of the breeze in the
dark rose-thickets, and the odour of the sleeping flowers in my gardens;
I love even the cry of the owl from the prophet's tower, and the soft
thick sound of the bat's wings, as he flits past the netting of my
window. I love it all, for the whole earth is rich and young and good to
touch, and most sweet to live in. And I love you because you are more
beautiful than other men, fairer and stronger and braver, and because
you love me, and will let no other love me but yourself, if you were to
die for it. Ah, my beloved, I would that I had all the sweet voices of
the earth, all the tuneful tongues of the air, to tell you how I love
you!"

"There is no lack of sweetness, nor of eloquence, my princess," said
Zoroaster; "there is no need of any voice sweeter than yours, nor of any
tongue more tuneful. You love in your way, I in mine; the two together
must surely be the perfect whole. Is it not so? Nay--seal the deed once
again--and again--so! 'Love is stronger than death,' says your
preacher."

"'And jealousy is as cruel as the grave,' he says, too," added Nehushta,
her eyes flashing fire as her lips met his. "You must never make me
jealous, Zoroaster, never, never! I would be so cruel--you cannot dream
how cruel I would be!"

Zoroaster laughed under his silken beard, a deep, joyous, ringing laugh
that startled the moonlit stillness.

"By Nabon and Bel, there is small cause for your jealousy here," he
said.

"Swear not by your false gods!" laughed Nehushta. "You know not how
little it would need to rouse me."

"I will not give you that little," answered the Persian. "And as for the
false gods, they are well enough for a man to swear by in these days.
But I will swear by any one you command me, or by anything!"

"Swear not, or you will say again that the oath has need of sealing,"
replied Nehushta, drawing her mantle around her, so as to cover half her
face. "Tell me, when are we to begin our journey? We have talked much
and have said little, as it ever is. Shall we go at once, or are we to
wait for another order? Is Darius safe upon the throne? Who is to be
chiefest at the court--one of the seven princes, I suppose, or his old
father? Come, do you know anything of all these changes? Why have you
never told me what was going to happen--you who are high in power and
know everything?"

"Your questions flock upon me like doves to a maiden who feeds them
from her hand," said Zoroaster, with a smile,