Darius took a daughter
of the deceased Bartja, named Parmys, to be his wife. Herod. III.
88. She is also mentioned VII. 78.]

They were the same in which the unhappy Tachot had spent the last months
of her fading existence. Rhodopis could not see all the little trifles
which showed, not only the age and sex of the former occupant, but her
tastes and disposition, without feeling very sad. On the dressing-table
were a number of little ointment-boxes and small bottles for perfumes,
cosmetics, washes and oils. Two larger boxes, one in the form of a
Nile-goose, and another on the side of which a woman playing on a
lute had been painted, had once contained the princess's costly golden
ornaments, and the metal mirror with a handle in the form of a sleeping
maiden, had once reflected her beautiful face with its pale pink flush.
Everything in the room, from the elegant little couch resting on lions'
claws, to the delicately-carved ivory combs on the toilet-table, proved
that the outward adornments of life had possessed much charm for
the former owner of these rooms. The golden sisirum and the
delicately-wrought nabla, the strings of which had long ago been broken,
testified to her taste for music, while the broken spindle in the
corner, and some unfinished nets of glass beads shewed that she had been
fond of woman's usual work.

It was a sad pleasure to Rhodopis to examine all these things, and the
picture which she drew in her own mind of Tachot after the inspection,
differed very little from the reality. At last interest and curiosity
led her to a large painted chest. She lifted the light cover and found,
first, a few dried flowers; then a ball, round which some skilful hand
had wreathed roses and leaves, once fresh and bright, now, alas,
long ago dead and withered. Beside these were a number of amulets
in different forms, one representing the goddess of truth, another
containing spells written on a strip of papyrus and concealed in a
little golden case. Then her eyes fell on some letters written in the
Greek character. She read them by the light of the lamp. They were from
Nitetis in Persia to her supposed sister, and were written in ignorance
of the latter's illness. When Rhodopis laid them down her eyes were full
of tears. The dead girl's secret lay open before her. She knew now that
Tachot had loved Bartja, that he had given her the faded flowers, and
that she had wreathed the ball with roses because he had thrown