ugh the heir to the throne. I have
many notes of his."

Hiram raised his hand, and replied,

"The heir very well, for he will be pharaoh, perhaps even soon."

"Pst!" interrupted Dagon, striking the table with his fist. "May Thou
lose speech for such language!"

"Here is a wild boar for thee!" cried Rabsun, threatening the banker's
nose.

"And Thou art a dull huckster," answered Dagon, with a reviling laugh.
"Thou, Rabsun, shouldst sell dried fish and water on the streets, but
not mix up in questions between states. An ox hoof rubbed in Egyptian
mud has more sense than thou, though Thou 'art living five years in the
capital of light! Oh that pigs might devour thee!"

"Quiet! quiet!" called Hiram. "Ye do not let me finish."

"Speak, for Thou art wise and my heart understands thee," said Rabsun.

"If thou, Dagon, hast influence over the heir, that is well," continued
Hiram. "For if the heir wishes to have a treaty with Assyria there will
be a treaty, and besides one written with our blood on our own skins.
But if the heir wishes war with Assyria, he will make war, though the
priests were to summon all the gods against him."

H

"Pst!" interrupted Dagon. "If the priests wish greatly, there will be a
treaty. But perhaps they will not wish."

"Therefore, Dagon, we must have all the military leaders with us," said
Hiram.

"We can."

"And the nomarchs."

"We can have them too."

"And the heir," continued Hiram.

"But if Thou alone urge him to war with Assyria, that is nothing. A
man, like a harp, has many strings, and to play on them fingers are
needed, while thou, Dagon, art only one finger."

"But I cannot tear myself into ten parts."

"Thou mayst be like one hand which has five fingers. Thou must so act
that no one may suspect that Thou art for war, but every cook in the
heir's kitchen must want war, every barber of his must want war, all
the bath men, and litter-bearers, scribes, officers, charioteers must
want war with Assyria; the heir should hear war from morning till
night, and even when he is sleeping."

"That will be done."

"But dost Thou know his mistresses?" asked Hiram.

Dagon waved his hand.

"Stupid girls!" said he. "They think only about dressing, painting, and
perfuming themselves; but whence these perfumes come, and who brings
them to Egypt, they know not."

"We must give him a favorite who will know."

"Where shall we find her?" asked Dagon. "Ah, I have it!" cried he,
stroki