Chapter 8

It was near the middle hour of the night. Many, just out of
banquet-hall, theatre, and circus, thronged the main thoroughfares of
the capital. Cries of venders, ribald songs, shouts of revelry, the
hurrying of many feet roused the good people who, wearied by other
nights of dissipation, now sought repose. They turned, uneasily,
reflecting that to-morrow they would have their revenge.

Antipater had dined with but a single guest--a young priest, who,
arriving that very day from Damascus, had sought the palace of his
countryman. The service at his table had not pleased the prince.
Leaping from his couch, he struck down a slave and ordered his
crucifixion. It was a luckless Arab, who many times had unwittingly
offended his master.

Now the son of Herod lay asleep where, a little time ago, he had been
feasting. Manius, who had just entered the palace of his friend, came
into the banquet-hall. He touched the arm of Antipater, who started
with a curse and rose with an apology.

"I was dreaming of foes and I see a friend," he muttered. "Forgive me,
noble Manius."

The prince pulled a golden bell-cord that shone against the green
pargeting of the wall.

"Now to our business," he whispered, turning to the officer.

They crossed the atrium, descended a stairway, and threw open a barred
door. They were now in a gloomy passage between walls of marble.
Antipater halted, presently, and tapped with his seal ring on a metal
door. Then a rattle of bolts and the door swung open.

"Now," Antipater whispered, "are you of the same mind?"

"I am."

"And again you swear secrecy?"

"I do."

Without more delay they entered a room walled with white marble and
lighted by candles. A bearded Jew, in a scarlet cloak embroidered with
gold, rose to greet them.

"To John ben Joreb I present the noble Manius," said Antipater.

"Blessings of the one God be upon thee," said Ben Joreb, bowing low.

"And the favor of many gods on thee," said the assessor. "From
Jerusalem?"

"Nay, from Damascus."

Antipater stirred the fire in iron braziers on either side of the room,
and then bade them recline beside him at a small table whereon a supper
waited.

"Ben Joreb has good news of our plan," said he, turning to Manius.

"It prospers," said the priest. "Our council is now in thirty cities."

"And the king is better," said Manius. "He will not soon perish of
infirmity."

"But you tell me that my father suffers?"

Antipater started nervously. A long, weird