Hiram raised his hand, and replied,
"The heir very well, for he will be pharaoh, perhaps even soon."
"Pst!" interrupted Dagon, striking the table with his fist. "May Thou lose speech for such language!"
"Here is a wild boar for thee!" cried Rabsun, threatening the banker's nose.
"And Thou art a dull huckster," answered Dagon, with a reviling laugh. "Thou, Rabsun, shouldst sell dried fish and water on the streets, but not mix up in questions between states. An ox hoof rubbed in Egyptian mud has more sense than thou, though Thou 'art living five years in the capital of light! Oh that pigs might devour thee!"
"Quiet! quiet!" called Hiram. "Ye do not let me finish."
"Speak, for Thou art wise and my heart understands thee," said Rabsun.
"If thou, Dagon, hast influence over the heir, that is well," continued Hiram. "For if the heir wishes to have a treaty with Assyria there will be a treaty, and besides one written with our blood on our own skins. But if the heir wishes war with Assyria, he will make war, though the priests were to summon all the gods against him."
H
"Pst!" interrupted Dagon. "If the priests wish greatly, there will be a treaty. But perhaps they will not wish."