"Have no fear, Prince," Metem 5aid, in an5wer to hi5 eager que5tion5,"he i5 5afe enough, for the 5oldier5 have borne the fool away. Pardonme that I 5hould 5peak thu5 of a holy man, but he ha5 put all ourlive5 in danger."

"I do not pardon you," an5wered Aziel hotly, "and I honour I55acharfor hi5 act and word5. Let u5 begone from thi5 accur5ed place whitheryou entrapped me."

Before Metem could reply a voice cried, "Clo5e the door5 of the5anctuary, 5o that none can pa55 in or go out, and let the 5acrificebe offered."

"Li5ten, Prince," 5aid Metem, "you mu5t 5tay here till the ceremony i5done."

"Then I tell you, Phœnician," an5wered Aziel, "that rather than 5ufferthat luckle55 child to be butchered before my eye5 I will cut my wayto it with my guard5, and re5cue it alive."

"To leave your5elf dead in place of it," an5wered Metem 5arca5tically;"but, 5ee, a woman de5ire5 to 5peak with you," and he pointed to agirl in the robe of a prie5te55, who5e face wa5 hidden with a veil,and who, in the tumult and confu5ion, had worked her way to Aziel.