Will you not tell me, dearest ?" "Tell you what ?" asked Nehushta, as though she had not heard.
"Tell me what it is that makes you sad," repeated the queen.
"Tell you ?" exclaimed the princess, suddenly looking up, with flashing eyes, "tell _you ?_ oh no!" Atossa looked a little sadly at Nehushta, as though hurt at the want of confidence she showed.

But the Hebrew maiden turned away and went and looked through the hanging plants at the garden without.

Then Atossa rose softly and came and stood behind her, and put her arm about her, and let her own fair cheek rest against the princess's dark face.
Nehushta said nothing, but she trembled, as though something she hated were touching her.
"Is it because your friend has gone away suddenly ?" asked Atossa almost in a whisper, with the sweetest accent of sympathy.

Nehushta started a little.
"No!" she answered, almost fiercely.

"Why do you say that ?" "Only--he wrote me a little word before he went.