"Seeing that thou dost live, tell me what sheltered thee in this harvest of death?" Jambres repeated.
"The Lord God of Israel, who reaped it."
The answer was direct and fearless. To the astonished priest who heard it, it seemed triumphant.
Each of the many emotions the sorcerer experienced, displayed itself, in turn, on his face,—amazement, anger, censure, irresolution, distrust. After a silence, he took up the scroll and made as if to return it to its hiding-place in the compartments under the table.
"Stay," Kenkenes said, laying his hand on the sorcerer's. "Put it not away, for I shall carry it. Shall I, being a believer in Israel's God, be willing for the Pharaoh to pursue Israel?"
"Nay," Jambres replied bluntly; "but thou wouldst stay him for Israel's sake; I would prevent him for his own."
"So the same end is accomplished, wherefore quarrel over the motive? But when thou speakest of Israel's sake, which, by the testimony of past events, is now the more imperiled, Egypt or Israel?"
"Egypt! But it shall not be wholly overthrown through mine incautious trust of a messenger."
The young man still retained his hold on the sorcerer's hand.
"Thou dost impugn my fidelity. Now, consider this. I could have defeated thee and accomplished the Pharaoh's undoing by refusing to carry the message, by keeping silence in yonder shed of image-makers. Is it not so?"