hell of Baal of which
you speak? Nay, your dream is false. I will not renounce my faith, but
rather will win her to share it, and together we shall triumph, and that
I swear to you, Issachar."

"Truly the evil one has many wiles," answered the Levite, "and I did
ill to tell you of my dream, seeing that it can be twisted to serve the
purpose of your madness. Have your will, Aziel, and reap the fruit of
it, but of this I warn you--that while I can find a way to thwart it,
never, Prince, shall you take that witch to your bosom to be the ruin of
your life and soul."

"Then, Issachar, on this matter there may be war between us!"

"Ay! there is war," said the Levite, and left him.

*****

The sun was already high in the heavens when Aziel awoke from the deep
and dreamless sleep which followed on the excitements and exhaustion of
the previous day. After his servants had waited upon him and robed him,
bringing him milk and fruit to eat, he dismissed them, and sat himself
down by the casement of his chamber to think a while.

Below him lay the city of flat-roofed houses enclosed with a double
wall, without the ring of which were thousands of straw huts, shaped
like bee-hives, wherein dwelt natives of the country, slaves or servants
of the occupying Phoenician race. To Aziel's right, and not more than a
hundred paces from the governor's house in which he was, rose the round
and mighty battlements of the temple, where the followers of El and
Baaltis worshipped, and the gold refiners carried on their business.
At intervals on its flat-topped walls stood towers of observation,
alternating with pointed monoliths of granite and soapstone columns
supporting vultures, rudely carved emblems of Baaltis. Between these
towers armed soldiers walked continually, watching the city below and
the plain beyond, for though the mission of the Phoenicians here was one
of peaceful gain it was evident that they considered it necessary to be
always prepared for war. On the hillside above the great temple towered
another fortress of stone--a citadel deemed to be impregnable even
should the temple fall into the hands of an enemy--while on the crest
of the precipitous slope, stretching as far to right and left as the eye
could reach, were many smaller detached strongholds.

The scene that Aziel saw from his window was a busy one, for beneath him
a market was being held in an open square in the city. Here, sheltered
from the sun by grass-thatched