“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“When your turn comes to ask a favor of the king, tell him you have no wishes, now that the sun of your life has withdrawn his light.”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.”

“Yes, every one must see that you have not the slightest intention of comparing yourself with her.  Then people will say:  ’Would not Phaedime be as beautiful as this proud woman, if she had taken the same pains to make herself so?"’

“But I cannot bow down to her.”

“You must.”

“You only want to humble and ruin me.”

“Short-sighted fool! listen to my reasons and obey.  I want especially to excite the Achaemenidae against our enemy.  How it will enrage your grandfather Intaphernes, and your father Otanes to see you in the dust before a stranger!  Their wounded pride will bring them over to our side, and if they are too ‘noble,’ as they call it, to undertake anything themselves against a woman, still they will be more likely to help than to hinder us, if I should need their assistance.  Then, when the Egyptian is ruined, if you have done as I wish, the king will