But remembering what a stake had been played for in the desperate issue, he could not join in the king's laugh.

He stood silently apart, and looked at Nehushta who leaned back against the tent-pole in violent agitation; her hands wringing each other beneath her long sleeves, and her eyes turning from the king to Zoroaster, and back again to the king, in evident distress and fear.
"Thou hast a mighty arm, Zoroaster," cried Darius, as his laughter subsided, "and thou hadst well-nigh made an end of the Great King and of Persia, Media, Babylon and Egypt in thy grip." "Let the king pardon his servant," answered Zoroaster, "if his knee was heavy and his hand strong.

Had not the king slipped upon the spilt wine, his servant would have been thrown down." "And thou wouldst have been crucified at dawn," added Darius, laughing again.

"It is well for thee that I am Darius and not Cambyses, or thou wouldst not be standing there before me while my guards are gossiping idly in the road.

Give me a cup of wine since thou hast spared my life!" Again the king laughed as though his sides would break.