At last she reached a door which opened upon a terrace, much like the one where she had left Zoroaster a few moments before, saving that the floor was less polished, and that the spaces between the columns were half filled with hanging plants and creepers.
Upon the pavement at one end were spread rich carpets, and half a dozen enormous cushions of soft-coloured silk were thrown negligently one upon the other.

Three doors, hung with curtains, opened upon the balcony,--and near to the middle one, two slave-girls, clad in white, crouched upon their heels and talked in an undertone.
Atossa stepped forward upon the marble, and the rustle of her dress and the quick short sound of her heeled shoes, roused the two slave-girls to spring to their feet.

They did not know the queen, but they thought it best to make a low obeisance, while their dark eyes endeavoured quickly to scan the details of her dress, without exhibiting too much boldness.
Atossa beckoned to one of them to come to her, and smiled graciously as the dark-skinned girl approached.
"Is not thy mistress Nehushta ?" she inquired; but the girl looked stupidly at her, not comprehending her speech.

"Nehushta," repeated the queen, pronouncing the name very distinctly with a questioning intonation, and pointing to the curtained door.

The slave understood the name and the question, and quick as thought, she disappeared within, leaving Atossa in some hesitation.