Page:The land of enchantment (1907, Cassell).djvu/82

 “Thus speaking, he snatched up his bow and shot the boy dead—straight through the heart.

“Whereupon the king turned with a laugh to Prexaspes, who was paralysed at this fearful deed, and cried:—

“Now, Prexaspes, am I mad? or are the Persians? Could any mortal shoot straighter?”

“And Prexaspes dared not protest, for he saw the king was mad.”

“How awful! how fearful!” said Harry, his eyes wide with horror.

“Indeed, it was a fearful time. At length Crœsus ventured to remonstrate with the king, saying that Cyrus had himself charged him to give advice at need, and that if Cambyses continued to put innocent men—even children—to death, his people would rise against him.

“But Cambyses turned on him and said he would have none of his advice, and after all he had not been so successful himself as a king, nor in his counsel to Cyrus, that he could presume to take Cambyses to task. ‘Now will I punish thee as I have long intended,’ he concluded; and, picking up his bow, he aimed at Crœsus. Crœsus fled, and Cambyses ordered his servants to pursue and kill him. The servants, however, thought it best to spare Crœsus, and pretend to Cambyses that he was killed, for if Cambyses felt sorry afterwards, they would doubtless receive a reward for saving Crœsus; and if Cambyses did not relent, they could easily kill him later.”

“Rather ’cute, that idea,” said Harry.

“As it happened, Cambyses did repent Crœsus’ supposed death, whereupon his servants told him he was still alive.

“‘I am glad,’ said Cambyses, ‘that he lives, but you, who disobeyed my orders, shall die.’”

“Well, I never!” cried Harry. “What a monster!”

“Yes, but his time was at hand. Two brothers, Persians, whom Cambyses had left behind in Persia, revolted against him. Patizeithes, the one brother, laid the plot, which was a daring one. The other brother was called Smerdis, and resembled the dead brother of the king. So Patizeithes persuaded him to pose as the dead Smerdis, and set him on the Persian throne. He then sent heralds far and wide to proclaim the news that Smerdis, son of Cyrus, and not Cambyses, was now king.”

“That was a bold bit of business,” said Harry.