ow all again was
darkness; the wind suddenly subsided; in a few minutes the plash of the
oars was audible, and the boat apparently stopped beneath the palace.

There was a knocking at the private portal.

'Who knocks?' enquired Jabaster.

'A friend to Israel.'

'Abidan, by his voice. Art thou alone?'

'The prophetess is with me; only she.'

'A moment. I'll open the gate. Draw the boat within the arch.'

Jabaster descended from the gallery, and in a few moments returned with
two visitors: the youthful prophetess Esther, and her companion, a
man short in stature, but with a powerful and well-knit frame. His
countenance was melancholy, and, with harshness in the lower part, not
without a degree of pensive beauty in the broad clear brow and sunken
eyes, unusual in Oriental visages.

'A rough night,' said Jabaster.

'To those who fear it,' replied Abidan. 'The sun has brought so little
joy to me, I care not for the storm.'

'What news?'

'Woe! woe! woe!'

'Thy usual note, my sister. Will the day never come when we may change
it?'

'Woe! woe! woe! unutterable woe!'

'Abidan, how fares it?'

'Very well.'

'Indeed!'

'As it may turn out.'

'You are brief.'

'Bitter.'

'Have you been to court, that you have learnt to be so wary in your
words, my friend?'

'I know not what may happen. In time we may all become courtiers, though
I fear, Jabaster, we have done too much to be rewarded. I gave him my
blood, and you something more, and now we are at Bagdad. 'Tis a
fine city. I wish to Heaven the shower of Sodom would rain upon its
terraces.'

'I know thou hast something terrible to tell. I know it by that gloomy
brow of thine, that lowers like the tempest. Speak out, man, I can bear
the worst, for which I am prepared.'

'Take it, then. Alroy has proclaimed himself Caliph. Abner is made
Sultan of Persia; Asriel, Ithamar, Medad, and the chief captains,
Vizirs, Honain their chief. Four Moslem nobles are sworn into the
council. The Princess goes to mosque in state next Friday; 'tis said thy
pupil doth accompany her.'

'I'll not believe it! By the God of Sinai, I'll not believe it! Were
my own eye the accursed witness of the deed, I'd not believe it. Go to
mosque! They play with thee, my good Abidan, they play with thee.'

'As it may be. Tis a rumour, but rumours herald deeds. The rest of my
intelligence is true. I had it from my kinsman, stout Zalmunna. He left
the banquet.'

'Shall I go to him? Meth