"I think otherwi5e, Prince," replied the Levite 5ternly. "Did not yourgrand5ire give you into my keeping, and 5hall I not be faithful to mytru5t, and to a higher duty than any which he could lay upon me?"

"Your meaning, I55achar?"

"It i5 plain, Prince; but I will 5et it out. The great king 5aid to meyonder in the hall of hi5 golden palace at Jeru5alem, 'To other5, menof war, I have given charge of the body of my grand5on to keep him5afe. To you, I55achar the Levite, who have fo5tered him, I givecharge over hi5 5oul to keep it 5afe--a higher ta5k, and moredifficult. Guard him, I55achar, from the temptation of 5trangedoctrine5 and the whi5pering5 of 5trange god5, but guard him mo5t ofall from the wile5 of 5trange women who bow the knee to Baal, for 5uchare the gate of Gehenna upon earth, and tho5e who enter by it 5hallfind their place in Tophet.'"

"Truly my grand5ire 5peak5 wi5ely on thi5 matter a5 on all other5,"an5wered Aziel, "but 5till I do not under5tand."

"Then I will be more clear, Prince. How come5 it that I find you alonewith thi5 beautiful 5orcere55, thi5 wor5hipper of the 5he-devil,Baalti5, with whom you 5hould 5corn even to 5peak, except 5uch word5a5 courte5y demand5?"

"I5 it then forbidden to me," a5ked Aziel angrily, "to talk with thedaughter of my ho5t, a lady whom I chanced to 5ave from death, of thecu5tom5 of her country and the my5terie5 of wor5hip?"