noon
When she had talked with him that morning , she had felt her old yearning affection rising again in her breast . She had wondered at herself , being accustomed to think that she was beyond all feeling for man , and the impression she had received from her half-hour 's talk with him was so strong , that she had foolishly delayed sending her letter to Phraortes , in order to see the woman Zoroaster admired , and had , in her absence of mind , forgotten the scroll upon the seat in the corridor , and had brought herself into such desperate danger through the discovery of the missive , that she hardly yet felt safe . The king had dismissed her peremptorily from his presence while he waited for Nehushta , and she had not seen him during the rest of the day . As for Zoroaster , she had soon heard from her women that he had taken the road towards Nineveh before noon , alone and almost unarmed , mounted upon one of the fleetest horses in Persia . She had not a doubt that Darius had despatched him at once to Ecbatana to meet Phraortes , or at least to inquire into the state of affairs in the city . She knew that no one could outride Zoroaster , and that there was nothing to be done but to await the issue . It was not possible to send a word of warning to her agent -- he must inevitably take his chance , and if his conduct attracted suspicion , he would , in all probability , be at once put to death .