"We shall have money for Sarah too," added Hiram.
"She will take nothing!" burst out Dagon. "That pitiful creature has refused gold and a precious goblet, which I carried to her."
"She did, for she thought that Thou hadst the wish to deceive her," remarked Rabsun.
Hiram nodded.
"There is no cause for trouble," said he. "Where gold has not power, then the father, the mother, or the mistress may have it. And if the mistress is powerless, there is still."
"The knife," hissed Rabsun.
"Poison," whispered Dagon.
"A knife is a very rude weapon," concluded Hiram.
He stroked his beard, thought awhile; at last he rose, took from his bosom a purple ribbon on which were fastened three golden amulets with a portrait of the goddess Astaroth. He drew from his girdle a knife, cut the ribbon into three parts, and gave two of these with the amulets to Dagon and Rabsun.
Then all three went to the middle of the room to the corner where stood a winged statue of the goddess; they put their hands on the statue, and Hiram repeated in a low voice, but clearly,