“My men were on guard at the different entrances, some distance from us.

“I clapped my hands to call some of them, but, as they did not come, I went nearer to the house myself, under the protection of these noblemen.  —­The man was standing by the window of the Egyptian Princess’s apartment, and uttered a low whistle when he heard us coming up.  Another figure appeared directly—­clearly recognizable in the bright moonlight—­ sprang out of the sleeping-room window and came towards us with her companion.

“I could hardly believe my eyes on discovering that the intruder was no other than the noble Bartja.  A fig-tree concealed us from the fugitives, but we could distinctly see them, as they passed us at a distance of not more than four steps.  While I was thinking whether I should be justified in arresting a son of Cyrus, Croesus called to Bartja, and the two figures suddenly disappeared behind a cypress.  No one but your brother himself can possibly explain the strange way in which he disappeared.  I went at once to search the house, and found the Egyptian lying unconscious on the couch in her sleeping-room.”

Every one listened to this story in the greatest suspense.  Cambyses ground his teeth and asked in a voice of great emotion:  “Can you testify to the words of the eunuch, Hystaspes?”

“Yes.”

“Why did you not lay hands on the offender?”

“We are soldiers, not policemen.”

“Or rather you care for every knave more than for your king.”

“We honor our king, and abhor the criminal just as we formerly loved the innocent son of Cyrus.”

“Did you recognize Bartja distinctly?”

“Yes.”

“And you, Croesus, can you too give no other answer?”

“No!  I fancied I saw your brother in the moonlight then, as clearly as I see him now; but I believe we must have been deceived by some remarkable likeness.”  Boges grew pale at these words; Cambyses, however, shook his head as if the idea did not please him, and said:  “Whom am I to believe then, if the eyes of my best warriors fail them? and who would wish to be a judge, if testimony such as yours is not to be considered valid?”

“Evidence quite as weighty as ours, will prove that we must have been in error.”

“Will any one dare to give evidence in favor of such an outrageous criminal?” asked Cambyses, springing up and stamping his foot.

“We will,” “I,” “we,” shouted Araspes, Darius, Gyges and Zopyrus with one voice.

“Traitors, knaves!” cried the king.  But as he caught sight of Croesus’ warning eye fixed upon him, he lowered his voice, and said:  “What have you to bring forward in favor of this fellow?  Take care what you say, and consider well what punishment awaits perjurers.”

“We know that well enough,” said Araspes, “and yet we are ready to swear by Mithras, that we have not left Bartja or his garden one moment since we came back from hunting.”