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Sooth to say, you touched upon a string I've played before, but kept it for my loneliness; a jarring tune, indeed a jarring tune, but so it is, and being so, let me at once unto your friends, Abi-dan. 'Noble Jabaster, thou art what I deemed thee. 'Abidan, they say the consciousness of doing justly is the best basis of a happy mind. 'Even so. 'And thou believest it? 'Without doubt.

But then they are practical men, Jabaster; they have eyes and use them. They know the difference of times and seasons. But this Abidan, he has no other thought but the rebuilding of the temple: a narrow-souled bigot, who would sacrifice the essence to the form. The rising temple soon would fall again with such constructors.

Some few days after this conversation on the terrace, as Alroy was reclining in a bower, in the beautiful garden of his host, meditating on the future, some one touched him on the back. He looked up. It was Honain. 'Follow me, said the brother of Jabaster. The Prince rose, and followed him in silence.

'Yours is a good post; the best. 'With the command of the city. It should go with the guard. 'Well, then, help me in getting Syria, and you can ask for my command. 'Agreed. Jabaster will have it that, in a Hebrew monarchy, the chief priest is in fact the grand vizir. 'Alroy will be his own minister. 'I am not so sure of that.

Thy body suffered, great Jabaster, but me they would strangle body and soul! The Princess shrieked, and fell into the arms of the advancing Honain, who bore her out of the dungeon. After the fall of Hamadan, Bostenay and Miriam had been carried prisoners to Bagdad.

The people all called out for the venerable Lord Bostenay and the gentle Lady Miriam, and ran in crowds to see who could first kiss the hem of their garments. The principal gate of Hamadan opened into the square of the great mosque. Here the whole population of the city appeared assembled. The gates were thrown open; Jabaster and his companions mounted guard.

Nay, do not go; the night is very rough, and the fair prophetess should not again stem the swelling river. I'll to my closet, and will soon return. Jabaster quitted the gallery, and entered a small apartment. Several large volumes, unclasped and open, were lying on various parts of the divan. Before them stood his brazen cabalistic table. He closed the chamber with a cautious air.

'Touch not the Lord's anointed. Dog, you shall suffer for this! So saying, Jabaster threw aside Pharez, and, with the attendant clinging to his robes, rushed into the royal chamber. 'What is all this? exclaimed Alroy, starting from the divan. 'Jabaster! Pharez, withdraw! How now, is Bagdad in insurrection? 'Worse, much worse, Israel soon will be. 'Ay!

O, Jabaster! honoured, rare Jabaster! thou second Samuel of our lightheaded people! there was a time when Israel had no king except their God. Were we viler then? Did kings conquer Canaan? Who was Moses, who was Aaron, who was mighty Joshua? Was the sword of Gideon a kingly sword? Did the locks of Samson shade royal temples? Would a king have kept his awful covenant like solemn Jephtha?

'Tis said he bears the sceptre of great Solomon, which he himself obtained in the unknown tombs of Palestine. 'The sceptre of Solomon! could I but believe it! 'Tis an age of wonders! Where are we? Call for Miriam, I'll tell her this. Only think of David, a mere child, our David with the sceptre of Solomon! and Jabaster too! I have great faith. The Lord confound his enemies!