SOMETHING IN ME PITIED MORDECAI’S little Hadassah the night she entered the king’s chamber, but something else in me wanted to laugh aloud. My weary master had been standing near the interior passageway as Biztha and the girl approached. When the eunuch moved aside for the departing slave girl, the king and I saw everything—the clumsy slave, the nervous virgin, and the resultant mess.
But what Biztha and Hadassah did not see was my master’s expression. Instead of hardening in anger at their clumsiness, his haggard face softened at the sight of that beautiful young woman on her knees. “Look yonder, eunuch,” he said, his voice barely reaching my ear. “Have you ever seen one of our noble families’ daughters bend to help a slave?”
I replied with a quiet grunt, knowing he needed no other response.
Then, suspecting that Biztha would hurry to send the sullied virgin out of the room, the king looked at me. “That girl is not to leave, do you understand? Set out a robe for her at once.”
Struggling to keep an exultant smile from my face, I first ran to my flustered friend. I told Biztha that the king was ready to receive the virgin, then waved the frightened kitchen slave away.
Biztha, red-faced and trembling, crept out of the hallway and into the king’s bedchamber. “Your majesty, the lowliest of all your servants does sincerely apologize—”
The king, who had wandered to a wide window overlooking the river, did not even turn. “Who has Hegai sent tonight?”
“A most lovely young woman, my king. He calls her Esther.”
“Where did he find this beauty?”
“Susa, my king. She is from Susa.”
At that point, the king turned. Biztha stepped aside, revealing the pale young woman with waist-length brown hair, wide eyes, a lovely face, and a gravy-spattered gown.
My master took the virgin’s measure with one glance, his eyes widened with appreciation, and his jaw flexed as he tried to restrain himself.
But my master had never been able to restrain his emotions for long. After a momentary valiant effort, he burst out laughing.
And then, to Biztha’s obvious horror, the girl laughed, too.