CHAPTER II.
The hunt was over. Waggons full of game, amongst which were severalenormous wild boars killed by the king's own hand, were driven homebehind the sports men. At the palace-gates the latter dispersed totheir several abodes, in order to exchange the simple Persian leatherhunting-costume for the splendid Median court-dress.
In the course of the day's sport Cambyses had (with difficultyrestraining his agitation) given his brother the seemingly kind order tostart the next day for Egypt in order to fetch Sappho and accompanyher to Persia. At the same time he assigned him the revenues of Bactra,Rhagae and Sinope for the maintenance of his new household, and tohis young wife, all the duties levied from her native town Phocaea, aspin-money.
Bartja thanked his generous brother with undisguised warmth, butCambyses remained cold as ice, uttered a few farewell words, and then,riding off in pursuit of a wild ass, turned his back upon him.
On the way home from the chase the prince invited his bosom-friendsCroesus, Darius, Zopyrus and Gyges to drink a parting-cup with him.
Croesus promised to join them later, as he had promised to visit theblue lily at the rising of the Tistarstar.
He had been to the hanging-gardens that morning early to visit Nitetis,but had been refused entrance by the guards, and the blue lily seemednow to offer him another chance of seeing and speaking to his belovedpupil. He wished for this very much, as he could not thoroughlyunderstand her behavior the day before, and was uneasy at the strictwatch set over her.
The young Achaemenidae sat cheerfully talking together in the twilightin a shady bower in the royal gardens, cool fountains plashing roundthem. Araspes, a Persian of high rank, who had been one of Cyrus'sfriends, had joined them, and did full justice to the prince's excellentwine.
"Fortunate Bartja!" cried the old bachelor, "going out to a goldencountry to fetch the woman you love; while I, miserable old fellow, amblamed by everybody, and totter to my grave without wife or children toweep for me and pray the gods to be merciful to my poor soul."
"Why think of such things?" cried Zopyrus, flourishing the wine-cup."There's no woman so perfect that her husband does not, at least once aday, repent that he ever took a wife. Be merry, old friend, and rememberthat it's all your own fault. If you thought a wife would make youhappy, why did not you do as I have done? I am only twenty-two years oldand have five stately wives and a troop of the most beautiful slaves inmy house."
Araspes smiled bitterly.
"And what hinders you from marrying now?" said Gyges. "You are amatch for many a younger man in appearance, strength, courage andperseverance. You are one of the king's nearest relations too--I tellyou, Araspes, you might have twenty young and beautiful wives."
"Look after your own affairs," answered Araspes. "In your place, Icertainly should not have waited to marry till I was thirty."
"An oracle has forbidden my marrying."
"Folly? how can a sensible man care for what an oracle says? It isonly by dreams, that the gods announce the future to men. I should havethought that your own father was example enough of the shameful way inwhich those lying priests deceive their best friends."
"That is a matter which you do not understand, Araspes."
"And never wish to, boy, for you only believe in oracles because youdon't understand them, and in your short-sightedness call everythingthat is beyond your comprehension a miracle. And you place moreconfidence in anything that seems to you miraculous, than in the plainsimple truth that lies before your face. An oracle deceived your fatherand plunged him into ruin, but the oracle is miraculous, and so you too,in perfect confidence, allow it to rob you of happiness!"
"That is blasphemy, Araspes. Are the gods to be blamed because wemisunderstand their words?"
"Certainly: for if they wished to benefit us they would give us, withthe words, the necessary penetration for discovering their meaning. Whatgood does a beautiful speech do me, if it is in a foreign language thatI do not understand?"
"Leave off this useless discussion," said Darius, "and tell us instead,Araspes, how it is that, though you congratulate every man on becominga bridegroom, you yourself have so long submitted to be blamed by thepriests, slighted at all entertainments and festivals, and abused by thewomen, only because you choose to live and die a bachelor?"
Araspes looked down thoughtfully, then shook himself, took a longdraught from the wine-cup, and said, "I have my reasons, friends, but Icannot tell them now."
