Jonathan did not move.
"Guard yourself, then!" said Dion, advancing. Jonathan made no sign of self-defense.
Dion lowered his sword. "I cannot kill a man who will not fight."
"Plainly not. You are not a soldier of that sort, and thus are unlike your fellow Greeks," said the Maccabæan.
"Do not taunt me," was the reply. "I believe that the daughter of Elkiah will be safer with Jonathan than with myself. For her sake I yield."
He presented his weapon.
"Not so, Captain Dion," replied the Jew. "Keep your sword. You may need it to defend yourself from others. Now lead me to the lady Deborah. I respect her too highly to invade her privacy without heralding by her appointed guardian. Use your sword on me, Captain Dion, if I force her to do aught against her will. We two will go alone."
Jonathan bade his men retire.
The frightened servants had hidden away at the first noise of the encounter; but as the two men approached Deborah's apartment their way was blocked by old Huldah, who stood with arms akimbo, and behind her Ephraim.
"The lady Deborah is ill, and no one can see her," cried Huldah, as valiantly as if Ephraim were a whole battalion supporting her.