She sprang forward to meet Boges, trembling with eagerness, caught a hasty glance at herself in the looking-glass, and then, fixing her eyes on the eunuch, asked impetuously: "Are you pleased with me? Will he admire me?" Boges smiled his old, eternal smile and answered: "You always please me, my golden peacock, and the king would admire you too if he could see you as you were a moment ago. You were really beautiful when you called out, 'Will he admire me?' for passion had turned your blue eyes black as night, and your lip was curled with hatred so as to show two rows of teeth white as the snow on the Demawend!" Phaedime was flattered and forced her face once more into the admired expression, saying: "Then take us at once to the banquet, for I know my eyes will be darker and more brilliant, and my teeth will gleam more brightly, when I see that Egyptian girl sitting where I ought to sit." "She will not be allowed to sit there long." "What! is your plan likely to succeed then? Oh, Boges, do not hide it any longer from me--I will be as silent as the grave--I will help you--I will--" "No, I cannot, I dare not tell you about it, but this much I will say in order to sweeten this bitter evening: we have dug the pit for our enemy, and if my golden Phaedime will only do what I tell her, I hope to give her back her old place, and not only that, but even a higher one." "Tell me what I am to do; I am ready for anything and everything." "That was well and bravely spoken; like a true lioness. If you obey me we must succeed; and the harder the task, the higher the reward. Don't dispute what I am going to say, for we have not a minute to lose. Take off all your useless ornaments and only wear the chain the king gave you on your marriage. Put on a dark simple dress instead of this bright one; and when you have prostrated yourself before Kassandane, bow down humbly before the Egyptian Princess too." "Impossible!" "I will not be contradicted. Take off those ornaments at once, I entreat you. There, that is right. We cannot succeed unless you obey me. How white your neck is! The fair Peri would look dark by your side." "But--" "When your turn comes to ask a favor of the king, tell him you have no wishes, now that the sun of your life has withdrawn his light." "Yes, that I will do." "When your father asks after your welfare, you must weep." "I will do that too." "And so that all the Achaemenidae can see that you are weeping." "That will be a fearful humiliation!" "Not at all; only a means by which to rise the more surely. Wash the red color from your cheeks and put on white powder. Make yourself pale-- paler still." "Yes, I shall need that to hide my blushes. Boges, you are asking something fearful of me, but I will obey you if you will only give me a reason." "Girl, bring your mistress's new dark green robe." "I shall look like a slave." "True grace is lovely even in rags." "The Egyptian will completely eclipse me."