"Tell them, tell them," was the answer.
"No, children, I cannot, indeed I cannot. This cup I drain to thehealth of the charming Sappho, and this second to your good fortune, myfavorite, Darius."
"Thanks, Araspes!" exclaimed Bartja, joyfully raising his goblet to hislips.
"You mean well, I know," muttered Darius, looking down gloomily.
"What's this, you son of Hystaspes?" cried the old man, looking morenarrowly at the serious face of the youth. "Dark looks like these don'tsit well on a betrothed lover, who is to drink to the health of hisdearest one. Is not Gobryas' little daughter the noblest of all theyoung Persian girls after Atossa? and isn't she beautiful?"
"Artystone has every talent and quality that a daughter of theAchaemenidae ought to possess," was Darius's answer, but his brow didnot clear as he said the words.
"Well, if you want more than that, you must be very hard to please."
Darius raised his goblet and looked down into the wine.
"The boy is in love, as sure as my name is Araspes!" exclaimed the elderman.
"What a set of foolish fellows you are," broke in Zopyrus at thisexclamation. "One of you has remained a bachelor in defiance of allPersian customs; another has been frightened out of marrying by anoracle; Bartja has determined to be content with only one wife; andDarius looks like a Destur chanting the funeral-service, because hisfather has told him to make himself happy with the most beautiful andaristocratic girl in Persia!"
"Zopyrus is right," cried Araspes. "Darius is ungrateful to fortune."
Bartja meanwhile kept his eyes fixed on the friend, who was thus blamedby the others. He saw that their jests annoyed him, and feeling his owngreat happiness doubly in that moment, pressed Darius's hand, saying: "Iam so sorry that I cannot be present at your wedding. By the time I comeback, I hope you will be reconciled to your father's choice."
"Perhaps," said Darius, "I may be able to show a second and even a thirdwife by that time."
"'Anahita' grant it!" exclaimed Zopyrus. "The Achaemenidae would soonbecome extinct, if every one were to follow such examples as Gyges andAraspes have set us. And your one wife, Bartja, is really not worthtalking about. It is your duty to marry three wives at once, in order tokeep up your father's family--the race of Cyrus."
"I hate our custom of marrying many wives," answered Bartja. "Throughdoing this, we make ourselves inferior to the women, for we expect themto remain faithful to us all our lives, and we, who are bound to respecttruth and faithfulness above every thing else, swear inviolable love toone woman to-day, and to another to-morrow."
"Nonsense!" cried Zopyrus. "I'd rather lose my tongue than tell a he toa man, but our wives are so awfully deceitful, that one has no choicebut to pay them back in their own coin."
"The Greek women are different," said Bartja, "because they aredifferently treated. Sappho told me of one, I think her name wasPenelope, who waited twenty years faithfully and lovingly for herhusband, though every one believed he was dead, and she had fifty loversa day at her house."
"My wives would not wait so long for me," said Zopyrus laughing. "Totell the truth, I don't think I should be sorry to find an empty house,if I came back after twenty years. For then I could take some new wivesinto my harem, young and beautiful, instead of the unfaithful ones, who,besides, would have grown old. But alas! every woman does not find someone to run away with her, and our women would rather have an absenthusband than none at all."
"If your wives could hear what you are saying!" said Araspes.
"T
hey would declare war with me at once, or, what is still worse,conclude a peace with one another."
"How would that be worse?"
"How? it is easy to see, that you have had no experience."
"Then let us into the secrets of your married life."
"With pleasure. You can easily fancy, that five wives in one house donot live quite so peacefully as five doves in a cage; mine at leastcarry on an uninterrupted, mortal warfare. But I have accustomed myselfto that, and their sprightliness even amuses me. A year ago, however,they came to terms with one another, and this day of peace was the mostmiserable in my life."
"You are jesting."
