“At last the new-year’s festival arrived and all the priests in the kingdom assembled at Babylon.  For eight days the city was full of rejoicing, feasting and merry-making.  At court it was just the same, and so I had very little time to think of my plans.  But just then, when I had hardly any hope of succeeding, the gracious Amescha cpenta sent a youth across my path, who seemed created by Angramainjus himself to suit my plan.  Gaumata, the brother of Oropastes, came to Babylon to be present at the great new-year’s sacrifice.  I saw him first in his brother’s house, whither I had been sent on a message from the king, and his likeness to Bartja was so wonderful, that I almost fancied I was looking at an apparition.  When I had finished my business with Oropastes the youth accompanied me to my carriage.  I showed no signs of astonishment at this remarkable likeness, treated him however, with immense civility, and begged him to pay me a visit.  He came the very same evening.  I sent for my best wine, pressed him to drink, and experienced, not for the first time, that the juice of the vine has one quality which outweighs all the rest:  it can turn even a silent man into a chatter-box.  The youth confessed that the great attraction which had brought him to Babylon was, not the sacrifice, but a girl who held the office of upper attendant to the Egyptian Princess.  He said he had loved her since he was a child; but his ambitious brother had higher views for him, and in order to get the lovely Mandane out of his way, had procured her this situation.  At last he begged me to arrange an interview with her.  I listened good-naturedly, made a few difficulties, and at last asked him to come the next day and see how matters were going on.  He came, and I told him that it might be possible to manage it, but only if he would promise to do what I told him without a question.  He agreed to everything, returned to Rhagae at my wish, and did not come to Babylon again until yesterday, when he arrived secretly at my house, where I concealed him.  Meanwhile Bartja had returned from the war.  The great point now was to excite the king’s jealousy again, and ruin the Egyptian at one blow.  I roused the indignation of your relations through your public humiliation, and so prepared the way for my plan.  Events were wonderfully in my favor.  You know how Nitetis behaved at the birthday banquet, but you do not know that that very evening she sent a gardener’s boy to the palace with a note for Bartja.  The silly fellow managed to get caught and was executed that very night, by command of the king, who was almost mad with rage; and I took care that Nitetis should be as entirely cut off from all communication with her friends, as if she lived in the nest of the Simurg.  You know the rest.”

“But how did Gaumata escape?”