The soldier rose and stood in deferential attitude before his fair interlocutor.
“I remember, most royal lady,” he stammered.
“If I mistake not I rode on that broad back of yours, and you made for me a right-spirited horse.”
The strong features of the soldier quivered as memory brought back those days, when he, as one of the guards on duty at the King’s palace, not only watched over the safety of the children of the King but played with them. Halcyon days! The tears started to his eyes.
“I remember,” he answered.
“And now I am your prisoner!”
Again the man fell with his face to the floor. “Say not so, Queen of the World!” he exclaimed. “Rather am I your humble slave. If you will let me speak, I will explain.”
“Say on!”
He raised his head from the floor but continued to kneel, while he spoke rapidly: “After I returned from the funeral of the royal Cyrus, I was not in favor with the Great King, Cambyses. His dislike for me arose when he and your royal brother, Bardya, and you, played together as children and, by the express order of good King Cyrus, I watched that Cambyses did not use violence upon you and the younger brother. He swore, then, that when he came to man’s estate I should die. When, therefore, the guards were called to Hamadan and dismissed by him, I fled; and, luckily, I escaped before his order for my execution could be fulfilled. I came to these mountains and was concealed by the Magian priests who had been friends of my father. Then I heard, gracious lady, that both you and Prince Bardya had been foully murdered by King Cambyses; and I wept much. For I loved you and Bardya when you were children. For me the light of the world grew dim. Wonder not, therefore, that I willingly served Gaumata when he overthrew Cambyses. Had not Cambyses slain those I loved and also sought to slay me? I did not know you when you entered here yesterday. You were veiled. My information was that the King’s wife was coming hither; and I dreamed not that you were she. May Ahriman wither my soul if I speak not the truth!”
His daughter sank upon the floor by her father’s side, exclaiming, “Truly he speaks truth, gracious mistress!”