"No, indeed, I am quite in earnest. The wretched eunuch who had to keepwatch over the five, allowed them to see an old jewel-merchant fromTyre. Each of them chose a separate and expensive set of jewels. WhenI came home Sudabe came up and begged for money to pay for theseornaments. The things were too dear, and I refused. Every one of thefive then came and begged me separately for the money; I refused each ofthem point blank and went off to court. When I came back, there were allmy wives weeping side by side, embracing one another and calling eachother fellow-sufferers. These former enemies rose up against me withthe most touching unanimity, and so overwhelmed me with revilings andthreats that I left the room. They closed their doors against me. Thenext morning the lamentations of the evening before were continued. Ifled once more and went hunting with the king, and when I came back,tired, hungry and half-frozen--for it was in spring, we were already atEcbatana, and the snow was lying an ell deep on the Orontes--there wasno fire on the hearth and nothing to eat. These noble creatures hadentered into an alliance in order to punish me, had put out the fire,forbidden the cooks to do their duty and, which was worse than all--hadkept the jewels! No sooner had I ordered the slaves to make a fire andprepare food, than the impudent jewel-dealer appeared and demandedhis money. I refused again, passed another solitary night, and in themorning sacrificed ten talents for the sake of peace. Since that timeharmony and peace among my beloved wives seems to me as much to befeared as the evil Divs themselves, and I see their little quarrels withthe greatest pleasure."
"Poor Zopyrus!" cried Bartja.
"Why poor?" asked this five-fold husband. "I tell you I am much happierthan you are. My wives are young and charming, and when they grow old,what is to hinder me from taking others, still handsomer, and who,by the side of the faded beauties, will be doubly charming. Ho!slave--bring some lamps. The sun has gone down, and the wine loses allits flavor when the table is not brightly lighted."
At this moment the voice of Darius, who had left the arbor and gone outinto the garden, was heard calling: "Come and hear how beautifully thenightingale is singing."
"By Mithras, you son of Hystaspes, you must be in love," interruptedAraspes. "The flowery darts of love must have entered the heart of him,who leaves his wine to listen to the nightingale."
"You are right there, father," cried Bartja. "Philomel, as the Greekscall our Gulgul, is the lovers' bird among all nations, for love hasgiven her her beautiful song. What beauty were you dreaming of, Darius,when you went out to listen to the nightingale?"
"I was not dreaming of any," answered he. "You know how fond I am ofwatching the stars, and the Tistar-star rose so splendidly to-night,that I left the wine to watch it. The nightingales were singing soloudly to one another, that if I had not wished to hear them I must havestopped my ears."
"You kept them wide open, however," said Araspes laughing. "Yourenraptured exclamation proved that."
"Enough of this," cried Darius, to whom these jokes were gettingwearisome. "I really must beg you to leave off making allusions tomatters, which I do not care to hear spoken of."
"Imprudent fellow!" whispered the older man; "now you really havebetrayed yourself. If you were not in love, you would have laughedinstead of getting angry. Still I won't go on provoking you--tell mewhat you have just been reading in the stars."
At these words Darius looked up again into the starry sky and fixed hiseyes on a bright constellation hanging over the horizon. Zopyruswatched him and called out to his friends, "Something important must behappening up there. Darius, tell us what's going on in the heavens justnow."
"Nothing good," answered the other. "Bartja, I have something to say toyou alone."
"Why to me alone? Araspes always keeps his own counsel, and from therest of you I never have any secrets."
"Still--"
"Speak out."
"No, I wish you would come into the garden with me."
Bartja nodded to the others, who were still sitting over their wine,laid his hand on Darius' shoulder and went out with him into the brightmoonlight. As soon as they were alone, Darius seized both his friend'shands, and said: "To-day is the third time that things have happened inthe heavens, which bode no good for you. Your evil star has approachedyour favorable constellation so nearly, that a mere novice in astrologycould see some serious danger was at hand. Be on your guard, Bartja, andstart for Egypt to-day; the stars tell me that the danger is here on theEuphrates, not abroad."
"Do you believe implicitly in the stars?"
"Implicitly. They never lie."
"Then it would be folly to try and avoid what they have foretold."
