“Ho! Shallum,” cried one of them, “two cups of your best Lebanon; and make haste, for we have important business on hand.”
“Shall I draw some water fresh from the well? This is a little too warm to be used.”
“Water!” said the man. “Jew, don’t blaspheme. Mix water with our wine to-day, of all days in the year!”
“And why not to-day?” said Shallum.
“Because it is the feast of Dionysus, the wine-giver; and it would be the grossest impiety to profane his bounty with any mixture of meaner [pg 103]things. Commonly his godship winks at human weakness; but to-day it is different. May he confound me if I do him such dishonour!”
“He will certainly confound you if you drink this heady wine undiluted,” muttered Shallum to himself, as he set the two cups before his guests.
“Excellent! excellent!” cried Lycon, the elder of the two Greeks, as he set down his goblet, half empty. “But why the god vouchsafes such capital drink to these unbelieving dogs of Jews puzzles me beyond expression.”
His companion broke out into a drinking-song:
“Fill the cup with ample measure,
Dionysus’ gift divine;