those of the palace know that they had pledged
each other their troth, down there upon the moonlit terrace, behind the
myrtles. Instinctively they dreaded lest the knowledge of their love
should raise a storm of anger in Daniel's breast at the idea that his
chosen philosopher should abandon the paths of mystic learning and
reduce himself to the level of common mankind by marriage; and Zoroaster
guessed how painful to the true Israelite would be the thought that a
daughter and a princess of Judah should be united in wedlock with one
who, however noble and true and wise, was, after all, a stranger and an
unbeliever. For Zoroaster, while devoting himself heart and soul to the
study of Daniel's philosophy, and of the wisdom the latter had acquired
from the Chaldeans, had nevertheless firmly maintained his independence
of thought. He was not an Israelite, nor would he ever wish to become
one; but he was not an idolater nor a Magian, nor a follower of Gomata,
the half-Indian Brahmin, who had endeavoured to pass himself off as
Smerdis the son of Cyrus.

Either of these causes alone would have sufficed to raise a serious
obstacle to the marriage. Together they seemed insurmountable. During
the disorder and anarchy that prevailed in the seven months of the reign
of Pseudo-Smerdis, it would have been madness to have married, trusting
to the favour of the wretched semi-monarch for fortune and advancement;
nor could Nehushta have married and maintained her state as a princess
of Judah without the consent of Daniel, who was her guardian, and whose
influence was paramount in Media, and very great even at court.
Zoroaster was therefore driven to conceal his passion as best he could,
trusting to the turn of future events for the accomplishment of his
dearest wish. In the meanwhile, he and the princess met daily in public,
and Zoroaster's position as captain of the fortress gave him numerous
opportunities of meeting Nehushta in the solitude of the gardens, which
were jealously guarded and set apart exclusively for the use of Nehushta
and her household.

But now that the moment had come when it seemed as though a change were
to take place in the destinies of the lovers, they felt constrained.
Beyond a few simple questions and answers, they had not discussed the
matter of the journey when they were together; for Nehushta was so much
surprised and delighted at the idea of again seeing the magnificence of
the court at Shushan, which she so