"Yes, no man can run away from his destiny; but that very destinyis like a fencing-master--his favorite pupils are those who have thecourage and skill to parry his own blows. Start for Egypt to-day,Bartja."
"I cannot--I haven't taken leave of my mother and Atossa."
"Send them a farewell message, and tell Croesus to explain the reason ofyour starting so quickly."
"They would call me a coward."
"It is cowardly to yield to any mortal, but to go out of the way ofone's fate is wisdom."
"You contradict yourself, Darius. What would the fencing-master say to arunaway-pupil?"
"He would rejoice in the stratagem, by which an isolated individualtried to escape a superior force."
"But the superior force must conquer at last.--What would be the useof my trying to put off a danger which, you say yourself, cannotbe averted? If my tooth aches, I have it drawn at once, instead oftormenting and making myself miserable for weeks by putting off thepainful operation as a coward or a woman would, till the last moment.I can await this coming danger bravely, and the sooner it comes thebetter, for then I shall have it behind me."
"You do not know how serious it is."
"Are you afraid for my life?"
"No."
"Then tell me, what you are afraid of."
"That Egyptian priest with whom I used to study the stars, once castyour horoscope with me. He knew more about the heavens, than any man Iever saw. I learnt a great deal from him, and I will not hide from youthat even then he drew my attention to dangers that threaten you now."
"And you did not tell me?"
"Why should I have made you uneasy beforehand? Now that your destiny isdrawing near, I warn you."
"Thank you,--I will be careful. In former times I should not havelistened to such a warning, but now that I love Sappho, I feel as if mylife were not so much my own to do what I like with, as it used to be."
"I understand this feeling..."
"You understand it? Then Araspes was right? You don't deny?"
"A mere dream without any hope of fulfilment."
"But what woman could refuse you?"
"Refuse!"
"I don't understand you. Do you mean to say that you--the boldestsportsman, the strongest wrestler--the wisest of all the youngPersians--that you, Darius, are afraid of a woman?"
"Bartja, may I tell you more, than I would tell even to my own father?"
"Yes."
"I love the daughter of Cyrus, your sister and the king's, Atossa."
"Have I understood you rightly? you love Atossa? Be praised for this, Oye pure Amescha cpenta! Now I shall never believe in your stars again,for instead of the danger with which they threatened me, here comesan unexpected happiness. Embra
ce me, my brother, and tell me the wholestory, that I may see whether I can help you to turn this hopelessdream, as you call it, into a reality."
"You will remember that before our journey to Egypt, we went with theentire court from Ecbatana to Susa. I was in command of the division ofthe 'Immortals' appointed to escort the carriages containing the king'smother and sister, and his wives. In going through the narrow pass whichleads over the Orontes, the horses of your mother's carriage slipped.The yoke to which the horses were harnessed broke from the pole, andthe heavy, four-wheeled carriage fell over the precipice withoutobstruction.
[There was a yoke at the end of the shaft of a Persian carriage, which was fastened on to the backs of the horses and took the place of our horse-collar and pole-chain.]
On seeing it disappear, we were horrified and spurred our horses tothe place as quickly as possible. We expected of course to see onlyfragments of the carriages and the dead bodies of its inmates, but thegods had taken them into their almighty protection, and there lay thecarriage, with broken wheels, in the arms of two gigantic cypresseswhich had taken firm root in the fissures of the slate rocks, and whosedark tops reached up to the edge of the carriage-road.
"As quick as thought I sprang from my horse and scrambled down one ofthe cypresses. Your mother and sister stretched their arms to me, cryingfor help. The danger was frightful, for the sides of the carriage hadbeen so shattered by the fall, that they threatened every moment to giveway, in which case those inside it must inevitably have fallen intothe black, unfathomable abyss which looked like an abode for the gloomyDivs, and stretched his jaws wide to crush its beautiful victims.
