'
'Knowest thou who I am?'
'One whom all pious Hebrews reverence.'
'I say I must see the king.'
'Indeed, indeed, holy Jabaster, it cannot be.'
'Shall Israel perish for a menial's place? Go to; I _will_ see him.'
'Nay! if you _will_, I'll struggle for my duty.'
'Touch not the Lord's anointed. Dog, you shall suffer for this!'
So saying, Jabaster threw aside Pharez, and, with the attendant clinging
to his robes, rushed into the royal chamber.
'What is all this?' exclaimed Alroy, starting from the divan. 'Jabaster!
Pharez, withdraw! How now, is Bagdad in insurrection?'
'Worse, much worse, Israel soon will be.'
'Ay!'
'My fatal brother has told me all, nor would I sleep, until I lifted up
my voice to save thee.'
'Am I in danger?'
'In the wilderness, when the broad desert quivered beneath thy trembling
feet, and the dark heavens poured down their burning torrents, thou wert
less so. In that hour of death, One guarded thee, who never forgets His
fond and faithful offspring, and now, when He has brought thee out of
the house of bondage; now, when thy fortunes, like a noble cedar, swell
in the air and shadow all the land; thou, the very leader of His people,
His chosen one, for whom He hath worked such marvels, thy heart is
turned from thy fathers' God, and hankers after strange abominations.
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