lmingly generous. Already I fear many of his servants
mutter that I am promoted beyond all desert."

"Mutter? mutter against you?" The king's eyes flashed ominously. "By
Mazda, it is against me, then, who advanced you! Hearken, Otanes,"--he
addressed the general of the Persian footmen, who stood near by,--"who are
the disobedient slaves who question my advancement of Prexaspes?"

The general--he had been the loudest grumbler--bowed and kissed the carpet.

"None, your Eternity; on the contrary, there is not one Aryan in the host
who does not rejoice the king has found so noble an object for his godlike
bounty."

"You hear, Prexaspes," said Xerxes, mollified. "I am glad, for the man who
questions my wisdom touching your advancement must be impaled. To-morrow
is my birthday, you will not fail to sit with the other great lords at the
banquet."

"The king overpowers me with his goodness."

"Do not fail to deserve it. Mardonius is always praising you. Consider
also how much better it is to depend on a gracious king than on the
clamour of the fickle mob that rules in your helpless cities!"

* * * * * * *

The next morning was the royal birthday. The army, pitched in the fertile
plain by Thessalian Larissa, feasted on the abundance at hand. The king
distributed huge largesses of money. All day long he sat in his
palace-like tent, receiving congratulations from even the lowest of his
followers, and bound in turn not to reject any reasonable petition. The
Magi sacrificed blooded stallions and rare spices to Mithra the "Lord of
Wide Pastures," to Vohu-Manu the "Holy Councillor," and all their other
angels, desiring them to bless the arms of the king.

The "Perfect Banquet" of the birthday came in the evening. It hardly
differed from the feast at Sardis. The royal pavilion had its poles plated
with silver, the tapestries were green and purple, the couches were spread
with gorgeous coverlets. Only the drinking was more moderate, the
ceremonial less rigid. The fortunate guests devoured dainties reserved for
the special use of royalty: the flour of the bread was from Assos, the
wine from Helbon, the water to dilute the wine had come in silver flasks
from the Choaspes by Susa. The king even distributed the special unguent
of lion's fat and palm wine which no subject, unpermitted, could use and
shun the death penalty.

Then at the end certain of the fairest of the women came and danced
unveiled b