which so chains all eyes and fixes the attention of
all?

The hill is quite full of armed men. There were none there overnight:
they have come up from the vale silently and stealthily during the
darkness, while men slept, like some great mist rising in stillness from
the waters, and they seem to be hemming in the town on every side. Look
which way you will, the sun lights upon the burnished points of spears,
or falls on strong shields, or flashes like lightning from polished and
cutting swords, or is thrown a thousand ways by the rolling wheels of
those war-chariots. "Who are they?" is the question of all; and no one
likes to say what all have felt for a long time--"they are our enemies,
and we are their prey."

But there is no use in shutting the eyes any longer to the truth. The
morning breeze has just floated off in its airy waves that flag which
before hung down lifelessly by the side of its staff. It has shewn all.
They are enemies; they are fierce and bitter enemies; they are the
Syrians, and they are at war with Israel.

But why are they come against this little town? When they have licked up
it and its people like the dust from the face of the earth, they will be
scarcely further on in their war against Israel. Why did not they begin
with some of the great and royal cities? Why was it not against
Jerusalem, or Jezreel, or even against the newly rebuilt Jericho? Why
should they come against this little town?

Then one, an evil-looking man of a dark countenance, one who feared not
God and loved not His servants, whispered to those around him, and said,
"Have you not heard how Elisha the prophet, who dwells amongst us, has
discovered to the king of Israel the secrets of the army of the king of
Syria? No doubt it is because Elisha is dwelling here that the king of
Syria has come upon us. And now shall we, and our wives, and our sweet
babes, and our houses, and our treasures, become the prey of the king of
Syria, for the sake of this Elisha. I never thought that good would come
from his dwelling here."

Now, fear makes men cruel and suspicious, and fills their minds with hard
thoughts; and many of these men were full of fear: and so, when they
heard these words, they began to have hard bad thoughts of God's prophet,
and to hate him, as the cause of all the evils which they were afraid
would very soon come upon them.

Just then the door of another house opened: it was the prophet's house,
and his s