rl, whose eyes are as sound as . . ."

"Hib!"

"For all I care she may have a cataract in both. May Phanes come to you
this evening?"

"I wished to be alone with you."

"So did I; but the Greek seems to be in a great hurry, and he knows
nearly everything that I have to tell you."

"Have you been gossiping then?"

"No--not exactly--but . . ."

"I always thought you were a man to be trusted."

"So I was. But this Greek knows already a great deal of what I know, and
the rest . . ."

"Well?"

"The rest he got out of me, I hardly know how myself. If I did not wear
this amulet against an evil eye, I should have been obliged . . ."

"Yes, yes, I know the Athenian--I can forgive you. I should like him to
come with you this evening. But I see the sun is already high in the
heavens. I have no time to lose. Tell me in a few words what has
happened."

"I thought this evening . . ."

"No, I must have at least a general idea of what has happened before I
see the Athenian. Be brief."

"You have been robbed!"

"Is that all?"

"Is not that enough?"

"Answer me. Is that all?"

"Yes!"

"Then farewell."

"But Nebenchari!"

The physician did not even hear this exclamation; the gates of the harem
had already closed behind him.

When the Pleiades had risen, Nebenchari was to be found seated alone in
one of the magnificent rooms assigned to his use on the eastern side of
the palace, near to Kassandane's apartments. The friendly manner in which
he had welcomed his old servant had given place to the serious expression
which his face usually wore, and which had led the cheerful Persians to
call him a morose and gloomy man.

Nebenchari was an Egyptian priest through and through; a member of that
caste which never indulged in a jest, and never for a moment forgot to be
dignified and solemn before the public; but when among their relations
and their colleagues completely threw off this self-imposed restraint,
and gave way at times even to exuberant mirth.

Though he had known Phanes in Sais, he received him with cold politeness,
and, after the first greeting was ended, told Hib to leave them alone.

"I have come to you," said the Athenian, "to speak about some very
important affairs."

"With which I am already acquainted," was the Egyptian's curt reply.

"I am inclined to doubt that," said Phanes with an incredulous smile.

"You have been driven out of Egypt, persecuted and insulted by Psamtik,
and you have co