly
girl. As soon as the nurse had taken charge of this child, Amasis led me
behind a curtain which ran across his wife's sleeping-apartment. There
lay another infant, which I recognized as the child of Hophra's widow,
who herself had died under my hands on the third day of the same month.
The king then said, pointing to this strong child, 'This little creature
has no parents, but, as it is written in the law that we are to show
mercy to the desolate orphans, Ladice and I have determined to bring her
up as our own daughter. We do not, however, wish that this deed should
be made known, either to the world or to the child herself, and I ask
you to keep the secret and spread a report that Ladice has given birth
to twins. If you accomplish this according to our wish, you shall
receive to-day five thousand