They at once rose up to do him honour, and Arphaxad welcomed him, and bade him partake of their pleasures. Iärban advanced to the foot of the table, and cast a contemptuous look around him.

"Ye do well," exclaimed he, ironically, "to enjoy your lives to the utmost, for they are likely to be but brief. Know ye not that the hand of Riesen is extended over you, that, ere another moon return, he will have wrested your power from hands that are too weak to retain it; and how many days will he suffer to elapse, think ye, ere he strikes off the heads that have caused him alarm? Since when has he become thus forgiving? Let these slaves and women withdraw, it is a time for councils, not for banquetting and effeminate dallying."

Arphaxad gave a sign with his hand, and the female slaves retired, leaving Iärban alone with the priests. Arphaxad and his colleagues now gathered around him, and, standing in silence, awaited for him to speak, whose judgment had hitherto controlled them all.

"Let the youngest deliver his opinion first, said the pretended prophet briefly.

One after another they spoke. Some proposed that an immediate outbreak should be attempted, the palace attacked, and the King dethroned ere his guards had time to throw themselves around him. Others, that a number of the priests should, under pretence of coming on a deputation, obtain an introduction into Riesen's presence, and, when they were close to the throne, should suddenly draw weapons, previously concealed beneath their dresses, and despatch the tyrant. But when it came to Arphaxad's turn to speak, he said:

"From the first I have been averse to risking the wealth and ease which we before enjoyed by grasping after power, which even if acquired, would only render our lives uneasy. ye had all been of my mind, we should not now be in this evil strait, but still in the tranquil

If

enjoyment of that which we are about to lose for ever. And now, if ye will follow my counsel, ye will not risk your heads also, but yield to necessity. I propose that we wait on the King, and entreat of him to make us his priests, as we were before the priests of Zan. As for this Iärban, I look upon him as him as the cause of

all our misfortunes. Let us listen no more to him who has already brought us into danger."

Iärban folded his arms, and giving utterance to a scornful laugh, replied:

"At thy birth, O Arphaxad, Nature committed some strange errors, and unto a manly form united the spirit of a woman. Nay, thou art like the timid deer, which, when fascinated by the dragon's glowing eye, rushes into its remorseless jaws. So thou wouldst bare thy neck to the weapons of Riesen's guards rather than make an effort to avert them.

But listen to

If the tyrant

my counsel, ye that are men. overthrow our influence with the people, which is at an end should he become their god, we are lost. Know Riesen better than to think that he will be content to draw the serpent's fangs, and having made him harmless, set him at liberty to go whither he will. Such clemency is foreign to his nature. Wherefore, even though ye be so craven as to give up the glorious prize for which we have toiled, even though nought but fear possess your breasts, yet that very fear should make you bold-should goad you into

active daring.

The minds of men must be

worked up into strong discontent. Ye must be present everywhere, unseen and in disguise. Speak to to the superstitious of Riesen's impiety; to the restless and ambitious of his galling tyranny, which closes against them all avenues to greatness; and of freedom and equality to the lawless and oppressed. In fine, fail not to work upon every passion which ye deem fit to serve your purpose and capable of kindling disaffection. Thus the people will receive him, not with acclamations, but with groans; not with worship, but with execrations; and we shall gain time to collect our strength."

So spoke Iärban. His words were received with loud applause by the assembled priests, who next proceeded to arrange details, which it is needless to enter into. Suffice it to say, that to Iärban was assigned the part of alarming the minds of men by uttering predictions of some dire retribution, should Riesen be permitted to usurp the honours of the gods.

CHAPTER IX.

THE ESCAPE.

WE left Javan about to undertake the rescue of the beautiful Princess Zelma from the fate which his father designed for her.

Accordingly, when night came on, Javan returned to the camp, and having procured from Salah two steeds, and fastened them to a tree beyond the uttermost line of the watchfires, he again presented himself at the gates of the town. This time they brought him at once into the presence of Jared, whom he found taking a last farewell of his darling child, and consigning her, with many an injunction, to the care of her nurse, Opah. Then he turned to Javan, and said, taking him by the hand: