And now there was a rustle and a flutter in the hall indeed. “One of the minister’s servants will betray him,—and one who is a Jew, at that!” ran the whisper, while an ill-favoured young man was thrust before the king. But all men noticed that the fellow hung down his head, and would not look the prisoner in the eye. Avil’s voice was very stern. “Now, Shaphat, you have heard all that the pious ‘charmer’ Tabni has said. Tell the king: Were you not a Jewish servant in the house of Daniel, and did you not quit his service because you grew to love the gods of Babylon, while he worshipped his demon Jehovah and gave himself over to vile sorceries?” The witness nodded, very faintly. “You were with Tabni when he bought the magician’s material from Binit?” “Yes,”—the word barely audible. “You were with him at the making of the waxen image?” “Yes,”—the word came still fainter. “Now is it not your oath, taken in the name both of the gods of Babylon and of Judea, that Daniel pronounced the name of Saruch above the waxen image?” But at this instant the witness raised his head, and Daniel looked him in the face. They saw Shaphat’s countenance working in agony; the words were choking in his throat: “I cannot! I cannot!” That was all they could understand. “Cannot what, knave?” demanded the king, fiercely. But the wretched fellow had cast himself before Daniel, and embraced his knees. “O master! master!” he groaned, “I cannot lie before your face. I was dismissed justly for my thieving, and only in your mercy did you spare me prison. You are guiltless; Tabni’s tale is all perjury: I never saw him; never saw Binit; you never had the ‘charmer’ in your house. Alas! that I listened to Gudea, and took his money—” “Silence, hound!” shouted Avil, flinging dignity to every wind, and catching the luckless witness by the scruff; “would you be cut into sandal-leather?” But a fearful din was rising from the company. Not only the city folk, but the courtiers, were thundering: “Innocent! Innocent! Away with the false witnesses!” “Silence!” commanded the king, his countenance darkening. “What is this, Avil? What is this witness saying?” “Your Majesty,” answered Avil, barely heard in the tumult, “you see with your own eyes that Daniel is a sorcerer. While Shaphat came forward, he muttered magic spells to force him to utter falsehood!” The efforts of the wand-bearers had restored stillness. Belshazzar’s frown was still very black when he addressed the prisoner. “That the accused has dealing with demons, who come to his aid, should be manifest to all men. Speak, Daniel; even now I give you chance to show wherefore you should not die the death.” “I stand upon the law, your Majesty.” The Jew seemed the soberest mortal in all that excited company. “My past life should be a defence against the slanders of this Tabni; and the king has heard Shaphat and his confession. Even receiving the oath of Tabni, only one witness swears to my guilt.”