Phradates had cunningly formed his speech so as to assign a motive to the adverse predictions of the Greeks which would save the pride of the king, and yet, if he accepted it, would leave only one course open to him. Darius did not hesitate.
"They are spies!" he said angrily to Boupares. "Why did you bring them to me? Take them away and let them be questioned under the torture. Perhaps then they will tell the truth."
Darius turned, and Phradates shot a look of triumph at the two friends. Chares shook off the hand of the guard and was about to speak when Clearchus checked him.
"Silence," he whispered earnestly, "or we shall both be killed at once!"
Chares controlled himself with an effort, and the guards, under the direction of the crestfallen Boupares, led them away. Instead of conducting them to their former quarters, Boupares ordered that they be confined in the dungeons that lay beyond. These were built in a structure of massive masonry and consisted of cells with heavily barred doors at which sentries were stationed. Into one of the darkest of the cells they were thrust, and the grating was bolted behind them.
CHAPTER XXVII
NATHAN KEEPS HIS WORD
Clearchus and Chares shivered in the chill of the dungeon. By the glimmer of light that entered through a narrow opening above their heads, they saw that the place was quite bare. There was nothing but the stone floor under their feet and the four stone walls that shut them in.
"What think you, Chares?" Clearchus said, with the shadow of a smile. "Nathan will never be able to rescue us from here."