Almost at once he astonished Amaziah by crying out in a muffled voice, full of pain, “Do you think this is easy for me?” Amaziah seized what he took to be his advantage. “You are confident,” he remarked in quiet tones, “but I have noticed that God does not speak to my priests with the same enthusiasm with which He addresses Himself to the wild and savage hermits who live in the desert of Tob and Golan. And it is my experience that His angels do not enter the cottages of married men with the same boldness with which they visit the huts of bachelors. If it is true that prophets have sometimes been married, it is also true that they have often left their wives and gone out alone to live in the wilderness.” “That,” said Jonah stubbornly, “is a personal matter, which need not concern us.” And he added, “You cannot shake me in my resolve.” Amaziah looked at him sadly. But suddenly his brow cleared, and he struck his palms together. “Wait,” he cried; “if the father of this young woman did not object to your poverty, then there would be no reason for you to become a priest.” “Well,” said Jonah sourly, “he does object.” “Then,” exclaimed Amaziah, “for the glory of his country he shall be prevailed upon to change his mind.” And he waited with a smile for the name of the unreasonable man whose opinions were making a successful war with Nineveh highly improbable. “It is Prince Ahab,” said Jonah. At once the smile left Amaziah’s face, to be replaced by a look of consternation. The High Priest sank back in his seat, and stared at Jonah with brows which slowly drew together into a frown. His fingers caressed his chin; he sat for a long time without speaking. At last he said: “My son, the more I think of things, the more convinced I am that you would not make a good priest. It is the duty of a priest to serve men, and the Temple. You cannot be a good priest, and at the same time be given to divine illumination, because God deals only in generalities, and does not bother Himself about the details of administration. “A priest must conform; he must not have ideas of his own. He is a soldier with certain duties to perform: he must obey his superiors, and must serve the interests of the men and women who worship the god. “That would never do for you; your spirit is too lively. You would try to change everything. “Moreover, since you are not a Levite, I cannot make you a priest of Adonai. I cannot believe that you would be willing to become a priest of a baal such as Melcarth or Kemosh. “Besides, can you read or write? No? Well.... “I can do nothing for you.” So saying, he clapped his hands, to show that the interview was at an end. “Will you speak to Prince Ahab?” cried Jonah wildly. Amaziah did not reply. Instead, two Nubian slaves came forward, and hustled Jonah out of the house.