Part 11 (2/2)
”And what can be the nature of my offense?” asked the young Hebrew, nothing daunted. ”If in anything I have offended, I ask not to be spared.”
”And hast thou not heard the decree?”
”No new decree has reached my ears.”
”Then I shall communicate to Belteshazzar all I know concerning the matter.” Which he proceeded to do.
”Many thanks to thee, kind officer. I have no desire to escape thy vigilance. Only permit me to see the king, and, peradventure, things may take a different course.”
”Any favor I can show, without violating positive orders, will readily be granted. So I will make thy pleasure known to the king.”
Arioch hastened into the presence of the sovereign, and informed him that one of the wise men prayed to be admitted into his presence.
”I desire not to see any of the vile race!” answered the king, with a frown. ”I was satisfied yesterday that they are a band of lying impostors.”
”May the king pardon his unworthy servant,” replied Arioch; ”but the young man that seeks thy face to-day was not among the number yesterday.”
”And by what name is he known?” frowningly inquired the king.
”His name, O king, is Belteshazzar, of the captivity of Judah.”
”Belteshazzar! Belteshazzar!” exclaimed the king, suddenly rising to his feet. ”May the G.o.ds forgive me! Belteshazzar, whose wonderful display of wisdom astonished the city on the day of examination? Why did I not think of him sooner? Yea, and his three companions! and all at the palace!
close at hand! and far superior in wisdom to all others! Belteshazzar!
Yea, Arioch! By all means let the young Hebrew be admitted.”
The captain of the guard hastened from the presence of the king to inform Daniel of his success.
”Belteshazzar, the king grants thy pet.i.tion, and thou art requested to appear before him.”
Daniel, with his usual calmness and dignity, walked into the presence of the king, while Arioch was beckoned to retire.
”Belteshazzar,” said the king, ”thou art thus admitted into my presence, and thou art at perfect liberty to speak freely on whatever subject mostly occupies thy mind. I have heretofore been well pleased with thy superior knowledge and wisdom, as well as that of thy comrades. The army has of late occupied the most of my attention, and among the various affairs of importance it is nothing astonis.h.i.+ng if some of my best subjects are partially overlooked. Proceed with thy request.”
”A little over four years ago, O king, according to thy direction, thy servant, with his three companions, was brought from the land of Judah to the great city of Babylon. Hitherto, we have been the subjects of thy kind regards. At thy expense we have been taught in all the learning and wisdom of the Chaldeans; and, in the presence of hundreds of thy worthy n.o.bles, thou sawest fit to p.r.o.nounce us superior in the various branches of learning, and, amid enthusiastic cheers, we were escorted to the palace of the king. We have endeavored to prove ourselves worthy of the favors and regard. We have spared no pains to render ourselves agreeable in the eyes of our superiors; and never have we heard a word of complaint. We have made no pretensions to superior wisdom. We are numbered among the wise by the direction of the king. In all things have we aimed to be thy faithful, loyal subjects. Judge then, O king, the astonishment of thy servant when, not half an hour ago, he was apprehended by the captain of the guard as one already appointed to death, according to the direction of the king. I wonder not that thine anger is kindled against the false pretensions of the magicians. But why should the innocent suffer with the guilty? And why, especially, should thy Hebrew servants die without, at least, a trial of their ability through the direct agency of their G.o.d, to restore to the king his lost dream? I, therefore, pray thee, O king, to give thy servant time, and the G.o.d that I wors.h.i.+p will give me the knowledge of the dream and its interpretation.”
”Belteshazzar,” cried the king, ”thy request is granted. Go! and may thy G.o.d give thee the knowledge of the vision.”
Daniel left the presence of the king and hastened to join his comrades at their apartments.
”What now, fair cousin?” said Azariah. ”What am I to learn from such a countenance? Nothing of a joyful nature, I fear!”
”Alas, comrades!” answered Daniel, ”unless Jehovah interfere with a miraculous hand, we are undone. The decree has already gone forth from royal lips that all the wise men of Babylon must perish by the sword.”
He then gave his companions a full history of the thing, as he had received it from the mouth of Arioch, the captain of the guard.
”In all our trials. .h.i.therto,” said Hananiah, ”we have found Jehovah to be our sure refuge. In him we trust, and he will surely open to us a way of escape.”
”Already I feel the strange a.s.surance that from this conflict we shall come forth triumphant,” said Daniel.
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