r in that I can help you, if I set loyal
riders on them, men of a better mind, methinks, than those who had them
before, and I myself can satisfy a wish that has long been mine, to
bring my Persian cavalry up to ten thousand men. But take back, I pray
you, all these other riches, and guard them safely against the time
when you may find me able to vie with you in gifts. If I left you now so
hugely in your debt, heaven help me if I could hold up my head again for
very shame."

[33] Thereto Gadatas made answer, "In all things I trust you, and will
trust you, for I see your heart. But consider whether I am competent
to guard all this myself. [34] While I was at peace with the king, the
inheritance I had from my father was, it may be, the fairest in all the
land: it was near that mighty Babylon, and all the good things that can
be gathered from a great city fell into our laps, and yet from all the
trouble of it, the noise and the bustle, we could be free at once by
turning our backs and coming home here. But now that we are at war, the
moment you have left us we are sure to be attacked, ourselves and all
our wealth, and methinks we shall have a sorry life of it, our enemies
at our elbow and far stronger than ourselves. [35] I seem to hear
some one say, why did you not think of this before you revolted? But I
answer, Cyrus, because the soul within me was stung beyond endurance by
my wrongs; I could not sit and ponder the safest course, I was always
brooding over one idea, always in travail of one dream, praying for
the day of vengeance on the miscreant, the enemy of God and man, whose
hatred never rested, once aroused, once he suspected a man, not of
doing wrong, but of being better than himself. [36] And because he is a
villain, he will always find, I know, worse villains that himself to
aid him, but if one day a nobler rival should appear--have no concern,
Cyrus, you will never need to do battle with such an one, yonder fiend
would deal with him and never cease to plot against him until he had
dragged him in the dust, only because he was the better man. And to work
me trouble and disaster, he and his wicked tools will, I fear me, have
strength enough and to spare."

[37] Cyrus thought there was much in what he said, and he answered
forthwith:

"Tell me, Gadatas, did we not put a stout garrison in your fortress,
so as to make it safe for you whenever you needed it, and are you not
taking the field with us now, so that, if