"I stood before the shattered carriage as it hung over the precipiceready to fall to pieces every moment, and then for the first time I metyour sister's imploring look. From that moment I loved her, but at thetime I was much too intent on saving them, to think of anything else,and had no idea what had taken place within me. I dragged the tremblingwomen out of the carriage, and one minute later it rolled down the abysscrashing into a thousand pieces. I am a strong man, but I confess thatall my strength was required to keep myself and the two women fromfalling over the precipice until ropes were thrown to us from above.Atossa hung round my neck, and Kassandane lay on my breast, supported bymy left arm; with the right I fastened the rope round my waist, we weredrawn up, and I found myself a few minutes later on the high-road--yourmother and sister were saved.
"As soon as one of the Magi had bound up the wounds cut by the rope inmy side, the king sent for me, gave me the chain I am now wearing andthe revenues of an entire satrapy, and then took me to his mother andsister. They expressed their gratitude very warmly; Kassandane allowedme to kiss her forehead, and gave me all the jewels she had worn at thetime of the accident, as a present for my future wife. Atossa took aring from her finger, put it on mine and kissed my hand in the warmth ofher emotion--you know how eager and excitable she is. Since that happyday--the happiest in my life--I have never seen your sister, tillyesterday evening, when we sat opposite to each other at the banquet.Our eyes met. I saw nothing but Atossa, and I think she has notforgotten the man who saved her. Kassandane..."
"Oh, my mother would be delighted to have you for a son-in-law; I willanswer for that. As to the king, your father must apply to him; he isour uncle and has a right to ask the hand of Cyrus's daughter for hisson."
"But have you forgotten your father's dream? You know that Cambyses hasalways looked on me with suspicion since that time."
"Oh, that has been long forgotten. My father dreamt before his deaththat you had wings, and was misled by the soothsayers into the fancythat you, though you were only eighteen then, would try to gain thecrown. Cambyses thought of this dream too; but, when you saved mymother and sister, Croesus explained to him that this must have been itsfulfilment, as no one but Darius or a winged eagle could possibly havepossessed strength and dexterity enough to hang suspended over such anabyss."
"Yes, and I remember too that these words did not please your brother.He chooses to be the only eagle in Persia; but Croesus does not sparehis vanity--"
"Where can Croesus be all this time?"
"In the hanging-gardens. My father and Gobryas have very likely detainedhim."
Just at that moment the voice of Zopyrus was heard exclaiming, "Well,I call that polite! Bartja invites us to a wine-party and leaves ussitting here without a host, while he talks secrets yonder."
"We are coming, we are coming," answered Bartja. Then taking the hand ofDarius heartily, he said: "I am very glad that you love Atossa. I shallstay here till the day after to-morrow, let the stars threaten me withall the dangers in the world. To-morrow I will find out what Atossafeels, and when every thing is in the right track I shall go away, andleave my winged Darius to his own powers."
So saying Bartja went back into the arbor, and his friend began to watchthe stars again. The longer he looked the sadder and more serious becamehis face, and when the Tistar-star set, he murmured, "Poor Bartja!" Hisfriends called him, and he was on the point of returning to them,when he caught sight of a new star, and began to examine its positioncarefully. His serious looks gave way to a triumphant smile, his tallfigure seemed to grow taller still, he pressed his hand on his heart andwhispered: "Use your pinions, winged Darius; your star will be on yourside," and then returned to his friends.
A few minutes after, Croesus came up to the arbor. The youths sprangfrom their seats to welcome the old man, but when he saw Bartja'sface by the bright moonlight, he stood as if transfixed by a flash oflightning.
"What has happened, father?" asked Gyges, seizing his hand anxiously.
"Nothing, nothing," he stammered almost inaudibly, and pushing his sonon one side, whispered in Bartja's ear: "Unhappy boy, you are stillhere? don't delay any longer,--fly at once! the whip-bearers are closeat my heels, and I assure you that if you don't use the greatest speed,you will have to forfeit your double imprudence with your life."
"But Croesus, I have..."
"You have set at nought the law of the land and of the court, and, inappearance at least, have done great offence to your brother's honor...."
"You are speaking..."
