the attendant had handed round the first； beginning with myself。 So
when he came in again； I told him to begin at the other end of the
board； and serve the company in that order。 ＇3＇ But I was greeted by a
yell from the centre： one of these men who was sitting there bawled
out； 'Equality indeed！ There's not much of it here； if we who sit in
the middle are never served first at all！' It nettled me that they
should fancy themselves treated worse than we； so I called him up at
once and made him sit beside me。 And I am bound to say he obeyed that
order with the most exemplary alacrity。 But when the dish came round
to us； we found； not unnaturally； since we were the last to be served；
that only a few scraps were left。 At this my man fell into the deepest
dudgeon； and made no attempt to conceal it； muttering to himself；
'Just like my ill…luck！ To be invited here just now and never before！'
＇4＇ I tried to comfort him。 'Never mind；' I said； 'presently the
servant will begin again with us； and then you will help yourself
first and you can take the biggest piece。' Just then the third course；
and； as it proved； the last； came round； and so the poor fellow took
his helping； but as he did so it struck him that the piece he had
chosen first was too small； and he put it back； meaning to pick out
another。 But the carver； thinking he had changed his mind and did not
want any more； passed on to the next man before he had time to secure
his second slice。 ＇5＇ At this our friend took his loss so hard that he
only made matters worse： his third course was clean gone； and now in
his rage and his bad luck he somehow managed to overset the gravy；
which was all that remained to him。 The captain next to us seeing how
matters stood rubbed his hands with glee and went into peals of
laughter。 And；〃 said Hystaspas； 〃I took refuge in a fit of coughing
myself； for really I could not have controlled my laughter。 There；
Cyrus；〃 said he； 〃that is a specimen of our new comrades； as nearly as
I can draw his portrait。〃
＇6＇ The description； as may be guessed； was greeted with shouts of
laughter； and then another brigadier took up the word： 〃Well； Cyrus；〃
said he； 〃our friend here has certainly met with an absolute boor： my
own experience is somewhat different。 You remember the admonitions you
gave us when you dismissed the regiments； and how you bade each of us
instruct his own men in the lessons we had learnt from you。 Well； I；
like the rest of us； went off at once and set about instructing one of
the companies under me。 I posted the captain in front with a fine
young fellow behind him； and after them the others in the order I
thought best； I took my stand facing them all； and waited； with my
eyes fixed on the captain； until I thought the right moment had come；
and then I gave the order to advance。 ＇7＇ And what must my fine fellow
do but get in front of the captain and march off ahead of the whole
troop。 I cried out； 'You； sir； what are you doing？' 'Advancing as you
ordered。' 'I never ordered you to advance alone；' I retorted； 'the
order was given to the whole company。' At which he turned right round
and addressed the ranks： 'Don't you hear the officer abusing you？ The
orders are for all to advance！' Whereupon the rest of them marched
right past their captain and up to me。 ＇8＇ Of course the captain
called them back； and they began to grumble and growl： 'Which of the
two are we to obey？ One tells us to advance； the other won't let us
move。'
〃Well； I had to take the whole matter very quietly and begin again
from the beginning； posting the company as they were； and explaining
that no one in the rear was to move until the front rank man led off：
all they had to do was to follow the man in front。 ＇9＇ As I was
speaking； up came a friend of mine； he was going off to Persia； and
had come to ask me for a letter I had written home。 So I turned to the
captain who happened to know where I had left the letter lying； and
bade him fetch it for me。 Off he ran； and off ran my young fellow at
his heels； breast…plate； battle…axe； and all。 The rest of the company
thought they were bound to follow suit； joined in the race； and
brought my letter back in style。 That is how my company； you see；
carries out your instructions to the full。〃
＇10＇ He paused； and the listeners laughed to their hearts' content； as
well as they might； over the triumphant entry of the letter under its
armed escort。 Then Cyrus spoke：
〃Now heaven be praised！ A fine set they are； these new friends of
ours； a most rare race！ So grateful are they for any little act of
courtesy； you may win a hundred hearts by a dish of meat！ And so
docile； some of them must needs obey an order before they have
understood it！ For my part I can only pray to be blest with an army
like them all。〃
＇11＇ Thus he joined in the mirth； but he turned the laughter to the
praise of his new recruits。
Then one of the company； a brigadier called Agla？tadas； a somewhat
sour…tempered man； turned to him and said：
〃Cyrus； do you really think the tales they tell are true？〃
