“Now, fellow,” and Avil’s tone was low, but piercing as his gaze, “are you a rascal of discretion? Can you lie piously? Can you lift your hands, bidding Marduk and Samas strike dead if you are perjuring? Have you the nose of a dog, the teeth of a cat, and the stealth of an adder?” The wizard hung down his head. The priest, with a single blow, crushed a fly that lit on his palm and snapped:— “Understand, you are clay in my fingers. At my will I dash you out as this fly. Silence now, or your wagging tongue wags your head off also.” “Ah, lord,” answered Gudea, “Bel forbid I should whisper one secret—” Avil sprang to his feet and paced the room. “Hark, you knave! I see through you as through Phœnician glass. You will mortgage your soul for ten shekels,—say five rather. If I take oath from you, it will bind while your interest holds, no longer.” “Alas, your Excellency, enemies blast my character.” Neriglissor raised a great laugh, crying:— “An exorcist of honesty! Hear, Heavens! Behold, Earth! Wonder of wonders!” But Avil-Marduk ceased pacing. “My dear wizard,” said he, in his oiliest manner, “I am infinitely delighted to have a man of your liver seek me to-night.” His voice fell to a confidential pitch. “Great things are afoot. If certain events befall,”—he hesitated,—“Daniel will become a most undesirable man to remain in high office.” “Ah!” Gudea dropped his jaw in turn. Avil ran on:— “If Daniel were found to have resorted to magic to work harm to Saruch, whom he hated for leaving Jehovah; if many witnesses were found who could swear ‘thus and thus the civil-minister slew Saruch with sorceries’; I say, if such testimony were brought against Daniel, it would be most ruinous to his popularity. He might even be brought to pass words with Khatin.” “To suborn witnesses is costly,” hinted Gudea, rising to the bait. “Suborn?” cried Avil. “I did not speak the word. I say, ‘_If_ the evidence were found.’” And then, turning suddenly, his tone lost all smoothness. “I will give you three manehs this night. If one month from to-day Daniel (Isaiah matters nothing) lies in the palace dungeon, I will weigh you two talents. If not—” The exorcist was very uneasy, while Avil’s eyes burned through him. “If not, if you play me false, if you fail, I will blow you out as a lamp! A nod from me to the vizier suffices.” Two talents were life riches, but the wizard’s heart was thumping when he answered, “Lord, lord, I am a poor man, my skill is small. Some other—” Avil cut him short again:— “No grunting now, pig! After telling you this, did you expect me to say: ‘Go in peace. Tell the story to all Nana Street’? You shall do as bidden. When the evidence is ready, silent as a tomb you come to me, and I use you and your witnesses in my own time and way.” “And if I fail?” began Gudea. “Then, by the king’s life, you fail only once! No goad to a man’s wits like saying, ‘Do this, or visit Allat, Queen of the Dead.’”