led us
away captive. Unto this day, Zoroaster, have I endured, and yet a little
longer shall I stand and bear witness for Israel."

The old man's eyes flashed, and his strong aquiline features assumed an
expression of intense vitality and life. Zoroaster turned to him and
spoke softly, almost sadly:

"Say, O Daniel, prophet and priest of the Lord, why does the golden
image seem to smile to-day? Are the times accomplished of thy vision
which thou sawest in Shushan, in the palace, and is the dead king glad?
I think his face was never so gentle before to look upon,--surely he
rejoices at the feast, and the countenance of his image is gladdened."

"Nay, rather then should his face be sorrowful for the destruction of
his seed and of his kingdom," answered the prophet somewhat scornfully.
"Verily the end is at hand, and the stones of Babylon shall no longer
cry out for the burden of the sins of Belshazzar, and the people call
upon Bel to restore unto life the King Nebuchadnezzar; nay, or to send
hither a Persian or a Mede to be a just ruler in the land."

"Hast thou read it in the stars, or have thine eyes seen these things in
the visions of the night, my master?" The boy came nearer to the aged
prophet and spoke in low earnest tones. But Daniel only bent his head,
till his brow touched his ebony staff, and so he remained, deep in
thought.

"For I also have dreamed,"--continued Zoroaster, after a short
pause,--"and my dream took hold of me, and I am sorry and full of great
weariness. Now this is the manner of my dreaming." He stopped and
glanced down the great nave of the hall through the open porch at the
other end. The full glory of the red sun, just touching the western
plain, streamed upon his face and made the tables, the preparations and
the crowd of busy serving-men look like black shadows between him and
the light. But Daniel leaned upon his staff and spoke no word, nor moved
from his position.

"I saw in my dream," said Zoroaster, "and there was darkness; and upon
the winds of the night arose the sound of war, and the cry and the clash
of battle, mighty men striving one with another for the mastery and the
victory, which should be to the stronger. And I saw again, and behold it
was morning, and the people were led away captive, by tens, and by
hundreds, and by thousands, and the maidens also and young women into a
far country. And I looked, and the face of one of the maidens was as the
face of the fairest amo