"It is yet early, and she was doubtless weary of the journey." There was a pause.

Zoroaster looked down at the beautiful queen as she sat beside him, and wondered whether she had changed; and as he gazed, he fell to comparing her beauty with Nehushta's, and his glance grew more intent than he had meant it should be, so that Atossa looked up suddenly and met his eyes resting on her face.
"It is long since we have met, Zoroaster," she said quickly.

"Tell me of your life in that wild fortress.

You have prospered in your profession of arms--you wear the royal chain." She put up her hand and touched the links as though to feel them.

"Indeed it is very like the chain Darius wore when he went to Babylon the other day." She paused a moment as though trying to recall something; then continued: "Yes--now I think of it, he had no chain when he came back.