〃Certainly；〃 he answered； 〃why should they say what is false？〃
〃Why；〃 repeated the other； 〃simply to raise a laugh； and make a brag
like the impostors that they are。〃 ＇12＇ But Cyrus cut him short；
〃Hush！ hush！ You must not use such ugly names。 Let me tell you what an
impostor is。 He is a man who claims to be wealthier or braver than he
is in fact； and who undertakes what he can never carry out； and all
this for the sake of gain。 But he who contrives mirth for his friends；
not for his own profit； or his hearers' loss； or to injure any man；
surely； if we must needs give him a name； we ought to call him a man
of taste and breeding and a messenger of wit。〃
＇13＇ Such was the defence of Cyrus in behalf of the merrymakers。 And
the officer who had begun the jest turned to Agla？tadas and said：
〃Just think； my dear sir； if we had tried to make you weep！ What fault
you would have found with us！ Suppose we had been like the ballad…
singers and story…tellers who put in lamentable tales in the hope of
reducing their audience to tears！ What would you have said about us
then？ Why； even now； when you know we only wish to amuse you； not to
make you suffer； you must needs hold us up to shame。〃
＇14＇ 〃And is not the shame justified？〃 Agla？tadas replied。 〃The man
who sets himself to make his fellows laugh does far less for them than
he who makes them weep。 If you will but think； you will admit that
what I say is true。 It is through tears our fathers teach self…control
unto their sons； and our tutors sound learning to their scholars； and
the laws themselves lead the grown man to righteousness by putting him
to sit in the place of penitence。 But your mirth…makers； can you say
they benefit the body or edify the soul？ Can smiles make a man a
better master or a better citizen？ Can he learn economy or
statesmanship from a grin？〃
＇15＇ But Hystaspas answered back：
〃Take my advice； Agla？tadas； pluck up heart and spend this precious
gift of yours on your enemies： make them sit in the seat of the
sorrowful； and fling away on us； your friends； that vile and worthless
laughter。 You must have an ample store of it in reserve： it cannot be
said you have squandered it on yourself； or ever wasted a smile on
friend or foreigner if you could help it。 So you have no excuse to be
niggardly now； and cannot refuse us a smile。〃
〃I see；〃 said Agla？tadas； 〃you are trying to get a laugh out of me；
are you not？〃
But the brigadier interposed； 〃Then he is a fool for his pains； my
friend： one might strike fire out of you； perhaps； but not a laugh；
not a laugh。〃
＇16＇ At this sally all the others shouted with glee； and even
Agla？tadas could not help himself： he smiled。
And Cyrus； seeing the sombre face light up said：
〃Brigadier； you are very wrong to corrupt so virtuous a man； luring
him to laughter； and that too when he is the sworn foe of gaiety。〃
So they talked and jested。 ＇17＇ And then Chrysantas began on another
theme。
＇18＇ 〃Cyrus；〃 he said； 〃and gentlemen all； I cannot help seeing that
within our ranks are men of every kind； some better and some worse；
and yet if anything is won every man will claim an equal share。 Now to
my mind nothing is more unfair than that the base man and the good
should be held of equal account。〃
〃Perhaps it would be best； gentlemen；〃 said Cyrus in answer； 〃to bring
the matter before the army in council and put it to them； whether； if
God grant us success； we should let all share and share alike； or
distribute the rewards and honours in proportion to the deserts of
each。〃
＇19＇ 〃But why；〃 asked Chrysantas； 〃why discuss the point？ Why not
simply issue a general order that you intend to do this？ Was not that
enough in the case of the competitions？〃
〃Doubtless；〃 Cyrus answered； 〃but this case is different。 The troops；
I take it； will feel that all they win by their services on the
campaign should belong to them in common： but they hold that the
actual command of the expedition was mine by right even before we left
home； so that I was fully entitled； on their view； to appoint umpires
and judges at my own will。〃
＇20＇ 〃And do you really expect；〃 asked Chrysantas； 〃that the mass of
the army will pass a resolution giving up the right of all to an equal
share in order that the best men should receive the most？〃
〃Yes； I do；〃 said Cyrus； 〃partly because we shall be there to argue
for that course； but chiefly because it would seem too base to deny
that he who works the hardest and does most for the common good
deserves the highest recompense。 Even the worst of men must admit that
the brave should gain the most。〃
＇21＇ It was； however； as much for the sake of the Peers themselves as
for any other reason that Cyrus wished the resolution to be passed。
They would prove all the better men； he thought； if they too were to
be judged by their deeds and rewarded accordingly。 And this was the
right moment； he felt； to raise the question and put it to the vote；
now when the Peers were disposed to resent being put on a level with
the common people。 In the end it was agreed by all the company that
the question should be raised； and that every on