"What news can you bring of the prisoners?" asked the king, as the man lay prostrate before him. "Victory to the king! They await death with calmness, for it is sweet to die by thy will." "Have you heard anything of their conversation?" "Yes, my Ruler." "Do they acknowledge their guilt, when speaking to each other?" "Mithras alone knows the heart; but you, my prince, if you could hear them speak, would believe in their innocence, even as I the humblest of your servants." The captain looked up timidly at the king, fearing lest these words should have excited his anger; Cambyses, however, smiled kindly instead of rebuking him. But a sudden thought darkened his brow again directly, and in a low voice he asked: "When was Croesus executed?" The man trembled at this question; the perspiration stood on his forehead, and he could scarcely stammer the words: "He is.... he has.... we thought...." "What did you think?" interrupted Cambyses, and a new light of hope seemed to dawn in his mind. "Is it possible, that you did not carry out my orders at once? Can Croesus still be alive? Speak at once, I must know the whole truth." The captain writhed like a worm at his lord's feet, and at last stammered out, raising his hands imploringly towards the king: "Have mercy, have mercy, my Lord the king! I am a poor man, and have thirty children, fifteen of whom . . ." "I wish to know if Croesus is living or dead." "He is alive! He has done so much for me, and I did not think I was doing wrong in allowing him to live a few hours longer, that he might..." "That is enough," said the king breathing freely. "This once your disobedience shall go unpunished, and the treasurer may give you two talents, as you have so many children.--Now go to the prisoners,--tell Croesus to come hither, and the others to be of good courage, if they are innocent." "My King is the light of the world, and an ocean of mercy." "Bartja and his friends need not remain any longer in confinement; they can walk in the court of the palace, and you will keep guard over them. You, Datis, go at once to the hanging-gardens and order Boges to defer the execution of the sentence on the Egyptian Princess; and further, I wish messengers sent to the post-station mentioned by the Athenian, and the wounded man brought hither under safe escort." The " king's eye " was on the point of departure, but Phanes detained him, saying: "Does my King allow me to make one remark?" "Speak." "It appears to me, that the chief of the eunuchs could give the most accurate information. During his delirium the youth often mentioned his name in connection with that of the girl he seemed to be in love with." "Go at once, Datis, and bring him quickly." "The high-priest Oropastes, Gaumata's brother, ought to appear too; and Mandane, whom I have just been assured on the most positive authority, is the principal attendant of the Egyptian Princess." "Fetch her, Datis."