He had married Atossa,--in the first place, because she was the most beautiful woman in Persia; and secondly, because he comprehended her great intelligence and capacity for affairs, and believed himself able to make use of her at his pleasure.

As for Atossa herself, she had not hesitated a moment in concurring in the marriage,--she had ruled her former husbands, and she would rule Darius in like manner, she thought, to her own complete aggrandisement and in the face of all rivals.

As yet, the king had taken no second wife, although he looked with growing admiration upon the maiden Artystone, who was then but fifteen years of age, the youngest daughter of Cyrus and own sister to Atossa.
All this Zoroaster knew, and he recognised, also from the meeting he had just had with the queen, that she was desirous of maintaining her friendship with himself.

But since the violent scene of the previous night, he had determined to be the king's man in truest loyalty, and he feared lest Atossa's plans might, before long, cross her husband's.
Therefore he accepted her offer of friendship coldly, and treated her with the most formal courtesy.

On the other hand, he understood well enough that if she resented his manner of acting towards her, and ascertained that he really loved Nehushta, it would be in her power to produce difficulties and complications which he would have every cause for fearing.