en. But Zoroaster was not there. And for several days Nehushta
came at that hour, and at other hours in the day, but found him not. She
saw him indeed from time to time in public, but she had no opportunity
of speaking with him as she desired. At last, she determined to send for
him, and to see whether he would come, or not.

She went out, attended only by two slaves; the one bearing a fan and the
other a small carpet and a cushion--black women from the southern parts
of Syria, towards Egypt, who would not understand the high Persian she
would be likely to speak with Zoroaster, though her own Hebrew tongue
was intelligible to them. When she reached a quiet spot, where one of
the walks ended suddenly in a little circle among the rose-trees, far
down from the palace, she had her carpet spread, and her cushion was
placed upon it, and she wearily sat down. The fan-girl began to ply her
palm-leaf, as much to cool the heated summer air as to drive away the
swarms of tiny gnats which abounded in the garden. Nehushta rested upon
one elbow, her feet drawn together upon the carpet of dark soft colours
and waited a few minutes as though in thought. At last she seemed to
have decided, and turned to the slave who had brought her cushion, as
she stood at a little distance, motionless, her hands folded and hidden
under the thickness of the broad sash that girded her tunic at the
waist.

"Go thou," said the queen, "and seek out the high priest Zoroaster, and
bring him hither quickly."

The black woman turned and ran like a deer down the narrow path,
disappearing in a moment amongst the shrubbery.

The breeze of the swinging fan blew softly on Nehushta's pale face and
stirred the locks of heavy hair that fell from her tiara about her
shoulders. Her eyes were half closed as she leaned back, and her lips
were parted in a weary look of weakness that was new to her. Nearly an
hour passed and the sun sank low, but Nehushta hardly stirred from her
position.

It seemed very long before she heard steps upon the walk--the quick soft
step of the slave-woman running before, barefooted and fleet, and
presently the heavier tread of a man's leather shoe. The slave stopped
at the entrance to the little circle of rose-trees, and a moment later,
Zoroaster strode forward, and stood still and made a deep obeisance, a
few steps from Nehushta.

"Forgive me that I sent for thee, Zoroaster," said the queen in quiet
tones. But, as she spoke, a slight bl