Belus?  Ah, my lords, those vessels were worthy of a more trusty god!  They are beautiful to behold, and would well become an occasion like the present.  Surely this is well thought!  Let the vessels of the temple of the God of Israel be brought hither, and from them let us drink wine in honor of the gods of Chaldea!  Bring them hither in haste!  My thirst increases with the thought!  All praise to our matchless gods!  Again I say, let us banish gloom, and let us be filled with mirth!  But here, indeed, come the temple vessels of the God of Israel!  Bring them hither.  Look ye here, Babylonians!  Saw ye ever anything more beautiful?  Such fine specimens of art as these must be rendered serviceable in the employ of more worthy gods!  Let them be filled with wine!  Let us drink to the gods of the empire; and, if there is a God in Israel, let him come to the rescue!  We defy his power, Chaldeans!  These Hebrews among us must be limited in their privileges.  The worship of their imaginary God, if at all permitted, must be on a more private scale.  They are corrupting in their influence, and their liberties must be restricted.  This I have accomplished in a measure, and, by the gods, I swear that in this my pleasure must be realized to the full!  These foreigners have too long lived in ease, and many of them have been unwisely elevated to fill the most responsible offices in the gift of the government, to the exclusion of Chaldeans and more worthy men.  Of this We shall hear no more complaint.  I have cut short the work, and not one Hebrew remains in office within the empire.  Babylonians, in this has not the king met your wishes?  Your joyous looks and merry countenances answer ‘yea!’ Let this then be our motto, ‘Chaldeans to rule Chaldea!’ Drink!  Drink freely!  Drink to the gods!  Is there a God in Israel?  Let him come and claim the vessels of his sanctuary!  Oh, the wine tastes delicious from these thy golden goblets!  Oh, thou God of Israel!  Ha! ha! ha!  More wine!  Let us rejoice and be glad, and drink defiance to all gods save the gods of Chaldea!  Who shall Belshazzar fear?  What god can alarm the king of Bab—­”

The vessel fell from the monarch’s hand!  Paleness gathered on his brow!  A sudden trembling shook his whole frame!  A cry of terror broke from his lips!

On the wall, over against the candlestick, there appeared the fingers of a man’s hand, which wrote on the plaster.  This was the mysterious sight that gave terror to the king and alarmed the merry throng.

“Haste ye!” cried the terrified king, “and bring hither my wise men, and let them give me the signification of the writing.  Go in haste!”

Messengers were speedily hurried to summon the magicians and wise men into the presence of the monarch, and within a short period the whole “college” stood before the agitated sovereign in the midst of the banqueting hall.

“Look ye yonder!” said the king, with a trembling voice, pointing to the mysterious writing.  “Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”