“Yes, my King; but...”
“Rise, and be assured of my favor. Faithfulness to his ruler is the ornament of a subject; but do not forget that I am your king now. Kassandane tells me, that you are going to undertake a delicate operation to-morrow in order to restore her sight. Are you not venturing too much?”
“I can depend on my own skill, my Sovereign.”
“One more question. Did you know of this fraud?”
“Yes.”
“And you allowed me to remain in error?”
“I had been compelled to swear secrecy and an oath...”
“An oath is sacred. Gobryas, see that both these Egyptians receive a portion from my table. Old man, you seem to require better food.”
“I need nothing beyond air to breathe, a morsel of bread and a draught of water to preserve me from dying of hunger and thirst, a clean robe, that I may be pleasing in the eyes of the gods and in my own, and a small chamber for myself, that I may be a hindrance to no man. I have never been richer than to-day.”
“How so?”