A King of Tyre

errible than that he feared. From his impending fate he saw no way of escape. Die he must. He queried with himself, what would it signify if he resented, even fought against, this mo

ht in his views of religion, he would not be understood. Posterity, except in remote ages, perhaps, would attribute to him, and to his shrinking from the altar, all the misfortunes th

his prediction that the god would draw the king to voluntary obedience. He saw the hands of this plotter binding the people

first! Thou, hated priest, sh

e point of

he mystery of existence; and does He not demand sacrifices? The Jews have no idols, but have altars. The Greeks, even Herodotus, who has taught me to doubt, worshipped his gods with sacrifice. If the god is good, then surely we have offended him. If the god is not good, then he is capricious, passio

termitting intensity of his mental struggle overcame even his marvellous powers o

He was surprised that no one had called him. His servants had prepared no meals. How did they know that he did not need t

o be filled with the statues of men. Was he demented? They moved towards him. One by one they fell t

mes blessed! Chosen of men!

he floor. Each head was raised in

in a long black robe- Could he mistake that figure?

d thy body. One by one these starry kings came, until the last, thine own father. In thee, O blessed Hiram! is all the royalty of Tyre. I saw, too, the great spirit of Baal, like a globe of light, brighter than the sun himself. Baal came and enclosed thee. The divine light penetrated thee, purified thee, until thy body was light itself;

reality. But it mattered little which, since he had

eplied: and, preceded by Egbalus and followed by

eed, above which rose the words of a chant. As the procession wound its way across the Great Square the multitudes prostrated themselves on either hand, murmuring prayers and benedictions upon the royal deliverer of Tyre. At the temple gate the popular reverence and awe were

. Priests incessantly patrolled back and forth, saying nothing except their prayers. They brought him food in golden

n would the sacrifice be accomplished? Was there no communication for him from Zillah? Could he bribe any of these bigots to confer with Captain Hanno? Now he was tempted to rush upon one of the priests, seize his sacrifi

rough that. He will need all his prayers

ome sacred frenzy. He came nearer to Hiram's chamber entra

," thought Hiram. "Now to t

liar features of Hanno. All Hiram's self-possession was needed to restrain a cry of recognition. The next day the eccentric priest appeared again, and paus

or the mark of a circle, and follow it. O Baal Melk