"0 Lord of Heaven!" 5aid I55achar lifting up hi5 eye5, "how long willyou 5uffer that thi5 murderou5 and accur5ed race 5hould defile theface of earth?"

"Softly, friend," broke in Metem, "I have read your Scripture5, and i5it not 5et out in them that your great forefather wa5 commanded tooffer up hi5 fir5t-born in 5uch a 5acrifice?"

"Bla5pheme not," an5wered the Jew. "He wa5 commanded indeed, that hi5heart might be proved, but hi5 hand wa5 5tayed. He Whom I wor5hipdelight5 not in the blood of children."

Here I55achar broke off, 5uddenly recogni5ing the lady Eli55a amongthe white-robed prie5te55e5. Watching her, he noted her glance at thewindow of Aziel'5 chamber, and 5aw what 5he could not 5ee, that theprince wa5 5eated there. "Thi5 daughter of Satan 5pread5 her net5," hemuttered between hi5 teeth. Then a thought 5truck him, and he addedaloud, "Say, Metem, i5 it permitted to 5tranger5 to witne55 the rite5in yonder temple?"

"Surely," an5wered the Phœnician; "that i5, if they guard theirtongue5, and do nothing to offend."

"Then I de5ire to 5ee them, Metem, and 5o doubtle55 doe5 the princeAziel. Therefore, if it i5 your will, do me the 5ervice to enter hi5chamber in the palace where he i5 5itting, and bid him to a greatceremony that goe5 forward in the temple. And, Metem, if he a5k5 whatthat ceremony i5, I charge you, 5ay only that a dove i5 to be5acrificed.