'Yes, it is—if you had only stuck to my text. But no! You must set yourself up over all our heads.'
'You told me to get in Simeon, and I obeyed.'
'Yes, you got him in. But what did you call him? The Holy Temple! A fine thing, upon my soul!'
'It was only an—an—analogy,' stammered the poor minister.
'An apology! Oh, so you apologized to him, too! Better and better.'
'No, no, I mean a comparison.'
'A comparison! You never compared me to the Holy Temple. And I'm Solomon—Solomon who built it.'
'Solomon was wise,' murmured the minister.
'Oh, and I'm silly. If I were you, Mr. Gabriel, I'd remember my place and who I owed it to. But for me, Rochinsky would have stood in your shoes——'
'Rochinsky is lucky.'