"Atossa?" repeated Nehushta.
"Yes. The king has already married her—she was the wife of Cambyses, and also of the false Smerdis, the Magian, whom Darius has slain."
"Is she fair? Have I not seen her?" asked Nehushta quickly.
"Indeed, you must have seen her at the court in Shushan, before we came to Ecbatana. She was just married to Cambyses then, but he regarded her little, for he was ever oppressed with wine and feasting. But you were a child then, and were mostly with the women of your house, and you may not have seen her."
"Tell me—had she not blue eyes and yellow hair? Had she not a cruel face—very cold?"
"Aye, it may be that she had a hard look. I remember that her eyes were blue. She was very unhappy; therefore she helped the Magian. It was not she that betrayed him."
"You pitied her even then, did you not?" asked Nehushta.
"Yes—she deserved pity."
"She will have her revenge now. A woman with a face like hers loves revenge."
"Then she will deserve pity no longer," said Zoroaster, with a slight laugh.