“An you be a true son of Egypt, now open your ears and mouth! Yesterday the Governor took a hundred soldiers and tried to make the Jews at the Diapleuston worship an image of the emperor. A magnificent young man in shining armor suddenly appeared on the scene, disarmed Flaccus, and encouraged the Jews to give the whole party a good drubbing. Which they did. The Romans were pommelled within an inch of their lives, then tumbled headlong into the street, and then chased on a full run quite to Bruchium. Gods! what a treat to see Flaccus run! I would have given ten years of my life to see it. And now it is said that Alexander, the favorite banker of the emperor, and heavier with him than all the pyramids put together, has just written to the governor demanding an apology for his behavior; and threatening to report him to the emperor.”
“Give us your fist, old fellow! Here goes my cap—to the moon, for aught I care. This is good news, capital news, news fit for the gods, news—almost too good to be true! But it ought to be true, and so true it must be. Let the gods laugh till the skies crack. To see the Romans soundly thrashed and running away with their tails between their legs must have been a treat for heaven and earth. I could give that young man a chaplet—who is he?”
“Just what everybody is asking.”
“And just what, in my opinion, nobody will ever find out; for he must have been at once rapturously spirited off by the celestials to their own country for the good service done us. Perhaps he was a celestial to begin with.”
“That reminds me that I did hear some Jews debating whether he might not be the Wonderful Deliverer whom they are expecting.”
Was there any danger that Aleph would be unduly exalted in his own estimation by such a very complimentary account of himself? Perhaps he was saved from this peril by the several large exaggerations of the story. What more natural than for him to say, “And I, too, am an exaggeration!”
At any rate, he wasted no time in arguing the matter; for he now noticed that the postern at the side of the great gate was being opened to a comer. So he rose, advanced leisurely to the postern, and plied the knocker which hung from a small window above. The door opened. He told the porter that he wished to see the priest Seti.
“I suppose you mean the high-priest Seti!” said the man with dignity.
“Very possibly,” said Aleph. “Is there here more than one priest of that name?”
“I know of no other.”