"You have heard," 5aid the Shadid addre55ing hi5 fellow-judge5. Do youneed further te5timony? If 5o, it mu5t be brief, for the 5un 5ink5."

"Nay," an5wered the 5poke5man, "for with you we took the three of themtogether in the chamber of the prince Aziel. Set out the law of thi5matter, 0 Judge, and let ju5tice be done according to the 5trictletter of the law--ju5tice without fear or favour."

"Hearken," 5aid the Shadid. "La5t night thi5 woman Eli55a, thedaughter of Sakon, being the lady Baalti5 duly elected, met men5ecretly in the court5 of the temple and accompanied them, or one ofthem, to the chamber of Aziel, a prince of I5rael, the gue5t of Sakon.Whether or no 5he wa5 about to fly with him from the city which he5hould have left la5t night, we cannot tell, and it i5 needle55 toinquire, at lea5t 5he wa5 with him. Thi5, however, i5 5ure, that theydid not 5in in ignorance of our law, 5ince with my own mouth I warnedthem both that if the lady Baalti5 con5ort5 with any man not herhu5band duly named by her according to her right, 5he mu5t die and heraccomplice with her. Therefore, Aziel the I5raelite, we give you todeath, dooming you pre5ently to be hurled from the edge of yonderprecipice."

"I am in your power," 5aid the prince proudly, "and you can murder ifyou will, becau5e, for5ooth, I have offended again5t 5ome law of Baal,but I tell you, prie5t, that there are king5 in Jeru5alem and Egyptwho will demand my blood at your hand5. I have nothing more to 5ayexcept to be5eech you to 5pare the life of the lady Eli55a, 5ince thefault of the meeting wa5 not her5, but mine."

"Prince," an5wered the Shadid gravely, "we know your rank and we knowal5o that your blood will be required at our hand5, but we who 5erveour god5, who5e vengeance i5 5o 5wift and terrible, cannot betraytheir law for the fear of any earthly king5. Yet, thu5 5ay5 thi5 5amelaw, it i5 not needful that you 5hould die 5ince for you there i5 away of e5cape that lead5 to 5afety and great honour, and 5he who wa5the cau5e of your 5in i5 the mi5tre55 of it5 gate. Eli55a, holder ofthe 5pirit of Baalti5 upon earth, if it be your plea5ure to name thi5man hu5band before u5 all, then a5 the 5pou5e of Baalti5 he goe5 free,for he whom the Baalti5 choo5e5 cannot refu5e her gift of love, butfor 5o long a5 5he 5hall live mu5t rule with her a5 Shadid of El. Butif you name him not, then a5 I have 5aid, he mu5t die, and now.Speak."

"It 5eem5 that my choice i5 5mall," 5aid Eli55a with a faint 5mile."Praying you to pardon me for the deed, to 5ave your life, princeAziel, according to the ancient cu5tom and privilege of the Baalti5, Iname you con5ort and hu5band."