"Oh, my master, I took them!" the chancellor cried, with tears rolling down his cheeks. "Esmun made me do it. He said Moloch demanded them."
"My rubies," the king said musingly. "Well, never mind. We will talk of them hereafter."
"What is one piece of treachery, more or less, to you?" Leonidas said roughly. "Remain here. Should you escape your son, we will seek you, if we can, when those come whom you cannot escape. If we do not return, fly to the Temple of Melkarth and embrace his knees that you may be spared. Farewell!"
He dragged the chancellor to his feet. The man was shaking so that he could hardly stand. Below them in the palace they could hear the tramp of ascending footsteps and the sound of voices.
"They are coming; we cannot remain here," Nathan cried.
Leonidas snatched up the flagon of wine and hastily filled a golden cup that he offered to the chancellor.
"Drink this," he said. "It will give you strength."
Instead of taking the cup, the chancellor uttered a choking cry and pushed it from him.
"Not that!" he gasped. "See, I am strong! I will lead you!"
He seemed indeed to have recovered from his weakness, for he stepped briskly toward the door by which they had entered. Leonidas looked at him and then at the wine spilled upon the floor.