But she, it seemed, was desirous of pleasing him in proportion as he was less anxious to be pleased, for she turned again and walked forward upon the terrace.
"Come into the sunlight--the morning air is cold," she said, "I would speak with thee awhile." A carved chair stood in a corner of the balcony.

Zoroaster moved it into the sunshine, and Atossa sat down, smiling her thanks to him, while he stood leaning against the balustrade,--a magnificent figure as the light caught his gilded harness and gold neckchain, and played on his long fair beard and nestled in the folds of his purple mantle.
"Tell me--you came last night ?" she asked, spreading her dainty hands in the sunshine as though to warm them.

She never feared the sun, for he was friendly to her nativity and never seemed to scorch her fair skin like that of meaner women.
"Thy servant came last night," answered the prince.
"Bringing Nehushta and the other Hebrews ?" added the queen.
"Even so." "Tell me something of this Nehushta," said Atossa.

She had dropped into a more familiar form of speech.

But Zoroaster was careful of his words and never allowed his language to relapse from the distant form of address of a subject to his sovereign.
"The queen knoweth her.