ersonal
charms, which were all heightened by the expression of sadness and
sorrow which they bore, touched his heart. It gave him pleasure to
grant her every indulgence consistent with her condition of captivity,
and to do every thing in his power to promote her welfare. She was
very grateful for these favors, and the few brief words and looks of
kindness with which she returned them repaid him for his efforts to
please her a thousand-fold. He saw her, too, in her tent, in the
presence of her maidens, at all times; and as she looked upon him
as only her custodian and guard, and as, too, her mind was wholly
occupied by the thoughts of her absent husband and her hopeless grief,
her actions were entirely free and unconstrained in his presence. This
made her only the more attractive; every attitude and movement seemed
to possess, in Araspes's mind, an inexpressible charm. In a word, the
result was what Cyrus had predicted. Araspes became wholly absorbed in
the interest which was awakened in him by the charms of the beautiful
captive. He made many resolutions, but they were of no avail. While he
was away from her, he felt strong in his determination to yield to
these feelings no more; but as soon as he came into her presence,
all these resolutions melted wholly away, and he yielded his heart
entirely to the control of emotions which, however vincible they might
appear at a distance, were found, when the time of trial came, to
possess a certain mysterious and magic power, which made it most
delightful for the heart to yield before them in the contest, and
utterly impossible to stand firm and resist. In a word, when seen at a
distance, love appeared to him an enemy which he was ready to brave,
and was sure that he could overcome; but when near, it transformed
itself into the guise of a friend, and he accordingly threw down the
arms with which he had intended to combat it, and gave himself up to
it in a delirium of pleasure.

Things continued in this state for some time. The army advanced from
post to post, and from encampment to encampment, taking the captives
in their train. New cities were taken, new provinces overrun, and new
plans for future conquests were formed. At last a case occurred in
which Cyrus wished to send some one as a spy into a distant enemy's
country. The circumstances were such that it was necessary that a
person of considerable intelligence and rank should go, as Cyrus
wished the messenger whom he should