Lives of Alcyone

FORTY-SEVENTH LIFE 237
Hutaosa (Bella), a woman also beautiful but haughty, who at first
reserved, but evidently soon realised the many good points in her
husband, and wisely overlooked his faults and become deeply
devoted to him.
Thus Mizar was reduced to two suitors; she was half-sorry
and half-glad, for though she had coveted the position of Queen of
Bactria she had really liked Ulysses least of the three. One day
Zarathushtra, in a burst of confidence, told Alcyone how deeply he
loved Mizar, and to poor Alcyone this open avowal came like a
sentence of death. His heart was bound up with Mizar, yet he loved
and adored Zarathushtra. He contrived not to show how severely the
news wounded him, and went away and fought it all out with himself.
He knew deep down within himself that Zarathushtra’ s mind was
so full of mighty ideas, that for him love and marriage were in reality
secondary matters, so that he did not really love Mizar as whole-
heartedly as Alcyone himself did; but after a long and bitter struggle,
he resolved to do at all costs what he thought to be his duty to his
friend; so he withdrew himself entirely and went away on a visit for
two months, and by the time he returned, the marriage of Mizar with
Zarathshtra had been arranged.
The marriage took place in the year 1510, and turned out
happily enough; for Mizar was altogether dominated by the vivid
personality of Zarathushtra, admired him intensely, and lived only to
look after him, and make his life smooth for him. Soon she had a
beautiful boy (Ajax), whom she called Isatvastra, and later on three
daughters in succession, the last being Purochista (Demeter).
Unfortunately, in connection with the birth of Purochista in 1505 she
contracted an illness which proved fatal, so that the wedded life of