It is his--of course--why has he given it to you ?" Her tones had a tinge of uncertainty in the question,--half imperious, as demanding an answer, half persuading, as though not sure the answer would be given.

Zoroaster remembered that intonation of her sweet voice, and he smiled in his beard.
"Indeed," he answered, "the Great King who liveth for ever, put this chain about my neck with his own hands last night, when he halted by the roadside, as a reward, I presume, for certain qualities he believeth his servant Zoroaster to possess." "Qualities--what qualities ?" "Nay, the queen cannot expect me to sing faithfully my own praises.
Nevertheless, I am ready to die for the Great King.

He knoweth that I am.

May he live for ever!" "It may be that one of the qualities was the successful performance of the extremely difficult task you have lately accomplished," said Atossa, with a touch of scorn.
"A task ?" repeated Zoroaster.
"Yes--have you not brought a handful of Hebrew women all the way from Ecbatana to Shushan, through numberless dangers and difficulties, safe and sound, and so carefully prudent of their comfort that they are not even weary, nor have they once hungered or thirsted by the way, nor lost the smallest box of perfume, nor the tiniest of their golden hair-pins?
Surely you have deserved to have a royal chain hung about your neck and to be called the king's friend." "The reward was doubtless greater than my desert.

It was no great feat of arms that I had to perform; and yet, in these days a man may leave Media under one king, and reach Shushan under another.