"Fly, I tell you--fly at once; for if your visit to the hanging-gardenswas ever so innocently meant, you are still in the greatest danger. Youknow Cambyses' violent temper so well; how could you so wickedly disobeyhis express command?"
"I don't understand."
"No excuses,--fly! don't you know that, Cambyses has long been jealousof you, and that your visit to the Egyptian to-night..."
"I have never once set foot in the hanging-gardens, since Nitetis hasbeen here."
"Don't add a lie to your offence, I..."
"But I swear to you..."
"Do you wish to turn a thoughtless act into a crime by adding the guiltof perjury? The whip-bearers are coming, fly!"
"I shall remain here, and abide by my oath."
"You are infatuated! It is not an hour ago since I myself, Hystaspes,and others of the Achaemenidae saw you in the hanging-gardens..."
In his astonishment Bartja had, half involuntarily, allowed himself tobe led away, but when he heard this he stood still, called his friendsand said "Croesus says he met me an hour ago in the hanging-gardens,you know that since the sun set I have not been away from you. Give yourtestimony, that in this case an evil Div must have made sport of ourfriend and his companions."
"I swear to you, father," cried Gyges, "that Bartja has not left thisgarden for some hours."
"And we confirm the same," added Araspes, Zopyrus and Darius with onevoice.
"You want to deceive me?" said Croesus getting very angry, and lookingat each of them reproachfully: "Do you fancy that I am blind or mad?Do you think that your witness will outweigh the words of such men asHystaspes, Gobryas, Artaphernes and the high priest, Oropastes? In spiteof all your false testimony, which no amount of friendship can justify,Bartja will have to die unless he flies at once."
"May Angramainj
us destroy me," said Araspes interrupting the old man,"if Bartja was in the hanging-gardens two hours ago!" and Gyges added:
"Don't call me your son any longer, if we have given false testimony."
Darius was beginning to appeal to the eternal stars, but Bartja put anend to this confusion of voices by saying in a decided tone: "A divisionof the bodyguard is coming into the garden. I am to be arrested; Icannot escape because I am innocent, and to fly would lay me open tosuspicion. By the soul of my father, the blind eyes of my mother, andthe pure light of the sun, Croesus, I swear that I am not lying."
"Am I to believe you, in spite of my own eyes which have never yetdeceived me? But I will, boy, for I love you. I do not and I will notknow whether you are innocent or guilty, but this I do know, you mustfly, and fly at once. You know Cambyses. My carriage is waiting at thegate. Don't spare the horses, save yourself even if you drive them todeath. The Soldiers seem to know what they have been sent to do; therecan be no question that they delay so long only in order to give theirfavorite time to escape. Fly, fly, or it is all over with you."
Darius, too, pushed his friend forward, exclaiming: "Fly, Bartja, andremember the warning that the heavens themselves wrote in the stars foryou."
Bartja, however, stood silent, shook his handsome head, waved hisfriends back, and answered: "I never ran away yet, and I mean to hold myground to-day. Cowardice is worse than death in my opinion, and I wouldrather suffer wrong at the hands of others than disgrace myself. Thereare the soldiers! Well met, Bischen. You've come to arrest me, haven'tyou? Wait one moment, till I have said good-bye to my friends."
Bischen, the officer he spoke to, was one of Cyrus's old captains; hehad given Bartja his first lessons in shooting and throwing the spear,had fought by his side in the war with the Tapuri, and loved him as ifhe were his own son. He interrupted him, saying: "There is no need totake leave of your friends, for the king, who is raging like a madman,ordered me not only to arrest you, but every one else who might be withyou."
And then he added in a low voice: "The king is beside himself with rageand threatens to have your life. You must fly. My men will do what Itell them blindfold; they will not pursue you; and I am so old thatit would be little loss to Persia, if my head were the price of mydisobedience."
"Thanks, thanks, my friend," said Bartja, giving him his hand; "but Icannot accept your offer, because I am innocent, and I know that thoughCambyses is hasty, he is not unjust. Come friends, I think the king willgive us a hearing to-day, late as it is."