“And will you examine this man also?” asked the justiciar again, to which Daniel, still composedly, made answer, “May your lordship first deign to hear the other witness.”
“It is your right,” responded the justiciar; to which Belshazzar added viciously, “I have sworn it, you shall have full justice, Jew; but take notice, your guilt is established out of the mouth of one witness. Let a second swear to his tale, and the case is proved. I give you this opportunity. Confess now, and I will see if I can relax the just penalty of the law.”
“I demand the other accuser,” answered Daniel, almost haughtily; and Belshazzar nodded to Avil.
“Shaphat, former servant of Daniel, advance!” commanded Avil, peremptorily.
And now there was a rustle and a flutter in the hall indeed. “One of the minister’s servants will betray him,—and one who is a Jew, at that!” ran the whisper, while an ill-favoured young man was thrust before the king. But all men noticed that the fellow hung down his head, and would not look the prisoner in the eye. Avil’s voice was very stern.
“Now, Shaphat, you have heard all that the pious ‘charmer’ Tabni has said. Tell the king: Were you not a Jewish servant in the house of Daniel, and did you not quit his service because you grew to love the gods of Babylon, while he worshipped his demon Jehovah and gave himself over to vile sorceries?”
The witness nodded, very faintly.
“You were with Tabni when he bought the magician’s material from Binit?”
“Yes,”—the word barely audible.