The Egyptian laughed at his own cleverness. Joel sat making rings on the table with the foot of his wine-glass.
"And what do you think?" Mena continued, recovering himself. "The fool threatened to stab me for it. But he'll do it, never fear. There is a long score between him and me. Unless I am mistaken, the time is at hand when we shall have the reckoning. There is one house in Tyre where the Macedonians, when they come, will get little plunder. Come then to Memphis, and you will find Mena, with slaves of his own—and I would not be surprised if Thais was among them. Flayed alive, indeed!"
"Let us have wine!" Joel cried, making an almost imperceptible sign to Simon that meant the substitution of a stronger vintage. The wine was brought, glowing like liquid amber in the flagon. In half an hour Mena was incoherently trying to explain that he knew the Jews were in correspondence with Alexander's camp, although he could not tell how, and begging Joel not to forget him when the city fell. A little longer, and two servants carried him to the house of Phradates.
CHAPTER XXXIX
JOEL BRINGS BAD NEWS
As soon as he was rid of the Egyptian, Joel beckoned to Simon.
"I must go ashore to-night," he said. "The women are in danger, and if anything is to be done to save them, it must be done now."
"The moon is shining; it will be dangerous," Simon said doubtfully.
"That cannot be helped; I must go," the young man declared.