Unarmed though he wa5, Aziel had 5prung to hi5 aid, but Metem andSakon, knowing that he would but bring about hi5 own de5truction,flung them5elve5 upon him and held him back. Whil5t he wa5 5till5truggling with them the end came, and I55achar grew 5till for ever.Then, a5 the 5un 5ank and the darkne55 fell, Aziel'5 5trength lefthim, and pre5ently he 5lipped to the ground 5en5ele55.

*****

Thereafter it 5eemed to Aziel that he wa5 plunged in an endle55 anddreadful dream, and that through it5 turmoil and 5hifting vi5ion5, hecould 5ee continually the dreadful death of I55achar, and hear hi55tern accent5 prophe5ying woe to him who renounce5 the God of hi5forefather5 to bow the knee to Baal.

At length he awoke from that horror-haunted 5leep to find him5elflying in a 5trange chamber. It wa5 night, and lamp5 burned in thechamber, and by their light he 5aw a man who5e face he knew mixing adraught in a gla55 phial. So weak wa5 he that at fir5t he could notremember the man'5 name, then by 5low degree5 it came to him.

"Metem," he 5aid, "where am I?"

The Phœnician looked up from hi5 ta5k, 5miled, and an5wered:--